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mingispelvis · 9 months

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7 Minutes in Heaven

First time ever writing smut. Please be kind or provide feedback if you choose to read :)

Genre: yunho x afab!reader ft ot8 Length: 3.9k Summary: a drinking game turns into Yunho eating you

NSFW warnings under cut

Warnings: oral sex female receiving, alcohol consumption, yunho has no personality he's just a means to an end

A long week of promoting, practicing, and preparing winds to a close as the clock ticks towards 5:00pm. You couldn’t be more excited to spend the weekend Netflix and Chill-ing with your stuffed animals and a superfluous amount of unhealthy snacks. You’d been staying in the ATEEZ dorm while working as a stylist for their little brother group and you went ahead and hit up the group chat to let them know you were on the way home.

~Me~: I’m headed home. You guys want me to grab dinner on the way? (5:04pm)

~MomHwa~: PLEASE. I’m starving (5:04pm)

~Woo~: Chicken???? (5:06pm)

~Joongie~: We’ve had chicken three nights in a row. No more chicken. (5:08pm)

~Woo~: TT (5:08pm)

~Maknae~: I kinda want chicken again…get chicken (Y/N)-ah. (5:10pm)

You roll your eyes and place your phone in your back pocket. By the time they finish disagreeing, you’ll be in the dorms, up the stairs, in your PJs, and snuggled under the covers. You pull out one airpod and place it in your ear to continue listening to your favorite Friday playlist (but still have an ear out for any potential hazards). Your phone continues to buzz like a bumblebee with continuous messages from the boys, but you ignore it and fall deeper into your music as you walk the familiar streets. You’ve been working at KQ for a while now, and the boys of ATEEZ had sort of become like your brothers, so it startled you when your thoughts started slipping into sensual territory while listening to Deja Vu. As idols, the eight boys were clearly attractive, duh. But there’s no reason your lower belly should be fluttering and flipping as it is now that you’re imagining Yunho slowly turning his hips in the chorus choreo. You push the thought out of your head almost as quickly as it arrived, but it returned as quickly as it left.

“What the fuck is wrong with me today?” You think while scrunching up your nose. “Yunho’s a teddy bear. A golden retriever. And, like, my best friend. He’s not hot. Well..he is hot. But he’s not…UGH.”

You roll your eyes and pull your phone back out of your pocket to clear the stacks of messages you know you have.

*20 Messages above*

~Yuyu~: Mingi and I will get the chicken. Who wants to grab drinks? (5:18pm)

Drinks? There goes your Netflix and Chill date with yourself. When the boys get drinks, they pout and whine and tug and pull until you’re 5 sojus in and 3 articles of clothing less.

~Mountain~: Wooyoung come with me to get drinks!!!!! :) :) :) (5:20pm)

By 6pm you were happily chowing down on chicken and laughing with the boys. By 6:30pm you were all sitting in the living room nursing a few preliminary beers, and you knew you’d need back up. The 2 cases of soju loomed eerily in your periphery, peeking out from behind the kitchen archway. You stepped away to call your best friend, Jihyo. She was ten times more willing and 100 times more fun than you and a perfect buffer for whatever drunken torture the boys could cook up for you. By 7:15pm, you were one bottle of soju in and Jihyo had suggested a drinking game.

“The name of the game is King’s Cup!” Jihyo announced loudly, commanding the attention of the lively group. “Everyone sit in a circle on the floor.”

You all obliged without hesitation. You were sat with your back against the base of the loveseat. To your left, Wooyoung cuddled against San, who was to his left. Hongjoong sat to the left of San, with his back against the foot of the longer couch. Mingi and Seonghwa followed. Directly across from you, already smirking and wiggling her eyebrows at you, sat Jihyo. Jongho followed, then Yeosang, and finally, to your right was Yunho. He also sat leaning on the foot of the third, longer couch. You crossed your legs at the same time as Yunho, and you felt electricity as your knees slightly brushed.

“Oh sorry!” you exhaled lightly as he mumbled something similar. You could have sworn you saw his ears turn a light pink as he quickly looked down to the floor.

“Enough flirting, you two!” Jihyo pouted, pointed at you and Yunho. “I’m trying to explain how to play King’s Cup.” She began explaining before you could protest.

“You’re gonna pick a card from the stack, and depending on what it is, you’ll have to do something. If it’s an ace, it’s a waterfall so we all drink. Two is “you”, which means you choose someone to drink. Three is “me”, which means whoever drew the card drinks. Four is “floor”. Everyone has to put their hand on the floor as fast as possible. Loser drinks. Five is guys, so guys drink. Six is chicks, so (Y/N) and I drink. Seven is heaven. Same as four but hands to the sky, guys. Stay with me. Are you guys even listening??”

Wooyoung and San were whispering and giggling to each other. You saw a lot of empty soju bottles in their future.

Jihyo sighed and continued. “Eight is mates. Whoever draws picks a friend that has to take a shot with them..and…I don’t know, maybe we’ll spice it up a little. You have to sit in their lap and link arms to take the shot.”

You look over at Yunho to find him already looking at you. This time you’re sure you saw the tips of his ears turn red. You both turned away quickly. That fluttery feeling returns to your core and you can tell the soju is magnifying that feeling.

“Jack is Never Have I Ever”, Jihyo had continued on while you were debating your newfound unease around Yunho. “Queen is my favorite. It’s dare. Not truth or dare. Just dare. And finally, King. Pull a king and you chug your drink. Everyone good? I’ll start.”

Jihyo shuffles the cards expertly and pulls out a six of hearts. You pour your peach Soju into a shot glass and throw it back to whoops and cheers from the group. Jongho picked a four of clubs. Glasses wobbled and there was a palpable “thump” as hands hit the floor. Wooyoung, hanging off of San’s shoulder, had his hand straight in the air. You heard raucous laughter in the background, but you could only focus on your steadily increasing heart rate. It felt like time had slowed, like in a movie. Yunho had put his left hand down milliseconds before your right landed in the same spot. You could feel his hand tense under yours, as if he wanted to pull away, but he just couldn’t. The heat pooled in your cheeks and the wetness pooled in your panties.

Has it really been so long since you’ve been intimate that a simple hand touch with a hot guy can arouse you? Fuck it. The soju is flowing through you and you can see how flustered Yunho is. You’re going for it.

Rounds of sixes, threes, fours, and tens passed by with empty soju bottles racking up and inhibitions wearing thin. Seonghwa pulled the first jack of the night. “OHMYGODYES! Never have I EVER!” Jihyo screamed and clapped, preparing her five fingers. “You go first Seonghwa.”

“Ok…never have I ev-”

“WAIT!” Jihyo interrupted, “Nothing boring like skydiving or bungee jumping.”

“I’ve done that so, yeah, I agree” Mingi piped up.

“Make it sexy! It’s 불금(Bulgeum)!” Jihyo bounced happily in place.

Seonghwa sighed, shook his head, and placed his forefinger and thumb between his brows. “Ok fine. Never have I ever, I don’t know, gotten road head.”

Jongho quietly put down a finger, but Yunho was too observant to let it go. “WOAH MAKNAE!” He laughed heartily, clapping.

“You gotta tell us the story if you’re the only one to put down a finger Jongho!” Jihyo put her hands on his shoulders and shook him back and forth slowly.

“It was just some girl when I was, like, 16.” Jongho started. “She just kinda tried it while I was taking her home from the movies. It didn’t really work.” He shrugged nonchalantly.

A chorus of “boo’s” erupted from the circle.

“My turn, my turn! Ok,” Jihyo started. “Never have I ever dry humped someone until I came.”

Both Mingi and Yunho put a finger down, silently thanking the other that they didn’t have to tell an embarrassing story from their youth.

Jongho’s eyes narrowed and a smirk slowly crept across his face. “I got a good one.” He stares directly into Yunho’s soul and states “Never have I ever masturbated to the instagram story of a KQ stylist.”

All heads whip around to stare at Yunho. Yunho’s lips turn thin, his eyebrows furrow, and his entire face turns red with anger as he harshly puts a finger down. Wooyoung whispers, “Hyung? Are you ok?”

“Tell the story, hyung” Jongho goads.

Hongjoong starts to chastise the maknae, “Hey woah woah, this is a fun game. Yunho, you don’t have to-”

“Holiday party.” Yunho is boring holes into Jongho with his eyes as he ignores his elder’s request. “She posted a picture of herself in a sexy black dress. Strapless bodycon, I think it’s called, with a slit in the leg. Red lipstick. I couldn’t help myself.” Yunho spat out with more and more vitriol with each word. “And if you hadn’t been a fucking creepy perv looking through a crack in my door you never would have known. Your turn Yeosang.” Yunho got up from the circle and stomped away as everyone else stared at his retreating back with mouths agape.

You remembered that dress. Jihyo picked it out for you. You thought it was way too revealing for a holiday office party, but she convinced you that it accentuated your ample bust in a “classy way”. You disagreed, but wore it anyway. It was a huge hit and you came home with a fine executive that night.

Wooyoung tried to liven up the mood by giving Yeosang ideas for his turn. “Have you kissed two girls in one night? Two GUYS in one night? Have you kissed anybody? Hyung, you’re no fun!” He rattled on beside you as you vacillated between chasing after Yunho and pretending like you hadn’t heard a word he said.

Never have I ever continued on, with Jongho losing in 7 turns. Yunho returned after the minigame ended, refusing to meet your gaze, and sitting down with a huff. Jihyo happily drew her card, looked up at you, and said “I pulled a Queen. (Y/N), I dare you to sit in Yunho’s lap for the rest of the game,” she turns to Yunho, “if he consents to that, of course.”

You froze like a deer in headlights, using your eyes to plead with Jihyo to choose literally any other dare. Yunho, on the other hand, shrugged and mumbled, “whatever. ‘S just a stupid game.” Your heart thumped and leaped practically into your throat as you slowly crawled over to Yunho and lowered yourself slowly into his lap. He placed his hands gingerly on your knees. “I’m not too heavy, am I?” you asked, voice a little more girly than you’d meant (the soju is really working tonight…). “Nah. You’re fine.” Yunho stated firmly. Your heart sank; you’re not sure why. More cards were drawn, more shots were taken. Yunho’s turn came and he drew an eight.

“Take a shot with a mate!” San slurred, face flushed a light pink.

Yunho poured two shots, “You’re already in my lap, we might as well drink,” he turned to face you, but still wouldn’t meet your eyes. You grabbed the shot, linked arms, and threw it back. As the slightly peachy after taste sizzled down your throat, you drew another eight. “Round two?” You turned to Yunho and gasped, as he was much closer than your drunken mind could comprehend, and you banged noses.

“Oww! Shit! I’m so sorry Yunho. Are you okay?” You questioned, rubbing your nose. Yunho smiled and shook his head, attempting to stifle a giggle, but failing. You started to giggle as well, causing Yunho to laugh louder. His grip relaxed- he grabbed the shot glass with one hand, and lightly grabbed your waist with the other. “Round two, baby” he grinned. You poured two more shots, but your head was spinning. Baby? You could get used to hearing that from Yunho. You both threw back the shots, then Yunho placed both hands around your waist in a big hug.

Wooyoung drew a card and chose Mingi to take a shot. Yunho placed his head in the crook of your neck. “You smell good, baby.” He whispered in your ear. You couldn’t ignore the throbbing between your legs anymore and began to shift and fidget.

“Stop it!” You whispered.

“Mmm I don’t want to.” Yunho’s lips ghosted the shell of your ear and your breath caught in your throat. Mingi took another shot. Yunho kissed your neck. A light moan left your lips and caught the attention of Yeosang. He raised one eyebrow at the two of you, but turned back to his drunken friends. You started to fall deeper into the feeling of Yunho surrounding you, the background noise turning into hazy mumbles.

“(Y/N). (Y/N)! HEY! (Y/N)!” Jihyo threw a pillow at you to bring you back down from wherever Yunho’s kiss took you. “I drew a queen, and I have a dare for you.” You and Yunho straightened up, to hear what your ultimate fate would be.

“You’ve heard of a little thing called Seven Minutes in Heaven, no?” Jihyo looked positively sinister as she eyed the two of you. “Why don’t you and Yunho head in the guest bathroom back there for seven minutes and make something shake, hmm?”

You craned your neck to look back at Yunho, to find him biting his lip, eyes downcast.

The soju demon struck again, giving you a confidence you’d never experienced and a horniness you’d never felt. You hopped up and started towards the guest bathroom behind the couches. You heard jeers and “oohs” from the boys and, as you reached the door knob, you looked coyly over your shoulder. “Well? Are you coming?” You batted your eyelashes and pouted your lips, then you opened the door and stepped into the bathroom.

You were met with your own reflection in the bathroom mirror. Black tank top, no bra. Short shorts with a lacy thong underneath. Cheeks flushed and eyes glossy from the alcohol. You hopped up onto the marble counter and waited for Yunho to come around the corner. A few moments later he staggered into the bathroom, being shoved by none other than Jihyo. “I’m setting a timer! If I don’t hear anything sexy I’m pausing it! You know I’ll do it!” She pointed at you, then Yunho, then back to you, eyes stern and eyebrows furrowed. She turned on the lights and the bathroom fan (for a small semblance of privacy), then shut the door. Yunho bit his lip again, shoving his hands in the pockets of his sweatpants and rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet. Seeing him so nervous somehow also made you nervous. Your plan to be a wiley seductress evaporated into the air. All you could muster up was a meek, “so…you liked my dress, huh.”

Yunho groaned and covered his face in both of his large hands. “Fuck. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything. I’m so embarrassed. I’m gonna kill Jongho for that.” He spread his fingers and peeked out from between them to gauge your feelings. All you could do was drunkenly giggle and ask, “Why are you so nervous?”

“Well..you’re really pretty,” Yunho removed his hands from his face and shoved them back in his pockets.

“Well..you’re an idol. An international sex symbol! I should be nervous around you.” You countered, grinning ear to ear and kicking your feet like a child on a swing. The joy dissipated as you noticed Yunho’s hesitancy- he was frozen in his spot, looking downward and rubbing the back of his neck.“We don’t have to do anything, though, if you don’t want to.” You tried to not let your voice show disappointment. At this, Yunho looked up, as if he realized his window of opportunity was narrowing. He slowly approached your perch on the marble counters and eventually situated himself firmly between your thighs. “We can…” Yunho struggled to get out what he’d been dying to say since the holiday party. “We can, maybe, kiss I guess?” Yunho barely got out the suggestion before you had cupped his face in both of your hands and leaned up to kiss him.

You heard Yunho’s breath catch, and then felt him moan/sigh as he softened into the kiss. Your entire body felt like it was buzzing with warmth and excitement. You quickly turned the kiss from soft to sensual as you slipped your tongue between his lips. Yunho moaned again and shoved his tongue into your mouth, wrapping his hands around your butt and pulling you closer into him. He pressed himself into you and you could feel just how hard he was. The different flavors of soju danced on your tongues as you continued to make out, Yunho rubbing his hands slowly up and down the sides of your thighs. He suddenly bit your bottom lip and pulled back, allowing your lower lip to spring back into place. The two of you stared at each other, panting to catch your breath, then Yunho dove into your neck. “Oh fuck Yunho,” you moaned slowly and deeply. He kissed and nipped and sucked at your neck and slowly made his way down to your shoulders. Once there, he lowered your spaghetti straps and pushed your tank top into a bunch around your waist. His hands slowly slid up your stomach as he kissed down your shoulder until his hands and mouth met at your breasts. Yunho wasted no time twirling and kneading your sensitive nipple in one hand, and sucking and kneading your other breast. You ran your fingers through his silky locks and gave a small tug, just to hear that low moan reverberate onto your body.

Seven minutes was up. Jihyo snuck up to the bathroom door and pressed her ear against it. Straining to discern the sounds inside the bathroom with the raucous drunkenness behind her proved difficult, but eventually she heard the tell-tale wet smacks of kisses and moans that signified a good time. She smiled to herself and turned back to her circle of boys, determined to distract them with a new game just to give you and your newfound lover a chance to have some fun.

By this point, you felt like you were about to explode. You needed Yunho to touch you and relieve whatever feelings were pent up behind your untouched clit. You pulled him by his hair off of your boobs and began to shimmy out of your shorts. You were about to hop off the counter and yank his sweatpants down when Yunho stopped you. He grabbed underneath your knees, pushed your legs apart, and rolled you backwards until your shoulders touched the mirror hung behind the counters. All you could do was gasp as your hands flew down to the counter to steady yourself.

“Yunho,” you started breathily. He kissed your belly button and worked his way down around your right thigh- nose lightly passing your clit. “Please-” you begged. You heard Yunho chuckle softly as he worked his way up your left thigh with kisses. He finally hovered over your pussy and you could feel his breath feathering lightly over your clit. He looked up at you and raised one eyebrow in a silent request. You nodded vigorously and that was all he needed to dive in.

He placed the flat of his tongue directly on your clit and wrapped his mouth around it to create a continuous suction. Then he went to work. Yunho sucked and worked his tongue over your clit in a way you’d never felt before. You had completely forgotten about your eight other guests on the other side of the door and you moaned loudly as both hands flew to grip Yunho’s locks. “Oh my- Oh- Yunho don’t stop just like that- OH!” A string of words left your lips at light speed, barely coherent as your brain was occupied with the growing pressure in your lower belly threatening to burst at any moment. Yunho moaned contently, and then pressed a finger tentatively to your soaking hole. You took initiative immediately, grabbing two of his fingers and guiding them inside you. You felt Yunho detach from you and looked down angrily just to see him grinning from ear to ear and laughing silently to himself. “Eager, are we?” He asked with a glint of mischief in his eyes. The normal you would have playfully swatted him, but the you with her legs wide, being pumped full of Yunho’s fingers just nodded with half lidded eyes. Yunho, with a smug look on his face, opened his mouth to continue sucking your previously abandoned clit.

Despite your best efforts to not give Yunho another reason to tease you later, you couldn’t help but grab his head with both hands to give yourself the leverage to rock your hips in time with his fingers. “God Yunho, I'm gonna cum. Please baby can I cum?” you pleaded breathlessly, losing all composure and turning into a puddle of submission from the euphoria building inside you. Yunho pulled off of you to mutter a quick “Of course baby, I’m not stopping you. Cum on my face.” You locked eyes with him right as he responded, and the lust in his eyes pushed you over the edge. You practically screamed his name, shuddering as you came, as requested, all over Yunho’s face. Yunho continued holding pressure on your clit with his tongue and slowly pumped his fingers to work you through your orgasm. As you began to come down, Yunho came up to lightly kiss your lips.

“Wow..Yunho..” you panted, attempting to bring yourself back down to reality. You refocused your vision from your orgasmic haze and saw that typical Yunho grin. His mouth and chin were glistening and wet. “Ah there’s nothing to wipe your mouth with. Hold on, I’ll go to the kitchen and grab a hand towel.” You hopped down onto wobbly legs, gathered up your garments, quickly threw them on, and quietly opened the bathroom door. Jihyo had been thoroughly entertaining the boys, so they didn’t notice you slink towards the kitchen. As you went to grab the hand towel off of its rack, you heard a roar of cheers. Overlapping congratulations poured from the living room. You whipped around to see what the commotion was about and saw Yunho standing proudly in front of his members, wiping his chin with his thumb and immediately popping it into his mouth- signifying his pride from his previous meal of pussy. You smacked your forehead and shook your head, leaving the kitchen and playfully slapping Yunho with the now useless towel.

“Did you enjoy your 17 minutes?” Jihyo smirked at you and you stuck out your tongue at her. “Well,” you responded. “Since the secret’s out, you all won’t mind if I borrow Yunho for 17 more minutes, will you?” You grabbed Yunho’s hand and pulled him towards the bedroom. All Yunho could do was grin as he let you lead the way.

#jeong yunho smut #yunho smut #ateez smut #yunho x reader #jeong yunho scenarios #ateez x reader #jeong yunho x yn #yunho x yn #wonderlandnet

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daisyvisions · 4 months

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Unspoken Words (Pt. 1)

‧⋆ ✧˚₊‧⋆. Pairing: best friend!Sangyeon x afab!reader x enemy!Hyunjae

‧⋆ ✧˚₊‧⋆. Summary: If someone were to tell you that you'd be in a fake relationship with the person you despise the most just to make your best friend jealous, you would've laughed in their face. But here you are... caught up in this exact situation.

‧⋆ ✧˚₊‧⋆. Word Count: 4.2K

‧⋆ ✧˚₊‧⋆. Warnings: (18+, minors DNI), fake dating, mutual pining, angst, jealousy, lots of suggestive themes such as: mention of a handjob and orgasm, groping, and fondling with breasts. Mentions of alcohol. Some cursing, lots of kissing and making out, eventual smut in part two. One use of the pet name “baby”. Implied sex and loss of virginity. Lots of time skipping. Let me know if I missed anything! Proofread twice.

‧⋆ ✧˚₊‧⋆. A/N: And just in the nick of time I’ve managed to write out my Secret Santa exchange gift. This one’s for you baby girl @winterchimez / @midnightfantasiez. You nearly sniffed out that it was me writing for you so I had to deviate and lie to you for a moment so sorry about that huhu anyway! A true blessing that you happen to be my recipient because we both love sangmil. A two-part mini series because I just love to keep you on your toes 😈 Hope you enjoy this gift! Thank you so much for your friendship and all the fun moments shared! Special shoutout to @momhwa-agenda / @aimeecarreros for being my accomplice hehe. Finally a sangmil fic has made its debut on the blog!

‧⋆ ✧˚₊‧⋆. Network: @deoboyznet

You never should’ve gone to this stupid spring dance.

The thought in your mind repeating like a broken record as you try to hug yourself from the cold air outside the gymnasium. Tears running down your face as you stare off into the ground trying not to remember the reason why you suddenly ran out of the venue to begin with.

It wasn’t always like this. You were once very content with how things were going on in your life.

With the semester almost ending and all your mid-term grades just enough to pass, you couldn’t wait to celebrate surviving your last year of college with this one magical night. Especially with your best friend Sangyeon by your side.

Right… best friend.

The same best friend that had been ignoring you for the last two months or so (not that you were counting of course). Your mind races as you try to figure out for the nth time what even started this whole issue between you two.

All you could think back to was the beginning of his odd behavior, which started the week after your birthday. At first you thought Sangyeon was just busy with extracurriculars, which was often the case since he was part of numerous clubs and volunteer work.

But then things started to feel off as soon as he would ignore your calls, take too long to reply to texts, hearing from other friends he was just at home when he told you he was “fully booked” to hang out. It was like he was trying to come up with every excuse in the book just to not see your face.

Was he trying to hide something from you perhaps? That idea immediately disappeared as soon as you accidentally overheard his conversation with Haknyeon that one time you were all hanging out at Eric’s apartment.

“What?! You’re not gonna ask her to the spring dance?” You hear Haknyeon’s surprised tone.

“Of course not.” Sangyeon scoffs. “Why would I want to bring her? We’re just friends after all.”

You felt a sudden pang in your heart. Tears threatening to fall down as Sangyeon’s words bore deep holes within your soul. After everything you’ve been through together, this is how he thinks of you?

It shouldn’t have been that deep honestly, but with him ignoring you for the past couple of weeks and remembering the promise you made with each other to go together to the spring dance? It really fucking hurt you. Especially when you and Sangyeon had been by each other’s side since you first met three years ago at your freshman orientation. Instantly hitting it off like two peas in a pod and the rest was history.

Somewhere down the line, you knew you had some sort of feelings for him. Who wouldn’t?

With a smile that can cure any bad feeling you had, how he always took care of you first, the lingering hugs before you had to part ways at the end of the day, the way he would remember even the most insignificant details of a story you were rambling about, and made sure to always message you good night and good morning… He was the dream guy for you.

And even if you had moments wherein you thought he might’ve felt the same way, you didn’t want to sacrifice the strong bond you had with him over a stupid little crush. You just settled with the idea of just staying in the friend zone and not dare to cross any lines with him. Burying any what could’ves and everything else in-between.

Maybe that’s why Sangyeon distancing himself from you hurt more than it should’ve honestly.

So when you were seated at your table during the dance and saw Sangyeon entering the room with his date wrapping her arm around his, you felt massive sting in your chest.

That should’ve been you. It should've been you spending this night with him instead of whoever was currently by his side.

You thought you could go through the night just by avoiding your gaze their table, but the way Sangyeon smiled at his date and at everyone else like nothing was wrong, but his face slightly faltering as he quickly glanced your way, you just had to get out of there before things went downhill.

Your teeth were chattering from the cold air breezing against your exposed skin, nose sniffling and hands wiping whatever tears were leaving marks on your face. Suddenly, a pair of shoes enter your line of vision while your eyes were still glued to the ground.

“You shouldn’t be out here, it’s freezing.” The familiar voice tells you.

As soon as you look up, you find Hyunjae staring down at you. One of his eyebrows slightly raised as he wonders what has gotten you into this depressed state on a special night like this.

“Laugh it up Hyunjae, isn’t this what you’ve always wanted? To see me cry?” You look up at him for a moment with your tear-stained face before looking back down at your feet.

Before you could even continue feeling sorry for yourself, Hyunjae sighs and squats down, his face now at the same level as yours. You feel his fingers lift your chin and gently tap the tears away from your cheeks with his handkerchief. Your eyes widen as he leans in closer, making sure not to ruin your makeup in the process.

“W-what are you doing?” you stutter.

“Pretty girls like you shouldn’t be crying.” He nonchalantly replies.

You’re too stunned to speak at his comment. As far as you know, Hyunjae has been nothing but a pain in your ass ever since he accidentally bumped into you in the hallway causing your diorama to break into tiny pieces as it fell to the ground.

Since then, you wrote him off as your sworn enemy. Always finding ways to annoy the hell out of you and get you to react to his antics, making side comments to one another, and his constant teasing that made you want to rip your hair off.

So no, never in your wildest dreams would you hear such a comment coming out of Hyunjae’s mouth.

“Hello?” Hyunjae waves his hand in front of you.

“What?” You shook your head as you were too distracted from hearing the question he had asked you.

“I said, do you wanna get out of here or what?” He sighs as he lends his hand out for you to grab. You hesitate at first. In any normal situation, you would never even let Hyunjae get as close as he did just now, let alone go somewhere with him.

But what the hell… Anywhere is better than here.

“So… who’s the lucky guy that has you bawling your eyes out? It’s obviously not me.” Hyunjae smirks. You had found yourself seated by the bar, eating french fries as you waited for your drinks to arrive.

“It’s uh- It’s a little complicated.” You try to avoid his eyes.

“Trouble in paradise?” Hyunjae pops a fry into his mouth waiting for your answer. Your eyes widen at his suggestion, knowing who he was referring to.

“What? No! I mean- We were never together if that’s what you’re thinking.” You sigh before carefully explaining to him the whole situation you were currently in with Sangyeon. Hyunjae intently looks into your eyes as you tell your side of the story.

“Huh…” Hyunjae takes a sip of his beer.

“That’s it? That’s all you have to say?” You look at him as he drinks, trying to not to dwell too much at the way his neck looks flexed under the dim light.

“You’re really impatient you know that?” He chuckles before taking another sip. “I was about to tell you an idea I just thought of.”

“Yeah? Let’s hear it then.” You take a sip of your cocktail this time.

“What if you make him jealous? Like really jealous.” Hyunjae suggests.

“Pass. First of all, I don’t think he likes me that way. And second, who the hell would he even be jealous of? Sangyeon hardly gets jealous by anything.” You squint at him. What a silly idea.

“No c’mon. Trust me, he’ll be jealous alright. Especially when it comes to you.” He eyes you up and down subtly.

“What does that even me-” Before you could even finish your sentence you spot behind Hyunjae a group of students dressed in formal attire entering the bar. And like a moth to a flame, you immediately spot Sangyeon and his date amongst the group.

Hyunjae turns around to see what had been the cause of your panic, his eyes immediately spotting Sangyeon from a distance as well. And as soon as Sangyeon had a puzzled look on his face he knew that Sangyeon had spotted the two of you by the bar, wondering what the hell were you doing with Hyunjae of all people.

You hop off the bar stool, attempting to run away like you did during the dance, but you suddenly feel a hand gently grab you by the arm and pull you back before you could even make a run for it.

“C’mere.” Hyunjae asks.

“Wha-”

“Just follow my lead.” He whispers in your ear.

And before you know it, you feel Hyunjae lips pressed against yours. His hands cupping your face before sliding down to your waist, pulling you closer to him. It takes a moment for your brain to process what’s going on, but your body responds faster by wrapping your arms around Hyunjae’s neck and deepening the kiss.

The way his lips perfectly mold against yours, how soft they feel as his hands squeeze your waist. The little groan he lets out as you slip your tongue inside his mouth, tasting the beer he had drank as your fingers run through his hair.

You nearly moan with how he slowly but expertly moves his mouth against yours. As if he’s taking to memory what your lips feel like in case this moment would never happen again. Both you and Hyunjae nearly forget you’re practically sucking each other’s faces off in public, which was surprising considering the nature of your relationship with one another.

No one could even tell the two of you despised the other as you held each other like lovers.

None of you see it, but the way Sangyeon looks at both of you right now is as if he wants to throw daggers at Hyunjae from across the room. Witnessing the both of you passionately kissing each other makes his stomach churn, a feeling he has never felt before. So many questions run in his head as he continues to watch from afar.

Before he even tries to take a step towards your direction, he sees you both pull away from one another. Hyunjae whispering something in your ear as you look too stunned to speak before taking out his wallet, pulling out cash and settling it on the table before whisking you away out of the bar.

Sangyeon really should’ve brought you to the spring dance like he promised… because not only does he feel like an asshole, but a jealous one at that.

The car ride on the way to your house was incredibly silent, as if what had happened between you and Hyunjae was just your imagination. Except it wasn’t. You could still feel his lips lingering on yours as you try to lean your head against the window and looking at anything passing by.

You’re broken from your trance as you hear Hyunjae’s door closing and his figure making its way to your side of the car. He lends out his hand for you to grab once again, helping you get out of the car and walk you to the front of your apartment.

“So… I’ll see you around?” Hyunjae smiles awkwardly says as he puts both his hands in his pockets.

“Hyunjae, wait-” You grab his elbow as he’s about to turn around.

“Hm?” He raises one eyebrow.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this but-” You huff in-between, “let’s go with your plan.” You watch the little mischievous smirk appear on Hyunjae’s lips.

“If you just wanted to make out some more you could’ve just asked.” He teases. You’re about to slap him on the arm but he catches your hand and holds it tight.

“I’m kidding! Just… Let me know when and what time we can talk about it more alright?” He squeezes your hand gently. You don’t know why but a tiny little butterfly flutters in your stomach as you feel Hyunjae’s thumb subconsciously stroke the back of your hand.

“Okay… Thank you by the way for tonight-” you tiptoe a bit to hold Hyunjae’s cheek and leave a light peck on his lips. He’s caught off guard by your action, almost leaning forward some more to continue kissing you but you pull away quick enough before he does.

“Y-yeah, sure. Anytime.” Thank god it’s night time he thinks, otherwise you would've easily spotted the redness flaring in his ears and made fun of him for it.

“Call me okay?” He squeezes your hand once more before letting go and walking back to his car. You watch him drive off before heading up to your apartment, leaning against the front door and letting out one big sigh of relief.

“What the hell did I get myself into?”

“If you really want this to work, we have to set a few ground rules.” Hyunjae he pulls out a pen and paper from his bag, immediately writing down a numbered list for you both to fill out.

“Rule one- if one of us wants to stop this thing at any given moment, the contract will end.” Hyunjae says as he writes it down.

“Hmm.. what about rule two- if any of us catch some sort of feelings for one another, the contract is immediately terminated” You add. Hyunjae scoffs at the idea.

“Catch feelings? Seriously?” He looks up at you with a smirk. “Is there something you’ve been meaning to tell me this whole time?” He continues to tease.

“I’m serious! It’s only gonna get complicated for us to execute this plan if feelings are involved. Haven’t you seen the movies?” You ask him.

“Fine, you have a point.” He writes down your suggestion earlier.

“Okay, rule three- kisses are a must if you want this thing to work.” He looks at you in the eyes. “And other things couples do.”

You roll your eyes at him, “Fine, but nothing beyond second base please?” You scrunch your face at the thought.

“Oh?” Hyunjae looks at you with a few twinkles in his eyes. “So does that mean I get to play with your-”

“NO! Not that. Like y’know, just waist touching and maybe the occasional touch of the ass. But definitely and absolutely no touching my chest whatsoever.” You point your finger at him. “I'm serious.”

“Alright alright!” Hyunjae raises his hands up in defense. “Anything else you wanna add?”

“Let me see the list again.” You grab the paper from his hands, carefully examining the words written before nodding.

“This looks good. Yeah, I’m fine with this.” You hand the paper back to Hyunjae.

“It’s a deal.” He says as you both shake on it before getting up to part ways.

Before you have a chance to take a step towards where your class is, Hyunjae pulls you into his chest and leaves a kiss on your lips, making you squeal in surprise.

“Sit with me during lunch. We start this today, okay?” Hyunjae reminds you. You nod your head before shyly giving him a kiss on his cheek and walking away to head to your first class of the day.

Sangyeon could not keep his eyes off you during study period. It had been this way every time you happen to be in the same room as him. You looked beautiful as ever of course but he could feel his blood pressure shooting up every time he would be near you.

Ever since that night he saw you kissing Hyunjae almost two weeks ago, it was like the two of you were everywhere.

He hated the way Hyunjae would always whisper something in your ear and you would laugh at whatever he said. Or the way his hand would find purchase on your lower back. And not to mention the way he would brush any loose hair behind your ear before kissing you goodbye.

It should’ve been him. He should've been the one doing all these things to you. He should've been the guy leaving you all those loving kisses, holding you by your waist, reminding you of how beautiful you look every single chance he got.

If only he was honest with you that night.

Sangyeon’s internal monologuing was cut short when he sees you getting up from your seat and patting Hyunjae on the shoulder before making your way between the bookshelves in the library.

As you slowly search for the book you need for your English paper, your shoulder bumps into a semi hard surface. “Oh! I’m so so-” you whisper but stop mid sentence as the familiar scent of cologne hits your nose.

“Hey….” Sangyeon whispers.

“Uh- Hi.” You back away from him a bit as an awkward silence falls between you two.

“How are things going? We haven’t talked in a while.” He fiddles with his own fingers, trying to think of the next words to say to you.

“Good I guess? Just trying to make it through the semester and stay motivated.” You respond.

“Sure looks like it-” Sangyeon mumbles. But you clearly hear him and scoff at his rudeness.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” You cross your arms against your chest.

“Seriously… Hyunjae? Why him?” He loudly whispers. “You’re better than that.”

“Yeah?” You step a little closer to Sangyeon, closing the gap between you two.

“Well where the fuck have you been huh? Where were you when I needed you?” You match the level of his tone.

“You don’t understand-��

“Then explain it to me then Sangyeon! I’m listening.”

He tries to speak but nothing comes out, panicking that this might be the last chance he could get to explain why he’s been so distant.

“I-uh” His eyes look everywhere else except you.

“Nothing? Thought so.” You push past him, making sure to harshly nudge your shoulder against his.

Sangyeon tries to follow you, but as soon as he steps out between the bookshelves he sees you head out of the library while Hyunjae scrambles to grab all your things from the table and chases after you. He sighs out of frustration combing his hair as he mentally curses at himself.

Oh he really fucked things up didn’t he?

“And he had the nerve, THE NERVE to tell me I know better. I can’t believe him!” You pace back and forth in your bedroom as you rant to Hyunjae about the events that took place in the library

“I honestly don’t know if I should feel offended or flattered at his little comment about me.” Hyunjae’s eyes follow you as you continue to move around.

“Think about it this way, at least we know the plan is working. Otherwise he wouldn’t have approached you like that.”

“Maybe? Ugh! Why are men so dumb?” You sigh.

“We think with our dicks that’s why. Well… maybe that’s just me.” He smirks, trying to crack a joke to break the tension. His little joke becomes successful when you look back at him and chuckle.

“Forget about him,” Hyunjae adds. “Tonight we drink to celebrate passing yet another exam and watch movies til we fall asleep or you decide to kick me out. Whichever comes first.”

He pours a full glass of wine for each of you as you plop down beside him and get cozy.

“Fine, but I’m picking the movie okay?” You tell him as you open your laptop and search for your favorite comfort movie.

Hours pass, almost three bottles of wine finished, and the movie long forgotten as you decide to chat with each other about anything and everything instead. It’s been nothing but laughs and mocking each other as you reminisce all the times you pissed each other off and funny stories of one another.

“Oh the look on your face was fucking priceless-” You laugh out loud, trying to catch your breath as you recall one embarrassing moment of Hyunjae.

“Well what the hell was I supposed to do then huh? Tell the professor I was getting a handjob under the table during his class?” His voice raises in defense. “Not my fault she couldn’t resist me.”

“You looked so mortified too holy shit-” You laugh.

“I was nearing a fucking orgasm okay? Then he calls me to the front of the class to write down my answer for the stupid formula. That professor practically edged me!” His cheeks starting to turn even more red as you continue to laugh at him.

“Ow it hurts, wait-” You clutch your stomach from the pain of laughing too much.

“Oh yeah? Let’s see how you like it then-” Hyunjae lunges forward, pulling your arms away to tickle you furiously.

You squeal out his name, trying to push him away while he tackles you. As you try to squirm out of his grip, you don’t even realize the position you’ve gotten yourselves into. Your body caged under his as he grabs your wrists and pins them down at each side of your head.

As the laughter starts to die down, Hyunjae looks down at you with heavy eyelids. You look incredibly pretty under him in this moment, he thinks to himself.

You didn’t even do anything in that moment but it was like he felt so drawn to you. Like you were a siren pulling him in. Your breath hitches as he leans down closer to your face, briefly stopping to search for any sign of consent before fully pressing his lips against yours.

This obviously is not the first time you two have kissed. But for some reason, this kiss felt different than all the other ones. You both kiss each other slowly, lips molding like a perfect dance as his hands let go of your wrist and hold you by your waist instead.

And just like the first time you kissed, you find yourself automatically wrapping your arms around him and running your fingers through his hair, pulling his body closer to yours as kisses travel down from your jaw to the most sensitive part of your neck.

You feel your core blooming in heat as his tongue expertly swirls inside your mouth. How it pulsates for him as you feel his hands go under your shirt, stopping right under your breasts.

You suddenly gasp as his hands start fondling your bra covered chest, gently kneading them as he continues to leave small marks on your sensitive skin with his lips.

A choked moan comes out as you feel his manhood throb against your core, reminding you of the thin layers of clothing, your thin pajama shorts and his sweatpants that stand between you two from crossing any lines.

“Hyunjae, wait-” You try to slowly push him off. His head pulls away to look at your face.

“Oh shit. I’m- fuck sorry no chest stuff-” You see the panic look in his eyes. But before he’s able to pull away, you grab him by the wrists and press his hands deeper into your chest.

A deep groan comes out of his mouth as he squeezes your breasts again, feeling your sensitive buds slowly hardening under your bra.

“No it’s not that. I-” You close your eyes for a moment before swallowing the lump in your throat. You feel your cheeks become warm at what you’re about to confess to him.

"I've never done stuff like this before..." you nervously say.

It takes a few seconds for your words to sink in before Hyunjae looks back at you with widened eyes.

“Oh uh- are you sure? We can stop. We don’t even have to do anything more-” He caresses your cheek.

“The thing is…” You pause to slowly swipe your thumb on his lower lip. “I want to-”

You look up at him with the most innocent looking eyes and Hyunjae swears to himself that he’s never seen anyone look at him the way you do. Like he had hung the moon for you. Hyunjae softly smiles at you before leaning to kiss you once again,

"Then sit tight baby… Because I'm about to rock your world."

300 notes · View notes

winterchimez · 4 months

Text

A New Beginning With You | Lee Juyeon

SUMMARY: it has been a couple of years since you and your childhood best friend, Juyeon, went on your separate ways. Years later, you were given the opportunity to return to Seoul to pursue a new career, only to find out that your new employer is the one you have been dreading to see. Will you toss away all of the emotions again, or will you finally come to terms and fix this broken relationship with him?

PAIRING: ceo!Juyeon x f!reader

GENRE: office au, ex-childhood friends to lovers, coming of age, angst, fluff

WARNINGS: nc-17, slow-burn, this is pretty angsty ngl 😭, betrayal, several heart wrenching moments (it takes a while for both Juyeon and reader to figure out their emotions), language (one curse word), miscommunication, alcohol consumption, reader gets drunk a couple of times, several heated arguments, petnames (princess, sweetheart), kissing

WORD COUNT: 15,466

A/N: here is my submission for deoboyznet's holiday exchange event!! boo @cloverdaisies i'm your secret santa 🎅👀 ngl i did struggle with the prompts that you gave mainly cs i don't usually read/watch coming of age works so i hope i did this fic justice 🥹🥹🥹 big big shoutout to @momhwa-agenda for choosing the banner, also helping me to beta read (along with @from-izzy @juyeonszn) sending my unending kisses and hugs to all of you 😘💕

Seven years ago

“What do you mean you’re leaving?”

It all just felt so sudden, and you weren’t sure if you were hallucinating as you heard those words that came out from the mouth of your best friend for the past seventeen years. You both have made a promise to one another since you both were in kindergarten that no matter how big or small the situation may be, you both will always have each other’s backs and that no secrets were to be kept from one another, even if they may feel like you have been punched right into the face during the aftermath of it all.

Or that was what you thought.

“Y/N…I had no control over anything…you do know how my father often has to travel across the globe for his job—”

“But that doesn’t change the fact that you decided to keep it a secret from me when you first discovered that you were potentially going to follow your father’s footsteps for his company.”

From the beginning, you knew that Juyeon’s father worked at a relatively elite corporate company. Because of his status, he was often sent away to various countries to fulfill his job. It has been decades since his father has been in and out of Seoul, and he would often travel on his own not wanting to bother his family and wanting them to have a peaceful life here.

Never in a million years would you have thought that he would bring his entire family along with him as he starts a new chapter in his life in the States, and also get Juyeon to follow in his father’s footsteps.

You were on the verge of crying, your cheeks were heating up, and you had unintentionally balled up your fists, clearly failing terribly to suppress the anger and betrayal you felt.

“I just don’t get it, Juyeon. You have always wanted to pursue basketball. Hell, you have even sought a sports scholarship to get into one of the prestigious universities in Seoul! Why are you giving up now?” You huffed.

You could tell that he was showing some reluctance in his answer, and truthfully, he didn’t really know how to give you an answer, either. But he decided to reply in the most plausible and fitting one that was right for the current situation you both were in.

“Family has to always come first, Y/N. If it were for my family's future, especially my stay-at-home mother and younger brother, I would do anything to ensure my father and I can provide for them.”

You scoffed. “Bullshit.”

You took a few steps forward until you were merely inches apart. Looking straight into Juyeon’s eyes, you could tell he felt the same way and was also trying to hold back his tears.

“You’re not the Juyeon I know. My Juyeon, who has been right by my side ever since we were kids, would always go above and beyond to work for what he truly wants. He is never afraid to voice his opinion, and he would do anything to ensure his happiness would be fulfilled no matter the consequences.”

Finally, the tears that you have held back for so long began dripping down your face as you began to hit him simultaneously on his chest.

“What exactly happened to you, Juyeon?”

At the same time, tears clouded his vision as a single teardrop dripped onto his face. You could tell that something was holding him back from telling you the truth, if any, and his following answer would break you down even more.

“I’m sorry, Y/N.”

With that, a black car pulls up at the school entrance, revealing his younger brother rolling down the window to call out for his big brother. You could see multiple pieces of luggage lined up at the back trunk of the car, and they were ready to head straight to the airport.

With a glance back to signal to his family that he would be coming shortly, he turned to you to apologise once more before gently pushing you away to leave.

“I’m really sorry, Y/N. I wish you all the best in your future as you enter university and eventually the workforce.”

Just like that, Juyeon quickly sped down the stairs and opened the door to the car before settling in. Within seconds, his parents, sitting in the front seats, gave you a little wave before they drove away right through the exit.

Almost instantly, all of the built-up tension was suddenly released from you all at once, and you finally broke down crying at the entrance of your high school. What you thought would be a memorable, happy graduation for you both as you parted ways with your youth years turned out to be one sad separation from your best friend.

You both planned your summer holidays with one another before officially enrolling in university in the autumn. You were going to head to Busan for a five-day trip during the first month, going to visit your aunt who lived on the outskirts of Seoul to help her in her fieldwork (especially when she has a soft spot for Juyeon), and even going to visit all of the bazaars that were going to be held in central Seoul.

There were so many potential activities and times you could have had with one another, and you were even planning to propose to Juyeon that you wanted to be more than just childhood friends.

Because you have been having an insane crush on him since you were kids, and you realised it was love by the time you both entered high school.

Unfortunately, it was too late to confess your love to him, as he was now long gone, heading straight to the airport before he eventually said his final goodbye to his home for the past seventeen years, Seoul.

Maybe it was fate that you both were just not meant to be with one another; perhaps it was why his father had no choice but to bring his whole family with him to start a new life in the States.

For the first time, you cursed and blamed yourself for having such hope and planning a potential future with someone who was clearly out of your league, and you thought it had all been a waste of time since the beginning.

With that, the little needle-felted cat you have been hiding and made last night was released from your grips as he fell towards the stairs and eventually towards the ground. As you noticed, more tears kept welling up in your eyes, and you brought both hands to cover your face, not wanting to care about anything right now.

I shouldn’t have had so much hope. I was stupid enough actually to fall in love with you, Juyeon.

Present Day

“Oh, Y/N! Looks like your article just got published in the London Mail this morning!”

Your co-worker gave you a little pat on the back before he placed the newspapers right onto your desk, and it was clear how your article was published right on the front page with your name written very obviously at the right corner.

“Please, it was nothing. It’s what I do all the time,” you replied bluntly.

“What do you mean it was nothing? You just interviewed the rising actor of the month! That’s big news, and you deserve to celebrate it!"

“Please, it really is nothing—”

“Hey everyone, our department needs a little night out after work at the local pub! We’re toasting to Y/N’s big break in the news today!”

Your co-worker shouted out loud, and eventually, cheers erupted in the office, everyone congratulating you and thinking about the potential drinks and songs they would go for once work is over.

You smiled and chuckled at the sight. You have always loved your job and are grateful to have met such a fantastic group of people in this company.

It wasn’t your dream to pursue the path of becoming a reporter in the beginning. Sure, you have always had a passion for writing, but you have always considered it your hobby. Thanks to your sister, who was studying abroad in Manchester then, who convinced you to take that leap of faith and turn that hobby into a potential job.

So here you were, living the best of your life. You followed your sister’s footsteps and went on to live abroad in the UK, enrolling in the University of Manchester, where you successfully graduated with honours the past year. Thankfully, you secured a place in the London Mail right after graduation due to your outstanding grades.

The move from Manchester to London was a bit tough, but you initially managed to pull through with your sister and her boyfriend's help. They were kind enough to help you settle down and stayed with you for the first couple weeks before returning to Manchester. You miss your sister’s presence, but you know that eventually, you had to venture out on your own and face reality as an adult.

It has been a year, and you have adapted to living alone. Often, things would get tough, but it was also thanks to you having such a fantastic team of colleagues that you were able to pull through it all, even when there were times you had to work overtime to fulfill all of the datelines that were pilling up nonstop, especially during the holiday seasons.

It wasn’t until recently that your article was accepted and published on the main cover page of the news, and that was when you finally earned your big break after a year. The company has deemed you to be one of the most talented youngsters they have had over the past decade, and they were more than happy to have had you as their employee.

Since then, things have settled down for you as you got a pay rise and had fewer hours to give you more time to rest well, mainly when you only survived with four to five hours of sleep daily. Now, you can eat your breakfast correctly and get a good seven to eight hours of sleep before coming every day.

Just as your co-workers were having the time of their lives trying to figure out the plans for tonight after work, your office desk telephone rang, and you picked it up hastily, thinking that you’d have another big scoop to write about

But it was from the CEO.

“Miss Y/N, please report to my office immediately.”

You were back home after that fun night out at your local pub with your co-workers, holding a beer in hand as you FaceTime your sister over the phone.

“Well, it’s a good opportunity for you, don’t you think, Y/N?”

“I’m not too sure about all of this, sis. Like yeah, it would be great that I would be back home, but still—”

“Hey, I know mom would be ecstatic to have you back in Seoul with her. And it just so happened that you have been telling me how you recently began feeling a little homesick. I’d say it would be great for you to take up the offer.” She reassured.

It was the moment your mouth fell open wide when you heard that you had been offered to be a senior reporter for one of Seoul’s top magazines at the moment, GQ Korea, where you would be interviewing potentially all of the current well-known celebrities in the country and getting a higher pay as well.

It seems that they have come across your contributions from the London Mail, and they were keen to have you on their team. Your first thought was grateful as your works were recognised globally, but also because you miss being home. But another part of you has already settled in the UK, so you weren’t sure if leaving now would be the right choice.

But now that your sister has given you some input, that was when you knew that it wouldn’t hurt to try it out, at the very least.

With one final sip of your beer, you leaned forward and gave your sister a smile for the first time since calling her this evening.

“I’m going home now, sis.”

It has been a week since you settled into Seoul, and you have loved being back in your comfort zone: the culture, the food, and the environment you grew up in.

Your mom was overjoyed as she picked you up from the airport, insisting she would take your luggage, especially when you have flown almost twenty-four hours just to get home. By the time you got home, your mom was already ready and prepared with all the dishes she had premade before your arrival and needed to heat them quickly.

You quickly took a shower before joining her at the dining table. You both chatted for close to midnight before she told you she would sleep ahead of you. Meanwhile, you decided to clean up your childhood bedroom to make space for everything you brought back from London.

There was this nostalgia as you entered your room; everything was still the same, exactly how you had left it when you left for the UK years ago. The same old blue painting on the wall, all your posters hung on them, even your favourite comic books that were still arranged nicely on your bookshelf.

You could tell there wasn’t a speck of dust in the room, indicating that your mom must have cleaned it occasionally. You couldn’t help but sigh, thinking about all the hard work she always puts herself through.

It took you a while to go through all your belongings, mainly because you were reminiscing as you looked at the pictures, books, and figurines scattered throughout your room.

It wasn’t until you came across a box tucked away at the corners of your room that you pulled them out towards the centre as you opened them up.

And god, you wished you hadn’t done that.

All the pictures and items contained memories you had with your past lover, Lee Juyeon.

You paused momentarily before reaching out to pick up the first item on top of the box: a picture.

It was taken when you both were in kindergarten. You were holding hands, wearing backpacks and little yellow helmets on your heads. You couldn’t help but smile at the sight; it was nostalgic and cute.

Right after that, you took out a pair of bracelets right below the picture. It was a friendship bracelet that you both made during middle school. It was summer when you recently discovered the trend of making friendship bracelets, where you went straight to Juyeon’s house across the street, practically dragged him back to your house, and got him to make one with you. You giggled at the thought of how Juyeon was so lost at the time, having to come to you almost every five seconds to tell you that he had either lost a piece or was having trouble threading the beads through the string.

When you thought it would all be good memories, you stumbled upon the one item you wished you would not have to see again.

The needle-felted cat you made for him on the night before graduation.

Unbeknownst to you, your hands began to tremble as you took the cat into your hands, staring at it as the memories flashed back: how you would give this to Juyeon and tell him that you were ready to be more than just close friends, up to the point of how he suddenly announced to you that he was leaving for good.

Slowly, you felt that your tears were beginning to well up in your eyes, and you quickly dumped all of the items back into the box and tucked them back in the corner, using a few items you had in your room, such as cardboard to block it completely out of sight.

You were not ready to go through all of the roller coasters of emotion once again.

Especially when deep down in your heart, you still had some feelings left for him. Even if you did not wish to admit it out loud.

You stood outside the tall building as you tried your best to fix up the blazer that your mum insisted you put on for your big day. With your handbag and laptop, you gave yourself a deep breath before mentally preparing yourself that this would be your new workplace from now on.

You looked to see the vast sign plastered outside the building: GQ Korea. You were definitely at the right place. It took you a few seconds to finally be able to take your very first steps into the building. Once you did, you were amazed at the astonishing art that filled the reception floor. It was a fashion and art magazine; after all, there was no doubt that the company's directors entailed such a choice of decorations to captivate everyone who walked into their building.

You walked straight towards the counter, where you were greeted by two ladies who were already expecting your arrival. Immediately, they got you signed up in the system, and one guided you to one of the fifth floors, where you would be meeting your new team and department that you would be working with.

As you were guided into the head of the department’s office, Ms Kim, who has been guiding and overlooking this particular department for the past five years, greeted you and made you feel comfortable instantly, which made all of your tensed-up muscles relax fairly quickly. She communicated well with you and, surprisingly, even shared some of the same ideals as you did. You were beyond grateful to hear when she mentioned that she has kept up with your works from the London Mail, and it was about time that the team needed someone like you.

Once both of you had taken the time to break the ice, Ms Kim led you to your desk just outside her office, where countless cubicles filled the entire floor. At first glance, you have estimated that there were about fifty employees who worked in this department. It didn’t take them long to greet you personally before you eventually made your way to your desk in the middle of the floor.

As you unloaded your bag of materials onto the desk and placed them in an organised manner, your hands digging through your bag finally stopped when you felt a familiar material. Instantly, you pulled it out to check what it was, and you were once again left speechless with what it was.

A picture of you and Juyeon back during your graduation from high school.

The only plausible reason it was in your workbag was because of your mother. You have never once told her that things ended badly between you both, and you have always shrugged off the fact that you were still keeping in touch with the man himself and that you both were still having a healthy friendship. You just didn’t want her to worry much, especially when she knew how much you both have been through, and she practically treated Juyeon like her own son.

As all loving mothers would do, she woke up hours ahead of you this morning to prepare you a filling bento box. She wrapped it with traditional cloth and placed it neatly into your work bag. At the same time, she probably put the little picture frame into the bag, hoping it would motivate you during work and decorate your new workplace.

With just a few seconds of staring at it, you looked down to see an empty trash bin that sat right beneath your work desk, and without thinking much, you immediately placed the picture right into it.

I’m sorry, mom. But I will not be needing it anymore.

Your first week of work flew by quickly as you easily got used to the working lifestyle. Seoul was your home, and it wasn’t hard to adapt back to the culture. In fact, you were grateful that your new group of co-workers could be on par with the ones back in London; they were all as great and supportive in helping you ease into the new environment. Your new co-workers even encouraged you to head out for a little drink at the local izakaya restaurant after work since it has been a long weekend for everyone, and you surely did enjoy the little company you had before heading home a little after midnight.

In terms of fitting in as GQ Korea's new reporter, it has been a thrilling ride learning about all of the entertainment biz that has been going on in the country. Since your forte was with celebrities, your head of department had assigned you the same, focusing on the rising K-Pop stars in the industry.

It has been a while since you kept up with Korean celebrities since you mainly focused on Western artists abroad for a couple of years. But as you kept up with the news and made sure to read the newspaper first thing every morning you came right in, you made sure that you have been kept up to date with all of the latest announcements and events that have been going on in the industry.

Today was a big day for you as Ms Kim had instructed you to head up to the top floor, where you would first meet up with the CEO for the very first time since joining the company as he would like to brief you through the details in regards to the celebrities that will be coming later in the day.

You thought it was probably some hotshot celeb for the CEO to personally guide you through each step regarding what or how you should deal with them. However, you weren’t too mad since you figured they probably did things differently here in Seoul.

As you finally reached the top floor, you were then escorted by whom you assumed to be the CEO’s personal assistant, who was already expecting your arrival as they kindly let your head department know that she was free to leave. The walk down the hallway towards the CEO’s office seemed a little daunting to you for some reason; perhaps it was also because you were meeting someone who is considered to be one of the famous people in the heart of Seoul—there’s a reason why GQ Korea is always on the top-selling markets.

As the assistant kindly knocked on the door and got a verbal cue from the other side, she took a step behind to let you move forward as you slowly turned the doorknob to enter the room.

Immediately, you notice how the entire office is decorated extravagantly, filled with tons of high-end decorations that suit the taste of the CEO himself. The wide, clear windows dominated most of the room, offering a panoramic cityscape view. A curated selection of artwork filled the walls, which added a little personal touch to the working space.

You didn’t realise that your mouth was wide open as you slowly took in the mesmerising view until you turned towards the desk, where the CEO was sitting on his chair with his back facing you, flipping through multiple documents in his hands.

As you slowly made your way towards him, your little footsteps made the CEO’s ears perk up, causing the man to stand up and finally turn to face you in person for the first time.

With that, your entire world seemed to pause for a moment.

What exactly was going on? There was no way this young man could be the CEO, especially when you were certain that he had left Seoul years ago and sworn that his chances of returning to his homeland would be close to zero. Your laptop in hand was slowly beginning to slip off before you were brought back to reality and quickly caught it before it eventually hit the ground.

That was when you finally muttered your first words since stepping into the CEO’s office.

“J-Juyeon…?”

It was pretty evident that the man himself was just as confused and shocked as you were; he practically stood there motionless, trying his best to make sense of the current situation.

“Y-Y/N? What are you doing here?”

“I should be the one asking you that,” you replied.

You were about to go haywire just from this interaction alone. It was hard enough for you to move on from what happened seven years ago, and it proved to be a lot harder than you thought when you came back a few weeks ago to see that all of the things that you’ve tried so hard to forget were now back in the comforts of your bedroom.

Ever since then, you had promised yourself that you wouldn’t want anything to do with Juyeon anymore, and you have decided to shut your heart regarding anything related to the man himself.

If only it were easier said than done.

Juyeon finally took his first step away from his desk as he slowly approached you, extending his hand as if he was craving your touch again. You could tell that he was desperate for a little physical contact, perhaps to prove that you really stood in front of him.

But you couldn’t, and you weren’t ready for any of that, so you backed off instead, giving him a clear signal that you weren’t on the same page as he was.

There was this evident sadness in his eyes, and he tried his best to hold back his tears as his eyes began to water.

“Y/N…I—”

“Miss L/N. You can address me that, Mr. Lee,” you bluntly replied before diverting your attention to the ground.

It was when Juyeon finally got himself together and straightened his posture before clearing his throat. “Very well, Miss L/N. I’ll quickly brief you on the events happening today, with the group of celebrities arriving in a couple of hours soon. Please, have a seat.”

“I hate him, I really do!” You screamed at the top of your lungs as you took the pint of beer in your hands before slamming it down onto the table. Your sister had to restrain you from causing a scene at the bar, trying to settle you down and handing you a glass of water to chug down your system.

Your sister had just recently came back to Seoul for a little vacation, and you immediately asked that she could keep you accompany down at the local izakaya restaurant that you often visited to let off some steam.

“Karma is really on your side huh, Y/N,” your sister teased.

“I-It’s not funny, sissy….” your voice began to slur, indicating that you were starting to get drunk at this point. “Why…of all people, why?! Why did it have to be him? As my boss! In my new workplace!”

“Look, it can’t be that bad. Who knows, maybe you might get another chance again with him.”

“That’s not the point, sissy….after what he has done to me? After all that I have done to try my best to move on from the past? This should not be happening to me at all!” Your voice broke as you began tearing up, causing your sister to pull you close into her embrace, slowly caressing your back to help soothe you a little.

Your sister was well aware of your history with Juyeon, especially when you’ve spent weeks, which eventually that turned into months of crying out to her over the phone since she was already studying abroad then, she knew how much the whole situation wrecked you badly, to the point that it has taken you months to start going out and meeting people outside of university eventually.

She was there when you were both younger, seeing how you developed a crush on him later and knowing you weren’t just childhood friends and had something way more than that. It was a shame that Juyeon left without telling you, and she would’ve gone to the airport to confront him about it if only she had been back in Seoul then. But deep down, she knew Juyeon as much as you did and knew that suddenly, something probably came up for him to leave the country like that.

As a matter of fact, your sister had always wished and rooted for you both to become a couple eventually; she had always been a firm believer of childhood friends to lovers anyway, especially when that was how she ended up with her current fiancé. Now that you both have reunited in the most unexpected way, she believes her theory about you both eventually having a second chance was stronger than ever before.

With that, she lifted her eyebrows as if she had just come up with a brilliant idea. “Say, little sis. What exactly are you up to at work tomorrow?”

You sniffled. “Umm…I guess I have a meeting with Juyeon to discuss the upcoming fashion show that is due to be set in a couple of months. Why do you ask?”

Your sister gave you a little smirk in return before cradling you like a baby again. “Oh, it was nothing. I’m sure you’ll have a fruitful discussion tomorrow.”

You dreaded coming to work today. The very first reason is that you woke up with a really bad hangover from last night, and you practically don’t remember much that has happened besides chugging down pints of beer from your system. It has been a while since you’ve drank this much, and most importantly, because you were upset over something. Otherwise, you were pretty much sober most of the time and always being the one to drag your co-workers home because they were far worse than you were.

And, of course, it was also because you hated the idea that you must come face-to-face with your so-called ex-childhood best friend again—this time, in an actual meeting. Well, in some ways, you were glad that it was only a meeting for a potentially massive event that the company had been known to host for years and that Juyeon would probably be able to distinguish between personal and work-life issues.

But still, you just weren’t ready to face him again, especially with the huge shock you’d received the day before. It was already hard enough for you to stay focused when Juyeon briefed you through your job scope and the meeting you would have for the day, trying your best not to let the tears drip down nor let the anger boil up.

However, you had no choice since you must also stay professional at your work. You just got back to Korea, and there was no way you would chicken out and move everything back to the UK again. Well, potentially, you could, but it wouldn’t be an ethical move to make.

So here you are, hugging your documents and laptop towards your chest, standing outside the meeting room. You had to take a few deep breaths before you could muster up the courage to turn the doorknob and enter the room.

Once you did, you noticed how the entire room was filled up, with most of your co-workers in their designated seats, sorting through the documents they would use for the meeting. You immediately diverted your attention towards the front where Juyeon was seated, and you hated how you had actually spent a good minute admiring his features.

He wore a simple beige coat over a white tee, paired with a pair of black slim pants with leather shoes. His black hair was styled all the way back, leaving a little strand of hair down on his forehead. He was busy flipping through his documents while setting up his laptop to project the PowerPoint slides for everyone to see.

You just hated how extremely good-looking he was right now and that there was a high chance that you wouldn’t concentrate on your work throughout the next hour.

And how you would actually want to run into his embrace and give him a little peck on the lips—

Wait, what?

As Juyeon finally lifted his head from the monitor and looked at everyone else in the room, it was a sign that the meeting was about to commence, and you quickly took the still available seat, the front seat.

Throughout the presentation, you tried your best to take in everything that Juyeon- well, your CEO, was trying to convey to his employees. It turns out that this upcoming fashion show would be one of the most crucial ones the company has ever done for years, especially now that all the big brands are willing to collaborate with GQ Korea and put out the best fashion show in the country.

It was quite a breathtaking look to see how Juyeon was passionate about his job, talking and explaining each detail to his employees carefully while making it enjoyable for everyone to learn or be part of. With that, you have noticed how every single employee in the room was constantly taking down details as quickly as lightning, making sure not to miss out on any small detail. There were moments when some would raise their hands to ask further questions, and Juyeon was more than happy to answer them, making the whole meeting seem less stressful but instead quite engaging in return.

There were times when you found yourself staring at him more than you should’ve, and every time he diverted his attention towards you, you would quickly duck your head down to look back at your laptop as if you were busy typing away on your notes.

Time seemed to have passed quickly as Juyeon finally wrapped up the meeting and let everyone off. In fact, the meeting ended right at the dot, and it was just past noon, meaning it was lunchtime for all employees. Everyone was quick to dash through the door, their stomach grumbling after using up all of the energy for the meeting. For you, you decided to pack up your belongings at your own pace, knowing that you would be spending your lunch back at your cubicle with the little bento box your mother had packed for you this morning.

As you are about to head straight for the door, the familiar voice stops you in your tracks, making you turn your head back to face the man himself.

“Miss L/N, I would like to have a word with you.”

Oh, god. It’s here.

Mentally, you were cursing out all the vulgar words you knew at the back of your mind as you slowly approached your CEO, trying your best not to let out the croak in your voice.

“Y-Yes, may I help you, Mr Lee?”

“There is a place that I have to pay a short visit, and I would like you to keep me company.”

Whenever an employer or the CEO would address their employees to keep them company as they pay a visit to a certain location, it usually meant that it was to meet up with a client or to survey certain products or places that could significantly be crucial for the company’s success.

But here you were, sitting in one of the fancy cafes that wasn’t far from the office, having lunch with your CEO, who was sitting in front of you.

Juyeon said nothing along the way as he brought you to the cafe, insisting that you sit down and order from the menu with no questions asked. As awkward as it was, you were about to deny his request before he looked straight down towards the menu, not even glancing at you.

You figured this was probably part of the job, and there was no way you would deny your CEO’s request right here and then, especially when it was working hours and everything was strictly business.

Once both of you have made your orders to the waitress that just passed by a minute ago, you diverted your attention towards the tablecloth, not wanting to look straight at Juyeon. However, his deep voice caught your attention, and you lifted your head back up after hearing the words you had wanted to say for the past seven years.

“I think it’s about time I told you the truth, Y/N.”

Oh, he called you by your name.

As you focus your attention right on him, you can see the sadness in his eyes once more, just like how it was back when you first encountered him in his office the day before.

“Umm…with due respect Mr Lee—”

“Juyeon is fine. We’re outside of work, Y/N. I would appreciate it if you could talk to me like we used to, and I will do the same,” he responded, slowly resting his arms on the tablecloth as if he were leaning slightly closer to you.

With that you took a significantly big gulp, knowing that the day you longed for was finally here. You were about to get the answers you desperately needed to know, but at the same time, you weren’t so sure if you wanted to know the truth right now, especially with all of the things that you have gone through trying your best to take him out of your life completely.

“Will you please give me a chance to listen to what I have to say?” He pleaded, looking at you with a desperate look in his eyes.

Your gut and mind were trying to tell you that you have done your best to completely eliminate him in your life for the past seven years. Would you give up easily and open your enclosed heart just like that? After all of the hard work that you have done?

Say no, Y/N. You have gotten over the guy. It’s all over between you two—

“Yeah. Go on.”

Goddammit, Y/N.

Immediately, his eyes lit up upon your words, and his shoulders slumped down a little, indicating that he has relaxed a bit.

“Oh, thank god, Y/N. I guess you were still the same old Y/N that I remembered—”

“You said we’re not employers and employees now, so I’d say cut to the chase with what you have to say while you can, Juyeon,” you bluntly replied as you crossed your arms around you.

In return, Juyeon gave you a little weak smile and a sigh before he eventually diverted his full attention to you.

“Remember when we got separated back in high school? During our graduation day, you—”

“You left me behind, Juyeon.”

“I didn’t have a choice back then, Y/N. But now I’m here to tell you everything. You have no idea how our stomach dropped when my father came home and told us that his company was about to go bankrupt, and we were on the verge of losing everything.”

So that was what happened.

“And how it was also the day my mother found out that she had cancer and her chances of recovery were lower than expected.”

“J-Juyeon…w-why didn’t you tell me all of this?”

“I wanted to. I really wanted to so badly, Y/N. Because you’re my best friend, and you deserve to know everything. But I just didn’t know how to, and I was afraid of what might happen, and I don’t want to put the pressure on you.”

“W-Where are they now, then?”

Juyeon had to take in a big breath before choosing his following words wisely, knowing it must’ve been hard to even talk about it publicly. “Mom became bedridden, and she’s still receiving treatment in one of the hospitals back in the States. Dad is currently running a small little shop near the hospital along with my little brother.”

“Then, why did you come back here?”

“I came back because starting a proper company there was tough. I figured there might be a slight chance things could work out here in Seoul. With the remaining funds we had, I eventually begged my dad to give his final trust in me as I found a way to make things work out. Luckily, we had some acquaintances back here, and they helped me get into one of the prestigious universities and eventually landed me a job here at GQ Korea. I started as a normal employee before I eventually became their CEO a year prior.”

It was then you noticed a single teardrop on the verge of dripping down his face from the corners of his eyes. Naturally and unbeknownst to you, your hand reached for the tissues placed neatly on the table, and you leaned in to wipe away that single teardrop.

Only then did you both realise what you were doing, and that was when your eyes widened, and you were about to prop down back to your seat.

That was until Juyeon grabbed your wrist, not wanting to let you go.

“This teardrop is nothing, Y/N. I’m so sorry you have to see this side of me. It’s not very cool, I guess,” he chuckled, trying his best to lighten up the mood a bit.

As soon as he says those words, your other free hand eventually finds itself on Juyeon’s shoulders, causing the male’s eyes to widen this time before you finally speak out the words that you have always wanted to tell straight to his face all those years ago.

“Juyeon, you need to start learning to put yourself before others. And I really mean it.”

“Y/N, I—”

“No buts. Even after all these years, you’re still the same as before, always prioritising others before your own. As much as you are the most kind-hearted soul I’ve ever seen, you need to start loving and giving yourself some credit,” you replied, adding a little pressure onto your grip on his shoulders.

With that, none of you said a word for a good couple of seconds, and you both just spent the entire time staring into each other's eyes as if you were conveying your messages non-verbally. That was until Juyeon finally decided to break the tension off by smiling at you, a genuine one you had consistently grown to love back then.

“So, am I back in your good graces now, princess?”

You were finally brought back to your senses, and you quickly removed both hands from him and sat down swiftly back on your chair, ducking your head down while giving a slight pout.

Juyeon missed this sight of you and was absolutely admiring the whole situation that unfolded before him. Just then, both of your meals arrived, and the same waitress from before gently placed each of your respective ones in front of you. Juyeon then gently placed the cutlery in front of you.

“Dig in,” he mentioned before whipping out the napkin and placing it right on his lap, before going in with his cutlery to cut through his steak.

In return, you swiftly picked up yours and roughly cut through your freshly cooked breaded cod fish.

“No one calls a normal friend princess, Lee freaking Juyeon,” you mumbled.

Just when you thought that would be the only time you would actually spend some time alone with Juyeon, it turns out the male had perceived that you both were back just the way you were when you were kids.

Since that day, Juyeon would actually make his way out to invite you often to join lunch with him at the same cafe, usually ordering a different dish from the wide selection of food on the menu. What Juyeon loved the most about the place was the ambience and good coffee, and he would always be seen ordering a big jumbo-sized cup of iced latte to bring back to his office to help get through the rest of the day.

You, on the other hand, were often stuck with more or less the same few dishes that you’ve tried, and you, too, would order your usual iced americano back to the office once you both were done with the meal.

At first, you have always tried your best to avoid having contact with him; that first lunch date was just a typical day, as you would try to convince yourself. But whenever Juyeon gets a little break out from the office, he would either send you a personal email or sometimes ask his personal assistant to come down to your department to inform you to wait for the man down at the lobby at noon.

You obviously could do your very best to come up with excuses to let him know that you’re busy with something or you already have plans to eat with your co-workers, but it seemed that the heart does what it wants, and it does not align with the signals that your brain is trying to tell you; which is to avoid and cut off this whole friendship for good.

So you were back to being the giddy seventeen-year-old little girl who often felt excited whenever you spent time with your childhood friend. Hence, every time you were taking the very last escalator down to the lobby, you would often use that little time to admire the way Juyeon would always lean against one of the pillars while swiping through his phone with one hand and keeping the other one inside the pocket of his coat.

But you did not want to admit it just yet, so you would constantly remind yourself that he’s only back for a while; it wouldn’t be so easy to open up your ice-cold heart again.

That was until today.

Just a few days prior, Juyeon had given you a ticket to visit this huge Christmas market in the town centre. At first, you stared at the paper blankly, thinking it was all a joke and he couldn’t have gone with you. But the male made it clear that he invited you to come along, which would be the two of you together.

Your heart was bouncing so fast that you were afraid it would eventually pop out of your chest as you slowly approached where you both were supposed to meet. You figured it best that you arrived twenty minutes earlier to compose yourself and try to understand your situation.

As you paced back and forth for god knows how long, you finally heard your name being called out from the far distance, and you perked your head up to see that Juyeon was waving his hands and running towards you like he used to back when he was a kid.

Once he finally stopped right in front of you, he began panting heavily to the point you were genuinely worried if this man was actually alright.

“Woah, what the hell happened to you? You seemed like you were escaping from a monster or something,” you joked.

“N-No…I went to get this for you…” Juyeon then hands you a brown paper bag, and you accept it while being all confused.

“Open it, Y/N. Have a look at what’s inside,” he insisted before resting both hands on his hips.

While giving Juyeon a weird look, you finally peeped into the bag and extended your arm into the brown bag before you finally felt something soft against your palms and eventually pulled whatever it was out.

Your eyes widened when you saw what it was.

“J-Juyeon…this…”

“Remember way back in high school; we promised each other that we would want to visit the Christmas markets, and how badly did you want this soft alpaca plushie that was way too expensive for neither of us to get our hands on? Yeah, I actually got it before the store closed like minutes ago.”

He remembered.

You have always been vocal about wanting this plushie for years, and there was no way your parents were buying it for you, claiming that it was way too expensive (which it was since it was part of a collaboration with one of the high-end fashion companies) and that you wouldn’t have a proper use for it. Back then, Juyeon couldn’t do anything but reassure you that one day, your wish would definitely come true while always giving you pinky promises.

And now, you were finally receiving your biggest Christmas wishlist item as an adult, and you couldn’t be much happier.

You laughed. “Juyeon, you do realise that I’m not a child anymore, right?”

“Who says plushies are only meant for young children? Why can’t adults have their collection? I’ll tell you I have a Build-A-Bear in my bedroom.”

“You must be joking.”

“Mark my words, Y/N.”

Eventually, you both started laughing out loud before you hugged the plushie close to you, activating the heating function in the toy to keep yourself warm; that was the main purpose that made you want to purchase this product long ago.

“Thank you, Juyeon.”

“Well, instead of thanking me, why don’t you keep me company for the night as we explore this Christmas market together?”

You smiled. “With pleasure.”

“Oh, Juyeon~ Have I ever told you how much I’ve admired your good looks? I’d like to think that your family genes are something else.”

After an hour or two of walking through the entire Christmas market and having too much fun going to each stall and trying out the different activities and food, you eventually stumbled upon one located towards the furthest end and sold various eggnog drinks. You have never tried this particular alcoholic beverage before; you were mostly used to the beers that you often get back in the pubs in London. However, Juyeon insisted that you give it a go especially for the Christmas season, and he eventually bought both of you a mug.

The initial taste seemed a bit off to you, but once the alcohol started kicking in, you eventually began to chug the whole liquid down as if it were nobody’s business. After some time, one mug of eggnog began turning into two, and then three, and finally, you were pretty sure that you were on your fifth mug by now.

That was when Juyeon realised that he should’ve stopped you by your second or third mug because now you were barely walking properly without his aid, and your speech began to slur as he linked your arms over his shoulders, trying his best to support you while walking you back home.

You both had to take the subway trains to head back to your apartment and during the entire time, you were clingy with your childhood friend, often wrapping your arms around him and giving him a tight squeeze while mumbling incoherent words. You caught the attention of all passengers and passersby, but Juyeon could only smile at how you looked right now.

He had never seen you drunk before, and this was a whole new experience for him. But he wasn’t too mad that you reminded him so much of your younger self; it was as if he was witnessing the seven-year-old you again in the present day.

After walking from the subway and, eventually, towards your front door to your apartment, Juyeon was about to take you up towards the elevator until you stopped him in his tracks.

“No Juyeon~ why are you leaving me so early? We still have so much more to see in the market!”

He smiled. “Y/N, I think it’s time for you to head home to get some rest.”

“But I don’t wanna~”

With that, Juyeon grabbed hold of both your shoulders as he bent down to be on the same eye level as you, trying his best to talk to you in your drunken stage.

“Y/N, I’ll see you tomorrow, hmm? We’ve had loads of fun today, and besides, your mom and sister would be worried sick about you at this late hour.”

Immediately, you lifted your pinky at him, which caused the male to stare at you blankly. “Pinky promise that I get to see you tomorrow, Juyeon-ie?”

Oh, how insanely adorable you were to Juyeon right now.

He chuckled before linking his pinky with yours, shaking it left and right slightly as if to seal the agreement. “I promise, we’ll see each other in the office first thing tomorrow morning.”

With the final pinky shake, Juyeon guided you towards the elevator and pressed the button. As you both waited for the elevator to come down to the ground floor, you suddenly broke off the silence, and Juyeon had to blink twice to know he wasn’t hearing things wrong.

“I’ve always liked you Juyeon…even after all these years…I never stopped loving you…” you sobbed.

Your nose was now sniffling, and you closed your eyes to let the tears drip down, not caring what Juyeon would think about all this. You were done trying to hold it back for so long, and you needed to let the burden that you’ve held onto for years finally let loose, and well, you were drunk at this point, so you couldn’t really control the words that slipped out from your mouth.

“Why did you leave me just like that…did you know how much pain it has caused…and how hard I’ve tried to forget every single thing about you? I even threw away all of the pictures and toys we’d had together because the flashbacks of memories would often play in my mind upon seeing them,” you were now crying, and you began to raise your voice a little.

“Why, Juyeon, WHY!!” You screamed at the top of your lungs, and immediately you burst out crying, plopping straight down onto the concrete floor. You hated how the alcohol wasn’t making you think straight and that you were feeling a roller coaster of emotions right now.

Just let it out, Y/N. You’ve suffered long enough—

Immediately, a warm pair of arms wrapped around you, and a hand gently pushed your head down to let you rest on the crook of their neck. You finally glanced up to see that it was Juyeon, holding you tight and resting his chin on the top of your head.

As much as you want to push yourself away from him, you can’t. You couldn’t explain why, and you have even made a pact to yourself that you wouldn’t want anything associated with him anymore.

But why did the saying the heart wants what it wants have to be so accurate?

You hated it, hated how you have always let your emotions take full control over your mind, not making you think straight, and often going against your plans. In fact, your heart ached so badly, and it was the same feeling that you felt seven years ago, right when Juyeon left you alone as he hopped onto his vehicle.

The only thing you could do right now was to let the stream of tears pour down and cry out to your heart’s content. You felt weak, and you could do nothing to push him away.

Juyeon couldn’t blame you, though, because how could he? Especially when he was the one who said nothing all those years ago. Now, he was seeing with his own eyes how much pain and trouble it has cost you, turning you into a vulnerable little petite girl who was crying her heart out in his arms.

With that, he moved his lips down to plant a little kiss on your head and eventually closed his eyes as your cries filled up his eyedrums.

“I’ll make it work, Y/N. I promise you that I’ll make things work this time.”

“Oh, good fucking hell.”

You were sitting on your work desk, bringing your hands to cover up your face. It was an absolute nightmare to hear from your sister about what happened the night before—how you got drunk and caused a little scene in public, which made everyone turn their attention towards you, how Juyeon was the one who brought you all the way back home, how you had a breakdown in front of him to the point you eventually fell asleep after crying your eyes out to the point he had to physically gave you a piggyback up to your front door and assisted your sister to plop you down on your bed.

If there was a nearby cliff near your workplace, you would do anything to ditch work and actually head straight up there to jump off from the embarrassment.

You were already not having a good time reuniting with Juyeon, let alone trying to sort your emotions out while seeing him at work every day and that he was your boss. But to confess your deepest thoughts while being vulnerable and drunk in front of him? That was not written anywhere in your books.

As you were spending your entire lunch break groaning over what happened last night, you immediately received a call from your desk telephone, and you quickly composed yourself before picking the phone up.

“Y-Yes, hello? This is L/N from the editorial department; how may I assist you for the day?”

“Good afternoon, Miss L/N. Please report to the CEO’s office immediately whenever you can.”

Oh, Jesus take the wheel.

The entire walk up to the CEO’s office was nerve-wracking; it was as if you were being sent to detention at the principal’s office because you messed up really badly. So many thoughts ran through your mind, thinking about how to apologise to Juyeon for the scene you had caused the day prior.

Once you walked into his office, you tried your best to devise the best phrase to start the conversation, but it seemed that Juyeon beat you to it, immediately handing you a red ginseng hangover drink.

You reluctantly accepted it while mumbling a soft ‘thank you’ before he insisted that you drink it immediately before him. Once you were done, he took the bottle away and tossed it straight into the bin, directly briefing you about the upcoming fashion show, now only a month away.

Now that it was back to business and you were no longer childhood friends, you tried your best to keep your composure as you listened to all of the details he was going through one by one with you.

Eventually, he decided to bring you along to meet up with one of the CEOs of the high-end brands on a trip to Seoul to discuss the plan in person further. Apparently, you have met with the CEO of Fendi, and it’s one of the brands that have been associated with GQ Korea for decades now. Somehow, Juyeon has gotten pretty close with the famous man himself over the years.

All of you met up in the famous Four Seasons Hotel for a pretty luxurious high-tea session while discussing the whole fashion show. It was mostly just Juyeon conversing with the CEO himself; you were mainly there to take down all the essential notes that both parties spoke.

Usually, it would have been his personal assistant job, but he insisted that you come along this time, saying it was part of your training. To be completely honest, you weren’t sure if Juyeon was the one mixing up between work and personal life issues at this point. All you wanted to do was to pray that this meeting gets over and done with quickly so that you could head back towards the comforts of your cubicle in the office and not face Juyeon for a while.

After an hour or so, it seemed as if the meeting was wrapped, and both parties finally parted ways for now, causing you to head straight back to Juyeon’s vehicle. Many people would think most CEOs would have their chauffeur, but Juyeon insisted that he always preferred to drive alone.

He was still the chatterbox that you have always remembered back in the day, how we would often come up with any possible topic that would keep you entertained; you both could talk for days back then only if both of your families didn’t stop you from heading back home for meal time.

There was only one problem this time: you were still troubled by what had happened the day before, and it was hard enough to even join Juyeon for this meeting with the CEO of Fendi in the first place. Now that both of you were alone in the car, things were far more awkward than they already were. Juyeon never touched on the topic from last night, but still, you couldn’t bring yourself to look at him in the face.

Just when you thought Juyeon was about to take the left turn to head back towards the office, he took the other lane instead and drove towards the opposite direction.

“Juyeon, the office is the other way—”

“Let’s go somewhere, Y/N. Treat this as a little gift of stepping out of office hours for a bit. You’ll still get paid, though; don’t worry. I’ll make sure to inform your head department about your absence.”

What on earth is going through your mind, Juyeon?

It has been a few minutes since you have physically pressed yourself against the tank, slowly admiring various species swimming about minding their own business.

Apparently, you both have arrived at the COEX Aquarium, known for homing a large variety of rare species of aquatic animals and typically the best place for school trips, holidays, and even as a date.

Wait, scratch that last one—

“Didn’t you always say how coming here has been on your bucket list for the longest time?” Juyeon questioned you as he slowly walked up towards where you were from behind, slipping both of his hands into his cloak as he, too, began admiring the beauty in front of him.

That was when you finally diverted your attention to his face for the first time since hopping into his car this morning to head to the hotel. You were upset at yourself with how the feelings were the same as before: his pretty sculpted facial features, how good-looking he actually was, and how he could do the bare minimum, yet you would still swoon over the man himself.

With all that has happened lately, something told you this was more than friend behaviour. Sure, Juyeon might be trying his best to patch up this whole relationship you once had, taking you to places and recreating new memories with one another, but you weren’t sure if Juyeon felt the same way as you did.

That deep feeling within the pit of your stomach made you feel uncomfortable, and it was about time you finally confronted him about the one question that had pondered at the back of your mind for the longest time.

If both of you wanted to continue whatever was happening between you, you needed to get the specific answer first.

And it has to be now.

“Juyeon, can I ask you something?”

He hummed. “Yeah, go ahead.”

With that, you turned your entire body facing him and took a deep breath to figure out the right words to convey your feelings for the man himself. “I meant what I said the night before.”

That alone was enough to get his full attention, as he was now slowly turning himself fully towards you as if he was staring straight into your soul. You wanted to chicken out so badly and tell him it was nothing, and you both could just continue with the silence. But you have already come so far, and you know that this will only continue to haunt you for as long as you live if you aren’t going to address it now.

So you mustered up every bit of courage left within you, and opened your mouth again.

“I never stopped loving you, Juyeon. Even though we have lost contact for so many years, I never once stop thinking about you every single day. As much as I’ve tried so hard to forget about you, hell, I threw everything that reminded me of you into the dumpster or boxes and kept them deep somewhere where I wouldn’t even think about searching for it ever again, but to no avail.”

Your body began to tremble as you tried to calm yourself down by playing with your fingers. “I couldn’t, Juyeon. Every time I thought I have succeeded in getting rid of you from my life for good, the thought of you just somehow finds its way to creep back up in my mind.”

“I have no idea if karma sent me back here to Seoul, especially when my career was doing well in London. Imagine coming back and discovering that my new employer is someone I’ve tried so hard to forget about? The mixed emotions I felt then were insufferable.”

As you began to speak more, tears started welling up in your eyes, causing your heartbeat to rise rapidly. But you decided to press on and choke back on your tears.

“With all that you have done for me for the past weeks and months, I truly have no idea what on earth you are trying to prove to me, Lee Juyeon. Are you trying to fix our broken friendship? Or is it something more? What exactly are you even planning to do, Juyeon?”

Finally, you took a few steps closer until you were inches away from him.

“Be honest with me now, Juyeon. What exactly am I to you?”

There was this tense moment between you two, and neither of you said a word to one another. You were looking straight at your childhood friend with red, puffy eyes, and his eyes were widened, looking at you and trying his best to take in everything you’d said.

Something tells you that it was best not to hear about Juyeon’s opinions at all for the fear of rejection once more. If you had the power to dissect his mind to determine his thoughts and feelings about all of this, you would. Yet, you were still afraid of what might happen next.

As you wait for his response, you slowly examine how his shoulders began to slump, and eventually he tries his best to talk some sense into you.

“Y/N, I—”

“Ah! It’s Juyeon-ie!”

The both of you immediately darted your head towards where the voice was coming from, and that was when you noticed a female running towards Juyeon while waving her hands, and a rather old man accompanied her.

Who could it be?

“Saeran? And Uncle Lee? What are you two doing here?” Juyeon questioned as the two individuals made their way towards you. It was also then they both noticed your presence and the soft-spoken young lady was the one who broke the ice.

“You must be?”

“O-Oh, I umm—”

“She’s Y/N; she used to be my neighbour back in the days when I was still living in Seoul.”

Just a neighbour, huh?

“Ah, Y/N!” The young female extended her hand for a little handshake, in which you awkwardly return the favour. “It’s a pleasure to meet you in person finally! Juyeon has spoken a lot about you.”

Before you could even give a reply, it seemed that the older man whom you now know was his uncle, or rather, perceived that he was the one who managed to help Juyeon get a new start in life back here in Seoul, finally spoke and diverted Juyeon’s attention back to what they were here for in the first place.

“We had made a little appointment this afternoon, don’t you remember, Juyeon?”

“Oh, yes! I’m so sorry. It must’ve completely slipped my mind since I have been pretty caught up with work lately,” Juyeon apologised while slightly bowing towards his uncle.

“Not at all, Juyeon. I’m sure you must’ve been pretty busy with-” his uncle then diverts his attention towards you. “-a lot of things.”

You definitely felt way too uncomfortable at the moment, and you needed to get out of the aquarium right this second if you did not wish to be suffocated by all of the tension in the air.

Immediately, you gently removed your hands from the young female and quickly made a ninety-degree bow towards all of them.

“My humble apologies, it seems that I have disrupted an important meeting. I shall take my leave now.”

As soon as you turned your heel towards the other direction, you suddenly felt a pair of hands grab your wrist, stopping you in your tracks.

“Y/N! Wait, I’ll drive you back—”

“No, it’s fine,” you tried your best to smile at him. “I’ll just take the train located right outside the aquarium. Have a good day.”

You instantly slip your hands off his grip and dash straight towards the front door, trying your best not to look back and ignore the tears dripping down your face as you walk down the steps towards the subway.

It was now week two of cutting off all contact with Juyeon. It hadn’t been easy for you both at work and personally. In fact, you haven’t been doing great at all. It was as if you had turned into a living zombie, often feeling rather emotionless and drowning yourself in paperwork and avoiding contact with another except for your head of department.

Since Juyeon was still your employer and CEO, he has definitely tried all means of contacting you, asking to see if you were doing okay or trying to get you up to his office to talk about the fashion show, or rather, to talk things out. But every single time, you would find ways to decline his request as best as possible while respecting him as your boss first and foremost.

After a week of declining his invitations, his messages and calls eventually stopped coming a week ago; it was as if he had completely vanished for a little while. From what you have heard, it seemed that he had some urgent matters that he had to deal with, causing him to leave the office into the hands of his assistant for now.

It was finally a little breather for you since you didn’t have to put on this facade for the time being, letting you let loose for a bit. Going through sleepless nights throughout the past couple of weeks definitely has taken a toll on your mental well-being.

You told yourself you needed to hold it all in for another week. Once this whole fashion show is done, you will get your well-deserved vacation off work for one week.

It’ll be alright. Things will definitely work out in one way or another, Y/N.

It was finally the day for the long-awaited fashion show hosted by GQ Korea and the collaboration among famous brands around the globe. A swarm of people marched into the rented convention hall, filling the entire space within minutes.

You and your co-workers were busy getting everything organised and ensuring everything was in place. Since you were in the editorial department, you have been going about talking to all of the big figureheads from each respective brand, mostly just breaking the ice as well as interviewing them so that you have your necessary notes to draft out the proposal for the upcoming magazine.

Time passed quickly and it was time for the show to begin. As you sat down on one of the chairs, you made your way towards the far end corners of the hall, getting ready your notepad and trusty blue ballpoint pen.

As the light began to dim, Juyeon eventually made his way up on stage with a microphone, giving the guests a warm welcome and a little opening speech before the models began their runway walk. Seeing the man himself again was a bittersweet moment for you. As much as you wanted nothing more associated with him, your eyes just couldn’t seem to turn away from him.

It did not help that he was dressed up in a black tuxedo, with his hair styled up with his usual one strand on his forehead. He looked strikingly handsome, and you wouldn’t be surprised if he managed to woo almost everyone in the audience tonight. The way he presented himself was truly magnificent, and you could see why he was able to rise to the ranks of being a CEO at such a young age.

Tears began welling up in your eyes again, but you tried your very best to hold them back and mentally cursed at yourself, thinking that this was all professional work now and that there was no room for any personal matters for the night.

Once he made his desired speech, he eventually came down from the stage and sat at one of the front row seats, and that was where you could clearly see that the very same girl from the aquarium sat right next to him, along with his uncle and personal assistant. It shouldn’t bother you since they are practically family to him. It was none of your business, so why couldn’t you take your eyes off them?

Or rather, with him and the young lady who was clearly having fun whispering into each other’s ears.

It has nothing to do with me.

You constantly reminded yourself that whenever you tried to spare a glance at them, all while you were taking down notes from the show. It was definitely a challenge trying to stay focused, and there were a couple of times when you needed to close your eyes for a bit and take a few deep breaths to proceed with your work.

The show finished smoothly, and the audience responded with a standing ovation. You definitely felt a sense of accomplishment from that, too, given that all of your hard work over the past months had finally paid off.

The event wouldn’t have been complete without an after-party, so here you were in the hall next door—with all of the guests, models, and even staff alike having loads of fun chatting about with a glass of champagne in hand. Eventually, the DJ that was hired began to blast out a wide selection of music, indicating that whoever felt comfortable hitting up the dance floor was able to do so.

You smiled as you saw a couple of your close co-workers pull up some moves on the dance floor; it reminded you of loads of your time back in the UK—going to the local pubs and just having the time of your life drinking and partying with your friends.

Just as you were lost in thought, you suddenly felt a little tap on your shoulder, and you turned around to see that Juyeon’s assistant insisted that someone wanted to see you in person.

You didn’t think much of it since you already had a little bit of alcohol in your system, so when you finally realised who was the one who wanted to see you, panic began to rush through your veins, and you tried your best to make sense of the situation.

“Mr Lee? Is something the matter?”

You did not need to see the older male again, especially when he gave you a not-so-good first impression back at the aquarium. However, you had no reason to devise an excuse to leave; he was much superior to you anyway.

“Why, good evening, Miss L/N. I hope you are enjoying the party so far, and congratulations on the job well done. I must say Juyeon always excels in his work, no matter what obstacles he encounters along the way.”

The only thing you could do was flash a little smile back at him, as much as it made you uncomfortable. In the back of your mind, you have dozens of questions running through your mind, thinking about in what manner his uncle has any business with you.

Eventually, he began speaking as if he was chanting through a book, giving you a whole load of information that was a little bit too much to take in at the moment.

“It seems that Seoul life has been too tedious for you, don’t you think? Have you ever wondered about transferring back to London? Perhaps it would be a much better place for you to reside in.”

“Umm, with all due respect, sir, how did you know about my background—”

“Oh, I have always kept an eye on you; you were Juyeon’s childhood friend, after all.”

Keyword. “Were”

“With that being said, I have read a couple of your articles before from the London Mail, and I must say, they are actually quite extraordinary.”

“W-Why, t-thank you, Mr Lee. I really do appreciate them—”

“Speaking of transferring, the CEO for Fendi has actually taken quite a liking to you and your work. Even throughout the whole fashion show back there, he has been talking on and on about you, saying how you would prove to be a fruitful addition to his company.”

Just like that, Mr Lee began to step forward to hand you a little sticky note, which clearly had a number written on it.

“If you ever change your mind, give me a call. Besides, I’m sure you already know the answer deep within your heart. I will be waiting,” Mr Lee responded with a smug before entering back into the hall.

You stared back down at the note and eventually began thinking about what his uncle said prior. Suddenly, you started feeling conflicted, thinking this was the right place to belong. But it could also be his way of trying to brainwash you; you’re pretty sure you felt like a menace in his eyes.

You decided you needed some fresh air to clear your thoughts for a bit, so you headed out towards the balcony right up the stairs. You figured that an open-air rooftop seemed perfect for some alone time.

If only you were the only one who was planning to use the same exact spot that is.

Right when you reached the door that was ajar on the rooftop, you immediately recognised the two people standing before you, the female leaning in to give your childhood friend a peck on the lips.

You stand there motionless, and immediately, your blood starts to boil, something you haven’t felt in a while. The glass of champagne then drops towards the ground, and the shattered noises make the two turn their attention towards you.

It all felt like a sudden pause like time had stopped for a few moments. The both of you were staring deep into each other’s eyes, not knowing what to do or how to respond. But then, Juyeon eventually spoke to break the silence.

Before you could ever hear what he had to say, you were already dashing down the stairs, not caring that you had missed a couple of steps and that there were a few instances where you felt like you were about to trip and fall straight down back where you came from.

Not even wanting to let your co-workers know about anything, you quickly dashed through the front gates, running through the now gloomy skies that were bound to have a heavy downpour within a few minutes.

You should’ve remembered that Juyeon was the basketball team leader back in high school for a reason; no matter how fast you ran through the streets, he eventually caught you and yanked you back towards him, causing you to press up against his chest.

“Let me go! Let me go—”

“Y/N! Please! Let us just talk things out.”

You used up all of your strength and pushed him away as hard as you could before you began raising your voice back at him. “Talk? Don’t be ridiculous. You have done more than enough, and I have seen enough.”

“Y/N, no. You don’t understand—”

“What else do I have to understand!?!? You have done more than enough to shatter me over and over again, Juyeon! And to think I was dumb enough actually to think we could work things out again!” You screamed.

“Y/N…please…just calm down and listen to what I have to say…” Juyeon was now practically begging you, begging you just to stop.

“You clearly don’t understand the pain that I’ve gone through, Juyeon. You weren’t there to witness or experience it anyway! Why did we even become friends in the first place, huh!?!?”

God, cat’s out of the bag.

That last sentence was definitely not meant to be said at all; it was one of your deepest, darkest thoughts that you have sworn that nobody should ever find out about, especially when it is directed towards the person who stood before you.

“I hate you, Juyeon…I really do…for all of the pain that you have caused me…” you were now sobbing like a child, which pained Juyeon so much seeing how you were now.

With that, a loud thunder resonated throughout the city, and a heavy downpour began pouring down from the skies. The both of you were now soaked, and you mustered up the courage to say your final words to him as the tears began mixing with the rain.

“Please…I beg of you…just stop looking for me…or even talk to me at all…just leave me alone…that’s the last thing I will ask of you…”

“I don’t want anything to do with you no more.”

You slowly began backing away, and when you reached a good amount of distance, you turned your heel and began running away into the shadows, not sparing a final glance at your childhood friend who stood at the same spot under the pouring rain.

This is my final goodbye, Juyeon.

If you thought the whole week of you being a walking zombie in the office was terrible enough, clearly, nobody was prepared for the current state that you were in. You locked yourself up in your room and refused to see anybody, even your mother and sister.

You would constantly lay in bed, tossing and turning, even though it was hard to fall asleep. Since you avoided contact with your family members, there was nothing much they could do but place a tray filled with your meals and dishes in front of your door, waiting for you to eventually open up during times when you actually felt hungry and took them into your room to savour them all on your own.

You didn’t need anyone or anything now; you craved alone time and peace.

As you curl up in bed, sometimes even at the corners of your room, your eyes would often dart towards the sticky note handed to you by his uncle. So many times you have thought about it: what if life would’ve been better abroad and coming back to Seoul was truly a grave mistake that you have made? What if this whole decision was actually an awakening moment for you to realise that this is not where you should belong?

Days went back and eventually, it became a week. There were only a few days left before you returned to the office for work. The longer you kept staring at the note, the more motivated you were to take the risk and start again.

Every time you were reminded of what happened that very fateful night, you rationalised that maybe what Mr Lee said was true after all. Perhaps Seoul is really not your place to belong.

As the clock ticked, your desire to leave everything behind felt stronger.

You waited until the clock finally struck noon for you to finally stand up with your phone in hand, punching each number into the dial pad and bringing it to your ear.

Once the ringing eventually got through and you were met with a voice on the other end of the line, you took a deep breath before muttering the words you have been reluctant about all this while.

“I’ll take up the offer.”

“For the very last time sissy, I promise I will be fine,” you spoke through your headphones as you were on a video call with your sister, who was back home at your apartment.

“You have never done something so impulsive before, and given that you made this whole decision during your darkest hours? I highly doubt that you’re okay, Miss Y/N.”

“Well, I can assure you that the darkest hours are gone, and I’m now free and much happier. I can work with Fendi!”

Your sister sighed through the phone. “Working with big brands is one thing; what about your physical and mental well-being?”

“Rome doesn’t sound too bad to me, and besides, living in the UK for a couple of years has definitely given me the experience I’ve needed to survive back in the EU again.”

“Fine. Just…be careful, okay? Give mom and I a call once you’ve touched down.”

You gave a little flying kiss through the phone. “Don’t worry, I will.”

After waving goodbye on both sides, you clicked the red end call button and leaned back onto the chair you had been sitting on for the past hour. It was definitely a shocker to you that Fendi was willing to accept you immediately without having to go through any sort of significant interviews and that they were kind enough to even provide accommodations for you. At the same time, you work for them under a contract of two years. Frankly, it was a good deal and a steal.

You slowly stare into the digital clock on the big screen, which eventually becomes an announcement.

“All passengers bound for Rome, Italy, please head to gate 4B and be ready for boarding!”

Instantly, almost all of the people around you began standing and lining up as if they needed to be the first to get on board. You have always disliked and never understood why the rush and pushing against one another trying to fight for the first slot, so you often just sat back and relaxed until only a couple of folks left to board the plane.

Time went by quickly, and thirty minutes have passed since then. Now, only a handful of passengers are left to board. That was when it was your cue to get up and sling your backpack onto your back.

As you slowly walked towards the counter to let the flight attendants scan your passport and let you through the gates, you felt a sudden tap on your shoulders, causing you to turn behind to see who it was.

You didn’t have much time to respond until you were pulled in for a tight embrace; that familiar cologne was enough to make the tears well up in your eyes again.

“J-Juyeon…” your voice muffled.

“Stop. Let me just…let me do the talking this time. Please.”

You would have definitely fought back and started pushing him away once more, but it seems that you were either too taken aback or lost all of the energy throughout the past week to do so. Instead, you just stood there motionless in his arms.

“Y/N, I know it would be horrible for me to ask for forgiveness because I definitely do not deserve any of that after what I have put you through. Or even for another chance because you clearly gave me one, and it was my fault for not appreciating nor cherishing the moment when it happened,” he began stroking your head, his fingers running through your long, silky, soft hair.

“But one thing is for sure: I will not let you go this time. This time, I am going to hold you so tight that there’s no room for you to escape; I’ll make sure that you will forever be safe and sound in my arms, and I will be the one who is going to bring you joy instead of pain and tears.”

He then bends down to give you a little kiss on your forehead. “You mean a lot to me, Y/N. And I’d like to think you are more than just a friend; you’re my other half. Without you, I wouldn’t be able to move on, knowing that I will lose you again, and this time, forever, if I don’t stop you now.”

“So please, Y/N. I’m begging you. Please don’t go.”

With his final words, you eventually find your arms slowly snaking up his back and returning the hug to him. You weren’t too sure why you did that, especially after the tremendous pain you have gone through the past week in particular. At the end of the day, the phrase where the heart wants what it wants will forever remain faithful to you, whether you like it or not.

You sobbed. “You’re not going to make me stay that easily.”

“Oh yeah? You think I’m not capable of doing that?”

“Prove it then.”

Instantly, one of his hands travelled back up to your chin and lifted them, causing you to look directly towards his as he slowly bent down to interlock his lips with yours. The kiss was rather heated, as if the both of you had been waiting for this to come so badly. You couldn’t care less if you both were actually making out at the airport.

Juyeon cupped your face with both hands as he tilted his head for you to gain more entrance into his. His lips felt soft yet demanding as if you were devouring a forbidden fruit. In return, you run your fingers through his silky black hair.

After a few minutes, you both broke apart for some fresh air, trying your best to catch your breath simultaneously.

“Is that supposed to make me stay put in Seoul, Juyeon?” You teased.

With that, he merely replied with a little smile followed by a smirk. “That, Miss Y/N, was actually a pact you made to me. Treat it as a contract, if you will, that you are bound to stay by my side no matter what.”

“Ugh, that’s so foul of you!”

“You should know that I have my ways; I’m not the CEO of GQ Korea for nothing.”

The both of you eventually burst out into laughter while Juyeon finds both hands on your waist while you wrap your arms around his shoulders.

“Listen, Y/N. I want to apologise on behalf of my uncle and Saeran.”

“Oh, yeah. No big deal. By the way, is Saeran—”

“It’s not what you think it is.”

“It’s not?”

He smiled. “She’s my little cousin, and she often showers me with tons of hugs and kisses, even though I’ve told her to stop a million times.”

“Well, you’re lucky to have a cousin who loves you that much,” you replied.

“Yeah, but she’s going to have to learn that she can’t do that anymore because someone else is going to replace her job for that.”

As much as you knew who he referred to, you still wanted to drag this further. “And who exactly is that?”

“Hmm…maybe the contract before wasn’t clear enough. Should I make another one?”

You slapped his chest immediately. “Don’t you dare, we’re in public.”

Again, another burst of laughter was genuinely beginning to make you feel a lot better, even to the point of slowly healing all the scars you have had before.

With that, you needed to make yourself clear to the man himself.

“Juyeon, can I just be honest with you?”

“Of course, sweetheart.”

“I appreciate you doing all of this for me, but I just want to give you a heads-up that it’ll take a while for me to heal from everything completely and that I’m sorry if I don’t give you the exact treatment that you expect from me, and I—”

You were then silenced with another kiss on the lips; this time, Juyeon took the time to shower you with as many kisses as possible, making sure that each was worthwhile before breaking the kiss again.

“Y/N, I don’t care about all of that. You can take as long as you need, but just know that I will be here for each step you take, and I’ll give you support whenever you need it. I promise. I will not leave you behind ever again.”

As you both plastered a soft smile, you leaned in to rest your forehead against each other, taking in everything that had happened minutes prior.

“Here’s to a new beginning with you.”

masterlist

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babybearcookie · 1 year

Text

ATEEZ Age Regression/Caregiver HC

not requested

this is an age regression headcanon; if you don't like that, don't read it, age regression is a sfw coping mechanism, so i will be blocking anyone who might sexualize it

Seonghwa

as a caregiver

so,,,

we all know where this'll start, right?

momhwa

everyone's favourite, like there'll be wars to get his attention

even if there's no one around, his baby wouldd always be seeking his attention

maybe by showing something they'd made or misbehaving

he's tried to say that 'if you want attention, you just have to ask'

but no bc that would not be right

right??

no clue, seongwha doesn't rly get why his attention is so important but he thinks it's kinda cute either way

when he's watching over his little, he's also just content sitting there, doing nothing other than keeping his eyes on them

but even with as soft as he can be

he WILL call you out when you misbehave or cuss at him

he hears a commotion happen and he knows his baby is in the middle of it?

uh oh

"you stop that right now, little one!"

and you will bc he has pretty much mastered the 'don't you dare' stare

and you don't wanna be on the receiving end of that

well, that depends

bc it usually works on someone regressed younger

but if they're a kid regressor, they'll probably just constantly push to see how much he'll take

and you'll know when he's had enough bc, not only will he tell you, but you can also see it in his eyes.... shuddering at the thought of being on the other end of those

but he will soften up as soon as his baby acts cute toward him

just a cute little gesture and some puppy dog eyes and they're back in the warmth, so to speak

seonghwa would be so devoted to the role of someone's caregiver

he has so much love to give and being able to just take care of someone's every need while they're small and vulnerable and innocent and adorable?

it's a hell yeah from him

having someone to baby like that is one of his favourite things

he's not very loud and/or wild when in his caregiver headspace, so a calm regressor would be the best fit for him

but he would of course never reject being someone's caregiver just because they aren't calm

he'll just guide them into calm states a lot, since those are his favourites

he loves loves loves having his baby lay in the crook of his arm, cuddling into him, as they follow along in the book he's reading aloud for them

it's even better if it's a little longer of a story, since he absolutely adores looking down randomly to see his baby having fallen asleep to his voice

though, as much as he likes when his little is calm small, he does NOT like it when it's bc they're sick or down

then he starts fussing and worrying over them

he hears one unhappy whine and his cool, calm and collected nature is out the window

might even call for backup from another member if he's RLY worried

and he dreads taking his eyes off of his baby for even a second when they're in that state

when he does have to, he leaves them with a million kisses being placed all over their face (mostly on their forehead) and just holding on to them

that goes on for like 10 minutes, less if the little falls asleep while he comforts them, before he can do what he needs to go out and do

when regressed

i definitely believe that he's a shy little baby

he keeps to himself a lot, doesn't seek out the attention

he loves being warm n cuddly

big sweaters n coats n blankets

give them to him, let him snuggle up pls

he also love his kitty ears headband

he got it as a gift, it has little bells hanging from the ears

it's his favourite accessory when he's regressed

he's the type to, as soon as he sees his caregiver, he gives them a smooch on their cheek

it's become his way of greeting them

he's feeling just a little bit small, his reserve of being affectionate in front of others goes away

and it's become a method of payment, if you will

if he asks for something, his caregiver will pretend to think about it very hard and then tell him that it costs him a kiss on their cheek

which he gives happily

can still be a bit shy about doing it in front of others but still does it

bc he gets such cute reactions when he does it regressed

a lot more coos than if he were to do it when he's big

flappy hands when frustrated or excited

it can result in some injuries if we aren't careful

like, hitting himself, but that happens more if his frustration isn't taken care of

he just need someone to help him calm down

he's just feeling a lot of feelings that needs to be expressed :((

is pretty calm and quiet until you put on girlgroup songs, best of all twice, then he'll jump up to have a dance party wherever he is

and of course, movie nights are the how to train your dragon movies 50% of the time

he even acts out toothless' facial expressions while watching the movies

not for anyone, i don't even think he himself knows he's doing it, but it's adorable either way

he has a million toothless plushies hidden all around

he always have one ready to grab

he's never more than 50 meters from one, like it's excessive

when going out, he either brings a little plushie or a stuffed toothless keyring accessory

Hongjoong

as a caregiver

i'll just say it now

he's definitely the type to dress you up all fancy just to go to the store or park

like those parents who dress their toddlers like they're young adults

but he makes sure you enjoy your outfit too

it's actually more that he matches his outfit with what you like to wear, just a more grown-up version of it

he's loud and you know when you've reached his line

he'll yell but not in a scary way, more like in a way that makes it fun to get him to that point

but if he actually feels like he needs to discipline his little, he'll do it when in private

never in front of others

both for his own sake and his baby's sake

something like that is very personal

and never actually yelling. he's very aware that there are some things you never do to a child, and never ever to someone who may already have certain triggers

dramatic dad tho

but also very very sweet and considerate

if you see something in a store, he'd be game to go and buy it for you

he just likes to provide like that

and it makes him happy when his little one is happy

he's very aware of people's relationship to being touched, as it's something he struggles with himself

so he'll always ask before doing anything involving touching

"do you want a hug, baby?"

one thing he does love is when you lay your head in his lap uwu

"can you hold my hand while walking outside, sweetheart?"

he knows that his baby would rather have him with them all the time, but as his role as leader and the time he spends in the studio, there are some days when he doesn't get back till late

but he always makes sure to stop by his baby's room, check in on them and give them a kiss on their forehead

probably have something, like tying a little bow with some string around your finger, to let you know you'd been kissed goodnight if you were to wake

when regressed

he mostly uses aegyo as a weapon

if he wants something or wants to avoid doing something, out comes the squishy cheeks and big puppy eyes

and it's super effective

excited and polite baby

also very bitey

he doesn't know what to do with his affection and his energy a lot

so he just bites ppl

his caregiver is going to get bitten the most

it's done out of love though <3

if he gets a lot of love, he might get a bit emotional

pull back and isolate himself

it's not that he doesn't like getting loved on or being around those who love on him

he's just used to being the one having to keep it together

so if you see him become quiet and pulling back, go with him and hold him as he cries

baby has sensory issues

when he isn't regressed it mostly manifests in not wanting to be touched

but when he's small it shows a bit more

some days he's okay with most things but

some days he needs his sensory clothes and can't even handle his hair touching his forehead in a wrong way

and he wants to show affection but doesn't like the feeling of being held onto

so he finds something, holds it at one end and offers the other end for his cg to hold onto

hongjoong can easily get pulled out of his headspace though

so, it's best to hide everything that reminds him of his responsibilities when in his adult headspace

there's nothing worse than when he suddenly gets pulled out of his regression

he'll get overstimulated and confused and dizzy at the sudden shift

and there's nothing to do rly, other than leave him be to get himself to the right place mentally

Yunho

as a caregiver

for me, yungho seems like the one most likely to be physically affectionate with his baby

not that the others wouldn't be, but he's just something else

he's always holding his baby's hand and pulling them into his arms

just always touching them in some way

hand on their back or arm(s) around their shoulder(s)

cuddles are a must with him

he loves loves loves just laying with his baby

bodies fitting together like puzzle pieces

he feels nothing but bliss and happiness if his baby lays themselves on him

most likely to love giving you 'uppies'

he also loves teasing his little with threats of eating them

opening his mouth around one of your fingers and softly chomping down on it, just as a little joke

"you're just so cute, i wanna eat you!"

"Daddy's gonna eat you, baby!"

big fan of listening to baby talk coming from his little

just gibberish directed towards him and him going

"oh really? wow, tell me more!"

and in that vein, he also has conversations with stuffies

if his baby says one of their stuffie said something, he'd look at the stuffie and talk to it

absolutely playing along, not ever a question coming from him

(he also secretly loves playing dress up, feeling good when he's dressed as the prince or knight that saves you)

he actually reminds me a bit of bandit from bluey with the way he just goes along with his baby's shenanigans

i don't know how else to say it but

he's just so warm and loving

he would go above and beyond as a caregiver

do everything in the world to make sure his little felt loved

i really feel like he'd be the best caregiver of the bunch,,

he works so hard to make himself a safe space for others

when regressed

naps, a lot of naps for this one

he gets very confused a lot

just big questioning eyes

being confused a lot can make him feel even younger

everyone is very protective of him bc nobody can stand seeing him upset, least of all his cg(s)

another regressor would maybe use that to get their way, but not yunho

he just feels safe and cared for

he's not incredibly loud when regressed

type to always carry a plushie around with him

he just loves having something soft to hug and hold

shy when it comes to affection but loves it

he won't ask for hugs and kisses but is given them all the time

and he gets all blushy but he likes it a lot

in his head he's way smaller than he is physically

so, when he's running up to his cg or anyone for a hug, he doesn't realise how big he is

more than once making the person he's tackling fall over or lose their footing

he loves when he's laying in his cg's lap and looking up at them

makes him feel so small and giggle, especially if the cg is making faces and being silly

he just loves being the one below, being doted on

a lot of times that means he's being tickled but he doesn't mind, as it makes him feel smaller

he's more of a baby regressor than a little actually

which hurts his cg bc he wants to be carried around and treated like a baby when regressed

but he's so physically big, it's hard to do so

even though most of them work out and are strong

but there are ways to help

he loves bottle time

it's usually before bed with some warm milk

it's warm and safe and he feels like the tiniest little boy

Yeosang

as a caregiver

i don't see yeosang being a parent-type of caregiver, i rly don't

babysitter maybe, mostly see him as being an older sibling type

he'll try his best though

he'd make the space very comfortable and very chill

like, priming the livingroom for colouring and cartoons time for the little

family means a lot to him, so if you really see him as a parental figure, of course he'd do his very best

he'd do well with an older regressor that'll pull him along for things

then he'd just primarily have to make sure they're okay

likes guiding the little

just holding their hand

and maybe having dance parties

very giggly when the little is being silly

always ready to shower the baby with compliments but

if you want him to be flustered yeosang (tm), just give him loads of compliments back

he loves feeding the one he's taking care of

it's one of the things he know he'd be able to do successfully

!!! he also loves playing board games with the one he's taking care of

he'll get so into it, it would just be a great time for both him and the little

he likes cuddling together

both him and the little will just fall asleep like that most times

he'd also agree to playing dress-up, though he would be a little embarrassed about it

when regressed

loves playing pranks, but very quick to apologise if the slightest look is given to him

though, he doesn't have to apologise bc all is forgiven when it comes to yeosang

very very giggly at almost everything

everybody, and i mean EVERYBODY, finds him adorable, which makes it hard to scold him when he's done or said something

if someone asks him to do something he doesn't want to do

it's one pleading look from him and he gets out of having to do it

he's definitely king of the house when he's regressed

the little prince who rules everything

and he doesn't have to lift a finger if he doesn't want to

the only thing that is a sure thing, that everyone has agreed to uphold, even if little yeosang pleads and looks sad

is that he cannot have chicken every day

2 times a week at the absolute most

he loves being fed so so much

and his cg(s) love feeding him

he looks so cute munching on food that's given to him

it's almost a fight for who gets to feed him if he has multiple cgs

which is not such a wild thought, bc everybody wants to take care of him if they find out he regresses

if wooyoung is one of the cgs, he definitely sneaks himself more chances to feed yeosang, since he's making a bunch of the food and snacks for him

i think the one who loves feeding him the most is hongjoong, so he's second in line after wooyoung

his cg(s) would definitely lead the 'yeosang protection squad'

ready to fight if anyone dares to disrespect little yeosang

they'd go to the ends of the earth to make sure yeosang is feeling safe and happy

San

as a caregiver

his first priority is making sure that his little is his first priority

everything else comes second

always makes sure they are included in everything

it's important to him that he's verbal when it comes to caring for his baby

so, a lot of reassuring words and words of affirmation and love

but he won't forget the physical

always pulling his baby into his embrace and having them there for safekeeping

so he can be a shield against all negativity

he'd do all the things that are tedious so you wouldn't have to

cutting up food, putting in the DVD, bringing you your stuffie

and he's so quick and silent about doing that, that you mostly don't realise he is doing it

he's always keeping his (affectionate) eyes on his little

ready to jump into action at the slightest hint that they need him

always keeping them comfortable

absolutely staring daggers at anyone who has made them uncomfortable

you do not want to be on the receiving end of those

he'd be the parent cg that's always there

which can maybe be a bit much

but for a clingy little, he'd be perfect

he'd go to sleep and wake up hugging his baby close to him

that physical connection is very important to him

he wants to make sure he's a safe space

even around others he wouldn't change his behaviour

he isn't shy or ashamed about his relationship with his little

and if they wanna be little around other people, he is there to make sure that nothing happens while they are

when regressed

pouty baby

and with a lisp uwu

and and he's very loud when little

he has problems with fine motor skills

though that doesn't stop him from enjoying doing makeup while small

especially on others

it'll look like a mess of colours and glitter but he just loves doing it so much

has to have his stuffie in bed or he can't get to sleep

(probably blåhaj or blåhaj sized, since it's perfect for hugging to sleep)

((can confirm))

his mind flies around a lot

until it locks on something specific and then he can't stop thinking about that until he has done something about it

when he's excited about something, he yells out about it multiple times

to show how excited he is and get others just as excited about it

he doesn't really care if people gush over how cute he is

he wants them to indulge in what he's into at that moment though

showing care for what he pays attention to is the best way to show you care about him

very territorial when it comes to his favourite people

the person who's his favourite can vary, but not how clingy and possessive he is about them

he will hold them tight, not letting them go

and if anyone tries to take them away, he'll hold them tighter and either get angry or upset

when he's upset he's prone to hitting

either himself or others

he doesn't hit hard and it only takes a gentle hand and a soft "baby, no" for him to stop

but it's what he does when he's frustrated or upset

to get him to calm down, cuddle him tightly

Mingi

as a caregiver

he loves carrying his baby

just having them in his arms is something he loves

and knowing they feel better being held by him is everything

piggy back rides is something he's rly good at

he can run and stuff for when it's supposed to be fun

and he knows how to walk slowly when you're tired

is the type to let his little cuddle with him while doing other things

or having adult conversations with someone

just holding them tight while continuing to talk about work or whatever

loves tickle fights

he usually wins but

he just loves hearing his little one giggle up a storm

will aggressively pinch your cheeks

he'd sometimes ask his hyungs for advice on taking care of someone younger

he's a little nervous about it

but they usually tell him just to be himself and go with his gut

and they are right

as soon as he gets into the mindset of taking care of someone, he does really well

he loves nothing more than to have his baby in his lap while they colour

pointing and asking what they're colouring

helping too if the little asks for it

is the type to take his little out on walks to parks

holding their tiny backpack for when they wanna run around and have fun

just watching with a smile

when regressed

loves rolling around

it makes him feel all small and silly

also laughs with his entire body

which sometimes is the reason why he's rolling around

loves being in his cg's lap

but he's also very self-conscious about his size

so it usually ends up with his legs being slung over his cg's legs

unless they physically pull him into their lap

very curious

will look over your shoulders if you're doing something on a device

even if his young mind won't understand it, he loves watching the screen as things are being done on it

pretty shy about wanting attention

when he wants some, he usually bumps his head into the person he's wanting attention from

he loves being held from behind

even if the person holding him is way tinier than him, he'll feel small and protected

isn't much for eye contact when little

will look at your nose or lips when you're talking to him

he'd be a menace around other regressors

whispering and keeping secrets and plotting against the cgs

probably be the planner of the cookie coup

sweater paws >>>>>

he loves having knitted sweaters that are just too big for him

a very snacky boy

and plays with his food too

but he's just too adorable doing it that nobody can tell him not to

(especially dino nuggets)

Wooyoung

as a caregiver

so attentive

like the boy is all over the place and wild but when he's with his baby, every single ounce of his attention is on them

his eyes are glued to them and he loves keeping their hand in his

some of the members may tease him about that but he loves giving kisses

and he doesn't hold his want to give a smooch back

as soon as he gets the impulse to give a little kiss to his baby, he does so

you'd never not feel loved, being wooyoung's little, because it's constant affection with this one

he'd always be ready if his help is needed, you just need to say the word

"papa, can help me with my math?"

"need help cleaning up"

"check underneath my bed for monsters, please"

his answer is always "of course!", he puts everything on hold if his baby needs him

he feels the most in control and in his element when he's cooking

he loves having his baby watching him

he loves when he's cooking and his little joins him in the kitchen, sitting at the table he isn't using and start to colour while talking to him about random stuff

he loves the domesticity of it

and he loves it even more when they come over and peek at what he's doing in the kitchen, eyes full of wonder

making snacks is therefore one of his favourite ways to show love for his baby

when regressed

not gonna lie, i see wooyoung being really shy about his regression

he knows it's just banter and fun but he's so used to the others sometimes hating when he's acting cute normally

he'd always scurry off when he's slipping, not wanting the others to catch on that he might be a little different

but of course they do

i might write something further on this but

san is the first he tells about regressing

he trusts him and knows that san would never look down on him for something like this or ridicule him

when he finally feels comfortable enough, he fully lets out his cute childish side

grabby hands for almost anything

always wanting his cg by his side

whining a LOT bc he wants his way with almost everything

loves performing

like, dancing across the room, making sure all eyes are on him

he just loves attention

repeats sounds or words or sentences a lot

if he finds them funny at least

his cg says something like "nah-i don't know actually"

and wooyoung repeats it very giggly

lovesss praise

he does something and immediately seeks praising words and pats on his hair

when he's excited he hops

so much his cg refers to him as 'little bunny'

Jongho

as a caregiver

he loves providing for his little

you want anything and he'll bring it

within reason of course

loves having quiet nights

where he'll be reading a book and his little will be watching a movie

maybe they'll look up at him, tugging at his pant leg, going "papa, papa! look!" and pointing at the screen at a scene they like

and he'll ofc look up at it and respond with something like "that's very cool, baby!"

and then go back to his book until his attention is needed again

very verbal about how proud he is of his baby

he always wants to show his support for whatever they decide to do

ending the praise with a soft kiss placed on top of their head

can stare you down if you've done something you weren't supposed to

best at tucking someone in at night

and omg the lullabies he could sing

though, i do worry about him going all in and being too loud for the baby to sleep

(jk, boy is very respectful about his volume)

he's the type to come home and cuddle you if he's been working late

fully dressed too, not even getting under the covers

it's how he recharges

wears soft cardigans a lot bc he knows it's a nicer fabric for cuddling

also will let you put whatever cute headbands you want on him

when regressed

is a sucker for being dressed

someone helping him, pulling a shirt on over his head

snapping his overalls in place

he just becomes mush

loves really soft clothing

anything with fleece

sleepy baby in the mornings

barely a person, so has to be helped a lot

clapping his hands when laughing or finding something amusing

but very quiet other than that

even if he has comments or concerns, he whispers them in his cg's ear

even if they're alone

he just doesn't really like talking when he's regressed

gets his way most of the time

one pout from him and your argument is invalid

he likes teasing too

like the kid that's constantly poking you?

yeah that's jongho

won't outright admit to it but he loves being held

nuzzling into someone's warmth is very comforting for him

he likes playing games

not video games but those children's games that aren't exactly board games

like the crocodile you have to push its teeth or the hanging monkeys?

those kinds of games

A/N: gosh this took a lot of my creative energy but was so fun to do. since my ateez concert, i've just not been able to get those boys out of my head, so now they're here too :3

tag list:

@mylittlesafehaven99 @luveuly @ihugjakey @kiki-woo

bolded couldn't be tagged

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ferie-anon · 4 years

Note

Hi!😍How are you? Can i get a ship with Ateez? I'm capricorn sun, venus and mercury, gemini moon, sagittarius rising and pisces mars. Thank you so much 🙏🤩

I’m good! You’re a capricorn sun with a gemini moon, these two placements make an intellectual power source. The intellect and capability of utilizing your brain and details is impeccable, and with cap sun when you put it to work, there will be success with the effort/hardwork you attempt. Capricorn mercury, you keep it real. Rather than a brutal honest way to your communication, you are more stating things matter of factly in a honest way, but kinda chill yknow. If virgo mercuries were more of a fact and organzied direct speaker, you would be similar to that but in a more chill way like you’re only being realistic, not critical. Capricorn venus seem to rather show off their love to their partner theough hardwork and presenting the notion that they are responsible and trustworthy in that aspect. They care a great deal about their close ones/loved ones, but not usually in an affectionate physical displaying mannerism. Lastly, your pisces mars indicates you may easily be sensitive at times, and can be more on the whimsical outlook towards your goals. However with your other earthy placements, you are not too wishy-washy. Sag rising prompts others to view you at first to be optimistic or an exuberant vibe. Sagittarius is ruled by jupiter, the planet that is ruler of prosperity, expansion, good fortune (luck). These aspects may be projected to your outer appearance, so you may seem more youthful or healthy, and you view the world in an openminded positive way sometimes.

In Ateez... your match is Seonghwa!

Momhwa here has a motherly side and a strict honest side. I think the dynamics between you two are similar yet balanced in a way where you both share different perspectives that can benefit each other~ Seonghwa’s sun is in aries, and these individuals are determined, honest, and morally inclined. You can definitely see his passion when he dances or his facial expression during performances, and despite his soft disposition at times, he can be quite the savage person if needed. His moon is in cancer and I will elaborate further in the next paragraph, but since his moon sign is in this placement, that is why he is sensitive yet very compassionate or able to understand others (in a motherly way as seen to Ateez). These two placements create a a nice parallel to each other. Similarly, you seem to have two parallels within you, you can be quite the dilligent, responsible person when you need to, the student that does well when they do their work, but with your gemini moon you could be prone to many new thoughts occurring that may cause you to be flighty in your duties at times: hence the student that may be smart but not exactly labeled as the teacher’s pet. You don’t wanna bore yourself of only study and academics, you still retain fun within while enjoying your intellect. Seonghwa thought you were interesting, how you could show such a sunny disposition (child-like expressions) of the world yet retain a serious practical side when you decided to do so, a side that heavily appealed to the natural caretaker and responsible one of Ateez, Seonghwa.

Now to the elaboration of his cancer moon. Cancer moons are quite the baby of the water sign family in the moon aspect, as the moon is the ruler of cancer the zodiac sign, thus this aspect naturally is more powerful or at home within this position. Seonghwa is empathetic, has a lot of emotions (inherently sensitive), and has a lot to give to others emotionally (as a supportive pillar). These traits make Seonghwa more of a little compassionate fluffball despite his other contrasting personality traits (cough cough Seonghwa is duality, Duality is Seonghwa). Your gemini moon on the other hand is less emotionally inclined, I would say you may not display your emotions or discuss deep topics on how you feel, but it doesn’t mean you are insensitive. You deal with your emotions and feel them in a different way, you may feel easily overwhelmed or change how you feel right after experiencing a new resolve. Seonghwa loves your new fresh perspective, how you come up with new ideas or brightly display your thoughts of knowledge of your favorite interests. Seeing that beaming smile just makes Seonghwa go heart eyes ya know~ I think with Seonghwa, you feel like you can be more comfortable in confiding your emotions as Seonghwa would not judge you and he would listen to your little worries or temporary thoughts of complaints on a bad day. It is something balancing that you both would feel soothed and healing within.

Seonghwa’s mercury is in aries! These natives are honest and not keen on hiding the truth, they desire the truth back to them as well. As you can see, Seonghwa is pretty strict such as cleaning or nagging the members to clean, puck up stuff, and to take care of stuff. Aries mercury inherently are just very true to themselves and if there’s something they want to say, they will say it but it’s not purposely directed to tear down or hurt others. With your capricorn mercury, you are similar in the fact you wanna keep it real as well, hence you both have similar values in communication-wise. Seonghwa will find himself agreeing and working well with your unfiltered communication, as you both aren’t afraid to say or give your opinion towards others and each other.

Next, Seonghwa’s venus is in aquarius. With your capricorn venus, these two will seem like an odd match of love styles but complements each other well. Capricorn venus like to show they are capable and not too dependent, similarly venus aquarius like to show how different they are from others, a rebel at heart, charming others with their cool detachment. However, you both value your privacy or are not usually very expressive in physical affection, however you both have a mutual understanding of reasoning and thinking. Seonghwa may appreciate your independency and admire ur outward approaches, likewise you may appreciate Seonghwa’s logicality or problem solving attitude in a situation. These placements give me two badass anime characters who fell in love with each other, and are each others partner in crime and lover.

Lastly, his mars is in aries! Direct, pursuing, and passionate about the things he love, goals and aspirations, it is also evident in his love style. He is direct in how he wants to approach you, and rlly has heart eyes a lot and with prominent aries energy he may initiate more physical contact but ofc nothing that crosses the boundary if you dislike it. Your mars pisces is someone who wants someone to guide them or despite your earth signs not very vocal about intimacy, you crave for some emotional bond and affection still. Which Seonghwa can give :3

Overall, you two are the ones that are independent and internally strong but are really just little soft marshmallows that wanna cuddle with each other, but you two maintain a cool face while you do so. You two have an underlying softness in your compassion and love for other and each other, yet you don’t lose your reasoning/logical sense of self from it. You two are balanced very well and I k I said that too much lol 😂 You two radiate -> 🍓🌹💌📝💕🌿☘️🌓🍟

#ask #ateez #seonghwa #astrology ships #kpop ships

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ddaengjo · 5 years

Text

PIRATE!ATEEZ HEADCANONS: PARK SEONGHWA

born a duke’s son

now the first mate of the ateez

super fucking handsome

jawline sculpted by the gods

hands down the most fashionable member of the crew

his trademark is his feathered hat and satin cape

very popular with the ladies, especially in tortuga, but he never reciprocates their affections

some people think it’s because he’s incapable of romantic love

in reality he’s still in love with a childhood friend he left behind when he joined hongjoong’s crew

he hopes to see her again someday

he joined the crew because he was just so tired of the stuffy nobles he had to deal with every day

he and his best friend had a habit of sneaking down to the marketplace every evening to chat with the friendly vendors and taste samples

he ran into hongjoong’s crew when he was sneaking down there one day on his own, since his friend’s father had suddenly requested her presence for something

he helped them find the things they needed to buy, and somewhere along the line, he realized that they must be pirates

so what did this fucking genius do

that’s right folks

he fucking bribed a crew of pirates to kidnap him

at least it would get him away from the royal stuffiness

he’d finally get to live The Adventure Life™

hongjoong thought he must either be super brave or completely mad

either way he found that admirable

seonghwa was welcomed on board as first mate since he was a surprisingly good cook and the resident neat freak

he’s really got a knack for household-y stuff

basically the entire crew’s mom, nagging and all

always looks like he’s either one step away from a mental breakdown or in the middle of one

ESPECIALLY when the rest of the crew’s drunk

he doesn’t really drink much, like hongjoong

it’s actually because his tolerance is super low

not to mention he’s a really embarrassing drunk (clingy, emotional, and super giggly)

he’s probably the most traumatized by mingi’s attempt at cooking because this man loves his kitchen utensils

if he had to choose between his cooking ware and his palace… the spoons and pots win

he makes the CUTEST lunches… this one time he made a teddy-shaped birthday cake for hongjoong and the entire crew panicked when their usually stoic captain sobbed his heart out (they were relieved when he said he was just touched)

he doesn’t get angry easily

that being said don’t piss him off unless you have a death wish

the kitchen is where all the knives are you fool

he could easily take your eye out with a mere spoon

so unless you’d like to be one-eye twins with captain hongjoong, don’t fuck with him

everyone on the ship refers to him as “mom” a lot of the time

he often helps san out in the medbay

according to yunho it’s because “his hands are as gentle as a lamb’s”

yunho lambs don’t fucking have hands they have hooves

he’s the one who has to deal with everyone when they’re hungover

momhwa to the rescue

his voice is really soothing, so he often sings while he’s cooking, cleaning, or helping in the medbay

but it gets like 10 octaves deeper and sexier when he’s working the ol’ Hwaseong Charms™

and he uses the “commoners’ accent” from his hometown (he learned it after watching the vendors at the market for so long)

he’s always forced to play mediator when san and wooyoung are screaming at each other about which fruits are sexiest, watermelons or pineapples

it’s a pointless argument but will they listen to reason? no

how he deals with everyone’s shit and stays sane is beyond reason

please save this boy

29 notes · View notes

zhxngcl · 5 years

Note

For the mission 2,9,11, and 15- Sweetheart Anon ❤️

this took me some time to think about, but here it is!

2. If you were to take your bias(es) somewhere in your hometown/ the place you live where would you go?

i wouldn’t really want to take them to touristy places, and I’m not sure if this is a really touristy place, but i think i would take them to ponce city market!! it’s not to far from where i live and you can take marta (it’s what we call the metro here sikdhnf) and it’s got a nice food hall and some cute scenery along the atl beltline! (also walking with my bias along the beltline? holding his hand and taking candid pics as we walk? having him take pics of me in front of the cute painted walls and inside the lil plant section in one of the shops in the market? looking around in the stores and just messing around bc we’re too broke to buy anything because its all overpriced? going to the ramen bar and eating there then having gelato in the market? im soft)

9. Which member would you trust to dye your hair?

well you see, i think i might have fun with it if wooyoung and/or san dyed my hair, but the question says who would i trust, and there’s no way im trusting either of them not to mess around and fuck something up so i would say seonghwa with hongjoong close behind in second place

11. What fruit do you associate the members with?

seonghwa: idk i think maybe grapefruit? they can be many different colors and sometimes sour and sometimes sweet and i just think seonghwa switches between momhwa mode and “oh hwa’s the mature one? think again there is no mature one in ateez” mode a lot isdkhsjdkf

hongjoong: cherries? it might be the hair from this cb, or not i dont really know i just think cherries

yunho: uhhhhh melon, i think,,,,to me he comes off as sweet nd subtle which is kind of like honeydew melon but also theres more than one type of melon, like cantaloupe, and sometimes yunho’s just different like with the rest of the ’99 line,,,,honestly idk if that makes sense im just going with my gut here I’ve never really thought about this question before

yeosang: maybe pineapple? i think it might be bc pineapples have an outer shell layer and its like,,,,shielding the fruit part? and i think yeosang at first appears strong and a little intimidating/abrasive (not in a bad way, just a little hard to approach) because he’s quieter than the rest of ateez but once you get to see the real him he’s sweet and cute and he’s also funny and loving!

san: bananas (eye-)

mingi: mangos (the name,,,,its because of the name)

wooyoung: hmmm i think oranges? when i think of citrus i think bright and vibrant and,,,,i think that fits woo’s personality well!!

jongho: apples (for obvious reasons)

15. Which member would you choose to accompany you on a long car ride?

honestly, i think probably either mingi or san! i think both would have good music taste and/or be jamming out to my music, and they’d also be interesting conversationalists and there would never be a dull moment on the ride! also they’d probably bring good snacks tbh

#replies #sweetheart anon

0 notes

winterchimez · 2 months

Text

A Fairytale Encounter | Jacob Bae

SUMMARY: becoming an herbalist in Clarines wasn't all fun and games when you always knew at the back of your mind that you had a huge debt to pay to the prince of Tanbarun. But who would have thought that a fateful encounter with the prince of Clarines would turn the tables around, potentially rewriting the future that you had been prepared to accept for the past decade?

PAIRING: prince!Jacob x f!reader (feat. bodyguard!Kevin)

GENRE: akagami no shirayukihime au, royal au, fluff, angst, suspense, slight thriller

WARNINGS: pg-13, Jacob is adorable and the sweetest prince ever yes that is a warning, minor injuries, mentions about yn becoming a concubine, kissing, slight fighting scenes, petnames (sweetheart, pumpkin, girlie), Jacob is scary when he's serious / on the battlefield (and also hawt whew 😮‍💨), Minhyuk is such a jerk here (sorry ophelia) 😃

WORD COUNT: 6,569

A/N: this was written for k-vanity's not your shoujo love story event! and ofc, also written specially & dedicated to @snowflakewhispers 🩵 happiest birthday boo 🥳 you're like a long-lost sister to me, the sunwoo to my eric, and despite all of the bickering and you making me lose my shit on a daily basis, I still love you loads regardless. accept this little birthday gift from moi & i hope you like it 😚🩷 thankiew my pookies @itsbeeble @momhwa-agenda for reading this through for me too ❤️

“Miss Y/N! We have another order for you!”

Your assistant, Kiara, came running into the pharmacy with a note in hand, hastily making her way towards you with an enthusiastic smile plastered all across her face.

“What’s with the rush, Kiara?” You chuckled, grinding the herbs in your mortar with your pestle while looking up to examine her appearance, clearly indicating that she had been somewhere—the dusty and slightly muddied skirt, the soot on her face, as well as her ponytail being all loose and messed up.

The smile on your face instantly disappears. “Please tell me you didn’t get into trouble, young lady.”

Immediately, your assistant pouted before crossing her arms and staring back at you. “Now that’s just rude, Miss Y/N! I was helping you to spread the news about our little humble business.”

“And that includes getting all dirtied and looking like a homeless person?”

Kiara huffed. “You’ll be sorry if you keep it up like this because you’ll lose a valued customer.”

Teasing your little assistant has always been something you’ve come to enjoy; she always gave the best reactions after all. It was a miracle to have been able to find a humble yet enthusiastic young lady like her. It hasn’t been easy for you ever since both your grandparents passed and you had to take over their well-known pub business in town. You have tried your best to keep up with the tradition and run the business for several years until it significantly died down.

Eventually, you discover a stash of books in the attic where your mother used to keep them away when she was still alive. She was a librarian and kept many books away in the untouched room.

As you were helping your grandparents clean up the attic when you were younger, you stumbled upon various books about using traditional methods and herbs to help the sick. Mainly, you picked it up because you wanted to try your best to support your mother in overcoming her illness.

It went well for some time, and you tried your very best to learn about all of the different herbal methods to treat her incurable sickness—it was usually a game like tug of war where she would sometimes feel better on certain days and then back to being under the weather on the rest.

Despite your efforts and using the hard-earned money you have gotten from working at the pub, your mother eventually passed on, leaving you in your grandparents' care ever since you were thirteen. Years passed, and you tried your very best to help them out as much as possible while continuing your interest in herbology.

Eventually, they passed on when you were seventeen, and you decided to change up the humble pub into a local pharmacy instead, giving care and help to the poor by treating their wounds and sickness with traditional herbs.

Business was slow to begin with, and it wasn’t till a few years back that your pharmacy gained a steady momentum, all thanks to your biggest enemy yet wealthiest customer to date—the prince of Tanbarun, Lee Minhyuk.

Just when you thought that you wouldn’t have to see him again after all of the efforts your family has made for you to escape Tanbarun itself, the prince casually walked into your store one fine day, shocked that you were still alive and well. His demeanour immediately changed, and he wouldn’t stop meddling with you, as he kept reminding you about the promise made years ago.

Be my concubine.

You have never liked him in the slightest—you never really knew how he became prince when his older brother, Eunkwang, could have been the much respected and better prince than Minhyuk ever was. It was all because of how he decided to choose his lover over the throne that he decided to leave the kingdom of Tanbarun, leaving their father with no choice but to pass on the heir to the younger male.

Minhyuk was definitely the so-called dream-like prince in the public’s eye as he was everything the people wanted—charming, handsome, and hell, even a womaniser. Undoubtedly, he immediately gained the public’s attention and convinced them that the kingdom was in good hands.

If only the people knew how wrecked this guy actually was.

Ever since that day, he has always made a note about your little humble store and made sure that the people knew precisely how such a place existed and made sure to complete your little store a huge matter in both kingdoms—your former home, Tanbarun; your current home, Clarines.

Part of you was somehow grateful that Minhyuk found your little humble store; you wouldn’t have been where you are today without that. But another part was how you despised that you needed your biggest enemy’s help for your current success. It still makes you feel sick to the stomach to even associate with a guy like him.

Thankfully, he never returned or made any contact with you since that last visit, even though he made a deal to visit your store, or rather, you, once every couple of months. You figured that he was probably busy dealing with his royal duties, and you were grateful for that as you were holding back from taking a syringe to pierce through his forearm the next time he ever made a move on you again.

Or so you thought.

“The letter reads that we are to prepare a large batch of medicinal herbs that are suitable for warriors as they travel across the border to war, and the prince of Tanbarun himself would be coming in precisely three days to review the materials himself,” Kiara read out the little piece of note that was within her grasp.

“You have got to be kidding me.”

It was one day before the agreed meeting with your so-called “client”, and you were just stumbling around the woods trying to add potentially new medicinal herbs to your inventory. Everything was going surprisingly well—good weather, no distractions as if the woods were completely empty, and the sounds of the birds chirping were what calmed you down, too.

It wasn’t unusual for you to leave the store to Kiara for a couple of hours; you have done it a couple of times in the past, but now that Minhyuk would reunite with you again, you couldn’t help but feel all anxious. You swore that if he ever brought Kiara into the mess you both have had in the past, you would definitely skin this man alive.

Hence, you tried your very best to avoid dragging too long and head back to the store as soon as you finished your business.

Just when you picked up the last medical herb at the very end of the woods, close to the streaming lake, you felt a gush of wind coming in your direction. As soon as you lifted your head to see what it was, a massive white animal passed right through you, and it finally came to a halt.

It wasn’t unusual to see horse riders pass through the woods; it was pretty much normal. But something felt off with this individual than the usual ones you come across daily. The individual hopped off their horse and slowly turned back to look at you. It took you quite a bit of time to get yourself back to reality despite you clearly noticing how the individual’s mouth had been moving, indicating that he was trying his best to speak to you.

The male was taller than the ones you were used to, given that you have encountered most males in Tanbarun and the outskirts of Clarines. Naturally, you have assumed that he was part of the wealthy families from the city, judging from his outfits and how he presented himself. You have pretty much met most of the individuals from the little town you resided in, but never from wealthy individuals from the city itself. Hence, your jaw dropped with the way this male somehow showed you more than enough for you to determine what the people who resided in the city looked like.

And with just how attractive he was.

“Umm, hello? Earth to whoever I’m speaking with?”

You finally came to your senses when the male was just mere inches away from you, waving his hands over your face and causing you to take a few steps back. “Oh my god, I-I’m so sorry! I-It’s just that I’ve never seen someone like you…”

The male cocked his head to one side and stared at you strangely before bursting out loud into laughter. “Well, I’m one of a kind around here, so—”

Right before he could finish his sentence, another horse rider came galloping towards your direction before coming to a halt abruptly. Another tall, well-built male leaps off his horse and walks straight up to the male before giving him a smack on his shoulders.

“Ow! What was that for, Kevin!” The male pouted.

“Who the hell told you that you were to head off all on your own, Jacob? You clearly know that you always have plenty of enemies up against you—”

“Calm down, kiddo. We’re just out in the woods for a little ride; there’s no need to panic or be uptight.”

You were just standing there holding your little bag filled with herbal leaves and taking a few steps back before you eventually stepped on one of the branches, which elicited a snap, making both males redirect their attention to you.

“I umm…I think it’s time for me to leave. Sorry for interrupting!” You bowed frantically before turning and walking away towards the other direction, only for your hood to be pulled back by the male.

“Nuh-uh, wait a second, girlie. We weren’t done talking yet.”

“Let me go! I’ve done nothing—”

Before you could finish your sentence, it seemed as if the male had tugged on your hood a little too rough, causing him to pull it away, eventually revealing the part of you that you were most well-known for in town.

Your long crimson-red hair.

Both males were stunned as they stared at you for a good minute, none moving an inch. You didn’t really know what to say then, so you decided that it was best to keep quiet for the time being.

“You have really strange hair,” the male you assumed was Jacob, replied.

Nervously, you start twirling your hair with your fingers, trying to hide the awkward tension in the air. “Y-Yeah! People often tell me that, actually,” you chuckled.

Just then, you noticed how there was a slit right across Jacob’s arms, and blood was slowly starting to seep through the fabric of his clothes. Naturally, your doctor instincts immediately came, and you quickly dug through your bag to find the perfect remedy to treat the wound.

“You’re bleeding! You can’t leave the wound like that for too long; you’ll get an infection—”

“Stop right there, young lady. What makes you think I’d trust you to put whatever is on my wound?”

You were stunned. “What?”

“You never know; it could be poisonous, and perhaps you’re trying to kill me.”

“W-What? Of course not! I’m an herbalist; I treat patients all the time,” you tried your best to reassure the male, but it seemed as if neither of them was convinced by what you had just told them. You immediately dug through your bag again, looking for something to change their minds.

A scalpel.

Immediately, you made a little slit right on your forearm, earning a slight hiss from you and a shocked look from both males. As the blood began oozing out, you quickly took a clean cloth to wipe the blood away before applying the very same ointment you had just shown the two males earlier before finishing it off with a bandage. With that, you lifted your forearm and showed it to their faces.

“See? I’m not a liar now, am I?”

You were met by silence, and it returned until Jacob started giggling and taking a few steps towards you again. He stops right in front of you and shoves his injured forearm straight into your face.

“Well then, let me reintroduce myself properly. The name is Jacob, and it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“I’m sorry about how I presented myself back there, Y/N. That must’ve been an awful first impression,” Jacob rubbed the back of his neck with his other arm while his injured one was in the care of your hands, applying the very same ointment you used earlier and wrapping it up neatly.

“It’s fine; it was my fault too for not speaking up more,” you smiled back, trying your best to tell him that it was something that you didn’t really mind at all.

It just so happened that Jacob had a little hut out here in the woods where he often came as a child. Thankfully, the place was still intact, and all of you could take a little break while you tended to his wounds. As you slowly started to patch the bandage up, you couldn’t help but feel as if a pair of burning eyes were staring at you, making you feel a little uncomfortable. Sure enough, as you lifted your head, you noticed that Jacob was much closer than before, leaning in while resting his chin on the palm of his hand.

“W-What?” You squeaked.

“I have never met a girl like you, Y/N. You just seem very different from all the girls in the kingdom.”

“Kingdom?”

Before Jacob could answer, he was earned with a hard slap on his shoulder, and it was none other than Kevin, who was staring down at his friend rather intensely.

“Hey! Can’t you see that I’m a wounded patient trying his best to get treated?” He argued back.

“With all due respect, Jacob. That’s something that you shouldn’t be disclosing easily.”

God, another awkward moment.

Just like before, Jacob reassured the male and gently put his friend’s hand down from his shoulder, giving them a little rub to reassure him that everything was alright. “It’s fine, Kevin. It would be rude to leave a lady in the dark like that. Besides, she helped me, and I think she deserves to know.”

Kevin wasn’t convinced in the slightest, that’s for sure. However, it seemed he would always listen to Jacob’s orders, despite how often you have seen him hit the guy. As Kevin started to back away, Jacob redirected his attention towards you before lowering his voice slightly.

“Say, Y/N. Do you know who I am?”

“Umm…should I?”

With that response, Kevin couldn’t help but snort at that comment you made, causing Jacob to give him a little elbow punch right into his abdomen, indirectly telling him that it wasn’t a laughing matter.

“You do seem and act like an outcast; you’re probably not a local. Are you?”

“Well.” You cleared your throat as you finished patching his injury up, gently nodding your head to tell him that it was fine to retract his arm away from you before you decided to rest both of your palms on your lap, playing with the hems of your skirt to somehow ease your uneasiness away. “I have a good guess that you must belong to the upper class around here, perhaps an aristocrat or a higher-ranking official.”

Jacob smiled at your answer, but he gently shook his head before posing another question right back at you. “Have you ever heard of the prince of Clarines?”

It took a few moments for you to absorb what he just said completely, and you blankly stared back at him for a good ten seconds before you eventually started to connect the dots in your mind.

“No way.”

“Oh, yes way, sweetheart. I’m him, and he is I.”

Unbeknownst to you, you naturally started backing off a bit, slowly moving your hip back until your back hit the end of the couch. Your eyes widened, and your hands were visibly shaking now, and it was obvious to the two that your uneasiness just shot from a fifty to a hundred.

“I-I umm…I’m not in trouble, am I?”

“What makes you say that, Miss Y/N?”

“I-I mean…I just talked to you casually as if you’re an explorer—”

He chuckled before resting one of his hands on your head. “Y/N. Not all royals talk in royal language. We’re all human beings, too, and we basically live our lives just like any other individual in the kingdom.”

You had no idea what in God��s mind made you wonder that royals are a completely different breed than the rest of the people in the kingdom, including your former home, Tanbarun. You have always assumed that these higher-ranking privileged individuals have a completely different taste of life and that they will never understand nor experience the normal daily lives that the public is used to. They are brought up with tight security, good education, as well as different mannerisms compared to the others. They must be on a whole different level than you were.

Another reason why you have panicked and blanked out was that never in a million years would you have expected to come across an actual individual from the royal family, let alone the prince of Clarines. You have heard tales about the male, his achievements and how he was well-loved by the people; way better than the prince of Tanbarun, that is. But you have never seen nor heard about what he looked like, nor have you read any details or information about the royal family of Clarines.

He was actually such a fine, good-looking male.

Before you could continue with your little deduction session about the prince who was sitting right in front of you, the male himself redirected your attention back to reality, asking you a question while he gently rested his fingers on your chin as he lifted your head to look straight into his eyes.

“What were you actually doing out here, Y/N?”

“Like I’ve told you before, I’m here to collect some herbs for the store—”

“You can try to lie all you want, but I’m pretty good at reading body language, miss Y/N. Something tells me that the herbs you are collecting are something much more than just treating your patients back in town.”

“W-What? What makes you say that?”

“Sweetheart, I am often deployed out to the battlefield. Those large amounts of centella asiatica leaves you’ve got there,” he then points directly at your opened pouch that was left on the floor before continuing with his sentence. “-tells me that you’re preparing a large batch of potentially wound healing ointments, particularly for soldiers.”

So he was as intelligent as you have heard from the rumours.

“W-Well yeah…it’s kind of complicated.”

Just when you thought this conversation was going nowhere, Jacob slowly leaned back to the couch before crossing his arms together as he plastered a smile. “You do know that you could always ask for help, right?”

“What do you mean?” you chuckled.

“Something tells me that whatever has been bothering you is no small matter, and my instincts tell me that this isn’t going to end up well,” he replied bluntly; the jovial and happy-go-lucky Jacob was far gone, now replaced with a stern look, perhaps this was truly what the prince of Clarines was really like on the battlefield.

“With all due respect, sir, well… Prince Jacob. There’s no way that I am going to let a royal like you get caught up with my issues.”

“Unfortunately, I insist. I am and will help you resolve whatever is on your mind, whether you like it or not.”

You have never thought a kind-hearted and soft-spoken person could be this persistent, and how he changed his whole demeanour within seconds somehow terrified you, but you also found it attractive at the same time. If he was not giving up on his proposal, then there was no turning back now, and your only option was to comply if you wanted to walk out of this hut freely and alive.

“It’s about Minhyuk— I mean, the prince of Tanbarun.”

With one sentence about the prince from the neighbouring kingdom, Jacob immediately scowled and hugged his arms tightly around himself. By the looks of his demeanour, it seemed as if the local prince wasn’t the best of friends with the neighbouring prince.

“Jacob, you’re frowning,” Kevin replied.

“He pisses me off,” the latter responded.

“You have wrinkles on your forehead.”

“I was about to feed him to the palace dogs the last time I saw him.”

Kevin sighed. He knew exactly the conflict that both princes had with one another, and Jacob always turned into a five-year-old grumpy kid who just had his favourite toy taken away from him whenever that name was mentioned straight to his face. While his friend tried his best to suppress his emotions, Kevin turned towards you and decided to press on for more details.

“What about him? And how does a commoner like you have any sort of relationship with the male himself?”

Taking a deep breath, you tried your best to explain the situation you always dreaded to recall whenever needed. “You see, I was originally from Tanbarun. It was all thanks to my mother’s effort that she got me out of the hellhole that Minhyuk placed me in. Because of my father’s debt in the past, I was offered to become his concubine when I was finally of age.”

Neither of the two males spoke a word after that—it was either they were trying to sympathise with your situation, or they were trying to figure out what exactly your father had done to offer his very own daughter as a repayment.

“You must’ve been a pretty privileged individual to be able to be caught up with Prince Minhyuk’s affairs,” Kevin replied; you could tell that he was trying his best to ease the situation, and he intended to comment on it fairly jokingly.

“I get that a lot. The fact that he had personally requested that I make a big batch of healing ointments for his soldiers was suspicious enough; I’m pretty sure he has his team of herbalists in the palace. However, he announced that he would personally come to collect the medicines rather than the soldiers…that is something I’m dreading to face tomorrow.”

Jacob immediately stood up from the couch in a furious and annoyed manner, and he began pacing around the room before finally opening his mouth to say something. “Based on my deduction, I’m a hundred percent sure that he would probably make an extravagant event of some sort when he comes to collect your medicines tomorrow in honour of forcing you to come with him finally, that is.”

“Yes, I am fully aware of that, Prince Jacob.”

“So I’ll tell you what, Kevin and I are going to help you out, and again, no more buts. We’re going to stake out the hut tonight,” Jacob began rubbing his chin with his fingers, a smile suddenly forming.

“Jacob, please tell me that you’re in your right mind with whatever you plan to do to that prince,” Kevin pleaded.

“Oh, trust me. It’ll be loads of fun.”

There were about ten minutes left before Minhyuk was going to arrive at the designated spot in the woods. You and Jacob arrived thirty minutes prior, scouring through the woods to see if anything was out of the ordinary, just in case.

As you held the bag filled with ointments you had just made the night before (with the help of both Jacob and Kevin), you couldn’t help but begin trembling as you held onto the handle. It has been a while since you last saw Minhyuk, and you certainly didn’t want to face him ever again, given that each encounter you have had with him has always ended up horribly.

And this time, he would come to force you to become his very own concubine.

You shut your eyes tightly, trying your best to calm yourself down and think of any potential excuses or escape, hoping this will be the last time you will have to face Minhyuk. But at the same time, a deal was a deal, and it was because of your father’s debt that you were in this situation; you needed to repay whatever it was somehow.

Just when you were slowly getting lost in your thoughts, you felt a warm pair of hands rest on yours, and you opened your eyes to turn right towards the male onto your left. It belonged to Jacob’s.

“Hey, we’ve got this, Y/N. You are not alone in this messed up agreement anymore; I promise you that I’ll get rid of Minhyuk easily for you.”

You chuckled slightly when you noticed how his ears were slowly turning red. “Something tells me this isn’t completely about me.”

“N-No! It’s for you and just you,” he huffed before turning his head straight into the direction you both expected him to come from. You smiled at that, seeing how the prince of Clarines was this little humble and, might you add, adorable brunette individual. It must’ve been fate to have met him in the woods.

Just then, you both heard a rustling sound coming from the distance, slowly growing louder each second. Immediately, Jacob retracted his hands from yours and positioned them on his sword, which rested perfectly on the buckle of his hips. His grip on the hilt tightened, and he positioned himself in a manner that showed he was prepared for battle.

After what seemed like minutes turned into seconds, the familiar figure emerged out of the woods, plastering that sickening smile that you have grown used to but also loathe loads.

Minhyuk.

“Why my dear, Y/N, it has been a while; you surely have gotten a lot more beautiful than the last time I’ve seen you,” he smirks as he walks towards you with a smug manner.

Just when he was merely a few feet away, his steps came to an immediate halt when he saw that you weren’t alone as you were told to do so in the letter. “I see that you have come with a guest. Didn’t you know how to read properly, pumpkin?”

Before you could respond to the male with your fist all balled up, Jacob cut himself in and responded with his head up. “It’s none of your business who she decides to bring along. Besides, the woods can be dangerous for a young female like her.”

“Huh. I guess some guys like you just can’t hold himself back,” he spat.

You were used to Minhyuk making these sarcastic remarks towards you, but you surely will not have it when he dumps them upon other people. Your blood immediately boils, and you are going to stomp towards him before Jacob puts his arm around your shoulders, stopping you in your tracks.

That’s right. Know your place and the right timing, Y/N.

It always brings a smile or laughter to Minhyuk whenever he sees you getting all riled up like that, and he begins swaying his body before walking in circles in front of you. “Well, I can see that you have made your promise and gotten my order ready. You truly are meant to be with me,” he said while pointing at the bag of ointments you were holding.

“In return, I have a little gift for you,” he added before pulling out something that he had clearly been hiding since the very beginning.

A basket filled with red apples.

However, you weren’t convinced in the slightest and did not appreciate the gesture in the slightest. “What do you want, Minhyuk?”

“Come on, Y/N. It’s just a basket filled with fruits, that’s all. I’m pretty sure you were a fan of apples, and I hand-picked them myself from the botanical gardens at the palace. I can guarantee you that they are the finest, sweetest and most freshly sourced goods all the way from Tambaram. Surely, you wouldn’t want to miss such an opportunity, right?”

Sure, it was just apples. It could be that the prince himself finally came to his senses and decided to have some morals and repay for what he has done in the past. However, with all of the uneventful experiences you have had with him, you weren’t too sure if you should even accept the gifts at all, even if it came genuinely from the prince himself.

“You can keep them. I’m just here to make the delivery, and then I’ll be on my way.”

“Oh no, Y/N. I came all the way to see you, and you want to leave just like that already? That’s not a very nice way to treat a guest from afar.”

“You have plenty of concubines waiting in the palace for you; there’s no need for you to meddle with someone as lowly as I am—”

It seemed as if you had gotten on his nerves as the look on his face changed immediately. His face darkened, and he reached into the basket to pick out one of the freshest apples among the bunch.

“Look at how beautifully shiny red this one is, Y/N. Surely you would want to take a bite?”

“N-No thanks, I’m good.”

“Not the right answer, Y/N,” Minhyuk holds the apple in one hand while slowly taking a few steps towards you, causing you to back off.

“Don’t do this, Minhyuk.”

“Just a little bite won’t hurt, isn’t it?”

“If she doesn’t want to, I’ll take it.”

In an instance, both you and Minhyuk stopped in your tracks, and your eyes widened as you saw Jacob casually walking straight towards him to snatch the apple out of his hands and examine it to the best of his ability. “It is definitely much shinier than any apple I’ve seen before, and it looks scrumptious if you ask me.”

Just then, Minhyuk began sweating profusely out of the blue, and his speech began to slur as he saw that Jacob was slowly bringing the apple close towards his mouth. “N-No, I don’t think you would want to eat that. Only Y/N would think it’s sweet since this apple would suit her taste buds more,” he chuckled.

You could tell that Minhyuk was trying his very best to convince Jacob not to take a bite of the apple—more specifically, he insisted that it had to be you who would eat it, nobody else. It was the first time you had seen Minhyuk like this, panicking and in a frantic manner. It was new, and it was obvious that something wasn’t right here.

Before you could intervene, Jacob eventually took a huge bite of the fruit, chewing it steadily as he began smiling. “Woah, you’re right! This apple surely is something else. It must be an authentic local produce; your farmers deserve a rise.”

“O-Oh! Does it taste normal for you?” Minhyuk asked nervously as he rubbed his hands together.

“Absolutely! This is insane; you won’t get this anywhere in Clarines—”

Before Jacob could finish his sentence, he immediately collapsed to the ground, clutching his stomach for dear life as he began sweating profusely. Your eyes widened, and quickly ran towards Jacob, holding him up to check on him as best you could.

“Jacob! Jacob! What’s wrong? Tell me what’s wrong!”

Right there and then, you heard Minhyuk start to pace around and ruffle his hair messily before he began screaming at the top of his lungs at you. “It all would have gone so smoothly if you had just accepted the goddamn apple, Y/N! Why do you always make things a lot harder than they actually are?”

With that, the little knots began forming in your brain, and you finally realised what he was trying to do. “You’re a scumbag.”

“Not my fault that you have turned down my offers so many times, Y/N! Even after I’ve asked you nicely over and over again.”

“I’m not becoming your concubine, ever.”

“Unlucky for you, a debt is a debt, and it still has to be paid. So you’re coming with me, whether you like it or not.”

Immediately, Minhyuk marched towards you and yanked you right out from Jacob, putting way more pressure on your arm that you were certain it would definitely leave a mark once he removed his grip from yours. You tried your best to squirm your way out from him, but he was far stronger than you were, and you were now slowly being dragged further away from Jacob.

“No! Leave me alone! Let go of me— Jacob!!!” You screamed.

Before Minhyuk could drag you back to his carriage, he was stopped immediately when he felt a sharp metal tip on the back of his neck. Slowly, he turned and was met with the one who had always been here witnessing the whole ordeal in hiding.

Kevin.

“W-What now? You brought more friends to the meetup, Y/N?”

“Correction. I was the one who insisted on joining her.”

That voice!

All of you redirected your attention back towards Jacob, who was now slowly getting himself up with the support of his sword pierced through the ground.

“B-But how!? That poison in the apple would take at least a few days to recover without an actual antidote!”

“Unlucky for you, prince of Tanbarun, I’m pretty much immune to most weak poisons like that, especially when I have experienced far worse than this.”

That was when Minhyuk finally saw the family crest that was embedded on the sword that Jacob was holding onto, and his speech began to slur, and his eyes widened upon the contact.

“It can’t be…it just can’t…y-you…” he then points his finger directly at Jacob.

“I’m sure you are well aware of who I am now. Since you have been such a dear and actually confessed to the whole crime just now, it has definitely saved up a whole lot of trouble trying to force the answer out from you back in the trial courts in the palace,” Jacob replied sternly as he swiftly removed his sword and was now pointing it straight towards Minhyuk.

“P-Please let me live…I am the prince of Tanbarun!!”

“Hmm, I don’t think you would still be able to hold on to that title after exposing your crimes to the public. You have done more than enough for the past couple of years, Prince Minhyuk. I have had fun keeping up with your mess and affairs. Especially now that I have witnessed a case like today in person myself, I have more than enough to bring you back to my palace for some questioning, don’t you think?”

Minhyuk then dropped to the ground, and actual tears began streaming down his face, giving Jacob more than enough time to slowly make his way to rest the tip of his sword right below his chin. “Scumbags like you don’t deserve to be king.”

As Jacob looked up to Kevin, the both of them gave each other a nod before Kevin signalled a few soldiers who were around in hiding to personally escort Minhyuk back to their carriage, where they would transport the criminal himself back to the palace.

You stood there motionlessly, refusing to believe that your nightmare for the past decade was gone just like that. All it took was bumping into the prince of Clarines and his companion actually to lend a helping hand, and that was it. As a burden was finally lifted off your shoulders, you decided to lean back against one of the trees before slowly moving down to sit straight on the ground, taking in a deep breath while you closed your eyes to forget about the entire ordeal that had happened before.

Before you could even have a little moment of peace, you immediately let out a hiss when you felt something cooling come into contact with your wound, and you were surprised to see that it was Jacob again, trying his best to patch up your wound.

“I’m sorry that I let him lay a finger on you; it definitely took it a little longer for me to reciprocate from the poison,” he said gently as he applied the ointment onto your fresh bruise slowly.

“W-Where did you get—”

“Oh, well. I may or may not have stolen some of the centella asiatica leaves you have gotten and made a little ointment myself last night,” he smiles as he now takes one of the bandages from your bag to wrap them around the wound. “...and there! That should do the trick, and you will heal in no time.”

“Jacob…you…”

He chuckled. “Look, I read a lot and I myself am interested in botanicals too. I know my way around the battlefield,” he winks before lifting your arms up close to his mouth.

Before you could ask what he was trying to do, he gently leaned down to place a kiss on the wound, resting his lips right there for a good ten seconds before he decided to pull away.

Instantly, you felt the heat rising up to your face, and you tried your best to keep your cool as you asked what it was all about before you eventually failed miserably.

“It’s just a little something my mother taught me. If you give a lot of love and care to a wound, it will heal faster than usual.”

With that, he slowly moved his hand down so that he was now holding both of your hands in his, swinging them gently while ensuring he wouldn’t cause you any discomfort with your wound.

“Say, Y/N. Would you be interested in coming to work as the royal botanist in the palace?”

You were stunned. “M-Me? In your palace? There’s absolutely no way.”

“Hey, never say never, isn’t it? You could always try to take the royal test, and if you do pass, you’ll be here in no time. Besides, I’m sure the palace would definitely need an extra pair of hands in the gardens.”

“I…I don’t know, Jacob…that’s a lot to take in for me…”

“I understand. But you'll know what to do if you ever change your mind.”

In a split second, the young prince pulls you in closer so he can plant a little kiss on the side of your cheeks. Right as he let go of both of your hands, he immediately did a little courtesy bow towards you as he got himself ready to head back towards the carriage, especially when Kevin was about to throw a pebble to his friend’s head to signal him that it was time to go.

“I’ll see you around, Y/N. I look forward to the day when we’ll meet again.”

Just like that, the male sprinted back towards his carriage and gave you a final wave before he and his men took off into the distance. As you were left alone to recollect your thoughts and digest whatever happened throughout the past hour, you slowly lifted your wounded hand to touch the spot where he had just left a kiss.

“Whatever fairytale mess is going on here?”

A/N: may or may not have a pt2 👀

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