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#pentagon hui x reader
huipinkhair · 1 year
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Hey, Loser - Lee Hoe Taek/Hui x Reader
Word Count - 2.1k
Genre - Rivals to lovers, Hui being Hui, two musicians that wanna be THE musician idk
Synopsis - In the bustling halls of Cube University, two students stood as stark contrasts to one another, destined to be forever entangled in a web of fierce competition and heated rivalry. As the charming overachiever, Lee Hoe Taek clashed with the quiet classmate who always matched his grades, Y/N, their paths continually intersected in a clash of creativity, spirit, and conflicting emotions. Yet, beneath the surface of their animosity, an electric current of undeniable attraction pulsed, threatening to unravel the walls they had built around their hearts. Amidst the chaos of their shared ambition, these college rivals would soon discover that the thin line dividing love and hate had never been more tantalizingly blurred.
Your eyes can't break away from the email you received from your professor. He had sent out the pairings for the full-year assignment for your music production course, worth 40% of your final grade, and your partner was the one person in class you hate the most.
Lee Hoe Taek.
You frantically type back a response, asking to have a different partner, making up a million excuses as to why you need to have anyone else other than him. You begin reading through the assignment, trying not to smash your head on your keyboard.
'Produce a 12 song album with songs of varying styles. No outside sources (vocals, live instruments, samples). One song to be finished at the end of each month, submitted to me to use as a progress tracker.'
For. Fucks. Sake.
As your teacher responds saying theres no way to switch, you bury your head in your hands, greiving for all the time youre going to have to spend with HIM.
Hoe Taek has been a thorn in your side since you started at this University. He was always one step ahead of you in class, even last year when he got a band from his old high school to perform his song live at their years prom, record it, and submit it for an assignment based around audience reaction. Whereas you just had a recording of your group of friends reacting to your song sat around your computer.
But while he could show off in popularity, your grades always battled intensely. Even when you both got an A, Hoe Taek would always check the exact point total, just to see who 'won', as he claims. You never cared for such pointless competition, but the way he acted to smug with you just burned a fire within you.
You snap out of your rage-filled trance to a knock on your dorm room door. As you pull it open, you're greeted with your dorm-neighbour and best friend, Yuto Adachi. You smile at him weakly.
"Hey," you mumble, leaning your head against the door and looking down with a sigh.
"Hey, woah.. you okay?" He responds, immediately worried by your demeanour. He bends down to meet your eyes jokingly, trying to gauge your mood.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. What's up?" You force a smile again, not wanting him to be concerned.
"Me and a couple others are going for a grocery run, do you want to come? Or do you want me to pick you up anything?" You look around your room for your phone.
"Uh, yeah, I'll send you twenty bucks, I need more pasta, and um... shit what do I need..." you trail off, trying to visualise your shelf in the fridge.
"Hey, it's okay, I'll have a look before we go, I'll text you, okay?" He says with a huffed laugh, still showing worry about what has you so frazzled. Nevertheless, he leaves you to your own devices.
~~~
The next day, before your first class of the year, you arrived early, beginning to plan for your year long project, by yourself. As you're typing away, your headphones suddenly get pulled off your head, falling to rest around your neck. You huff, knowing what's about to happen.
"Hey, loser," Hoe Taek greets, planting himself in the seat next to you. You groan and put your headphones back on your ears.
"Leave me alone, asshole," you say, going back to typing. This time he just moves one of your headphone cuffs off, placing it behind your ear.
"Don't be like that~ it'll be a long year if this is how we're going to be~" he coos, getting his own stuff out of his bag.
"Oh, don't you worry, I'm planning on killing myself very soon so you can stay away from me," you say with an innocent smile. He rolls his eyes, as he begins typing on his own laptop.
"Don't talk like that, Y/N," he says seriously, "you'd miss me far too much, hm?" He diverts back into his teasing. You hold back a laugh.
"You wish, dumbass."
~~~
Hoe Taek, or Hui, as he asked you to call him while you were working together, was setting himself up in the recording booth. You had both finished composing the music for your first song, and writing the lyrics, so all that was left was to record.
"I'll start now, okayyy?~" He calls out on the mic, you respond with a quick "yes", and begin recording, starting the backing track.
As much as he annoys you, bothers you, embarrasses you, and makes you feel like shit, his voice is beautiful. You end up staring at him through the recording room camera as he sings, resting your head on your hand.
"Yo, Y/N!" you hear from behind you, snapping you out of your trance, you spin around in your chair to see Yuto, leaning in the doorway, smirking at you.
"What are you doing~?" he singsongs, looking between you and the camera feed.
"Nothing," you say spinning back around, "I'll play it again, okay?" You say through the mic to Hui, he puts a thumbs up to the camera and you set him off again. Yuto walks over to you on the desk, bracing his arms on the back of your chair, leaning over your head.
"So you're doing okay with all this, then? If you're looking at him with such heart eyes." Your eyes go wide, looking up at him from your chair.
"What the fuck do you mean?! EW." Yuto looks down at you, eyebrow raised.
"Oh, yeah? So you're saying you hate that man singing that love song right now?" He gestures to the camera feed, and you glance over to see Hui smiling genuinely as his voice fills your ears.
Yuto moves and sits on your desk, hands resting next to his thighs.
“No, look, telling myself that I hate him is the only way I can ground myself, because I know if I admit I’ve fallen for them, then I will only hurt myself. I know he would never like me like that, he's hated me since the day we both started here.” You didn't want to admit that, since you've felt some form of attraction to Hui ever since you met, but you're convinced he only sees you as an obstacle, so you've pushed your feelings far enough down that he could never tell.
“So, you’re going to continue to pretend to hate him, even though, deep down, you know that’s the opposite of what you really feel?” Yuto questions, not moving from his spot on your desk. You simply nod.
"And then you'll come back to the dorms every day and ramble on about him for ages?" he continues, as if he's trying to egg you on.
"I do not!"
"Do so."
“He's the biggest fucking asshole known to mankind, so why the hell would I ever let his stupid face and stupid smile and stupid laugh and stupid everything consume my brain on a daily basis?” You spit, then go wide eyed, realising what you said. You cover your mouth, not expecting your feelings to re-emerge like that. Yuto simply smiles and hops down from your desk, kissing the crown of your head before leaving, calling out that he's ordering pizza to your dorms tonight. Shaking your head to return focus, you begin editing Hui's recording.
"I'll play it back for you, okay?" You say, your voice ever so slightly softer than before. Hui smiles and nods, listening intently to his own voice. He nods along with the beat, as do you.
As the incomplete song wraps up, Hui claps a couple times before taking off the headphones. "Your turn, loser." He says through the mic, heading out of the booth.
~~~
You're hanging out at the campus baseball field, working on your assignment while Yuto's practising with his team. You and Hui had finished 4 songs already, one month ahead of your professors guide. You were beginning to compose your fifth, looking through the concept notes you had both talked about. You hear a cheer come from the field and look down to see one of Yuto's team mates running after the baseball, looking at the base plate to see Yuto holding a bat. You smile to yourself, proud of your best friend. Looking back down to your laptop, you listen through what you have so far. Your eyebrows furrow, and you can't tell if you like it or not. You end up texting Hui the file -
"Hey, I can't tell if I like this, what do u think"
"where are u? I'll come work on it w u"
"bball field"
"coming loser xo"
You feel your heart flutter, and lightly slap your cheeks, as if you were telling yourself off. You clear your throat as you continue trying to work on the song.
After about 15 minutes, while you were engrossed in working, your headphones get pushed off your head once again, telling you Hui was here.
"Hey, loser." You both say in unison, your tone dripping with sarcasm.
"Aww, do I say that too much?" He teases, sitting down next to you. You unplug you headphones, shoving them in your bag.
"Yes. Yes, you fucking do." You sigh out, shoving your laptop onto his thighs. You rest your head on your hand and watch the baseball practise as Hui listens to what you've worked on.
"Can I change some stuff?" He asks, and you just wave him off with a "yeah, whatever". You see him looking at you from the corner of your eye, as he pushes your laptop screen down a bit.
"Y/N, what's going on?" you look over at him, and he genuinely looks upset.
"Hm? Nothing, just frustrated, with the song." You mumble, looking back towards your friend on the field. Hui looks down at your laptop, then back at you.
"You really hate doing this with me, don't you.." He almost whispers, and you can't tell if he was actually asking you, so you don't answer. He stays quiet, working on your laptop while you watch Yuto.
"How's your high school band friends?" You ask, growing more uncomfortable in the silence.
"Oh? They're good, you remember them?" He asks, surprised.
"How could I forget the video that showed me up for that assignment last year?" You laugh half-heartedly, twiddling your thumbs. The typing stops.
"Hey~ I didn't do that.." He whines, looking at you again. You face him too.
"Course you did, you have done for every assignment, because for some reason you despise me being just as good at this course as you." You say bluntly. His lips ever so faintly curl into a smile.
"Did my stupid face and stupid smile and stupid laugh and stupid everything make you think I hate you?" He smirks, looking back down at the laptop to avoid your eyes. Your eyebrows furrow, not clocking on to what he meant.
Until you remember.
"How, how did you?"
"I heard it all on the microphone feed that day we were recording the first song."
"But I wasn't pressing... the button..." your eyes drift down to the field.
You motherfucker, Yuto.
Hui gives you your laptop back, pressing play for you to listen through what he had changed.
As the song finishes playing, Hui tucks a strand of hair behind your ear. Your cheeks flush red straight away. You glance over to him and he's looking out at the field.
"Just because we're rivals, Y/N, doesn't mean I don't like you. You challenge me the way no one else can. I actually, really do like you," he rubs the back of his neck, "hearing you tell Yuto about your feelings made me realise I have been harsher on you than I meant." He admits, leaning back on the stalls.
You're frozen, stunned. Did he? Just confess to you? No, no surely not. No way.
You feel a hand hold your chin, and turn you to face him. Your faces are inches apart.
"Stop overthinking, Y/N. I like you, okay?" He smiles, looking down at your lips. You're breathing shakily, and you nod ever so slightly. He sighs in relief and places his lips on yours. His hands hold your cheeks gently, as if he's worried anything could hurt you. It's short, it's sweet. He pulls away, pushing another strand of hair out of your face.
"Hey, here's an idea. When we graduate, lets produce songs together, for real." He suggests, smiling brightly. You return said smile.
"I'd like that. Let's finish this very important assignment before we go planning stuff like that, huh?"
"Whatever, loser." He teases, pushing your shoulder gently. You laugh softly.
After a year of working hard, you both get given an A+ for your album you both decided to title "Losers", a special set at your university's showcase,
and a beautiful, loving relationship.
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neomujinjja · 2 months
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Take you to a place we've never seen
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"Keep your eyes closed" your lover chided as they pushed you forward. You laughed because you already had your eyes screwed shut with one hand placed on top.
"Maybe you should have blind-folded me then," you sassed back to them. "Besides where are we going anyways?" you questioned, huffing under your breath as you almost tripped.
"Surprise." You got no other answer as they instead focused on tapping your leg to avoid the both of you tumbling down the concert stairs. Your partner shuffled you forward some more before finally stopping and settling the both of you on a bench. "Ready?" they asked, their voice showing the excitement they had for this.
"Since I was told to close my eyes." They mocked laughed at your response, unbeknownst to you with a small roll of their eyes.
"Alright, open them" they said, watching you closely. Wanting to see every minute change caused by your reaction. Upon uncovering, the sky with a enchanting orange hue was revealed to you. While it wasn't your first time experiencing the seemingly painted horizon; you were never this high up and around nature like this.
"Wow~ it's so breathtaking," you spoke, your words coming out like it was true. Your other half voiced their agreement, sounding similarly in awe to you. You were none the wiser that they had been looking at you at that moment.
(And if one day, in the future, they'd mention this juncture as the point where they knew you were the one then..)
Seunghan & Eunseok of RIIZE, Wow & Donghyun of A.C.E, Taeyong & Renjun of NCT, Younghoon & Sangyeon of The Boyz, Matthew of ZeroBaseOne, Park Jihoon, Vernon, Mingyu & Jeonghan of Seventeen, Kim Jaehwan, Hui & Yanan of Pentagon, Yoon Hyunsuk of Cix, Leehan of BoyNextDoor, Yeosang, Mingi & San of Ateez, Seungmin of Stray Kids, Seulgi of Red Velvet
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jinkoh · 1 year
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Pentagon - realizing they have feelings for you
SFW; gender-neutral reader
@huipinkhair requested: Do you think you could write a little ptg ot9 realising they have feelings for you? Like the moment they realise and what they do
a/n: tysm for requesting as always!! ❤️ sorry that it took so long! i hope you'll enjoy these~
Masterlist
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Jinho
He sees you working hard at something you’re passionate about. You don’t have to be all that good at it, he’ll always be impressed if you put in an honest effort. He can’t help thinking that it’s admirable because it’s a character trait he values.
He’d probably keep his feelings close to his heart. But if he ever sees you falter or feel insecure, he’d at least tell you how impressed he is with your hard work and encourage you.
Hui
Hongseok
It’s small gestures, like how you leave small sticky notes or a coffee in his studio to cheer him up when he has to work a lot. When he’s tired or things are tough he’ll find himself wanting to see you. It’s not easy for Hui to let others take care of him, but somehow it’s so easy when it’s you. You just make him feel at home.
He doesn’t tell you immediately. For now it’s enough to seek comfort in your presence.
Shinwon
He does something for you, maybe makes you a sandwich or whatever, constantly thinking about what you’d like the best and what would make you the happiest. The moment he gives it to you and sees your grateful smile he's a goner.
Might turn a little clumsy around you, suddenly hyper aware of every little interaction.
Yeo One/Changgu
He makes you laugh with something silly he says. He didn’t even consider it that funny but when you burst into giggles he thinks he wants to be the source of your laughter many many times from here on out.
Tries hard to be funny around you and then smiles fondly whenever your eyes light up with laughter.
You support him in something he does. Maybe he has a musical role or a concert and you come to cheer him on. When he spots you in the audience he'll be overcome with happiness thinking to himself that he really loves you. Might just tell you after the show in a rush of endorphins.
Yanan
Maybe you scold him a little for being thoughtless and at first he gets annoyed and defensive. But then you spill that you’re upset because you were worried about him. He realizes that you must really care for him and somehow it makes his heart flutter? Care for him some more please?
Yuto
He listens to you talking about something you love. Maybe it’s just something small like your favorite yogurt but he realizes he could keep listening forever. And that’s what he does, he keeps listening and thinking over and over how much he adores you.
Kino/Hyunggu
Wooseok
He catches you humming or dancing by yourself while doing something, clearly in a good mood, and he’s just so endeared by it. He’d probably feel torn between gushing over how cute you are and watching in silence so you don’t stop.
Hyunggu would probably feel very excited about confessing to you and not wait too long. Love is something that should be shared after all.
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It’s a simple moment. You’re watching a movie or show together, joking around a bit and you’re just so comfortable with him, casually leaning your head against his shoulder or playfully nudging him in the side and that’s when realization sinks in. He's so far gone for you.
Now that he’s aware of his own feelings, he can’t help but be incredibly flustered around you, heart racing at every simple touch.
Masterlist
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blizzardfluffykpop · 8 months
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Lover Boy
Summary: The two times you kissed Hui before you knew who he was, and the few that followed.
Oneshot
Word Count: 4,782
Fluff, Non-idol au, College au, Strangers to Lovers, & Older Brother’s Best Friend au
TW: Drinking, Food Mentions
Hoetaek (Hui) X Reader 
[Features! “Hui’s Younger Brother! Joo” Otherwise known as: (Y/n)’s best friend and roommate]
[A/n: In reality, Hui is the younger brother, and I don’t actually know Hui’s brother’s name. And yes, his name is Joo because the first Lee I thought of was Jooheon. Not based on Jooheon at all though. Inspired by: ‘Whui Is Me’ Concept #3 & #4 was originally inspired by Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy by Queen, but nothing came about from it.]
------
The first time you laid eyes on him, you were at a disco-themed club. He had a silver suit on and a large collared shirt. His strawberry-cream hair stood out to you in the midst of the crowd. You couldn’t see anyone else as he glided around the LED squares. He caught you staring and winked. And for the first time in a long time, you were flabbergasted.
Maybe it was the amount of liquid confidence you drank. But you danced up to him and asked if he'd like to dance with you. He smiled, and soon you were in each other’s arms and spinning around to the songs together. It took another song before you asked if you could kiss him, and he nodded. When you pulled away, you both were blushing red, but he initiated the second kiss as you two slowly rocked back and forth. 
When the night ended, and you parted ways, you realized you never caught his name, too caught up in the feeling of having his lips on yours. You sighed as you got into bed, and your roommate, who was still up, asked, “So, how was the disco?” You shook your head, “It was magical. Yet, I never learned his name.” He laughs, “Damn, you should have.” He looks at the time, “Shit, how long did you make out with him?” You look at the time and see it’s three in the morning, “I thought you were going to be home at one!” You laugh, “Did you base your sleep schedule on when I returned?” He huffs, “Yes, usually you have two drinks and come home.” You shake your head, “Yeah, but that was before I saw him.” He sighs, “Did you at least get his number?” You pout, “No.” He shakes his head at you, “And you say I’m hopeless.” You sigh, “You have me there.” 
You throw yourself onto your bed, and he follows suit, throwing himself on his own,  “Did you end up going on a date today?” He nods, “Yeah, it was successful.” You pout, “Fucker.” He laughs, “But I didn’t make any bases.” You do a little fist bump in the air, “I win!” He rolls his eyes, “At least I know her name.” You shrug, get under the covers, and go, “Whatever, good night, Joo.” “Good night, (Y/n).” 
---
The second time you met him, you still didn’t know he was your best friend’s older brother. You watch as his band performs at your college’s packed bar. His strawberry-cream hair still drawing you to him. But hearing his singing voice and watching as his fingers glide across the fretboard of his guitar had you enraptured. You just had to know more.
When his band leaves the stage, you return to drinking and conversing with the people around you. You're asking for a second drink. When someone asks sweetly, “Is this seat taken?” You turn your head to see him again and shake your head no, and he sits beside you. You still can't believe he came up to you, but come up with, “I didn’t know you could sing?” He grins, “It’s my major!” You laugh, and he finally tells you his name, “I forgot to introduce myself the last time we were with each other, but I’m Hoetaek, but almost everyone calls me Hui.” You grin and introduce yourself, and he says, “That’s a beautiful name.” You blush and thank him. 
You talked more than you had kissed, but you still couldn’t get enough of him. He left you starstruck. You wanted to know everything and more about him, like what his favorite songs were and his favorite kind of weather. You went back home, and your best friend was already fast asleep, having learned his lesson from last time. His name should have rang a bell, but you still couldn’t place where you’d heard his name before as you fell asleep.
You didn’t register it until you were brushing your teeth in the morning. You gasped as you brushed your teeth, “Hoetaek?” You rushed to your roommate’s photo frames, toothbrush still in your mouth. And there they stood at the beach together. Your best friend was disgruntled in the photo while Hui was smiling wildly. You clutch your shirt, not believing the coincidence. You drag your feet back and finish brushing your teeth. “No fucking way.” You had always heard about his older brother, the absolute dork, and here you were, making out with the said dork. For a dork, he certainly knew how to kiss. You went to class and shook off the thought. He probably didn’t even know you were best friends with his little brother. Just like how you didn’t realize he was your best friend's older brother. 
---
The next time you saw him, you were sitting with Joo on a blanket, studying on the campus grounds, when he came up. “Hey, did you get mom’s text?” Joo blinked at him before quickly grabbing his phone and looking, “Oh, she wants us this home this weekend?” He nods, “Yeah.” Joo asks, “Are you going to go?” Hui shrugs, “I have band practice.” You tune them out, fantasizing about what it would be like to kiss him again. You shook your head at those thoughts because he's supposed to be Joo's dorky older brother. But you couldn't help it. 
Joo interrupts your thoughts, “Oh, (Y/n).” You look at him, and he says, “I never introduced you to Hoetaek. Hui this (Y/n), and (Y/n), this is Hui.” His cheeks were red as he smiled at you and shook your hand, “It’s nice to meet you again.” You blushed as you shook his, “Yeah. I didn’t realize you were Joo’s older brother.” He laughs, “I didn’t realize you were his best friend.” Joo goes, “Ahem,” and you both immediately detach. Joo crosses his arms, “How do you two know each other?” You scramble to find an answer, and Hui says, “We met at the disco club two weeks ago.” Joo nods, “You could have told me you two knew each other.” You shake your head, “We didn’t realize who the other was.” He nods, and Hui gets up from the blanket, “I have to walk to class now, but I’ll pick you up on Friday night.” Joo nods, and when he is far enough away. Joo goes, “Tell me everything.” 
You blushed, “I um, I didn’t realize he was your dorky older brother. Firstly, he was an amazing dancer. And I… may have ended up exchanging a few kisses with him.” He groans, “Ew… He was the whole reason your night was magical?” You nod, and he squints, “Nothing further?” You shake your head, “Unless you consider that we met at his gig a week ago, too…” His jaw drops, “Holy fuck. You two left out a major detail…” You blush and hide your head in your hands, “I know.” He shakes his head, “I’ve always thought of you as my sibling, but you didn’t have to make it official.” You whine, “I know.” And he goes, “Again, you know he’s not cool unless he's in his element.” You pull your hands away, “You’ve said that, but I’ve met him in his element, and god he’s…” He deadpans, “I do not need to know.” You smirk and tease, “Are you sure? I thought you loved hearing the details?” He rolls his eyes, “Yes, I’m sure. I do not need to know whether or not he’s a good kisser.” You smirk, “He is.” He sighs, shaking his head, “Anyways… Do you like him?” You look down at your hands, “I think so.” He smiles, “Well, when are you gonna make a move?” You blush, “Joo...” And he goes, “Well, now that I have the opportunity for you to become my sibling officially. I want this process to speed up a little faster.” You roll your eyes and go back to studying. 
As you’re finishing your homework, you hear Joo say, “Hey, Mom!” You hear her sweet voice over the phone, “Oh, honey, I was wondering when you would get my text!” You look at him to see the smirk gracing his lips, “I was wondering, (Y/n) has nowhere to go this weekend… Can they come too?” You glare at him. And you hear her go, “Oh, of course, we love having (Y/n) over!” He tells her sweetly, “Thanks, mom!” And she asks, “Anything else, honey?” “No, we'll see you this weekend. Love you.” “Love you more!” When he hangs up, “You little-!” You tackle him immediately, and he cackles as you tickle him, “You brat!” He laughs even harder, “You’ll thank me later.” You roll off of him and finish your homework, refusing to talk to him. “I thought you loved my parents?” He asks with a pout, “I love them. You, however? Not so much.” He shakes his head, “If you say so.” You sigh, and you both walk back to your dorm room together. 
---
You don’t see him again until Joo opens the door and lets you in behind him. You kick off your shoes and turn to look towards the living room to see him sitting there playing guitar. If you didn't have no way back to the college, you would have taken your belongings and ran for the hills. Why is he already here? You thought you'd at least have an hour before you had to face the music. Your brain is unraveling fast, and you do everything to lie low. 
But with Joo talking to you in the hall, it was enough to be spotted by him. You gulp as he stops strumming and waves to you, and you wave back. Joo turns at that, and he smiles, “Hui! You’re home!” He grins at his brother as he gets up and hugs him. Joo whines about his hug but accepts it anyway, “I thought you were going to be late because of your band practice?” Hui shakes his head, “No, I told them I was heading home for the weekend.” Joo hums and tries to wiggle out of the hug, and Hui whines, “I thought you were happy to see me!” And Joo goes, “I was!” And he mutters, “Until you kept hugging me.” Hui laughs before he lets him go, and you both awkwardly smile at each other before he goes back to his guitar. 
You both give a quick hello to his parents before dragging your bags up the stairs to Joo’s room. As you walk to his door, you can’t get the sight of Hui out of your head. The memories of kissing him play in the back of your mind, ruining your resolve of a peaceful weekend. Joo and you take time to set up your air mattress, and he giggles, “You sure you want to sleep in my room?” You gasp, “It is my best friend privilege!” He smirks, “Yeah, but don’t you wish to sleep next to your crush?” You squint, “Oh, so that's how it is.” He smirks, “I’m teasing you forever for falling for my brother.” You groan, “I should have never told you!” He smirks, “But you couldn’t keep a secret like that from your best friend and roommate, could you?” You groan again, “I’d try.” He continues smirking, “I’d find out anyway.” You sigh, “I’m starting to see how you’re the little brother.” He pouts, “Hey, that was mean.” You roll your eyes, and with the mattress finally filled, you cap it as he unplugs the blower, and you both head downstairs. 
When you reach the kitchen, their dad looks away from the pot he's stirring, “Oh, (Y/n)! Have you ever met our eldest, Hui?” Hui, who is currently wearing an apron and cracking eggs, causing your heart to burst into a million pieces. You smile, scrubbing the heart-melting moment from your mind, “Yeah, we’ve met.” Hui turns around and smiles at you. His dad grins, “How did you two meet? I know how you met Joo. You both are roommates.” You turn red as his dad flips the vegetables in the pan, and Joo nudges you to say something. And you go, “We met at a disco night.” His dad gasps, “You know disco?” You laugh as you nod, “Yeah, I love it.” He sighs in relief, “Ahh good, you can move in forever if you’d like.” You cackle, and Joo goes, “Where’s Ma?” And Hui says, “Back in the garden.” Joo grins, “Okay, later!” 
He exits the kitchen, and you’re still standing in front of the island. Hui asks, “You’re not joining him?” You shake your head, “I know better than to leave when food is about to be served.” Hui laughs, and his dad asks, “Can you get the plates out?” You nod, walk around the island, open the first cabinet, and pull out five plates. You set them out, head to the silverware drawer, and grab utensils for everyone. They finish what they’re making as you get a seat for yourself as you do. Their dad comes over, “I’m sorry I would have gotten that out sooner! I forgot you were coming.” You shrug, “It’s okay, Mr. Lee. It’s just a chair.” He pouts, “But you’re our guest.” You shake your head, “It’s okay.” And he sighs, “Okay.” 
Hui comes over, and you ask, “When did you get here?” He looks at the clock, “About an hour and a half before you two.” You nod, and he places his dish in the middle while his dad calls for the other two to come in for dinner. Your heart is hammering out of your chest, but you try to be cool about it. He opens his mouth to say something. And before he can get a syllable out, the rest of his family returns. Joo sits beside you, and Hui sits across from both of you. You speak minimally throughout the dinner, just focused on eating and trying not to think about the man across from you. 
---
While Joo snores peacefully on his bed, all cuddled up, you can’t help but roll to your side again. Even after begging to whatever’s up there, you’ll fall asleep. You can’t. You sigh as you get up, deciding to get a glass of water. You fill up your glass, drink a few sips, and head back towards Joo’s room. You hear music coming from the basement with nothing better to do. You decide to investigate. You shut the door behind you and start walking down the steps. 
And that’s where you see him again. He’s playing guitar along to the radio and humming the tune. He hears your footsteps as you come down the creaky old wood and looks back at you, and you ask, “Do you mind if I join you?” He shakes his head no, and you come in further, and he goes, “I come down here when everyone’s sleeping, so I don’t wake them up.” You nod, and he gestures for you to sit beside him, “Can’t sleep?” You softly tell him no as you sit down next to him. It felt awkward to be alone with him again. Because the last time you were perfect strangers making out in a bar. And now you were in an odd dynamic of him being the older brother to your best friend. Not knowing what to say, you sit there and listen to him play along to the radio.
As the next song starts, he grins, “I haven’t heard this since I was in high school.” He starts playing along effortlessly, and you smile, “It’s Led Zeppelin.” He smiles, “Dazed and Confused.” As the song nears its end, he asks, “Did Joo invite you?” You scrunch your nose, “No, rather, he asked his mom to let me come over in front of me.” He hums, “He’s always been an odd one.” You laugh, “What about you? You never skip band practice.” He smiles, “I finally had a reason too.” You blink at him, and he says, “I heard you were staying here.” You blush, and he asks, “Do you always stay here on breaks?” You nod, “Yeah, ever since I’ve become best friends with Joo.” He nods, “Interesting.” After a moment, you ask, “Do you remember the first time we met?” He smiles, “I couldn’t forget it.” You blush, “Me neither.” He asks softly, “Is that why you can’t sleep?” You hum, “Something along those lines.” 
He stops playing and puts his guitar on its stand. He turns towards you, “Is it because my brother is your best friend?” You tilt your head, “Well, no.” He waits for you to continue, “It’s more so the fact that we’re under the same roof.” He holds his hand out to you, and you carefully take it in yours, and you ask, “Is it weird because I’m your little brother’s best friend?” He shakes his head, “No. But maybe it's a little awkward that we’re in my parent's house, though.” You laugh, “Yeah.” He smiles and squeezes your hand, “It kinda reminds me of being a teenager again.” And the two of you laugh. 
The radio starts playing a slow song by Smokey Robison, “Would you like to dance with me?” You smile, “I’d love to.” He pulls you up, and you both sway to the music, but instead of kissing, you talk. You ask, “Is it true that you’re out of your element outside of music?” He blushes, “Yeah. If you met me in the florist shop I work at, I would have shriveled up and asked Hyunggu to run the cash register.” You laugh as you softly tell him, “I would have still found you dreamy.” His cheeks are red as he asks, “Really?” You smile, “Yeah.” 
He twists you under the recessed lightning, and you two giggle as you spin around. You can’t help but get lost in his eyes and wonder what it would be like to kiss him again. You ask softly, “Would it be bad to say I really want to kiss you right now?” He giggles as he says, “No, I want to kiss you too.” You tangle your fingers in his hair as you place your lips on his, and he reciprocates. You both slowly sway to the song as you kiss. When you both pull away, he leans his forehead on yours, and you play with his pink locks. He looks into your eyes and asks, “Would you want to get breakfast with me tomorrow? Like as a date?” You can’t help but grin as you tell him, “Yes.” He kisses you again, and you both giggle into it. 
When the song ends, you sit back on the couch closer than before. You both stay up the whole night talking. As the clock reaches five in the morning, you yawn. And he smiles, “You should probably head upstairs to bed.” You yawn again and agree, “Yeah.” You get up off the couch before looking at him again, “I can’t wait for our date.” He smiles, “I can’t wait either.” You hear him yawn as you round the couch to the stairs, “Good night, Hui.” He smiles, “Good night, (Y/n).” You head upstairs, open the door, walk to the kitchen, clean your empty glass, and head to bed. When you finally rest your head on your pillow, you fall asleep. 
You wake up to Joo loudly stretching, “Dude. You’re so loud.” He rolls his eyes before he stares at you, “You weren’t here when I rolled over at one in the morning.” You look at everything but him, “I got a glass of water.” He hums, “Is that why you weren’t back until 5 am?” You sigh, “Nothing can get past you, can it?” He laughs before he asks, “So?” You sigh, “I just wanted to investigate where the music was coming from.” He leans his chin on his hand, “Yeah?” You blush, “And then we danced and talked until then.” He tilts his head, “Did you not confess?” You smile as you move the blanket away, “Something better.” 
He gasps in horror, “Not underneath my roof!!” You shake your head, “No! That’s not what I meant! And this is your parent’s roof!” He cackles, “So, what is it?” You smile, “We kissed a few times throughout the night, and he asked me to go to breakfast with him.” He gasps, “Omg?! We have to get you dressed nicely!” He pulls you up fast, and you both dig through your travel bag and find something nice to wear. “Okay, go to the bathroom! If he comes up before you’re ready. I’ll distract him.” You laugh and high-five him, “Thanks, Joo!” You rush into the bathroom and freshen up, and you hear outside Hui coming up the stairs. 
Joo asks, “So, was it you or (Y/n) that asked first?” Hui blushes as he rubs the back of his neck, “Well, we were dancing in my room, and they asked if it was bad if they wanted to kiss me. And I told them ‘No,’ that I wanted to kiss them too.” And Joo goes, “And?” Hui turns bright red as he says, “They kissed me first.” Joo smirks, “That’s my best friend!” Hui laughs, “Then I asked them to go to breakfast with me.” Joo claps his hand on his shoulder, “You know, for being a musical nerd, I didn’t know you had it in you. But man, I can’t be prouder.” Hui wrinkles his nose, “Ouch. But thanks. So, how did your date last week go?” Joo nods before telling him. 
The two talk for a few more minutes before you return from the bathroom. Joo leaves you two to head downstairs to the kitchen and sits at the table as his parents make coffee. His mom asks, “Are (Y/n) and Hui joining us?” He shakes his head no, “You’ll see.” They both draw their attention to the stairs, waiting for the two of you to appear. 
In the quiet hallway, you tell him softly, “I like your black and white striped sweater.” He grins as he tells you that he likes your outfit. After another beat of silence, Hui asks if you’d like to hold hands on the way cause the diner is just a block away, and you smile as you agree. You walk down the stairs hand in hand, and his parents gasp as Joo grins. They whisper and ask him, “Oh, they’re going on a date?” He nods, “Yeah!” You walk over, and both bid them goodbye, and Hui tells them where you’re going before leaving. 
---
His dad smiles, “So, do you have all the details?” And Joo grins as if shining an apple on his shirt. He blows his hand and wipes it on his shirt, “Of course I do. They’re my brother and best friend couple.” He tells them how you two met at his gig, and his dad says, “We knew that, though.” He smirks, “Did you know the two kissed?” His parents gasped, “No, did they know each other then?” He shakes his head, “They didn’t know until after they met at his gig.” He shares a few more details before his mom asks, “How did they end up going on a date then if neither of them confessed to their feelings?” He smirks as he gets to rat them out, “They were in his room last night, and they danced to classic rock songs. And Hui finally confessed.” His mom grins, “Oh, that’s so sweet.” 
---
You walk hand in hand down the block, swinging your arms, talking about various things. You open the door for you two, and you both walk in and sit down across from each other at a table for two behind the interior wall. You look at Hui, admiring him as you wait for your waiter, his black beret making him look even cuter than before. You smirk, “Loverboy? Is that true?” He blushes as he remembers the branding on his hat, “For you, yeah.” You blush and look down, “Hui…” He grins, his cheeks red as he lifts your chin and winks, “You’re cute when you’re blushing.” You shake your head, “You’re cuter.” He pulls his finger away as the waiter comes over, hands you each a menu, and asks what you'd like to drink. You tell him, and he comes back shortly with the drinks and gives you time to figure out what you want for breakfast. 
He returns and gets your orders before putting them in the kitchen. Hui puts his left hand up on the table, and you smile as you catch onto what he means and place your left hand against his before interlocking your fingers. He grins and moves your hands back and forth happily, and you can’t help but grin and squeeze his hand in yours. He asks you questions about yourself, and you ask them back after answering. You smile as you realize you’re learning more about Hoetaek, the kind and silly, than Hui, the older musical nerd in the family. And you can’t help but feel endeared. 
The waiter brings your food, and your hands part to eat. He makes you laugh as whipped cream coats his lips, and he laughs as you get some on your nose. He licks his lips, and before you wipe the whipped cream from your nose, he grabs his napkin and swipes his napkin over your nose. “All better.” You shake your head and smile, and he’s grinning right back. 
You finish up your breakfast, and before he has a chance to pay, you do. And he pouts, “But I asked you out on this date. I should have paid.” You wink, “There’s always next time.” He gasps before he grins, “You’re right.” He wraps his arm around your waist, and you smile as you do the same, wrapping your arm around his. You grin, and as you walk through town, he softly hums along to the songs playing, and you can’t help but smile and do the same. You both walk-in time at each other’s pace, strolling around before heading back to his house.
When you reach the front door, he asks, “So, when we head back tomorrow. Will you attend my gig as my special guest?” You grin, “I’d love to.” He smiles and kisses your cheek before unlocking the door and letting you in first. Joo sits on the couch, watching TV. He looks at you two, “So how was it?” You blush, “It was nice.” And Hui goes, “I’m glad I got the courage to ask.” Hui asks, “You don’t mind if we’re together for the rest of the day?” Joo shakes his head, “Nah, I hang out with you two too much. I need some alone time, too.” You cackle, “As if you aren't texting people twenty-four-seven in there.” He rolls his eyes, “Yeah, but it’s hard to text people when someone is talking about how handsome my brother is.” You gasp, “Mean!” 
He cackles, “Yeah.” Before he shoos you two away, “Go have fun. You can tell me all about your date later!” You both smile, and he leads you to the basement door, “What do you say to me, you, and my favorite records?” You grin, “Well, considering your taste in music… Hell yeah.” He smiles, and you both walk down the stairs. And you dance and talk until its dinner time. 
“We organized it so it’s more comfortable for us to eat!” His dad says all cheerily, and he has you sit at the end of the table while Hui is on one side and Joo is on the other, and he happily sits across from his wife. You immediately say, “You didn’t have to.” And he shakes his head, “I was going to do this the other day, but I didn’t get time to.” The five of you laugh, and underneath the table, Hui holds your hand, rubbing his thumb against the back of your hand, and you can’t help but smile as you eat. 
Joo talks about all the shenanigans he was getting up to in sports and English studies. And the dates he's recently been on, while Hui talks about his music and band. And you tell them about your field of study. Their parents talk about their jobs and their neighbors. You can’t help but feel at home in the Lee’s house with your boyfriend, your best friend, and their parents. And yeah, you did end up thanking Joo for inviting you to his parent's house after finding out you liked Hui.
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minimultiestfandoms · 7 months
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Pentagon reaction to you asking to tie a bow around it pt.1
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requested: no
wanted to start doing fake texts as they are easier to do then writing full fledged fanfics and i’ve been busy with uni and work so please note fake texts are only open for now! i might open small headcanons later on when i get more used to my schedule!
— sunnie
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Hui
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Jinho
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Hongseok
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taglist; @bigkpopstan, @baka-writings, @haechansfbuddy, @jeonronwoo, @jiminslostjam, @bluejaem, @jisungismymom, @hyuckography, @i-luvsang, @neocrush, @moonshineboyz, @chewryy, @sugarcherriess, @neochan, @jinkoh, @shinwolo, @hazyhae, @mrkis, @dollyji, @tddyhyck, @mrkjaems
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adachicuto · 1 year
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last date before wedding with ptg
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warning(s): food and wine mentions
↳ jinho: helping him with a cover of a song for youtube and it’d be a pretty romantic song maybe ed sheeran thinking out loud or john legend or maybe something else like eyes, nose, lips and you wouldn’t realize that he got you singing. i don't think he'd post it and just want to save it for the two of you to rewatch. it wouldn’t matter to him if you were an amazing singer or not, just being able to share that moment with you would be enough for him. so, it would probably become a tradition where you'd rewatch the cover for every wedding anniversary, and maybe you would cover more songs together each time as a little segment on his youtube channel and the members would text him and tease him about it every time lol
↳ hui: i get the feeling that he would bring you to a really nice yet underrated restaurant where smooth jazz is played and people are allowed to go onstage and perform a song. both of you would have the biggest smiles on your faces because the date would be reminiscent of your first one. you'd end the date off with really good wine and of course, hui would go onstage and sing (he'd claim it as practice for your big day) and would leave the audience stunned by his amazing vocals. on the drive home, his hand would never leave yours and he'd probably fidget with your engagement ring with a huge smile on his face.
↳ hongseok: your "date" would be so sweet and domestic because hongseok just gives me homey vibes. like, you'd both go to the grocery store to get ingredients for dinner and a dessert you both like. idk it would be the cutest thing and then you'd head back home and he'd start cooking while you worked on the dessert and you'd definitely catch him staring at you every few minutes with a goofy smile on his face and he'd wiggle his eyebrows playfully. you'd step away for a second to back-hug him and hongseok would smile to himself before he'd turn around to kiss you and he'd pull away to say something really cheesy but it would still put a smile on your face.
↳ yeo one: i think changgu would plan the cutest little picnic in the park for both of you. he'd pack some of your favorite foods and snacks and would even get you flowers or something. it would be the cutest thing and he'd take a flower and put it behind your ear and you'd do the same to him and then you'd go back and forth about who's the prettiest lol then the two of you would lie down and cloud gaze. idk i can see a really adorable dog running over to the two of you and it would really like changgu and it would be such a cute moment that would lead you to discuss the possibility of adopting a dog after the wedding. once the sun would start to settle below the horizon, you'd head home and would probably spend the rest of the day watching a show or movie.
↳ shinwon: both of you would agree on going to a spa and maybe a little shopping. i could definitely see him goofing around with you while in the sauna by making weird faces and telling you funny stories. then, he'd have you rest your head on his shoulder and he'd smile to himself. then, he'd tell you about how he was so nervous to propose to you. after a few minutes he'd realize that you weren't talking only to find you asleep. so, he'd make sure that you would be comfortable and would relax too. i think he'd love to spoil his s/o so he'd really enjoy going to the spa with you and it'd be a nice break from all of the wedding prep. on the way home, you'd both decide on ordering in bc neither of you would want to cook after being at the spa.
↳ yanan: he'd wake up extra early to get your favorite breakfast foods and coffee. when he'd make it back to your apartment he'd be met with you half asleep on the couch and would quickly put everything down to cuddle with you for a few minutes and then you'd eat breakfast together. afterward, the two of you would get ready to go and yanan wouldn't tell you but it would all make sense later. so, the two of you would go to multiple places throughout the city and you were thankful that they wouldn't be too far and at each stop, you and yanan would talk about what happened at each, like, one place was where he took you for your first date and another would be where you both said you loved each other for the first time. looking back on all of the memories would make both of your hearts feel so full.
↳ yuto: i think you'd go to an aquarium or botanical garden and it would be on a day when it wouldn't be so busy and the two of you could goof around and take funny pictures of each other imitating the animals. throughout the date, you'd both feel like little kids on a field trip again. both of you would stop every few minutes to stare at something you'd find interesting and the look on your faces at that moment would be so adorable and you'd have to capture the moments. after that, you would go get something to eat and then walk back to your apartment. on the walk, you'd both reminisce about how you met, your first date, and how he proposed to you.
↳ kino: i feel like hyunggu would go all out but it would still be a pretty laid-back date idk if that makes sense but he'd sign you up for a couples' dancing class where you'd learn how to tango and it would be so romantic and fun, even if you're not much of a dancer. after that, you'd go back home to shower and then he'd take you out to a really nice restaurant for dinner. the two of you would be so impressed with your meals but the highlight of your would be getting ice cream or your favorite dessert from your favorite place but then on your way back home it'd start raining and you'd have to wait it out inside a nearby cafe with steaming cups of tea. the whole situation would be pretty funny to both of you and it'd make for a nice moment to look back on.
↳ wooseok: being the youngest, i don't think he'd plan everything out and would just go with the flow. so, i think wooseok would also enjoy a night in with you as your date, especially if it would be a rainy day. he'd go and get your favorite snacks and drinks the day before and would surprise you with everything. the two of you would spend the day watching movies, playing video games, and just enjoying the calm before your wedding day. somehow, you'd end up talking about some of your embarrassing moments early on in your relationship and neither of you would be able to stop laughing and maybe you'd each go through your camera roll and it'd be a really cute moment for both of you.
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cyncialwoo · 2 months
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Lies Dipped in Rococo
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-pairing: hyunggu x reader, huitaek x reader
-genre: angst, smut, rococo au, the progress of love???
-words: 7k words
-warnings: a bit of yelling,
-a/n: This one was in the works for a while. I might release a part two... if it goes well, and maybe separate endings. I just wanted to put something out there. I'm still active I swear!!! Thank you all for support!! >>Masterlist
Rococo is an art style, a lifestyle. Organically shaped and covered in gold and pastel colors. Putting an innocent tone over paintings that aren’t so innocent, for tea rooms where women gossip. The high life of the French. 
You sat in the tea room with the other ladies. You had on your best fake smile. You were the youngest out of all of them. Recently, you married the high priest. It was arranged, of course, but he was quite handsome. His name was Kang Hyunngu. Unlike your husband, you grew up in a noble lifestyle. He climbed his way to the top. 
You hummed at one of the lady’s comments. You weren’t listening to what she was saying. You were staring at the panties around the room. One caught your eye, a picture of naked figures on the sea with putti above them. 
“I see you like the painting I added to my collection.” She smiled at you. Her name was…. You could not seem to remember her first name. But her last name stuck out to you. You were still new to this group. Learning all of their names would take time.
“Ah yes, Mrs. Beaumont. What is the name of the painting?” You gained the attention of the ladies in the room. Most of them didn’t have an eye for art. You knew of some that would have their maids. 
“The Triumph of Venus by Francious Boucher.” She let out a slight smile while sipping her tea. You nodded back to her and let the conversation move elsewhere. 
.
The piece stuck with you throughout the day. It could be because of the erotic nature of the painting. She had planned a day to go to the academy to look at the new pieces. You took care of most of the finances in the relationship. It was the only task that you had that wasn’t mundane.  
When you went to his office, he barely looked at you when the two of you were talking about taking over the finances. He replied with one word and pointed at the finance books. You didn’t know him too well at that time. He didn’t know you too well either. 
You picked up the books and looked back at him. He hadn’t looked up from his papers to see you out. It seemed that he did not have even a bit of interest in you. You didn’t talk to him much after you left his office that day. The two of you had never sat down and had a proper conversation. With you, he was reserved and you were the same with him. Neither of you would open up. 
.
You had been home since the meeting at the Beaumonts' place. You were going over the spending for the month, what was in savings, and what were the allowances. You were in your own office, like a hermit. Most days you wouldn’t dare to come out ‘til supper. There was no reason to stroll, but now you wanted to explore art galleries. You were looking down at the finance book, how much money should be put away for artwork? How much did it cost to be a patron?
You could send a letter to some ladies, but you know how judgemental they are. You could ask your head maid to do some digging on others. You were reading about the art world, trying to get as much information as possible.
You had been alone for a while when someone entered the room. You didn’t pay it too much attention at first until a shadow had loomed over you. You looked up to meet the eyes of your husband. 
“To what do I owe the pleasure of seeing you this late in my office?” You gave him a smile reaching out your hand. He took it and placed a small kiss. It was a flirty gesture you made at him, but a large smile reciprocated it. 
“I hope you will be this public for our upcoming ball.” You raised your eyebrows at his words. Hyunggu wasn’t a social type of person. 
“A ball? Us? We barely attend others, and you want me to host?” You added a bit of a playful tone in your voice even though the matter was serious. Your fake concern was seen, but not spoken on. Although it was true, you did not attend many balls when the two of you married. People didn’t see you and Hyunngy together outside in public often. This would be a first. “I was hoping for a change. I want to present our name as something grand. I am sure you can handle hosting”
You hummed for a bit. “I can handle hosting and planning, but can you handle all the aristocrats? They can be quite annoying.” No matter how much you wanted to add to a pet name, you held yourself back. He hadn’t gone that far with you, and you wouldn’t with him.
“I can’t wait to see how you pull it together. It is in a month. That should give you enough time.” He gave you one final smile before he left the room. He didn’t prolong the conversation, but you wanted him to. The conversation was a bit longer, and you thought you had kept the mood up. So why didn’t Hyunggu talk to you for just a little while longer? He seriously drove you crazy.
.
You were busy the rest of the week trying to design some theme for your home and party. You were still hung up on the artistic style of rococo and decided to go with that as a theme. It was a new and upcoming style. It would make the two of you seem more stylish than you gave off. And you had to budget the whole ball plus the gowns. To you– that was the most important part of the event. It would probably cost more than the catering and cake. 
You knew one thing for certain, you were going to be locked inside your office for the rest of the day. 
The ball rolled around, and you were exhausted from all the planning. You had your maids help her get ready, the dress, the makeup, the hair. There was a sense of pride when you walked downstairs and saw the array of flowers and colors of pastels. Some of the paintings that you ordered have come and were displayed. 
Your husband walked up to you, “It looks amazing such as you do.” You smiled. You felt flattered. 
“Thank you.” 
You sat on a couch sipping tea while watching your husband converse with others. It was a big party with a large guest list. You thought that you were in over your head inviting people that were of a higher class than you. Especially this one noble family. Their son was best friends with the prince. You didn’t expect them to arrive, but it still was a way to get your name out there. 
Your made rushed to you whispering in your ear that they had arrived. You jolted up, the excitement was too much. You followed the maid to where. You were too stunned to speak just follow. It felt like there was no possible way that this man could be in your house right now. 
You walked up to him, still beaming with excitement. “Nice to meet you, Mr Lee. Thank you for coming to my event tonight.” When you looked up at him you could feel your heart beating faster. He had a sweet puppy-like face and was too handsome. Now you were glad he came to your event. 
“Now that I’ve met you, I can say that I’ve come for a good cause.” He reached out his hand to your own slowly bending down to kiss it without making eye contact. There was heat in your cheeks. “Why don’t you show me around your lovely home?”  There was a look in his eye, something of interest. 
.
You showed him around your house, ending up in your private library on a couch. The two of you were laughing. You had to say, he got some good conversation out of you. The more you two drank, the more handsy Hui had gotten. His hands hovering above your own and his eyes rarely broke contact with your own. You sucked in a breath before you took another sip of champagne. It had already been late when Hui arrived at the party, heavens knows what time it is now. 
The two of you were still in deep conversation when your maid slipped into the room looking a bit nervous. She tapped you on the shoulder. “Erm… I just wanted to (warn) tell you that your husband has been looking for you and is headed to the library. Most of the guests have left by now.” 
You brushed it off waving your hand in the air, “It’s probably about the clean-up and what to do next.” You had a smile on your face with a pink tint on your cheeks. It was Hyunggu and he didn’t talk much to you. He only spoke business because, technically, you were part of his business image. 
“Oh dear, does that mean I have to part ways with you already? I thought we were just getting started,” Hui added as he snuck his hand under your own and laid a kiss upon it once more. He had an enamored look in his eyes now like he got a taste of what he was looking for. 
The made to you two was once again a ghost, and nothing else existed but the sound of your voices and the heat between your bodies. The only thing that would break the trance would be two hands on your shoulders. Surprised, you looked behind you to find Hyunggu. “Oh, Dear! You have to meet my new friend. He says my home is lovely and–”
“I'm sure our home is lovely, you designed it after all, but shouldn’t I be the one to talk business with the man, I am the husband.” He didn’t leave much room for you to respond, tightening his grip on your shoulders. You spoke no more. 
“Ah, we should soon. Let’s make a date where I can come over again.” Hui had a smug look that anyone could mistake for liquor. But the way that Hui made a quick glance at you, made your heart skip a beat.
“You’re right. Tonight has already gone too far. I’ll walk you to the door.” Hui stood up and you watched him. Hyunggu had finally lifted his harsh grip from your shoulders. You stood up as well, but the men were already half out of the door. Hui looked back at you and gave you a wink with a soft smile. 
.
You had returned to your room undressing, bathing, dressing, and slipping into bed with a book. Hui gave you a recommendation from your library, and you promised to read it. You had walked around the library with Hui before sitting down and talking. Hui was an observer, the way he watched you talk, and the way he examined the room. While the two of you walked around the book collection, he suddenly pulled out a book and gave it to you. You smiled to yourself holding the book to your chest. There was a knock at your door that interrupted your flashback– or shall I say daydream. “Come in.” You said in a soft voice to the person on the other side of the door. 
Hyunggu opened it, only now you were able to see his eyes. Angry, almost, but for a reason that you don’t know. You only turned to him to see who walked into your room, then turned back to your book. 
Your husband bored you and to you, whatever he was going to say would not make it any better, so you went back to your book. You heard him sigh, maybe it was the stress from hosting such a huge party. You flipped the page. 
“Do you have any shame?” Hyunggu said in a slightly irritated voice. It was clear he was trying to hold himself back, but the venom slipped through the cracks. 
“What?” You said now putting your book aside. You looked directly at him. 
“You disappear for half of the night into some secluded room, and you don’t think people will talk. Especially with that man’s ties with the prince?!” There was urgency in Hyunggu’s voice. He ran his hands through his hair. He was still angry, now you looked at him, analyzing him. He hadn’t changed from his attire from the part. He looked like he had been sweaty. You were sure it had been some time since Hyunggu walked Hui out the front door. So what had he been doing since then? 
Either way, he was coming for you, almost accusing you of adultery. Sure, you didn’t like Hyunggu as a husband, but you did have some respect for the man. “So this is about image? Because if it is–”
“It’s not about image it’s about the fact that my WIFE was gone half of the night and I didn’t even have an answer as to where you were. God, I had to ask your maid for an idea. The event went well if people weren’t asking for your appearance half of the damn time.”
“You don’t like me by your side if you mind me reminding you.”
“And when I did seem to find you when everyone else was gone, you were with a man. A man? What do you think about how he thinks of me now? So oblivious that I can allow my wife to slip away? “ He didn’t even hear your statement. He was ignoring you just blabbering on and then he got to the part about Hui’s glances. “He was looking you up and down undressing you with his eyes. In my house! He was thinking of undressing YOU. IN. MY. HOUSE.” 
“Have you been drinking, Hyunggu?” You said without giving too much thought to what was coming out of your mouth. You were starting to become concerned. 
“THATS NOT IMPORTANT.” Hyunggu was pacing around the room now. He was in over his head angry. A part of you was scared. This normally quiet man of your husband was now yelling in your bedroom. 
“I think you need to calm down.” You said with a little more urge in your voice. You were ready for him to leave and didn't know how to calm Hyunggu down. He was still walking back and forth when you got up from your bed walking toward him. You cupped his face, “You need to calm down.” You spoke softly to him, looking into his eyes. “Okay?” He looked back in yours before he ripped his face out of your grasp, and stormed out of the room slamming the doors. 
You didn’t sleep that night, the book acted as a source of comfort.
You had been avoiding meeting hyunggu ever since the incident in your room. Dinner was the only time that you couldn’t escape from him. Neither of you had spoken either. You avoided eye contact from him, or read your book at the dinner table. 
You awaited Hui’s return, but perhaps he did not mean it when he said he would visit again. You spent your time in your drawing room, embroidering, reading, painting, and anything to pass the time. Going on strolls in the garden behind your house was your new favorite pastime. It felt more and more empty with every day, and you asked for more flowers and asked for more statues. You needed something more than an empty garden.   
You searched for some type of fulfillment for your boredom. You frequented as many teas and balls as you could in hopes of running into Hui again. Especially at balls, since you had met him on your own. It was a new move trying to go to all of the events of the social season since you weren’t that high of a noble. You needed the connections, so you had the ball in the first place, but you didn’t see much of a chance moving up in the ranks. 
You did get the attention of many of the lady’s husbands, which got you somewhere in mentioning your husband. Even though you were not interested in Hyunggu as much, you still had to stick by him. Who else was going to support your endeavors in art? You could think of one person but still could not find him anywhere.
.
You were getting ready for another ball you frequented with or without your husband. Sometimes Hyunggu would “tag along” for the connections that were there. This ball in particular, Hyunggu did not fancy it at all. You didn’t hear anything from the staff about him getting ready or wanting to go.
You left your estate feeling free since there wouldn’t be someone’s (hyunggu’s) eyes on you all night. You walked into the ball, the lights were dim creating a sense of ambiance. You wandered about most of the ball. You weren’t much of a dancer, but more of a socialite. 
You were laughing with one of the ladies you usually have tea with when someone tapped you on the shoulder. You turned yourself around and met Hui’s eyes. You curtsied to him, and he took your hand again to kiss it. His lips left a small fire burning on your hand for the rest of the night. “I have not seen you in so long.” You smiled up at him. You wanted to say that you missed him, but it felt like too much. 
“I am not an easy man to come across.” He had a sly look on his face as if he had won something. He held onto your hand escorting you somewhere more quiet, like before. You could tell he liked his privacy. 
“I can tell, you never called when you say you would.” You remarked in a slightly pouty tone. You would not give him too much, not yet at least. “At this point, you are just... teasing” You looked up into his eyes looking for something, and was met with a soft smile. 
“I did not think even if I were to call, that your husband would accept it. I am glad you felt the same way I have.” His hands lingered on yours, holding them. The two of you were outside in the garden. The sky was clear and full of stars. 
“What feeling do we share?” You asked inching towards him. The moonlight only made him look more dreamy. 
“The feeling of something igniting every time your skin touched. The passion.” His hands holding your upper arm. “That is why you were looking for me again, is it not?”
“You looked down at your own hands, “That is why. I do miss your company and our conversation. Which is why I wish you could visit me in my garden. It is empty, almost like my house. Like my heart when you are not next to me.” 
He tucked a hair behind your ear as an excuse to hold your face. “Then I will meet you in that garden.” He leaned in to kiss you, and it was soft. You leaned more into him grabbing him by his waist, and he grabbed you by yours in return. You smiled into the kiss, as he ran his hands up into your hair. 
He pushed you up against the wall, as the two of you became breathless. His hands were still in your hair tugging at it making the kiss deeper. He pulled away after a few moments trying to catch his breath. “We both can’t continue this here nor today.” Hui was looking down at the ground. His hands were on his hips as he thought of a solution to both of your dilemmas. “I shall have to visit your garden sometime…” Hui said, looking at you with a smile. 
“We should get back to the ball now before we are missed.” You replied and linked your arm with his. The two of you walked back to the ball to enjoy the rest of your night dancing and talking with Hui. You enjoyed his company more than Hyunggu’s. You felt like you had known Hui for an entire lifetime. 
.
You spent more and more time in the garden. New flowers were blossoming, and your statues came in. There was one you put on a pedestal– an angel. He looked like he was sitting and had a finger in front of his mouth hushing. Two other statues sat on the ground. They were angels, one hugging the other. You smiled to yourself proud of the way you had decorated the garden, but it was missing something.  The trees around your garden looked overgrown. The biggest tree had a branch that seemed to curl into itself. You couldn’t put to your mind what you were missing just yet. You walked around more of your garden seeing where else you could put statues. You had a thing for putti, the little devious angles that were found everywhere. It was too cute and fitting for Hyunggu’s job. 
You smiled to yourself looking over at your garden one last time. You turned to head back to your estate when your maid ran to you with a letter in her hand. “A.. Letter… from Marquis Lee.” As soon as those words left her mouth you beamed and ran to her to retrieve the letter. Your two dogs barked in the back of her. One was a brown and white cocker spaniel who was perfectly groomed and a Coton de Tulear, who was more energetic. Coco, who was the white puppy, and Ava, who was the brown and white puppy both ran up to you before you could get your hands on the letter. You giggled playing with the puppies, for a moment before making sure to take the letter and shove it into a pocket of your dress for safekeeping. You continued to run around the garden playing fetch with the puppies. 
You had been out there for somewhat of an hour when you felt someone’s eyes on you. You turned around to see Hyunngu leaning on a pole of your veranda. He had a soft smile for a moment before he got caught. He made his way towards you, and you called the dogs to your side as you walked to meet up with him. “Did you need my presence?” You said as you curtseyed a little at him.
“No, but you can say it was missed. You are usually inside.” Hyunggu said as he looked around at your backyard. It had changed since the last time he had been back here. It bloomed with your taste and creativity. He allowed himself to smile, admiring what you did to the place. “I think I know what your garden is missing… I shall order it and have it installed.”
“I already have more statues on the way,” you said. You guessed earlier that the garden missed more statues. Your garden needed a story of itself to tell, and to you, statues would fix that. 
Hyunggu chuckled a little, “No not that. Something else. Exotic, but I think you will enjoy it.” He nodded to himself before looking down at the two pups following you. “Seems that you liked my wedding gifts as well.” He felt proud of himself with that one. 
“I have grown attached to them, yes.” You answered Hyunngu bending down to ruffle Coco’s soft white furr. Dogs were often a gift in marriage as a symbol of loyalty. Given to a woman for the expectation of her loyalty. You knew that and so did he. Coco and Ava were a symbol of what you were meant to be as a woman. Sometimes you loved them but hated them for the reason they were here. “I shall see you at dinner,” you said with a smile and a curtsey to excuse yourself. Once again, you called the dogs after you while heading inside. It was time to read your letter.
And write a new one you would send in secret.
.
You almost fell asleep at your desk with all of the drafts you had written to Hui. You wanted to sound smart and eloquent, but you could not seem to get the right tone down. You groaned in frustration, throwing yourself back in your chair. His words were so sweet and rolled off the page like melting wax with a cherry scent. How could you ever match up with that? How could you make him feel like he’d be melting off of a small piece of paper?
In the back of the garden, there lies a pathway leading to a woman with her angel of a child. Next to her is a pedestal of our own, where our love can grow taller than any tree in my garden. We will make the flora around us bloom continuously. 
At the end, you signed your name. You wished to meet him there in that spot, on that same pedestal. You wished to steal another kiss from his soft lips and feel the way he held you. You found yourself with your hands in your hair, soothing it and slightly tugging on it just the way he did. Your hands trailed to your lips, brushing your fingers across them softly. A smile fell upon your lips reminiscing the one kiss you shared with him, that made every fiber of your body burn even a couple of days after. You leaned back in your chair sighing from the satisfaction of your daydream. You stayed like that for moments upon a time, just thinking how it would be if Hui could have courted you. When you were satisfied with the tiny scenarios you opened your eyes. You still needed to seal the letter that sat on your desk. You melted the wax and bored it onto the folded paper before you pressed the wax seal on it. It was your old one– before you were associated with Hyunggu. It was personal and just… you. Just you and him. 
You hid the letter you had written for Hui in between a textbook, for safekeeping. The one he wrote you needed a special place in your room. You could go shopping the next day for boxes, but for now, the best place to keep the letter would be close to you. You crawled into bed, taking the letter with you, sliding into the covers, and sliding the letter under your pillow. 
.
You sat at the dining table dressed up ready to go get some more writing supplies along with a box for yourself. Something about it just made you feel so giddy about the idea of getting to exchange letters with Hui back and forth. Even though you prefer to speak to him face-to-face letters would have to do. You wouldn’t want Hyunngu to become as frustrated as he was the night of the ball. Nor would Hyunggu ever let Hui set foot on his property. Letters were still personal, but not as intimate. 
Hyunggu had been acting differently since the night he came into your room. He had been softer in a way, and trying to connect with you more. He would try and match up the time the two of you had meals, he would try to meet you in the library acting as if he needed a book, and the way he came in the garden the day before. The gift he mentioned, you wondered why he would possibly want to get you a gift and what even was the gift. Hyunggu was still three-quarters of a mystery to you. You broke fast talking with your maid about what stores you wanted to visit, and if there was anything new that you had not seen before. 
Hyunggu walked into the room, and you quieted down in front of him. You looked up to see him smiling so early in the morning. He walked up to you to where you were sitting, “I am going to have something being installed today. You are going to be out today, correct?” 
You nodded at him replying, “I am.” You took another bite of your food to postpone talking to him. Hyunggu stared down at you a small smile still on his lips. You looked up at him, there was something more that he wanted to say to you or wanted to do. You noticed the way his fingers twitched at the side of him. “So I suppose you better have it installed before I come home. So I should take my time out today.” 
.
You hadn’t checked the garden to see what was installed when you came home, not when you received another letter so fast. The rest of the afternoon was sent in your room drafting yet another letter. The day had gone by so fast that by the time you looked outside your window, it was already late at night and there was no use to go outside. Hui had mentioned how he would come by soon to that pedestal and how your love story would grow. 
There was a knock at your door in the middle of the night. You had called your maid to come retrieve the letter and have it sent off as soon as possible. Hyunggu peered his head through the door before a sound could come out of your mouth. You coughed a bit slipping the letter under other documents and books. You plastered a fake smile on your face sitting with your legs crossed. You were leaning against your desk wearing only a nightgown. Hyunggu let himself in your room, “You never visited the garden today… Did you catch something while you were out in town?” His head tilted to the side as he walked closer towards you. “You did not eat dinner either. I was worried about you.” Hyunggu’s hand fell upon your cheek and traveled to your chin lifting it. 
You cleared your throat once more. “I apologize, when I came home I was feeling too well. I retreated to my room for some rest. I hope you were not offended.” Hyunggu smiled. His hand left your chin and went up to your forehead. His other hand went up to his. 
“You do feel a bit warm. Shall I call our  physician?” You shook your head slightly. You could not be more of a bother to him, nor did you seek his attention. You used to try everything to get him to look at you. You had suspected that this had something to do with Hui. Ever since Hyunggu found you in the library smiling, laughing, and talking with Hui, something inside Hyunggu flipped. Hyunggu visiting you in the middle of the night is rare. He did visit you a few times on the topic of financial matters, but nothing more than business. “Alright,” He replied letting his hands fall to his side. “But you should rest nonetheless, so you can feel better in the morning. I will be there to break your fast with you as well.”  Hyunggu leaned in to kiss your temple before leaving your room. 
You felt stunned by the sudden affection from your husband. You touched the place he kissed on your forehead. You bit your lip and called in your maid to give her the letter. Your sentences were short, telling her to send the letter out and that you would spend the entire day outside tomorrow. When she left you could barely fall asleep drumming your fingers in your chest. Your head played back to the kiss on your forehead from Hyunggu, then to the kiss you shared with Hui in the garden.  
..
The next morning felt brighter than the rest. You would find a surprise in the garden, and hopefully have a surprise visit from your so-called lover. The day was quiet and bright with a subtle breeze flowing through an open window. You had eaten with Hyunggu earlier that morning, and you could still not get over how he smiled at you. He held your hand and walked you to the garden that bright morning. 
He showed you the swing, tied by a thick rope into the three. It was gold with a velvet seat. It almost looked like a throne he got only for you. Hyunggu had lifted you from your waist to sit you in the swing. He held his hands in yours gripping the rope and pulling you back on the swing. He pushed the two of you forward. It felt like a moment that could be frozen and displayed for eternity. The way you flew through the air was a different type of magic. The sound of his laughter rang in your ears. He sounded so pure, so childlike. It was different from the way you knew him before. Everything had changed so fast in such little time. You two stayed in that moment that could have been taken out of a fairytale before a butler called him into the house to work on some matters. He caught the swing to slow it down so you could get off. He helped you off, holding your hand and giving it a peck before bidding you adieu. 
A pinch of guilt was felt in your stomach, the feeling that you betrayed Hyunggu. Even though your vows weren’t genuine, they still existed. You strolled through the garden, fingertips grazing the blooming petals around you. The way Hyunggu kissed you by your hand, took you aback to the way Hui kissed your hand. And soon enough, you were thinking of the way he kissed your lips. Flashes of scenes of the past two to three weeks ran through your mind. You sat and thought on a ledge of a wall. You closed your eyes to feel the breeze and the way the sun made parts of your skin tingle and warm. The sun felt like there was a second embrace hugging you and comforting you through your thoughts. The warmth helped with the loneliness that you felt, till the warmth was gone and you were cast in a shadow. 
You opened your eyes slowly, slightly afraid of what your eyes would meet as soon as they were introduced to the outside world. Hui whispered softly, “I know this wasn’t the place we were supposed to meet, but I hope you don’t mind.” You smiled and scooted over patting a seat for Hui to sit.
“I don’t mind at all. I am grateful you saved me from loneliness on this beautiful day.” You laid your head on his shoulder, your smile growing by the seconds. The two of you were deep in the garden of your estate, hidden by the numerous flowers around you. The sweet aroma of the flora filled the two of you with romance. Hui had an arm around you, and his other holding your hand. “I read the book you recommended to me.” You said in a soft whisper.
“Do you think I have good taste?” The arm over your shoulder drew circles on your forearm. The two of you were looking ahead as if there was nowhere else to look, nothing else to do, and nothing more to say. 
“I think we both know the answer to that question”. You laughed a little, letting your eyes crease, relaxing and acting naturally with Hui. You turned your head to look at him and gave him a small peck on his cheek. The creases on the corner of his eyes soon mirrored your own. He leaned down trying to give you a proper kiss. Being playful, you quickly switched out your lips for a flower before running off. You threw the flower to the side once Hui realized what was touching his lips. You were on your feet, running around the garden while Hui sprung off of his seat behind you to chase you. The sounds of your giggles filled the air as Hui continued to catch up with you. He tackled you into a patch of grass, he nuzzled into your neck starting to peck you. Hui attacked you with kisses all over your face and neck while you squealed trying to escape him. 
The rest of the day went by quickly with mostly chatting, soft touches, and short kisses. It was a fever dream, an idea that you could escape your marriage in your magical garden. You had dinner with Hyunggu that night barely looking up to meet his face. There was guilt that beat the smile off of your face. You stared down at your food, watching it slowly get cold. You also couldn’t bring yourself to hold the fork to your mouth, not in his presence. “Was there something I did that was wrong today? I’m sorry that I could not stay outside with you. And because of that interruption, I have some news for you. I will have to leave the estate for some business out of state for a while– I shouldn’t be too long. Three weeks to a month.” You looked at him blankly, not knowing what to say. “I know this is a lot and sudden.”
There was nothing you could think to say to him. Guilt began to fill your mouth, trying to force its way out. “It is, I hope it goes well.” A nice quick reply would do for now. You didn’t mind him being gone when he was barely there initially. Only just recently did he start making an appearance in your life. Still, Hyunggu had the title of your husband, and that was enough to make you feel a bit of guilt. 
.
By the next day, Hyunngu was packed up and gone from the estate. You made the most of the time having the place to yourself. More talks in the garden lead to talks in the library and many things behind closed doors. Carelessness filled your head as you let Hui inside your room, for a break from the sun. Really, it was so that you wouldn’t sweat under the layers of clothing when he touched you. You could be free from worry, and clothing. Hui held your face kissing you with passion he had not shown you before. He had nothing to hide anymore, not his passion for you. You held his shoulders for support as he kissed down to your neck trying to pry open your bodice. You helped him take off your dress, smiling and giggling with him. Hui took care of himself as you got comfortable on the bed. Who knew sex could be so fun when you add a bit of passion and the joy of eating the forbidden fruit? Hui’s lips were on you in an instant, his hand on your thigh soothing it. He made room for himself in between your legs, while his kisses trailed down your body. He worshiped you, every inch of your skin was left on fire after his kisses. When his face reached your heat he looked up at you. Hui’s eyes were glistening by the candlelight. “May I, my dear?”, he asked licking his lips.
“You may,” was all you needed to say before his lips were attached to your clit lapping and kissing like he wasn’t going to be able to do this again. His hands squeezed at your thighs, to keep you from closing in on him. His breath was hot against your cunt, as he gasped for air. You moaned as you felt his tongue enter you. You grasped his hair, whimpering as he sped up this pace. You were so close to your release, holding onto your sheets for dear life as your legs shook. You came with a screech, closing your legs around Hui’s head. He continued to lap up your cum, rubbing his thumb on your inner thigh. Your breathing was heavy as you ran your hand through your hair. 
     Hui detached himself from you, only to kiss you. He was murmuring something you couldn’t hear. You could feel Hui’s hard against your thigh. You helped guide him towards your entrance, needy for what more pleasure he would bring you. He pushed in with a deep kiss on your lips. He was slow at first so you could get used to him. He pulled back to look at you, and you stared at him with all of your combined beauty. You pulled him into a kiss with such passion urging him to quicken his pace. Hui bit at your lip pulling it while he quickened his pace. You could feel him drawing near as he began to let out moans of pleasure. You kissed his neck biting it and sucking at it trying to draw him closer. Hui came with a shaky moan, falling on top of you and leaving small kisses. The rest of the afternoon was a blur. 
.
You had been so caught up in your new love affair, that Hyunggu was coming home sooner than expected. The house seemed buzzing, with gossip about the past week and preparations. You tried to control as much of the gossip as you could. It was bad that you only felt guilty after the fact that you had done something. Your maid had come with a letter from Hui, and you rushed to put it in a chest that you kept. This whole ordeal made you nervous, even though you had put yourself in a hole. You barely loved Hyunggu, so what was this sinking feeling in your chest? You waited in your room for Hyunggu to arrive home. You cross-stitched until there was a knock at your bedroom door. You opened it to see Hui smiling back at you looking a bit frantic. You hadn’t read the letter he sent you earlier. Moments later you heard the commotion of unpacking in the house.
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itsjustmarwa · 11 months
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i NEED pentagon blogs. does anyone know some?
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gnwwkks2 · 1 year
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A Sweet Coincidence (Idol!Gunwook x F!Reader) Chapter 0: Before Then
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It was early February, the air was chilled and there was freshly fallen snow on the ground. The sky was a dull gray color and the wind was picking up at a rather uncomfortable speed. Contrasting to the weather outside, the dimly lit apartment was warm, the scent of hot chocolate and cookies were fresh in the air. If you looked around, it was a cozy little environment, at first glance you would have barely even spotted the girl cuddled up in her blankets on the couch. Her eyes were focused on her tv screen, her breathing even and steady, her hands were starting to fidget. 
there were three minutes left,
then two,
then one,
then it started. 
The intro of an unfamiliar show rang through the room, the girl stared at the screen as the narrator spoke his words and prefaces. When the episode finally started, the screen read “Boys Planet.” Y/n had been very excited to watch this show that had been upcoming for months. The trainees were announced months ago and she had already found many of them interesting due to their one minute pr videos.  As the episode came and went she thought back to everything she had just witnessed. All of the first audition performances played back in her mind, but one really stuck with her, along with a specific trainee. She had seen this guy before, she couldn't exactly remember where she had though. No, we aren't talking about contestants like Hui from Pentagon, Hwanhee and Dongyeol from Up10tion, Keita from Ciipher, and the Nine.i members, not even the previous members of TOO. She had seen this trainee before, not from being in a group, or acting, or modeling, but somewhere else. 
And then it hit her, it was a different survival show.
She racked her brain through the many different survival shows she had watched through the years, which one was it, where had she seen him? Oh, it was that one, ‘Wild Idol.’ 
Park Gunwook, from ‘Wild Idol’, you had watched this show ages ago, thinking back to that time, she remembered that she really liked and was rooting for him, how could she have forgotten him? You grabbed your phone and opened your gallery. You scroll back to when the show was airing and low and behold there were pictures of Gunwook and multiple pictures of drawings you had done of him.
Scrolling through all of them you came across many things you had forgotten about, including everything you had previously known about Gunwook. All of those thoughts that were hidden deep in your backroom files of your brain came flooding back. No wonder the young male had made such a big impact on you through his pr video and the first episode. Though it had seemed as if his persona had changed, a lot. He was way more confident and it seemed like he had matured so much, a lot can happen in just two years though. When his past show was airing, you found him absolutely adorable, but this time around he was way more attractive to you. 
Just like before the way that he performed showed exactly what he was capable of. He was talented, very talented, and the rest of the contestants on the show seemed to think the same due to the reactions they had when he was announced to be a three star. Even though he was ranked lower than everyone thought he would, it did not mean anything, he was still a talented kid that was not to be messed with. He impresses you. You admire him, not just as an idol, but as a person, a performer. His personality was just insanely likable, his passion could be felt through the screen, and his talent could ot be ignored. All of that plus his amazing looks, his build and his smile, 
And just like that, you were whipped for Park Gunwook for the second time in your life. 
It's crazy how fast someone can fall, and of course you fully believed that you would never be anything more than just his fan. Someone who supports him in everything he does, someone who buys his merch so they would chart higher. That's who you were, and who you always would be, just his fan. It seemed like it lasted forever, but in just a short amount of time, ‘Boys Planet’ was over and Gunwook was selected to be a part of the debut group ‘ZeroBaseOne’. Voting for him everyday for months on end was something you would never regret, and spreading your fanart got you quite a large following on your socials. You were now known as ‘that one gunwook fan, that really good artist.’ ZB1 had performed, met fans, filmed content, all of that leading up to their debut, oh their debut, it was wonderful. 
‘In Bloom’ 
What a perfect song, with perfect lyrics, and with not so perfect line distribution. It stood out, their whole album stood out, it broke records, they broke records. 
“The more I run to you everyday, The harder it becomes to stop.” That line, Gunwook’s line, details exactly how you feel. You will never stop running towards him, supporting him, loving him from afar. It’s a sad thing, something you would never wish upon another. You knew, you knew damn well you would always just be his fan, and you were okay with that ultimately, but somewhere inside, it hurt. 
Second after second, minute after minute, hour after hour, and day after day, you supported him and Zb1 with everything you had. And in that time you had found a mostly unknown but cozy cafe that you had spent most on your time in. Most of it consisted of drawing fanart for Zerobaseone, mostly gunwook. 
Little did you know that on one day, one summer day, things would flip upside down. Cliché, I know, but this is meant to be cliché. 
That day, he walked in. 
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I really hope you enjoyed this first little chapter!
taglist is open!
taglist: @jiaant11 @sunlisstuff
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huipinkhair · 1 year
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Introverts - Zhang Hao x Reader
Zhang Hao x gn!reader
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Synopsis - Zhang Hao was made the student council vice president against his will, when all he wanted was to get through high school quietly. He found himself drawn to the shy member of a student-made band, and has been crushing on them for months. He knows he needs to get his shit together before they graduate and go their separate ways, but doesn’t know if he can break out of his shell in time, or even bother at all.
Featuring - some zerobaseone members, some boys planet trainees, Choi Yujin of Kep1er, Hui of Pentagon
Genre - high school au, smau, two introverts who don’t know how to handle feelings, fluff, bit of angst? maybe
Warnings - cursing, jokes around death/crimes Kms/kys, my stupid humour idk - more added if needed
Status - COMPLETED!
Profiles - Y/N's Support Group | Student Council & Co.
Tag list - @hwangsm1le @zerobaseonefics @mins-fins @kpoprhia @haesunflower @big-uwu-stan @harus-simp @seungminiesgf @cherriegyu
Teaser 1 - Twitter Timeline | Teaser 2 - in the GC’s
Chapters -
1 - Image of a jackass
2 - What the fuck do I do
3 - Hao did it go?
4 - Party Time People (Not confident on this one pls be nice)
4.5 - The Monday After
5 - Stressing and Sweating
6 - What’re you so smiley about?
7 - That’s what prom dates do, right?
Final - Look at me, Y/N~
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yuthoe · 1 year
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Fatigued (PENTAGON: Hui)
after a quick look at my last fic post, i realized that it's been a little more than a year since i last posted any original thing from me lmaooo
i still have an unfinished vampire!wonho fic but i keep getting stuck cuz writing smut is haaaard. so since i have downtime from our workshop i decided to finish this, so i'm sorry if it seems like the ending is rushed. this one is still super tame compared to the others i have mapped out (as far as angst goes, this is not the heaviest one lol) so i hope y'all look out for those
PAIRING: Hui (Lee Hoetaek) x gn!reader. GENRE: fic, general, angst. WARNINGS: vampire!au—contains mentions of blood. WORD COUNT: 1,697.
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Hoetaek closes the door to his apartment quietly, slinging the strap of his crossbody off his shoulder and carefully setting it on the floor of the entryway before toeing off his shoes. In his other hand he holds a rectangular insulated bag, small enough to not be conspicuous, but big enough to fit his refills if they’re packed right.
It’s the first time he’s come home to his apartment in a week, cooped up in his studio composing songs, fixing demos, struggling with lyrics. It was only the notification from his phone reminding him of his appointment at the hospital that got him to get up and fix the clutter around the room.
Now he tiredly carries the insulated bag into the kitchen, propping the fridge door open with his leg and opening the zip of the bag carefully.
The blood bags are carefully packed into the container—enough for around two weeks. Hoetaek doesn't need to feed often (he's gotten a good handle on his thirst throughout the decades), but he still regulates his feeding times so he doesn’t burn through them all in one sitting. Before he holed himself up in the studio, he made a point to stock his body up on nutrients so he didn’t have to bring any bags to clutter up the mini-fridge there.
Hoetaek sighs, blinks hard a few times to clear the daze out of his eyes so he can store the bags properly at the back of the fridge, but giving up quickly. He’s dizzy, sleepy, bone-tired, and frankly a little smelly from working non-stop these past few days. Before he passes out from exhaustion, he decides to just dump the refills onto the only empty space near the front of the fridge. A nice, hot shower and a soak in the bath is in order.
He dumps the now empty bag on the countertop and makes a quick stop to the bedroom to fetch his towel, before heading to the bathroom. Along the way, he taps on his phone with one hand, typing out a quick text to you. 
Hey, honey. I'm back at the apartment. Gonna take a quick shower, but you can come in anytime. 
Hoetaek leaves his phone on the counter top, and inch by inch relaxes as he settles into his bath time routine.
The bath is steamy when he finishes an hour later, refreshed and ready to take a much-deserved break. He whistles as he pads barefoot to the bedroom to change into the soft and comfy pajamas you gave him recently. When he finally finishes dressing and doing his minimal skincare routine, he steps out to the living area and sees you seated on the small couch.
“Oh, hi, babe! Didn’t hear you come in.” A lie. He heard it loud and clear when his phone buzzed on the counter midway through his shower; heard the quiet thud of the door and the lock fastening on the latch when you came in; heard the shuffling of your feet as you walked around the apartment in your house slippers; heard you rifling through the kitchen and the fridge looking for food or something to make a light meal with because he knows you like cooking for him after he’s had a tough day at work.
Cat’s out of the bag, as far as Hoetaek is concerned—you definitely saw the blood bags in the refrigerator. He is just delaying the inevitable at this point, refusing to acknowledge that he knows about your discovery and the worried and suspicious look on your face as you sit in silence.
“Yeah, I got in around fifteen minutes ago,” you say. He notes the way you twiddle your thumbs in your lap, looking away quickly to make a beeline to the kitchenette. It’s clean, just the way he left it an hour before, with no signs of anyone attempting to cook anything. Hoetaek figures you were too shaken by what you saw and gave up trying to whip something up and pretend everything is fine.
It is with a quiet resignation that he reaches into a cupboard for an opaque mug and rummages in the fridge for a blood bag, keeping his back towards you to hide him unscrewing the stopper and squeezing out the thick liquid into the mug. “Are you hungry? We can get something delivered,” he calls out, drowning out the sloshing sounds of the blood pouring out from the bag. Once he’s filled the mug almost to the rim, he screws the cap back on with practiced ease, licking his fingertips clean before stowing it back in the fridge, just on top of the pile.
Hoetaek hears you stand and pad all the way to the counter separating the kitchen from the living area as he looks for a reusable straw in one of the drawers, plopping it in the mug. “No, I’m good,” you say. The sweet taste of A-positive soaks his tongue as he takes a sip and he sighs in relief. He takes another drag through the straw before turning to face you, that worried look still on your pretty face. “Just…”
Your nails nervously tap on the faux-marble countertop. “Are you okay, Hoetaek? Are you sick or something?”
He holds the cooling mug tightly in both hands, shrugs. “What do you mean?”
You worry your bottom lip between your teeth. “I… I saw blood bags. In the fridge.” And then you start rambling. “I was just looking for something to cook for you because I know you’ve been at the studio working the whole week and figured you might want a salad or noodles or something. I didn’t mean to see—they were just there and I thought it was a pile of, I don’t know berry flavored jelly, I guess? But then I flipped one over and realized it’s blood and it had the label and everything, so I freaked out because how did you get that much blood and what are you gonna use all of it for?? Now, I’m concerned and worried and just a little bit freaked out about this whole thing.” Your fingers continued tapping a staccato rhythm as you talked, and finally still when you stop to catch a breath.
The mug almost falls out of Hoetaek’s hands as he regards you with shining eyes. He’d been lying to you, keeping such a big part of himself a secret from you for years. He can tell himself that he did it to protect you, to keep you away from the uglier side of him, but that’s not the whole truth. The fact of the matter is, Hoetaek is just scared; he is scared that you’ll just run off when the truth comes to light and he doesn’t think he can handle that.
The vampire sets the mug down on the counter next to the refrigerator, the contents well out of your sight, before standing in front of you. He lets the marble island between you act as a barrier, even as he takes both your hands in his. His thumbs smooth across your skin, teeth biting at his lip as he tries to find the right words.
“Babe… Thank you for worrying,” he finally starts. “But you didn’t need to. I’m not sick, although I know you get concerned that I’m too pale sometimes, but that’s just because I’m cooped up in the studio a lot.” He chuckles, and sees a corner of your mouth twitch upwards. He takes a deep breath before continuing. “We’ve been together for almost three years. And considering that I plan to get on your nerves for the foreseeable future, I suppose I need to be straight with you.
“I’m…” He takes a deep breath. “Well, to put it simply, I’m not human. I’m a vampire and I drink blood. I was born in the late 1890s, but I’ve been 30 for around eighty years or so.” He watches your face, looking for any sign of disgust or apprehension in the lines on your forehead. “I know this is a lot, and I’m not expecting you to stay after finding out about all this. If you need a break—from me—I completely understand.”
Hoetaek squeezes your hands and is about to release them, but you tighten your grip.
“You…” Hui’s brows knit as he watches you struggle to find words. “I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything,” he replies quickly. “Take all the time you need.”
“No, it’s… I’m okay with it, I think?” You keep his hands in yours as you round the corner of the island to stand beside him. “I don’t mind that you’re a vampire, at least. I know I have questions, but I just don’t know how to word them properly, I guess?” The heat of your palms travels up as you drag them along his arms, across his shoulders, and stop to gently hold his cheeks. “I still love you, if that’s what you’re worried about,” you say. “I have no reason to stop loving you, Hoetaek.”
He squeezes your hands, knuckles white. “But…,” he whispers, voice breaking. “I’m not like you, I’m not human—I’m different… Does that not scare you?”
You look square in his eyes, searching for something in them, and then you slowly shake your head. “No. You’re you, and as far as I’m concerned, the only different thing here is that you apparently drink blood straight out of the bag. You don’t feel different, you don’t look or sound different. So you’re still my Hoetaek, right?”
Hoetaek thinks he could cry. It never crossed his mind that you would turn him away after baring himself—you have no bad bone in your body. But hearing you say so confidently that you still love him, that he’s still yours… made his long dormant heart almost beat again.
He surges forward and wraps his arms around your waist, buries his nose into your neck. (He is definitely not crying.) “I love you,” he whispers. “I love you so much.”
Hoetaek feels your head rest against his, your arms embracing him so gently, so carefully. “I love you, too. Always.”
10 notes · View notes
pentagonieslut · 2 years
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m.list !!
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lee huitaek/hoetaek (hui):
[hui's high pitched screams are in place of no works. - cube staff]
jo jinho:
ko/go shinwon:
yeo changgu (yeoone):
yanan:
[causing silent chaos somewhere, lurking]
yang hongseok:
adachi yuto/yuuto:
kang hyunggu:
[embarrased he has to match hui and shinwon, hiding]
jung wooseok:
kim hyojong (e'dawn):
i will write romance + smut for him on request. he just got out of a relationship with hyuna. be nice.
all members:
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kim hongjoong:
[ran away to the studio to work on something]
park seonghwa:
[poor mama can't catch a break]
jung wooyoung:
[he's trying to get rough-talked again because he likes it]
jeong yunho:
[him and minjae are going around and calling each other brothers]
song mingi:
[just being happy little mufasa]
kang yeosang:
[ordering as much chicken as he can]
choi san:
[being a sex demon again]
choi jongho:
[breaking apples and singing tears]
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moon taeil:
[being a grandpa, he's sick of this shit]
qian kun:
[yelling at the younger members starting from 99s-jisung]
seo johnny:
[he's eating chicago pizza and crying]
lee taeyong:
[febreezing all the fucking dorms]
kim doyoung:
[he's hiding in his room]
kim jungwoo:
[he's being a puppy to get taeyong to cook]
dong sicheng (winwin):
[running from taeil's monstrous love]
nakamoto yuta:
[eating taiyaki and sharing with shotaro]
jung jaehyun:
[he's preparing to work overtime]
chittaphon leechaiyapornkul (ten):
[ENGLISH TEN, ENGLISH NO NOT THAI]
wong yukhei/wong xuxi (lucas):
[freaking out about the discovery of nana and nearly crushing louis]
na jaemin:
[reminding lucas he's nana for the third year in a row]
xiao dejun (xiaojun):
[jasmine is really muscular]
wong kunhuang (hendery):
[he's in macau touring with big byung]
liu yangyang:
[he's freaking out in german, give him a second]
zhong chenle:
[flexing his money again]
huang renjun:
[he's planning the death of a dream member]
lee mark:
[my baby said she wanna dance she wanna leave me, huh? FUCK]
lee jeno:
[let him recover from being tied up and being ridden]
jung sungchan:
[he's playing games with your heart, i'm sorry]
lee donghyuck (haechan):
[consistent with his 37.5% show rating]
osaki shotaro:
[he's being the cutest fucking otter alive and you're here for it]
park jisung:
[he's on his way to becoming a tiktok fuckboi]
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moon hyunbin:
[casting a spell for peace, maybe?]
choi seokwon (tan):
[can put you in a chokehold but has a cute face so like- I TAP OUT]
kim byeonggun (hwi):
[cupid is making him do secretary work]
terazono keita:
[still waiting on the phone papa rain promised him]
yeom taegyun (tag):
[leave mans alone, he's doing highschool rapper 4 n stressing]
gil dohwan:
[he's yodeling..somewhere]
park sungwon (won):
[snuck out for a poetry slam]
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son seungjun (castle j):
[producing some type of track]
nam seungmin (bic):
[he's not a pen, promise]
song minjae:
[dammit minjae..you're so tall, i mistook you for yunho!]
no huijun:
[getting a black belt in taekwondo]
bang junhyuk (win):
[he's making your brain rot with his deep voice like felix]
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lee hangyul:
[putting you in a choke hold with his all day performance]
park junseo:
[he's dancing his bones off]
jeon minwook (j-min):
[trying to go to the olympics in professional flexibility]
jung gun (yoojun):
[making 'fuck you' necklaces to choke bit with]
kim hyunwoo (muzin):
[trying to meditate before he goes off]
ryu yeongseo:
[trying to become the next twice member]
na gyumin (doha):
[drawing webtoons about the chaos of this group]
noh minjae (bit):
[tormenting yoojun and j-min with cucumbers]
nam dohyon:
[auditioning for SMTM with his milk mixtape]
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lune:
[he's so pretty they're making him model schoolgirl uniforms]
heechan:
[he's being hyper again...MOOM]
e-chan:
[his mind is blank leave him alone]
yuku:
[eating dango and watchinge veryone with a happy smile]
junseo:
[lurking somewhere
D1:
[he's telling everyone he's not a athlete]
harry-june:
[flustered about something]
teo:
[working out again]
GK:
[chicken GK, chicken GK, chicken GK]
20 notes · View notes
jinkoh · 11 months
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pentagon x gn!reader
summary: you unexpectedly fall into a strange world and quickly find yourself entangled with its peculiar people—as well as their problems.
tags: alice in wonderland au, multiple routes for several members, a little madness; warnings: non-graphic descriptions of violence, mentions of blood and weapons, cruel characters (but also very sweet and fun ones—this au is less dark than it sounds...probably)
wordcount: ~13,8k
a/n: okay so this kinda became a really really huge project that i've been working on for a while and that i am very attached to so ofc i'd be really excited if you gave it a try hehe i didn't stick very close to the original material so don't be too surprised. in case you want to know who is who from the get go you can check out the character introduction, but they also all get introduced bit by bit~ do heed the warnings before reading!
series masterlist // character introduction // ptg masterlist
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The weather had been weird for days now, heavy clouds hanging in the purplish sky and a constant drizzle making puddles form in the streets. The Uncle from the car shop on the first floor said it was an omen; that something bad was approaching. Your landlady called him crazy and said it just needed a proper thunderstorm and the sunny weather would be back. But she didn’t like him much to begin with and if he wasn’t such a good tenant, for whatever that meant, she would have thrown him out long ago. You didn’t really care much for her idle talk. You were somewhat fond of the Uncle, even more so since your cat Humpty Dumpty seemed to have taken a liking to him too, visiting him in his shop, whenever he managed to sneak out of your third floor apartment.
So, when the Uncle told you to be careful in this weird weather and to keep an extra watchful eye on Humpty for the time being, you’d meant to heed his advice. 
You must have had a moment of inattention though, because when you came home after getting groceries you found your small flat to be empty. You’d forgotten to close the bathroom window and he must’ve snuck out from there. With a sigh you set the groceries down in the kitchen area before stepping out again, hoping that maybe he was just in the car shop downstairs. 
You were lucky, finding the brown animal curled up on the roof of a beige vintage car, while the Uncle himself was working beneath the car, only his legs poking out.
“Here to pick up your cat?” He asked, without coming out.
“He slipped out again,” you replied while picking Humpty up from his spot that must have been incredibly comfortable if his unsatisfied meowing was anything to go by. “Thanks for keeping an eye on him.”
The man laughed. “Felt more like he was keeping an eye on me, honestly.”
You nodded even though he couldn’t see you, watching a little longer. 
“That’s a nice car,” you commented, more to make polite conversation than anything else. You didn’t actually know anything about cars, but you did think it was a pretty one with the little hood ornament resembling the shape of an M.
“Yeah, it’s a nice one. A Ford Mercury Monarch, though I doubt you’ve suddenly taken a big interest in cars, have you?”
“Not really.” You chuckled, feeling caught. Of course he’d know that you were just being polite. “Still, it’s kinda pretty.”
“Mhm,” he hummed. 
Humpty started to fidget in your arms and you knew it was time to head upstairs if you didn’t want him to scratch you.
“I better go back.”
“Mhm,” he hummed again and you were about to leave, when he pushed himself out from under the car and eyed you seriously.
“Remember to be careful, y/n,” he reminded you once more. “I think there’ll be a storm tonight.”
Somehow the way he said it felt insinuating and sent a weird shiver down your spine. 
You swallowed around the lump in your throat.
“I’ll remember it.”
With a weary feeling in your stomach you left his shop, slipping back out into the rain. The building you lived in was an old factory that had been turned into several loft apartments and the commercial property downstairs. A bunch of the complexes in your neighborhood were like that which gave the area a certain charme when the sun was shining onto the red brickstones and reflecting from the big, old windows. When it rained like now though, the sky above dark and grey, the tall buildings almost looked intimidating.
Just when you wanted to turn towards the entrance door next to the shop to head upstairs, you saw a white shadow rushing through your peripheral vision. Your head instinctively snapped around, and you clearly hadn’t been the only one to notice. Humpty all but leaped out of your arms, chasing the white shadow down the street which seemed to be—a rabbit?
For a moment you were frozen in place, watching your beloved fur ball disappear down the street. But then you snapped out of it, running after him as fast as you could.
Sadly, it wasn’t fast enough to catch up to him and to make things worse the Uncle had been right about the storm. The rain was picking up and you heard thunder rumbling in the distance.
Eventually you found yourself in a side street, no trace of either the cat nor the rabbit. Humpty had never been one to come back when called, but you tried anyway, shouting out his name, the brick-lined house walls echoing it back to you.
You knew Humpty would be able to find his way back home, but you didn’t like the idea of him outside in this weather by himself. So, you kept going, even when the rain got so strong you could barely see what was in front of you.
Feeling somewhat resigned, you turned into another side street, just to be met with the rabbit sitting right in the middle of the road, his bright white fur standing out against the gray surroundings. Humpty on the other hand was nowhere to be seen. But something inside of you told you that if you caught the rabbit, you would surely find him too.
The white animal watched you with calm eyes as you approached, and you almost thought you’d be able to grab it, when it bolted, disappearing behind a corner. You rushed after it, turning into the dead end just to find it deserted and almost completely flooded. The giant puddle seemed to reflect the sky above impossibly sharp, despite the raindrops rippling the surface. In the reflection it didn’t even look all that dark and cloudy, but before you could wonder about it more or bemoan the water drenching your shoes, you suddenly felt yourself stepping into a void, the floor beneath your feet simply disappearing. In a weird epiphany you realized it must have been a missing duct cover, but it wasn’t like that would help you now. You were already falling, dark water swallowing you whole.
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When you came to, the first thing you realized was that you were cold and wet. You blinked your eyes open and pushed your damp hair out of your face. It didn’t make sense, you were sure you’d fallen down into the sewer, but you found yourself in the same dead end again, sitting in the middle of the giant puddle, completely drenched. At least the rain had let off and the sky was dyed in shades of pink and purple. 
You felt for the opening in the ground that you’d fallen into with your hand, but the duct cover was right there. Confused, you tried to squeeze some water out of your clothes which was only so effective considering that you were still sitting in the puddle. 
Just then, your eyes fell onto the white rabbit at the street corner he’d come from, looking at you almost thoughtfully. But then, as if he snapped himself out of a trance, his eyes widened. 
“Oh no, oh no,” he mumbled, or you would have thought he did if it wasn’t impossible for a rabbit to speak. “Go back, quickly!”
“What?” you asked anyway, but the rabbit just turned and bolted off again.
“Time is running out.”
For a brief second you stared at the spot where he’d still sat a moment ago, but then you quickly stumbled to your feet and ran after him. You turned the corner just in time to see a man, not a rabbit, scurrying down the street. He had snow white hair, just like the bright fur of the rabbit, and it felt a bit too odd to be a coincidence. Especially with the pair of rabbit ears sitting right there on his head.
“Oh no, oh no,” you heard him again from the distance and even though none of this made any sense, you kept going after him.
Despite running until your lungs burned, you couldn't catch up to him. Maybe that was your sign to call it a day, you thought. Surely, Humpty had already made his way back home to your apartment by himself to escape the bad weather.
When you looked around though, you noticed that something about your neighborhood felt off. On first glance it was the same, but on second glance everything was different. All kinds of weird plants were overgrowing the pavement and crawling up the brick walls. There were no lights on behind the windows, no matter where you looked, nor was there any other trace of people. 
Overcome with an eerie feeling you slowly made your way down the street in the direction of your home. The light of the street lamps looked colder than usual and they flickered in irregular intervals. 
“I think you’re going the wrong way,” a voice behind you suddenly said matter of factly.
Startled, you turned around, looking right into the face of a young man with bright blue hair. He smiled and it was undeniably pretty, but it didn’t look entirely genuine.
“What do you mean?”
Instead of a reply he just shrugged and then seemed to disappear into thin air. You looked around, trying to understand where he’d gone, but he was nowhere to be found.
“What do you mean?” you repeated, your voice a little shaky.
“That the direction you’re going in is wrong.” He suddenly replied from right next to you.
“But I’m going home.”
“If you say so.” He giggled and it almost sounded childlike.
You felt yourself growing a little annoyed. “Then where am I supposed to go if not this way?”
“I won’t tell you.” With that he disappeared into thin air once more and you didn’t have it in you to feel surprised about it again.
“Fine,” you snapped in no direction in particular. “Then don’t tell me.”
You continued your way, but from time to time you still heard his giggles and little comments.
“So wrong,” he would say with a chuckle, his voice coming from one direction first and then another next.
“If you’re not going to tell me, then at least leave me alone!”
“But it’s funny,” he argued, suddenly appearing right in front of you, a wide smile plastered on his face. “It’s funny to see you run right into their fangs.”
“Whose fangs?” 
“The Queen’s servants,” he whispered right into your left ear, before reappearing on your other side. “The heartlings.”
You frowned in confusion, all of this giving you a headache. None of it made any sense. You just wanted to go home, curl up in your bed and cuddle your cat. But you couldn’t help the weary feeling in your guts, telling you that there was at least some truth to the weird guy’s words.
“So, where would you go?”
“Oh, I can go anywhere,” he replied with a giggle. “They can’t catch me if they can’t see me, right?”
“And if you couldn’t turn invisible?”
“Hm,” he seemed to think for a moment. “Maybe I’d get myself a snack from the gas station?”
You looked at his vanishing form in utter disbelief. “A snack?”
“Or a coke, maybe.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“Well, I’m not saying you should do that. But you asked me what I would do. And I gave you an answer.”
You felt so unbearably frustrated with whoever this guy was, and yet you still turned around and headed into the direction of the gas station. Maybe you’d get some answers there and if you didn’t you could at least buy a snack and a coke before going home.
When you reached the gas station it too wasn’t quite looking the way you remembered it to. Instead of the brand logo you were so familiar with, the pink neon sign showed an abstract symbol next to letters that you couldn’t read. Just like the rest of the neighborhood it seemed to be completely deserted, but at least the lights in the shop were on.
“Are you sure I can go in?” You asked, convinced the blue haired guy was still around.
“If the door isn’t locked you can,” he replied, his voice coming from further away than you’d expected.
You turned around to spot him sitting in the branches of a tree near the edge of the parking lot.
“Are you not coming along?”
“I doubt my presence would be appreciated.”
You frowned in confusion. “Why?”
“Because I don’t like to pick sides. Besides,” he hopped off the branches but disappeared before his feet hit the ground, just to stand in front of you a second later. “Cats aren’t welcome.”
He pointed towards a sticker on the glass door, a pictogram of a cat crossed out with a thick red line.
“But you’re not a cat,” you argued, following the gesture with your eyes before your gaze settled on him again.
“Am I not?” He tilted his head and a pair of grayish blue cat ears was sitting right there, poking out of his hair. 
You stared at him flabbergasted. You knew for sure they hadn’t been there before. You would have noticed such a detail, wouldn’t you? 
“Wha—how?”
“Because I’m a cat,” he replied as if it was common knowledge. “Now, if you’ll excuse me.” 
With that, he vanished into thin air once more, the last thing you saw of him the bright white of his toothy smile.
“Wait! Am I supposed to go alone?”
“Weren’t you alone from the start?” sounded his reply, but he didn’t turn visible again.
“But what if I need help?”
“I’m sure you will.”
“So how will I know how to find you?”
He giggled. “Find me? You won’t. But should I ever be in the mood to help, I will certainly know how to find you.”
“Wait!” you tried to stop him once more, but it stayed quiet and you were sure he was gone for good this time.
You sighed, focusing your attention on the shop in front of you instead. Even on closer inspection you couldn’t spot anyone, but the staff door behind the cash desk was cracked open, so you assumed that someone was in the back.
With a deep breath you opened the glass door and stepped inside. It felt cramped with how closely the aisles stood together, maybe a little more so than usual. You looked around, hoping that the cashier would come out if you just waited a bit. You picked up a coke and a chocolate bar from the shelves, not because you were in the mood for either, but because the cat guy had mentioned it.
By the time you stepped to the counter and sat down the products on top there was still no sign of anyone coming out anytime soon, nor was there a bell to ring.
“Hello?” You timidly shouted in the direction of the door. “Hellooo?”
“Hello?” It suddenly echoed back from beyond. “Hellooo?”
You rolled your eyes at the staff’s humor. “I’d like to pay.”
“They’d like to pay,” it sounded back, but this time it didn’t seem to be addressed to you.
Before you could say anything else, the door opened and a guy with tousled red hair stepped out. For a moment he just eyed you thoughtfully but then he broke into a goofy smile that made a dimple form on his cheek.
“Welcome.”
“Uh, hi,” you replied awkwardly. “Do you work here?”
He wasn’t quite what you’d expected. Instead of the off-white t-shirts the staff here usually wore, he wore a sheer turtleneck in bright orange and a colorful silk shirt on top that he kept open. He absolutely didn’t look as if he was working here. Nevertheless, you couldn’t help but think that in some peculiar way, you found him attractive.
“Work here?” he repeated, sounding almost a little confused. “No, I don’t work.”
“Uh, then, is someone here who does?”
“Is anyone here who does?” he shouted towards the staff door, passing your question on.
“No, no one,” came the reply shortly after.
“The hare says no one is here.”
“Yeah, yeah, I heard.” You pinched the bridge of your nose slowly losing patience with whatever was going on today. “So, how do I pay?”
“Oh, with money.”
“With—forget it.” 
“All forgotten.” He nodded with a bright smile. “Anything else I can help you with?”
“Honestly, I don’t know. I was just looking for my cat and then got into this whole,” you gestured vaguely at your surroundings, “mess.”
“A cat?” His face crinkled with disgust. “Not a blue one, is it? That scoundrel is not allowed in here.”
“Blue? No, Humpty Dumpty is brown.”
“Humpty Dumpty is an egg.”
“What?”
“What?”
You shook your head in exasperation. “Anyway, so I was looking for my cat and then there was this rab—man?” It sounded more like a question. 
“You’re looking for a man?”
“I guess you could say that.”
“Hm,” he looked around the store as if he could find him between the aisles if he just searched hard enough. Then he turned to the door once more.
“Changgu, do we have a man?”
“A man? No, no, we don’t have that.”
“I’m afraid we don’t have any in store,” he said apologetically.
“I’m not—I don’t want to buy one. I’m—he was running away. He had white hair and—rabbit ears? And he seemed to be in a hurry. Have you seen him?”
“Ah, you met Hui. Terrible workaholic, really.”
“Do you know where to find him? I think he knows where my cat is….maybe?”
At the word cat his face scrunched up once more, but he didn’t comment on it this time. 
“I might know.”
“So, will you show me?”
“Now? I can’t. It’s tea time. In fact, maybe you should come in and have tea with us.”
You frowned in confusion. “But you don’t even know me?”
“Right,” he nodded. “Who are you?”
“Y/n.”
“Y/n. That is certainly a name,” he nodded once more. “I’m Shinwon. The Hatter.”
“A hatter?” You weren’t aware that it was a job that still existed. You’d assumed that the fast fashion industry had more or less let that handicraft die out. Furthermore, “You’re not even wearing a hat.”
“Not a hatter. The Hatter. And my hat—” for a moment he stared into the distance, a deep sadness in his eyes but then he snapped out of it, smiling like nothing happened. “That’s a story for another day.”
The sudden change in mood had piqued your interest, but you decided to respect his privacy and not pry into it further.
“And what is the Hatter doing in a gas station?”
“A gas station? I’ve never been to one.” He didn’t give you the time to question his words, already turning towards the door. “Now, let’s have some tea.”
Maybe it wasn’t the smartest idea to follow this guy to the back. He didn’t seem to be right in the head, though to be fair, you weren’t sure about your own sanity either. After all, you’d chased down a talking rabbit and then shared a walk with a man who seemed to be able to vanish into thin air. Perhaps, a mad hatter in a gas station was on the normal side of things in comparison.
The backroom didn’t look the way you’d expected, though at this point you weren’t sure what you were expecting anymore. The space was completely cluttered with chests and boxes, and all kinds of fabrics and curtains were draped throughout the room. In the middle of it all was a long table which was decked out with way too much dinnerware. In fact, the tea cups were stacked up so high, you almost didn’t notice the guy sitting in one of the mismatched chairs near the end of the table. 
“I brought a guest,” Shinwon declared, pointing at you.
“A guest!” The guy jumped up from his chair with a dazzling smile. 
Only now did you see the floppy ears that sat on his head, reaching down all the way to his shoulders. They were a light brown, the same shade as his wavy hair, and they looked so soft and fuzzy you kinda wanted to try petting them. 
“Hi,” you awkwardly greeted, raising your hand in a small wave. “I’m y/n.”
“That is certainly a name,” the man replied with a nod and Shinwon next to you clapped excitedly.
“Right? That’s what I said.”
You didn’t know what to make of the comment so you decided to just ignore it. “And you are Changgu I assume?”
 “Ah, where are my manners?” He rushed over, accidentally knocking some cups off the table that shattered on the floor.
“Yes, Hare, where are your manners?” Shinwon echoed.
“I’m Changgu. The March Hare,” he introduced himself, reaching out his hand to you, that barely poked out from underneath the sleeves of his plaid coat.
“The March Hare?”
He nodded, before leaning in closer as if he was about to share a secret. 
“It’s because I’m as mad as one,” he whispered. “I don’t have both ears in the water.”
As if to prove his point he raised one of his ears and let it flop down again.
“It’s oars, Hare. You don’t have both oars in the water,” Shinwon corrected, before ushering you further into the room. “Now, let’s have some tea?”
He pulled back one of the chairs for you while he took the seat at the head of the table. You sat down and stared at the mess before you, unsure how to behave. It didn’t exactly look as if it was set for a tea party (or set at all, for that matter). You felt out of place and it didn’t help that your clothes were still wet. It had almost slipped your mind, but now that you were sitting you felt the damp fabric sticking to your skin again, leaving you with an itchy feeling.
“Tea?” Changgu, who’d taken the seat across from you interrupted your thoughts. He pushed a cup he’d poured in your direction. The other porcelain on the table got shoved out of the way on his quest but he didn’t seem to mind, not even when one of the higher stacks started to sway dangerously.
Unable to watch what was clearly going to end in disaster, you quickly took the cup with a “Thank you” and promptly received a bright smile in return.
Before you could take a sip of the steaming liquid though, Shinwon held out a plate with muffins to you, each one decorated with a small candle.
“Dessert? We also have cake,” he pointed at a ring cake somewhere in the mess. “And biscuits.”
“Then, a biscuit, perhaps?” You agreed reluctantly.
“A biscuit, Hare, quick, a biscuit for the biscuit!”
Changgu nodded eagerly, holding out another plate to you, and you took one of the cookies from it.
But you didn’t get to try that either, because all of a sudden the door was pushed open with so much force, it made you flinch and drop the cookie into your tea cup.
“Ah, not in the middle of tea time,” Shinwon complained, clearly annoyed but not surprised. “What does the Queen want now, Paul?”
For a moment you weren’t sure who he was talking to, but then you spotted the frog that was standing upright in the doorway, dressed in an outfit that resembled a Victorian newspaper boy.
“An invitation,” he croaked, taking a big leap right onto the table, porcelain clinking at the sudden impact. He fished out a piece of paper and handed it to Changgu who took it from his green fingers.
“We got it. Now, shoo, we’re having tea.” Shinwon gestured for the frog to leave with a wave of his hand. “Unless you fancy to join us for a cup?”
“Not particularly,” the frog replied, hopping off the table and disappearing to where he’d come from. 
Changgu passed the paper onto Shinwon who took it with the tips of his fingers as if it was something disgusting. 
“What is it?” You’d managed to catch a glimpse of the writing and once again had to realize that whatever alphabet it was, you couldn’t read it.
“A party invitation,” Shinwon replied, almost spitting out the words.
"Do you not like parties?"
At your question he broke into a laughter so intense as if it was the funniest thing he'd ever heard.
“Do I not like parties?” He turned to his friend in amusement "Did you hear that, Changgu?"
“Do you not like parties?” Changgu repeated, shaking from laughter himself, his ears flopping up and down at the movement. 
You felt awkward and maybe a little upset that you once again weren't in on whatever the joke was.
“Well, do you?” You interrupted their laughter, light annoyance in your voice.
Shinwon's eyes were gleaming when he replied. “I love parties, Biscuit. I love them so much I celebrate all my unbirthdays every year.”
Changgu nodded hastily to support his point. “Every single one!”
“We’re celebrating one right this second.”
You didn't bother asking what an unbirthday was. “Then what’s so bad about this?”
Immediately, Shinwon's face turned dark again. “It's the Queen's party.”
“Then don't go.”
“Don't go, you say,” he repeated with another giggle. “No, we have to go. It's the Queen's party."
After a brief glance at a clearly broken cuckoo clock on the wall he sprung up with so much vigor, his poor chair fell over backwards and clattered to the floor. “In fact, we should go right now!” 
Then his eyes got stuck on you. 
“You're wet,” he commented as if he only just now noticed the sorry state of your clothes.
“I fell into a puddle.”
“Why would you do that?”
You frowned. “It’s not like it was on purpose.”
The side eye he exchanged with Changgu told you that he still considered it to be weird, but he let it rest. 
“Either way you can't wear that to the party. The Queen hates bad fashion.”
“Oh, I won't go to the party, I wasn’t invited.”
Another rush of laughter overcame the two of them. 
“It's the Queen's party,” Shinwon repeated yet another time. “Everyone is invited. Hare, don't we have some clothes for the child?”
“I'm not a child,” you argued but neither of them minded you.
“Maybe we have some in the dairy section.”
“Mhm-mhm,” Shinwon nodded thoughtfully and then disappeared into the shop only to show up a minute later with an odd looking suit that he handed to you. The fabric felt cold, as if it'd just come out of the refrigerator and the combination of colors and patterns seemed a little random. But it was still better than the damp clothes that were sticking to your skin uncomfortably, so you took the suit and changed into it while Shinwon and Changgu waited outside.
When you came out again, the two of them seemed to have cleaned up for the occasion as well: Shinwon had buttoned up his shirt and tamed his red hair while Changgu had added a black tie with red dots to his outfit. He hadn’t bothered to tuck it under the collar of his shirt though so it made him look more disheveled than before, but you didn’t point that out. 
Shinwon eyed you intently, his brows furrowed as he took in every inch of you. Then he broke into a happy smile. “Oh, it suits you! Isn’t that right, Hare?”
“Exquisitely so!”
You weren’t sure about their assessment but their compliments still made you feel a little better in your skin.
The three of you stepped outside and you would have thought the sky would be pitch black by now, but it still had the same purplish pink colors as before. 
“So, where is this party?” You asked as you walked down the street.
“The Red Castle,” Changgu supplied an answer that made you none the smarter.
“Of course,” you mumbled. “Where else would it be?”
Even though Shinwon had been less than ecstatic to go to the Queen’s party, he didn’t dwell on the bad mood. Him and Changgu giggled and goofed around on the way, most of their jokes going past you. 
“I’d much rather go home,” you let out a small sigh, barely even noticing that you’d said it out loud.
Shinwon interrupted his laughter to turn to you. “Oh, that’s just the right mindset for attending this party. I too would much rather go home. But,” he playfully nudged your shoulder with his own, “when we all want to go home, it’s almost the same as actually going home.”
You didn’t a hundred percent get the point he was trying to make there, but his words felt comforting nevertheless. Perhaps it wasn’t his words per se, but the consoling smile on his lips and the genuine expression in his eyes.
You shook your head in amusement. “Let’s go home then.”
“Let’s go home!” he repeated with a wide grin, raising his fist into the air and making you giggle.
As you kept walking, you slowly realized though, that maybe that was quite literally where you were headed. You were only a block away from your house now, and the closer you came, the more lively it got on the streets that had still been empty a few hours ago. Approaching your home should have filled you with a sense of relief, but instead it just made you feel queasy. 
Your bad feeling about it all proved to be there for a reason. When you turned into your street, you could barely recognize what used to be so known to you. The streetlights were decorated with a weird assortment of red flowers and warning tape, and the whole area was jammed with people (though you weren’t sure if people was the right word for the diverse assembly of beings, some more human than others but none that were human through and through) and at the center of it all seemed to be the tall factory building with its brick walls and the car shop on the first floor. It looked vastly different, the entire front of the building covered by a huge mural painting depicting roses that crawled up the walls, their stems carrying sharp thorns. Still, there was no mistaking it:
“That’s—that’s my house.”
“Oh, how fortunate,” Shinwon exclaimed gleefully. “You wanted to go home!”
“No, but—,” you interrupted yourself, not even sure what to say. Maybe it’d been a little delusional to believe your home would still be your home if nothing else seemed to have remained the same.
“You didn’t want to go home after all?” Shinwon nodded understandingly. “Then this is indeed unfortunate.”
“Very unfortunate,” Changgu agreed.
“I’m just so confused. Why is nothing the same as before?”
“Maybe that’s a question for a caterpillar,” Changgu replied seriously. “They are experts on things that do not stay the same.”
Before you could inquire how you were supposed to discuss this with a caterpillar of all things, you spotted a familiar pair of snow white ears in the middle of the crowd that disappeared as suddenly as they’d shown up. 
Without thinking you chased after the white rabbit. You weren’t sure why you were still so keen on catching him. It didn’t seem very likely anymore that he knew where Humpty was. But he was the only one who had already been there when the world was still normal, so maybe he’d also know how to turn it back.
“Why are we running?” Shinwon asked behind you, sounding out of breath. You hadn’t noticed he’d come along.
“The rabbit!” You explained. “I saw the rabbit.”
“Why are we running?” Changgu shouted from behind Shinwon, following as you rushed through the crowd.
“The rabbit, they saw the rabbit,” Shinwon explained in your stead.
You almost expected to lose the rabbit in question again, but then he was suddenly standing right there, throwing a worried glance onto his wrist watch. You abruptly stopped in order not to run him over, causing Shinwon to bump into you. In your relief to have finally caught on, you didn’t pay it any mind though.
“Thank God,” you pressed out, catching your breath. 
The man with the white rabbit ears turned to you, seemingly only noticing you now.
“Oh. Oh, no,” he looked a little distressed at your presence before his eyes wandered to your company in surprise. “And the Hatter?”
“And the Hare,” Shinwon added, pointing at Changgu who’d come to a stop behind him.
“So, what do you want?” The man asked, his eyes darting to his watch once more. “I’m in a hurry.”
Shinwon chuckled. “It’s good to take a break from time to time, Hui.”
“Of course, you would say that.”
“My cat,” you interrupted before their discussion could drag on. “Did you see my cat?”
“A cat?” He sighed. “I don’t have time for Yanan’s shenanigans."
“No, no,” Shinwon chimed in. “This cat is brown.”
“I don’t have time for a brown cat either,” Hui shook his head. “In fact, I don’t even have time for this party.”
With that he took off, quickly disappearing into the crowd again.
“Wait,” you shouted after him. You still hadn’t asked him about whatever was going on with the world around you, and he was probably the only person who could know something (and also the most sane one you’d met so far, despite his constant haste and his rather cold demeanor).
“Don’t take it to heart,” Changgu reassured. “In fact, he already lingered longer than usual. Sometimes we don’t hear from him for months. And he doesn’t even spare the time to celebrate his unbirthdays.”
You sighed in resignation. “Still, I had so many questions.”
“Even if he knows the answers, I doubt he has the time to give them,” Shinwon replied comfortingly, though it didn’t feel very comforting at all. “Caterpillars on the other hand have a lot of time.”
You didn’t get why Shinwon too was bringing up caterpillars now, but the two of them had been talking nonsense from the moment you’d met them so it was a little late to start overthinking it now.
Suddenly, the sound of a fanfare cut through the noise of the crowd.
“Oh, it’s beginning,” Shinwon exclaimed, grabbing your hand and pulling you further towards the front, until you were standing in the second or third row with a direct view on what used to be your home and was now something else entirely. "From here you can take a good look so you know whom to avoid."
"The Queen?" you asked for clarification.
"That too. But the Heartlings and Knave as well."
You remembered the former from when the blue cat had mentioned it before, but the knave was new. You didn't get to ask though, because the fanfare sounded again.
A frog, just like the one that had brought the invitation, was standing on a stack of tires in front of the garage door, a scroll in his hands that he unrolled solemnly. He cleared his throat twice before finally addressing the crowd.
“Your Majesty, the Queen of Hearts,” he announced, his voice way louder than you would have expected from a frog of his size.
The crowd cheered more or less enthusiastically and he hopped from the stack of tires. A pack of ferrets came to the scene, quickly pushing the tires to the side. The last one had barely scurried away, when the roller shutter of the garage started to open, slowly disclosing the shop beyond. For a while, all you got to see was the car that was parked right in the center. You recognized the vintage car immediately with its beige finish and the M shaped hood ornament. As the shutter had almost rolled all the way up, it finally revealed a person sitting on top of the car, in just the same spot that Humpty had taken a nap in earlier today. (At least you thought it was still today—with the sky not changing color at all, you were a little confused about the passage of time.)
To your surprise though, it wasn’t a Queen at all. Instead it was a guy with choppy blonde hair wearing a velvet tracksuit. His gaze was fierce and there was something captivating albeit intimidating about his aura. Still—
“Where’s the Queen?”
Instantly, the whole crowd fell silent.
The man in the velvet suit cocked his head, his eyes narrowing in on the guests. “Who asked that?”
Everyone around you took a step away, trying to gain some distance from you. Solely Shinwon and Changgu stuck to your side, but even they seemed a little uneasy. From your peripheral vision you spotted a man with wavy hair next to the garage door straightening out his posture. You hadn’t noticed him before, but he must have been there all along. He pushed back the fabric of his jacket a bit to reveal the grip of a gun that was tucked into the waistband of his pants. You didn’t understand what was happening, but you were smart enough to realize it wasn’t anything good. Your stomach was filled with dread and you instinctively reached out to Shinwon, your fingers clasping onto the hem of his shirt.
“Uh, oh, Biscuit,” he whispered close to your ear. “You’ve really done it now.”
“I said,” the man in the velvet suit started again, this time with more emphasis, as he leaped off the car roof in one smooth movement. “Who. Asked. That?” 
The crowd seemed to budge even further away from you, leaving you easily exposed to the man who approached with striding steps.
“You?” His gaze landed on you, making you feel small and helpless. “It was you, wasn’t it?”
He took another step closer, close enough for you to spot the beauty marks on his face, close enough to notice the glow of his skin. “Tell me your name, dear.”
“Y/n,” you pressed out, your voice barely hearable.
“Y/n,” he repeated with a hum, almost as if he was tasting the sound of it on his tongue. “So, y/n, what were you thinking? What made you believe that I’m not worthy of being the Queen?”
The thoughts started circling in your mind. It was clearly a trick question; no matter what reply you presented him with, it would be wrong.
Thankfully though, you didn’t have to give one at all. Before you could even think of saying anything, you felt Shinwon leaning in close to your ear again. 
“I’ve got this,” he whispered, stepping in front of you with confidence.
Anxiously, you glanced over to Changgu, who gently took your hand in his, mouthing a reassuring Don’t worry. 
“Your Distinctiveness,” Shinwon greeted overly friendly, taking an exaggerated bow.
“Hatter,” the Queen replied, his face contorted in disgust.
“You see, my dear friend is new here,” he explained. “And to make matters worse, they have terrible vision, don’t you, Biscuit?”
You felt frozen, even more so now that the Queen's attention was back on you. It wasn’t until Changgu squeezed your hand, that you hurriedly nodded.
“Very terrible vision,” Shinwon repeated, his voice sounding pitying this time. “Can’t even tell right from wrong.”
“Is that so?” 
The Queen didn’t seem convinced as he gave you another once over. You instinctively held your breath, as if that could protect you from his piercing gaze.
“Consider this a warning,” he eventually said, finally taking his eyes off you.
“And you, Hatter,” he turned to Shinwon, “educate your guests right. Wouldn’t want to lose any, hm?”
“Of course, your Noteworthiness; by no means, your Exquisiteness,” Shinwon nodded meaningfully.
“Good!” The Queen’s mood suddenly shifted. He clapped his hands and a grin spread on his lips. “Now, let’s celebrate, shall we?”
He strode back to the car, using stacked up tires to take a seat on the roof again like a Queen on her throne.
You let out the breath you’d been holding, relieved that you’d evaded whatever storm would have awaited you if Shinwon hadn’t been there. You gently tugged on his sleeve to get his attention. 
“Thank you. You really saved me there.”
“Oh, yes, Biscuit, that would not have ended well,” he replied with a giggle before his expression grew more serious. “But I have your back.”
You weren’t sure why he’d helped you, after all he barely knew you at all. But you didn't dwell on it for too long. Of everyone you’d met today, if you had to choose just one person to trust, it would surely be him. In all his madness and with all his nonsense, you decided to trust him. 
The party proceeded, though it hardly resembled your understanding of the term. There was music, sure, but the mood felt strained. The Queen however didn’t seem to notice or perhaps he simply didn’t care.
“It’s a party,” he drawled. “So, entertain me.”
“Of course, your Highness,” the frog from before hurried to assure. “The dancers, get the dancers!”
A group of dancers stepped forward, wiry figures with white wings on their backs just like those of a swan. Music started to play and they moved to the melody. It was a beautiful choreography but you couldn’t help but notice the way their arms seemed to tremble with nerves. And you weren’t the only one.
“What a pity for them,” Shinwon whispered next to you. 
“A tragedy, even,” Changgu agreed.
“He won’t like that.”
“He’ll despise it.”
You looked between the two of them, before your gaze wandered back to the Queen. He looked onto the spectacle with contempt.
“Boring. Show something else.”
Immediately the music got interrupted and a different song played, the dancers changing position and starting anew. The Queen watched for a moment, his lips pursed thoughtfully.
“If only I could make this more fun,” he complained with a big sigh but then his eyes widened as if he’d had a brilliant idea. “Ah! I know! Jack! Get me some firecrackers!”
The frog nodded, relaying the task onto the ferrets who disappeared and showed up seconds later with a red box. The Queen clapped joyfully before he took the box and fished a lighter out of his pocket. 
“What is he doing?” You asked Shinwon, your voice barely a whisper.
“Playing a game, it seems. He loves games.”
An uneasy feeling took root in your stomach. “What kind of game?”
“Dodge.”
The game was exactly what it sounded like. While the performance continued, the Queen lit up the firecrackers and threw them at the dancers’ feet, watching in delight as they tried to evade the small explosions.
You felt sick to your stomach and for the first time since you’d fallen into the sewer you truly wished to wake up from what clearly had to be a nightmare. With shaky fingers, you pinched the skin of your inner arm, hard enough to make tears spring to your eyes. But nothing happened. You didn’t wake up and this wasn’t a dream. The dancers were still hopping from one foot to the other, the Queen’s manic laughter drowning out the music they were dancing to. And you just stood there, frozen in place, averting your gaze instead of stepping in.
“That’s insane. How can he be so cruel?”
“He’s the Queen of Hearts, what did you expect?” Shinwon scoffed. “Of course, it was different when—no, I shouldn’t say. Not here.”
The rest of the party continued in the same vein. The Queen had a very different idea of how to stay entertained, it seemed. His games hardly qualified as games at all. If anything they were torture, for those who had to watch and even more so for those who had to play. But he was sitting on his makeshift throne enjoying the show.
“Oh, what a delight!” The Queen eventually addressed the crowd. “I had feared for this party to become a disaster. After all, it was off to a miserable start, isn’t that true?”
Maybe it was just your imagination, but you felt as if his eyes were looking right at you, giving you a warning glare as if to say I remember you. Don’t mess up again.
Panic rushed through your body and you were shaking like a leaf as you tried to withstand his gaze. When he looked away at last, announcing it was time for the grand finale, you felt all strength leaving your body and your knees would have given in if Shinwon hadn’t immediately reached out to steady you. Even when you’d found your balance again, he stayed closely behind you, resting his hands on your shoulders.
“Are you okay, Biscuit?”
You didn’t even bother pretending and shook your head. 
“When is this over? When is it finally over?”
“Soon. We only have to make it through the fireworks now. You can hold out, right?”
You nodded weakly and watched with something akin to relief as the ferrets set up fireworks that for once seemed to really be just that—fireworks.
“No one’s going to get hurt, right?” you asked, to be sure.
Shinwon gave your shoulders a reassuring squeeze. “No one’s going to get hurt.”
And his words proved true. The ferrets lit the fuse and you watched with tired eyes as the flame crawled over the bloodstained floor until it reached the fireworks. They shot up with a bang and exploded into sparkling pink hearts filling the sky above you that had at last started to darken. It was a beautiful spectacle and for a brief moment you could almost trick yourself into thinking that it’d been a regular party after all. Almost. While everyone’s eyes were glued to the sparkling sky, your own fell to the Queen again. He was watching the fireworks too, in awe of its beauty, while the traces of his cruel games were scattered all around him. It seemed he was the only winner today.
After a moment he lowered his head to look at you. It was a slow, deliberate shift as if he’d been aware of your gaze all along. His eyes briefly flicked over his surroundings before they landed on you again, a small smile on his lips. Despite the distance you knew exactly what he was mouthing at you.
Beautiful, isn’t it?
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When it was finally over you couldn’t even manage to be relieved. You’d seen too much and you despised yourself for watching all of it in silence.
“Why is everyone just accepting this?” You asked, once the crowd had dissipated and you’d gained some distance to the Red Castle.
“Because there’s nothing else we can do,” Shinwon explained matter-of-factly. “Not yet.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means that it’s not time yet.”
“Not yet,” Changgu echoed. “But soon.”
It wasn’t a very satisfactory reply, but who were you to talk? You’d only been here for a day and it wasn’t as if you’d been brave enough to say anything either. No, you’d looked away much the same as everyone else.
You sighed and followed behind them, slowly realizing that you had no idea where you were headed. It definitely wasn’t the way back to the gas station unless the streets had suddenly swapped places which wouldn’t be the craziest thing to happen that day.
When you asked, Shinwon looked at you in confusion. “To the caterpillar, of course.”
“The caterpillar?”
“You want answers and he has a lot of them. And if you’re lucky a few of them might just match your questions.”
“Is it far?”
“Oh, very much,” Shinwon nodded but then he added, “we’re almost there.”
Eventually you turned into the street with the old theater and realized that that must be where you were headed. You’d always loved it there and had many fond memories of musicals and theater pieces you’d watched there. It was a charming building with a pretty front that you remembered to be adorned with big illuminated signs announcing the shows that were currently running. Now though, it looked sad and abandoned as it laid in complete darkness at the end of the street. 
“What happened here?”
“The Queen doesn’t fancy theaters, I’m afraid. He’d rather the only shows that happen are the ones he holds in the castle. Of course it was different when—” Shinwon interrupted himself once more, but then he seemed to remember that you weren’t at the party anymore and that no one was around to hear. Still, he whispered when he continued, just to be safe. “It was different when Hongseok was still king.”
“Very different,” Changgu agreed. “Hongseok loved the theater.”
“He also loved cookies,” Shinwon added.
“And fun rides.”
“And coffee.”
Changgu nodded excitedly. “He handed out free coffee on all 23rd unbirthdays.”
“He did. Every 23rd.”
“The 23rd unbirthdays are always the best,” Changgu explained.
You looked at him in confusion. “Why?”
Now Changgu was the one looking confused. “Because they are the 23rd, of course.”
“Right,” you nodded slowly even though his explanation didn’t actually explain anything. Still, even if it didn’t make much sense, what you did understand was how fondly they thought of Hongseok. You didn’t know if he’d been a capable king, but he must have been a beloved one.
“Why isn’t he ruling anymore?”
Shinwon laughed, as if it’d been a particularly stupid question. “Because now we have the Queen, dummy. There can’t be a king and a queen.”
You wanted to argue that in fact there usually was both, but you doubted that anything would come of it.
The three of you walked towards the entrance of the dark building when Shinwon suddenly stopped in his tracks and swiveled around to Changgu.
“Do you have cash on you?”
“No, no,” Changgu shook his head, turning his pockets inside out as if to prove his point. A single button fell out and clattered to the floor.
“Oh, no. I am afraid they don't take credit card.” Shinwon sighed with a wistful glance at the dark and empty ticket booth before turning to you. “You don’t happen to have any?”
Your gaze wandered between him and the abandoned theater. “What do you need cash for?”
“To buy a ticket, dummy,” he said with a giggle. “Hare, she doesn’t know you need a ticket to go to a theater.”
“You can’t just go in without a ticket,” Changgu nodded.
"No, I—agh, nevermind."
“You’re so funny, Biscuit.”
You didn’t consider yourself a particularly humorous person, but as long as it made them laugh you supposed it was fine. Still, you didn’t get why you would have to pay to go into an abandoned building where there clearly were no shows running. You checked your pockets anyway, but you had nothing except for an old bubble gum wrapper.
“Hm,” Shinwon looked thoughtful. “Well, I guess it will have to do.”
He took the wrapper from your hand, picked up the button from the street and fished a safety pin out of his own pocket. The random assortment of things was then shoved through the hatch of the ticket booth that was meant for paying. Meanwhile Changgu opened the entrance door to the right of the booth which was barely hanging in its hinges. 
“After you,” he said with a grin and an exaggerated bow.
“Very kind,” Shinwon replied with a nod and a tip of an invisible hat as he stepped past him into the dark lobby of the theater. You followed suit, giving Changgu a quick thanks.
Somehow the building made you feel weary. It was distressing how it looked as if it’d been abandoned from one second to another. There were coats hanging in the cloakroom and a half eaten bucket of popcorn was laying tipped over on the floor, popcorn scattered around it. The whole atmosphere gave you chills.
Shinwon and Changgu didn’t seem to have any such concerns though. The Hatter went straight for the snack counter, starting to rummage through the fridge that was clearly turned off.
“Coke anyone? Or a limo?” He asked, holding up glass bottles, that almost looked like the popular brands you knew, if it wasn’t for the unfamiliar writing.
He didn’t wait for a reply, already setting them onto the counter.
“Do you think we should bring something for Jinho too? You think he'd want a coke? Or something else?”
“Maybe something else.”
Shinwon nodded thoughtfully. “A water? But that's for boring people.”
“Maybe a water,” Changgu agreed anyway.
“Jinho? Are we—are we still talking about a worm here?”
Shinwon bursted into laughter. “A worm! Oh, he would hate that!”
“Wasn’t it a worm?”
He snorted before turning to Changgu. “A worm, Hare! A worm!” He repeated between chuckles, nudging his friend in the side who’d long joined his laughter.
“We shouldn’t ever tell him that.”
“We shouldn’t. He would hate it so much.”
“He would,” Changgu shook himself in delight. “Maybe we should tell him.”
“We should!”
“So, it wasn’t a worm?”
“A caterpillar, Biscuit. He is a caterpillar.”
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Jinho was sitting on one of the balconies, watching the empty stage. His head was propped up on one of his hands as he leaned over the balustrade, sipping on a small pouch of red ginseng extract. The dim light in the auditorium gave his dark gray hair a blueish, almost iridescent shimmer that made you want to question if it was real. Still, he was most certainly not a caterpillar.
“A lovely theater, isn’t it?” He mumbled without looking up and you weren’t quite sure who he was talking to.
“Very lovely,” Shinwon was quick to agree but he didn’t sound serious.
“You should have seen it in its heydays,” Jinho continued, turning his head to look at you. “It was truly marvelous.”
He spoke slowly, as if his every word was well considered and it made you nervous. 
You swallowed around the lump in your throat before you replied. “I’m sure it was.”
“Mhm,” he hummed approvingly, then he turned back to the stage. “I’ve been expecting you. You’re late.”
“Oh!” Shinwon chimed in. “Really? I was thinking we should have left a little earlier.”
“Not you, Hatter,” Jinho drawled in response. “Alice.”
“Alice? Which Alice?” Shinwon looked confused. 
Jinho nodded in your direction. “That Alice.”
“I’m not Alice. My name is—”
“Y/n,” he interrupted you with an exasperated sigh. “I know. But you’re also Alice. One does not preclude the other, you foolish rat.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” You couldn’t quite choose between feeling distraught by the fact that he knew your name or offended by his tone, so you settled for both.
“It means exactly what I said. You’re Alice.”
While you still didn’t get what he was trying to say, Shinwon and Changgu looked absolutely flabbergasted, their eyes flicking back and forth between you and Jinho.
“Our Biscuit… is Alice?”
“The Alice?”
“How many times do I need to say it?” Jinho shook his head. “Y/n is the new Alice. That’s how it’s written in the script.”
“It’s written in the script,” Shinwon repeated in disbelief.
Changgu nodded. “Y/n is Alice.”
“Would anyone please explain to me what’s going on? How can I be Alice if I’m me?”
“Because the script says you are.” Jinho squeezed out the last bits of ginseng extract, before shoving the empty package back into the box that was sitting on the seat next to him. “The script is never wrong.”
“What script?”
“The one,” Shinwon explained unhelpfully.
“The only,” Changgu added.
Jinho took out a new pouch of ginseng, his whole focus on the packaging as he slowly and carefully ripped it open. Your eyes automatically followed the movement. 
“I can show you. If you wish to see,” he offered without looking up.
“I—I don’t know. I don’t know what any of this means so I don’t know if I want to see it or not.” You instinctively turned to Shinwon for help, searching his eyes for advice. “Do I?”
He didn’t immediately reply and when he did his voice was unusually calm and collected. “I think you should.”
“Okay,” you nodded slowly before turning to Jinho again. “I want to see.”
He didn’t seem to be in a hurry, calmly emptying the rest of his ginseng extract before getting up from the velvet seat. 
“Let’s go to the prop room then.”
“Oh, the prop room!” Changgu looked excited, bouncing on the balls of his feet. “I haven’t gone there since our last show. It’s been a while!”
Jinho led the way out of the auditorium to narrow stairs at the far back of the hallway. A chain with a handwritten sign was supposed to keep visitors out, but Jinho nonchalantly pulled it to the side.
“Careful,” he warned before going downstairs and not without reason. Fabrics, props and costumes were scattered all over the steps and the handrail, making it feel like an obstacle course. While you slowly followed Jinho, carefully not to trip on anything, Shinwon and Changgu seemed almost delighted, hopping down the steps as if it was a funny game. Though, after seeing the gas station’s backroom it wasn’t as surprising that they weren’t bothered by the mess, you supposed.
Once you’d reached the bottom of the stairs, Jinho pulled a small key out of his pocket and unlocked the wooden door to reveal a room, cramped with more odds and ends. 
Changgu went right in, purposefully taking a handkerchief from one of the zillion shelves. 
“Was wondering where I’d kept that,” he commented happily before stuffing it into his pocket.
Jinho pushed past him with a sigh. “We haven’t taken out the script in a while, and this is how you act? Some adequacy, if you please.”
“Don’t be such a killjoy, Worm.”
Jinho’s head snapped around to Shinwon, giving him a death glare. “Worm?”
Shinwon just shrugged lightheartedly. “Right, Caterpillar. My bad.”
“These kids,” Jinho shook his head before turning his attention back to you. “Let’s take a look, shall we?”
He took your hand and pulled you along to the far back of the room, where a wooden chest was covered with a bunch of colorful fabrics. Jinho shoved them aside to reveal the little metal lock that he opened with another key from his pocket, before pushing up the lid of the chest. It was empty except for a stitched booklet that looked like a regular manuscript for a musical or a theater piece. Jinho took it out and thumbed through the pages until he abruptly stopped, his finger pointing to one of the lines.
“We’re here.”
You stared at the scripture written in the same unfamiliar letters as everything else in this world.
“I can’t read that.”
“Ah, right.” 
Jinho closed the booklet briefly before opening it again, his fingers still marking the page. When you looked this time, you were surprised to find that it was written in letters you were able to read. Your eyes scanned the lines Jinho was pointing to, and you were overcome with a feeling of disbelief.
Caterpillar: We’re here. Alice: I can’t read that. Caterpillar: Ah, right.
Below that, the sentences seemed to be incomplete, only bits and pieces that were scattered on the paper.
“How is that possible?” you asked and right as you spoke the words started appearing in the script.
“It’s the script,” Jinho explained calmly. “That’s what it does. It documents and it predicts. It assigns roles and it decides the plot.”
“That’s right,” Shinwon nodded meaningfully but your eyes were still glued to the page, watching as everything they said formed on the paper.
“And as you can see, y/n, your role is Alice,” Jinho continued. “At least for now.”
“For now? What does that mean?”
“Well, you’re the replacement,” Changgu stared into the distance with a nostalgic shimmer in his eyes. “The old Alice is no more.”
“Did they…die?”
“Died? No, no, he is fine.” Shinwon pressed out between laughter so hard, he had to hold his stomach. “He would whine so much about this. I can practically hear his voice: ‘Don’t say something like that! Don’t jinx me!’ So funny.”
“Wooseok fulfilled his role,” Jinho explained calmly. “So now he is only Wooseok, in the same way you were only y/n before you became Alice.”
You sighed. “I don’t remember applying for the role, though.”
Jinho rolled his eyes. “Very funny.”
“So, what does it mean? Is me being Alice the reason that I’m stuck in this weird parallel universe?”
“What’s a parallel universe?” Changgu whispered, nudging Shinwon in the side.
“Surely the opposite of an unparallel iverse,” Shinwon whispered back.
“Ah.”
Jinho didn’t pay them any attention. “Not exactly. You’re stuck in this weird parallel universe—”
“That’s the opposite of an unparallel iverse,” Changgu interjected.
“—because you followed the rabbit through the Looking Glass. He was supposed to directly bring you here—but well, there’ve been some circumstances.”
“I didn’t follow anyone through a looking glass though.”
“Mhm, not purposely,” Jinho hummed. “You fell right in.”
“The sewer?”
Jinho scrunched his face in disgust. “Not the sewer. The reflection. The mirror image on the water surface.”
“So if I fell in—can I fall out again?”
“Oh, it doesn’t work like that, foolish Alice.”
“Foolish Biscuit,” Shinwon echoed, but his voice had a fond undertone to it.
“You have to fulfill your role first. Then you can go back.”
You nodded slowly. That at least meant there was a way back. “So, what do I have to do?”
“Right, that’s the tricky part, dear Alice. The script never reveals the full plot until it happens.”
“Are you saying I have to fulfill my part without even knowing what that is?!”
Jinho shook his head and skipped to a later page in the script. “We do know some things.”
The page was almost blank, only scraps of a conversation readable.
Queen of Hearts: Alice?!           You betrayed me Queen of Hearts:      What have you done to me?     hurt so much Queen of Hearts:   I'm dying
You stared at the words, an uncomfortable feeling spreading in your stomach. You had an inkling but you still asked anyway.
“What does this mean?”
“You will kill him,” Shinwon whispered. “You will end his reign.”
“No.” You shook your head. “I can’t—I can’t possibly kill anyone. Can’t someone else do it?”
Jinho shook his head. “It has to be you. He won’t die if it isn’t you.”
“But—how would I do it anyway?”
“I'm sure there are plenty of options. The King would know. Poison, maybe.”
Poison. You shuddered at the mere prospect of it; the body cramping up and lips turning purple—a gruesome thought.
“I can’t.”
“You’ve seen his cruelty. He doesn’t deserve any better,” Jinho said calmly. “And it will happen anyway. The plot may not be all written out yet, but that which is written will happen with certainty. Unless, of course, you die before that. Then a different Alice would have to take your place.”
“Unless I die?”
He shrugged. “If you’re careful that shouldn’t happen. So don’t worry about it too much, just follow along.”
Your head was spinning with all of this. Of course you wanted to go home, but could you really kill someone? But what if it was the only chance to go back? And if what Jinho said was true then was there even a use to think about what you wanted? It would happen, whether you resisted it or not. The only way out was dying, so there wasn’t even a decision for you to make, not really.
“Okay, fine,” you pressed out eventually. “I’ll fulfill my role. I’ll be Alice.”
A small smile tugged at the corners of Jinho’s lips. “I knew you would say that.”
“But how would I even get close enough to do it?” You asked Jinho while he locked the booklet in the chest again. “Does the script say anything about that too?”
“Not too much,” he admitted. “But I am convinced a chance will present itself. The Queen has his eyes on you.”
His words had you incredibly worried. You’d seen his cruel games and you’d felt his piercing gaze on you—just the prospect of having to be in his presence again terrified you. 
No, the Queen didn’t seem like the type of person you’d want to have the attention of. You would much rather be invisible than to be seen by him. Yanan surely wouldn’t be afraid of him; he could just turn invisible if things got dicey. You still remembered the cat’s cheeky smile before he’d disappeared on you. In fact, it was ingrained so clearly in your brain, you almost thought you saw it in the corner of the room. But when you blinked nothing was there.
You shook yourself out of it, focusing back on the problem at hand.
“But he doesn’t know, right? That I’m Alice?”
“No one knows,” Jinho reassured. “Only a selected few. The Rabbit. And the people in this room. Though,” he threw a quick glance at Changgu who was playing around with some props on a shelf, “who knows how long the Hare will remember. He tends to be a bit scatter-brained.”
“So, what now?” You asked once the three of you were outside the theater building again.
“Hm, I guess we need to go see Hongseok. I’m sure he’ll have some poison for you,” Shinwon replied and you almost flinched at his words. How could he say it so casually, as if it wasn’t a big deal? As if you weren’t supposed to kill someone with it?
“Off to the White Castle we go,” Changgu agreed. “The King is the best address for anyone seeking leach or lotion or poison or potions.”
“Hare! You can’t call him that. Not here.” Shinwon reprimanded him, his eyes searching the streets around you cautiously.
“Right, right. The Un-King, the Used-To-Be-King, the No-More-King,” Changgu corrected. “Either way, chemistry has always been Hongseok’s strong suit.”
You weren’t sure if brewing lethal poison was really part of regular chemistry, but you’d been curious about Hongseok anyway after everything they’d said and it wasn’t like you had a better idea.
“Wooseok will be there too,” Shinwon looked at you with a small smile. “Maybe you’d feel better after talking to him.”
“Yeah, maybe.”
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You walked through the city for a bit. It was deserted again, no traces of all the people who’d still been out a while ago to attend the Queen’s so-called party. As if the sky had decided to match your mood, it had turned all black by now, lit up only by the crescent moon that was hidden behind thin clouds. Time seemed to be a little off here, and you thought you could understand the Rabbit a bit. Who wouldn’t be in a constant hurry if time passed almost randomly?
“Where’s everyone?” You eventually asked when you turned into yet another street that was completely void of people.
“It’s after the curfew,” Shinwon explained.
“Yes, the curfew,” Changgu was quick to nod. “Once the sky turned fully black, it's for the best to hurry back.”
“If the sun has fully set, it is time to go to bed,” Shinwon added.
“If the sky is in the moon, the knave of hearts will get you soon.”
“But Hare, that’s not how it goes. The moon is in the sky.”
“Hm, hm, right, that’s not how it goes,” Changgu repeated thoughtfully before his eyes widened with an epiphany. “Ah! If the moon is in the sky, fear the red Knave’s dreadful eye. For if he spots you in the street, a dire fate is what you’ll meet.”
He looked at you with a proud smile after he was done reciting his little poem, but you couldn’t really share his enthusiasm.
“So, we’re not supposed to be outside right now?”
“You’re so smart, Biscuit!”
“Then shouldn’t we go inside? And who’s the Knave anyway?” you asked, the term feeling a little familiar.
“Of Hearts,” Shinwon replied. “The Knave, that is.”
“The Knave of Hearts?”
“Yes, that’s right. He’s the Queen’s right-hand man.”
“You might have seen him at the party,” Changgu chimed in. “He has a scary look. And his birthday is in January.”
“Why does that matter?” You asked in confusion.
“Oh, it doesn’t. But it means he has an unbirthday today and instead of celebrating he’s surely out on patrol.”
“You must know me very well,” a deep voice suddenly sounded from behind you, making Changgu’s ears perk up in interest.
A man stepped out of the darkness of a house entrance, and the moment the dim light of the street lantern fell onto him, you recognized him as the guy with the wavy hair from the party. You remembered him well—mostly because of the gun that was surely tucked into the waistband of his pants even now.
“If it isn’t the Knave of Hearts himself,” Shinwon exclaimed with a delighted tone. “It’s been so long, Yuto, the last time must have been when—right, you probably wouldn’t want to talk about that. It was a dark day for your Queen after all.”
“Hatter,” Yuto replied with a straight face, his tone void of any emotion. “Always a pleasure.”
Then his eyes fell onto you.
“I see you still have your visitor with you. I would say their little scene today wasn’t a source of amusement for the Queen, but that would be a lie. In fact, Hyunggu was very amused.”
His words made a cold shiver run down your spine and you automatically took a small step back. 
“Oh, yes, our Biscuit is a very humorous person,” Shinwon replied, his voice still light but he held out his arm in front of you protectively.
Yuto huffed a laugh before glancing at the dark sky. “Still, violating the rules isn’t a funny matter. Why aren’t you in your cozy little hideout yet, Hatter?”
“We’re on our way!” Shinwon said.
Changgu nodded over-enthusiastically. “Yes, yes, on our way. Almost home!”
“Better hurry then. I won’t be as kind next time.�� With that, Yuto turned around to go his way, leaving you with an anxious feeling in your stomach.
Shinwon let out a small sigh as soon as he was out of sight. “That was a close call. Now, let’s hurry, let’s hurry. I wouldn’t want to run into him twice. Not a very funny fellow.”
Shinwon and Changgu didn’t seem particularly shaken by the encounter. After a few steps they were back to their giddy selves. You on the other hand couldn’t stop yourself from checking each dark corner for a person hiding in the shadows.
When you spotted the ferris wheel towering above the surrounding buildings you started to suspect where you were headed: the amusement park. You couldn’t remember the last time you’d been there, but just like the theater it was a place with fond memories to you. 
Once you reached the entrance, Wonderland written on the archway in weathered letters, you had to find that there was none of the usual hustle and bustle. The park laid before you abandoned and still, solely the lights of the castle in the middle of the artificial lake flickered weakly in the distance. What used to be a vibrant, lively place looked washed out now, the fun rides and booths overgrown with patches of moss and their colors bleached out by the sun.
“Aaaand we made it,” Shinwon said as soon as he stepped through the entrance. 
“But we’re still outside?”
“Outside but not really. The curfew isn’t in force here.”
You looked around in confusion. You didn’t really see a reason why anything would be different on the grounds of the amusement park. “Why not?”
“Because the White King’s protective spell takes effect here. It keeps heartlings from entering. Even the Queen can’t enter,” Shinwon explained.
“The Queen isn’t as powerful as he’d like to make everyone believe,” Changgu added with a nod, as he headed straight for the shabby pedal boats in the shape of swans that were floating on the calm surface of the lake. 
He pulled one a little closer to the pier, gesturing for you to get in. When you set foot onto the boat it started to wobble dangerously and Changgu held out his hand to steady you, not letting go until you were safely sitting on the bench in the back. Shinwon got on next, taking one of the two front seats and Changgu hopped on last, after untying the rope from the metal loop on the pier. The two of them set to work, pedaling the little boat towards the small castle. As a child you had always dreamed of going there, but it hadn’t been open to the public, the pretty front just a means of decoration. Now though, there was no fence separating the little island from unwanted visitors, and the two of them easily steered the boat onto the narrow shore.
Changgu got off first, tying the rope around one of the two flagpoles that were positioned left and right of the castle. You remembered them to fly flags with the logo of the amusement park but now they were white, depicting a silver pentagon with a snowflake in the middle. The emblem of the White King, you supposed. The three of you walked the cobblestone path up to the entrance of the castle. Now that you were standing directly in front of it, it seemed way bigger than the decorative fake in your memory. It probably was bigger. 
Shinwon didn’t bother knocking on the double wing door before pushing it open and stepping inside. The lobby was all white, from the marble floor to the chandelier and it almost felt blinding.
“Hello?” Shinwon yelled into the building with the same tone you’d had at the gas station earlier today and you wondered if it was on purpose. “Hellooo?”
“Eh?” A honey blond head of hair appeared on the second floor, leaning over the handrail. “Shinwon? Changgu?”
Changgu raised his hand in a tiny wave, a dorky smile on his lips. “Hi.”
“What are you doing here?” The guy asked as he walked towards the stairs and made his way down. “And who’s your friend?”
“Y/n,” you introduced yourself before anyone could beat you to it and say Alice or Biscuit.
The guy came to a halt in front of you and only now you realized how incredibly tall he was. There was nothing intimidating about him though as he looked at you through big doe eyes. His hair was combed back in neat waves and he was wearing a sweater vest that was loose even on his lanky frame.
“Wooseok,” he introduced himself and held out his hand in a greeting. In comparison to everyone else he seemed surprisingly normal.
“So, what are you doing here?”
“We’re looking for Hongseok,” Shinwon explained, slipping out of his shoes and leaving them by the entrance as if he was visiting someone else’s apartment and not the prop castle of an amusement park. Changgu did the same though and you realized Wooseok was wearing slippers as well, so you too toed out of your shoes. Surprisingly enough, the marble floor didn’t feel very cold beneath your feet at all.
“He’s in the kitchen,” Wooseok nodded towards a corridor to his right.
“Alright!” 
Shinwon sauntered down the hall with the casualty of someone who’d been there a thousand times before and Changgu followed along just as naturally. You were a few steps behind them, Wooseok next to you. He kept glancing over to you curiously but didn’t say anything.
“Hongseok!” Shinwon greeted just a bit too loudly as he threw open a door to reveal a spacious kitchen.
A man with curly brown hair looked up in surprise, his hands covered in flour and a white apron tied around his waist.
“Oh, Hatter. And Hare.” He went over to the sink and rinsed his hands before his gaze fell on you. “And another guest?”
“Yes, this is—”
“Alice!” Changgu interrupted his friend, visibly excited about sharing the news.
“Alice?” Wooseok’s head snapped around to you and he stared at you with wide eyes. “So, you’re—you’re not from here?”
You just looked back at him. You’d already been told that Wooseok was the old Alice, but it hadn’t even occurred to you that maybe he too wasn’t from this universe.
“Now, now,” Hongseok walked over to you, wiping his wet hands on his apron. “We shouldn’t corner our new Alice like that. What’s your name?”
“Y/n.”
“A pretty name,” he smiled and gently squeezed your hand. “I’m Hongseok, the White King, but you might have heard. Wooseok was our last Alice, but his part has already played out.”
“Yes, yes,” Shinwon interrupted. “Biscuit already knows all that. But what we don’t know yet is how to kill the Queen of Hearts.”
“Oh,” Hongseok’s eyes widened in surprise. “Is that your part?”
“Seems like it,” you murmured, not withholding that you weren’t exactly fond of it all.
“Mhm, so it’s that time already. It’s really coming to this.” With a swift movement of his hand he motioned for the others to leave. “Give us a moment, will you?”
They did as they were told, though Wooseok lingered a moment longer before actually stepping out and closing the door behind him. 
“Do you want to drink something? A coffee? A hot chocolate? I have cookies too.”
You were inclined to say no, but when you gave it another thought you realized you hadn’t eaten anything in quite a while and could also really use the comfort of a hot drink. Hongseok prepared a hot chocolate and a plate of cookies for you, while you sat down at the small table in the corner of the room. Once he was done he sat down across from you, his eyes calm and gentle. After how Shinwon and Changgu had talked about him, it shouldn’t have surprised you, but it still amazed you how different his whole aura was compared to the Queen of Hearts. Where the Queen had been intimidating and rash, Hongseok radiated kindness and patience.
“Here,” He mumbled after a moment, nudging the plate of cookies a bit in your direction to encourage you to try some. “They are good, I promise. I only just made them this morning.”
You hesitantly took one and started to nibble on it, only to find that Hongseok had been way too humble—it tasted amazing.
“See? They are good right?” He looked a little proud when you nodded. “So, do you want to tell me about it? About what’s written in the script?”
In all honesty, you didn’t. But it seemed like he wanted to help so you told him about everything that you’d found out at the theater. Through it all, Hongseok listened calmly.
“So now,” you concluded your story, “I have to find a way to actually do it.”
“Well,” Hongseok nodded slowly, “here’s the thing: the Queen of Hearts is not easily harmed. Not just anyone can—it has to be Alice. And even then, there’s only one weakness.” 
“Which?” 
“The heart.”
“The heart?” In a way it seemed plausible for that to be the weakness of someone called the Queen of Hearts, but at the same time it seemed a little too simple.
“Yes.”
“How do I do it then?”
“Mhm,” he got up from his chair and walked towards a glass cabinet with a zillion little bottles and jars inside.
“I know of two ways. One is this,” he held up a little test glass with a dark red liquid in it. You swallowed around the lump in your throat. 
“Poison?” 
“It's the blood of the Jabberwocky to be precise. But poison describes it just fine. Once it gets into your body it will pollute your blood and ultimately make your heart stop.”
Maybe it wouldn’t be that hard. You could just add some to his food. Still, the thought of being able to feel it invading your blood circulation made your skin crawl. “And the other way?” 
“I doubt you’ll like it.” 
“What is it?” 
Hongseok sighed before opening the drawer beneath the glass cabinet. He pulled out a silver dagger so radiant it almost looked white. He held it out to you and you hesitated before you stood up and took it with trembling fingers. It was lighter than you’d expected and ice cold to the touch. 
“If you stab him with that—but it needs to be right in the heart.”
That was definitely worse. You would never be able to actually go through with something like that.
“I couldn’t,” you pressed out, holding it out in your open palm for Hongseok to take it back. 
But he gently closed your hand around the hilt again. 
“You don’t have to use it. But keep it, just in case.” 
“There won’t be a case.” 
“All the better.”
Hongseok had invited all three of you to spend the night in the castle, so you wouldn’t have to go out during the curfew again. The room you’d gotten was fancy and as white and shiny as the rest of the castle’s interior. In the middle of it was a soft bed that smelled like vanilla and fresh snow and just waited for you to slip under the covers, but you felt restless. You paced the room, unable to tune out that there was a dagger and a little heart shaped pendant with poison laying on your nightstand. This definitely wasn’t how you’d expected your day to end. It seemed to have gone downhill from the moment you’d stepped foot to that cursed party, but when Shinwon had talked about the Caterpillar having answers, there’d been a sliver of hope flaring up inside of you. Now, there was nothing left of that.
Even though you’d gotten your answer on how to get back to your world, you didn’t feel relieved in the slightest. All you could think of was the horrifying things you’d have to go through before finally going back. And the worst part was that you didn’t seem to have a choice, not really. Even if you decided it wasn’t worth it and you’d just stay—what was written in the script would happen either way.
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series masterlist // character introduction // ptg masterlist
22 notes · View notes
sunflowersoonyoung · 3 years
Text
sugar & spice | dk & hui
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w.c ↠ 5.8k
pairing/s ↠ dk x fem!reader, hui x fem!reader
genre/s ↠ supernatural au!, incubus!hui, incubus!dk, smut, dom!hui, dom!dk, threesome, oral, throat fucking, size kink, multiple creampies, hard dom themes, hair pulling, a tiny bit of degradation and choking, lots of dirty talk
description ↠ during the day, women flock to restaurant Sugar & Spice as if hypnotised. during the night, those whom attracted attention from the staff members arrive with bright red invitations, and the friendly customer service staff reveal ulterior motives.
warning/s ↠ a bunch of girls are hypnotised, some occasional spooky vibes (I mean they are demons), sexual themes, rough sex, lots of cursing
a/n ↠ omgggg so this was a bit of a passion project that ended up accidentally being a decently long fic, these two actually match well in my opinion because they both have dazzling smiles (and power vocals)! two of my favourite smiles in the industry ;-; Jesus this is hot I have no words, just enjoy it lovelies eheh
requested by anon
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It was approximately lunchtime when Miyeon arrived at the front door of your apartment, dressed with far more effort than you had expected, a blouse and a pleated skirt.
“Am I going to be a third wheel today? Are we meeting your boyfriend or something?” You asked, raising an eyebrow. You glanced down at your outfit, feeling significantly underdressed in comparison.
Miyeon was your closest friend, and you immensely enjoyed hanging out with her. Men regularly approached her when you went out with her due to her graceful conduct and pretty features. However, she always turned them down coolly and effortlessly.
To watch it was endless entertainment.
When you had chosen that particular statement to tease her with, it was mostly flippancy. You did not expect the shy smile that painted her pearly lips.
“Actually, I think you should dress up too, (F/n). I’ll help you pick something.”
You did not dress up often - not even to events that called for it. Ever since your childhood romance had tragically broken up with you, your heart had been arid and unenthusiastic. You were no longer fond of attention.
“What sort of place are you taking me, Miyeon? Why do I have to dress up for it?” You inquired as you searched through your wardrobe with her at your side.
“It won’t entirely make sense until we get there,” she answered, chewing the corner of her lip nervously, “but, it’s like…have you ever heard of those butler cafes in Japan?”
You nodded. Of course, you had; they were fairly infamous.
“It’s sort of like that, but it’s far more intimate. The staff smile at you with these warm smiles, as if they like you.” She sounded almost dreamy as she described it.
“Are you sure you weren’t tipsy?” You asked, a question intended to be a joke.
But Miyeon looked at you, her expression wavering with anxiety and desperation as if she were pining for someone. That overwhelming desire to see someone once more. Someone had a firm hold on her, something you had never seen before.
You decided to change the topic because her response had suddenly made you nervous.
“I won’t look nearly as cute as you do, Miyeon,” you pouted, that smell of old clothes wafting into the room. You had left most of your wardrobe untouched for over a year.
“You don’t give yourself enough credit, (F/n),” she smiled warmly, “you’re pretty. You just don’t show it off.”
Together you both selected a dress, a stretch of sky blue, flowy fabric adorned with soft yellow dandelions. It reminded you of the summer. Today, however, it was being worn for only a mildly warm spring afternoon.
You had to steel yourself before leaving the house, because you had not dressed up for so long that it made you a tad insecure.
You both drove in silence for a while because it seemed your companion did not want to talk. Every time you glanced towards her, her face was twisted with nervousness. You decided you did not want to delve into that emotion.
“How’s the food at this place?” You inquired finally, instead of the countless questions that were heavy on your tongue.
“I don’t really remember,” Miyeon’s words were almost a whisper, “good, I think.”
You could not even laugh. There was something ominous about her response. Your usually composed best friend had transformed into someone else. Someone who was clasping the wheel with white knuckles, the speedometer a few ticks above the speed limit.
After a half-hour drive to the neighbouring town, you arrived at a restaurant in a secluded spot, somewhere you would never have guessed to check for a site to dine.
The exterior of the building was painted entirely black, as if in an attempt to disguise it. Dark green vines were crawling up the sides. White neon lettering was set above the front door, unlit but still bold against the dark paint. They read ‘Sugar & Spice’.
The car park was mostly full, and their customers seemed to be made up entirely of women.
Miyeon lingered in the driver’s seat for a moment, a slow, shuddering breath rising in her chest. And then she turned her head to you, abruptly filled with glee.
“Let’s go,” she said.
You walked together through the car park, weaving between cars. Miyeon led the way inside the restaurant, and you inhaled a short gasp upon following her.
In contrast to the warm heat of the sunlight outside, inside the building was a comforting coolness that brushed against your skin.
The floor was a black and red painted wood tiling, varnished till it glistened. The tables were dark black wood with red tablecloths. Everything was in shades of black and red, fitting together in a way that was not overwhelming to the eyes.
From the perfectly crimson roses in white vases, to the thin veils of curtaining that bled pale light into the room, to finally the glittery chandelier that hung above everyone’s heads, scattering golden stars across every surface beneath it - it must have taken a stroke of interior design ingenuity because it seemed beautiful in a way that resembled a dream.
And then there were the waiters.
No matter which one you looked at, you seemed to discover a beautiful man each time. They wore these maroon vests, these crisp dress shirts and dark ties, and you flushed as your interest zeroed in on their tight black pants that seemed to cling to the flesh of their thighs.
One of the waiters approached you upon catching sight of you and Miyeon idling near the front.
“Good afternoon, ladies,” he greeted, flashing you a dazzlingly bright smile. The golden nametag pinned on the breast of his vest read ‘Seokmin’ in cursive. His inky hair was gelled neatly, revealing his forehead.
You had almost entirely lost Miyeon to the strange hazy atmosphere, and so you took over.
“Good afternoon. Do you have a table available for two?” You asked.
“Certainly, honey,” Seokmin replied softly, and you could not help but flush; that nickname was far too flirtatious, “this way.”
You trailed him by a few metres as he took you both through the lines of tables. He collected a pair of menus on his way through, tucking them beneath his arm.
Miyeon sat opposite you dazedly, her attention elsewhere. You realised she was staring pointedly at another waiter serving a different table.
“I’ll be taking care of you both,” Seokmin began, and when you turned to meet his gaze, he winked at you, “raise your hand when you’re ready to order, and I’ll be right over. Is there anything else I can get you in the meantime?”
You now understood Miyeon’s vague description perfectly. Seokmin maintained eye contact with you as he spoke, and you felt as if the general murmur of conversation began to fade away.
Everyone else disappeared from your periphery; only Seokmin was there. You bit your bottom lip hard, and his hold over you shattered. The room around you swayed and then came back into focus.
“Um, just a jug of water, please,” you answered thinly, and Seokmin disappeared within moments. You patted the tablecloth in front of Miyeon, and she jolted back to attention.
“S-Sorry,” she stammered, “what is it?”
“This place is weird, Miyeon-ah,” you said, unnerve coiling around your vocal cords and making your words sound tight, “these waiters are abnormal.”
Goosebumps emerged as the sensation of eyes on you grew loud. You turned in your seat sharply, but there was no one.
“I know, isn’t it exciting?” Miyeon’s smile was far too sweet, “But is abnormal the right word? I think you mean that they’re supernaturally beautiful.”
“No,” you frowned, “it’s abnormal. Can we just get a couple of drinks and then leave?”
In comparison to your frown, Miyeon’s was of irritation and a flash of anger, like lightning. Her tone was almost aggressive as she argued with you.
“No, we drove half an hour to get here.”
You had never known her to speak so sharply before. Then, finally, it dawned on you that something had come across her, like an enchantment or perhaps a spell.
And then you looked more closely at the other patrons. In the few moments that you observed the room, you saw multiple girls knock their drinks, spill their food on their shirts, dropping their cutlery.
You remained quiet about it, feeling nerves prickle on your skin.
Deciding you did not want to pay any more attention to Miyeon because the sight of your possessed best friend was frightening, you kept your attention on the rest of the building. In the shadows at the edge of the room, you saw Seokmin and another male.
They were transparent, difficult to discern as if they were blending into the dark walls, but you could just see them by squinting. It seemed as if they were arguing about something, their expressions fierce and their conversation hushed.
Suddenly, their heads both turned towards you as if they could feel your attention. Seokmin’s face was cold and severe, something far more unnerving than the strange hold he had had on your earlier.
You jerked your head down to your hands to break away from him, realising you had taken fistfuls of the red tablecloths. By the time you looked back up, Seokmin was right beside your table with a jug of water.
That bright smile was back on his features, but it no longer felt genuine and charming. You looked desperately to Miyeon for help, to no avail. She was still observing that other waiter.
“You were watching us?” Seokmin’s lips were close to your ears as he crouched beside you, his breath sending shockwaves of electricity across your cheek.
“I-I didn’t see much,” you stammered, but he simply tutted in response, “but you saw us, right?”
You could not even add anything else, words trapped in your throat. You only nodded curtly.
Seokmin scoffed, “I guess he was right.”
And then he reverted to his original appearance, that warm and flirtatious waiter you had first met, although now you knew it was just a facade. You had seen his true colours, and they were shades of black and grey.
“Have you decided on anything?” Seokmin asked.
Your head was still spinning as you answered, “just an iced coffee, please.” You did not feel like eating.
Miyeon ordered pork cutlet ramen. As you watched her eat slowly, swallowing spoonfuls of broth, sweat began to gather in the crooks of your body.
You spent the entire meal on edge. Repeatedly, you felt the burn of eyes on the back of your neck or the side of your face. Occasionally, you caught two dark irises peering at you from the edge of your periphery, but when you looked directly at them, they would be gone. You tapped your foot impatiently, chewing on the inside of your cheek.
It was not entirely a bad or uncomfortable sensation. It was just different, like a cold shower. But once you grew accustomed to the stream of cold water, it was pleasant. Perhaps you had missed the attention after all.
Finally, you managed to uncover the owner of the searing eyes. It was not Seokmin, whom you had been expecting, but another staff member, the same one that had been arguing with Seokmin earlier.
He was just as beautiful, with thick lips and raven hair that trailed past his ears. His smile was also just as gorgeous. You swallowed beneath his attention.
The stranger wore an outfit that differed slightly from the others. Everything was the same, except for a golden sash around his waist. As you wondered why it was different, he ducked behind the bar, and it struck you that he was a bartender.
And then finally, Miyeon finished her meal, and she had no more excuses to remain there, so you dragged her back to the car.
Upon sitting in the driver’s seat, Miyeon burst into uncontrollable tears, burying her face in her hands.
“M-Miyeon, what’s wrong?”
“H-He served someone else. I can’t believe she served someone else,” she sobbed.
You could only stare at her in disbelief, truly disturbed.
Once she had collected herself, she drove you home in silence with tear-stained cheeks. Though you had been shaken up by your experience that afternoon, you were also impossibly inquisitive.
That evening, Miyeon sent you a text.
I don’t know why I acted like that, I’m sorry. I was being irrational. It was like I was in a dream.
You only responded that you understood because you did, sort of, but you also did not. Because you would never truly understand what had unfolded before you hours earlier.
As it became a well-worn thought in your mind, you began to want to return to Sugar & Spice. You had so many questions.
Why do all these girls flock to that restaurant? Why did they all look as if they had been hypnotised?
As if reading your mind, you received a letter that following Monday.
It came in an inky black envelope, emboldened against the usual white paper ones. You turned it onto its back, and it had been engraved with your name in golden lettering, Miss (F/n) (L/n).
You tore it open and withdrew a piece of folded scarlet paper from within. It had only a few paragraphs written on it, which read:
Dear Miss (L/n),
You are invited to attend the Sugar & Spice Twilight Gathering,
We hope to see you at 9 pm next Sunday in your best formalwear,
Sincerely,
The Staff at Sugar & Spice.
You spent the following week treasuring the letter, rereading it and keeping it tucked away in your pocket to savour. Skimming the words made your heart flutter every time.
You did not know how they knew where to send it or what your name was, but you could ask that alongside your previously devised questions. It was yet another supernatural thing to come from that restaurant.
During your time simultaneously panicked and excited over the invitation, you pored through your old dresses. You were pleasantly surprised to discover a black dress that Miyeon had once insisted you buy, with lace trim on the short sleeves.
It was easy enough to find shoes to match - half of your formal shoes were black.
On the night of the gathering, you paced around your apartment fully dressed an hour before you were supposed to leave. Your muscles were rigid with anxiety and a twinge of fear. You even briefly toyed with the thought of not attending.
What if you became entranced like Miyeon and the rest of the patrons had been? Would they all turn their attention to you and drag you in?
A low curiosity hummed inside you, constantly pulsing within you. It drove you to attend just to relieve it.
And so, you ended up in your car, retracing the drive to the Sugar & Spice restaurant.
Upon arrival, you discovered an empty car park. The neon sign above the entrance was now lit up, glowing a muffled white light. It felt ominous.
As you got out of the car and began to walk, you could have sworn that the shadows around you were moving, flitting across the corners of your vision. Now you wanted to get back in the car and drive home, your heart throbbing out of fear.
But instead, you entered the building, leaving behind that strange car park.
The room inside was drenched in golden light and a gentle warmth that made you feel immediately safer. However, it also lacked the people you had assumed would be inside.
It had the appearance that it was closed. Everything had been neatened and cleaned, chairs stacked, and dishes put back in their places. But the light was on, and the front door unlocked, so it could not be closed.
Right?
You scanned the room idly, beginning to suspect the letter to be a trick.
“You look lovely,” a voice spoke directly against your ear, breathing a cloud of hot air against your skin. You flinched and stumbled away.
It was that bartender you had observed the last time you were here. Up close, he was even more gorgeous. His eyes crinkled as he smiled, a gentle and kind expression. You could not help but stare at his petal-shaped lips. His nametag read ‘Hoetaek’. By the time you finished examining him, his face was shining in amusement.
“Thank goodness. I thought I was here alone. Are…aren’t there any other people? I thought this was a ‘gathering’,” you commented, gesturing to the empty room.
“Oh, there are other people here,” Hoetaek replied with a mischievous lilt.
Seokmin seemed to materialise out of nowhere. You were beyond being suspicious at this point, however.
“I was the one that invited her, Hyung,” he said, pacing towards you both.
“There are no rules,” Hoetaek retorted. Suddenly the air became hot and heavy, clinging to your frame.
Hoetaek’s arm drew around your waist and pulled you against him, his hand on your hip.
“We can share,” he hummed, “can’t we?”
Seokmin furrowed his brow in irritation, “you’re ridiculous. She’s mine.”
“Well, you should have gotten here first. She was up for grabs the moment she stepped through the door. I’m not going anywhere, so you’ll have to share,” Hoetaek responded firmly.
For a moment they were both silent, having a wordless standoff as they stared at each other. Finally, you slipped out of Hoetaek’s arm, frowning.
“I wish you would both stop talking about me like I’m not here.”
You blinked, and Hoetaek’s face was dangerously close to yours; his body craned because you were shorter than him. You could feel his breath skimming against your lips, see the darkness swirling beneath his soft and playful facade.
“On the contrary, we’re speaking like that because you’re here, sweetness.”
Suddenly your legs felt unsteady. Hoetaek seemed to sense that because his arms curled around your back to hold you. And then, abruptly and unpredictably, he kissed you. It was only a curt kiss, but it was enough to spread a blush from your neck to your face. Hoetaek grinned, obviously pleased with himself.
“I-I…what was that?” You spluttered, the only words you could manage.
“He’s teasing you,” Seokmin’s light voice came from behind you. He had caged you in against Hoetaek.”
“So you’re in?” Hoetaek asked Seokmin, looking at him over your shoulder. In response, the latter wrapped his arms around you as well, pulling your ass flush against his hips. You melted against him, impulsively deciding to give in to whatever their plans were.
“We’re going to show you someplace special,” Seokmin hummed lowly, “but once you go in there, you can’t walk back out until we’re done with you.”
Although your throat was dry and your body was taut with nerves, you were so fucking horny for them. Ever since you had felt the warmth of their hands radiating through your clothing, you had lost all inhibitions. It was as if their touch was magic.
“Show me,” you replied.
Seokmin flashed that thousand-watt smile at you and then at Hoetaek, who reflected at him his own bright, toothy grin.
“Let’s go, then, honey,” Seokmin said, and they interlaced their fingers with each of your hands, tugging you forwards.
There was a maze of corridors in the restaurant’s back, seemingly stretching endlessly past what was possible for a building of this size. There was a pitch-black door at every turn with golden doorknobs.
Hoetaek and Seokmin were arguing about something again, but you could not discern their words. Arousal was buzzing against your ears, blocking them out.
They seemed to come to an agreement, stopping in front of one of the doors. Hoetaek opened it, leading the three of you inside.
A wall of flowery perfume washed over you, fogging your already cloudy mind. Inside was a beautiful, plush bedroom, matching the general theme of inky blacks and vibrant reds.
There was a velvety crimson sofa, a black duvet on top of a wide queen-sized bed, and a single, flawless rose perched in a delicate base. You sensed that the rose was the source of the fragrant scent that was so dizzyingly strong.
You were light-headed, so you swiftly moved to the couch to ground yourself. You blinked, and Seokmin had stolen the remaining space beside you, leaving Hoetaek to frown.
“Don’t make that face, bartender,” Seokmin was grinning, “why don’t you get us a drink~?”
Hoetaek examined you both for a brief moment and then replied, “if I leave right now, I’ll miss out on all the action.”
Seokmin’s fingers ghosted over the wispy strands of hair against your temple.
“I suppose by now you’ve figured out what we’re after, haven’t you, honey?”
You had not precisely thought it, but you had sensed it. That feeling as if they were going to devour you, but not in a way resembling the usual definition of that word. Like they were going to fuck you, to ruin sex for you forever. To make them your first thought when you were horny.
Actually thinking that made a cascade of heat run from your scalp to your toes. You became hyper-aware of Seokmin’s weight on the sofa beside you. Said male was leaning close to you all of a sudden, his nose grazing your cheek.
“Wow,” Seokmin breathed, “you started smelling so fucking good right now. Did you know that?”
Your vision was misty as you turned to look at him. Your interest fluttered over his broad chest, the tan stretch of the skin of his neck, his sharp jaw, and then his eyes, which were aflame with desire.
Seokmin reached over and smoothed his hand over your cheek.
“S-Seokmin…please do something,” you mumbled, rubbing your thighs together for just an ounce of relief.
“Hmm? Do what?” He teased. He was so close that you could feel the heat from his lips ebbing against yours.
“Don’t toy with her,” Hoetaek chuckled, his voice echoing from somewhere near your knees. He slid his palms between your thighs and parted them, pushing the hem of your dress up to your hips. Every time his hands met your legs, there were fireworks of excitement in the pit of your belly.
“It drags things out,” Hoetaek continued, his fingers creeping up between your thighs and grazing your underpants, “makes things go too slowly. We all want the same thing, and it doesn’t help to dance around the topic.”
You yelped when he hooked his fingers beneath your panties, making direct contact with your tingling pussy. He was sliding his index finger between the wet folds, and you had to grasp Seokmin’s broad shoulders.
“H-Hoetaek,” you gasped, a plea for more, and he laughed, “I’m right, aren’t I?”
“I disagree,” Seokmin interjected, drawing your attention back to him. His lips brushed against yours in the slightest kiss you had ever received, “I like drawing it out.”
You leaned forwards to kiss him again, and as if to prove his point, he ducked his head back.
“The more desperate you get (F/n), the better.”
You sighed in frustration, and he chuckled amusedly, grasping your chin and finally kissing you.
It was a deep, slow kiss that simulated this sensation of being sucked into him, and then Hoetaek pinched your clit, and your daze was shattered. You tried to gasp into the kiss, but Seokmin swallowed it up, his tongue slipping between your parted lips. The sweet flavour of his saliva permeated your tastebuds.
“Mm, you’re getting wetter by the moment, sweetness,” Hoetaek purred.
And then he licked a stripe up your pussy, from your entrance to your clit.
“Oh!” You breathed, earning a low laugh from Seokmin, “baby girl, you’re so responsive.”
Hoetaek began to work your pussy with his lips and tongue, using techniques that felt more like magic than oral. It was impossibly good, even before he slid two fingers inside of you. You threw your head back, your hands flying to Hoetaek’s dark hair. You needed something to hold onto before you ascended into the ceiling.
Your focus zeroed in on the jagged pleasure that was rushing through you, unrelenting cries passing from your lungs.
“Don’t forget about me,” Seokmin whispered against your ear, “I think you need something to shut you up.”
You turned to him, disorientated, wondering why he was moving around so much and coming to face his crotch directly. He was on his knees, unbuckling his belt with deft fingers, and when he pulled them down, he revealed a hefty bulge in his plain boxers.
“S-Seokmin,” you stammered, and he flashed at you that impossibly dazzling smile.
“Our names are pretty heavy on your lips tonight, aren’t they, honey?”
With that statement, he dropped both his bottoms, revealing his cock.
It was tan and quite veiny as if engorged with cum, but also rather thick, resembling the girth of a can of soft drink. There was no way your jaw would comfortably fit around him.
“I-I can’t,” you began, but Seokmin’s hand was in your hair before you could express your concerns any further, and your head was overcome with thoughts surrounding the potential flavour of him.
Your jaw was stretched to its limit as Seokmin pushed his cock inside your mouth, aching with exertion. He dragged you forwards forcefully, your nose meeting the small, trimmed blossom of dark pubes above his dick. His tip made contact with the back of your throat, and you gagged, spit spilling down your chin.
“Is it too big for you?” Seokmin laughed, “but you don’t care, do you, baby girl? You just want me to fuck your throat.” He slowly rocked his hips back and forth, uncaring that you were spluttering around him.
The combination of that and Hoetaek’s constant ministrations made your head feel light, an orgasm coiling around your core. Hoetaek’s fingers crooked, and you choked around Seokmin, your orgasm crashing over your head. Your vision was speckled with tiny stars, your legs trembling violently.
Hoetaek was licking his now glossy lips, sitting back on his heels.
“Delicious~,” he hummed happily. You could only give him a side glance because Seokmin’s grip on your hair was still firm. Finally, he released you, and your head lolled backwards, a string of saliva connecting your lips to the pearly head of his cock.
You did not even bother to wipe your chin. Instead, you looked directly at Seokmin, inwardly begging for more.
“On your feet, honey,” he ordered. Your limbs were quivering as you stood, stumbling almost drunkenly.
Both males assisted you to the mattress, sitting you on the edge of the bed between them both.
“This dress is cute and all, but I need it gone,” Hoetaek commented, tugging at the waist of the black fabric.
“Agreed,” responded Seokmin. They exchanged a glance, and then your body was bare, even your underpants gone. You clasped your hands over your breasts, defending them against the cold air.
“Mm, don’t do that,” Hoetaek murmured, and it was his turn to kiss you. He took your wrists and pulled them away from your chest, revealing your nipples to the atmosphere.
Hoetaek was far more rushed in his kisses. It made you feel crazed and flustered, and his lips were incredible and honeyed. In the meantime, Seokmin’s large hands palmed your breasts, rolling your sensitive nipples between his thumb and forefinger.
You groaned when Seokmin’s heated mouth enclosed over your peaked buds, suckling them between his teeth.
“Ah,” you breathed against Hoetaek, “when are you both going to fuck me?”
Both of them laughed softly, sharing amusement between them.
And then they were staring you down, ravaging you with their gaze only. Your vision fogged in arousal. Out of desperation and without hesitation, you turned to Hoetaek and began to unbutton his pants.
He helped you remove them alongside his boxers, unveiling quite a lengthy cock. You wrapped your fist around the base, and Hoetaek’s hand grasped your neck in retaliation. He squeezed lightly until you let go.
“Ah-ah,” his voice was almost a growl, “not so eager, sweetness. You’ll keep your hands to yourself, and you’ll do what we ask you to do. Got that?”
You nodded, your bottom lip trembling.
“On your hands and knees, with your ass facing me,” Seokmin ordered from behind you, and you were quivering because all of a sudden, the air was cold and thick.
You had thought they were being mean earlier, but this had been nothing compared to now. Every ounce of warmth in their tones had dissipated.
You fucking loved it.
“Open up,” Hoetaek barely waited for you to get comfortable on your hands and knees before grabbing a fistful of your hair. He pulled sharply, forcing you to look up at him.
“Ah!” You hissed, opening your mouth and sticking out your tongue. He laughed coldly and sunk your mouth down on his cock. He was so lengthy that you could only get about halfway down before gagging.
Behind you, Seokmin was running his cock through your folds, doused with your cum from moments earlier.
“I’m gonna be nice and fuck you, even if your tiny pussy can’t take me,” Seokmin drawled, “and I’ll cum inside of you first. And then Hoetaek’s gonna take his turn fucking you too.”
But the sound of Hoetaek’s cock sloppily fucking your throat obscured your hearing, and so you barely registered Seokmin’s words.
You did not care what his plans were, anyway, as long as they were to fuck you until you could not take it anymore.
Seokmin began to push his thick cock inside of you, and you had the abrupt realisation that he was just a little bit too big for you.
The stretch stung - you groaned in response. But, eventually, he bottomed out, and you were full of him.
“You took all of me, baby girl,” Seokmin commented, almost out of disbelief.
You hummed, looking up at Hoetaek with the best doe eyes you could muster. He chuckled, flashing you a fleeting arrogant grin before burying his cock deep inside your mouth, purposefully making you choke.
Seokmin began to fuck you, having hardly waited for you to adjust before pistoning himself inside of you. It took him mere moments to grow relentless.
Your eyes screwed shut tightly, your head spinning between the two cocks. Drool was collecting on your jaw and your nose; it was everywhere because Hoetaek was being rather rough.
Hoetaek tugged on your hair again, and you opened your eyes in shock.
“Keep looking at me,” he ordered. Your vision was blurred with tears as you tried to keep your gaze steady on Hoetaek, staring into his lust-darkened eyes.
“Tell me you want me to cum inside of you, (F/n),” Seokmin said, his voice rising in volume, “say it!”
Hoetaek pulled his cock out of our mouth, and you gasped out of desperation, “please, I want you to fill me up with your cum!”
Seokmin’s thrusts grew wild. Your arms collapsed beneath you, and you face-planted into the duvet.
And then he came; you could feel it. His cum was hot, and because you were already so full of him, it spilled out and trickled down the insides of your thighs.
You breathed heavily, exhausted, laying flat against the bedding. You could vaguely hear and feel them shifting around.
All of a sudden, strong arms wrapped around you, drawing you back against someone’s soft shirt. You blinked away the fuzz of your vision and recognised Seokmin, kneeling in front of you, baring his teeth in a cheeky grin.
“You can take more, can’t you?” Hoetaek purred, his hot breath fogging against your neck. The length of his cock was leaning against the plush flesh of your inner thigh.
“Please,” you slurred, and both of them laughed.
“You’re such a slut,” Seokmin growled, cupping your face and kissing you.
And as he kissed you, Hoetaek’s long cock pushed inside of you. Seokmin had stretched you out enough for him to enter you with ease, but he hit a wall inside of your pussy before he could bottom out, a spot that had remained untouched for your entire life.
It was simply a different sensation to Seokmin. Not better or worse. It was just as good but in a different way and equally as dizzying.
Hoetaek seemed more vocal in comparison to Seokmin - but perhaps that was just because his lips were so close to your ears. He was emitting these low hums from deep in his chest.
As Hoetaek fucked his cock in and out of you, Seokmin withdrew from the kiss to stare directly at you. Your eyes were half-lidded as you peered back.
“You look so fucked out,” he laughed, “I bet I can make you even more fucked out, though.”
Your mind was so sluggish that it took you a few moments to register his statement, and by then, his hand was already between your legs. He began to rub harsh circles over your clit.
“Oh my, fuck!” You exclaimed, having hardly expected that. Your clit was so sensitive that you came instantly, your vision whiting out as your pussy clamped down around Hoetaek.
Hoetaek breathed something between a laugh and a groan, and as you came down from your orgasm, you realised his cum was dripping down your thighs as well, his hot semen mingling with Seokmin’s.
Both of them released you, and you fell flat against the covers, fatigue seeping into every muscle on your body. The duvet was cool and comfortable, and you sunk into a blissfully happy state.
“(F/n).”
Seokmin was smiling down at you sweetly when you finally gathered the strength to turn your head towards him. They had both reverted to their kind, gentle facades that they had first greeted you with.
“Why don’t you have a sleep?” Seokmin offered, “we’ll keep you company.”
Hoetaek was sitting on the bed beside you, his eyes crinkling warmly.
“Really? I’ll get the sheets dirty,” you frowned, only now noticing the sheen of sweat layered on every inch of your body.
The two of them exchanged an amused smirk as if sharing an inside joke.
“Don’t worry, sweetness. These sheets have seen a lot,” Hoetaek hummed, pressing a kiss to your forehead.
You slept that night between two dangerously attractive men, waking with disbelief dawning on you once you recounted the previous evening.
They sent you off with a black piece of paper, and to summarise the text written on it; you were allowed to return to the restaurant at any time and steal them to satiate yourself.
You would spend countless nights shared between them because their hands, and their cocks, were so much better than anyone else.
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milkybonya · 3 years
Text
always, i loved you
order 035, anon: large honey milk tea with regular tapioca pearls for pentagon's Hui
warnings: lots of dialogue and very nostalgia/flashback oriented, otherwise just fluff :")
summary: you and boyfriend!Hui reminisce on your past and Hui realizes you've loved him for longer than he's been aware of.
word count: 939
barista 🥛's 💌: did u know this is my fav photo of Hui?! well now u know ♡ is anyone excited for ptg's comeback ?! i can't wait >.< p.s. i struggled writing this lmao
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Hui kicks at your leg, making you lose your balance as you sit on the floor with your back towards the couch and your hands holding a gaming console.
"darn, Hui! i'm losing because of you!" you whine.
"that was the point," Hui says, a mischievous expression on his face as his character makes it to the mariokart finish line.
"always choose princess peach for the win, what did i tell you?" Hui says, contently shuffling around in his spot.
"you won 'cause you cheated and pushed me," you huff, taking the gaming consoles and putting them away before switching the tv off.
"a win's a win either way. now, you owe me some pancakes!" Hui cheers.
"coming right up," you grumble, standing up, but Hui pulls you down again to kiss the top of your forehead before letting you go.
as you're preparing the pancake mix, Hui joins you in the kitchen and leans back against the counter.
"this reminds me of our first date," he says, smiling at you fondly.
on your first date, Hui invited you over to cook together, except neither of you were confident, so you ended up just making pancakes. it all took place in your kitchen, just like things are happening now. back then though, the two of you were more nervous and didn't know each other that well.
"i dipped my finger in the mix and touched your face, but the mix slid down and it looked like you were crying," Hui reminisces, slowly walking over and doing the same thing he did back then.
you pout and act as if you're truly crying, and Hui kisses your lips with a laugh, wiping the pancake mix off your face.
"back then, i realized i really loved you," Hui says, stroking the top of your head.
"really? i knew that from way before. that i love you, i mean," you say, stirring the pancake mixture.
"oh? and when was that?" Hui asks, wrapping his arms around you and engulfing you in a back hug.
"back when we were still friends way back at the start, in high school, even. there was this one time when you sang for the class for your music club presentation... seeing the passion on your face and hearing your voice gave me goosebumps. i fell in love with you a thousand times over in that moment," you explain.
"wait so.. when did you first start liking me, then?" Hui asks, mumbling into your neck as he nuzzles his face into it.
"ah... that's a secret!" you say, starting to feel a bit embarrassed.
"what?! but i already know now it was sometime in high school!" Hui whines.
"and that's all you'll know," you say.
Hui's whines grow louder and he softly tickles you, trying to get any sort of answer from you.
"i'll only stop if you tell me!"
"fine, fine!" you pant, catching your breath as Hui finally lets go.
"i saw you in an empty classroom once before we were even friends. you were practicing singing for something and i couldn't even see your face, just your back. your voice was so beautiful that it made my heart flutter. after that day, i couldn't get your voice out of my head. that's how i knew i liked you."
Hui looks at you in disbelief, shaking his head.
"so you liked me before we were even friends?"
you nod and sigh, pitying yourself and your feelings that were one-sided back then.
"wow.." Hui says.
he's silent for a while as he processes everything. then, he asks you how you were able to feel the same way for so many years and not lose interest.
"because you were and are that special to me," you say.
"would you believe me if i told you you're special to me, too?" Hui asks.
you shake your head, not in disbelief, but at Hui's playful tone of voice.
"i started liking you after you befriended me because you joined my club. back then, you couldn't read music yet, and i taught you how to read it, remember? there was a day when you finally got the hang of it and you came to me all excited, showing me that you could finally read music. my heart raced so hard when you gave me a high-five and ran up to me like that... that's when i realized," Hui explains.
you smile fondly at the memory, recalling the way Hui blushed at you when you thanked him for letting you join his music club and teaching you how to read music.
"back then, i was so unsure of myself, but when i was finally doing something right, i felt so proud. and you were the first person who i wanted to tell," you say.
Hui kisses your cheek and rubs your shoulders, holding you close for a moment as he speaks.
"i remember that. and i know you have times, now, when you're still unsure of yourself. you know that it's okay to be unsure, right? you don't have to know everything, and you don't have to know yourself. just give yourself time to live and experience everything, all the things you want. then, you'll learn more about yourself, bit by bit."
"when did this turn into a lecture?" you ask Hui, who laughs in response.
you call his words a lecture, but they really do touch your heart. Hui knows they do, too. he knows now that he'll only tell you pretty things like that. it's the least he can do for someone who has loved him for such a long time.
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astralsweetness · 4 years
Text
Overstimulating Hui (m)
➣ This was literally only written bcs of this post by @kpoppwriter​ who graciously allowed me to expand upon it a tiny bit. 🥺 Thank you so much for letting me. I wrote this in the one hour gap I had between Chemistry and Microbiology (so it’s prob not that great, and only like, 1.6k words.. and not proofread...), forgot all about it, and then remembered it on his birthday... so happy birthday Hui! 😂
➣ Warnings: Overstimulation, some tears (positive), use of a safeword (kind of), oral, a repeat use of a line from my Hui fic to kind of tie the two together
“Are you going to cum for me again, sweetheart?” The words are said into the feverish skin of Hui’s neck, lips sliding along his pulse point – a few tears have slipped from the corners of his eyes, always so responsive to you, and you move to kiss them away, distracted only by the way he turns to you for a kiss to his lips instead.
“Yes, I’m – it’s so much –“ He’s whining, a soft keen lingering in his throat long after words fail him, and you’re treated to an absolutely gorgeous view as he comes undone completely, muscles locking up as he cums on both your hand and his lower stomach. There’s already a mess of pre-cum and his last orgasm covering his skin, and all this does is make him even more of a mess. It makes you want to break him down into pieces before putting him back together, your fingers dancing teasingly along the head of his cock now instead of the rough and fast strokes you’d been giving him moments before.
“Don’t stop..!” There’s a deep furrow to his brow, a rough quality to his voice that sends a burst of pure white heat through you. He reaches a hand out to you pleadingly, and you don’t think twice about interlacing your fingers. You can feel the way it trembles in your grasp. “Please, I can – one more –“
He’s rambling, eyes squeezed shut, and you recognize this, remove your hand from his weeping and abused cock completely – he snaps his eyes open with a gasp, the sunset hue of his eyes less apparent than the darkness of his blown pupils.
“What’s your color, baby?”
“Green.” He answers you with a ragged moan, curling his body towards yours lying next to him – he’s tired and overstimulated, in a fragile state of mind, and you don’t believe he’s telling the truth.
It’s not his fault, he’s not trying to lie to you – just like everything else in his life, Hui had the tendency to push himself without even realizing he was doing so. Continuing right now without giving him any time to recover was a surefire way to plunge him into a deep headspace that would take quite a bit of time to get out of, and that wasn’t your goal for tonight.
“Well, I’m kind of yellow right now sweetie, so let’s just breathe for a bit, okay?” You haven’t even finished your sentence before his head is dropping back against the pillow, tension draining from his body as his eyes slip shut – this is how it usually goes when he’s been overworked, him pushing his limits without noticing and you taking care of him without a second thought. His thumb swipes a soothing pattern across the back of your hand, the best he can do to try and soothe you in his fucked-out state.
It makes your heart lurch with love, how dedicated he is to you even when he’s covered in sweat and his own cum, breathing hard.
“Such a good boy for me, Hwitaek.” You fill the silence with soft assertions, mindless praise that is no less meaningful just because they spill off of your tongue as effortlessly as breathing. “You work so hard all the time, and it makes me so happy that you trust me to break you apart like this. Perfect boy. Beautiful, and all for me.”
“Yours..” He breathes softly, shifting the last few centimeters needed to press his body flush against you, rolled onto his side now. He’s sticky and hot and you don’t mind it in the slightest, smiles as he buries his nose into your neck, still holding your hand. “All yours.” It’s not quite an I love you, something adjacent to it, almost there but not exactly, but it resonates within you all the same.
“Are you still green, sweetheart? Still wanting to cum one more time?” Your fingers (the ones not being held hostage by his own) drift to his bare hip as you ask – his breathing has evened out, though it still hitches softly in his throat at the simple slide of your hand across the slope of his pelvis.
“Yes – please, one more, I can do one more, I’m still –“ His words catch up to him eventually and he falls silent, an abrupt cut-off to his whining pleas. “Are you? Green, I mean.”
“I am, darling.” It almost hurts how much you love him, how hard your heart beats at his soft questioning. “You’re still hard, is what you were going to say, right Hwitaek?” He doesn’t bother responding to your question verbally, presses an open-mouthed kiss to the juncture of your jaw and neck in an affirmative instead. “I’ll take care of you, Hui, I promise, just lay back.”
He goes easily when you nudge at his shoulder, rolls onto his back again and watches as you slide down his body, depositing kisses onto his heated skin as you go. You don’t try to let go of his hand, knowing it’d either be impossible or result in a sulking Hui, even as you brought him to his third orgasm. (He took hand holding very seriously.)
When you take him into your mouth the weight of him is familiar on your tongue, the distinctive taste of his past orgasms mixing with his pre-cum flooding your senses.
He is instantly loud at the feeling, shouts at the overwhelming heat and soft velvet slide of your mouth on his cock, back arching off the bed. Your interlocked fingers are squeezed tighter.
“Fuck, I don’t – I can’t –“ You’re not sure what he’s trying to say but hum an acknowledgement anyway, feeling a surge of pride at the ragged sob the minute vibrations rips from his throat. You can hear the tears in his voice, can follow the litany of “fuck, it’s so good, fuck, fuck, so good” until they hang in the air all around you, like verbal markers of every piece of him you manage to chip away.
“I’m gonna cum..” He whispers softly, broken and teary, so completely at odds with the way all of his other sounds are loud and whining. It makes your heart clench with love – everything about him you love, from the way he trembles as you pull off and replace your mouth with your fist to the way he sobs into the kiss you initiate as his release coats your hand, curling into you as his hips make small twitches forward. It’s not as shattering as his other ones had been, not as loud or as big, but his chest heaves like the air is being stolen from him before it hits his lungs.
“You did so good, my love, so good.” You raise your hand (his still firmly stuck to yours) so you can pepper the back of his knuckles with small kisses. “Are you with me still, Hwitaek?”
He nods once, small and shaky, eyes squeezed shut – but it’s all you needed from him and you brush away his tears with the thumb of your free hand, continue to whisper compliments against his temple, pausing only to press a kiss to his forehead.
It takes two minutes before he can release your hand, half a minute for you to wet a washcloth with warm water before you’re back at his side, and a minute and a half for you to wipe him down and remove the towel you’d placed down earlier. During it all he keeps his eyes shut, but by the time you’ve finished cleaning him up he’s gazing at you softly, outright laughs weakly when you suggest him putting sleeping clothes on.
“I’m not sure I’ll be able to move for the next six hours.” His voice gives away just how tired he is – it dips off at the end in pitch, wavers slightly in the beginning. You press your lips to his in a chaste kiss, trying not to let your smile disrupt it too much – it does, but you don’t think he particularly minded considering his own smile. His hair is a sweaty mess, and you make a mental reminder to insist on taking a shower together whenever he wakes up tomorrow.
“I’m going to wrestle you into underwear then, but other than that you’re on your own.” Your words are met with another soft laugh, sleepier than before – he’s fading fast, though he does try his best to not be complete dead-weight when you help dress him.
Another minute and a half and you’ve changed into your own sleeping clothes – which is literally just underwear and one of his shirts that you swear isn’t even his considering how far it hangs past your hips – sliding into bed behind him so you can wrap your arm around his waist. He reaches for your hand that rests on his stomach, holds it just like he had been doing the entire time before, and you press a kiss to the back of his neck because of it.
“Thank you for letting me do all that to you, sweetie – you’re so good, Hwitaek, such a wonderful boy. You did so well.” Your own words are starting to get softer as sleep creeps up on you, and Hui doesn’t respond verbally but he does squeeze your hand once before running his thumb over your knuckles lovingly, back and forth.
You are half-asleep when he speaks next, whisper-quiet and clearly almost asleep himself – you can’t hear him clearly, slurred and spoken into the pillow, but you feel it deep in your core.
A soft ‘I love you too’ leaves your lips, settling gently onto his skin, a comfortable weight as he finally drifts to sleep.
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