#seventeen joshua fluff

[pepperonidk]

Let it Snow || h.js

pairing: joshua hong x f!reader warnings: FLUFF, also this is a very christmas centered , Joshua + reader are both teachers, but it doesn't really come up often word count: 9.1k summary: what does it feel like to be loved by Joshua Hong? It feels like coming home.

a/n: MERRY CHRISTMAS!! this is the first thing I've written since I moved to Korea so y'all be nice lol. this is so self indulgent there's barely even a plot. It's just fluff.

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“So I really don’t understand why we can’t just take one car.” 

You looked up from your computer to find the teacher-next-door Mr. Hong had made himself comfortable, perched on the edge of your desk with a sandwich in his hand. You couldn’t help but roll your eyes with a sigh as you turned back to the lesson plan on your screen.

“I’m just saying,” he continued as he took another bite. “We’re going to the same place, and with gas prices like this, I just think it’s the most logical solution.” You already knew he was looking at you with an eyebrow, waiting for your imminent rebuttal before he presented his own. It was always like this with him, every conversation a game of tug-of-war, and most of the time Joshua had a way of drawing you to his side. Regardless, it never stopped you from playing along.

You pushed back from your desk, swiveling the chair a bit to get a better look at him. “What about car space?” You began. “My car is too small to hold us and our luggage and gifts.” You fight to keep a poker face as Joshua beams at you with his infamous smile. Since first getting hired two years ago to be a third grade teacher you’ve heard countless coworkers and parents walk down your hallway, excitedly chattering about that exact smile. While it wasn’t uncommon to see Joshua smiling (especially for his own third grade class), it did feel special that right now, you were a private audience to it. The idea made your heart flutter.

“So glad you mentioned that,” he offered you a grape from his lunch box. “I was just thinking that my brand new, spacious, 5-seater SUV with ample trunk space and leg room needed to be taken on a road trip.” You took the grape as you mimed considering his response. Honestly, it was a good idea, but admittedly, there was also some satisfaction to be found in pretending to be reluctant.

You chewed on the inside of your cheek as you thought of another excuse before Joshua interrupted your thoughts. “Can’t think of anything else, can you?” He raised an eyebrow as you rolled your eyes in response.

“Okay, I admit,” you looked up to see Joshua’s face light up. “It’s a pretty good idea.” 

“So that’s a yes?” He asked, finally hopping off your desk and offering you one last grape as the sound of students approaching reminded you that lunch time for teachers was never long enough.

“It’s a yes, Mr. Hong,” you replied, grabbing the grape from his outstretched hand just as you heard an excited squeal. Two third graders were standing at the door, with just the perfect incriminating view of your hand in Joshua’s. You quickly pulled your hand back, like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar, not even taking the grape.

As if unfazed by their whispers, Joshua raised an eyebrow in amusement as he decided to pop the grape in his mouth before heading toward the door where the two girls continued to giggle about the scene. “I’ll see you later,” he said to you as he headed for his own classroom. “Have a good class, kids! Be nice to your teacher, it’s the holidays.”

You couldn’t fight the smile on your face as he walked out, even as your kids rushed to your table. “Did Mr. Hong finally ask you to marry him?” One excited child asked. By now, there was a small crowd gathering to find out the details.

“Marry him?” You asked in surprise. “Why would he ask me that?” You stood from your desk and motioned for them to go sit down at their desks, which they obeyed, but the giddy smiles on their faces was a sign that the conversation was not yet over.

“Because he loves you, duh,” A voice called out from the back. “All old people have to get married when they love someone.”

“Yeah,” a chorus of agreement followed. “We’ve been waiting all year for it.”

The sting of being called old by a room of 9 year olds was drowned out by the way your heart fluttered at the idea of being loved by Joshua Hong. You weren’t even dating, unfortunately, but every so often he’d make a snide flirty comment or put a hand on your back and you’d find yourself wondering, what if?

You and Joshua had first met in high school when he was your group leader for your freshman orientation. He was a senior in need of volunteer hours and although he was kind and helpful, he was more interested in talking to the other group leaders than becoming buddy-buddy with awkward freshmen. Once the school year officially started, it quickly became obvious that he and his friends were wildly popular at school, at the center of every social circle. Although you had a few friends in common, you were still on the outskirts of their circle.

It wasn’t that you were particularly invisible, but the number of times you had spoken to Joshua Hong could be counted on one hand. The first time was during orientation, when he asked your name for the sign-in sheet. You’ll never forget the butterflies you felt when you saw him smile for the first time. He spoke to you again later that day, when you were sitting beside a boy named Chan and neither of you were really talking to each other. You noted the way Chan lit up in relief at Joshua’s presence. 

“Chan!” Joshua called to him before turning his attention to you. “I see you’ve met my neighbor, Chan.”

You waved awkwardly to the boy next to you. “Chan, this is…” Joshua trailed off with a sheepish smile, and a hand reaching to the back of his neck. You filled the silence with your name, feeling heat in your cheeks, embarrassed. Chan must have noticed because he introduced himself once more before realizing you already knew his name. There was a sense of relief in knowing he was just nervous too. “Go easy on him,” Joshua joked. “Chan doesn’t know how to talk to girls yet.” Before Chan could retort, Joshua had walked away, leaving you with the boy who’d become your best friend for the years to come.

The third time was at Joshua’s graduation party that Chan had begged you to accompany him to. You didn’t really know anyone there, although you recognized most of the boys from Joshua’s somewhat large friend group. You were relieved to find you and Chan’s other friends, Seungkwan and Hansol. They were sophomores from his health class, and were really easy to hang out with. The party was more fun after finding them. You didn’t run into the host of honor until you had taken a break from a riveting game of truth or dare to grab a soda from inside the house. Joshua was in the kitchen, seemingly taking a break as well, and didn’t notice you come in until you opened the fridge. When he finally turned to you with a smile, you swore you could have fallen to your knees in embarrassment. The words that came out of his mouth… devastating to say the least.

“Hey,” he began. “You’re Chan’s friend right? I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Joshua.”  You hoped he couldn’t see the heat rise to your cheeks or the way your own smile faltered. Thankful that no one else was around, you took his outstretched hand in a handshake and introduced yourself to him for the third time. You didn’t really see him again after that, and honestly, that was more favorable than having to introduce yourself to him for a fourth time.

However years later, in the hallways of another school there he was again. He was a few inches taller, his taste in fashion better, but his smile was the same as it was years before. The vice principal was in the middle of showing you your classroom roster when a knock on the door caught both of your attention.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Hong,” your vice principal greeted him. Standing at the door was a blast from the past, and with him came the butterflies you thought you left behind in the musty halls of high school. “This is the new third grade teacher,” she introduced, but before she could get your name out, Joshua had beaten her to it. He remembered your name. Her eyebrow raised in interest. “Do you know each other?”

“Yeah,” you replied. “We went to high school together.” You really hoped no one noticed how warm your face suddenly felt at the surprise of not only seeing him again, but also remembering your name.

“Is that so?” She asked and Joshua nodded with a smile. “In that case, Mr. Hong, you can finish up this tour right? I have a date to get to.”

Joshua gave a salute before taking her place beside you, close enough to smell the cologne he was using. A definite step up from high school Joshua’s usual Axe body spray. “Have a good time,” he called to her as she left. “Now, let me tell you all about which kids to watch out for.”

From the beginning, Joshua had become not only a mentor of sorts, but somehow your best friend as well, and everyone knew. Or at least, they had their own ideas about what he was to you. The third graders in front of you currently were no exception.

“So is Mr. Hong going to be your husband now?” The question snapped you out of your thoughts and you dismissed it with a laugh.

“No,” you laughed, turning to write a math problem on the board. “We’re just going to visit our families together for Christmas break.” Honestly, you really didn’t need to be defending yourself to anyone, but you knew your kids were so curious, and who were you to deny them that?

The class erupted into a chorus of disappointed “aw”s and “boo”s that made you chuckle. “Okay, okay,” you attempted to settle the class. “Enough of that, we have other problems to solve,” you continued as you pointed to the question on the board. 

By the end of the day, you were exhausted. After making sure all of your students were sent home safely, you walked back to your classroom and plopped into your desk chair with a sigh, thankful that it was the last day of the semester. While wrapping up a few emails on your computer, you heard a knock at the wall next to you. Two quick knocks and one just a bit later. You smiled to yourself, and responded with the same knock. You and Joshua had a secret knock, a sort of code to let each other know that the other’s presence was needed. You got up from your desk to open the door where Joshua was already waiting outside his own.

“Tired?” He asked, and you nodded back with a sigh. “It’s all that sugar. I keep telling the librarians to stop offering them candy canes before it’s time to go home.” 

You laughed at his frustration. “I love those kids,” you began. “But I am so glad I won’t have to see them for three weeks.”

“Me too,” he agreed. “Unless, you know, one of them is also visiting home and happens to be in the same 10 mile radius as us.” 

You groaned at the idea. “Shua, don’t even joke like that.” You stepped closer to him to playfully push him, at which he dramatically winced and reached a hand over his heart.

“It’s just so fun to annoy you,” he began. “You make this cute little face that looks like a pack of squirrels just moved into your brain.” He reached a hand to tap a finger in between where your brows had furrowed together.

You rolled your eyes at him. “It’s only funny until it’s true. Then you have a 9 year old shadow trying to follow you around everywhere.”

Joshua put his hands up in defeat. “Okay, okay. You got me there.” He let out a small sigh before continuing. “Should I come over tonight to help you pack?”

“Don’t you need to pack?” You asked him as he shook his head.

“I finished last night,” he assured you. “Figured you’d probably wait until today to start.”

“You know me so well, don’t you?” you smiled up at him as he nodded.

“I like to think so.” He smiled at you in return, although it felt much softer than his usual smiles.

Joshua arrived promptly at 6 p.m. with a knock at your door and takeout from your favorite Chinese restaurant around the corner. A quick look through the peephole showed a smiling Joshua dressed in his old and worn college hoodie, one that you’ve borrowed and worn enough times that it sparked a dating rumor at work, his duffel bag,  and his plaid pajama pants. You were wearing your own matching pair. The smell of the chicken was enough to entice you to open the door. Upon entering your apartment and kicking off his beat up white sneakers and dropping his duffel, he set down the bag of food on the counter and flopped down on the couch, laying down and grabbing the remote to press play on the show you had paused.

“Hello to you too,” you chuckled. “Make yourself at home, I guess.” You grabbed a box filled with noodles and a pair of chopsticks before walking over to the couch. As if on instinct, Joshua lifted his legs, allowing you to find a spot before lowering them back over your lap.

“Don’t mind if I do,” Joshua teased back. “Can you pass me the popcorn?”

“Here,” you rolled your eyes as you handed him the bowl of popcorn. “I thought you were coming over to help me pack?”

Joshua popped a handful of kernels into his mouth before replying which made you grimace. “I’m emotional support.”

“What would I even need emotional support for?” you questioned. “We’re only packing for a few dsays. I’ll just bring a few outfits and –”

You were interrupted by the sound of Joshua clearing his throat and swinging his legs off of your lap so he could sit upright and face you. “Remember last year, you said the same thing and still forgot to bring an outfit for that charity gala your parents throw every year?”

You nodded in defeat and let out a groan as you stood to go to your bedroom closet, to find a dress. You pulled two out, your trusty black dress that you’ve worn to a few of your parents’ galas and a newer red dress that you’d been saving for just the right occasion. After walking back outside, you held them both up for Joshua, who had now moved on from the popcorn and began eating at your noodles. “Which one should I bring?” you asked. “I know I wear this one every year, but I love it and then there’s also this –”

“Definitely the red one,” Joshua interrupted you, nearly choking on a mouthful of tofu to get his sentence out. “No more questions.” You couldn’t tell if his face was red from nearly choking on tofu or the idea of seeing you in the dress.

You shrugged and nodded as you slid the material off the hanger and unceremoniously dropped it into your suitcase, along with all the other outfits that were already packed. For the next half hour, it was relatively quiet in your apartment. The sound of Home Alone seemed to be the only break from the silence aside from the quiet chuckle Joshua would let out throughout the movie. These were your favorite moments with Joshua. School days were busy and loud, so much running around that when you did see him, it was in breathless “hey”s and rushed waves in the hallways. But in the warm glow of the fairy lights that adorned your living room wall and the stillness of it all, Joshua looked ethereal. If you had told yourself at 14 that the boy who barely even knew your name would not only be your friend, but even have a drawer of his own clothes at your apartment, you probably would laugh. 

“What’s got you laughing?” Joshua asked, turning his head towards you. You didn’t even realize that you had chuckled aloud.

“Just…thinking, I suppose,” you answered him.

“Is that so?” He asked, moving to sit up and leaning forward on his knees in exaggerated interest. “Better share with the class, then.” 

You thought about asking if he remembers the first time you met him, but decided to save it for another day. The quiet peace you had built up in this moment was much too delicate for an awkward question like that. So instead you told him you remembered a stupid Tik Tok that Chan had sent you earlier that day and Joshua’s face lit up in excitement.

He grabbed his phone and sat down next to you, knees touching yours. “Why don’t we give him a call?” He suggested. “He doesn’t even know I’m coming home this Christmas. I told him I was thinking of going overseas for the break.” He pulled up his number and hit the video call button and Chan answered  almost immediately. Joshua held the phone to make sure you’re both in frame as he greeted him. “Hey Chan!”

“My two favorite teachers,” Chan smiled. “What’s up?” The sound of a dog barking and multiple people engaged in conversation in the back gave the hint that Chan was already back home with his family. 

“I have something to tell you,” Joshua whispered conspiratorially. He leaned forward toward the camera, but before he could get a word out –

“You guys are getting married,” Chan blurted out excitedly and Joshua nearly dropped his phone. Why does everyone jump to that idea first, you thought to yourself.

Joshua was flabbergasted. “What? No that’s not–”

“You’re finally dating, aren’t you?” Chan guesses again, wagging an accusatory finger at Joshua. “I’ve always known–”

“No,” Joshua stopped him. It wasn’t often that you saw him turn so bright red, so you relished the moment. “We– I– I’m coming home for the holidays, is what I was trying to tell you.”

“Oh,” Chan dragged out awkwardly. “Why didn’t you just lead with that?”

“You literally didn’t even give me a chance,” Joshua was exasperated. He passed the phone to you while he stood up to grab a drink and put away the leftover food.

You greeted Chan again. “Channie, I miss you.”

Joshua called out to you from the kitchen. “Ouch, how come you’re never that excited to see me?”

“She sees you every single day,” Chan answered instead. “Let me have my best friend back.”

“Aw,” you began. “Don’t worry Chan, you’re still my best friend.”

“And what am I?” Joshua pouted as he returned from the kitchen.

“A leech at most,” you teased, causing Chan to chuckle. “You showed up just to watch my movies and eat all my snacks.” Joshua rolled his eyes but resumed his original position beside you anyway. He could never really be annoyed at you.

“So when are you guys going to head over here?” Chan asked. “Most of the guys are already here and are already planning to do something after the gala.”

“We’re headed out first thing tomorrow morning,” Joshua answered. “We’re only staying for the week.”

“Make sure you pack your warmest clothes,” Chan advised. “It’s supposed to be colder than usual this week.” You mimed a salute to Chan and Joshua nodded in response. “Okay, I’ll see you both tomorrow then!” Chan exclaimed before saying a quick goodbye, accidentally cutting himself off in the process.

Joshua set his phone down and you could still see the echoes of pink on his cheeks from Chan’s remark earlier. “I’m uh…” he began, getting up from his spot and still avoiding looking you in the eyes. “I’m gonna go get ready for bed. Is your extra blanket still in the hall closet?” 

“Yeah,” you responded. “Wake me up later?” 

He smiled at you from the bathroom door. “Of course,” he assured you. “Good night.”

“Good morning, sunshine,” you heard a voice cut through your dreams. Joshua was sitting beside you in bed, shaking you gently. The room was still dark and you wondered if you slept any more than four hours. “It’s 5 a.m.,” Joshua told you, as if he knew what you were thinking. “It’s early, but I wanted to beat the traffic.” 

You rubbed your eyes as you sat up. Joshua was already dressed. Well, dressed for a road trip. He was still wearing the same hoodie from last night, but traded his plaid pajamas for a pair of black sweatpants, and a white baseball cap sat on his hair that was growing out much too fast. “Good morning,” you yawned. You reached up to brush the bangs that were sticking out from under his hat away from his eyes. He chuckled softly, and you were glad that any awkwardness he might have felt last night was gone.

“I already put your suitcase in the car,” he announced as he watched you get up and head to the restroom to change and get ready for the day. “Everything is ready. Well, except you.” 

You popped your head out of the restroom to roll your eyes on him before returning. He walked out of the hallway and headed toward the kitchen. “I’ll make us some coffee,” he called loud enough for you to hear.

When you were finally out of the bathroom, dressed similarly to Joshua in a sweater and sweatpants, you were greeted to the smell of coffee and your favorite pastries from the bakery downstairs. Joshua was sitting at the counter, sipping from his favorite of your mugs – a misshapen Snoopy mug that you had found on one of your many thrift shop trips together. The sight was all too familiar to you and made it much too easy to pretend that this was what it looked like to be in love with and loved by the man across from you.

“You ready?” he asked, handing you your pastries, still in the bag and still warm, and the coffee that he had put into one of your travel mugs. You took one sip and savored the ratio of sugar and cream that Joshua had perfected when it came to you, and nodded at him in reply. After going through your mental checklist of last minute things to turn off and unplug, the two of you finally made it out the door.

“Do you still have that playlist we made last year on that work trip?” You asked as you entered Joshua’s car which was still cold after spending the night in the guest parking spot at your complex.

Joshua handed you his phone which he had plugged into the car. “Duh, it should be pinned,” he said as he fiddled with the many buttons on his car dashboard. You almost sighed as you felt the growing  warmth of his heated seats. I’d marry him right now for his car, you thought to yourself as you put the playlist on and handed Joshua the phone. He plotted the address of your childhood home and you two were set for the next few hours.

Not long after leaving the apartment, the sky began to slip out of its indigo hues and into a cozy blend of pinks and oranges that could fool anyone into thinking it wasn’t freezing outside. The sun was beginning to rise over the horizon, casting a warm glow onto Joshua’s face and as he reached up to grab his sunglasses, he caught your gaze.

“Take a picture,” he teased. “It’ll last longer.” He had his sunglasses on, but it didn’t do much to hide that he was looking at you through his peripheral. You pulled out your phone.

“I will, actually,” you started taking pictures, capturing Joshua’s laughter. He’s so pretty like this, you thought to yourself as you continued to take candid shots of him. “These are definitely instagram worthy,” you told him.

“Send them to me later,” he requested.

“Mmmm… you’ll have to earn them,” you smiled and tucked your phone away. You pulled your sweatshirt sleeves down over your palms as you began to yawn. 

“You can nap, you know?” Joshua assured, taking a quick glance at you. “We still have a ways to go.” 

You shook your head. “I don’t want you to drive alone,” you told him. “Plus, it’s too bright out anyway.”

Joshua let out a sigh before reaching up to pull off his cap which he then placed on your head instead, pulling the front down to cover your eyes from the brunt of the sunlight. “You should really find better excuses if you’re gonna keep arguing with me,” he joked. “Now sleep, I’ll wake you if I need anything.”

“Oh Joshy,” you started. “When will you learn that I never give in easily?” Despite your arguments, you were already drifting off.

“Trust me,” you heard him say softly. “I know it all too well.”

When you finally woke up, it took your eyes a bit to adjust to the brightness of the day. You reached up to pull down the hat over your eyes, only to find that in its place was the weight of Joshua’s head on top of yours and you had accidentally slapped him right in the face.

“Well good morning to you too,” Joshua yawned, leaning off of you. “We’re here by the way.”

“Why didn’t you wake me?” You leaned back toward your seat and away from the center console where you and Joshua’s arms were practically entwined.

“I felt bad that you only had like 3 hours of sleep, and I guess I dozed off waiting for you to wake up.” He shrugged as if it was the most casual and normal thing to do. It most definitely was not normal. Scanning your surroundings, you saw that you were parked in front of your home. “Are you ready?” Joshua asked.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” you replied with a sigh.

The two of you walked out of the car with your luggage in hand, only for Joshua to do a double take in front of your parents’ driveway. “That’s so funny,” Joshua chuckled to himself. “That looks like my mom’s car.”

It was indeed Joshua’s mom’s car.

Apparently, both of your moms had become best friends in the last year, after Joshua’s mom volunteered to help out with the gala last Christmas. The next few hours were filled with countless childhood stories being shared about you and Joshua, leaving you both flustered and embarrassed. It turned out that before Joshua Hong was a high school heartthrob, he was a goofy little boy who dressed up as Shrek every single halloween without fail. 

Eventually, when both women had exhausted their memories, they shooed the two of you away to the living room so they could finalize details for tomorrow night’s gala. There wasn’t anything good on TV, so you and Joshua mostly sat together, quietly scrolling through your phones. When Joshua’s mom came in, neither of you even noticed until she remarked, “Don’t you two look cozy?” 

You were laying down with your legs swung over Joshua’s lap and a blanket on top of both of you. You were cozy, but your cheeks flushed at the teasing tone of her remark. You sat up and scooched an appropriate distance away from Joshua who laughed quietly. His cheeks weren’t red at all. “Oh, don’t mind me,” his mom dismissed, grabbing a vase from the coffee table and retreating out of the living room. “As you were, lovebirds.” From the kitchen, you could hear them in a fit of stifled laughter.

You looked at Joshua who was fighting his own laughter as he waited for you to resume your position close to him. He could tell you were hesitating and cut through your thoughts. “It’s warmer under the blanket,” he coaxed you back to him.

When the doorbell rang and Chan’s voice cut through to the living room, you and Joshua both looked at each other with a sigh of relief. Boredom was creeping in quickly, and Chan offered the promise of something to do to break from the monotony of being in your childhood home. The two of you stood up to meet him at the door and offered for him to come into the house.

“No, that’s okay,” he dismissed. “I was on my way to meet the guys when I saw your car and thought I’d come and see if the two of you wanted to come along.” You were already slipping on your shoes and coat before he said anything else.

“Whatever you’re doing, I’m in,” you agreed, tying your scarf around your neck. Joshua was doing the same already.

“I haven’t even –” Chan tried to continue, but the two of you were already pushing past him, waving goodbye to your moms.

“I call shotgun,” you called out as you walked toward Chan’s car. Joshua pouted but stood at the back passenger’s door anyway. 

It wasn’t until Chan was already in the car that you finally asked where he was taking you. “The guys wanted to meet up at the parking lot of the high school,” he explained.

“As a teacher,” Joshua began, leaning forward between you and Chan’s seats. “I don’t condone loitering on school grounds after hours. As a former high school delinquent myself though, I just hope Hansol brought snacks.”

“As fun as that sounds,” Chan chuckled. “I think Seungcheol and Seungkwan wanted to play soccer on the field.”

Sure enough, when you arrived at your old school, you could hear the boys yelling from the field before you even got out of the car. It was a familiar sight, and a wave of nostalgia came over you as you and Chan trailed behind Joshua on your way to the field. 

“Remember when you would beg me and Seungkwan to watch our soccer practices?” Chan nudged you.

You rolled your eyes back at him. “I was really interested in soccer, okay?” you defended. You were lying and Chan definitely knew it. You only used to come to his games and practices to watch Joshua play. In your years of high school, however, you never actually learned anything more about the sport.

“Right,” Chan said. “Name a soccer position. Any soccer position. Besides the goalie.”

“Uh,” you hesitated. “Okay fine, I had ulterior motives, but shut up.” Your face suddenly felt hot and you hoped that Joshua didn’t hear your conversation. Chan laughed as he watched you walk away from him.

When you arrived on the field, it seemed that most of the other dozen or so members of Joshua and Chan’s friend group were already engrossed in the middle of a game. You slipped into the bleachers beside Jeonghan, who was snacking on a banana. Jeonghan was Joshua’s partner in crime in high school. Because of your shared literature class, you had spoken to him a bit more than Joshua or his other friends in high school. He gave you a slight nod in acknowledgement before offering you one as well.

“Hey, long time no see,” he greeted you. “Did you and Josh just get here?”

“Yeah,” you replied, accepting the banana. “About an hour ago. No soccer for you today?”

“Not today,” he shook his head. “I hurt my ankle at work, so I guess I’m up here with you today.”

“I can’t promise I’ll be as entertaining as whatever’s happening down there,” You gestured down to the field where the boys had briefly paused to attempt a weird trending dance Joshua had learned from his students. 

“I’m sure you will be,” Jeonghan said with a smirk.

“That almost sounded threatening, Jeonghan.”

“Nah,” Jeonghan wrapped an arm around you. “I just have a few questions for you, and I’m sure your answers will be entertaining. For me, anyway.”

You immediately knew where this was headed. Jeonghan was the only other person, besides Chan, Hansol, and Seungkwan that knew of your crush on Joshua. The only difference was that he had somehow figured it out on his own, rather than you admitting it to him. He confronted you on a day like this, at one of the soccer practices. He plopped down beside you during their break and asked bluntly, “So when are you gonna tell ol’ twinkly eyes you like him?”

You had sworn Jeonghan to secrecy, which he of course agreed to. “Why would I tell him myself, when I can be in on the secret instead?” he had said. Even in all of the times you’ve seen him since that day, he’s kept his word. Now here you are yet again on the bleachers about to answer the same question. 

Knowing you didn’t have much of a choice, you let out a sigh. “Go ahead.”

“Great,” Jeonghan beamed. “First one, when are you gonna tell ol’ twinkly eyes you like him?” You threw your head back at his question. How does he remember that? You thought to yourself.

“Never, most likely,” you answered. Jeonghan shook his head in disappointment. “What?”

“That’s such a boring answer,” Jeonghan chastised. “Why don’t you tell him?”

“Because I like being his friend,” you shrugged. “What we have right now is nice.”

Jeonghan snorted a laugh. “Seriously?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” you asked loudly, causing Joshua to turn up at you from the field in concern. You smiled and waved to him, appeasing him as he turned back to the game.

Jeonghan put his hands on your shoulders, squeezing as if massaging you. “Relax,” he shushed. “It’s just… you guys are basically in a relationship already.” 

“No we’re not,” you argued.

“Oh please,” Jeonghan scoffed. “Half the time Joshua picks up my facetime calls, he’s in your apartment or you’re in his. He has a drawer full of shirts that he’s set aside for you at his place, and I’m sure you have one at yours. Do you know how many times he’s left a night out early so he can come see you instead? And if he doesn’t leave, he’s ordering a meal to your place to make sure you have something to eat. It’s a relationship, you’re just both too scared to say it.” 

For once, you were speechless, and for the second time, Jeonghan had hit the nail right on the head. What were you and Joshua? Just friends don’t do the things you do… but also, if he wanted to be something more, why wouldn’t he just ask? And if he didn’t ask… well should you even be doing these things anymore?

“You know I’m teasing you, right?” Jeonghan continued, seeing the way your skin began to pale in panic. “Well mostly. I do think you guys are just a semantic definition away from dating, but you don’t have to say anything to him if you’re not ready.” You let out a sigh. “Thanks, Hannie.” 

“No problem,” he said. “Just think about it okay?” It looked like the boys were wrapping up their game, and Jeonghan chuckled as he watched Joshua immediately search for your eyes as he grabbed a bottle of water. 

Jeonghan leaned over in a whisper. “I’ve never seen him look at someone like that. I call him starry eyes for a reason.” Before you could reply, he stood to meet the other boys while Joshua came bounding up the bleachers to replace him.

“You okay?” he asked as you nodded your head in reply. “Are you sure? Jeonghan can be a bit much.”

“Yeah,” you chuckled. “You ready to go?”

“Well,” he began, eyes trailing to the boys who were all grabbing their stuff. “The guys wanna go get waffles at the diner, but if you’re down, we can walk there together. I know a bit of a shortcut.” You nodded and the two of you said your goodbyes to the group. 

Instead of walking back to the parking lot, Joshua led you down a small alleyway between the gymnasium and the soccer field. The gap was narrow and dark, especially with the sun beginning to set, and Joshua reached behind him to grab your hand. If you hadn’t just spoken with Jeonghan, you would have felt butterflies, but instead you just felt a bit guilty.

“Joshua,” you called out. “This feels sketchy.”

“Oh, it definitely is,” he replied, and you could hear the smile in his voice. “This is how I used to sneak off campus way back in the day.” It wasn’t long until you were finally in a clearing, and you paused to catch your breath. Small spaces were not fun.

“You know,” you began. “I had heard you skipped class but I never really believed it.”

“It’s such a shame we weren’t best friends back then,” Joshua laughed. “I could’ve been a bad influence on you so much earlier on.”

“I can’t believe the district trusts you to educate our future leaders,” you teased. 

“I’m reformed,” Joshua defended.

“Sure,” you rolled your eyes. As you continued walking, you found yourself speaking before you realized what you were asking. “Do you think we could’ve been friends in high school the way we are now?”

“No,” Joshua replied quickly. “I’m a firm believer that things happen when they’re supposed to happen. Plus, you were too good for me.” He looked over at you with a gentle smile. It wasn’t really the answer you expected to hear, but how can you feel hurt when he smiles at you like that?

“Oh,” you uttered. “Too good for you?” you felt yourself blush at his words.

“Yeah,” he confirmed. “You were kind, smart, and cute. I was smart too, but a bit of a slacker, as you can see.” Cute? He called you cute, you thought to yourself. 

“Well what about now?” The two of you had stopped at a small park. You weren’t too far from the restaurant, but it was obvious you were both holding onto the opportunity to be away from the chaotic energy that tends to follow a group of 13 boys.

“Well,” Joshua began, leading you to sit beside in the swing next to his. “You’re still smart and kind, and I’m less of a slacker.”

“What about cute?” you asked, expecting him to tease you. “Am I still that?”

Joshua shook his head before looking at you with a kind of softness you hadn’t seen before. It was as if you were something delicate he was holding in his hands and he was afraid that you would shatter with any pressure. “You’re beautiful,” he breathed out the words in a whisper. If the breeze had picked up any more, his words would have been carried away with it.

For a second, you couldn’t say anything. Joshua had complimented you many times before but it was always in silly comments or in teasing jokes. This, however, was none of the above. It felt like a confession, almost, like something he’d been wanting to say for much too long. It just felt different, but the good kind of different. The kind that feels like a door is opening, slowly.

The sun was setting behind him, coating his face in swathes of warmth and you couldn’t help but think the same about him. You had seen him in the sunrise and now with the sunset, and you thought to yourself, If only I could start and end every day with him like this. And so, you decided, it was time to reach for something new, even if it came with the risk of losing what you had now. Hoping for a Christmas miracle, you finally whispered back to him.

“Joshua,” you began. Even in the disappearing daylight, Joshua’s eyes twinkled away, anticipating what you had to say. “I think I… I think I–”

The sound of a car honking turned both of your attention to the source – Jeonghan’s car filled with too many people who were all waving at the two of you. “Hurry up, lovebirds! We’re starving,” Mingyu called from the passenger’s side as they sped away. 

The moment was gone, but as you looked at Joshua, he gazed at you with the same fondness as before. He stood up and offered a hand out to you, helping you up. “Let’s…” he began with a sigh. “Let’s try this again tomorrow, okay?” 

Your hand still in his, he gave it a squeeze before letting it go.

The next day, you woke up to the sight of blinding sun bouncing off the snow blanketed streets. It was refreshing to be able to wake up well past noon in your childhood bedroom to the sound of your parents listening to Christmas music downstairs. It all felt so familiar, just like you never left.

However, what did shock you, was finding Joshua at the kitchen counter, helping your parents make Christmas cookies. He was still in his pajamas and his hair was still messy, but he was laughing along as your dad butchered all the words to “Frosty the Snowman.” No one had noticed you coming down the stairs, and you appreciated the chance to observe the scene quietly. Joshua just seemed to fit in every aspect of your life so perfectly, and it almost made you regret the years you had spent pining from a distance. But Joshua was right, things happen when they’re meant to.

Finally deciding to make your presence known, you walked to the fridge to grab a glass of orange juice before sitting at the counter, across from where Joshua was adding the finishing touches to a gingerbread man.

“Morning,” you greeted him. “I see my parents have taken you hostage.”

Joshua laughed as your dad responded. “Not true, he chose to come here with his mother, so the labor was implied.” You looked around, Joshua’s mom was nowhere in sight.

“Where is Mrs. Hong anyway?” you asked.

“She went to the gala venue to start with the decorations,” Joshua answered. “Told me to be productive here.”

“Why didn’t anyone wake me?” you questioned. “I could have helped.”

Your parents and Joshua all shared a laugh. “Oh honey,” Joshua cooed. “We tried.” You blushed at the nickname. He dusted his hands off against the apron he was wearing before pulling his phone out to show you the evidence. He had taken a video of him trying to wake you up.

The video showed you sprawled across the bed like a starfish, and as Joshua tried to shake you to wake you up, you swatted his hand away. Even though he wasn’t in the frame, you could hear the smile in his voice. He would never let you forget that he had this video. You hid your face in embarrassment.

“Anyway,” your mom said. “We’re just wrapping up, so you two can go ahead and get ready.”

“I didn’t bring any of my stuff with me so I’ll head home,” Joshua explained as he untied his apron. “I’ll swing by around 6 to come get you?” he asked.

“That’s perfect,” you smiled at him as he nodded and helped your mom place the last of the cookies into a box, ready to be taken to the venue. “What about you guys?” you asked your parents.

“We’re going to the venue now,” your mom explained. “We’ll be getting ready there after setting everything up.” You watched from the counter as your dad and Joshua picked up all of the boxes of desserts and carefully walked to the door to load them in the car. You called out a goodbye to them as you went back up to your room to get ready.

When the doorbell finally rang, it was 5:50 p.m. and you were still not ready. Your makeup was halfway done and your hair was still in a mess of rollers on top of your head. “You’re early,” you exclaimed as you opened the door to an elegantly dressed, hair perfectly coiffed, cologne scented Joshua. “Wow, you look…”

He smirked at you as he held out a flower that he was holding. A single white blossom. “Handsome? Hot? Like heaven on legs? An angel?” he teased.

“Beautiful,” you finished. Joshua looked surprised and with his hair slicked back, you could see the tips of his ears turn a shade of red.

“That’s my line,” he recovered. 

“Not yet, I’m not,” you laughed, shaking your head as you let him into the house. He stepped in, but stopped in front of you.

“You always are,” he said again in that same tone from last night. The kind that made you go weak in the knees and made you wish time would pause for just a little bit, long enough for you to memorize the freckles on his face and find constellations in his eyes. Then he smiled, and you remembered how you looked, not even close to ready, but he still smiled at you like that, and you let yourself think, this what it looks like when Joshua Hong loves you.

You almost left the house just like that. It wouldn’t matter how you actually dressed, because you felt beautiful. But, who would you be if you weren’t constantly trying to beat Joshua Hong at his own games? So you snapped out of your haze and finished getting ready, and the look he gave you as you finally came back down the stairs indeed felt like a victory.

“Cat got your tongue, Hong?” you teased. Now in your heels, you were nearly eye level with him. His cheeks had turned pink and instead of replying, he shook his head and laughed. 

“I suddenly feel underdressed,” he joked, offering you the flower he had earlier. Before you could reach out to grab it, however, he reached out and tucked it behind your ear. “I know it’ll fall out, but I couldn’t find a corsage or anything.”

“A corsage?” you questioned. “Are you taking me to the prom, Joshua?”

“Just humor me,” he offered his elbow out to you. “It’s what I should’ve done in high school.”

The gala was in full swing when the two of you finally arrived. A band was playing jazzy renditions of Christmas carols, couples were on the dance floor, and everyone was dressed to the nines in shades of red, green, and gold. Joshua’s friends were split into two tables near the back, but before the two of you headed towards them, Joshua pulled you away to the buffet table.

“Hungry?” you asked Joshua with a teasing smile.

“Not really,” he admitted but grabbed a cookie anyway. “I just wanted you to myself for a little bit longer.”

“Oh? Why’s that?” you questioned. 

“I just know that as soon as we walk over there,” Joshua pointed to the table where the boys were all gathered around Chan, Seungcheol, and Mingyu having a water bottle flipping contest. “Either Jeonghan or Chan is gonna steal you away and I won’t be able to see you until the night is over.” He took a bite of his cookie.

“And what a loss that would be,” you joked. You grabbed a cup of punch and a cookie as well. “Did you make this one? It looks very Joshy.”

“Yes I did,” he nodded. “And yes, it would be a loss. Save me a dance?” He held his hand up, raising his pinky to yours for a pinky promise.

“Always,” you affirmed, crossing your pinky with his.

Sure enough, as soon as you sat down at your seat, Jeonghan and Chan both were pulling you right back up. Joshua shot you a knowing look and mouthed “Told you,” as you were dragged toward the dance floor.

The band began to play an upbeat Christmas song, loud and brassy. Jeonghan twirled you around as he spoke, loudly for you to hear over the music. “Took you long enough,” he joked.

“What do you mean?” you asked with a laugh.

“We were placing bets on how long Joshua would try to keep you away from us,” Chan answered, doing some dance that did not fit the vibe of the song. It was quite endearing how well the boys knew each other.

“Did you finally get to talk to him?” Jeonghan asked. The middle of the dance floor was a very odd place to be having this conversation, but yet so fitting for the two boys with you.

“Well we were kind of getting to it last night,” you confessed. “Until we were rudely interrupted by a gaggle of impatient and hungry men.”

“Oh we thought you guys were already making out,” Chan announced. By now he was just going through decades of trendy dance moves. He was on the mashed potato now.

“What? No,” you were thankful that it was a bit dark in the ballroom, they couldn’t see the blush on your face. “We were just talking.”

“Lame,” Jeonghan booed, dragging the word out and giving you a thumbs down.

“I thought you wanted me to talk to him,” you questioned.

“Yeah, talk about something juicy,” he retorted. “If you didn’t confess, and there was no kissing, you were just being lame and I don’t care.”

“Well how am I supposed to talk to him if I’m dancing with you fools?” You rolled your eyes. The tempo began to slow as the band began the Christmas Waltz.

“Oh, perfect,” Chan mused as he and Jeonghan shared a mischievous look. Before you could stop them, they had already run back to the table and grabbed a confused looking Joshua who was halfway to taking a bite of his cookie. Once they returned, they shoved him towards you, and he nearly fell to the floor on top of you, but caught his momentum by resting his hands on your shoulders.

You took a step back in recoil, blinking in surprise. Joshua repositioned himself so one hand was at your waist, drawing you in, and his other hand held yours against his chest. “Hey,” he smiled.

“Hey,” you breathed out. He was close enough to you that you could smell the cinnamon in his cologne. 

“I guess I was wrong about those two,” Joshua laughed. “Remind me to thank them later.”

“Will do,” you laughed. “But, maybe don’t thank them too much. We have an audience.” You nodded towards the table where at least half of the boys had their phones out, taking videos of the two of you and giving a thumbs up. You leaned your forehead against Joshua’s shoulder in attempt to hide from the attention.

“Ignore them,” he chuckled, giving your hand a squeeze. “This is one of my favorite Christmas songs,” he announced and began singing along quietly. You tried not to wince at the way his breath tickled against your ear in a private serenade.

It’s that time of year,

When the world falls in love.

You pulled back to look at him, his eyes reflecting the light from the disco ball and his face lit up in the dim glow of the strings of Christmas lights. You found yourself leaning in before you could find a reason not to. When your lips finally met his, it felt like coming home. Like the ending of a melody you’ve been chasing your whole life, the answer to a question you’ve been asking since you met him. He was smiling when you pulled away. 

“I love you,” he said so easily as if he'd been saying it to you his whole life. 

Your mouth opened, as if to say something, but no words came out. Joshua smiled softly down at you. “There is absolutely no way you can argue your way out of this one,” he teased. 

“I wasn’t going to argue,” you defended yourself. “I was just… you beat me to it.” 

“Well,” he leaned down to press a kiss against your temple. “You’ll have plenty of chances to beat me to it from now on.” 

From the side of your vision, you could see Jeonghan, Chan and the others silently cheering the two of you on. Joshua rolled his eyes at them before leaning back in to kiss you. “Might as well give them something to cheer for,” he breathed against your lips.

This, you thought, this whole time, I have known exactly what it feels like to love Joshua Hong. Loving him feels like coming home.

It wasn’t until the day after, when the boys were back at the field playing soccer that you finally got to ask Joshua the one question you’d been dying to ask him since your first day of work with him. He decided to sit out from the game and watch from the bleachers with you instead.

Your arm was looped through his and your head was resting on his shoulder. Your entwined hands were resting on his knee and it was comfortable.

“Oh hey,” you cut through the silence. “Do you remember the first time we met?” 

“Duh,” Joshua replied. “We met at my graduation party, where Chan brought you as his date. Look where that got him though.” He laughed and you could feel it. When you sat up and pulled your arm out of his, he looked at you in concern.

“That’s not where we met,” you bit your lip as you broke the news to him.

“What do you mean?” Joshua argued. “I remember it clear as day. Chan told me he was bringing a girl from school, and I made fun of him for it. Then you walked into the kitchen looking for a soda, and that’s when we met.”

“No…” you began. “We met at my freshman orientation.” Joshua looked confused as you continued. “You were my orientation leader, and you introduced me to Chan.”

Joshua’s face paled in embarrassment and he buried his head in your shoulder with a groan. You patted his back, and couldn’t help the small chuckle that escaped your lips.

“I don’t even remember meeting my own girlfriend,” he groaned in disappointment. 

“It’s fine, Shua,” you assured him. “You made up for it anyway.”

“How?” he questioned, finally looking up at you with a pout.

“When you remembered my name that day you walked into my classroom.”

[slytherinshua]

[ 6:14am ]

Your eyes flickered between staring at the ceiling and glancing over to the sleeping figure of your boyfriend. You didn’t have the heart to disturb his sleep so you stayed firmly on your side of the bed, despite the chill that wracked through your body. Your boyfriend seemed to be the opposite— warmth radiating off of him like a furnace, making his hugs sound even more inviting than they already were. 

You heard a soft groan and immediately glanced over to Joshua. He shifted slightly, eyes opening and meeting yours tiredly. “You’re so far away, baby.” He mumbled, his voice deep and hoarse from just waking up. He reached out one of his arms, warm hand clasping onto your wrist to bring you closer to him.

You shivered when you felt how cold you were compared to him and eagerly snuggled into his chest, hoping to take advantage of his body heat at last. 

“You’re warm.” You smiled, adjusting his messy bedhead so his hair wasn’t falling over his eyes. His eyelids had already fallen shut again, tiredness crashing over him in another wave now that he had you in his arms.

“You’re so cold. Did I hog all the blankets or something?” He whispered with a small frown, hoping he wasn’t the cause of your chill. 

“No… I don’t think the blankets could do a better job than you anyway.” 

“You can cuddle with me even if I’m sleeping… whenever you’re cold.” He offered, squeezing you just a bit tighter and rubbing your arm to get rid of some of the lingering goosebumps.

“You looked so peaceful, though. I didn’t want to disturb you.” You defended, earning a small whine from him.

“You know I don’t mind… I’d be more than honoured to be your personal heater.” He smiled and you laughed at his cuteness. You fell asleep again, wrapped securely in his arms and safe from the cold.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ svt taglist: @kangtaehyunzzz,, @yeonjuns-redhair,, @ddeonudepressions,, @hannahsophie0103,, @multi-stan-jenny,, @shuabby1994

[leejungchans]

prove it, you won’t : h.js

word count | 19k (I AM SO SORRY)

pairing | joshua hong (svt) x female reader

warning(s) / includes | mentions of needles and getting tattoos, hospitals and common sickness, past breakups, food, alcohol (but no drinking) ; swearing ; 1-2 biting jokes/innuendos ; uses of ‘darling’ and ‘princess’ as pet names

genre | fluff, angst, humour, tattoo artist au, slowburn (?), flirty shua which is a genre in and of itself

note | part 3 of the fallin’ flowers series; based on tattoo artist!shua from the secret language of flowers; can be read as a stand-alone ; appearances by some characters from the other parts ; please forgive any potential inaccuracies with joshua and reader’s jobs </3

summary: stumbling upon a new tattoo parlour shouldn’t lead to so many complications in your love life. that is, until you met joshua hong.

a/n: she’s finally here!!!!!! again i’m beyond sorry for the extremely long wait :( writing this was tough due to both personal and writing difficulties, but i’ve read every single comment on the previous two parts of this series and i hope you know that all your incredibly sweet words motivated me a lot 💗 thank you so much for your patience and i hope this is somewhat worth the wait!! feedback is highly, highly appreciated as it keeps me going <333 enjoy!!

Sometimes, you wish Joshua Hong wasn’t so good at his job.

People always warn against being rude to tattoo artists because they’re the people who dictate how good or bad a design looks on your body—a design that’s essentially permanent and apparently hurts more to get removed than it is to get inked. So perhaps they’re right, maybe you should be a little nicer to Joshua Hong.

But like the nuisance he is, he’s definitely aware of just how much power you’re putting in his hands, and he never fails to dangle that very fact in your face any chance he gets. If someone were to lock you two in a room together, you’d probably perish within the first five minutes from your blood pressure shooting through the roof.

“Why not just go to another artist if you dislike this Joshua guy so much?” Jihoon asks one day after you got your first tattoo done by him. His inquisitive eyes observe you through his wire frame glasses; you’re vaguely reminded of a bookish character that came straight out of a cartoon, and you know that whatever reason you’re about to give, it’d better be a good one unless you’d like to warrant his seemingly infinite wisdom.  

A drawn-out sigh leaves you as you set your fork down on your plate with a heavy clatter. Your friend’s eyebrows raise subtly when you remove your jacket before shoving another forkful of pasta into his mouth, likely swallowing down a quip about not wanting to see you strip while he’s eating. 

Conveniently, the shirt you’re wearing exposes the watercolour tattoos of flowers that decorate the expanse of your shoulders and décolletage, all of which came from the same artist. 

All, but one; one that sticks out like a sore thumb. 

That sole tattoo was done by none other than Joshua Hong, and you hate it almost as much as you hate him. Not because it looks horrible, but because it’s a stinging reminder that Joshua Hong is so good at his job that he makes everyone else’s work look like a child’s doodle. You hate it because you’d rather not think of the very reason why you now have no choice but to keep going back to Joshua. 

You also hate that you can’t stop thinking about him, that he’s so perfect in every sense of the world. It’s almost a little hard to believe: how can someone be this good at everything and be blessed with that face at the same time? 

Ever observant, Jihoon understands before you even have to explain, jaw dropping and mouth falling open into a small ‘o’ at the realisation. “One of these… is not quite like the others,” he meekly suggests. 

You can only snort at the massive understatement. “Yeah… if he didn’t have the ability to make my other tattoos look like chicken scratch, trust me when I say that I wouldn’t keep going back to him. He probably has magic hands, or something,” you grumble bitterly, “like Midas’ touch but with tattooing people instead of turning stuff to gold.”

“For someone who claims to hate him, you sure do spend a lot of time thinking about his hands.” 

“I’m going to aggressively poke you with this fork.” “Damn, do you speak to your kids like this too?”

The deathly glare you shoot in Jihoon’s direction does nothing to faze him, and he simply meets your heated—albeit half-hearted—stare with indifferent eyes and the barely noticeable upturn of his lips. 

You noticed it, though. And you don’t like it one bit. 

You remember the first time you met Joshua Hong.

“Hi, first time?” You blankly blink up at the person who just approached you: tall, lithe, silver hair parted down the centre. “You look a little nervous.”

Did you? The faintest onslaught of heat pricks at the skin of your neck, threatening to travel up to your face as you will yourself to push it down.

It takes you a brief moment to regain your words. “First time here, but not my first tattoo. I’m just having my consultation today, though.”

The gentle smile playing on the stranger’s lips stretches wider. “Ah. Well, welcome to 24H Parlour. I’m Minghao.”

“Thanks, I’m Y/N.”

He hums in acknowledgement. “I think I saw your name on the appointment sheet.”

“You work here, then?”

Minghao responds with a small incline of his head and sheepishly scratches at the back of his neck. “Yeah… set to take over in a few years too.”

“That’s amazing! I’m sure everything will work out great for you.”

“Thank you, it means a lot to hear that.” His eyes drift from your face to something—or someone—over your shoulder before finding yours again. “You ready?” he asks, gaze soft and smile encouraging.

You nod, initial apprehension mellowing at Minghao’s gentle demeanour; he seems like someone you wouldn’t mind being around, more importantly a tattooist who knows what he’s doing if his portfolio on their website is anything to go by. Having been in quite a few consultation sessions, some disastrous and dissuading you from revisiting the parlour altogether, you can already tell this one with Minghao will be anything but that.

Still, you’re just a little nervous. New place, new people, why wouldn’t you be?

The leather surface of the couch in the waiting area clings to the skin of your thighs as you get up. So maybe you shouldn’t have worn shorts. “Sure, where should we go?”

Pink colours Minghao’s cheekbones and the tips of his ears as he apologetically explains, “Ah… I won’t be your tattooist,” he reveals apologetically upon seeing the way your brows furrow in confusion. “My coworker is—he’s much better equipped than I am at the style you mentioned wanting to get in your last call. Don’t worry,” he rushes to reassure you, and you hope it isn’t because you did a  job at veiling your disappointment, “you’re in very good hands. I promise. Oh! Shua, over here!”

‘Shua’ has a nice side profile, you note when your head cranes in his direction; he’s currently speaking to a girl who you presume is his last client from the new covering just below her collarbone. He turns away from the girl briefly at Minghao’s call of his name to offer an acknowledging nod, and that split second is more than enough for you to conclude that his front profile is somehow even more attractive than his side; it has you wondering if 24H Parlour (a rather misleading name, because you’re certain that they’re definitely not a McDonald’s, not that anyone needs your input) just so happens to only hire attractive people—everyone you’ve come across so far, their receptionist included, looks like they stepped right off a runway.

You watch his lips move soundlessly as he speaks to the girl, whose face is tinted a pretty shade of pink that reminds you of a blushing rose. Moisture starts to collect on your palms and between your fingers the moment ‘Shua’ waves the girl, who looks a little too disappointed to leave, goodbye before making his way over to you and Minghao. You avert your gaze so that you don’t actually start drooling, but the tattoos that extend from his biceps to the elegant column of his neck are still at the forefront of your mind.

“‘Sup,” he says casually, hands tucked into the pocket of his jeans. You wonder if the Jackson Pollock-esque paint splatters were part of the original design or if they were his own work. (Neither, you’d come to learn much later. They’re Minghao’s.) “Who’s the cutie?”

Heat assaults your cheeks, leaving them hot to the touch as you take sudden interest in the shiny black tiles of the floor.

“This is Y/N,” Minghao supplies, halfheartedly rolling his eyes, “she has the consultation with you.”

The dark-haired man turns back to you with curved eyes. “I’m Joshua. Everyone calls me Josh, though, but you can call me yours too.” Mortified at the wink he sends in your direction, you choose to stare helplessly at Minghao instead, fingers fiddling with the hem of your shirt.

Minghao sighs. “Do you ever get sick of using that line?”

So, he says it to everyone.

The corners of Joshua’s lips quirk up impishly. “No, not really. Why? Jealous?”

“You wish,” Minghao fires back. He appears to be imitating someone else judging by the exaggerated switch in his intonation, and the two tattooists share a brief fit of giggles over an inside joke you’re obviously not a part of.

The silver-haired man sobers up quickly. “Anyways, I won’t take up too much of your time. You can trust Joshua, Y/N. I’m confident he’ll be able to bring your vision to life.”

A tight-lipped smile stretches across your lips.

“You sure can,” Joshua confirms, facing you. You don’t know if you believe him just yet. “Shall we, darling?”

All the thoughts that previously occupied your mind are now replaced by static, a hissing noise that rings in your ears incessantly as you try to get a grip on reality.

What did he just call you?

A rush of scorching heat rises up along your neck. “Y-Yeah… o-okay,” is all you manage to stammer out before your tattooist gestures for you to follow him down a short hall towards a room in the back. You glance over your shoulder uneasily to look back at Minghao, who sends you a reassuring smile and thumbs-up. His gaze is torn away from you, however, when the receptionist calls him away, leaving you to your own devices.

Heart still pounding, you turn to face the front just in time to narrowly avoid crashing into Joshua’s broad back when he abruptly stops to unlock the door to his studio. You cringe at your clumsiness, your heart rate rising to an uncomfortable pace yet again at how embarrassing it would’ve been if you did bump into him.

He cranes his neck to look at you, eyes twinkling with mirth when he asks, “You okay there, darling?”

Mortified, you nod dumbly, not missing the light chuckle he lets out as he swings the door open and steps to the side, “After you.”

This is off to a great start.

•••

You blame your fumbling from the first meeting on nerves. Though, you can’t say the second one went any better.

You hover at the entrance of the room awkwardly. Joshua has his back turned to you as he slips on a pair of gloves, the contours of the muscles thinly-veiled by the white T-shirt he dons.

You spaced out. You were absolutely not ogling him.

He turns around and finds you still standing by the open door, the beginnings of an amused smile creeping onto his face when you hastily avert your gaze and pretend to look at the vinyl records he has displayed on the wall.

“Well?” he prompts. His hand finds the tattoo bed and pats it twice, signaling you to sit. “Hop on, darling. How else will I give you your tattoo?”

Lips pressed firmly together, you oblige wordlessly. You sit on the bed and swing your legs onto the smooth leather before lying down on your back, hands clasped firmly over your stomach as you squint up at the overhead lights.

His voice rings clear in the silence. “You’re very tense for someone who’s already gotten tattoos before.”

“I’m not.”

“Don’t worry, darling, I don’t bite. Unless you want me to.”

“No, thanks,” you retort huffily, “I’m good.”

Joshua shrugs. “Your loss. Shall we get started, then?”

He’s thorough, having prepared stencils of your to-be tattoo in seemingly every size possible in your desired range. It almost makes it more difficult for you to pick one, but you’re more appreciative of the options he provided you with than anything.

“Any special meaning for the orchids?” he asks as he applies the stencil—a thin orchid branch running parallel just under your right collarbone—and you nearly miss his question because you’re trying so hard to focus on anything but how his fingers rest on your sensitive skin.

“Oh… no, I don’t suppose there is? Other than that I think they look pretty. Why? Is there a meaning to them?”

“I’m sure there is, but I wouldn’t know,” Joshua replies with a cheeky smile. “But one of my coworkers is dating a florist, so I hear them talk about flower meanings a lot. His shop is just a few doors down, actually, you should check it out if you like flowers.”

“Sure…”

Your voice is strained, a little forced. Perhaps you don’t like flowers? Joshua frowns, but then you practically have a botanical book’s worth of them on your body. Maybe you had an ex who was a florist. He shrugs off the itching thought, deciding it probably isn’t a topic to bring up with a client he barely knows.

He gestures to the full-length mirror propped up against the dark grey wall. “You can check now and see if you like the placement,” he instructs. “If everything’s good, we can get started.”

You nod and approach the mirror, making exaggerated movements with your right arm to test whether the soon-to-be tattoo would warp too much with your daily motions.

Satisfied with the result, you turn back to Joshua with a smile, already giddy with adding to your collection. “I like it, everything looks good.”

“Good, good, I’m happy to hear that.” His smile is genuine, one of someone who truly has a love for their craft, so while you’re still a little apprehensive about Joshua Hong, you can always respect passion and dedication.

“I also have lollipops for people who need them,” Joshua continues, snapping you out of your reverie, “you want one? They’re strawberry. You’ll probably like them.”

You do like strawberries. There’s a fluttery feeling that erupts in your stomach—

“I’d offer you my arm, but I kinda have to work, so...”

—never mind.

“Sorry, just kidding,” he says upon noticing the exasperated look that now stains your features, gloved hands raised in mock surrender. “Trying to loosen up the mood a ‘lil, y,know? You still look a little nervous.”

“I’m not nervous,” you mutter as you sulkily settle back onto the cushioned bench, oblivious to the fond curling of his lips.

The whole process went by smoothly, much to your surprise, but you suppose at the end of the day he was still a professional. You even snuck a glance at him at one point, only to regret the decision almost immediately from how attractive you found him—well, more than you already did, but that’s besides the point—when he was in a serious mood.

Something about the way his gaze hardened and his brows furrowed from concentration has you wondering if your previous impression of him was a little too harsh. If being a little flirtier here and there helps him establish a steady client base, who are you to judge? Part of the hustle, isn’t it?

After all, he’s just your tattooist, someone you cross paths with once every month or two at most. Absolutely nothing could go wrong with this.

You’re determined to keep it that way.

No one was more surprised than you were when you started regularly going back to 24H Parlour—more specifically, Joshua Hong—for tattoo appointments, but you figured the end result was worth sitting through an hour or two of his flirting. In all honesty, he’s not that bad when he isn’t using every cheesy pickup line under the sun on you.

“…don’t put sunscreen on it until it’s fully healed, don’t wear anything that’s too tight, only use fragrance-free and alcohol-free moisturiser on it—”

“I know, Joshua,” you laugh, “it’s not like—oh, I don’t know—I’ve been coming here for months and getting tattoos for the past few years or anything.”

He half-heartedly rolls his eyes at your teasing. “Just following protocol, darling. Wouldn’t want you suing me for negligence.”

“I’d never do that.”

“Of course you won’t,” he agrees, “you love me.”

“A bit of a stretch right there.”

There’s a prickly sensation to your cheeks when he winks at you. “You’ll come around, Y/N.” He’s really far too attractive for his own good, him being completely self-aware only makes it worse. For your heart, at least, not that he has to know. “Why else would you keep coming back?”

The sarcasm that drips from your voice is so palpable it might as well create a puddle on the ground. “Hm, it’s definitely because you’re irresistible and not because you’re good at what you do.”

“See? You get it.”

“Oh my God,” you mutter to yourself in disbelief as you stretch out your limbs and adjust your top, unaware of Joshua’s eyes trailing over its elaborate beading. “Night out?”

You let out a confused hum until you look down at your shirt, realising why he’s come to such a conclusion. “Oh, yeah.”

“Boyfriend?”

“Nah, don’t have one,” you dismiss, “just some friends.” You decide to turn the tide on him. “Why? Are you seeing someone?”

“Is this your way of asking me out, darling?” he asks, looking over his shoulder with a teasing grin. “I didn’t know you liked me this much.”

“You wish, Hong.”

He shrugs before opening the door to his studio, prompting you to hop off the tattoo bed and grab your purse from the spare chair. “If you must know, not at the moment.”

You hum in response because you don’t quite know what else to say. You also don’t know why relief bubbles within you at the new revelation because last time you checked—you definitely don’t like Joshua Hong like that, he’s a friend at most, and you really, really couldn’t care less about if he’s seeing someone or not.

“Hey, this is gonna sound weird,” he blurts out as the two of you draw closer to the waiting area, and you crane your neck to throw him a confused glance, “but do you… wanna get coffee sometime?”

“Who’s asking who out now?”

“Okay, okay, no need to sound so smug,” Joshua grumbles, still walking you out to the front, “I just thought it’d be cool to get to know you as a friend.”

You find yourself stuck at a crossroad. His suggestion is tempting, yet there’s a little voice at the back of your head that’s just itching to ask—so you do. “Does this happen with all your clients, Joshua Hong?”

“No,” he says, simple but straight to the point, “you don’t have to say yes if you don’t want to, of course. It’s no biggie.”

“Okay, but on one condition.”

“Shoot.”

“I pick the location.”

He looks at you weirdly with a “that’s it?” face. “Sure,” he agrees easily, “was gonna let you pick anyways.”

“O-Okay, then… sure. Why not?” You wear a mask of nonchalance, but there’s a fluttery feeling in your stomach that just won’t go away. Such a nuisance, you want nothing more than a net to contain the flock of butterflies that had erupted in your body.

“It’s a date then, darling,” Joshua beams. “Text me later.”

God, what have you gotten yourself into?

•••

You ended up choosing your favourite café, tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the main streets, located in a quaint alleyway with an uneven cobblestone path and slight incline. The interior is just as homely as the outside, rustic decor that reminds you of a little cottage in the woods while the smell of freshly-baked pastries wafts around you like an intoxicating perfume.

You and Joshua pick a table near the windows at the front. Your chair is a little wobbly and the table is barely big enough for your food and drinks, but the sunlight streaming through the glass offers a nice view of the quaint street outside and some much needed warmth on this chilly day.

“So…” you begin, a little awkwardly, stirring the ice cubes around your glass with your paper straw, “what do you do when you’re not injecting ink into people’s skin?”

Joshua makes a face at you. He’s in the middle of cutting up his waffles into bite-sized pieces, the action causing his biceps to strain against the sleeves of his T-shirt. The sight before you is quite amusing, yet weirdly endearing—buff, tattooed Joshua Hong with his “hot bad boy” (his words, not yours) eyebrow piercing daintily cutting up strawberry waffles dusted in a pound of powdered sugar and honey.

“It makes me sound like a criminal when you phrase it like that,” he says before popping a strawberry slice into his mouth, “and we both know I’m too sexy for jail.”

He’s not entirely wrong, but he doesn’t need to know that. “I asked a genuine question!”

“I was about to get to it!” he complains, pouting like a five-year-old. “I kinda just like to stay at home, to be honest. I make a lot of beaded bracelets… and I kinda wanna try knitting but I don’t know if I have time for that.”

You blink. Okay, so maybe not the response you expected from him. With the way he acts around you, you thought he’d say something totally obnoxious like posing in front of a mirror until his reflection winks back at him, not something as wholesome as making bracelets. You try to conjure up the image in your head: Joshua in his probably dark and grungy apartment, sitting crossed-legged on the ground threading cute little beads through string, his tongue poking out from between his lips from concentration which makes him look more attractive than it should.

“You look so surprised,” he observes, “don’t believe me?”

“Well… I guess it’s just a little hard to picture, but it’s a cute hobby. What do you do with them afterwards?”

“Wear them? Give them to people? I’m not a crow, I don’t just hoard a mountain of shiny things,” he chuckles, “and it makes me happy when I see my family and friends wear them, it’s like they’re taking a little piece of me with them so they know I’m always there.”

God, that’s so fucking adorable of him. It makes your stomach churn.

“What about you, princess? What do you do outside work?”

You take a sip of your latte. “Uh… read? Meet up with friends? I don’t know, life keeps me pretty busy so I don’t really do much.”

“Well, we gotta change that, darling. All work and no play? That can’t be good for you.”

Maybe it’s just the coffee, because you refuse to accept the fact that him calling you darling has your heart skipping a beat. Just a little.

“Excuse me, ‘we’?” you ask sceptically, the faintest traces of a smile lingering on your lips as your mind races to decipher what he could possibly mean by that.

“Yeah, we,” Joshua repeats casually, spearing a piece of waffle with his fork, “friends don’t let friends rot in boredom alone.”

You gasp, scandalised. “I don’t rot in boredom! My life is very interesting, I’ll have you know!” His playful jab almost has the fact that he just called you his friend flying over your head. Almost.

“Yet you’re here having coffee and waffles with me,” he points out, tone laced with a teasing lilt, “I thought you couldn’t stand me, Y/N.”

“You’re the one who asked me out! And—ugh, I can't believe I’m saying this—but I guess you’re pretty cool when you want to be.”

You shrug like your confession holds barely any significance to you, yet your heart hammers just a little stronger against your rib cage at the idea that perhaps your relationship can move beyond mere acquaintances. You’ve learnt more about him today than you have in the past several sessions, and suddenly being friends with Joshua Hong seems more tolerable than you ever thought possible.

“‘Pretty cool’?” Joshua echoes, an evidently pleased grin stretching all the way to the edges of his rounded cheeks. “Careful now, if I didn’t know better I’d think you’re starting to fall in love with me.”

“Please don’t make me take it back.”

“Fair, guess I shouldn’t push my luck,” he agrees. He leans in just a little immediately after, voice low as he tells you, “And for the record, I think you’re pretty cool too, Y/N.”

Curse his stupid doe-like eyes and the way they catch the brilliant afternoon sun, the way they crinkle into crescents and drip with honey as though his happiness cannot be contained any longer.

He reminds you of a sweet poison, one that infiltrates your system when you least expect it and rears its stupidly pretty head only when you’re already too far gone, too charmed to search for an antidote.

But weirdly, you think you don’t mind getting used to this.

Your stomach does a little flip as the familiar neon sign of the parlour draws closer to you with each step you take down the street. Unlike all the times before, you’re not here for a tattoo this time. However, another part of you is also giddy with anticipation, as frankly it has been a while since you’ve gone anywhere fun in your off-time from work.

Over the past three weeks, you and a certain black-haired tattooist have met up for coffee on several more occasions, your conflicting schedules preventing you two from planning anything longer than leisurely, hour-long chit-chats at cafés around town. At one point he even joked about starting a café review Instagram page with you.

“Let me know when you have more time from work, princess.” “Be prepared to wait a lot, then.” “I guess I’ll make an exception for you, you busy bee.”

The bell above the door signals your arrival, prompting Minghao to look up from his seat at the front desk. His eyes widen, brows pinching together as he immediately grabs the appointment binder to hastily flip through its pages. “Y/N? Did you make an appointment for today? Oh God, I didn’t forget to put you down, did I? Because Shua said he’s clocking out at 7—”

“No, I didn’t,” you reassure, gently cutting off his panicked rambling and smiling when his shoulders visibly sag from relief. “Although… I am here for him.”

The newly-added blue streaks in Minghao’s silvery hair shine a brilliant sapphire when he leans back in his chair. “What did he do this time that made you come all the way here without an appointment?”

You fiddle with the ends of your hair, pointedly avoiding his inquisitive stare. “Um… he said he’s taking me somewhere?”

“He’s—huh?”

“Yeah, he said wanted to take me somewhere fun. The new carnival on the outskirts of town, I think.”

Minghao blinks like he’s still trying to make sense of everything. Britney Spears is singing Till the World Ends and he’s this close to running home and packing his apocalypse bag because sure—you weren’t exactly mortal enemies with Joshua, but he wouldn’t say you were fond of him either. And now you’re going on dates together? Since when?

“Are you feeling okay, Y/N?” He springs up from his seat to press the back of his hand to your forehead. “Are you being held hostage by him? Is this a hidden camera prank show? Because ha-ha, nice try.”

“Yes, no, and no,” you answer with a practised roll of your eyes. “We’re… friends now?”

He draws away with a coy smile. “Is that why you coordinated outfits?”

“We what now?”

Speaking of the devil, a familiar honeyed voice croons, “Well, well, well, look who decided to be a copycat.”

You peer over Minghao’s shoulder to find Joshua sauntering up to you as a boy about his age, presumably his last client for the day, makes a beeline to the front desk. Minghao excuses himself with a knowing glint in his eyes and steps behind the counter to help the boy.

You glare heatedly at the tattooed man standing before you, amused eyes watching your face carefully for your reaction. “I’m not the copycat here, Hong. I’ve literally never seen you wear cardigans before, like ever. Seems like you’re the one copying me.”

“Must not be paying enough attention to me then,” he smirks, looking down at his cream cardigan. It’s horrifically similar to the one you’re wearing right now, and will no doubt mislead any outsider into thinking you planned it on purpose. You refuse to be perceived as wearing matching couple outfits with Joshua Hong.

“I don’t care, go change!”

He cocks a brow at you. “Into what, darling? The forecast says it’s gonna be chilly tonight, do you want me to freeze?” He dramatically places a hand over his heart in mock hurt, a wounded expression etching itself across his features.

You’re about to fire off another retort when the client Joshua walked out with approaches you. “Thanks again for helping me out, your sketch looked so good already!” he says excitedly.

“No worries, Chan,” Joshua says. You don’t know why, but your nose starts itching. You sniff as quietly as possible, not wanting to disrupt their conversation. “And don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me. I'll text you the final version soon, okay?”

The boy—Chan—nods enthusiastically, fluffy hair bouncing with the movement. “Okay, see you around!”

The violent sneeze comes just as the door closes behind Chan, prompting Joshua to frown in concern. “Woah, are you okay? Are you sick?”

“No, no, it’s probably just a tickle. I’m fine,” you reassure. “Was that your friend?”

“Ah, yeah! Remember my coworker that I told you about? The one dating the florist? That’s him. They’re out of town next week and he wanted to surprise them with a small tattoo of their favourite flower.”

“That’s really sweet.”

“Yeah… they’re really cute.” His eyes are soft as he looks down the direction Chan went in. He allows something akin to longing to linger on his features for several moments before it’s gone, replaced by his signature grin as he turns back to you. “Anyways, let’s go.”

•••

“I knew you should’ve ditched the cardigan,” you grumble, watching Joshua gently toss the folded outerwear onto the backseat, leaving him in only his fitted black T-shirt. “You didn’t even wear it most of the night.”

“I like to be prepared,” Joshua refutes smoothly as he backs his car out of the parking space. With him occupied with looking into the rear-view mirror, it presents you with an opportunity to observe the way his forearms flex when he spins the steering wheel, or how his slender fingers elegantly wrap around it and tap along to an imaginary rhythm.

There’s a tattoo on the ring finger of his right hand. Immediately, you find yourself drawn to the thorny stem coiling up the digit, almost like a snake or vines encircling an ancient pillar. At the end of it lies a wilted rose losing its petals.

You decide to respond before you lose yourself entirely in the potential sentiments behind the melancholic tattoo. “One of the vendors thought we were a couple.”

Your voice is impassive, but your cheeks betray you—growing warm at the memory of the smiling woman commenting on how lovely you two looked together as she handed you the bunny plushie.

And sure, Joshua may have won it for you, but it was purely due to your luck running out by the time you got to the last few game stalls. Your objections fell on deaf ears when it came to naming the bunny, and you finally begrudgingly agreed to Joshua Jr. because it was the lesser of many, many evils.

The man spares you a glance before turning back to the road. He goes quiet for several beats, letting the music playing from his speakers fill the emptiness until he speaks, casually and seemingly uncaring.

“Is it really so bad to be mistaken as my girlfriend?”

Your heart plummets like it’s doing a free fall, and if it weren’t for the lazy smile gracing his features, you would’ve thought you genuinely upset him. You relax a little, willing the jackhammering of your heart to fall back into a steady rhythm. And though the upturn of his lips should’ve been enough reason for you to swallow down that tiny pebble of guilt, it doesn’t go away. It remains lodged in your throat while your fingers drum on your thigh nervously.

“W-Well… I never said it was a bad thing,” you stammer out, fingertips pulsing along to the same beat as your heart while you continue, “you’re a nice guy, and… I had fun today.”

Your words hang heavy in the air. You’re almost too scared to see his reaction, so you choose to look out the window instead. A red sports car zooms past you, the sound of its engine revving obnoxiously disrupts the tranquil silence of night.

“I had fun too,” Joshua finally says softly, eyes gleaming softly from the glow of the street lights outside. “You know, I really did mean it when I said I wanted to get to know you better, Y/N. I like being around you.”

You tear your gaze away from the window, admiring the soft, dark waves of his hair and the gentle slope of his nose. You’d be lying if you said you’ve never thought about being in a relationship with Joshua Hong, especially as you started spending time as friends rather than in a professional setting. And sometimes you think what it’d feel like to hold his hand, to have his pretty pink lips pressed against your skin, to hear him call you “darling” and genuinely mean it.

Perhaps a month ago you’d chide yourself for having those thoughts about him, but as you sit in his car with his lo-fi playlist humming in the background, the street light’s golden luminescence dancing across his features, Joshua Jr. sitting atop his folded cardigan in the backseat… you don’t think you mind anymore.

If this is a dream, you’re not sure if you want to wake up from it. Because right now, everything feels perfect.

Disappointment is a powerful feeling in all the worst ways imaginable, eating away at you until bitterness stings your tongue. It hurts.

It hurts that perfection is temporary, perhaps it doesn’t exist at all. Ah, the irony of falling for a tattoo artist; someone who creates permanent designs that don’t stay perfect forever either. You think about the flowers dusted across your collarbones, and how there will come a day when the colours fade and the intricate line work bleeds into the crevices of your skin, reducing everything into a mere shadow of its former glory.

“So, whatcha doing this weekend, darling?” Joshua asks as he bandages up your new tattoo, a dainty sprig of lavender near where your left shoulder and arm meet.

“Work.”

“You say that every time!”

“Because it’s true!”

He shakes his head, platinum blonde hair bouncing along with the movement. You wonder when and why he got it dyed, it was still black when you bumped into him while running errands last week. “What kinda job makes you go in on a Saturday?”

A distant voice at the back of his head pipes up about how odd it is that he still doesn’t know what you do for a living, but he ignores it. He’s come to understand you’re a private person and if you wanted him to know you would’ve mentioned it, so he doesn’t push it.

“Mine does sometimes,” you answer simply, “besides, don’t you work on Saturdays as well?”

“Only for clients I like if they can’t make it on weekdays.”

“Oh… that’s… really nice of you.” Your eyes subconsciously follow his graceful movement of prying the rubbery material off his lithe fingers.

“Don’t worry, darling,” he coos as he sets the gloves off to the side, “you’re already on that list of clients.”

He flashes you a warm grin, one you find yourself returning as your cheeks grow warm, and it lingers on your face even while he’s doing the final checkups before declaring you’re good to go. It’s funny, and perhaps a little embarrassing, to think how you used to scramble off his tattoo bed the second he’s done and now you’re almost a little too disappointed about having to leave. You refused to admit it to Jihoon when he grilled you on your liking towards him just a few days ago, but perhaps your heart really has grown fond of Joshua Hong.

He walks you out to the front as usual, and you exchange a confused glance when the receptionist makes a face upon your arrival.

“What’s with the long face, Dahee?”

The receptionist glares at Joshua half-heartedly. “Ask the girl you’ve been seeing,” she huffs, “Julia, Julie, whatever her name is. I can’t keep track anymore.”

Can’t keep track? You frown.

“Huh? Why? What happened?”

Dahee purses her red lips into a thin line, eyes flitting over to where you’re standing. “She came in here just ten minutes ago… making a huge ruckus and saying she absolutely had to talk to you because apparently you blocked her.”

You stay silent. It’s not that you wanted to eavesdrop, but you still have to get your final receipt and it’s also not like Joshua’s putting any particular effort into keeping this conversation from you.  

His confusion feels genuine. “I broke up with her weeks ago and then blocked her because she was fine with ending things. I’d never just ghost someone, you know that!”

“I know, I know,” Dahee sighs sympathetically. “I believe you, that’s why I insisted you weren’t here and told her to leave before I called security.”

“Thank you, really,” Joshua mutters, absentmindedly playing with the business card holder. “I… I guess I’ll set things straight with her again later. Thanks again, I owe you big time.” He finally realises you’re still hovering awkwardly by the reception counter, and manages a faint smile. “I’m gonna go get ready for the next appointment,” he says. “Bye, Y/N. Have a good rest of the day.”

“You too,” you respond, though you’re not sure just how much nicer his day can get after this new information. Your mind reels from everything you just heard,

Dahee clears her throat softly, and it’s then when you realise that you’ve been staring at the empty space Joshua had previously occupied for far longer than necessary. Your cheeks burn as you turn back to her with a sheepish smile.

“Sorry for the long wait,” she says, casually flipping through her binder to find your record like the two of them were just talking about something as insignificant as the weather outside. She looks up at you with an indifferent smile as she hands you the receipt, but it falls almost instantly when she meets your bewildered, almost frazzled, gaze.

She holds your stare for a moment, searching your eyes for any sign of hurt or confusion. You think she must’ve found it when she sighs quietly, checking the waiting area to make sure it’s empty before turning back to you. Your hands tremble slightly as you take the tiny slip of paper.

“Look, Shua’s not an asshole,” Dahee finally says, now avoiding eye contact with you. “He just—he’s just not looking for anything serious, hasn’t been even before I started working here. He’s transparent about it, but… I don’t know… some people get so upset about it that they come in here all the time trying to find him.”

You nod along, not completely sure why she suddenly decided to divulge all this to you. A part of you also wonders if this is a common occurrence, especially if she just mentioned not being able to keep track of his partners and appears to feel the need to defend him.

Before you can respond, her expression reverts back into a neutral state, a stark and somehow painful contrast to the storm of emotions that begins brewing within you. “As always, give us a call if you need anything. See you next time!”

The walk down the street to your car is heavy, and when you get inside you have to take a few moments to compose yourself, running a harsh palm down your face as you process everything that just happened. It really was too good to be true after all, and you are a fool for thinking Joshua Hong would ever want something serious with you.

Your mind drifts to the coffee dates, his tattooed fingers resting on his fork and knife as he cuts up his strawberry pancakes with his tongue peeking from between his lips, the powdered sugar clinging to the soft skin that tempts you to brush it off with your thumb; to the carnival date and the almost-matching cardigans, the triumphant giggle when he won you that stupid plushie, the beam that lights up his entire face as he proudly presents it to you…

You think about the lingering touches that seem to brand your skin, the look in his eyes as you ramble about God-knows-what, the fond smile that creeps onto his face when he thinks you aren’t looking, and they make you wonder if the mirage is truly that fragile, an iridescent bubble that bursts into obscurity with the touch of a fingertip. It’s sooner or later when you have to wake up from a dream, no matter how long you want it to last.

And it is that cloud of dubiety that has your mind blanking at the little row of text sent to you just as you’re about to call it a day and burrow underneath your covers.

Joshua Hong [00:04] i’m really sorry you had to overhear all that earlier, everything’s settled now

Joshua Hong [00:08] you’re probably asleep, sorry if i’m bothering you

Joshua Hong [00:09] good night

You let the screen go dark, and the muffled thump that results from your phone hitting the crumpled sheets only makes you feel emptier as your eyes flutter shut, images of tattoo sleeves and beaded bracelets dancing behind your eyelids.

“—Mimi’s making a full recovery soon.”

Jihoon smiles. The past few weeks have been especially stressful on you after a patient you’re tending to unexpectedly fell ill again, and to say he’s happy that a part of your life is starting to look up, evident from the hopeful twinkle in your eyes, would be an understatement.

“She’s the one who gave you that drawing of her cat, right? Mr. Sprinkles?”

“Yeah, that’s her.” Your shoulders sag into a more relaxed position from the relieved exhale you let out. “She’s really excited to finally be able to see him soon.”

He nods, grabbing an empty cart as you step into the well-lit entrance of the supermarket a ten-minute drive away from your apartment. A man of few words, his way of showing love and care is picking you up after work every Friday night to take you grocery shopping so you won’t be tempted to order either overpriced healthy meals or processed garbage. Given your job, it’s ironic that he’s the one maintaining your decent eating habits.

“That’s really good to hear. What about Joshua? How’s he doing?”

His question has you freezing on the spot, and Jihoon just barely manages to stop the shopping cart from crashing into your back.

It’s here again—the vivid picture of those shiny, doe-like eyes that curve into crescents whenever in the presence of a sweet smile, the teasing grazes and careless glances, the words of endearment that roll off his tongue ever so smoothly as though they held no special meaning to him.

A few weeks ago, you would’ve let the butterflies roam freely. Now, you only feel sick to the stomach.

Just how many people has he looked at, talked to, touched like that?

“Y/N?”

Your stinging eyes meet Jihoon’s; dark, swirling pools of concern. “Are you okay?”  

Wordlessly, you step to the side to allow him room for passing through the metal gates. “What happened? He didn’t hurt you, did he?” he inquires again softly. Considerate as ever, he sets a slow pace when walking alongside you, and you glumly note that unlike last time the wheels of the cart actually work somewhat smoothly.

“I don’t think so…” Your hesitancy barely provides him with any semblance of comfort, you can tell by the severe furrowing of his brows. “It—it’s a long story.”

“We have time.”

So you tell him about that day in the parlour, Joshua’s conversation with Dahee, then yours. Jihoon listens intently the entire time, while simultaneously plucking your usual groceries off the shelves and neatly arranging them in the cart. He’s silent for a few moments after you finish ranting, thoroughly processing the information you’ve laid on him.

“I think it wouldn’t hurt to give him the benefit of the doubt,” he finally reasons. There’s a soft thud followed by a brief rattling noise when you glumly toss a bag of chips into the cart. Your feet drag along the tiled floors, rubber soles of your sneakers creating an obnoxious, squeaky sound as he continues, “He seems to like you a lot, and the receptionist could be telling the truth. Don’t judge him so quickly.”

“I’m not judging him, Jihoon,” you sigh, tiredly eyeing the vast selection of cup noodles to your left. “He can do whatever he wants, date around and play around with whoever, I’m just saying I’m not getting my hopes up anymore.”

“It could be different this time, though… you never know…” But even he sounds unsure.

You can’t help the disbelieving chuckle that pushes past your lips, followed by a murmured “excuse me” as you squeeze past a young couple. Going grocery shopping together, how wholesome, how domestic, how utterly disgusting given the messy current state of your mind. “What is this, a romcom?” you ask no one in particular. “One person isn’t just going to suddenly make him want a serious relationship.”

The rattling sounds of rusted wheels rolling on linoleum come to a halt, and you look over your shoulder to find Jihoon adding a pack of wheat noodles to the small mountain of groceries. His eyes, almost entirely hidden away behind his glasses and freshly-washed hair, however, are still trained on you.

“Have you tried talking to him about this?” he suggests hesitantly. “If he really likes you… I don’t know, Y/N… he might prove to you that he’s willing to try.” Since when was Lee Jihoon the hopeless romantic out of you two? He shrugs at the funny look you give him.

You shake your head with another sigh as you continue on your way, aimlessly making a right turn while resisting the urge to succumb to the temptation of the iconic red packaging of Shin Ramyun. You really don’t need a third purchase of their 5-pack within this month.

So instead you make a beeline to the dairy aisle to peruse their yoghurt selection, trusting that Jihoon will eventually join you. The frosty air blasting from the refrigerated aisle hits you like a blizzard, the thin scrubs you’re wearing hardly provide enough warmth from the cold that quickly starts settling into your bones. Shivering a little, you zip up your jacket and stash your hands into the pockets.

Your foot hits something, causing you to look down confusedly at the small jar of peanut butter that had rolled over from an unknown source.

With a soft grunt, you bend over to pick it up, looking up just in time to hear someone say, “I’m so sorry, that’s mine.”

Joshua Hong. Unfortunately, you’d now recognise that gratingly melodic voice anywhere.

“Y/N? Wh—”

“Here,” you say coldly, shoving the jar into his hands before brushing past him without a single glance. If you’re lucky, he’ll take the hint and go on his merry way.

“Wait!”

You don’t. Your footsteps quicken and all you want is to go far, far away to a place where there’s no Joshua Hong, maybe then you can convince yourself that you’ve truly gotten over him, that you haven’t irrevocably fallen for him.

He catches up to you with ease, slipping into the space in front of you to halt your hasty escape. He thinks his heart stopped beating for a few seconds at the sheet of ice that freezes over your irises, your stare so devoid of its usual warmth and friendliness that it doesn’t feel like he’s talking to you.

“What’s going on?” he breathes out. “You stopped responding to my texts for like, weeks. I’m worried.”

“Work kept me busy.”

“It’s because of that day at the parlour, right? When you overheard Dahee and I talking—”

“Overheard?” you interrupt incredulously. “You weren’t exactly trying to keep it down or wait until after I left to have that conversation.” He bites his lip, guilt flashing across his face. “I know. I—I was so surprised when she told me that I wasn’t thinking properly. I’m sorry, it was really unprofessional of me to do that in front of you.”

“It’s not that! All professionalism between us flew out the window even before you took me on that stupid date to the carnival!”

“Stupid…” Joshua repeats in a low, shocked manner. Genuine hurt wounds his features, but you’re simply too blinded by your pent-up frustration that you don’t pay any mind to it.

“How long would it have lasted?” you continue, the familiar sting of salty tears in your eyes. “How many more of those dates until you decide to break it off like it meant nothing to you?”

“What? Y/N, let’s talk this out, I can explain—”

“—Forget it, Joshua. Just forget I said anything,” you spit, words laced with pure venom. He doesn’t stop you when you briskly brush past him, arms hanging limply by his sides as your footsteps retreat into the distance.

You find Jihoon after a few minutes of aimless wandering at the bakery section, deciding between a loaf of sourdough and a baguette. Still burning with a combination of anger and dejection, you snatch both out of his hands, avoiding his bewildered gaze as you roughly toss the sourdough on top of the pre-packed salad greens.

“Are you… okay?” Jihoon asks tentatively, watching with mild concern as you aggressively shove the baguette back into its original place on the shelf. “What happened?”

“I’ll tell you in the car. Let’s just go first.” You don’t wait for his response, already taking the cart from him and striding to where the cashiers are, eager to leave before Joshua decides to change his mind and goes after you.

“H-Hey! Wait for me!”

•••

Jihoon thinks you’re being a little paranoid when you start glancing over your shoulders almost everywhere you go when you aren’t at work, all because you don’t want to run into Joshua again.

He calls it excessive, you call it being cautious.

A small part of you is glad he stopped texting you after that evening in the supermarket, the guilt of essentially ghosting him beginning to eat you alive and threatening to consume your entire being. Yet, another part of you remains unsettled, antsy. Is it because he’s already found someone else, a new object of his affections?

The thought makes your heart sink to the deepest pits of your stomach, and despite all your attempts at convincing yourself not to care—he’s not your boyfriend, why should you?—it still comes back and haunts you every now and then. Perhaps that really was all you were to him, a fleeting phase that fizzles out as quickly as it blossomed.

An exhausted huff passes through your lips. Now’s not the time to think about Joshua Hong, especially as you’re currently hauling a tower of parcels out the post office.

“Don’t fall, don’t fall, don’t fall,” you chant quietly, glancing up uneasily at the one sitting at the very top as it wobbles. Suddenly called in to work earlier today, you weren’t home when the mailman dropped by with the parcels, thus having to pick them up yourself. And being both stubborn and tired from work, you’d rather play a mini game of Tetris than make multiple trips between the post office and your car.

A man comes barrelling in your direction, and in your haste to dodge him you twist your body a little too forcefully, sending the smallest packages at the top crashing down on you. Your eyes flutter shut with dread as your lips twist unpleasantly, the muffled sounds of objects jostling and cardboard hitting asphalt reaching your ears just seconds later.

Not even a ‘sorry’, people these days, you think as you crouch to place the heavier boxes onto the ground, the weight of several stares piercing through your body while you scramble to collect the fallen parcels. Embarrassment burns you inside out, the tips of your ears are searing and you’re starting to feel lightheaded.

A hand enters your field of vision, thrusting the last box towards you. You reach out to grab it as your lips part, ready to thank the stranger for their help when your eyes land on something that causes the words to die in your throat.

A wilting rose hanging from a barbed vine.

“Joshua,” you blurt out. The name feels foreign on your tongue. How long has it been? God, it must have been weeks. Why do you miss him? He hurt you.

You miss him.

“Y/N.” The surprise in his voice is thinly veiled, as though he wasn't expecting you to acknowledge his existence.

With the looming tower reconstructed, you wrap your arms around the bottom-most box, mentally preparing yourself to haul everything back to your car with hopefully no public humiliation this time.

Joshua beats you to it, taking a good two-thirds off with seemingly no effort.

“I can—”

“I watched you struggle from a distance,” he says quietly. “Please, Y/N, let me help you just this once.”

You relent, wanting to get this over with. “I wouldn’t have dropped them if that guy actually watched where he was going,” you grumble, closing your fingers tighter around the edge of the box. “But… thank you.”

“It’s no problem. Just doing what anyone else would.” Joshua shows no sign of exertion, you’ve noticed. He looks at ease, like your boxes are full of nothing more but feathers.

You hate him. Why is he still being so nice to you? Does he not remember how you essentially blew up at him in the dairy aisle? You can barely walk through the entirety of its length without cringing at your behaviour from those weeks ago, yet here he is helping you when he well could’ve feigned oblivion and gone on his merry way. You remember learning about osmium in class years ago: it’s said to be one of the densest, heaviest substances on Earth, but you think you’ve found a heavier one.

Guilt.

The short walk back to your car is silent save for the sound of your feet hitting the pavement, your footfalls subconsciously syncing up like some twisted symphony. You open the trunk for him, watching with the same lump in your throat as he gingerly places down your parcels and arranges them in a way that ensures a safe trip back to your place.

It feels remiss not to say anything.

“Joshua,” you begin tentatively; you almost wish he wouldn't meet your eyes. It’s so much easier to hate him if he was angry at you, hated you back the same way. But his eyes show no trace of resentment as he gazes at you with the same gentleness as he did before things fell apart.

Your bitterness is misplaced, you know that. You’ve come to such a realisation over the past few weeks; it’s always at the forefront of your mind when the nights get a little too quiet, you just didn’t want to admit it to anyone. Including yourself.

You don’t hate Joshua Hong. You hate that you like him more than you should, that you would’ve let yourself fall unreservedly if you knew he felt as strongly for you as you did for him. Maybe it’s the universe that you want to curse at, for allowing you to cross paths with someone as perfect and unattainable as Joshua Hong. It’s always been easier to direct negative feelings towards a person than a seemingly intangible entity.

“I’m sorry for what happened that day,” you continue, “I was upset and acted rashly, and that wasn’t fair to you. So again… I’m really sorry.”

He shakes his head, and your eyes drift to how his blonde hair falls over his eyes messily. His roots must be at least an inch long by now; you’d ponder why he, someone who’s unsurprisingly perfectionistic given the nature of his job, hasn’t gotten them retouched yet, but you feel like you already know the answer to that.

“It’s okay, Y/N. I thought about it a lot, and I understand why you reacted the way you did. I would’ve too if I were you,” he chuckles mirthlessly. “I’d be really mad too if I thought someone was leading me on.”

Your bottom lip hurts from your gnawing. “Were you, then?”

“No, I can promise you that.”

You nod, not really knowing what else to say. You don’t exactly disbelieve him, but words are ultimately just that: words, empty vessels that lose their meaning without something substantive to back them up.

“Do you still hate me?” His voice cracks a little at the end of his question, betraying his anxiousness despite the calm front he’s put up.

“It’s not you I hate.” Mentally, you’re kicking yourself in the shin. Should’ve just said ‘no’ and left it at that, you think bitterly, already bracing yourself for the inevitable follow-up question.

“Then what is it?”

“I hate that…” You can’t do it. You can’t. You feel so stupid. “Never mind. Just—I don’t hate you.” Joshua’s hand wraps around your arm before you can brush past him, fingers securely, but not painfully, pressing into your skin. You exhale shakily as he blocks your path with his body, and you know this time there’s no running away. You’re an adult, for God’s sake, it’s about time you sort out your problems like one.

His intense gaze bores into your wary eyes when you raise your chin to face him once more. “Tell me, please?”

“Fate, I guess,” you say softly after a few moments of hesitation.

His eyebrows furrow, and you let out a dry chuckle upon realising how silly you sounded. “I know, I know, it’s stupid, but… I’m frustrated, you could say, because we obviously have some kind of chemistry and if we’re just gonna be honest with each other today—I like you more than just a friend, okay?”

Joshua’s eyes widen at your confession, completely shell-shocked as you continue, “And I have to tell myself not to act on these feelings because I know we want different things in life right now. It—it hurts pretending I don’t want to be with you, but I know I can’t because it’ll only end badly.”

“Says who?” Joshua asks, voice doused in desperation, something so uncharacteristic of him that the aching pit in your gut only seems to grow heavier and heavier. “I like you, Y/N, and I really do think this can work out. We won’t know if we don’t try.”

The hurt that etches across his face when you shake your head makes him look like a wounded puppy. It’s a sight you never want to see nor want to be the cause of, but you know this is for the best—and maybe after a while you’d still have a chance of salvaging your friendship.

“It won’t work out, and it’d be stupid of us to head into a relationship when we know we don’t want the same thing—”

“You keep saying that and I still have no idea what you’re referring to. What is it that you think I want?” he demands.

“Dahee told me, Joshua,” you sigh, not oblivious to the way his face falls. “She says you aren’t looking for anything serious, which is completely fine, of course. But it’ll only cause more friction in the long run and hurt us both if we become a thing, and I’d rather stay friends with you than have us end on horrible terms.”

Warmth radiates from his palms as he takes your hands in his. “What are you looking for, then? Tell me, maybe I’ll—I’ll be able to reciprocate! Let me prove it to you, please…”

Your heart cracks when you gently pry your hands out of his hold. You can almost hear the chipped pieces falling onto the pavement in soft clinks, sprawled out for the world—for Joshua—to see.

“It doesn’t matter,” you croak out, “it doesn’t matter because this just won’t work out. So don’t prove it, Joshua, because you won’t… and neither do I want you to. I’d never ask that of someone.”

The evening breeze kissing your skin brings an icy sensation as wet trails seep to the edge of your jaw. You wipe the tears away with the sleeve of your sweater; you’ve already abandoned all your dignity by laying your heart bare and confessing to Joshua, crying in front of him is the least of your worries.

He doesn’t say anything as you shut the trunk. Maybe he’s finally realising this is a lost cause. It’s for the best, you tell yourself, and you’ll repeat it in your head over and over again, for as long as it takes to get over Joshua Hong.

“I really do hope we can be friends again… maybe after some time,” you tell him quietly. “Thanks again for today, and I’m sorry. Really.”

The look in his eyes is indecipherable. He opens his mouth to speak, but ultimately decides against it and merely shakes his head. You wonder what it means: a sign of disappointment? Anger? Or is he telling you not to be sorry?

The last one can’t be right, not when he turns and walks away from you, his retreating figure a melancholic, lonely sight.

•••

“I thought I saw you walk in here.”

If anyone asked, Xu Minghao ambushed you.

“And I have to talk to you,” he declares, seemingly materialising next to you out of thin air in the coffee shop just across the street from his parlour—a poor choice considering your plan to avoid Joshua until everything blows over, but you were running errands in the area and needed a pick-me-up.

You look down at the hand wrapped around your wrist. “Can I at least get my coffee first?”

He rolls his eyes at you, though you can tell he’s not genuinely upset. “Yeah, yeah, of course. But hurry.”

“Like I have control over how fast they make their orders,” you mumble, shying away from the playful punch Minghao tries to land on your arm. “What did you want to talk about?”

“I think you know.”

His eyes are gentle, sympathetic when you turn to face him. Absent-mindedly, you toy with the receipt in your hands. “How much did he tell you?” you ask quietly.

“Just enough for me to know what’s going on,” he replies, voice lowered to match yours. “Before you get mad at him for telling me—” you weren’t going to, but you’re glad there’s an explanation for it—“I was the one who told him to talk to me. When one of my colleagues’ been a total mess at work, I have the responsibility to check on them.”

Your throat goes dry and suddenly you've lost all ability to speak. The thought of Joshua—perfect, perfect Joshua Hong—being miserable because of you is like someone dealing a blow to your gut and knocking the wind out of you.

“3012!”

Shooting Minghao an apologetic look, you leave his side briefly to get your coffee. The barista at the counter snatches your receipt and offers you nothing more than a paper straw and an acknowledging nod before going back to calling out orders.

“Please?” he says when you return, “I just want to know what’s going on.”

“Okay.”

Minghao takes you back to his private studio at the parlour with the promise that Joshua took a few days off, hence guaranteeing his absence completely. A small part of you expects a trap like the ones in movies, where it’d turn out to be a big fat lie with Joshua standing in the middle of the room while Minghao runs out and locks you both in, refusing to let you out until you’ve made up.

True to his word, however, the waiting room remains Joshua-less on this Thursday afternoon. The few customers waiting on the couches glance up at you and Minghao as the bell above the door chimes with your arrival, but return their attention to their phones just as quickly. Dahee’s on the phone with someone, but flashes a smile at you in greeting.

Minghao’s studio is located in a separate hallway from the others’, but you can’t help yourself from looking down that particular hallway you’ve been strangely missing. Joshua’s door is closed, not a rare occurrence, but it feels different this time because you know there’s no one behind that door. The humming of the tattoo gun isn’t coming from his room but someone else’s, and unlike your previous visits to the parlour, there will be no Joshua Hong walking out into the waiting area to greet you with a cheeky smile and an affectionate darling.

You feel horrible, or rather, a horrible person. Horrible, horrible, horrible, it rings in your head like a mantra.

Minghao’s studio is tasteful, a bit more spacious than Joshua’s, awash in light monochromes with just the right amount of accent colours from the paintings that decorate his walls. He pats one of the armchairs, the gesture terribly familiar, as he settles into the other. You don’t meet his eyes at first, toying his fuzzy carpet with the tip of your sneaker-clad foot.

“Fill in the gaps for me,” he says softly after a few minutes of silence. The gentleness in his eyes is a much appreciated reassurance that you won’t be harshly judged, and perhaps that is what’s convincing you.

“What happened between you and Shua?”

Joshua has some thinking to do.

“Shua? What are you doing here? I thought you’re taking today off!”

“You look so unhappy to see me, Dahee,” Joshua teases, “can’t I show up to my own workplace?”

“O-Of course you can! I was just surprised to see you, that’s all. Especially after Hao made it very clear that you needed a break.”

He shrugs. “Well, I’m feeling better now, so I figured I’d come back and do some prep work, clean up a bit, y’know? My stuff probably collected some dust while I was gone. Plus, I need to talk to Hao about something.”

“No! You can’t!”

He freezes, eyebrows raising in surprise at Dahee’s unexpected reaction. Her eyes are blown wide with alarm. “I… I can’t?”

She clears her throat sheepishly. “Uh, it’s just that… he’s a bit busy right now in his studio! Why don’t you… go grab a coffee and come back later?”

Joshua laughs awkwardly at the suggestion, wholly confused by her weird behaviour. “It’s fine, I’ll just wait here or in my room. Does he have a girl in there right now, or something?” he jokes.

“Yes!” Dahee blurts before clamping a hand over her mouth. “Well, not like that! No, he doesn’t—I’m gonna stop talking. Forget I said anything.”

“That’s only making me more curious!” His hands find purchase on the marble counter as he looms over her sitting figure. “What’s going on and why are you acting so weirdly?”

Dahee runs a hand through her bubblegum pink tresses, manicured nails the same hue of wine red as her lips. “You didn’t hear it from me, okay? It’s Y/N, the girl you’re into?”

Joshua chuckles nervously, his gaze shifting nervously under her deadpan stare. “W-Who said anything about me being into her? Wait! You mean they’re—” His heart stops before dropping to his stomach like that one ride at the amusement park he’s too scared to try. Would Minghao really be so cruel as to make a move on you when he knows what happened?

“You’re not subtle at all, it’s written all over your face whenever she comes in,” Dahee responds matter-of-factly as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “Now, I don’t know what happened exactly between you two, but literally everyone here saw a shift in your mood when she stopped coming.”

Her lips curve into a satisfied smirk when he guiltily tips his chin down like a puppy who got caught tearing up pillows. “And before you freak out—they’re just talking in Hao’s room, nothing like whatever you just thought of—oh my God, please don’t eavesdrop!” She’s too late, he’s already halfway across the room. “What if you get caught?”

“I won’t!” Joshua hisses, still inching closer to the hallway that leads to Minghao’s studio. “They won’t even know I’m here!”

Dahee shakes her head. “If Hao asks: I saw nothing,” she relents. “This is all a figment of my imagination and in reality you’re still at home and definitely not here.” She swivels back around in her chair with an exasperated sigh, picking up her phone so she can no doubt return to her ceaseless scrolling through cat pics on Instagram.

She can deny it all she wants to protect her reputation as the “baddest bitch on the block”—a self-proclaimed title, but he agrees—because everyone and their mother have caught her silently squealing at her phone, feet kicking under the desk, to the point where their cat-owning regulars now bring in new photos for her to coo over.

Grateful for her unorthodox method of showing support, Joshua makes the final few steps down the hallway until he reaches the hardwood door. He’s suddenly thankful for the storage closet just across Minghao’s studio, which will serve as his hiding place should he need a hasty retreat.

Hesitantly, he presses his ear to the door not knowing what to expect. Cursing? Yelling? Crying? None of those options sound very good. He wills his pounding heart to settle and decides to focus on listening—okay, eavesdropping—for the time being.

“—what to do.” That’s you inside alright, he’d recognise your voice anywhere. The sound of your voice makes his heart ache with familiarity, like seeing an old friend who you’ve lost contact with, who now feels more like a stranger than someone you’ve once had a connection with. God, it feels like eons ago since he last spoke to you; he misses your laugh, your jests, your smile.

He misses you.

“I feel so horrible for ending things like that with him,” you continue, and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out who ‘him’ is referring to. “But I want to save us the heartbreak, because I know I’m not what he wants.”

Wrong. For someone who is so bright, so smart, so witty, you cannot be any more incorrect.

“You don’t know that,” Minghao reasons softly. “Things change, people change, the things they want change.”

Disbelief colours your voice, “Over someone they’ve only known for months?”

“You don’t have to be anything or put a label on it, Y/N. Whether it takes weeks or months for you two to figure out whether you’re right for each other, I don’t think Shua would mind at all. He’s a patient man.”

“Is he?”

“I understand your reservations, I really do, and they’re valid. T-There… there are reasons why he never sought serious relationships in recent years, but they’re not my stories to tell,” Minghao says slowly, choosing his words carefully. “All I’m saying is… yes, maybe he doesn’t understand you well enough the same way you may feel you barely know anything about him, but isn’t that more of a reason to keep trying so you’ll get an answer?”

“I-I guess…” you stammer, “I just… I don’t want him to feel obligated to me, if that makes sense.” Joshua lets out the breath he didn’t realise he’d been holding, for even the sturdy door that separates you is not enough to filter out the defeated strain in your voice. “He’s free-spirited, and I’m in a place in my life where I want a little more stability. I don’t want him to… feel trapped, or not be able to be himself just because he wants to be with me.”

“I don’t think he feels that way,” Minghao says, “he genuinely likes you a lot. It’s unfair to both of you to make assumptions on how he feels, which is why I really do think you should talk to him whenever you’re ready instead of letting these thoughts stew alone in your head.”

“Yeah, you’re right… thanks for this, Hao. I appreciate it, really.”

“It’s nothing, just doing what any friend would do,” he reassures, “it sucks seeing you two on such terrible terms when you were such good friends before, especially when it can be talked out.”

“I’ll keep you updated, though I’m sure Joshua probably will too,” you add. The tinge of amusement in your delivery eases the tension that settled all around Minghao’s office like a dense fog. Even in such an unideal predicament, he still can’t get enough of the way his name rolls off your tongue.

He hears Minghao speak again over some shuffling in the room. “Oh, that’s right: you still have somewhere to be. You should’ve told me, I wouldn’t have held you up for so long!”

“Nah, I needed that talk,” you say, “and I won’t be late because it’s just the bakery a few blocks away, don’t worry.”

Minghao hums in thought. “Ode Bakery?”

“That’s the one.”

“Special occasion?”

“Mhm, I promised my kids I’d bring them fruit tarts today.”

Joshua backs away from Minghao’s door until he’s firmly pressed against the one of the storage closet. His heart, which had just begun to calm down a little, violently hammers against his rib cage yet again, heartbeat thundering in his ears.

Kids. You have kids.

The sound of approaching footsteps snaps Joshua out of his frozen state. His hand scrambles for the doorknob, shutting himself into the small space just seconds before he hears Minghao’s door fly open followed by you bidding him goodbye. Little did either of you know, the topic of your conversation is a mere few feet away, realisation raining down on him like a ton of bricks.

Suddenly, everything makes sense. Why you always seemed to be busy, or rarely talked about your personal life, or emphasised wanting stability in life and were so certain he wouldn’t want the same yet—it was because you’re a mom. With kids. Plural. Tiny versions of you.

The last thought makes him smile despite his mind still reeling from the revelation. If your kids were anything like you, he’s certain they’re angels.  

Joshua rolls over in his bed, facing the nightstand where his digital clock sits. The glowing numbers tell him it’s far past his usual bedtime, but he can’t seem to fall asleep. He wonders if he’s thinking too much about all this, but just as quickly reassures himself it’s the right thing to do: this is a huge deal, and the last thing you need is him taking rash steps in what’s left of your relationship without careful consideration.  

When his eyes finally droop shut, he dreams of chubby cheeks and wide, curious eyes.

•••

Your conversation with Minghao weighs heavy on your mind every day whenever you allow yourself to indulge in thoughts about your personal life. He advised talking to Joshua once you’re ready, but the bravado you muster up through what feels like hours of pep talk all but goes out the window every time you pull up his contact. Some days when you’re feeling particularly pessimistic, you wonder if you’ll ever be able to actually do it or if you’d eventually resort to moving away to a new city, changing your identity and leaving your past behind.

Tempting as it is, you really can’t afford to uproot your entire life like that, nor do you think you want to anyways.

Though, it appears as though you wouldn’t have to worry about being the first to reach out anymore, because almost one month after that afternoon in Minghao’s studio, when you’ve finally had the time to check your phone after a gruelling shift, you realise he’s already beaten you to it.

Joshua Hong [23:47] Y/N, hi

Joshua Hong [23:47] can we talk?

Joshua Hong [23:47] when you feel ready, let me know okay?

Your response comes immediately.

•••

The first time you brought him to the café, your heart was pounding from the ambiguity, unsure why Joshua Hong of all people would want to ask you out for coffee. Today, you’re back with the same jittery feeling that quakes every cell in your body and makes your stomach do flip-flops.

Sweat collects in your palms as you wrap a hand around the door handle and push it open, already spying Joshua sitting in the far corner of the quaint café. You sneak a glance at the table by the window you and Joshua occupied all those months ago, finding a young couple seemingly in their early twenties settled into the cushioned chairs.

You squeeze past a server on your way to the table, a mumbled ‘excuse me’ falling from your lips, hardly audible from how your throat seems to have closed up from nerves.

Joshua looks up from his phone as you draw closer, offering a weak smile as you slide into the empty chair across from him. “Hi.”

“Hi,” you say back awkwardly, busying yourself with taking off your crossbody purse. It sits in your lap, your arms coming around to hug it against your torso for some semblance of comfort.

“I, um… I just ordered the same things we did last time. I hope that’s okay with you.”

“Oh, yeah, yeah. Of course.” Frankly, you don’t remember what you ordered that day; it’s the least of your worries with everything that has happened since. You do, however, remember his plate of strawberry waffles that was topped with more powdered sugar than days’ worth of the recommended daily sugar intake.  

You cease your fidgeting in favour of scanning your surroundings. While you like to think of yourself as a regular of the café, you don’t think you’ve ever sat in the far corner before. Why would you when there are far better seats, like the aforementioned window seats that get plenty of sunlight, or the sofa seats with the fluffy pillows? But for the dreaded conversation you’ll be having, this little corner where no one else other than the staff passes by allows for the most privacy.

Your eyes finally land on Joshua, a jolt of lightning shooting down your spine when you find him already looking back at you, simply observing. You both chuckle uncomfortably.

“Thanks for seeing me, by the way,” he’s the first to make conversation again, something you’re deeply grateful for, “I really appreciate it.”

You shake your head. The guilt that’s been haunting you for months rears its ugly head again, creeping up your throat like bile. Admittedly, you’ve been extremely stubborn, he has every right to be annoyed with you and yet he’s treating you with the same kindness as he’d always shown.

“No, thank you for… actually trying to amend things,” you admit. Nerves sink their fangs into your skin, and you begin playing with your fork for a distraction as you continue, “I’m sorry for ignoring you for ages.”

“It’s okay, you needed space and time to think. I understand.”

The server approaches your table with a smile and places your orders before you. Strawberry waffles and Iced Americano for Joshua, iced oat milk latte and—oh yeah, you did get the chocolate-banana crepes last time.

“Enjoy,” the server chirps before turning on her heel and striding off to another table.

The air around you is still heavy, discomfort still emanating from both of you in strong waves as you pick up your forks. It feels wrong to be in such a happy, cosy place just to eat in silence, avoiding meeting Joshua’s eyes like your life depended on it while he did the same as if you’re strangers who were forced to share a table. You begin doubting the success rate of this meeting; judging by how things are looking at the moment, the air wouldn’t be cleared until one of you spoke.

You desperately rack your brain for a conversation topic, anything to get the ball rolling so you don’t throw up from the silence that tightens the knots in your stomach. It hits you out of nowhere as you peer up at him through your lashes when he’s not paying attention—his hair isn’t blonde anymore!

You decide to start there.

“So…” you begin slowly, eyes still trained on the ashy brown colour Joshua now sports, “you dyed your hair again.”

The harsh clang of cutlery against porcelain reaches your ears as Joshua drops his fork and knife on his plate of half-eaten waffles.

“I’m sorry!” he says, “I—I didn’t mean to eavesdrop!”

You blink at him, wholly confused. “What? What do you mean?”

“I overheard you and Hao talking! I stopped by the parlour and happened to hear you two and—I just couldn’t not listen!” Your eyes widen, heart pumping erratically in your chest as shame unpleasantly twists his features. “It was a really awful thing to do but I was so scared you wouldn’t talk to me again, so I thought if I knew what you were thinking I’d be able to understand your frustrations better!”

He pauses his frantic rambling in exchange for several deep breaths, and you watch with an earth-shattering combination of shock and horror as his shoulders rise and fall with his exhales. Only one question is thrumming at your skull: how much had he heard?

“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking the past month after hearing you and Hao talk,” Joshua continues to fill the silence that had once again settled over your table, this time in a calmer, lower tone. “I’ve been thinking about my priorities and where I want to see myself in the long run. I know to you I might look like someone who doesn’t take relationships seriously, or isn’t ready to settle down with a family or anything, but I never once saw you as a fling because you… you mean more to me than that, a lot more.”

Your heart jerks at his words, each one completely saturated with sincerity. “Really?” you ask, voice hushed and wobbly.

Joshua’s nod is resolute. “I thought it all through now, and I’m being a hundred percent serious when I tell you that I’m ready to start a serious relationship again, and that it’s what I genuinely want to try and have. So that… one day…” He hesitates, the rest of his sentence crawling into drawn out syllables. You take the chance to stuff another bite into your mouth to physically stop yourself from interrupting or pressuring him.

It takes a short while until he’s able to finish. “So one day… I can be a good father figure for your kids.”

You’re still chewing when he speaks and immediately start choking on your crepes.

“Y/N! Are you okay?”

Joshua watches in alarm as you repeatedly pat yourself on the chest to stop the heaving. His fumbling hands pass you a tissue while you let out the last of your wheezy gasps, finally able to swallow down your food.

“Yeah, yeah, all good,” you manage, grabbing your glass to take a sip of water. “Sorry, the last part just really startled me because—”

“I know,” Joshua says guiltily, head hanging down with shame, “it’s personal and it was none of my business. I really, really shouldn’t have eavesdropped. I’m so sorry, Y/N.”

“It’s not that at all.” You bite down on the inside of your cheek as you contemplate on how you should break the news to him, that this was all a huge misunderstanding you didn’t even know you had caused. “I don’t have kids.”

His body tenses up, his stare perplexed as he gapes at you. “B-But… I heard you!” he stutters. “You were telling Hao about how you promised to bring them cakes, or tarts, or something like that! You said ‘my kids’.”

Realisation goes off in your head like lightbulbs and now this all makes sense. To say you feel bad for the man would be a massive understatement. “Joshua… I’m a nurse,” you reveal in a quiet murmur, burying your face in your hands to shield yourself from his reaction. “I work in paediatrics, specifically. Sometimes I call my patients my ‘kids’ because of the close relationship we have.”

“Oh my God,” he mutters, your words slowly processing in his brain, “I’m—I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have assumed…”

You lift your head and offer a sheepish smile. “It’s okay, I get why you came to that conclusion now. I’m sorry for misleading you, even if it was unknowingly… and I’m sorry for all the other stuff as well.”

A light chuckle emits from Joshua. He cards a hand through his hair, the soft tufts passing through his fingers as he shakes his head in disbelief. “God, I can’t believe I thought—never mind. But… whether you have kids or not, everything I said a while ago is still true, I hope you know that.”

“Thank you, I… appreciate it, a lot,” you say, this time locking eyes with him before continuing, “and thank you again for reaching out, I think talking to you again will help a lot with me sorting out my own feelings. Can we… can we start over?” Your gaze, while still hesitant, glazes over with hope, “retry being friends again?”

“Of course,” he agrees immediately, a relieved smile blooming across his face. “I missed talking to you.”

“Me too,” you bravely admit, your smile uncontrollably stretching wider at the thought that things might go back to normal soon, just the way they were. “I missed having you as a friend.”

Joshua raises his glass, half empty with condensation trickling down the sides and dripping off the bottom. “Let’s cheers to that. To new beginnings.”

You can’t help but laugh, though you do as he does as raise your own glass. “With coffee?”

He hums, “Feels more fitting for us than alcohol anyways.”

Secretly, you agree, and your glasses meet in a soft clink.

It’s times like these when Joshua realises that perhaps he didn’t know you as well as he’d thought.

Are you the type to like tomatoes in your sandwiches? Onions? Pickles?

The sandwich shop employee eyes him weirdly when he changes his mind for what felt like the umpteenth time, her gloved hand slowly retracting from the pickles bin. He’s lucky it’s late and there’s no one behind him in line, or he probably would’ve been ushered out ages ago.

He hopes you like tomatoes.

With the sandwich and canned coffee sitting in the passenger’s seat, hilariously strapped into the seatbelt, he takes off for the hospital you work at while vibrant pinks and oranges bleed together over the horizon. He was supposed to pick you up to take you out for dinner, but you apologetically texted him a few hours ago about taking a rain check as your workload for the day proved to be more than expected.

He realises he doesn’t have a plan when he pulls up to the hospital, and after deciding it probably wasn’t the best idea to call you during your shift, he nervously shuffles over to the receptionist in the lobby.

The older woman looks up with a warm smile. “Hi, what can we help you with? Are you a visitor?”

“No—well, kinda, I guess,” he stumbles, “is there a way I can drop o—”

“Joshua?”

He whips around to find you standing a few feet away from him, eyes blown wide in surprise. You’re makeup-free and in your scrubs, so unlike anything he’s seen you in, but as cheesy as it is he still thinks you’re the most beautiful person he’s met.

A small group of children in hospital pyjamas form a circle around you, each of them peering at him with round, curious eyes as they take in every detail of the unfamiliar man standing in the middle of the lobby.

The receptionist wears the same kind smile as she asks, “Back from the gardens?”  

“Yeah, about to take these guys up for dinner,” you reply, grinning down at the kids before turning back to Joshua, “what are you doing here?”

He holds up the sandwich and coffee. “Thought you probably wouldn’t have time to get food, so I came to bring you these.”

Your smile turns shy. He doesn’t tell you, but it illuminates the whole lobby like you’re the sun and the rest of them are the planets orbiting it. “O-Oh… thank you, really. That’s so sweet of you. I have a break in, like, fifteen minutes, so I’ll be right back, okay?”

He opens his mouth to answer, though his attention is quickly stolen away by one of the kids tugging at your pants.

“Nurse Y/N, who is he?” the boy asks, looking back and forth between you and Joshua.

“He’s my—”

One of the girls mischievously grins up at you like the Cheshire Cat, her eyes twinkling as she chimes, “Is he your boyfriend?”

Her comment sets off a chain reaction, and the rest of the children immediately break out into a chorus of ooh’s and “Nurse Y/N has a boyfriend!” In the blink of an eye, Joshua finds himself flocked by the kids in every direction imaginable as they depart from your side to his. The questions come pouring in right after.

“How long have you been dating Nurse Y/N?”

“Why do you have so many drawings on your neck and hands?”

“What does this one mean?”

“Does she bring you cakes too?”

“Have you kissed before?” This stirs up a symphony of gleeful squeals and feigned gagging noises, causing a scarlet fire to twist up his neck and all the way to his ears. Joshua glances at you through his lashes, the bashful, somewhat dumbfounded expression lingering on your features tells him that the feeling is mutual.

An amused grin tugs at his lips. Cute.

“I like your bracelets, Mister,” he hears one girl marvel quietly amidst the chaos. She runs a tiny finger along the beaded jewellery around his wrist, a sight that has his heart melting in a pile of mush on the shiny tiles.  

“I’ll make you one,” he promises gently, unable to contain his fondness when her head bobs excitedly, cheeks round from the hopeful beam that lights up her face.

You clap your hands together to get the kids’ attention. “Okay, okay. Time for dinner, guys!” When they seem reluctant to leave, you try again with a singsong lilt to your voice, “We have pudding tonight.” Despite the numerous disappointed pouts you receive, this does the trick. One by one, they peel away from Joshua’s side, saying their goodbyes before letting you usher them towards the elevators, still chattering amongst themselves and peeking out at him from behind your legs.

“Sorry!” you call out to him, “I’ll be back in a sec!”

Joshua shakes his head in reassurance and tells you he’ll be waiting. A chuckle rumbles from his chest when one of the girls—long, shiny hair gathered into a ponytail and adorned with a sparkly scrunchie—waves goodbye.

“Bye, Nurse Y/N’s boyfriend!”

You shush her shyly before saying something he can’t hear, your footsteps hurrying as she continues giggling behind her tiny hand.

•••

It’s over half an hour later when you finally get a moment’s reprieve from work. Joshua looks up with a smile as you jog up to him in hurried footsteps.

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry to keep you waiting for so long,” you say breathlessly, holding onto the couch’s armrest for support as you steady your breathing. “I was about to come down when I got pulled away and—”

“It’s okay, your work is important and I’m not in a rush anyways,” he interrupts gently, showing no sign of annoyance at all before patting the empty space next to him. “C’mon, sit.” 

“Still, I made you wait way longer than I said I’d take—” Your sentence cuts off abruptly, the guilty look on your face replaced by one of thinly-veiled excitement when he passes you the sandwich. The sight of food has your stomach rumbling, a reminder of how hungry you’ve been from not being able to eat much all day due to work. Eyeing the loaf with the most interest he’s ever seen someone have towards a regular turkey sandwich, you unwrap it and take a huge bite, completely oblivious to the endearment dripping from Joshua’s gaze as he watches you eat.

Finally, you catch him staring, blood surging to your face while you meekly explain, “Sorry, I haven’t had a full meal since this morning.”

“It’s really okay,” he says with a good-natured laugh, “you don’t have to apologise.”

“Thank you, by the way. You totally didn’t have to do this.”

Joshua shrugs, indicating it’s no big deal to him. “I wanted to. I figured if you were working longer it probably meant you wouldn’t have enough time to get food, let alone eat.”

“I probably wouldn’t,” you agree, “you’re a saviour.”

“Well, friends don’t let friends go hungry.”

There’s a wry smile playing on your lips as you recall a similar sentence he once said. “Like how friends don’t let friends rot in boredom?”

Surprise flickers across his features, his eyes soften and he gazes at you tenderly. “You remembered.”

“I remember a lot of things, Joshua.”

Neither of you say much after that, especially after his insistence that you finish as much as you can of your sandwich before going back to work, and you allow comfortable silence to fill the space between you both. He only speaks again several minutes later while you’re folding the other half back into the parchment paper, your break drawing to a close.

“What time do you get off work?”

“2 a.m. if nothing comes up.”

“I’ll pick you up.” 

“What? No! You should get some sleep! You’ve done enough for me.”

He cocks a brow at you. “How will you get home at that hour then?”

You falter, cursing your decision of not driving to work today as you normally do when you have late shifts. Though in all fairness, it was only because you didn’t expect your dinner plans with Joshua to fall through.

“I—I don’t know… call a taxi, maybe, or see if one of my coworkers can give me a ride.”

“Y/N, I’ll rest easier knowing you have a safe way home. I’m a night owl and I don’t have work tomorrow anyways.”

“If you’re sure…”

“I am.” A warm, fuzzy feeling surges through your veins at his reassuring smile. “I’ll see you at two then, okay?”

•••

“Thanks for picking me up,” you murmur as you slide into the passenger seat. The interior of his car still looks the same since the last time you were in it; you recognise the deer figurine sitting on the dashboard, the small diffuser next to it that emits faint notes of jasmine, the kimchi stew stain on the carpet beneath your feet which refused to come out no matter how many times he claimed to have cleaned it.  

“You’re very welcome, miss,” Joshua replies with a cheeky grin, his corny impression of a personal chauffeur earning a roll of your eyes . You can tell he went home from his change of clothes, having swapped his white T-shirt and jeans for a pair of matching sweats.

You hate that even at two in the morning, Joshua Hong still looks perfect.

“How was work?” he asks after you’ve had some time to settle in. The streets are desolate for the most part with only the lone pedestrian or car appearing every once in a while, awash in the pale glow of the crescent moon hanging above.

“Good,” you hum, “tiring, but good.”

“It really should have clicked in me sooner that you’re a nurse.” Joshua shakes his head, a gesture aimed at himself rather than you. “All the signs just flew over my head for some reason, I was so embarrassed that day in the café.”

Perhaps you’re a little loopy from exhaustion, but you’re unable to suppress the fit of giggles that bubble out of you at the memory. Joshua pouts at you as you double over in laughter, “Don’t tease me! I really had no idea!”

“It’s fine,” you say upon composing yourself, “I just found it funny. In hindsight, I totally should’ve told you ages ago to save you the embarrassment, but I guess it never came up. And it’s not like it’s anything to brag about.”

“Are you kidding? You help people get better, that’s so cool. Seeing you interact with those kids back there only proved me right—you’re genuinely one of the most amazing people I know.”

“Stop it, I’m not,” you deflect, cheeks burning from his praise despite the cool night breeze blowing through the rolled-down window, “you’re gonna inflate my ego.”

“Good, you’re too humble,” Joshua teases, eyes trained on the road ahead. “By the way, I have something for you in the backseat. It’s in the Luna pouch.”

“I didn’t know you watched Sailor Moon.” Curious, you reach into the backseat for the drawstring pouch, holding it to the light coming from the streetlamps outside as you peer inside. “Bracelets?”

He hums in acknowledgment. “One of the girls said mine were pretty earlier, so while I was waiting to pick you up I just decided to make a bunch. I don’t know how many kids you’re in charge of, but hopefully there’s enough so they can each get one.”

Your eyes sting with salty tears and you have to bite down on your tongue so you don’t dissolve into a bawling mess right beside him. As if waiting hours just to pick you up from a graveyard shift wasn’t enough, he even made your patients bracelets in various designs and colours. You tilt your head back against the cushioned headrest while blinking back the moisture that’s gathered in your eyes, your shoulders falling and rising as you keep the volume of your heavy breathing to a minimum. Only one thought swims in your mind, ringing clearer than it ever has in the past few weeks: you don’t deserve Joshua Hong.

He notes your worrying silence and sneaks a glance at you. Though the inky night casts shadows over your face for the most part, he still manages to catch the glaze in your eyes.

“Oh, Y/N, why—”

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” you croak out, “I’m just… really touched. Just give me a moment and I’ll be okay.”

“If you say so,” he smiles at you softly, “please don’t feel indebted to me or anything, I thought it was a nice thing to do since no one likes being in a hospital.”

“Please stop talking before I actually start crying,” you whimper as you lay your arm over your eyes, the wobble in your voice signalling that your words hold no real malice.

You really, really don’t deserve Joshua Hong.

•••

“It’s because of that day at the parlour, right? When you overheard Dahee and I talking—”

“Overheard? You weren’t exactly trying to keep it down or wait until after I left to have that conversation.” 

Joshua bites his lip, guilt etched across his face. “I know. I—I was so surprised when she told me that I wasn’t thinking properly. I’m sorry, it was really unprofessional of me to do that in front of you.”

“It’s not that! All professionalism between us flew out the window even before you took me on that stupid date to the carnival!”

“Stupid…” Joshua repeats in a low, shocked manner. Genuine hurt wounds his features. “Was that really all it was to you? A stupid date?”

You don’t answer.

“Y/N? It was, then?”

Why can’t you speak?

“Y/N?”

“Y/N? We’re here. Y/N?”

Your eyes snap open, a harsh gasp tearing from your throat as your body simultaneously lurches into a more upright sitting position. It takes a few seconds of disoriented blinking for the surrounding environment to register in your foggy mind, the scent of jasmine, the darkness outside, your looming apartment building. You’re in Joshua’s car, likely having fallen asleep sometime during the rest of the car ride.

Joshua frowns, visibly concerned. “Are you okay? Was it a bad dream?”

“It wasn’t stupid,” you blurt out. “It wasn’t stupid to me. I don’t know why I said that, I was angry and I didn’t mean it—”

“Slow down. Take deep breaths, okay?” he consoles, his voice a soft coo. “What do you mean?”

“That day at the supermarket… I said our carnival date was stupid,” recognition flickers across his face briefly as you continue, “I didn’t mean it. I said it in a fit of anger because at the time I still thought you were stringing me along so I felt like an idiot for thinking it meant something, and now I regret saying it so, so much. It wasn’t stupid to me, Joshua, none of it was.”

His eyes flutter shut, pretty pink lips stretching into a serene smile as he shakes his head. “I know.”

“Y-You know?”

“Well, it was just an inkling at first, but when we talked outside the post office and you confessed that you liked me back… it kinda confirmed to me that you didn’t mean what you said about the date.” His lips purse to the side as he considers his next words. “And even when we were at the carnival, I had a tiny suspicion you returned those feelings.”

“How?” you dare ask, heart jack-hammering against your chest, eardrums ringing with the rush of blood, stomach flipping upside down, nails digging into your clothed thighs.

Joshua lays a gentle hand over yours.

“Because… you look at me the same way I look at you.”

Chan’s looking over some bills when Joshua bursts into his shop like a whirlwind.

“Hey!” he greets brightly, either oblivious or ignorant to Joshua’s visibly frazzled state, “are you looking for—”

He jumps when the tattooist slams his palms against the counter with a wild look in his eyes.

“What flowers do you get for someone who’s sick and can I have the prettiest ones you have?”

•••

When you called Joshua earlier to cancel your appointment later that evening due to a horrible cold, you certainly hadn’t expected a text message from him saying he’s on his way. Yet here he is, ringing your doorbell repeatedly as you tiredly shuffle out of your bedroom with your blanket wrapped around your shivering body. You didn’t even have the energy to make yourself look presentable, wearing a baggy set of pyjamas, fluffy mismatched socks, and your hair looking like a complete and utter mess from spending the majority of the day rolling in bed.

You quietly groan aloud into the empty space of your living room. “I heard you the first time,” you mumble to no one in particular, a clammy hand wrapping around the doorknob before slowly pulling the door open.

“I brought stuff to make soup,” is the first thing Joshua says, “but I didn’t know what soup you like best so I pretty much got one of every kind they had at the store—”

“Shua, I appreciate you for doing this, really,” you rasp out, your voice so rough it sounds as though someone grated it with sandpaper, “but please don’t talk so fast, it’s making my head spin.”

Your bleary eyes land on the object in his hands before widening in horror. With the burst of energy you’ve suddenly gained, you leap back until you’re several feet away while almost tripping on the blanket ends that trail behind you.

Joshua, who’s still standing at your front door with the most bewildered expression you’ve ever seen on a person, stares as you bring the blanket across the lower half of your face in a makeshift mask. Perhaps he’s thinking you’ve gone mad with sickness.

“Y-Y/N?”

“I’m so sorry, Shua… there’s something else I’ve never told you before—I’m maybe, kinda, just a teeny bit… allergic to pollen?”

Your confession, muffled through the fabric, has Joshua looking down at the bouquet with what can only be described as pure alarm as dread tumbles down on him like a ton of bricks.

“You’re—you’re what?”

“I know, I know! I’m sorry!” you wail, pressed against your couch like a cornered puppy, “I literally feel so bad that this is happening again!”

“No! Don’t be sorry! I’m sorry! You always get flowers tattooed so I thought—oh my God.”

“I do like flowers,” you sniff before continuing, “it’s like people being allergic to dogs and cats but still loving them. That’s me, but with flowers. I can’t be near them, so I get them tattooed on me.”

Joshua runs a rough hand through his hair, looking up at you and back down at the flowers in his other hand. “What do I do with these?” he asks, sounding just as despaired as you did.

You scurry into the kitchen, yanking open the cabinet that holds spare plastic bags before fishing out one that will fit the bouquet. “Put them in here,” you say guiltily as you slide the neatly-folded bag towards him, “I’d hate to see them go to waste because they’re lovely. My neighbour—he lives a few doors down at 808, his name is Seungcheol—he’s taking floral arrangement classes, I think. He’d like them, if you don’t mind giving them to him instead. It’s 808, don’t accidentally go to 809 because the old lady who lives there will yell at you for trespassing.”

“Okay, good plan, 808, got it,” Joshua confirms, feeling a little more relieved now. While he’s a little bummed the flowers won’t be going to you after all—for a perfectly valid reason—he’s glad they’re at least not landing buds-first into a trash can.

“Make yourself at home,” you call out, looking like the most non-threatening ghost in your bundled-up state as you take tiny steps backwards. “I’ll just be in my room. Feel free to come in whenever, but without the very-beautiful-and-I’m-so-sorry-I-can’t-take-them flowers!”

You’re buried beneath the covers, only visible from the eyes and up, when Joshua enters your bedroom ten minutes later. He smiles sympathetically at the world’s saddest lump before gently shutting the door behind him and making a beeline over to you. He pulls out the cushioned stool from under your vanity, situating it near the foot of your bed so he can sit.

He adjusts the wrinkled corners of your covers. “How’re you feeling?”

“Like shit,” you croak, “I, like, never get sick—”

“—Mhm.”

“But when I do, I get really, really sick, y’know?”

“Yeah, I get what you mean. Have you taken your medicine yet?”

You stare up at the ceiling, he can practically see the gears turning in your head as you jog your memory. “Like two hours ago, so… I need to take it again in another two.”

“Okay, I’ll start the soup soon, then.”

“Don’t you have—sniff—more appointments?”

Joshua shakes his head, the gentle smile on his face unwavering. “You were my last one for the day, I was gonna see if you wanted to get dinner after.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, oh,” he parrots back playfully, earning a hoarse chuckle from you. “You should try getting some sleep, I’ll wake you up when the soup’s ready.”

You shake your head. “I’m sleepy, but I can’t fall asleep at the same time. Am I making any sense right now?”

“Not really, but it’s okay,” Joshua laughs, “what do you normally do when you can’t sleep?”

“I don’t know, I usually knock right out because I’m so tired from work.” You let out a low, contemplating hum. “Can we keep talking?” you finally ask, voice small and hopeful like a child’s. “Your voice is pretty, feels like it could lull me back to sleep. Has anyone told you you should be a singer?”

He blushes at your praise, but brushes it off with another laugh. You must be really sick. “Sometimes, I guess. What do you wanna talk about?”

“Hm… anything. Ooh—I know! Tell me what your tattoos mean.”

Joshua looks down at the exposed skin of arms in amusement before back at you with a twinkle in his eyes. “Where would we even start, darling? I don’t think there’s an area on my arms that isn’t already inked.”

Your head clumsily jerks from left to right on your pillow as your hand reaches out from under the covers. “There’s always one I’ve been intrigued by.”

“Yeah?” he watches you expectantly. “Which one?”

“The one on your right hand, the ring finger. I saw it when you were driving before. The rose and thorns.”

Your hazy vision doesn’t allow you to catch the abrupt downturn of the corners of his lips, his gaze becomes pensive as he traces the tattoo you identified with his thumb.

“You sure you wanna know?” he asks softly.

You nod. “Tell me, if you wanna.”

Sighing heavily, Joshua gets comfortable on your stool to buy himself some time, racking his brains for where in the story he wants to start.

“You know how Dahee said I’ve never had a serious relationship in a few years?”

“Yeah.”

“Well… I had one… before that all began.” Your eyes widen comically, bringing a small smile to his face. “We were high school sweethearts, you could say. Everyone was so sure we were each other’s person, even my parents thought I was going to marry her. It—it was the best five years of my life.” You stay silent as he continues, and even in your sick-ridden condition you can tell this is a painful memory for him.

“I was just starting out at the parlour when she broke up with me and told me she didn’t love me anymore, and—God, I was a total mess after that because I loved her so much,” a humourless chuckle whistles between his lips, “it was such a rough patch in my life, I felt like I lost the love of my life. Hao was one of the people who helped me through that, and after I thought I got over it all I started having casual relationships and breaking them off before either one of us got too committed.”

Sometime during his retelling your hands have found each other’s. Much like how he rested his hand over yours in his car a week ago, this time it’s your turn to provide some comfort. You’re certain your skin feels uncomfortably clammy, but he doesn’t seem to mind. He’s warm.

“Deep down, I knew it wasn’t healthy, but I thought if I stopped having serious relationships then I’d never be in that degree of pain again if things did go south.”

He tears his glossy eyes away from your face to glance down at the tattoo with a bittersweet smile. “I got this when I was really bitter about everything. I somehow convinced myself I wouldn’t be able to find love again, so I decided to tattoo a ring on my ring finger, hence the wilted rose and the thorn to remind myself of the hurt I felt. I almost went through with it according to my original plan, but right before Minghao started I had a change of mind, a sudden epiphany.”

Your hoarse whisper barely cuts through the heavy silence in the room. “What was it?”

“I asked him to move it from my left hand to my right.” Realisation dawns on you moments later, and it must be evident in your eyes because Joshua smiles genuinely. “I always knew I wanted to get married someday, even when what I thought would be my first and last relationship ended badly. I moved it to my right hand so when that day comes… the ring finger on my left would be saved for the person I love. And…” he turns back to you hesitantly, “that’s pretty much it.”

“Not cool,” you mumble weakly, sniffling before hastily burying your head underneath the covers, “you’re not supposed to make a sick person cry.”

You hear his laugh, a laugh you’ve grown to love the sound of. “I know, darling. But you asked, and I wanted to tell you too.”

Ensuring any stray tears are now soaked into the sleeves of your pyjama top, you lower the covers to their original position across the bottom half of your face. “No, but—” okay, maybe one last sniffle—“thank you for telling me that… and for trusting me enough to do so. I’m so sorry about what happened with your first girlfriend, but you’ll find love, Joshua. I really do believe that.”

You wonder if you’re seeing things; you swear you just saw a tear roll down his cheek. “Thank you, Y/N. I know I will, and so will you.”

The two of you bask in now the tender moment, your hands still connected. He’s warm. Very warm. You dissolve into giggles several minutes later, and the look on Joshua’s face is nothing short of amusement and fondness.

“What are you laughing about?”

He waits patiently until you’ve let out the last of them. “I’m just thinking… will I remember any of this when I wake up?”

“Probably not,” he responds, head tilted back slightly as he laughs, “but I’ll gladly tell you again if you want to hear it later. For now get some rest, okay?”

“Okay.” You burrow further into your bed, lids growing heavily as you struggle to keep your eyes open. You make out Joshua’s silhouette hovering over you, his fingers gentle as he brushes stray hairs away from your face.

He’s adjusting your covers when he hears the quiet, muffled call of his name. He glances at your still figure, your eyes fluttered shut and lashes resting against your cheek. His voice comes out equally hushed. “Yes?”

“Thank you, Joshua. For everything.”

There’s a light pressure on your forehead, something that feels all too much like soft lips pressing against your skin. Maybe you’re already dreaming.

“No, thank you.”

❀❀❀ E N D ❀❀❀

💌 thank you for purchasing our lavender! — dino’s flower emporium

© STARLIGHTJOONG 2022

a/n: i’m once again really sorry to everyone who’s been waiting for the third part of this series ;-; it was pretty hard and i got super demotivated in the process bc i thought it was absolute garbage so this went through a few rewrites ahdajhd but i’m really glad i pushed through and i’m decently happy with how this final version came out :’) 

if you enjoyed this, i’d really appreciate if you could take a few mins to lmk what you think through replies/tags/asks as it helps me become a better writer and encourages me to keep writing 💗💗 your gentle reminder to support cc’s through giving feedback <3 

this was written with my favourite joshushu in mind <3 you know who you are bc only you (and lucy <3 hai wifey) will truly understand all the personalised bits here (@joshuas​ muah)

[seungkwansphd]

cast me in a better light

pairing: musical actor!Joshua x pit orchestra member!YN word count: 5.9k synopsis: Joshua is a great singer and actor, you can admit that, but would it kill him to have some rhythm? The Christmas musical really will fail if you can't figure out how to read his cues, but he's wondering if you'll ever realize that he's sending you a different kind of signal, too. genre/themes: romance, fluff, grumpy/sunshine dynamic, allusions to a bad breakup, hallmarkian romance, lol.

a/n: this is part of the @svthub snowventeen collab! you should check out all of the other wonderful writers & stories! also these are the songs i drew inspo & lyrics from (don't sue me) griff - on foot in front of the other ariana grande - santa tell me (slow & reverb)

You balled your free hand into a fist as you turned back in your sheet music for what felt like the thirteenth time. It was your third rehearsal with the cast for this year’s Christmas musical and you were wondering if you could get away with strangling the lead, Joshua Hong, with your bare hands. You weren’t even working on anything difficult, but this man could not seem to sneak through a back alley with any sort of consistent rhythm pattern, so consequently you had nothing to follow. Your beats on the high toms kept missing his footsteps and everyone’s patience was wearing thin.

“Joshua, YN?” Janet cleared their throat, “Can you two spend some time together working on this? We need to either decide on a set tempo or work out some visual cues so that YN can follow your footsteps. We do need to move on for today though.”

“Of course!” Joshua smiled brightly at the orchestra conductor, “We’ll make time!” he gestured theatrically in a way that made you want to throw your drumsticks at him.

“Great,” Janet nodded at him before looking back down at the score, “Alright, let’s continue,” they lifted their baton, leading the pit through the second number.

“You still want to do dinner?” you asked Tetiana as she packed up her violin and bow.

“Yes! Although…,” she trailed off, pointing to something behind you.

Furrowing your brows, you turned slowly to see your one and only leading man, Joshua Hong. It was highly unusual to see cast members down in the pit.

“Hey YN! Thought I’d get your number so we can coordinate a few practices to nail down the walks,” he smiled at you.

“Ah sure,” you nodded. None of this would be necessary if he could just walk like a human person.

“Do you have regular days that work well? Or what do you think?”

“To be honest, my schedule is pretty irregular,” you answered honestly, thinking through the various jobs that you had lined up over the next couple of weeks. “I have a chunk of time free on Thursday between two and three pm?”

“That should work! I’ll text you to confirm,” he nodded, running through his own schedule in his head.

“Sounds good,” you raised your eyebrows at him, “Don’t get lost on the way out,” you couldn’t help but tease.

Joshua either didn’t hear you or didn’t respond as he walked backstage, but Tetiana laughed at your joke, which was enough to satisfy you.

“Ready to eat?” you asked her with a smile.

“Yes,” she laughed heartily. She wondered just how difficult of a time Joshua was in for during these one on one sessions.

❄❄❄

“Why can’t we just do a simple 2/4 or 4/4 pace when you walk from stage left to the alley?” you asked, slightly irritated already.

“Because it’s not what the character would do,” Joshua rebutted, as if what he was saying made any sense. “And depending on the show, the atmosphere may be different, so I want to leave it open for interpretation!”

“I-,” you cut yourself off, remembering your conductor’s words. “Okay, well then can we implement some sort of physical cue? Like a shoulder movement or something? I need to be able to follow you,” you suggested.

“Can you just watch how I move and see if there are any physical cues that I'm already doing?”

“Sure,” you sighed, gesturing for him to do his walk.

You watched him closely, eyes traveling from his shoulders to his fingertips and then back up to his torso, hoping to pick out some sort of movement that corresponded to his footsteps. You’d never seen Joshua at such a close distance before. From the pit, he was little more than the rough outline of a person, but up close you were forced to acknowledge how handsome he was. As you watched him move, you also realized that Joshua was much broader than you would’ve guessed. You were surprised when the thought hit you. Things were certainly easier when you watched him from a distance.

“Well?” he asked, turning his head to look at you after completing his exaggerated walk.

“Sorry, can you do it again?” you asked, shaking your head briefly to clear your thoughts.

“Yes,” he nodded, moving to start again.

You crossed your arms, tongue dragging across your teeth as you regarded him. Without even having to look, Joshua could feel your eyes rake up and down his figure as he walked and walked and walked. Your eyes burned into him intently and for someone who was a professional performer, he was surprised to find himself somehow nervous. Your tongue toyed with your left canine until you finally noticed that there was this little thing that he did with his chin just before he took a step. You might be able to work with that.

“Okay, I think I got something!” you clapped your hands together in relief, moving to the keyboard that was set up across the room from your drumset. “Okay, can we take it from here?” your fingers played out the closing melody that directly preceded his walk.

“Oh, yes?” Joshua did a double take. The way your fingers ran across the keys took him by surprise. “You play piano as well?”

“I’m a professional musician,” you wrinkled your nose up at him, “I can play several instruments.”

“Ah, of course,” he flushed.

You keyed out the melody again, leading him into his walk. He waited for you to cross the room to pick up your drumsticks before he started walking and you half-managed to follow his footsteps this time.

“That was better,” you shrugged, “We’ll need to keep working at it though,” you shrugged, eyeing the clock. You had to leave soon if you wanted to make it to band rehearsal on time.

“Oh right, you had to stop at three,” Joshua nodded, following your line of sight.

“Yeah,” you shrugged. The hour had passed quickly, most of it spent bickering, unfortunately. “When are you free next?”

“Saturday is pretty open as of now,” you suggested. “Would ten-thirty in the morning work?”

“Yes!”

“Would you mind actually meeting at my house? I have band practice right before and it would be nice not to have to drive here and set everything up.”

“Oh, sure I guess? What’s the address?”

“I’ll text you,” you smiled gratefully as you packed your drumsticks away, “Have a good day!”

❄❄❄

Joshua double checked the address before he got out of his car. He was halfway to the porch when the sound of music out back caught his ear. He was quite early and figured it wouldn’t do any harm to check it out. As he got closer to the source, the sounds of keyboard, drumset, and guitar became more individually discernible and these ensemble sounds worked together to complement the lead vocalist. Was this the band rehearsal that you had been referring to?

Joshua finally rounded the corner of the house to face a detached garage where the band was rehearsing. His eyes went to the drumset first, where he expected to see you. The large man seated behind the bass drum, however, was decidedly not you and so his eyes flitted around until they landed on the person standing behind the keyboard. You were playing and singing with such joy on your face and it made him stop in his tracks.

“I didn't think I'd get back up I didn't think I'd be alright again You know it's easy when you're young, bounce back and whatever You just bounce back like it never happened”

You sang with your eyes closed, fingers gliding across the keyboard with an ease that startled Joshua.

“I put one foot in front of the other today I stretched my arms out wide and it felt real strange And then my legs, they started shaking and my hands, they started quaking 'Cause things just take longer to heal these days”

The tenderness with which you sang the last lyrics triggered a small burst of warmth in his chest and when your eyes opened to meet his, his heart jumped fully into his throat.

“Oh, you’re here,” you blurted into the mic without thinking, surprising your band mates.

“Hi, yes,” Joshua cleared his throat, “Sorry I’m early!” he waved at everyone good naturedly.

“Who is this?” your bassist, Elena asked, eyes dancing curiously at you.

“Joshua, he’s the lead in that musical I’m working,” you shrugged, for some reason embarrassed that he had seen you singing.

“Oh nice!” your drummer stood up to introduce himself, “I’m Amir, and that’s Elena. It’s nice to meet you man!”

“Hey thanks! Nice to meet you too,” Joshua smiled back at the large man, “I didn’t know you sang,” he remarked at you.

“I mean…we barely know each other,” you couldn’t help but remark.

“I guess that’s true,” he chuckled good naturedly, “You guys sound great!”

“Thank you” Elena chirped excitedly, “You should follow us on social media!”

“Please,” Joshua nodded way too genuinely, pulling out his phone and looking over Elena’s shoulder as she showed him the band’s various handles.

You knew that didn’t make any sense. You should want everyone and their mother to check out your music, but there had always been an unspoken separation between the cast members and pit orchestra and so it felt very odd to be letting Joshua into your life in this way.

“Do you wanna take that again,” Amir asked you, bringing your thoughts back to the present, “Or did you feel good about that?”

“I felt really good about that, actually,” you nodded and you meant it.

“Me too!” Elena chirped in agreement.

“Cool, well we’re done a little early so if you two need to work on whatever you need to work on, we can make ourselves scarce. But…,” Amir turned his eyes to Joshua hopefully, “If you might wanna jam with us…Elena and I have been learning ‘My Shot’ from Hamilton!”

“Oh hell yes,” Joshua answered seamlessly.

“Right on!” Amir nodded excitedly, sitting back down behind his drum set as Elena wiggled excitedly.

You gestured towards the microphone stand as you got out of the way for Joshua. He pulled the mic out of the stand and your jaw dropped when he started…rapping?

“Hey yo, I'm just like my country I'm young, scrappy and hungry And I'm not throwin' away my shot”

Amir’s grin grew wider and wider as he picked up on Joshua’s flow. You watched, eyes widening with amazement, as he just continued and continued. You knew it was a silly stereotype, but you didn’t ever think you’d see him rapping and you were surprised at how decent he was at it. You could tell that he was out of his usual element, but he managed to still have a swagger and presence that was quite different from when you’d seen him during rehearsal. Elena’s delight grew unbridled as they ran through a good amount of the track before Joshua ran out of breath.

“Sorry!” he laughed apologetically, “I don’t typically rap,” he smiled genially.

“No, don’t apologize man, that was awesome!” Amir shook his head vehemently.

You grinned as you watched the three of them bond. Amir and Elena had always had such open and welcoming personalities, so it didn’t surprise you that they connected with Joshua immediately.

“Of all the things I never thought I’d see,” you remarked as you looked at him with a newfound appreciation.

“I mean we barely know each other, right?” he couldn’t help but throw your own words back at you. He must’ve been still reestablishing his blood oxygen equilibrium, because there was no other explanation for why he winked at you.

You blinked.

“Well, we ought to get out of your hair cause we’ve probably eaten into enough of your rehearsal time,” Amir spoke up after exchanging a glance with Elena. They both packed up quickly and made themselves scarce as you settled in behind the drumset, adjusting the stool way, way down.

“That was fun,” Joshua smiled at you as you warmed up.

“You were perfectly on beat there! So if you could just do that while you walk,” you teased, eyes creasing as you smiled at him. Joshua opened his mouth, but you cut him off, “I know, I know, that’s not what the character would do,” you shook your head playfully at him.

You were pleasantly surprised that the next hour passed quickly. It was probably because Amir and Elena had helped break the ice a little bit, but you felt a lot more comfortable with Joshua today. In turn, he also seemed more open to your input and you were able to work out a decent system for establishing a walking or transition pace. Eventually, you got bored and worked on a few other passages before your stomach interrupted with a loud rumble.

“Was that your stomach?” Joshua asked, surprise evident on his face.

“Yes,” you laughed sheepishly, “I should eat something. Do you want to take a break? I’ve probably got something we can snack on.”

“I wouldn’t mind a snack,” Joshua smiled at you in a way that was disarming.

“Okay, follow me then,” you turned away, nervous, allowing him to follow you,  “Don’t judge me, I know the place is a mess!” you disclaimed as you led him through the house. Joshua’s eyes widened with wonder as he inventoried the many, many instrument cases scattered around your house.

“How many instruments can you play?” he looked at you in wonder.

“I, uh,” you made a face as you counted in your head. “All of the strings and most of the percussion instruments.”

“What? That’s amazing!” Joshua gaped at you. He was truly impressed.

“Thanks,” you chuckled, a bit shy at his obvious admiration. Avoiding his gaze, you searched through your cupboard for something to eat.

“Can I try this?” Joshua gestured to the cello laying on the ground while you slid two frozen waffles into the toaster.

“Sure!” you called over your shoulder as you moved to the fridge. Waffles and cereal it was! You laughed to yourself as you heard some fiddling followed by a few noisy scrapes.

“This sounds horrible,” he remarked to himself as he continued to drag the bow across the strings determinedly. You couldn’t fight the smile that spread across your lips as you watched him out of the corner of your eye. You were surprised that you still found him endearing as he continued to make such grating sounds.

“You’ll have to adjust the pin,” you gestured to the bottom of the cello as you approached him, assessing the situation. “Here, hold this for me,” you lifted the instrument to the appropriate height and waited for Joshua to grab the instrument. You reached down between his legs and pulled the endpin out so that the cello sat at a better height.

“Okay, that looks better, now let’s address this grip,” you smiled, grabbing his hand and adjusting his fingers so they held the bow in a less awkward way. You didn’t notice, but Joshua’s Adam’s apple bobbed erratically when you moved to adjust his other hand on the neck of the cello. “You might actually be good at the cello,” you remarked, taking his left hand into your own. “You have these nice long fingers!”

Before he could respond, the waffles jumped in the toaster, pulling your attention away. It was just as well, because the best Joshua could’ve offered was a garbled cough with the way you had managed to fluster him. Blinking rapidly, he stood, placing the cello back on its side.

In the kitchen, you reprimanded yourself mentally as you placed the toasted waffles onto plates. Joshua did have nice hands, but you certainly didn’t need to be saying that out loud! Wordlessly, you brought everything to the kitchen table and gestured for him to sit.

“Hope you like Cap’n Crunch,” you laughed, “It’s the best I can do with no notice.

“I love Cap’n Crunch,” he smiled genuinely, “So do you teach as well?” he asked between mouthfuls. You nodded and worked through your own mouthful of cereal before answering him.

“Yes! I teach a handful of students, mostly string instruments.”

“Wow, that is really amazing,” Joshua beamed at you one more time before you ate in silence. The crunch of the cap’n filled the room and you were struck by the odd sense of intimacy that filled the moment. You wondered if it was one sided before you finished up and resumed practice

❄❄❄

Joshua couldn’t keep his eyes from wandering to you in the pit. You were laughing easily with some of the other musicians and he was surprised at the way he felt almost jealous? It made sense, of course, you knew them much better than you knew him. Prior to this show, you’d never even interacted, but after spending some time with you over the weekend, Joshua had had a lot of trouble keeping you out of his mind.

“Ready to get started?” Janet tapped their baton against their music stand.

Everyone directed their attention to the podium and flipped to one of the big dance numbers. It was quick and before long you were deeply immersed, trying to keep time with their steps.

“Very good, nice work!” Janet clapped happily, more than pleased. “Joshua and YN, great job nailing down the transitions as well! They’re looking much better.”

You smiled back, pleased as well. Joshua instinctively looked towards where he knew you were, even though it was too dark to see you anymore.

“Hey, YN!” you heard Joshua’s now familiar voice as you were on the way out of rehearsal.

“Hey, nice job today,” you smiled at him.

“Thanks to you,” he felt inordinately pleased to receive your compliment. “Hey if you’re not busy, do you want to grab some coffee?”

“I’m not, but why?” you asked.

“I-, do I have to have a reason?” he paused, furrowing his brow.

“I mean, I guess not but this is a little unusual. The cast members typically don’t acknowledge our existence,” you chuckled. You were probably being a little unfair, but this was also true.

“Well, you’re not exactly making it easy,” he pushed back, raising an eyebrow.

“…Fair point,” you had to admit. “You’re right. Let’s go get coffee.”

Joshua beamed.

“I like Almanac, but where do you like for coffee?”

“I like Almanac too!” Joshua’s eyebrows raised in surprise, “See we’re more similar than you give us credit for.”

“I already admitted I was being unfair,” you raised your brows at him, heading towards your favorite coffee shop.

“So how was the rest of your weekend?”

“It was pretty busy, but good! Yours?”

“It was also good,” Joshua smiled. You watched the way the corners of his lips curled up in a catlike fashion. “I had some free time after our practice, so I went to visit my mom.”

“Oh, nice! Does she live close? Far?”

“A couple of hours away, so it’s not too far. She’s getting a little older now, so I try to visit regularly and help around the house however I can.”

“That’s sweet of you,” you smiled. Joshua had always seemed like a gentleman and this was consistent with that.

“It’s the right thing to do,” he shrugged, opening the door to Almanac for you.

“YN!” the roaster, Sam, greeted you, “And Josh?” He did a double take when Joshua followed you inside. “Do you two know each other?”

“We do!” Joshua nodded, “You weren’t kidding when you said you like it here, huh?”

“I take my coffee very seriously,” you threw him a pointed yet playful look. “What’s interesting today?” you turned back to Sam.

“For you? I think you’ll like the Burundi best? Very juicy and complex,” he regarded you for a second. “And for you, Joshua? I think the Honduras? Nutty and more chocolatey notes.”

You and Joshua both nodded. When it came to coffee with Sam, you’d both learned that it was always best to go with dealer’s choice.

“Do we want these for here or to go?”

“I, uh…?” you looked at Joshua, this had been his idea to begin with.

“Here?” he suggested, hoping you didn’t feel obligated.

“Sure,” you shrugged.

“So how do you two know each other?” Sam asked as he bounced around behind the bar, grinding beans and prepping pour overs.

“We’re both in the Christmas show,” Joshua answered first, gesturing vaguely towards the theater where you’d just walked from.

“Well, he’s in it. I’m in the pit orchestra,” you felt the need to clarify.

“You’re in it! There’s no musical without the orchestra!” he insisted enthusiastically.

“I would agree with that,” Sam chuckled, intrigued at your dynamic.

“You know what I mean though!” you scrunched your face at Joshua, “If you say ‘I’m in a musical’ people think you mean the cast!”

Joshua blinked down at you. His lips curled up at the corners, amused at your fervor. Sam watched with a grin on his face as you and Joshua bickered playfully.

“Okay, here’s your coffee kids,” he finally interrupted, sliding two ceramic cups across the bar.

“Thanks Sam,” you beamed at him before turning to search out a table. It wasn’t terribly busy, so you were able to grab seats at the bar looking out the window. “So did you have something you needed to talk to me about?” you asked, shifting slightly to face him.

“No, I just wanted to spend some time with you,” he laughed, leaning back in his chair.

“What?”

“What?” he asked, a little confused that he kept having to explain why he wanted to be around you. You were incredibly talented and interesting, did you not see that?

“Sorry I’m not good at making new friends,” you chuckled wryly.

“You’re okay,” Joshua smiled. “I was actually hoping to ask you about your music making process. If you don’t mind.”

“Oh?” your eyes lit up. This was a topic that you could talk both of his ears off about, if he let you.

“Yes, I was wondering who writes your lyrics and whether you have a process for it. Like lyrics first and then music or vice versa?”

“That’s a good question that’s impossible to answer,” you grinned at him. “Amir and Elena and I tend to each write our own tracks, but we do ask each other for input. For me, I write the lyrics first and fill in the music around them. Elena is the opposite and Amir does both, depending on his mood. Do you write music?”

“I have tried in the past. But I’m primarily a vocalist, so I never really got to the part about filling in the music,” he chuckled sheepishly. “I can get by on guitar, but that’s about it.”

“It’s certainly not easy,” you laughed, “And then there’s the issue of baring your heart and soul to the people who do actually listen.”

Joshua enjoyed the way your eyes sparkled as you talked excitedly about your music making process. You didn’t seem to like to talk about yourself otherwise, so he hoped he could learn more about you through your music. Your next show was already marked down in his calendar and he couldn’t wait for the day to come.

“Sorry I’m talking your ear off!” you chuckled, bringing your mug to your lips.

“I like it,” his eyes creased as he smiled at you, resting his chin on his hand, eager to hear more.

You blinked. His statement was so straightforward and caught you off guard. You weren’t able to fight the heat that crawled up your neck, so you pretended it was a win that you hadn’t choked on your coffee entirely.

“Oh my gosh, I have to get going,” Joshua’s eyes widened when he noticed the time.

“Oh, okay!” you nodded. “Sorry, I told you I could talk forever about this!”

“Don’t be sorry. Time passes easily with you.”

“This was fun, thanks for suggesting it,” you stepped past his compliment and through the door purposefully. “Oh, it’s snowing!” you gasped, extending your palms upwards to catch a few flakes.

“Pretty,” he murmured, eyes watching you as snowflakes landed in your hair.

“It really is,” you turned towards him, fully beaming now. You loved being outside for the first snow each year. You and Joshua exchanged a laden glance before you couldn’t stand it anymore and excused yourself. It was cold out, but you almost couldn’t feel it.

❄❄❄

“Are you gonna sing tonight?” Elena asked you, eyes bright with curiosity. You tended to be fifty-fifty when it came to karaoke night. Sometimes you were in the mood and other times you weren’t. Tonight you were decidedly on the fence, so you planned to just go with the flow.

“Not sure yet, but I am here to support you,” you grinned, nose scrunching affectionately at her. “Is Amir coming?”

“Yeah, but he invited someone else so he’s waiting outside,” Elena nodded.

“Oh, okay!” you shrugged. It wasn’t unheard of for others to join you, but it wasn’t frequent either. You wandered to the bar to grab a beer while you waited.

“Yo!” you jumped slightly when Amir’s booming voice was accompanied by his hands clapping down on your shoulders.

“Jeebus,” you scrunched your face up at him.

“Two pilsners, please?” he signaled to the bartender before pulling you into a hug. “How’s things?” he asked as you headed back towards Elena.

“Pretty good! How are yo-oh?” you stopped mid-sentence when you saw Joshua sitting with her.

“Hey,” he smiled gently, waving at you.

“What are you doing here?”

“I invited him!” Amir stated as a matter of factly as he took the seat next to Elena at the picnic style table. You climbed over the bench on the other side, taking the spot next to Joshua.

“We’ve been chatting,” Joshua explained helpfully.

“Oh,” you nodded, though you were full of questions, “It’s good to see you.”

“You too,” he nodded, left knee nudging yours under the table.

Your heart flipped in your chest. You hadn’t seen Joshua since your post-rehearsal coffee, but he’d certainly been on your mind. If you squinted, in the right light, you would almost think that he was interested in you. But then again, you’d also thought things with your last partner had been going well just before they’d broken up with you too.

“What are you singing?” you asked, pulling yourself out of your thoughts.

“Well it has to be holiday themed, so that narrows down our choices,” Amir stroked his chin playfully.

“Have you decided?” Joshua turned to you, eyes curious.

“I’m not sure I’m going to sing yet,” you half-smiled at him.

“Oh come on! I’ll sing if you sing,” he offered.

“Why would I care if you sing or not?” you countered.

“Hm. You’re telling me you don’t want to watch me make a fool of myself singing Mariah Carey?” he teased, corners of his lips curling up playfully.

“Wait,” you blinked, “Wait, no I really do,” your eyes widened as you processed his words.

“You’d better pony up then,” he threw you a playful look as he brought his beer to his lips.

Elena watched Joshua with severe interest as he watched you wrack your brain for Christmas songs. He was so clearly interested in you, but she couldn’t tell whether your obliviousness was purposeful or not.

“What about ‘Santa Tell Me’?” she suggested, electing to help you out of your misery.

“Oh! I do like that song!” you smiled at Elena gratefully, “Will that do?” you turned to Joshua, an eyebrow raised expectantly at him.

You honestly expected him to say no and request a rendition of something much more embarrassing, so you were caught off guard when he cocked his head to the side and raked his eyes over you before nodding. Elena’s eyes widened before they flew to Amir to see whether he’d been paying attention to this exchange. As was typical, he seemed blissfully unaware as he drank his beer.

“Do we sign up? Or how does this work?” Joshua asked, craning his neck towards the MC.

“Yep, they have a sign-up sheet there!” Amir nodded.

“Shall we?” Joshua turned to you, extending his hand towards you.

“We?” you couldn’t help the question that escaped your lips.

“I don’t trust you not to chicken out. I would like to watch you put pen to paper,” he grinned mischievously at you.

“Me? Chicken?” you gasped, offended. “I would never!”

“Then let’s go,” Joshua chuckled cooly.

“Fine,” you scoffed, placing your hand in his and following him to the MC’s station.

“Amir!” Elena squealed as she watched you leave. “I think something’s going on?”

“Oh yeah, Joshua likes YN,” Amir shrugged, nodding as if it wasn’t a big deal.

“Wait, what?”

“He told me. Why do you think I invited him?”

Elena’s mouth hung wide open at this revelation. Of all the things she never thought she’d see, Amir meddling was pretty damn near top of the list.

“Am I going first or are you?” you asked Joshua as you held the pen above the sign-up sheet.

“I’ll go first,” he shrugged good naturedly, “It was my idea after all.”

“Okay,” you nodded, scribbling his name and then your own just below it, “No backing out now.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he winked at you. He couldn’t seem to help himself from teasing you tonight.

You watched, fascinated, as Joshua chatted with Elena and Amir. You’d have thought they’d known each other for years, but when you sat down to do the math, you were surprised to realize that it had really only been a few weeks since they’d met. It was a pleasant surprise, but a surprise nonetheless. Pulling yourself out of your thoughts again, you met Elena’s gaze, which was loaded to say the least. When she realized you were no longer spacing out, her eyebrows raised as her head jerked subtly, yet meaningfully, towards Joshua. You knew what she was saying and you maybe even agreed. You just needed to have another mental breakdown or two before you decided what you wanted to do about it.

“Oh, I’m next!” Joshua announced as he watched names on the screen flicker by.

“Break a leg,” you beamed at him. He faltered for a moment at the genuine openness of your smile.

You watched with a mixture of excitement and secondhand embarrassment as Joshua started his rendition of Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’. It was stupid, but you were surprised at how good he was. He didn’t take himself too seriously, hammed it up when it was appropriate, and by the end of it you were smiling widely and singing along. In fact, you were enjoying yourself so much that you practically forgot you were meant to sing after him and rushed on stage at the last minute. Joshua handed you the mic with a playful chuckle, fingers brushing for just a moment.

“Santa, tell me if you're really there Don't make me fall in love again if he won't be here next year Santa, tell me if he really cares 'Cause I can't give it all away if he won't be here next year”

Joshua smiled as he watched you sing. He wasn’t surprised that this song resonated with you. While perusing your music, it had become apparent to him that you’d gone through a big breakup sometime in the last year. He could certainly understand the reluctance to get involved with someone new, but he also hoped that he could prove himself to be a steadfast friend and potential partner.

You smiled impossibly wide as you grooved to the background music; you really did love this song! Inevitably your eyes moved back to your table and you paused when Joshua caught your eye. His eyes had creased into semi-circles and his lips had curled up just slightly at the corners as he watched you. Your brain stuttered and for whatever reason, the next lyrics that left your lips were from the explicit version instead.

“Oh, I wanna let him unwrap me, like oh-woo-oh Get on top of him, by that fireplace, oh-woo-oh But I don't want a new broken heart This year I've got to be smart”

Joshua’s eyes widened in surprise as the crowd erupted in whoops and cheers. The way you’d held his gaze while singing had left his heart pounding wildly in his chest.

“Eee, you did so good!” Elena squealed excitedly when you returned to the table. It took every fiber of her being not to scream over your sudden improv. “I love that slowed version too.”

“Really good,” Joshua half-smiled, thinking furiously about when and whether to make a move.

“Thanks,” you giggled shyly, grateful for the residual adrenaline of performing. “When are you two up? I kinda want to go out and get some air, but I don’t want to miss you guys!”

“We’re not for a while, go for it! Bring us some beers back too,” Amir waved you away playfully.

“Okay, I’ll be back soon!” you waved briefly before heading out the door to the patio.

The gears continued to turn in Joshua’s head until Amir and Elena simply couldn’t take it anymore.

“Dude, what are you doing?” they demanded in unison.

“What?” Joshua looked up, slightly startled.

“Go get ‘em! Now’s your chance!”

“Now?!” He looked panicked.

“They wanna let you unwrap them, like oh-woo-oh,” Elena sang playfully at him.

“Get on top of you, by that fireplace, oh-woo-oh!” Amir harmonized before breaking out into a fit of giggles.

Joshua stood up. They were right, this was the opening. He headed towards the door he had seen you exit through and found you standing outside alone.

“Gah, I don’t know how you do it!” you started chattering when you saw him, “I still get such nerves about performing in front of crowds like that!”

“It doesn’t really ever go away,” he smiled reassuringly, stepping towards you. “Cold?” he asked, watching you blow warm air on your hands.

“I was hoping the fresh air would help me calm down a bit, but now I’m just cold,” you laughed sheepishly.

Joshua chuckled, folding his long fingers over your hands and pulling you towards him. You swallowed audibly as you looked at him, heart pounding even faster now.

“You are a captivating performer and a talented musician. The nerves never really go away, you’ll just get better at managing them,” he gazed deep into your eyes. “You made me feel a lot of feelings up there.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, I’m not sure I’ve heard that version before,” he teased, grinning at you.

“I didn’t-, I don’t,” you floundered, but you didn’t really have much of an explanation. You had simply been flirting with him and he was flirting back.

“Can we go out on a date?” he asked, “If things go according to plan, we’ll be here next year too.”

You fought the urge to roll your eyes as you realized he was quoting your karaoke lyrics back to you. It was so corny and yet…it was working. You pushed up on the balls of your feet, leveraging his grip on your hands to pull him into a kiss. You could feel him smile against your lips and when you pulled away, you could see that a single snowflake had landed on his nose. What in the Hallmark movie?

❄❄❄

Thanks so much for reading! Would love to hear what you think and please also check out the other 'snowventeen' fics!

[suhojunmyeons]

A Guy Called Joshua

pairing : joshua × fem reader (ft. mentions of mingyu)

genre : fluff , strangers-to-friends ? / strangers-to-lovers!au (ig) with a twist! haha

word count: 1.3k -ish if u don't count the lyrics lol

warnings: mentions of alcohol and that's pretty much it

A/N : it's my first time writing fluff pls be nice :'> and please do tell me what you think! since i'm not that good at writing fluff hehe.

The windchimes by the door made a light tinkling noise, signaling that a new person came in the pub. The woman was greeted with nods and smiles by the bartenders and waiters of the place, and she gave them a small smile, sitting by the bar.

It was a tiring day at work and summer just came in. Even at night, the cold breeze can't be felt.

All she needed was an ice cold beer to relieve her from everything.

The dim orange lighting of the place dampened her mood even more as she swirled her bottle by the neck, releasing a sigh.

She was bored of everything, feeling like her life was dull and she's just moving by itself like a machine. She always felt like there was something missing but she never bothered looking for it, because she doesn't know what she's supposed to look for.

A plucking of guitar strings cut her away from her thoughts. The people up front started hollering, making her turn her attention to the commotion.

A guy that was standing on the small stage at the front was tuning his guitar, head leaning down to focus on the sounds of each string as he carefully turned its knobs.

When he finally got the right tune, he gave one of the staff a thumbs up, signaling them that he was good to go.

Suddenly there was a small buzz filling the room. He tapped the microphone in front of him, checking if it was on.

"What's your name and who are you?" A guy shouted from the crowd.

"I'm a guy called Joshua," he said.

"Yeah, Joshua!" Another guy cheered, making Joshua chuckle.

"And I'm originally from L.A."

Joshua started strumming the chords of the intro of the song, and everyone started clapping along the familiar beat.

She finds herself swaying along with them.

Sunday morning, rain is falling.

The moment she heard his voice, her heart started to pound.

She doesn't know why but his voice sounded familiar to her the moment he sang.

Joshua was happily singing while smiling at everyone up front. Then he looked her way.

She didn't want to assume he was looking at her but she was alone at the bar, and the bartenders were facing their backs, busy making drinks for other customers.

Her cheeks started to feel warm. She didn't know if it was from the beer or from the way that guy called Joshua was looking at her.

That someday it would lead me back to you.

He smiled while singing the word 'you,' as if he was singing it to her. His eyes turned into crescents as he sings the chorus, never taking his sight off her.

That maybe all I need, in darkness she is all I see.

People were singing along and swaying with their hands up through out, completely drunk.

The men filming him at the side were singing louder than him, making her giggle.

Everyone was feeling good by his singing and so did she, forgetting that she was sad in the first place.

And I never want to leave.

Strumming the last chord, Joshua finished singing Sunday Morning.

Evryone cheered, giving him a round of applause. Some were even chanting his name and whistling at him.

He shyly thanked everyone and stepped down the stage, making his way towards the bar.

She quickly faced the counter again and started look busy, pretending to be interested at the print of the beer bottle. But she felt his presence beside her.

Of all the stools he could've sat on, he sat next to her.

"One stout, please," he ordered from the bartender.

At the corner of her eye, she saw him reach out in his pocket and pull out his wallet.

The bartender placed his drink and just as Joshua was about to hand over his card, she interjects.

"It's on me," she said abruptly, making the two men freeze. "Please put it on my tab."

The bartender gave Joshua a look, mentally asking him if he wants to accept.

"Okay then." Joshua gave the bartender a nod, putting his card back into his wallet. "Thank you."

He lifted his glass and clanked it to hers before taking a sip.

"Nah, thank you for that amazing performance."

Joshua laughed at her compliment, his head throwing back a bit and covering his mouth with the back of his hand as he did so.

'Cute', she thought.

"Well I'm glad," he said with a smile, and she felt her heart skip.

It's like one of those scenes in movies where a guy flashes a groups of ladies a smile, and they faint from it—yeah it felt like that.

She was so mesmerized by him, staring at his face, while he animately talked about something.

He's so beauti—

"So are you from here?" His question snapped her out of her thoughts, almost slipping from her seat.

She quickly sat up straight and leaned her arm on the counter, regaining her composure.

"Oh, yeah, I'm from here. I actually work nearby."

She mentally cursed herself for giving out such a personal information to a stranger.

A beautiful and talented stranger.

"So, how's life treating you lately?"

She didn't know what it is, she really can't pinpoint it. But there was something with the way he asked her that suddenly made her feel comfortable around him.

The night went by so fast, the two of them didn't even notice the time was nearing 2 a.m.

They talked the night away, discussing almost everything they could think of, their forgotten drinks turning warm.

She poured out everything on him as it felt like he was this long-time friend trying to catch up after not seeing each other for years.

"Sorry to interrupt," a tall guy chimes in, breaking their conversation. "It's getting late and we still have a flight to catch." He apologetically reminded Joshua.

Joshua looked at his wrist watch, wide-eyed, seeing the time.

He looked back at her, seeing that she's already looking at him with sad eyes. But her lips still formed a polite smile.

His heart broke. He wanted to stay here with her, wishing everything would just stop and freeze, never leaving this moment. He finally got to spend time with her but their time was limited and sadly, he can't stay.

"Hey it's okay," she reassured him. "I had a great time. It was nice meeting you, Josh."

The moment she said his nickname, it pulled his heartstrings.

He wanted to combust right then and there.

A smile slowly crept up to the corner of his mouth, trying his hardest not to show how much saying his name affected him.

"Want to exchange numbers? Or usernames?" She offered.

~

"So, how did it go?" Mingyu finally asked as the lights turned red, stopping the car.

"She's the same like before. She never changed," Joshua found himself smiling at the thought of her.

Mingyu looked at Joshua's way, shaking his head and laughing at how giddy his friend was right now.

"Do you think she'll remember you?" Mingyu cautiously asked, tapping on steering wheel as he stares at the stop light, waiting for it to change colour.

He knows not to bring that topic up, but tonight's events made him curious as he saw everything unfold from afar.

"I don't know," Joshua sighed but his smile never left his face. "But I guess it doesn't matter anymore. I guess it's better if we start anew." He shrugs.

Ding.

The message alert got Joshua scrambling to get his phone out of his pocket.

Mingyu snorted in laughter, never seeing his friend act like that before.

A huge grin appeared on Joshua's face as he read the message Y/N sent him.

"I think she likes me," he murmured happily.

"Of course she does!" Mingyu chuckled.

The light finally turned green and Mingyu continued driving, attention going back to the road.

She may not remember the past she and Joshua used to have, but even though the circumstances are like that, he knew that someday it will lead her back to him.

[shinetogether17]

Just one chance (Part-3)

Pairings: Hong Jisoo × Kim Y/N

Genres : Angst, Fluff and maybe some slight smut.Batchmate to Lovers story

'Joshua, haven't you sleep in the night? You have been yawning several times during the time of breakfast?' His mom asked

'Mom,I have slept in the night.But I don't know that why I am yawning?' He has lied

'Actually,mom he has not slept in the night.He is chatting with our new....Ouch !!!!' Joshua's little brother Hong Joochan has said .But he can't say properly as Joshua has stomped on his foot

'Hmm? What happened ? Is he chatting with Y/N ?'

'No,Mom.He is joking.'

'Hmm...Ok,so, you both complete your breakfast.I am going to the Shopping Mall.Joochan,come with me to help me in the shopping.OK?'

'Mom,why me?Take Joshua Hyung na.His marriage shopping will you do.So,why me?'

'Coz you are little bro of him.'

'Aishh !!!!'

Joochan has seen Joshua is playfully smirking.

When their Mom has gone to the kitchen

'Hey !!! What are you chatting with Y/N?'

'It's none of your business my little bro.' Joshua has playfully twisted Joochan's one of his ear lobe

'Ouch !!!! Ouch !!! Ouch !!!! Hyung,leave me.Leave me.I am sorry !!!! I will not say to anyone.'

'Ok.Then.' Joshua then,left his ear lobe.'Today, I have caught red-handed by the Mom for you only.'

'Well,I am genius tho.And I am yours little Bro.So, I can tease you anytime.'

'Hmm....Ok.Then,I will tell that you are in relationship with Yeonhee for 3 years.'

'Hey !!! Hey !!! Don't!!!'

'That's my good boy'

'Hyung, when will you confess your feelings to Y/N? Before or after marriage'

'I don't know.Most probably after marriage or not'

'Hyung,you have to tell her.I know that how much you love her? And to save Y/N from the tactics of the College students,you haven't told your feelings to her.You and Y/N have undergone through so,many sacrifices and heartbreaks.And then,God has given you one chance.'

'Yes, Joochan.I promise you that I will confess my feelings to her'

'I know,Hyung.You can do'

'Joochan,I am late.So, I am going to the University.Ok ? Bye bye.And take care of Mom.'

'Yes.Hyung.Take care.'

Joshua is the professor of the Political science of the Hong University.

'Good morning,Y/N!!!' Yuqi said by greeting her

'Good morning,Yuqi!!!'

'Today,you are looking so happy.What's the reason?'

'It's nothing like that'

'OMO !!!! You are blushing.It is something special.Right?'

'Yes.Very special.Yesterday's night,I am chatting with my fiancee.And we have talked such a long time that when the time has passed by.'

'OMO !!! It is so romantic.And wait !!! When have you both sleep.'

'At 5 pm.That time, I become so tensed but he assured me to sleep.So, I go to sleep.'

'Woahhh !!!! Aren't you feeling sleepy?'

'Till now,No.'

'He is such a cool-headed and gentleman.Y/N, you are really so lucky to getting such a nice husband.'

'Thank you,Yuqi.Btw Yuqi give me those files.You are holding those files for such a long time.'

'Aishhhh !!!! See see.I have been talking with you for such a long time that I have forgotten to give you those files.'

'It's ok, Yuqi.No problem.'

[Y/N's POV]

Yuqi is my secretary and I am the director.Yuqi has joined the Kim Company for about 3 years ago.And from then,she has become my secretary and then,we both have become the close friends.

[During the lunch break]

[Y/N's POV]

'Shall I call him? I think that in their University, lunch break is going on.I think that I share try once.'

She has called him.The phone is ringing and then, Joshua has picked up the phone.

'Hello !!! Y/N.'

His voice is so deep that Y/N's spine has become chilled

'Y/N !!!'

'Hello !!! Joshua.'

'Y/N, again you are dozing off'

'Umm.... Sorry!!! Actually, your voice is so deep when you picked up the phone.That time,my spine has become chilled.So, that's why, I dozed off.'

'Oh.This is the reason.' He is giggling

'Hey !!! Don't laugh.'

'I am so sorry!!! Why have you called me? Any problem?'

'No no.There is no problem.But I am asking that have you sleep nicely on today's morning.'

'Hmm....Yes.' He has lied.'And what about you?'

'Mr. Hong Jisoo,you have not slept nicely.Don't lie to me.Coz yours voice is deep.That's why.'

'Aishhh....!!!! You have caught me !!!! Oh my heart!!!!'

'Joshua,I am sorry!!! For me, you can't sleep nicely.'

'No,Y/N.It's not your fault.Coz I am also chatting with you.So,it is the fault of both of us.'

'Hmm....Yes.'

'And have you sleep nicely?'

'Yes.I have.Coz that you have eased my tension.So, I can sleep nicely.Thank you so much.'

'Anytime.And lunch break is going on right?'

'Yes.And yours also?'

'Hmm...Yes'

'Ok.I am cutting the call.Have your lunch? Ok ?'

'Ok.Can I call you at night?'

'No.Today,no night calls.You have to sleep nicely.Ok?

'OK,Mam !!!'

Then,she cut the phone.

[Joshua's POV]

'She haven't changed a bit throughout the years'.

[Continue]

[koalajjun]

Bikini Top | Hong Jisoo x Y/N

pairing : joshua x y/n

genre : smut (kinda but not really)

word count : 276

Y/N and Joshua had been friends for years, but only recently had things started to take a romantic turn. On a warm summer day, they decided to go to the beach for some fun in the sun. Y/N had brought her swimsuit just in case, and Joshua had insisted that they take a swim. She agreed, and they both stripped down to their swimsuits and waded into the refreshingly cool waters. Y/N was about waist deep in the ocean when Joshua playfully grabbed her, lifted her up, and tossed her headfirst into the deeper waters. Y/N came back up to the surface with a gasp of shock, unaware that her bikini top had fallen off and floated away into the distant depths of the ocean. Y/N was embarrassed, but Joshua simply laughed and apologized and suggested that they get out and dry off on the beach. They spent the rest of the afternoon talking and walking along the beach. As the sun began to set and the stars began to come out overhead, Joshua suggested that they spend the night there, under the stars. Y/N, feeling powerless against her desire for him, agreed and they laid down a beach blanket and snuggled up close together. In the dark, their conversations slowly morphed into something deeper, something more intimate. Joshua's hands explored Y/N's bare skin and soon the two were entangled in each other, a fireworks show of passion. Y/N and Joshua spent the night in each other's arms, oblivious to the world and its turmoil. By the time the sun rose in the sky the next morning, Y/N was sure of one thing: her and Joshua were meant to be together forever.

@ koalajjun | do not steal, translate or repost my works

reblogs and likes are highly appreciated

[babyleostuff]

kissing them mid argument | ot13

❥ seungcheol 

instantly forgets what you were fighting about AND will chase your lips with his. cheol usually argues until the end, but when it comes to you, it doesn't matter if the blame falls on him (even though he didn't do anything) - as long as he can go back to hugging, kissing and suffocating you with his love, he’s a 100% fine with taking the blame (okay, who’re we kidding - he’ll be a bit sulky). you’d keep apologising to each other with his forehead resting on yours, and whisper quiet "i love you’s" that cheol would seal with his pouty lips on yours. 

❥ jeonghan 

jeonghan would roll his eyes, one - to tease you, two - to hide how shy your kiss made him. his cheeks would turn into a pretty shade of pink but he’d quickly try to distract you with a sarcastic remark or gaslight you that you’re the one that got shy, just to hide his reaction. at the end though, hannie would grab your hand, pulling you closer to him, and place a soft kiss on your lips. "you're lucky that i love you, because normally i would have kicked you out of the house by now."

❥ joshua 

shy at first then turns into a little menace. he’d try to turn it all against you and probably start chasing you around the apartment so he could kiss you back (a perfect way to put that awful argument behind you, since it was about something silly anyway). shua would still have a slight blush on his cheeks when he gets you, wrapping you in a big hug, as you’d try to wriggle yourself out of his grip. soon your living room would be filled with giggles and laughs. 

❥ jun 

turns into a shy and blushy bean, which always happens when you kiss him out of the blue. jun was just so focused on the argument and careful not to raise his voice at you that he totally didn’t catch the moment you grabbed him by his hoodie, smashing your lips into his. he’d thank his lucky stars for your kiss, he absolutely hated fighting with you, and nothing felt better than feeling your lips on his, your body close to his chest, and your hands cupping his face. 

❥ hoshi 

he’d grin so widely it’d be almost impossible, with the corners of his eyes scrunched adorably - soonyoung is a number one fan of your skinship and physical affection, and you kissing him is a cherry on top no matter what - even if you’re arguing. not a second would go by, and hoshi would pull you back, kissing you all over your face as both of you would erupt in a fit of giggles and soft smiles. just for funsies, soonyoung would try to start an “argument” with you just so you’d kiss him again.   

❥ wonwoo 

malfunctiones for a hot second. just kind of stands there and blinks - no thoughts, head empty. all his rational arguments would fly out of his head and he wouldn't know what to do with himself. "yes, well.. um." then he could react in two ways - either his ears would turn red with embarrassment, or he would snap at you with the "what the hell do you think you are doing." (with love of course). wonwoo just doesn't always know how to react to your affection.

❥ woozi 

jihoon can’t help but smile - he thinks you’re the cutest and most adorable thing ever. after he realises how widely he’s smiling, he scoffs and shakes his head in disapproval, just to hide how giddy and fluffy you made him feel with such a small thing. “do you think this will end the fight?” just give him another kiss and he’s gone - the fight is forgotten, there is no way jihoon will take this argument seriously anymore, thanks to you and your cute antics. what can i say, he has THE biggest soft spot for you. 

❥ dk 

he’s face would scream “kiss me again, please?” one of the things seokmin hates the most is fighting with you - even if it’s just a small everyday argument - he can’t handle that, so he’s so so happy and relieved when you kiss him. the second you pull away you’re met with his puppy eyes and an adorable pout, so you don’t have much choice but to kiss him again. your fight would quickly turn into a soft makeout session, filled with gentle kisses and apologies, though neither of you really knew what you were apologising for at this point.  

❥ mingyu 

sulky baby because he was about to say the best argument in his life, happy that he could finally stand up for himslef (though he knew he wouldn’t have won that fight either way). but to be honest, gyu would just be relieved that the fight was over, and if he wasn't so focused on kissing you back, smashing his lips into yours, he’d probably do a victory lap around the apartment. his puppy eyes would be sparkling with nothing but love and excitement, delighted that he could go back to being his usual clingy mingoo self.   

❥ minghao 

would ignore your kiss at first and keep on fighting with you, adamant on proving his point. he’d ignore the next three kisses as well, still babbling about whatever you were fighting about. by the fifth kiss, hao would start to lose his train of thoughts, and he’d start stuttering a bit, trying to remember what he wanted to say. then the sixth and seventh kiss would come, and that’s when he’d give up on the fight. “cute,” he’d mutter with a soft smile, and finally kiss you back. 

❥ seungkwan 

“i’ll give you a kiss later, just let me finish.” very adamant on finishing the fight although he’d completely forget what he wanted to say, all thanks to your kiss, (but boo would still continue to babble even though it wouldn’t make much sense). then he’d just kind of catch himself making no sense, and he’d just laugh and kiss you back, your fight long forgotten (just as you’d be about to fall asleep he’d remember what he wanted to say, and would keep you up for the next hour just so he could finish the argument). 

❥ vernon 

malfunctiones #2. “okay, but does that mean we’re done fighting?” just stands there trying to process what had just happened, because a second ago you were arguing, and now you were kissing him? a bit confused, but relieved at the same time - vernon hates fighting with you, and it doesn’t really matter to him who takes the blame - he could honestly take the whole blame if that meant the fight was over. he’d think about that lil kiss for the rest of the day, he’d even catch himself smiling at the thought of it in the middle of practice.   

❥ chan 

blushes furiously, and hides his head in your neck. “you can’t kiss me like that, we’re fighting!” he’d mumble, although you knew he had forgotten about the argument the second your lips touched his - chan was just too shy to admit that. turns into a little cutie, because even though your relationship is filled with surprise kisses, and out of the blue hugs, they always make him shy and so fuzzy on the inside, and he can’t help but blush as every coherent thought leaves his mind.

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[onlymingyus]

Birds of a Feather

pairing; joshua hong x f reader

genre; smut (minors dni), fluff, crack

summary; You and Shua work together on a petition to get rid of the bird kid and then you fall in love.

warnings; university au, alcohol, drug use (marijuana), food/drink, betting, bad jokes, borrowed memes, simp!joshua, jealousy/possessive nature, irresponsible use of a hot tub and a friend’s personal space, slight dom!joshua, mild dom/sub dynamics, pet names, sex health/birth control talk, unprotected sex, breast play, pinning/man handling, dirty talk, oral (m & f receiving/giving), 69, scratching, crying, size kink implied, exhibition kink implied – as always I’m sure there is something I’ve left out.

w/c; 14.3k and some change

a/n; first of all thank you so so much to my dear @onlyhuis for proofreading this and thank you for literally being the reason it exists. this is based on a true story – names have been changed for privacy and it’s not completely true but bird kid should find a new place to live. thank you to @wonwussy for helping me come up with an amazing title, also without june, @highvern, @shuadotcom, and @horanghater just know this fic would have sucked majorly. thank you so much for helping me figure out my shit and adding so much to this.

before continuing remember reblogs are incredibly important and please read how to support me here

Joshua rubs the sleep out of his eyes as he leans his forearm against his door, looking down at the cute girl standing in his dorm room. You were holding a clipboard and had a look somewhere between serious and annoyed on your face.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you up.”

You hadn’t had the chance to meet every single resident in your hall but today you were making some very interesting discoveries. For example, apparently Eros lived just five doors down and he slept in late. Clearing your throat, you look down at your clipboard in an attempt to hide how shy his gaze is making you feel.

“I’m Y/N; would you sign my petition to evict the bird kid? I know that sounds harsh but just to get him to, like, get his own place off campus with his bird.”

His lips pulling up into a small grin, Joshua watches you start to ramble about your cause as you tap your pen against the paper attached to the clipboard. It seems you have several signatures so far. He had heard about this bird kid and he had also heard the bird in question several times.

“Sure, I’ll sign it. Anything to get him to stop letting the damn thing use the water fountain as a bird bath.”

Joshua watches as your eyes lift towards him again as he agrees with you. With the clipboard securely in his hands, you scoff in agreement, lifting your hands to express how important your argument was.

“Right?! It’s gross. I drink out of that fountain. I mean, I used to...“

Nodding, Joshua signs his name and offers you back the clipboard before resting his shoulder on his door frame. You watch his smile pull to one side before he furrows his brows and gestures over his shoulder.

“My roommate is still passed the fuck out but I’m sure he will sign too. Swing back by later and catch him when he’s actually breathing.”

Pulling the clipboard to your chest, you press your lips together, trying to keep your eyes on the man’s face even as you feel them being drawn to where his t-shirt was straining around his bicep. Clearing your throat, you lean back a bit and glance down at his name, whispering it to yourself before nodding and daring to look back up to find Joshua still watching you.

“Okay… I’ll do that, Joshua.”

Turning towards the next door, you pull your eyes from his handsome face even as Joshua leans out of his doorway to watch you, lifting his hand to wave.

“Good luck with your petition, Y/N. See you later.”

Groaning into his drool soaked pillow, Lee Chan forces himself to turn over and look towards his roommate, who was standing in the doorframe watching the hallway. He liked Joshua; if anything, the man was more like a brother than a roommate at this point but he was talking far too loudly for a Saturday morning.

“That has to be a girl if you are acting like a simp this early.”

Rolling his eyes, Joshua shuts the door behind him, turning towards the younger man and shooting him a look before reaching for one of the bottles of water and tossing it towards him. Despite usually having great eye to hand coordination, Chan hisses in pain when the bottle manages to meet his chest instead of in his hands.

“And? Your point? Drink your water; I’m sure you have one hell of a headache.”

Chan wasn’t going to argue with Joshua on that point. He did have a headache that could rival all other headaches. He couldn’t remember much of the night after their friend Seungcheol had shown him where the punch bowl was and challenged him to a “drink off.”

Reaching for the pain medicine on his nightstand, Chan groans, trying to open the bottle as Joshua watches, only to sigh and take it from his hands, doing it for him. Muttering a thanks, Chan takes the bottle back, leaning back onto his bed to take the medicine, looking up at the ceiling.

“Who was the girl?”

Pursing his lips, Joshua falls back on his bed, trying to hide the small smile on his lips, thinking about the short interaction with you and how cute you had been. It wasn’t like anything had even happened or that there would be anything that would come from it but it was nice meeting a new neighbor so to speak.

“Uh, she said her name was Y/N. She’ll be back around later. Told her you’d sign her petition.”

Chan’s brows furrow at Joshua’s words as he lifts his hand to wipe at his mouth, water starting to run down towards his chin.

“What? Why would I do that?”

“Because it’s not that big of a deal and you’ll agree with it. It’s about that dude who has a bird. Something about getting him to move off campus with it.”

Making a face at the mention of the bird, Chan feels his headache behind his eyes, even thinking about the squawking that could be heard late at night and early in the mornings.

“You’re right. I’ll fucking sign it. I’ll forge names. I’ll help the son of a bitch move.”

Taking back your clipboard once more, you smile at the girl who doesn’t seem to know when to stop talking. You were happy she agreed with your cause but you didn’t need to know every other complaint she had filed over the past month with Seungkwan, the RA.

“Totally, I get it.” Gesturing with your thumb over your shoulder, you offer her one last tired smile, “I’m gonna head back the other way, I have a couple of places I need to get on the way back to my room.”

“Yeah, sure. Oh, Y/N! When you talk to Seungkwan, you know when you file the petition... mention the water pressure again.”

Groaning under your breath, you just give her a thumbs up, hearing her yell bye at your back as you scurry off in the opposite direction. The more distance you put between her and you, the air feels lighter until you look back at your clipboard and read Joshua’s name, seeing your little star next to his name.

You weren’t sure why this man was making you so nervous – besides his good looks – but as you stood in front of his room, reading over the whiteboard attached to it, you blew out a breath. The messages on their board were cute, some funny, but for the most part, you could tell they were from friends.

I fuckin won last night you owe me dinner - Cheol

rescheduled studio for tuesday - jihoon (don’t call me and bitch)

Lifting your hand, you knock on the door next to a worn sticker of a tiger that someone had tried to peel off but failed at doing so. You swallow hard, running your thumbnail along the pad of your index finger as you wait, beginning to think that he or his roommate were out until you hear hushed voices and the sound of a thump like something hitting the floor.

Joshua throws one last look at Chan, who rubs the back of his head from the floor next to this bed, muttering an ow, before the younger man pushes himself back to his feet. He hadn’t said anything he thought was all that bad, just that Joshua looked like an excited puppy hearing a knock at the door. He hadn’t been wrong; Joshua had jumped up and started towards the door, only to stop looking panicked and check his hair in the mirror on the back of the door before Chan had spoken up.

Opening the door, Joshua takes a breath before licking his lips and smiling at you as if nothing had happened at all. Your eyes move past him to the other man, who grumbles, rubbing his ass as he finally gets back on his feet and looks towards the door to meet your eyes for the first time.

“Hey, is this a bad time? I can come back tomorrow or something.”

Stepping back and to the side, Joshua shakes his head as Chan’s eyes widen, finally getting a good look at you. It was starting to make sense—Joshua's reaction to you. If he had seen you first, he might be in the same predicament, but there was a bro code, and he was a good friend.

“Not at all, right, Chan?”

Hearing his name, Chan moves forward and gestures to you inside the room, quickly moving one of his shirts off the desk chair so you could take it if you wanted it.

“Nope, all good with me. Shua said you’d be back, about the bird dude, right?”

Slowly walking into the room, you look around before looking down at the chair that had been cleaned off for you. It hadn’t been your plan to come in and sit down but you weren’t going to say no when your feet were aching after walking up and down the hall for hours.

“Uh, yeah, thanks.”

Joshua watches you move to the seat, his eyes never leaving yours even as you close yours for a moment to relish in the feeling of the pressure being taken off your back and legs as you sit down. His eyes finally move to the clipboard in your lap as he moves forward, causing you to open your eyes to look up at him.

“Looks like you did well today. Can I see it?”

Humming out a response, you lift the clipboard towards Joshua, letting him take it from you along with your pen so he can turn back towards Chan, offering it to him. With the petition out of the way and Chan occupied with something else, Joshua grins, turning his attention back to you. His eyes move over your face and down the length of your body quickly as he tries not to make it entirely obvious.

“I tried; it was tiring. I’ll try to hit the other floors over the next couple days before I take it to Seungkwan.”

Nodding, Joshua purses his lips, gesturing his hands out towards you, causing you to look up at him as he does.

“We are pretty good friends with Seungkwan. Might save you a little time. I’m not saying to cheat the system but I can tell you are exhausted. I could also help you, you know, with the other floors.. Have some friends who live in those dorms.”

You weren’t sure why Joshua was willing to help you but you weren’t feeling like turning him down, even as Chan scoffed into a laugh while finishing filling out the petition. Glancing over his shoulder, Joshua turns only to jerk the clipboard from the other man’s hands, letting the two share a quick look before he smiles at you again, offering it to you much kinder.

“What do you think?”

Biting at your bottom lip, you glance towards Chan, watching him turn away from what was happening in front of him. Tapping your fingers on the clipboard in your lap, you smile and look away, feeling suddenly shy under Joshua’s gaze once again. His playful laugh is the only thing you can hear over the blood rushing to your head as your cheeks and ears go warm.

“Yeah, that’d be great. I can give you my number so we can coordinate where to meet and stuff.”

Rolling his eyes, Chan groans at the puppy love display in the same room as him. Sliding past Joshua, the younger man mutters a bye to you as you watch him slip out the door, leaving you alone with Joshua, whose smile just grows.

“Awesome, yeah. Don’t worry about Chan. He’s dramatic.”

Eyes still following Joshua, you watch him pick up his phone from his nightstand, returning to offer it to you. You can only shake your head, a small laugh slipping from your lips as you tap on his phone icon and add a contact for yourself after making a mental note of his artsy blue wallpaper on his phone.

“He’s okay. I mean… I don’t know what he was being dramatic about but I’ll get out of his hair so he can come back and chill.” Smiling up at Joshua, you offer him back his phone and say, “I like your wallpaper, it’s pretty.”

You’re pretty, is the first thing Joshua thinks of but he just smiles back at you, taking his phone and biting at his bottom lip.

“Thanks. Uh, he’s fine, really. Don’t have to worry about him, he’s a big boy. Just not used to seeing pretty girls in his dorm room, especially ones he’s not allowed to flirt with.”

You had started to take a breath so when Joshua speaks and says that you swallowed the breath, it gets stuck in your throat. Leaning forward, you cough, lifting your hand when he steps forward, asking if you are okay. Furrowing his brows, Joshua moves to take out a water bottle, opening the lid before squatting down in front of the chair and offering it to you.

“You sure you’re okay?”

Nodding, you take the water, taking a sip as Joshua watches you carefully. You were fine but you felt like an idiot. Your face was on fire from the coughing fit and embarrassment. How were you going to explain that you had just choked on air?

“No rush…  Take it easy. Another sip of the water.”

Lifting his hand, Joshua pushes your hair back, getting a good look at you and checking to make sure you were actually going to be okay. He could tell you were flustered and obviously embarrassed but there was nothing, in his opinion, that you needed to be embarrassed about.

“I’m alright. It’s stupid… I just tried to take a breath and it didn’t go well for me.”

You watch as Joshua smiles at you, his eyes kind and understanding despite the awkward situation. Dropping his hand to his knee, Joshua bites at his bottom lip once again as he tilts his head, studying you before nodding.

“Been there before. Feeling a bit better?”

Sitting back, you nod, taking another sip of the water as Joshua offers you the lid, letting you put it back on the bottle.

“Yeah, I’m good now. Fuck…I’m really great at first impressions.”

Standing up to let you do the same, Joshua takes in a sharp breath, watching you move towards his door. He knew he had just met you but he already didn’t want to let you go. He wanted to get to know you more and he wasn’t sure if just helping you with the petition was going to be enough.

“I, for one, am thoroughly impressed. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Turning back to Joshua, you smile, letting him pull the door open, leaning his shoulder against it much like he had earlier in the day. You were staring at him again, letting your eyes move from his face, studying his lips, and moving down to his chest and over to his arms.

“Yeah, uh… I’ll text you in the morning. Have a good night, Joshua.”

Leaning his head back against the door, Joshua grins to himself, having known you were checking him out just as much as he had been doing the same to you. Maybe he had a shot at this.

“You too, Y/N.”

Y/N: I know it’s early but I was hoping to get started on the petition in about 30 mins on the second floor. You still wanna help?

The ding of his cellphone caused Joshua to groan before he reached out for the device, smacking at the nightstand a few times before actually grabbing it. Normally he would have ignored the message but today he remembered that he had texted you last night, making sure you had his number.

Cracking an eye open to look at his screen, Joshua winces at the brightness, blinking a few times before he is able to read the message and look at the time. It was 9 a.m., and he had gone to bed around 3 a.m. Of course you didn’t know that but he also wasn’t going to tell you no.

Joshua: Absolutely. Can we get coffee? 🙏

The message makes you smile as you sit on your bed, your stuff in a semicircle around you as you try to get ready for the day. Usually you weren’t too concerned with how much you dressed up around campus, especially on the weekends during the day, but today was different. You were going to be hanging out with Joshua Hong.

After your less than ideal first meeting with him, you decided to do some sleuthing to find out more about him, so now not only do you have his last name, but you also know his major, music, and that he has released a few songs on SoundCloud. You had even looked through his Instagram and swooned over many of his pictures, being overly careful not to like any pictures so he wouldn’t know you had been looking.

Y/N: Ofc my treat 😉

Still laying in bed, Joshua smiles at your message and the emoji. Were you flirting with him? A man could dream, couldn’t he?

Joshua: We will see who gets their card out faster.

Joshua had done his own investigation of you the night before but there had been less social media and more word of mouth as he sat in his friend Vernon’s dorm watching a few get more drunk than necessary. Lucky for him, Jeonghan had been at the little get together and he seemed to know everyone or at least something about everyone.

“Y/N Y/L/N, she’s a lit major. Really fucking cute, but you probably know that.”

That he did know, but if you were a literature major, that meant you were smarter than him.

“As far as I know, she’s available. Check her Instagram but... I’m pretty sure.”

Now, walking towards your dorm, Joshua was doing just that—scanning through your most recent pictures. Most were just selfies that he was having a hard time not liking, but a few had friends leaning against you, smiles on both of your faces. What he didn’t see was anyone who seemed like a romantic interest.

Tilting your head, you watch as Joshua looks down at his phone as he walks the few doors towards yours as you wait, your bag slung over your shoulder. He seemed distracted and it wasn’t until you felt your phone vibrate in your hand and looked to see that shuahong95 liked your photo that it made sense.

Pressing your lips together, you feel the warmth spread over your cheeks as Joshua’s eyes widen slightly and he hisses under his breath before looking up to see you looking down at your phone. You had already seen the notification. Fuck it, he thinks to himself, shaking his head. Joshua presses follow on your profile and slips his phone into his jacket pocket as he finally reaches your door.

The second notification pops up that shuahong95 has followed your Instagram, and you swallow hard, looking up as you see his shoes standing in front of you. A bit of a deer caught in the headlights looks plastered on your face; you can only offer him a small smile as he leans his head against the wall next to your door and smiles back at you.

“It was a cute picture. Couldn’t help it.”

Shaking your head, you laugh quietly—a bit manically, as if you were trying to figure out what reality was anymore—slipping your phone into your pocket. Joshua just watches you gauge your reaction, finding it even more adorable as the seconds tick by.

“I–yeah? Thanks…you’re really...”

You didn’t know what you were saying but it didn’t seem to matter to Joshua, as he grins at you for just letting it happen. When you sigh, letting the words die on your lips, Joshua laughs, reaching up to tap his finger on the tip of your nose, causing your cheeks to burn hotter than you thought they could.

“Adorable. Coffee?”

Right, coffee. You had said you would treat him to some before you got started with today’s work. Reaching up to touch your nose where Joshua’s finger had just been, you smile and look away to help calm yourself before clearing your throat and gesturing towards the exit.

“Sure, I’m surprised you were awake when I messaged. You seemed like a late sleeper yesterday, both you and Chan? Is that his name?”

Nodding, Joshua walks beside you, his eyes moving between you and where he is headed. You were exceptionally pretty today. It wasn’t just the fact that you had clearly put work into looking the way you did but that you were smiling and you were almost glowing in the morning light.

“Mmhm, Lee Chan. He’s been my roomie for a year. He’s a good kid.” Smirking, Joshua lifts his hand to rub at the back of his neck as he continues speaking, “Yeah, weekends we tend to party a bit so I usually sleep in a bit more than I would during the week but for you, I'll roll out of bed.”

He was very obviously flirting with you. You weren’t an idiot but what you were was flustered and smiling like an idiot. Turning your face toward Joshua, you press your lips together and nod as he opens the door, letting you go out first into the crisp morning air.

“Seems like you are enjoying university life a bit more than I am, Joshua Hong.”

You dare to look back up at the man as he smiles at you for staying by your side as the two of you make your way towards the local coffee shop located on campus. Clearing your throat, you furrow your brows and lift your finger to scratch at the scrunched up skin as you start to ask the question that has been plaguing you since the night before.

“Um, so yesterday you said something about Chan and it made me curious as to what you meant.”

Tilting his head, Joshua purses his lips, trying to remember what he had said about his roommate before you continue making his cheeks warm up this time.

“Something about how he’s not allowed to flirt with me? What did that mean? Does he have a girlfriend or something… or is there another reason?”

There were two thoughts running through Joshua’s mind the moment you finished your question. One, did you like Chan? Surely not…  You had spoken like five words to the kid and you had been flirting with him all morning. Two, how was he going to do this without just saying it? Fuck it.

“I don’t think he’s dating anyone. I don’t keep up with it, honestly. The last party, he was trashed and hanging out with some pretty freshmen but that’s not why I said it.”

Stopping in front of the stop, Joshua squints a bit from the bright sunlight, making you smile as he tries to think of the right words before he finally continues.

“I said it because he knows that I’m interested in you. There’s a code after all.”

You had half expected it but at the same time, there was no way you could have been prepared for someone like Joshua Hong to tell you that he was interested in you. Granted, you didn’t know each other all that well but you had eyes and desires. Pressing your lips together, you muffle a small happy sound, just nodding and looking down at the sidewalk as Joshua grins, reaching out to tilt your chin back up towards him.

Joshua watches your lips part slightly as your eyes meet his once again. You can’t help but lean into his touch as his thumb glides across your jaw for a few seconds before he finally lets go of your face and takes a breath. You had that deer caught in headlights look on your face again but Joshua was just enamored by you.

“After you.”

Your eyes finally move from the spot where Joshua had been standing when you feel the warmth from inside the shop and smell the coffee wafting towards your nose when he opens the door. Willing your feet to move, you whisper a small thank you to him as you slide by him and into the shop, glancing around it, seeing only a few of the tables occupied by students with headphones covering their ears as they stare at laptops.

Lifting his hand, Joshua places it against the small of your back as he quickly waves the other at the barista, who grins at him tiredly. You had seen the man several times when you had visited the shop but never really introduced yourself to him. Glancing at his name tag, you make a mental note of Vernon as Joshua and him share a quick secret friend handshake, making your head spin. You weren’t aware that people still did that.

“What’s up, man? The fuck you awake for?”

Vernon speaks before glancing to Joshua’s side and at you before he makes a sound like an oh and grins at his friend like he knows some sort of secret. Did all of his friends know he was interested in you?

“Going to help Y/N with her petition. Which, by the way, while we are here, do you mind signing it? It’s the one I told you about, the bird kid.”

Nodding, Vernon moves behind the counter, already starting on a drink, which you assume to be Joshua’s as the man asks him the question. You just watch mesmerized as the steam plums in front of his face and Vernon just leans back and smiles.

“Hell yeah. Always down to support a worthy cause. Really awesome for you to do something like that Y/N.” Taking a breath, the barista furrows his brows, snapping the equipment into place before he grins at you. “Hey, I’m Vernon Chwe, by the way. I’ve seen you around but we’ve never really talked before. You know what you want to drink?”

Joshua watches you smile at his friend. It was a kind smile and something that he was really starting to like about you—just how kind you seemed to genuinely be. The petition was funny on the surface but underneath it, you were legitimately trying to make a difference in the comfort level of those around you.

“It’s really nice to meet you, Vernon. Thank you for that, seriously.” Glancing behind him, you look over the drinks before pursing your lips and finally nodding, “Can I get an iced mocha?”

The man gives you a thumbs up, letting you turn back to Joshua, whom you find already looking at you like you hung the stars in the sky. You can’t help but laugh a bit, shyly glancing away from him and behind you just to make sure he was actually looking at you.

Joshua laughs, reaching forward to take your arms and pulling you back towards him as you look for someone else. There was no one else. There was only you right now and you were so damn cute, he was starting to lose his mind.

“Who are you looking for, pretty girl?”

The heat rises along your neck and across your cheeks at Joshua’s words as your laugh gets caught behind your lips. You hadn’t expected that either. Shaking your head, you whine a bit and finally sigh, meeting Joshua’s eyes as his fingers gently run along your forearms.

“Just who you might be looking at like that but...”

“You. I’m looking at you, silly.”

Vernon rolls his eyes and grins while watching his friend flirt with you. He had seen Joshua flirt with girls before but never like this and out in the open. It had been at parties with the intent of having a quick hookup. This seemed like something different.

Sliding the drinks across the counter, Vernon clears his throat, managing to get your attention first. You smile at him and step away from Joshua to take out your wallet as Joshua shakes his head and reaches over you to tap his phone against the card reader, hearing the beep.

“Told you we’d see who was faster.”

Joshua watches as you talk to each person you meet as if you’d known them for most of your life. With your clipboard in your hands, you extend it towards the boy as he nods along with your words, agreeing with everything you had to say before taking your pen to sign his name. You were good at this—talking to people and standing up for something.

Smiling at the boy, you wave at him before he glances at Joshua quickly to just keep it friendly with you, wondering if the person following so closely behind you was your boyfriend or not. Though you were beginning to wonder if that was something he was trying to shoot for or not, he had been standing closer and closer to you. His hand rested on the small of your back as he held on to your half finished drink, letting you talk to people about your petition.

“Awesome, so just like... Seven more doors this way and this floor is done. Are you sure you aren’t getting bored?”

Offering you your drink by just putting it up to your lips, Joshua watches you laugh and lean in to take the straw into your mouth so you can take a sip as he shakes his head. This was the opposite of boring to him. Yeah, the task wasn’t the most interesting thing in the world but the company was perfect.

“I’m great and I know at least three of the guys who live in dorms up ahead so I will actually be helpful today.”

Shaking your head, you lick your lips, drawing Joshua’s attention to them as he furrows his brows, finding himself wanting to kiss them. Joshua knew that was too fast. He knew it would probably freak you out, but, dammit, you were driving him crazy.

“You’ve been so helpful all day; are you kidding? You’ve made this fly by. Yesterday, I felt like I was doing this for like 30 hours straight. This is actually enjoyable with you hanging out with me.”

So you liked hanging out with him too. He was for sure letting that go straight to his head. You watch as Joshua’s pretty lips pull up into a smile and his cheeks get fuller, causing his eyes to almost close and make perfect half circles. You were starting to love that smile. It was a real smile and it made butterflies flutter around in your stomach like they were at a rave.

“It’s my pleasure, seriously. I’d like to hang out with you more… You know, not just doing this stuff. Maybe dinner? Movie? My friend’s are actually having a party next Friday. If you aren’t, ya know, doing something else.”

Joshua Hong was asking you out. Fuck, the butterflies were flying up to your throat and you were feeling a bit queasy with how excited you were. Grinning, you almost skip in place before starting down the hall towards the next door, causing Joshua to laugh and move to catch up with you.

“Y/N…What do you say? You wanna go with me? Maybe... see where this goes?”

Feeling his free hand on your bicep, you look back at Joshua, biting at your lip as you just nod before meeting his eyes. You almost didn’t trust yourself to say anything but the look on his face made you feel like you were melting. You hadn’t had anyone look at you like that before. You knew it was university and that people were meant to fall in and out of love but you could see yourself falling for Joshua hard and quick.

“Yeah, I'd like that.”

Sliding his hand along your arm, Joshua moves his fingers to your wrist, letting his fingers loosely wrap around it. He nods and takes in a breath, fighting the urge to either move his hand down to yours to take it into his or to lean in the few inches it would take him to claim your lips for a first kiss. Not like this. Not while you were standing in a dingy hallway while other students pushed past you, both trying to get to one of their only working showers.

Letting go of your arm, Joshua smiles and gestures forward, letting you take the lead once again until you reach the first door and he reaches past you to knock on it hard in a pattern that makes your head tilt. This had to be one of his friend’s dorms. One look at the whiteboard in front of you confirmed it as you read a message from Chan stating that “Choi Seungcheol is a huge dick” only for “is a” to be marked out and “has a” to be written under it in someone else's writing.

When the door in front of you opens, you instantly avert your eyes from the shirtless man in front of you, who curses and darts off to the side, muttering Joshua’s name under his breath. Standing behind you, Joshua slides his hand over your hip and laughs as he watches Seungcheol look around for a shirt, tugging it over his head before he comes back to the door.

“What? You always answer the door half naked like a caveman? He’s dressed now, Y/N; nothing will be burned into your memory for eternity.”

Sighing loudly, Seungcheol rolls his eyes and throws up his hands in confusion, gesturing to you before you look back at him and offer him a smile. You were cute; you were really fucking cute and Joshua had his hand on your hip. Fuck. You were off the table.

“Hi, I am so freaking sorry about that. I should have maybe said something, but I didn’t, ya know...”

Shaking his head and waving his hand, Seungcheol makes a scoffing sound and gestures for you both to come in.

“It’s fine. It's not like you saw anything important. I was just shirtless; just didn’t expect to see a pretty girl at my door with that knock. Just expected an idiot.”

Hearing his friend call you a pretty girl, Joshua shoots Seungcheol a look only to get back a shrug and a gesture in your direction as if to say, Well, am I wrong? You glance around the room and smile at Seungcheol once again before putting your clipboard against your chest and taking a breath.

“I’m Y/N, but Joshua just said that...  uh I’m here—”

“She needs you to sign a petition. You know that fucking dude with the bird who gives it a bath in the water fountain?”

Furrowing his brows at the whiplash of words being spit at him, Seungcheol looks from you to Joshua before laughing and nodding. He did know which guy Joshua was talking about. He had taken a video of the kid giving the bird a bath in that fountain and sent it to Seungkwan, which resulted in a bit of backlash on the kid but not as much as it should have.

“Yeah, of course. What’s the petition gonna do?”

Moving forward, you offer the clipboard to Seungcheol, explaining your cause and how it would work as Joshua watches you with his friend. Once again, he was mesmerized by you and how easy it seemed to be for you to pick up a conversation with just about anyone.

Taking the pen and clipboard, Seungcheol sits on this bed and works on filling it out between glaces between you and Joshua, a smirk lifting at one corner of his lips.

“Surprised to see you fighting for a cause, Shua.”

Narrowing his eyes, Joshua waits to see the proper lines signed before he steps forward, taking it from Seungcheol’s hands with a curt thank you.

“You shouldn’t be. Y/N was doing this alone… I just thought she could use some company.”

That explained it. The hand on the hip, him following you around like a love-sick puppy, that look in his eye when you moved anywhere in the room. Joshua Hong was whipped.

“Ah, I see. Just helping, Y/N out. What a good boyfriend, sorry friend. What are you?”

Groaning at Seungcheol’s words, Joshua rolls his eyes and moves to grab your hand as you try to defend him and yourself, only to be guided towards the door and out of the room as the man behind you laughs and apologizes.

“Shua! I’m kidding. You’re cute together, that’s all. Don’t go away mad.”

Slamming the door behind him, Joshua leans against the wall, glancing at you as his fingers start to slip from yours, only for you to close your fingers around his as you look up at him.

“You did ask me out, so he’s not that far off. I mean, you're not like my boyfriend, you know...” Joshua grins as you lower your voice, like it's a secret, when you finish your sentence. “Yet, we did say we’d see where it could go. Don’t be mad at your friends for teasing just because of me.”

Running his fingers along yours, Joshua sighs softly at your words before nodding. He couldn’t help but let his eyes move along your face, enjoying being this close to you. He could imagine how much he was going to enjoy getting to know you better and spending more time with you when there wasn’t some task in the way.

“You’re right. I’m not mad at him and I’m certainly not embarrassed, I just don’t want you to be freaked out by it or anything. Don’t wanna scare you off.”

With your bottom lip caught between your teeth, you let it go only to smile and shake your head as Joshua’s thumb moves in a circle along the palm of your hand.

“I’m not scared.”

You were scared as you stood in front of the mirror you and your roommate had haphazardly leaned against the wall. Your dress was short and your boots were borrowed. You could hear music quietly playing from Yeji’s laptop as she gives you a once over and a thumbs up.

“You look hot.”

Whining, you tug at the end of your dress and meet her eyes in the mirror as you tilt your head.

“You sure you won’t come along? I could use backup.”

Shaking her head, Yeji gestures at her laptop and laughs before offering you a sympathetic pout. She had already given up so much of her time today to help you get ready, not to mention letting you borrow her favorite boots to complete your outfit.

“I have to finish this paper before midnight or Professor Byun is going to drop me from the class. I wish I could come with you. It sounds like a hell of a lot more fun than a stupid research paper.”

Still whining, you move to Yeji’s desk, wrapping your arms around her from behind and granting yourself another laugh as she holds your arms and leans back against you. You had gotten lucky with your roommate. While so many others ended up switching after a year, you and Yeji had stuck together, and she was your best friend.

“If you finish it and want to get out of the room, just come out to the party. Joshua said there will be lots of people there and it will go until early in the morning.”

You feel Yeji nod against your cheek before she sighs and pats your arms to get you to let her go.

“I promise, but I also want you to just have a good time. Don’t worry about me. Go hang out with your boyfriend.”

Warmth was creeping along your cheeks again as you stood to your full height and moved to pick up your jacket, pulling it over your arms. Muttering, you pick up your phone, glancing over your messages, seeing one from Joshua about picking you up soon.

“He’s not my boyfriend yet…”

Even with the words spoken behind a whine and under your breath, Yeji can make them out and she laughs, feeling endeared by you. It was nice to see you happy and focusing on more than just school for once.

“Yet.”

A knock at your door causes you to take a deep breath as Yeji squeals excitedly, turning in her chair. She had met Joshua in passing a few times over the week but this felt different even for her. This was your first date with him, officially.

Joshua grins at hearing the quiet, happy squeals behind the door as he waits. He had been excited about this all day, to the point that Chan had left for Wonwoo and Mingyu’s house well in advance, leaving him in the dorm by himself to pace.

Taking in a sharp breath when the door opens, Joshua can’t help the way his eyes move over your face and then the length of your body in your outfit. He wasn’t sure what he had been expecting but you had just surpassed them all.

“Shit…”

Yeji grins at the interaction. She watches Joshua stare at you, stunned, and how you shy away, whining at him to stop it. Shaking her head, Yeji sighs and finally waves at Joshua, managing to catch his attention.

“Have a great time. I expect her home no later than 9 a.m.”

Laughing, Joshua can’t help but shake his head. He wanted to tell Yeji that he could keep that promise but right now he wasn’t sure he wanted to.

“Uh…I’ll do my best.”

Your cheeks were on fire at the exchange between your best friend and Joshua. What were they even trying to do? Groaning, you mutter a goodbye to Yeji as she giggles, telling you to have fun before slipping your hand into Joshua's, pulling him away from the door as you shut it behind you.

“You look gorgeous.”

Linking his fingers with yours, Joshua looks over at you as he walks with you out into the chilly night air, feeling you step a bit closer to him. He could see you smiling even under the dim streetlights. Your smile could light up rooms so it was doing wonders for him right now.

“Stop it. You look great. How am I going to keep my date to myself?”

Laughing, Joshua shakes his head and leans his head back to look up at the sky as the two of you walk towards frat houses. You could both hear several parties already in full swing but none of them were where you were headed.

“I promise I’m not leaving your side. Besides, I’m more concerned that I might have to fight for you. When I invited you to this, I didn’t really consider who could be there or even where it was going to be.” Joshua sighs a bit dejected before glancing back over at you. “Most girls look at some of my friends, like Mingyu or Wonwoo, Cheol and I watch as our dates find someone else to talk to.”

Furrowing your brows, you come to a stop, forcing Joshua to do the same or to drop your hand. Looking back at you, he sees the disappointed look on your face and sighs once again, moving back to stand in front of you.

“Do I look like most girls to you, Joshua Hong?”

His smirk pulls at one side of his lips as Joshua watches you and how serious you look standing in front of him. He hadn’t said what he had to get some sort of sympathy from you, just as a true statement of what he had experienced in the past, but clearly you weren’t having any of it. Shaking his head, Joshua leans forward to brush his lips across your cheek before he speaks against your skin.

“No, you don’t.”

Closing your eyes, you try to stay still when Joshua kisses your cheek. You hadn’t expected it but you weren’t against it either. Smiling, you open your eyes as he starts to lean back, only for his eyes to drop to your lips before they lift once again to your eyes.

“I–okay…So don’t say things like that. I’m going with you.”

Your voice was quieter than you intended but Joshua just smiles, tightening his fingers with yours as he leads you up the few steps into the house that his friends were renting. The house wasn’t massive by the standards of the other major frat houses but for the available rentals, Wonwoo and Mingyu had lucked out.

Inside, you glance around, noticing a few familiar faces but many more that you had only seen while passing around campus. Joshua grins, sliding his hand from yours in place of putting it around your waist, keeping you close to him as he guides you through the house and towards the living room, where he waves at a tall, handsome man holding a red solo cup.

“Shua! You made it!”

You find yourself smiling at the man’s infectious enthusiasm as he moves through the smaller crowd to pat Joshua’s back and smile at you, lifting his brows.

“Course I did. Uh…Gyu…” You watch Joshua’s brows furrow as you look from him to the other man, waiting for the introduction before he gestures at you. “This is Y/N. Y/N this is Kim Mingyu.”

Offering his hand, you take it, letting the larger man encompass yours briefly before he looks back at Joshua and laughs.

“Wow…I owe Jeonghan fifty bucks. Fuck.”

Shaking his head, Mingyu walks towards the kitchen, leaving you and Joshua watching him a bit confused before the man at your side sighs and slides his arm back around you.

“Don’t know what that was about. Sorry…Clearly, he pre-gamed.”

You simply smile and lean in to kiss Joshua’s cheek, feeling the warmth spread across his face under your lips, before you pull back to meet his eyes.

“Don’t worry so much. I think they are just happy to see you here with somebody. If I had to take a guess.”

Furrowing his brows, Joshua swallows hard, his eyes moving over your face and down to your pretty smile before he lets out a breath and a laugh.

“Yeah? Think that’s what's going on?”

Nodding, you try to act as nonchalant as possible, feeling Joshua’s fingers pressing into your hip.

“Mhm. Between that and what happened yesterday with Seungcheol…”

Smiling, Joshua just shakes his head, trying to keep himself from doing anything stupid or too quick, as you bite at your bottom lip and give him such a sweet look of innocence. Seungcheol furrows his brows as he wrinkles his nose to the feeling of smoke tickling it. Vernon tries to pass the bong back over to him while Chan mutters to himself, sitting between them and looking at his laptop.

Joshua leads you through the living room, where Seungcheol looks a lot more relaxed than the last time you saw him. He grins at Joshua, pointing at him before letting his lips fall into a pout.

“Took you long enough.” Using Chan’s arm to sit up, Seungcheol groans to himself as he whines out his complaint to Joshua, knowing that usually he would be the buffer between him and Chan. “Do you know how much shit I have had to listen to Chan spew while I waited on you to get your ass here?”

Glancing from Joshua to you when Joshua lifts his hand and starts to speak, Seungcheol grins, finally seeming to realize you had joined his friend.

“Shit…Y/N. You came.” Pushing at Chan’s leg, Seungcheol pats a few times at the couch, getting lost in what he is doing before he looks back up at you and smiles a bit lopsided again. “Sit down.”

Shaking his head, Joshua watches as you laugh amused with high Seungcheol’s antics as Chan whines, having his laptop pushed on his lap towards Vernon, who was engrossed in his phone watching tetris competitions.

“We’re gonna mingle a bit first, Cheol. She might want a drink.” Glancing towards you, Joshua furrows his brows, realizing he hadn’t even asked. “Do you want a drink?”

Smiling at him once again, you glance around the room and towards the kitchen, before biting at your lip and pulling his attention towards it again.

“Sure, hang out for a minute. I’ll get them.”

Joshua starts to tell you he’ll get drinks but you let go of his hand and head towards the kitchen, where Mingyu yells your name, granting himself one of your pretty laughs. Seungcheol tilts his head with lidded eyes, letting his gaze lazily move down your legs before glancing up at his friend.

“She’s hot.” grinning, he leans his head back against the couch with a hazy smile. “If you don’t date her, I’m gonna shoot my shot. Still can’t believe you got her to show up.”

Slapping the side of Seungcheol’s head, Joshua listens to the man laugh as he leans forward to take another hit, letting out an exhale of smoke as he finally leans back on the couch. Lifting his brow in half annoyance and amusement, Joshua looks back towards the kitchen, seeing you smile at something Jeonghan was telling you. He wasn’t sure how he had managed it either.

During the week, Joshua tried to keep himself busy and on track but on the weekends, he allowed himself to enjoy everything that university life had to offer. He had good friends with cheap alcohol and decent weed. Joshua watched you snake your way back through the crowd, two drinks in your hand and a smile on your face, and Joshua realized now he had you to add to that list.

“I literally have no idea what’s in these cups. Jeonghan said it was juice and Soonyoung said it was death.” You laugh sweetly and Joshua swoons, not knowing if it was the atmosphere getting to him or you as you tilt your head and speak before you take a sip of one cup. “I like your friends, Joshua.”

Taking the other cup, Joshua takes a sip, recognizing the mixture of alcohols and various fruit juices as a Yoon Jeonghan special before making a face. You don’t seem to hold the same displeasure on your face but Joshua knows that can only mean that you might drink too much of it and regret it later, he would just have to keep an eye on you.

“Like it?”

Nodding, you tip back the drink, and Joshua’s suspicion is confirmed as you lick your lips, emptying your cup, and glancing back at the kitchen, causing him to laugh.

“Listen, there is enough alcohol in this to fuel a jet. One more and then we maybe…wander out to the hot tub.”

Glancing towards the sliding glass doors, you try to see where a hot tub might be but you aren’t able to see it from the living room, making you furrow your brows. Instead of questioning Joshua, you just laugh and tilt your head, feeling a bit shy about what you have to say next.

“You didn’t tell me to wear anything for a hot tub.”

He hadn’t. Joshua smiles, glancing down at his drink before taking a bigger gulp and nodding to your words.

“I didn’t wear anything either. We can just wear what we have... or figure it out.”

Your face was on fire but it could be the "juice.” You needed more courage to see where this was going. With your smile growing in size, you can’t help but laugh. Nodding, Joshua nods along with you before you feel your fingers slide along his before you head back towards the kitchen.

Seungcheol makes a face, trying to read what Chan was pointing at his laptop. He was trying hard to get him or Vernon to look at the screen and read what he had been writing for most of the night.

“No, ‘cause listen. If I say she breasted boobily, does that sound hot?”

Vernon blinks at his phone before looking over at the laptop and reading over the paragraph that Chan had been working on for over an hour before sighing heavily.

“I don’t know, man. It’s fanfiction. I think you can say whatever in hell you wanna say.”

Joshua furrowed his brow, a bit confused at the conversation, as he stood next to the couch. He wasn’t sure he had just witnessed as he watched Seungcheol stare blankly at the screen for a few more seconds before the man shifts his gaze back over to him and grins, seeming to remember he was there.

“Sit down, man. Hang out.”

Glancing towards the kitchen, where you were laughing at something Wonwoo was saying and back to Seungcheol, Joshua lifts his hand to scratch at his cheek before shaking his head. Seungcheol was starting to pout again and attempting to make more room on the three seater couch when Joshua shook his head.

“Maybe later.”

Patting Seungcheol on the shoulder, Joshua listens to the man whine as he walks towards the kitchen with his eyes fixed on you. Sliding his hand around your waist, Joshua feels you jump slightly, your eyes moving from Wonwoo to him as you smile.

“Hey, you weren’t coming back.”

You could feel your cheeks burning at Joshua’s attention but also the other eyes in the room as Wonwoo smirked at how jealous Joshua was acting.

“I was just talking to Wonwoo. He was telling me that you make some mean french toast apparently.”

Smiling, Joshua leans to kiss your cheek before glancing at Wonwoo and tilting his head.

“Camping stories?”

Wonwoo just grins, lifting his cup to his lips to take a sip before nodding and furrowing his brows.

“Thinking about planning another trip for the summer. Maybe Y/N will come with us this time.”

The idea of it made Joshua excited and nervous as he glanced to judge the expression on your face. You seemed intrigued as you clinged to his side, your smile once again lighting up the room.

“Sounds fun.”

It was sounding more and more like you were planning on sticking around with Joshua and his friends. Holding on to you a bit tighter, Joshua takes in a breath and gestures over his shoulder,  causing Wonwoo’s eyes to follow his hand before his friend meets his eyes again, only to smile.

“It does; hey, do you mind if I borrow the hot tub?”

A louder laugh from your right makes you smile as Mingyu slides back through the kitchen, picking up a fresh cup and pouring more of the juice into it as he shakes his head to answer Joshua’s question.

“Go for it, man. Just keep cum out of it.”

You make a face at the wording but Joshua just laughs, causing Wonwoo to meet his eyes and for Joshua to grow a bit more serious. Taking a step towards the doorway, Joshua picks up a smaller bottle, watching Wonwoo’s head tilt and his mouth start to open when he just grins and winks before turning to also pick up two shot glasses.

“Okay, got it. Hot tub is for relaxation only.”

Glancing around the backyard, you take the last sips of your drink as Joshua mutters to himself before making an “ah ha” sound. You gasp, watching strings of lights light up across the deck and into the trees near the hot tub, where Joshua stands grinning at you, looking pleased with himself.

“When it’s warmer weather, they throw outdoor parties or leave the doors open. I helped them hang up the lights.”

Joshua watches you glance around the lights, a smile on your face, before you once again look at him, causing his head to spin. He knew he was a goner when it came to you. You could tell him to jump on one leg and bark like a dog and he’d probably do it for you without many questions at this point just because you smiled at him.

Moving back towards the hot tub, Joshua whispers “tada” before showing you the smaller bottle of tequila and shot glasses he had commandeered from the kitchen. He grins as you laugh, moving in a bit closer to him to tilt your head. You watch as he sits the bottle on the side of the hot tub before he moves back in touching distance as you narrow your eyes playfully.

“And where did that come from? Just happen to keep bottles of tequila on you at all times?”

Wincing Joshua closes one eye as if he’s trying to think of something, feeling your hands sliding along his sides. Your laugh causes Joshua to smile and meet your eyes even as your fingers tug at the end of his shirt so your fingertips can brush over his bare skin just above his jeans. You had more courage and you weren’t going to let it go to waste.

“It was sitting on the counter. Wonwoo might yell at me later for taking it but all is fair at a party. Don’t have it on the counter if it's not up for grabs.”

Sucking in a breath, Joshua tilts his head as he feels your fingers sliding under his shirt along his back, lifting his shirt. You looked almost too pretty under the twinkling string lights and feeling your warm fingers running along his back as the chilly air also bit at his skin was intoxicating.

“You are killing me, Y/N.”

Laughing softly and sweetly, you trail your fingers further up his torso, making Joshua groan as he finally gives in, leaning back only enough so that he can tug his shirt up and over his head, giving you what you want. Your eyes move from his handsome face down over his toned chest and down to his stomach. You couldn't help yourself as you smiled, running your thumbs along the top of his v-cut feeling. Joshua takes in a deep breath, leaning his head back to look up at the night sky.

“You are so handsome, Josh.”

Closing his eyes, Joshua groans quietly to himself before looking back at your face as you give him that same innocent look that had been driving him crazy for two days. With his thumb and forefinger on either side of your chin, Joshua holds your face in place as he leans in to brush his lips over yours for the first time, listening to the sharp intake of breath get caught in your throat. It wasn’t a full kiss but it made you want to chase after one, and the way his fingers were holding you in place, all you could do was whine and press your nails into Joshua’s sides.

“Patience, baby.”

Plush lips caress yours and a large hand slides along your neck as Joshua finally gives into you, taking not only your breath but every thought in your head with his first kiss. You moan softly into his mouth as his other hand slides along your hip and down to grip at your ass, causing your brows to furrow.

Smiling against your lips, Joshua pecks at them once more before sliding his hand from your ass to your leg to slip your dress along your thigh as you look up at him.

“This okay? I figure you don’t want to get your dress wet. “

Nodding, you shrug out of your jacket, letting Joshua work the tight dress up your body and over your head, leaving you in your bra and panties as he works to kick off his jeans. You find yourself watching him shyly as you pick up your clothes and put them into a chair, your borrowed boots safely tucked away underneath as Joshua smirks at you.

You were stunning. You weren’t wearing anything special. There wasn’t any lace and nothing matched but it didn’t need to. It was perfect because it was you and he wanted more. He could just imagine being between your legs or kissing your breasts as he watched you move back towards him and the hot tub. Feeling your hand trembling in his as he helped you into the warm water, Joshua knew you needed a bit more time.

Taking in a deep breath, you smile as Joshua leans to press the button, causing the hot tub to start running and the jets to cause the water to bubble and roar around the two of you as he settles in near you. Steam rising from the surface, you watch him through it as he leans his head back for a moment before reaching for the bottle he had taken, cracking up the seal to pour each of you a shot, offering you one.

“To possibilities?”

Trying to hold back a laugh, you press your lips together and nod as Joshua laughs at your reaction. He knew it was a silly toast but it was what he wanted—a world full of possibilities with you. Tipping back your glass, you make a bit of a face to the taste and feeling of the burn as the alcohol runs down your throat. Joshua follows suit, letting out a breath before nodding and putting his glass back securely on the side.

You could feel that your head was lighter, your inhibitions were low as the drinks from the night had all begun to mix in your system. Joshua watches as you smile brightly, putting your glass very carefully beside his before you turn to look at him curiously.

“Truth or dare, Joshua Hong?”

Chuckling as you use his full name, Joshua moves his hand to run it along your arm as he starts to enjoy the buzzed feeling as his head tilts to your question.

“Truth.”

Biting at your lip, you can’t help but wrinkle your nose at his answer. You knew you were the same way when it came to truth or dare but you had pictured Joshua as a dare kind of guy.

“Mmkay. What was your first impression of me?”

Lifting his brows, Joshua laughs once again, realizing this was how this game was going to go. You watch as he reaches for the bottle of tequila, pouring another couple of shots, allowing you to grab your own. Hissing at the taste, Joshua narrows his eyes at you before smiling and pouring another shot a bit nervously.

“I opened the door and thought, Damn, what a pretty girl.”

Watching you smile and tilt your shot glass back, Joshua can’t help but smile as you giggle a bit to yourself. Reaching forward, Joshua wipes a bit of tequila from your chin, causing you to whine and lean into his touch.

“And I still think that, ‘cause you are so fucking pretty. Truth or dare.”

Feeling almost too warm, you lift out of the water a bit, only shifting yourself closer to Joshua, who takes a deep breath when your chest lifts from the water briefly. Moving his eyes from your breasts to your face, Joshua presses his lips together when he feels you almost sit on his lap as you purse your lips, thinking hard before speaking.

“I’ll pick truth too.”

Turning your attention back to Joshua, you are almost surprised to see him so close. Starting to apologize, you laugh, feeling Joshua’s hand slide around your hip to your back to keep you in place.

“You’re fine, right where you are. In fact…”

Sliding his legs apart, Joshua watches as you dip your chin under the water, feeling him shift his leg under your ass so that you can rest comfortably on his lap.

“Now…I’m curious what’s on your mind right now. So that’s my question. Tell me what you are thinking.”

Flexing your fingers, you try to figure out where to put them but feeling Joshua’s fingers sliding along the top of your panties at the small of your back, you can’t help but whine before resting your arm around his neck and your other hand against his chest. The feeling of being close to Joshua comes naturally, and you start to feel thankful for the water surrounding you, knowing that you were becoming aroused from even just sitting on his lap.

“Right now? Um…lots of things.”

Joshua grins, his free hand daring to caress your leg under the water, feeling your legs part instinctively for him even though he doesn’t do more than run his thumb along your inner thigh.

“Yeah? Tell me three of them.”

Sighing, you furrow your brows and shift on his leg, causing Joshua to rub his lips together at the feeling. He liked this too much, having you this close to him. Feeling your body press up against his and having your fingers walk along your skin as you thought of your answer.

“I was thinking about the camping trip and how that might be nice.”

Joshua smirks as you seem to stall in telling him anything he might actually want to know. It wasn’t that he disagreed with the sentiment; it was that he knew you had more on your mind. Nodding, he watches as you smile and avoids his eyes, letting your voice drop in volume so that you can barely be heard over the roar of the jets.

“And I was thinking about when you kissed me. About how I wanted you to–to do that again.”

Grinning, Joshua lets his eyes move to your lips and back up to your eyes as you stumble over your words. Leaning forward, he rests his lips against yours without applying pressure as you whine his name, pressing your fingers against his chest.

“One more, Y/N.”

You couldn’t think like this, not with Joshua’s lips hovering over yours and his breath warm against your face. Closing your eyes, you try to let yourself melt into his touch, enjoying the feeling of his fingers moving over your skin as you finally answer him.

“Just want you to fuck me. That’s what’s on my mind.”

Joshua’s lips press against yours firmly, his hand sliding from your thigh to your waist to pull you towards him tightly. He wasn’t being careful anymore, not when he knew what you wanted. Groaning into your mouth, Joshua furrows his brows, feeling you adjust your legs over his so that you are straddling him and are able to roll your hips down to grind over his hardening length.

“Fuck…” The word is drawn out on a breath when Joshua pulls back from kissing you to lean his head back at the feeling of your hips rolling over him. “Baby, that feels good. Feels too good.”

He was calling you baby again and your head was spinning. You smile, leaning to press a kiss to the column of Joshua’s throat when it’s exposed to you, drawing another groan out of the man’s mouth. Hands tighten on your ass and Joshua laughs out your name in disbelief, moving his head so he can meet your eyes.

“You are gonna make me break my promise about cum in the hot tub.”

Fingers dig into your skin under the elastic of your panties as Joshua takes a deep breath, calming down before he nods and glances over his shoulder towards a door, considering his next action.

“We are going in there. I wouldn’t wanna fuck you in here anyway. I wanna take my time with you.”

Biting at your lips, you laugh softly, sliding off Joshua’s lap as he stands and helps you do the same. You furrow your brows once you are safely back on the patio, feeling the cold air biting at your skin while watching Joshua collect your clothing and his own.

“What room is that? Should I get dressed?”

Leaning to kiss your shoulder, Joshua grins against your skin, shaking his head as he shivers just as much as you from the cold air. You feel him usher you towards the door, letting you open it, happy to find it unlocked.

“It’s Wonwoo’s room. We are just gonna…you know, borrow it.”

Blinking a few times in the dark as Joshua trips over a few things, muttering to himself before he finds a lamp, you smile, finally able to look around as he moves to the other door, locking it.

“And Wonwoo won’t mind if we borrow his room?”

Joshua drops the last of the clothes onto the floor before moving back over to you and sliding his hands up your wet back towards your bra clasp as he shakes his head. You can’t help but laugh as Joshua mutters about Wonwoo's understanding needs. You knew it was a weak argument but you weren’t going to go against it.

Running your fingers through his hair, you moan Joshua’s name as you feel his fingers tug at the straps of your bra, freeing your body from the garment. The room was much warmer than it had been outside but chillbumps were still spreading across your skin.

“You are so fucking beautiful.”

Joshua shakes his head mostly in disbelief at himself thinking about how you had been living on the same floor as him just five doors down all this time and he had clearly been an idiot or blind. Scratching his nails along the back of your arms, Joshua leans down to kiss the top of each of your breasts with a low groan to the soft feeling of your skin against his lips. He was already addicted to you and he had barely had a taste.

“Please…Josh–ah…don’t tease me.”

Smiling against your nipple, Joshua lifts your right breast, kneading at the soft mound before taking the bud into his mouth and sucking hard, feeling you arch against his mouth. Walking backwards, you hear Joshua whine, feeling you start to pull from him, causing him to have to hold on to your waist to keep your breast in his mouth. You don’t stop walking until you feel the bed behind your knees and you whisper to Joshua that you need to lay down.

“Mm, okay, wait. Don’t get the bed wet.”

You smile as Joshua moves to one knee, sliding his hands up your thighs and finally to your hips to tug your panties down your legs. Closing your eyes, you take a breath, letting it out slowly, feeling his lips move over your thighs until his hands reach your ankles.

“Lay down, baby.”

Helping you down, Joshua tilts his head, taking in every inch of your body as he feels his cock throb jerk behind his boxers. You were perfect in every single way. He wasn’t even sure what he wanted first. Lifting his hand, Joshua runs his hand over his mouth as your hand barely traces the curve of his shaft as you wait for him with a questioning look on your face.

“Just trying to think where Wonwoo might keep his condoms.”

When you smile, a quiet laugh falls from your lips. Joshua can’t help but mimic your smile, sliding his fingers into the top of his boxers and working them down his hips as you watch. Your brows lifting, you take in a breath before licking your lips, obviously hungry for what was in front of you, watching his cock bounce back up at attention as his boxers fall to the floor.

“I…I’m good. I have an IUD and I get tested. Unless you just want one.”

Taking a deep breath, Joshua takes one more long look at your body before focusing on your pretty face and shivering at the idea of having you raw. There was no way he was going to say no to that.

“Okay…No, I’m good. I get tested too…  Fuck, are you sure?”

Nodding, you lift your hand out for Joshua as he rests his knee between your legs, feeling the wet warmth of your pussy against his thigh. Lacing his fingers with yours, Joshua pins your hand to the bed next to your head as he lays over you, smiling against your lips and feeling your hips roll over his thigh.

“You are so wet, baby.” You whimper against Joshua’s lips, his teeth catching your bottom lip and dragging it out just slightly before he lets go with a groan. “I wanna eat you out so fucking bad but I also wanna fuck this mouth…”

Gripping his bicep hard, you dig your nails into his skin hard enough to leave small half moon divots, causing Joshua to hiss at your reaction to his words. Smirking, he presses kisses on your jaw up to your ear, speaking against it causing chillbumps to once again spread across your skin.

“You like that? When I talk dirty to you? Tell you what I wanna do to you.”

Nodding, you bury your face against Joshua’s hair, feeling embarrassed as he laughs and presses kisses on your neck. Leaning back on his elbow, Joshua looks down at you, watching you try to hide from him until he pulls his hand from yours to turn your face back towards him so he can run his thumb over your lips, causing him to groan quietly. He knew what he wanted.

Laying in the middle of the bed on his back, Joshua smirks at you as you sit back on your feet, watching him get comfortable. You smile as he slides the pillow from under his head and lifts his hands, beckoning you towards him, only to tell you to stop when you start to crawl on top of him.

“Uh huh…  I want you on my face; let me see your ass.”

His hand slides along your leg as you whine, unsure, but Joshua just nods and helps you get in position with your knees on either side of his face as you rest your hands on his chest. Running his hands along the back of your legs up to your ass, Joshua groans at all he can see in front of him before he grips your hips and pulls your pussy down to his mouth, running his tongue flat against you to get his first taste.

You gasp loudly, your nails digging into his chest, feeling his tongue running along your folds and pressing into your entrance for just a taste of the arousal that had already dripped from you. Leaning your head forward, you find yourself sliding your hips back and down over Joshua’s face and closer to his tongue as he groans, lapping at your clit, before sucking hard and making you cry out his name.

With each passing moment, you find yourself sliding further and further down Joshua’s body until you realize you could give him exactly what he wanted. Wrapping your hand around Joshua’s cock, you twist your hand and feel him pause between your legs, his fingers pulling you back towards his face as he lifts his head up to suck your soft folds into his mouth.

“Josh…fuck. Oh my god…  I’m getting so close. I want your cock, okay?”

You couldn’t hear what Joshua was saying as he groaned against your pussy; he was too far gone and too drunk to care but anything you wanted was yours. The moment you wrap your lips around his tip, Joshua has to let his head fall back and take a deep breath as he mutters your name.

A warm, wet mouth envelopes him as your tongue presses against the underside of his cock right up until the point that you can’t take a single centimeter more of Joshua before you pull back with a gasp. Tears start to run down your face even as you smile, feeling Joshua’s fingers parting your folds so his tongue can get right back to work, driving you closer and closer to your orgasm that was right on the cusp.

With Joshua’s cock buried in your mouth once again, you moan around him, only pulling back when you feel the overwhelming pressure take over you as your orgasm rips through your body. Resting your forehead against Joshua’s stomach, you whimper his name as your thighs shake almost violently at the feeling of his fingers slowly sliding from your tight walls and along each side of your clit.

Large hands run along your thighs and up over your back as Joshua tries to soothe you before finally managing to move you to his side so he can pull you into his arms and press his lips to yours. You furrow your brows to the taste of yourself on his lips but smile at the feeling of his hand gliding along your skin to your thigh, pulling your leg across his hip to keep you close to him.

“You okay?”

Nodding, you rub your lips together and laugh under your breath, feeling Joshua’s nose nudge against yours before he kisses you softly once more. You felt like jelly but you felt good. You wanted more. You needed him completely and you knew that he still needed more.

Joshua hums against your cheek, feeling your hand slide along his stomach and down towards his cock, resting against his lower abdomen. Your smaller hand felt good and your mouth had felt even better but he had felt your pussy around his fingers and on his tongue and he was craving it on his cock now. Kissing your cheek, Joshua smiles against your skin while dragging his nails along your thigh as you lazily stroke him and speak just above a whisper.

“Fuck me, Joshua.”

You feel him nudge his nose against your cheek as he rolls you on to your back, moving his body between your legs. You knew he was a large man but underneath him, you felt even smaller and vulnerable in the best ways. Arching your back, you moan softly, letting Joshua slide your leg once more along his up to his hip, causing your wet folds to separate once again.

“I was planning on it.”

Joshua sucks in a breath, watching your eyes close on a silent moan as he slowly works his cock into you for the first time. You were tight and the stretch was evident on your face. Your brows furrowed tightly, and you took a deep breath only when Joshua bottomed out and stopped to allow you time to adjust.

Resting his lips against your shoulder, Joshua groans, trying not to think about how tightly you are squeezing him or how much he already wants to cum as you scratch his back. Instead, he just takes a deep breath and turns his head towards you to make sure you are okay. You blink tears from your eyes at how good the stretch feels and nod to Joshua’s words, begging him to move, lifting your hips in order to get him to do something.

“Shh, fuck baby. I’m–shit…okay. I was gonna go slow.”

Shaking your head, you run your fingers through the back of Joshua’s damp hair at the nape of his neck, pulling his lips back to yours as you speak between kisses, feeling his hips finally meeting yours and sending your head towards the headboard with each deep thrust.

“No, I want it. Feels so fucking good. Please, Joshua.”

You were going to be the death of him. Hissing out a groan on your lips, Joshua moves to rest his forehead against yours as he gives you what you want and thrusts into you hard and fast, making you cry out his name. The sound of the music from the party was still loud enough to keep him from wondering if anyone might hear you but at this point, his pride was starting to hope maybe someone would. He wanted them to know how good he was making you feel.

“Yes–ha…fuck! Josh–”

Joshua had fucked other girls and had them scream his name but no one else had made his head swell and spin like you did. Every time you said his name, Joshua felt like he was floating.  He felt like he was sending you to the moon every single time he buried his cock in you. Even if that wasn’t how you felt, he knew that you felt like heaven and he could die happy after being between your legs and in your arms.

Feeling your walls tighten around him, Joshua groans your name, burying his face into the crook of your neck. He could tell you were getting close just from the way you were squeezing his cock but you were also pushing him over the edge. He had been skirting it and doing his best not to let go too quickly but with one last scratch of your nails along his back and a soft moan from your lips, Joshua’s body shakes as, with each thrust, he pushes his cum back into you.

“Please…” You listen to Joshua’s whine into a moan as he leans back to watch his cum drip out of you with each thrust. “Cum for me?”

Feeling his thumb press against your clit, rubbing small circles against the swollen bundle of nerves, you cry out Joshua’s name as your thighs begin to shake when he sends you back over the edge, spiraling into your orgasm once again. Joshua licks his lips, watching your face this time as you cum, his eyes fixated on your lips and how they fall open when you moan so loudly that he’s certain someone had to have heard you.

Carefully slipping from you, Joshua lays on top of you, enjoying the feeling of your fingers running through his hair as he catches his breath. He could hear your heart racing and how it was steadily starting to calm down as the minutes passed. He could hear your breath evening out and he could feel the dampness of your skin against his cheek.

“I need a shower. Fuck…”

Your laugh makes Joshua smile against your chest before he leans back to look up at you, leaning to press his lips to yours once and then again furrowing his brows. You could see the question on his face and feel his apprehension as he took a breath.

“I–yeah. Same. Are you wanting to leave? I can take you back to your dorm. I – cause you know this was fun. I’d like to see you again. You know more often...”

Smiling, you lift your hand to run your thumb along Joshua’s jaw as he stumbles through his words. You knew he was a smart man and by all standards, he ran with a pretty popular crowd at the university, yet he was acting like some high school boy with a crush after fucking you into the mattress.

“Yeah? That mean you wanna date me, Joshua Hong?”

Joshua’s lips pull up into a smile at your words before he lays his face flat against your breasts, realizing how stupid he must have sounded for you to have to even ask that. Of course, he wanted to date you. This was the most cliche thing he could have done but he wanted you. Lifting his head, Joshua nods and sighs, gaining back some of his confidence.

“Yeah, hell yeah. I wanna date you. Wanna take you out as much as possible and keep you in my bed the rest of the time.”

Laughing, you shake your head, feeling your cheeks warm at Joshua’s words this time. It all sounded perfect but there were a few hiccups in his plan.

“Mm, I accept, however...  I don’t think Chan would want me in your bed that often.”

Scoffing, Joshua starts to lean up on his elbow, ready to explain just where Chan can shove his opinion, when a loud knock at the door startles you both, causing you to gasp. Wonwoo narrows his eyes at his bedroom door, trying the knob once again, only to groan.

“Who the fuck–Shua! Are you fucking in my bedroom?”

Widening his eyes almost dramatically, you watch Joshua hold back a laugh as he slips out of bed and starts tossing you some of your clothes as he slips his own on.

“Of course I am. I appreciate your donation to the cause, Wonwoo.”

Another loud fist to the door makes you stifle a laugh as Wonwoo groans in frustration, leaning his forehead against the door.

“You son of a bitch. First you stole my good tequila and now you fuck in my bed. You owe me liquor and sheets. I am going to kick your ass!”

Pointing at the door that the two of you had used to come into Wonwoo’s room, Joshua whispers for you to sneak out that way as he carefully unlocks the other door and tiptoes towards you.

“Yeah yeah…  You know I’m good for it, man!”

Slipping out the door, you squeal when the other door opens and Wonwoo yells Joshua’s name, only for Joshua to slam the other and grab your hand, telling you to run. With a smile on your face, you keep up with him as he helps you weave through the side yard and out onto the street that you had taken to get to the party. Pulling you into his arms, Joshua laughs as you do, glancing back to make sure Wonwoo wasn’t following you, only to hear his phone go off with a barrage of texts.

Wonwoo: I will fucking kill you.

Wonwoo: You are dead to me.

Wonwoo: I hope she is at least dating you now, asshole

Wonwoo: You are literally disgusting and I hate you

Joshua runs his thumb over the screen with a smirk as he catches his breath before holding his phone up to get a good angle of you both. Leaning in, he kisses you softly as he takes a few pictures, a smile pulling at the corner of his lips.

Shua: [pictures attached]

Shua: Maybe I’ll put a ring on it too.

Wonwoo: 🤢

© onlymingyus - all rights reserved. Reposting/modifying of any fic, or pieces of original writings posted on this blog is not allowed. Translations not allowed

[kozukensgf]

bf texts with seventeen! hyung line

their reaction when you purposely didn’t say "i love you" back to them

genre: fluff, smau, fake texts, one shot, crack

character(s): scoups, jeonghan, joshua, jun, hoshi, wonwoo, woozi

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maknae line version

[pepperonidk]

roads diverged || h.js

pairing: joshua hong x reader warnings: super self-indulgent. some crying, life decisions, joshua is my comfort member word count: 759 summary: life is full of diverging roads, but it's okay as long as joshua's walking beside you

a/n: i'm definitely projecting lol. instead of crying for 3 hours, i decided to cry for 1 hour and write this for 2 hours :) problem solved

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It’s not that you’re particularly a neat freak, but you’re pretty sure you read somewhere that cleaning your living space can help clear your mind. 

It isn’t until you’re on your knees on the bathroom tile at 2 am, scrubbing between tiles with a pink toothbrush and a dream that you finally question the scientific validity of that Buzzfeed article. You let out a huff and pull the rubber gloves off your hands and throw them down onto the floor.

“Damn,” you hear a hoarse voice call from the bathroom door. “What did those gloves do to you?”

“Shua,” his name comes out as if you’re surprised at the shakiness in your own voice. Once he hears it too, his smirk falls into a frown and his eyebrows come together in concern. In the next instant, he’s on his knees beside you, pulling you into his arms.

“What’s wrong angel?” he whispers against your hair, rubbing his arms soothingly down your back.

His question is all it takes for the dam to break and not long after, the sleeve of Joshua’s light blue pajama shirt is soaked with tears. He shushes you as he pulls you tighter against him, and he wishes he could lift whatever burden was weighing you down.

It takes a minute  before you can finally give him an answer. “Do you remember that really weird thing I asked you about a few weeks ago?” you managed to get out between hiccups.

He pulls away and shifts his hands down to hold yours. “Yeah,” he nods. “When you were reading that Robert Frost poem and you asked what happens if you don’t like the road less traveled and you want to go back and take the other one?” 

You nod back at him, pulling your lip between your teeth to fight back the tears. “Yeah… that.”

“What about it?” he asks quietly, prodding you to continue. 

“I think I’m going to quit my job,” you answered, unable to fight the second wave of tears.

“Oh, honey,” he began, his hands instinctively coming up to your face to wipe away the streams of tears. “What brought this on? I thought you liked your job.”

“I do,” you answer. “Well, I did. I’m not so sure anymore.”

“What changed?” 

“I don’t know,” you confess, dropping your head into your hands. “It’s just not… I just feel like I’m stuck, you know? Like what if I missed out on something better because I’m afraid of leaving something that’s familiar?” 

Joshua hums thoughtfully, choosing his words before he continues. “That’s something I wish I knew the answer to,” he sighs and lifts your chin to look at him. He hates seeing you sad, but even more so knowing that this isn’t a problem he can fix for you. “But just think, honey, if you didn’t walk down this path, we wouldn’t have met.”

You nod and break out a small smile that mirrors his. “Yeah,” you agree. “That is pretty great.”

“See?” he continues. “I think you know, no matter which path you take, it’ll be lined with good things and bad things, and that’s okay.”

“I know, I know,” you affirm. “But I like it better when you tell me.”

Joshua lets out a chuckle before standing and holding his hand out to you. “I’ll keep telling you if you finally come to bed with me,” he offers and you take it, gathering your cleaning supplies into your free arm and setting them onto the counter. 

Once you’ve both finally settled into bed, Joshua shuts off the lamp on the bedside table and pulls you flush against his chest. His fingers trace circles up and down your arms as you listen to the steadiness of his heartbeat.

“As I promised,” he began. “There’s gonna be lots of diverging paths, you know? Lots of different ways to go. And they won’t always be as scenic as the ones before, or as neatly paved, or as—” 

You playfully swat at his chest and smile at the rumble of laughter in his chest. “I get it,” you prod.

“My point is,” he drags out the last syllable, tilting his neck down to smile at you before yawning. “No matter which path you end up taking, I’ll be walking right next to you, holding your hand.” True to his word, he pulls your free hand into his before bringing it up to press a light kiss against your palm. “And every step is going to take us exactly where we need to go.”

taglist: @yksthings @iamxelia @coveyland @xuimhao

[slytherinshua]

HOME

genre. fluff. joshua as a dad. warnings. kissing. there's a toddler lol is that a warning? pairing. joshua x fem!reader. wc. 795.

The time Joshua got off work was always the most anticipated time of the day, both for you and your almost two-year-old daughter, Hyeja. She was a daddy’s girl in every sense of the word. She would always choose Joshua over you which you had always found highly amusing. 

Due to the uncertain hours of Joshua’s job, you could never say “Dad will be back home at 5” like other mothers could, and Hyeja hated the absence of Joshua more than you did— and you always missed him like crazy when he was gone. 

The whole day had been a bit rough for both of you. Your daughter had been grumpy throughout and only wanted pretzels and her father, only one of which you could provide to her. 

You could barely text with Joshua either, since he was currently promoting Seventeen’s new album on music shows and was probably on stage whenever you thought about texting him. You just hoped he would be able to get home before dinnertime like he had hoped, but even that was uncertain.

You finally had time to breathe after you managed to read enough stories to Hyeja to wear her out for her afternoon nap that she desperately needed. All the crying and temper-tantrums she had thrown over Joshua not being here had worn her out. She was now sleeping in her nursery, giving you a chance to think about what you should eat for dinner while you waited for Joshua. 

When he walked through the door shortly after 4:30, face as radiant and gorgeous as ever, you felt relieved. He looked as tired as you, but the satisfied smile on his face didn’t leave, so you could only assume that the promotions went well.

“Hey-” You shushed him quickly, eyes glancing over to the nursery door and Joshua got the picture.

“Sleeping?” He whispered, taking off his coat as quietly as he could. You nodded and patted the spot next to you on the couch which Joshua took eagerly. He placed his arm around you, pulling you closer to his chest.

“Was your day as exhausting as mine?” You asked as your hand clasped his.

He shook his head, “Probably not. Was she upset?”

You laughed softly, “Just a bit. She kept asking when you would be getting back, and of course I couldn’t give her an answer. She cheered up a bit when I agreed to get ice cream, but gosh- she barely let me rest for a second.”

Joshua giggled at the thought of his precious 2 year old missing him that much. “Well, I’m back now… How long has she been sleeping?”

“About half an hour, so she’ll probably wake up soon.”

“I’ll wait for her then.” Joshua mumbled, relaxing his body and pulling you closer to hug. It was rare to have a moment of silence like this with a toddler in the household, especially during daylight hours.

“Don’t worry about Hyeja and I while you’re out there being an idol.” You murmured into Joshua’s chest. Your hand travelled up to his face, brushing his hair out of his face and tracing his jawline like you liked to do occasionally. It was a sort of mindless admiration for the man who you loved, taking the time to appreciate how perfect he was.

“It’s hard to not worry…” He closed his eyes, “You two are the most precious people in my life.”

“Know that we’ll always be okay over here, even when you’re thousands of miles away touring.” You kissed his cheek before continuing, “Sometimes I feel so bad because balancing being a father and your job probably adds about 3 times the amount of stress from what you had before.” 

“But I’m 30 times happier.” Joshua’s lips formed a smile and he opened his eyes. “So don’t worry about me either. I’m fine.” He leaned over, pressing his lips to yours and kissing you for a long time to try to make up for the hours he had been away from you. 

Soon the creek of the door interrupted your cuddling, and an adorable 2 year old emerged from behind the door soon after. She looked groggy, rubbing her eyes with her small fists before looking up to you. You saw in real time how her eyes widened with excitement upon seeing Joshua sitting on the couch with you.

“Daddy!!” She shouted, running up to the couch and Joshua picked her up quickly, laughing and pressing kisses to her cheek.

“Did you miss me, baby?” She nodded fervently in response, throwing her arms around Joshua and hugging herself to him as tight as she could. “Aww…” Joshua closed his eyes, hugging her closely and stroking her hair, “I missed you so much, princess.”

↳ svt taglist: @kangtaehyunzzz,, @yeonjuns-bluehair,, @syrxiee2,, @ddenoudepression,, @hannahsophie0103

[sweetlemontart]

call me by his name | yoon jeonghan [M]

summary ⇾ to you, one of jeonghan's most admirable trait is his candid nature. he's straightforward with most people—if he's angry, they'll definitely know. but with you? he'd rather swim the ocean day and night than take his anger out on you. well, that is, of course, unless you ask him to.

PAIRING // yoon jeonghan x fem!reader

GENRE // explicit smut, established relationship, some fluff, mostly smut, sub!reader, jeonghan tries to be angry hard!dom but is actually a soft!dom cause he's too in love with mc, not much plot tbh mostly just smut

WARNING // 18+, explicit sexual content, unprotected sex, oral sex and fingering (f receiving), degradation, choking, hair pulling, some spanking, creampie, slight dacryphilia, orgasm denial(?) ig, mentions of mc's past relationship with ex!seungcheol

WORD COUNT // 8.6k

AUTHOR’S NOTE // me casually coming back on here and posting after almost 2 years of radio silence (ꈍᴗꈍ)♡ btw this is my very first svt fic hehe i started liking them like a month ago? watching going svt is the only thing keeping me sane during my second year of uni :') i love jeonghan and all his manipulating mind games & cheating ways, it's the most attractive thing to me !! might drop a wonwoo fic soon too bcs he's a cutie and his wip is coming along nicely. hope u guys have been doing good hehe do like and reblog if u enjoy reading this, song rec is blue foundation - eyes on fire (skeler remix)

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Jeonghan isn't a particularly placid man. He's not excessively ill-tempered per se, but he is remarkably patient when it comes to you. You know how he is when he's angry, and you can't recall a single time when you've been on the receiving end of his wrath. 

When something ticks him off, his eyes will darken and the heated stare he gives is shrouded beneath his lashes. When he is truly livid, he'll usually walk away from the situation, and there'll be no room for anyone to say something they'll end up regretting later on. 

It's incredible, really, that he possesses the ability to bottle his anger up when it involves you. Anger is an emotion that can rarely be suppressed, but Jeonghan does it with remarkable ease. 

On any other day, perhaps you'd appreciate his effort to control his anger, but not tonight. You've made a serious mistake, one that goes against the one thing Jeonghan had explicitly stated from the start of your relationship—keeping secrets is a recipe for a failed relationship, so if you have something important to say, just say it. Jeonghan is a great boyfriend. He gives you the freedom and privacy to do things you want to do, but this particular boundary was crystal clear, and you just crossed it.

It was your fault, really. You had broken up with Choi Seungcheol only a year prior to dating Jeonghan. The break-up had been a mutual agreement, and there were no hard feelings involved. Over time, you gradually drifted apart and had minimal to no contact until... well, two weeks ago. 

It had been at a dinner party hosted by one of your acquaintances, someone who just happened to be Seungcheol's cousin. Jeonghan hadn't been able to accompany you, so you hadn't been able to introduce him to Seungcheol. Meeting Seungcheol again after more than a year hadn't been awkward. It was like meeting up with an old friend. 

Tonight, however, the universe seems like it's conspiring against you. You had been preparing dinner when you heard a notification chime on your phone. You had haphazardly tossed your phone onto the living room couch before cooking, and your boyfriend just happened to be doing his Lego in the living room, so you called out to him to check the notification. 

There was shuffling in the living room as he stood. When he strolled into the kitchen, his eyebrows were furrowed in confusion as he held your phone in one hand, eyes fixed on the screen. "Who's Choi Seungcheol and why is he asking to catch up over lunch?"

Fuck. 

To be fair, you really weren't expecting Seungcheol to contact you after the dinner party. You had gone without contacting each other for more than a year, so what changed now? You had told him that you found someone new, so he definitely knew there was no possibility of rekindling your relationship. He was most likely trying to be friendly, but you understand why it would seem questionable to Jeonghan. 

Contrary to what you expected, Jeonghan hadn't gotten angry at you. He simply listened to your explanation and nodded. He became quiet, a glazed look in his eyes that you couldn't interpret. Then, he sets your phone down on the kitchen counter and hummed. Oh, he was annoyed, that much was obvious. 

"Okay, well, I trust you. Just... don't do it again," Jeonghan spoke with a slight frown, then walked out of the kitchen as though you hadn't just violated the one, single rule that you had both agreed to abide by. 

Perhaps you've gone stupid, because as your boyfriend walked out of the kitchen, you found yourself trailing close behind him. A tinge of irritation slowly bubbled up in your chest as you watched him casually plop down onto the floor to continue doing the Lego set he had been doing since earlier. 

"Is that it?" you asked him. 

Jeonghan momentarily diverted his attention from his Lego to meet your gaze. He blinked a few times. "I'm sorry?"

"You just... you're not even getting angry at me?"

"Um, am I supposed to be angry at you?"

You were taken aback by his response because it suddenly occurred to you just how silly you sounded. Did you really want him to get angry at you?

"Yes?"

Jeonghan nodded wordlessly, seemingly mulling over something in his head. 

"I made a mistake, you should be mad at me."

There was a pregnant pause before he chuckled, but there was nothing humorous about it. If anything, it sounded a little... sinister. "You want me to get mad at you, baby? Want me to show you how I'm really feeling?"

You swallowed. Suddenly, you felt small under the weight of his unyielding stare. You shouldn't have nodded, shouldn't have ever said anything about it at all, because now, Jeonghan has you on the bed, doing the one thing you had practically begged him to do—take his anger out on you. 

"G-God, please..." You're not sure what it is you're begging for. It's hard to think straight when Jeonghan is between your legs, lapping at your dripping cunt with his tongue. He had warned you not to touch him, but after several attempts of burying your fingers into his silky hair, he decided to take matters into his own hand, grabbing both of your wrists in one hand and pinning them to your heaving chest. 

Your fingers continuously curl and uncurl against your chest, desperately trying to grab at something to ground yourself. The pleasure coursing through you makes your head spin, your mouth feeling as dry as cotton as you continue to chant your boyfriend's name. 

Jeonghan hums against you, mouth suckling at your swollen bundle of nerves. Your jaw drops open at the feeling, eyes screwing shut as you let a moan slip past your lips. He repeats the cycle a few more times—kissing, sucking, licking—until you feel the familiar knot tightening in your stomach. 

To your disappointment, Jeonghan withdraws his mouth from you but is quick to replace it with his fingers. He's familiar with your body by now, knowing what gives you the most pleasure and which spots to press to have you coming undone in minutes. 

He's rubbing tight circles into your clit with his thumb, middle and ring fingers ghosting over your hole, not dipping in, only lingering there to serve as a reminder of the control he has over you. "Keep your hands there," he says, squeezing at your wrists once as a warning. Then he lets go of your hands and settles his palm on the inside of your thigh, spreading you open further. 

"Jeonghan..." you whimper, legs beginning to shake as the telltale sign of your climax begins to show. 

"I need you to cum on my fingers once before you can have my cock," he says, voice coming out huskier than normal. 

Straining your neck, you peer down at your boyfriend with half-lidded eyes, only to feel a rush of heat in your stomach when you see that he's already looking at you. In the dim light of your bedside lamp, you can just make out his blown-out pupils, almost obscured beneath the strands of dark hair falling over his forehead. His lips curl up into a wicked smirk, and your focus shifts from his eyes to the way his mouth glistens with your wetness. It feels so shameful, but the sight only makes you drip even more. 

"My angel wants me to be angry at her, right?" he asks you, pressing down harder on your clit, which makes you yelp with surprise, head dropping back onto your pillow. 

"Don't stop, please, I'm cumming... F-Fuck!" It's all you manage to say as you begin to writhe under Jeonghan's hold.

He clicks his teeth in disapproval when you shift your hands from your chest to your sides, fingers tightly grabbing at the bedsheet, twisting at it recklessly. He lets it slide, however, knowing you're trying your best not to touch him like he knows you so desperately want to. 

His ring finger dips into your hole just slightly, and the stretch isn't much, but it makes you keen anyway, breath catching in your throat as he plunges it deeper and deeper until it reaches his knuckle. He doesn't move it after that, keeping it buried there as he continues to play with your clit. 

"I've barely even started and you're already like this," he says in a mocking tone, teasingly biting down at your plush thigh. "Go ahead and cum for me, then. Show me how much you want my cock, baby..."

Your body caves to his words. The knot in your stomach snaps, and you cum with a loud moan that you don't even attempt to hide. Without warning, Jeonghan promptly replaces his thumb on your clit with his mouth, sucking hard, prolonging the pleasure. He doesn't mind the way your whole body is trembling or the way your thighs try to snap shut. 

"H-Hannie, fuck... fuck..."

The way you're mumbling out incoherent words only makes the blood rush down to his cock. He's painfully hard in his pants, wanting nothing more than to sink himself right into your tight pussy. It's getting increasingly difficult to think with his head than his dick. His self-restraint is starting to fray at the edge. 

"That's it, baby..." he mumbles, removing his ring finger from inside you, grinning when your hole tries to suck the digit back in. 

With his index and middle finger, Jeonghan spreads your pussy lips apart, ignoring your whine of protest as he continues to stare at your soaked cunt. It's humiliating to be so exposed and vulnerable like this, but why do you enjoy it so much? 

Jeonghan snickers, warm breath hitting your bare pussy. "Baby, I wish you could see yourself right now. Your cute pussy is clenching around nothing."

With a sheepish whine, you splay your hands over your face, feeling your cheeks burn with embarrassment. "Hannie..." you grumble, hoping he would show you some compassion and stop teasing. But of course, Yoon Jeonghan wouldn't just stop there. You should know better by now that there is no one in the world more cunning and sly than your boyfriend. 

Jeonghan pushes himself up into a sitting position, sighing when he sees the way you've covered your face. He doesn't like it when you hide from him but surprisingly doesn't say anything about it. 

When you feel him shift on the bed, your curiosity gets the best of you. Peering cautiously through the gaps of your fingers, you're left dumbfounded at the sight of your boyfriend tugging his shirt over his head. The wisps of his dark hair that had been snagged by the shirt are left askew, and the view would be endearing if it wasn't for the devious look in his eyes as he looks at you. 

Then he stands, and for a second, you're afraid he might leave you there. It wouldn't be unlike Jeonghan to suddenly leave. He's unpredictable, always trying to be a step ahead of everyone. This time, however, all he does is stand by the end of the bed, eyes roaming over your exposed figure as if trying to determine the next course of action that will deliver the most favourable outcome for him. Damn him and his mind games.

With slow movement, you press your legs together, concealing your most intimate part from your boyfriend. He shakes his head in disapproval, but you make no move to rectify your mistake. It's impossible not to hide from him when he's looking down at you as though he wants to devour you inch by inch—like a lion ogling at a wounded deer. 

Very slowly, he begins to undo the string of his sweatpants. It aggravates you to see how composed he is, movements unhurried as if he doesn't see just how much you need him. Surely he notices how your eyes rove over his bare torso, committing to memory every little detail about his body even if you've seen it myriad times before. He's not particularly muscular; he's more lean than anything, elegant, and refined in all the right places. It only makes the waiting feel even more agonising. 

"Don't tease, Hannie, please," you plead, your pulse quickening when he finally steps out of his pants. 

"Don't tease? Aw, princess, you were the one getting all friendly with your ex, and now you want me to treat you like a good girl who hasn't been whoring around behind my back?" His tone is condescending, sending a surge of electricity up your spine.  

You're suddenly reminded of what landed you in the current predicament in the first place. You want to explain and justify yourself, but you're rendered speechless when Jeonghan sweeps a hand down over his torso, eventually wrapping around his hard cock. He tugs once, twice, hissing slightly at the much-needed contact, smearing pre-cum all over the tip and shaft, the ring on his pinky glinting in the low light. 

Sitting upright, you're about to speak and deny his previous statement, but the words die down in your throat when he suddenly climbs onto the bed, slowly crawling closer to you.

You squeak in surprise when he grabs at one of your legs, tugging you down just slightly so that your face is parallel to his. Then, he settles himself between your legs, cock pressed against your stomach. He has you right where he wants you. 

Jeonghan captures your lips in a kiss, wasting no time to slip his tongue into your mouth, tangling it with yours. You sigh into his mouth, tasting the remnants of your wetness on his tongue and lips. It's a pleasant mix of bitter and sweet, a combination that makes you feel dazed despite the fact that he hasn't done anything to you yet. 

Jeonghan sinks his teeth into your bottom lip, relishing the way you mewl. He starts pressing wet kisses onto your jaw, trailing down to your neck and collarbone. "You smell so good, pretty," he mumbles against your skin, licking at your sternum. 

Reaching a hand down, you grab at his hard cock, wanting nothing more than for him to slip himself inside. You're sure you're dripping down onto the bedsheet by now. Jeonghan, however, has other plans. You only get to pump him twice before he slaps your hand away, pinning your wrist to the bed. "Don't act like such an impatient whore..."

Your whine of protest trails out into a moan when Jeonghan suddenly wraps his mouth around your nipple. His mouth is hot against the sensitive bud, and the light grazes of his teeth against it makes you arch your back. 

Jeonghan's eyes suddenly meet yours, hooded with lust. He's suckling so noisily, hips grinding into yours. It's so obscene—the way he's looking at you, the sounds he's making, the way his balls press down on your clit whenever he grinds into you. Feeling overwhelmed by the onslaught of sensory, you turn your head to the side, burying your face into your pillow as you huff out a shaky breath. 

You should've known Jeonghan wouldn't be too pleased with this. He withdraws his mouth from your chest with a lewd pop. His hand leaves your wrist in favour of grabbing at your chin. His grip is harsh, but not enough to hurt. With a sharp yank, he forces you to face forward, where you have no other choice than to meet his eyes. 

He clicks his tongue disappointedly, and your eyes flick down to his lips, red and puffy from sucking. This doesn't help your case at all, because Jeonghan immediately starts vigorously shaking your face left and right, compelling you to look back into his eyes. Your head feels dizzy, but you don't miss the look in his eyes. There's irritation swirling in them now, imbued with desire and the hunger to ravage your body until you're left a broken, muddled mess. It makes you shudder, legs squeezing tight on each side of his hips. 

"You know better than to hide from me, right?" His thumb caresses the skin of your jaw. The touch is so soft, a stark contrast to the way he's glaring down at you. When you take a little too long to answer, Jeonghan taps at your cheek a few times, hard enough for you to feel the sting. 

"Y-Yes..."

He coos, stroking your stinging cheek. "Mhm, but you're not behaving very well tonight, are you?"

"I've been good, Hannie," you assert, trying to maintain your composed front even though you desperately need him to fill you to the brim. You're aching, and you need his cock to soothe the pain. Noticing his sceptical gaze, you decide to reword your sentence. "I'm sorry. I'll be good, I promise."

Jeonghan is thinking about something, silently plotting something in his head. Fuck, you're screwed now. The intensity of his gaze tells you he's about to do something that's unlikely to be in your favour.

"You want to hide from me that bad, hm?"

You're quick to shake your head. "No, Hannie, I want you to see me."

Jeonghan scowls, pecking your lips once before sitting up on his knees. "On your stomach."

You frown, dread washing over you. He knows how much you loathe that position. "Jeonghan, please, no..."

Jeonghan's face remains impassive. "I won't ask you twice."

"You know I take a long time to cum when I can't see your face," you grumble, feeling your stomach churn, chest tightening. 

"Who said you were cumming tonight?"

The question sends you into a frenzy. "Please, I'm sorry, I won't do it again, please, please..."

When Jeonghan has his mind set on something, no amount of begging or grovelling will sway him. He's glowering at you, and three seconds pass before you relent. Having his cock inside you is better than nothing at all. 

"There you go, baby," he says when you finally shift onto your stomach. He's quick to straddle your thighs. "Wasn't so hard, was it?" 

You say nothing, feeling sulky now that you can't look at your boyfriend's pretty face anymore. "Angh!" you yelp when you feel a spank on your ass. Jeonghan does it a few more times, rubbing the tender skin between each hit. The touch should be soothing, but it only makes your ass burn even more, raw from his smacking.

Gritting your teeth from the tantalizing sting, you bite back an apology, knowing it's probably the last thing Jeonghan wants from you. Saying sorry would only make it worst for you. He's testing you, pushing the boundaries to see how much you can endure before you break and plead for some semblance of his kindness. The longer you hold out, the better. 

You feel him dip his head down, pressing his face into the crook of your neck, taking a deep inhale to breathe in your smell. The fragrance of your perfume and natural scent is exhilarating. He wants to stay there and breathe you in all day, fill his lungs with your sweet scent so that he can still smell you even when you're miles away from him. 

A groan rumbles in his chest, you can feel it on your upper back, can hear it right beside your ear. He starts pressing kisses down your shoulder blade, digging his teeth into the smooth flesh. 

"Keep your head down," he warns you, as though he knows about your urge to turn and look at him. He sits up, his knees on each side of your legs, willowy fingers kneading your hips. 

You whine into your pillow, eyes brimming with frustrated tears. Your whole body is trembling, yearning to see him, touch him, tug on the silken strands of his dark hair. God, just the thought of it has slick gushing out of your throbbing hole. 

"I'll be good," you promise him, voice coming out breathy, desperation bleeding through. "Just, please..." you beg, quietly moaning when you feel Jeonghan's hands on your inner thighs, spreading your legs just enough for him to comfortably press the tip of his leaking cock onto your cunt. 

You hear him chuckle when your whole body stiffens, anticipating the moment when he'll finally fuck you full. He sighs to himself, looking at the way your pussy is all coated in your wetness, slick gushing out onto his cockhead as he brushes it over your clit. 

"Hmm, but you only behave after you're caught doing something bad, isn't that right?"

You don't answer, unsure whether you should defend yourself or agree with his question. You gasp when you feel him slide in just slightly, stretching you out, tip prodding at your gummy walls just enough to make you feel the agonizing stretch. "More, Hannie," you mutter, practically drooling at the prospect that it would only take a roll of his hips for him to fill you up. 

However, the delicious stretch never comes, and you're left there feeling stupid, panting with only his tip buried inside of you. You whine once, lifting your head to look back at him. Big mistake. You've barely craned your neck before you feel his hand pushing down onto the crown of your head, fingers yanking at your mussed-up hair, shoving the side of your face back into the pillow. 

With a growl, Jeonghan leans down to press his lips against your ear. "What's with you today, princess? You've always been such a good girl for me, but you keep pushing my fucking buttons today. You want me angry, hm? Is that what you want?"

His crude words shouldn't make you feel the way you do, but when he speaks, his hot breath against your ear makes your eyes roll back, pussy clenching around the tip of his cock, desperate to suck more of him in. You respond with a quiet apology, voice quivering from the arousal wracking through your body. You crave him, ache for him like a desert thirsts for rain. "Need you..."

Then, as if he senses your distress, he decides to show you some mercy. Little by little, he slides into you, slipping in easily, aided by the wetness seeping out of your pulsating hole. He ignores the way you call out his name with a shattered gasp, slowly pressing forward until his hips are flush against your ass and his cock is snug in your heat, buried to the hilt. 

You can feel Jeonghan's groan rumbling in his chest, and the noise makes your pussy clamp down on him tighter. You're fisting at the bedsheet, feeling relieved, desperate, and frantic all at the same time. God, why isn't he moving? You want him to fuck you into the bed, want him to ruin you, use you until you can barely remember your name. 

Perhaps this is Jeonghan's way of taking his anger out on you—tormenting you until you're reduced to nothing but a sputtering, drooling wreck. Maybe he wants to see you plead, beg. Or maybe, he wants you to curse him out, chastise him, berate him for putting you through this torture.

Afraid of further repercussions, you decide to patiently wait, clenching your teeth to bite back from begging him to move. Seconds seem to drag on endlessly, and you resort to imagining the sight you'd be met with if you were to turn around. Would you see Jeonghan's face contorted into a mixture of frustration and hunger? Would his eyes be crazed and heated? Maybe he's enjoying the excruciating wait, peering down at you with an amused grin, tongue peeking out to rest against his lower lip just slightly. You're dying to know. 

Then, as if he is satisfied with your unwavering determination to remain still for him, he loosens his hold on your hair, gently brushing the dishevelled strands back. His thumb extends out to stroke at the tendrils of baby hair stuck to your temple, damp with perspiration. "You want me to move, baby?"

The question catches you off guard, and for a moment, you have half a mind to consider saying yes, but a nagging feeling tells you it might be a trick question. Jeonghan must've sensed your apprehension because you hear him chuckle. 

Without any warning, he draws his hips back, pulling out until only his tip remains inside before plunging in again. Your jaw slackens into a silent moan. The lack of stimulation has made your body feel so attuned to his, sensitive to every little movement. You feel the rise and fall of his chest against your back, feel his breath on your neck, and the ridges of the veins on his cock against your pussy. 

"It's not a trick question, you know?"

You're quick to nod your head as best as you can. "Please move," you breathe out, feeling like you're on the verge of just turning around and demanding him to fuck you the way you both need it. 

His hand grapples onto the sheets by your head, delivering another thrust into your cunt. His movement is languid, as though he wants to take his time. It's driving you crazy, just how collected he seems compared to you. Your body feels as though it's burning, lit ablaze by his kisses, touches, and every single point of contact between his skin and yours. 

Your eyes zero in on his hand propped up on the bed, right in front of your eyes, honing in on the way the sheets bunch between his fingers and the way his ring sits snug on his pinky. Subconsciously, you reach out for it, fingertips digging into his knuckles, nails pinching into the skin when he thrusts again. The movement is more rushed this time, jostling you up on the bed just a little, which makes you gasp. 

He removes your hand from him, hurriedly pressing your palm into the bed, cradling your hand from behind, his fingers sliding through the spaces of yours to intertwine them. The gesture feels so intimate, and it leaves you feeling disoriented. "Fuck, Hannie, so good..."

Jeonghan chuckles, peppering kisses all over your bare shoulder, leaving a trail of warmth in their wake wherever his lips meet your skin. "I've barely even started, baby."

Jeonghan pushes himself up onto his knees, letting go of your hand to place both his hands on your hips. He doesn't miss the way you groan at the loss of his warmth on your back, but he dismisses it. He pushes in once, twice, his gaze fixed on the point where his cock keeps appearing and disappearing into your drenched cunt. 

You barely register it when Jeonghan hauls you up onto your hands and knees, lost in the thought of him, only comprehending the situation when he once again slides into your aching pussy. You make a strangled noise in the back of your throat, elbows buckling, almost sending your face flopping back into your pillow. 

Jeonghan doesn't feel the need to take it slow anymore. His thrusts are no longer feeble, and his pace is steady. The sound of skin meeting skin fills his ears, mixed with your broken moans. It sounds like an obscene euphony, a harmony that makes his head feel foggy and hazed.

 "Fuck, pretty, you're enjoying this, aren't you?" Jeonghan grunts, sneaking a glance down, only for his pace to falter when he sees the way your slick is coating your inner thighs. The view is so lewd, salacious, dirty, and messy. "My messy fucking baby," he mumbles, picking up his speed, eyes fluttering when he feels your walls tightening around him. 

"Jeonghan... Jeonghan..." You're chanting his name like a mantra, eyes pinched close, savouring the feeling of being pumped full. 

"Yeah... that's my name, baby," Jeonghan responds, restrain starting to slip, evident in the way his voice cracks just slightly at the last syllable. "Can you cum like this?"

You promptly shake your head. "N-No." It's not entirely a lie. You hate relying on your imagination like this. You want to be able to touch him, hold him, want to be able to look into his eyes as you let your orgasm crash down on you. You want to see the way his hair frames his pretty face, want to see his flushed cheeks and the sweat gathering at the dips of his collarbones. You want to see him, or you think you'll die on the spot.

"Good. Don't cum, princess." 

"W-What?" you squeak out. 

Jeonghan snorts out a laugh. "I told you before—you're not cumming tonight."

You gulp, stooping down low onto your elbow, too weak to support yourself up on your hands. "I wanna cum, H-Hannie... Please let me..."

Jeonghan only snickers, ramming into you harder, letting out a content sigh when your moans seem to escalate, becoming more wanton and desperate. You're squeezing him so tight, white ring of your milky slick forming a ring at the base of his cock, causing him to groan out loud. He'd like to think that he's in full control, but everything about you is making him feel delirious—your smell, your pussy, your moans. 

Ever the competitive man, Jeonghan feels like he's losing this game. He's supposed to be angry at you, but why does it feel like you have the upper hand? Feeling irked by this sudden revelation, he stretches a hand out, wrapping it around your neck. He hears the surprised gasp you let out when he pulls you upright into his chest. 

Your hands immediately fly up to circle around his wrist, taken aback by the sudden change of positions. His other arm slithers around your waist, keeping you balanced as he continues to fuck you from behind. "Fuck, Hannie, your cock feels so good," you can't help but murmur, arching your hips just slightly so he can reach deeper into you. 

He scoffs, burying his face into the crook of your neck, placing open-mouthed kisses on the spot underneath your ear, strands of his hair tickling your skin. As he expects, your head lolls the other way, granting him better access to your neck. "Of course it feels good, baby. I've fucked you so many times your pussy is used to me now. Wouldn't be able to take another cock without thinking of mine, would you? Wouldn't feel so good if it wasn't my cock, right?"

His fingers dig into the sides of your neck, constricting just enough for you to gradually feel the drowsiness from the lack of air. It's intoxicating, being able to surrender yourself to another person completely, knowing they have you in the palm of their hand.

You're too preoccupied with the feeling of his hand around your throat to realise his other hand sneaking down to settle between your legs, middle and ring fingers starting to draw gentle circles into your bundle of nerves. It's almost too much—the way his cock slides in and out of you, the way his lips skim over your neck, the chokehold he has on you, the breathy groans he murmurs against your skin. 

"Unghh! F-Fuck, Jeonghan, 'm gonna cum..."

He chuckles, delighted at the turn of events. He doesn't stop the motion of his fingers against your clit and instead presses down harder, making your head roll back onto his shoulder, a throaty moan spilling past your lips into the open air. 

"Oh?" he says in a sardonic tone. "You said you couldn't cum like this. Or were you just lying to me, baby?" His mocking shouldn't have such power over you, but it makes your heart pound with the intensity of a raging storm.

"N-No, it's because you're... your fingers—"

"Hmm, what's with my fingers, angel?" 

The fingers on your clit start moving faster, motions rushed and relentless, bringing you to the verge of your climax quicker than you would ever anticipate. The sudden shift in speed makes you cry out in shock, eyes pinching shut. You're quick to bring a hand down to his wrist, tugging, trying to yank his hand away from between your legs. 

He doesn't relent, slapping your hand away and briefly resuming his assault on your aching bud. "Don't try to stop me now. I thought you wanted to cum."

"You told me not to," you rush out, heat starting to swell in your stomach, ready to burst. 

Jeonghan lets out a chortle. "That's right, baby. Ah, you listen so well..." Stretching his tongue out, he licks a broad path up your neck, stopping right underneath your jaw, where he proceeds to suck the skin. He wants to mark you, claim you. What better way than to bruise your pretty skin, right? To show everyone only a sliver of what goes on between you and him behind closed doors. 

"Oh, god, let me cum, please, please..." You have no other option than to resort to begging. Cumming without his consent would be catastrophic now. Not being able to see his face is punishment already to you, you're terrified of just how far he'd be willing to go to take his anger out on you.

Jeonghan presses the tip of his nose into the plushness of your cheek, humming as though he's weighing his options. "I don't think so, princess," he mumbles, the snap of his hips not once faltering, maintaining its hasty rhythm. "I don't think you deserve to cum."

You don't have much time left. Simple begging won't work now. You're wracking your brain for anything, anything. Forcing him to cum before you would be close to impossible, noting just how composed he seems. He's breathing hard, gravelly groans bubbling up in his chest, but he's nowhere near how wrecked you are.

Through your haze, you suddenly grow aware of the hand still draped over your throat. He's not pressing or squeezing, simply just letting his hand rest there as a means to keep you balanced on your knees as he fucks you open from behind. 

Sheer desperation makes you reach both hands up to claw at the hand on your neck. You're clinging onto the last threads of your rationality, knowing if Jeonghan puts even the slightest amount of pressure on his grip, all your sanity will go out the window, and you'd be hurled face-first into your much-awaited orgasm. You're playing with fire, you know it, but you only have one chance. 

"Unghh, f-fuck, please, choke me... I've been a bad girl, H-Hannie, choke me as punishment, and let me cum..."

You feel his mouth stretch into a grin against your cheek. Your walls are clenching around him so tight, pulsing, so hot and tight. He knows he has won. It's this notion of winning that has him thinking about giving in, but one look at your face has him reeling back his words. The furrow of your eyebrows, your slack jaw, your scarlet cheeks... it makes him feel sadistic. You wanted him to be angry at you anyway, what boyfriend would he be if he didn't give you any reason to make him angry? 

Then, Jeonghan watches. He tightens the hand around your neck, and continues his assault on your clit with the other, all while he continues to ram his dick into you again and again. You start to babble out incoherent words, and that's when he finally strikes. 

"Don't cum."

Those are the two simple words that send you dissolving into a whirl of pleasure and euphoria. Your ears feel like they're ringing as pure, white heat consumes you whole, moaning out your boyfriend's name repeatedly as you go rigid in his embrace. It's like shockwaves, rippling through you so forcibly you have no choice but to succumb to the raging tides, riding it out until you can fully apprehend the situation again. 

Gradually, you begin to notice the way Jeonghan holds you tight to him, how both his hands wrap around your waist to keep your body pressed to his, how his hips have stilled, hard cock still sheathed in your throbbing heat. He's pressing soft kisses onto your shoulder, coaxing you down from your high. 

Jeonghan lets your tired figure collapse onto the bed before sitting back and propping himself up on his heels. The sight is so endearing to him—you, still huffing breathlessly, hushed whines slipping past your lips at every exhale, so spent after only one orgasm. Jeonghan feels like it's so perverse of him to reach a hand down to stroke at his still-hard cock, touching himself to the sight of your curled figure. From this angle, he can see the mess between your thighs, remnants of your juices and his pre-cum smeared all over your puffy pussy lips. Oh, he definitely isn't done with you just yet. 

He hears you mumble his name groggily. Jeonghan's not sure whether you're calling out to him or just saying meaningless things in your post-orgasm haze. He doesn't waste time thinking, though, immediately swooping down to cage you between his arms, kissing along your hairline. "Tired already?"

Your eyes flutter open, looking up at your boyfriend who hovers above you with a smirk that makes your heart skip a beat. Fuck, you're really in for it. 

He coos at you, but it sounds sarcastic. "I told you to hold it, didn't I?"

You puff out a breath, shifting onto your back, obediently parting your legs so Jeonghan can slot himself in between them. "But your fingers—"

"Good girls don't talk back, do they, pretty?"

"N-No..."

He nods, eyes wandering downward, not trying to hide the way they zero in on your breasts. "No, they don't... But you're not a good girl, are you?" he asks, lowering himself to blow cool air onto your nipple, earning a choked gasp from you. Without any warning, he latches his mouth onto the skin at the top of your breast, sucking earnestly, not letting up until he's finally satisfied with the reddening of the skin there. He always loved to see the reddish hue of your hickeys turn into delicate shades of blue and purple as they heal. 

"I can be your good girl..."

"No, no, baby, you're a lying whore who doesn't do as they're told."

"Hannie, I asked you so many times—"

Jeonghan doesn't give you a chance to object, immediately slanting his lips over yours. He pushes his tongue past your spit-coated lips, exploring every crevice of your mouth, letting his tongue tangle with yours lasciviously. He feels you sigh against his mouth, hands coming up to curl around the nape of his neck. 

Reaching a hand down, he positions his cock over your entrance, plunging himself into your sopping pussy without any notice. It's easy to sink back into you—you're still sopping wet and stretched open from before.

Shocked, you break away from the kiss to let out a sharp cry, nails digging into his shoulders, threatening to break the skin there. "God, J-Jeonghan!"

He doesn't give you any time to adjust, quickly finding a rhythm that makes you arch your chest, pebbled nipples brushing against his front. You finally have the chance to look at him, really look at him. Fuck, you wouldn't trade this sight for anything else. He's the most beautiful thing you've ever had the privilege of seeing. 

He notices your lovestruck eyes, cock twitching inside you as he pounds into you. He thinks you're so pretty, all splayed out underneath him, so pliant, letting him do whatever he pleases with you. Your hair fans out over the pillow under your head, thin tendrils of it clinging onto your dewy temple and neck. He understands why you love to see his face so much whenever you fuck—he thinks he could cum earlier than anticipated if you keep looking at him with that infatuated gaze.

"Fuck, baby..." he curses, and it's the first time you've seen him lose his composure. "Fuck, you're such a pretty little thing..."

Your body sings at the compliment, shuddering, legs pressing into his sides, wanting to close shut but unable to. You're light-headed, still sensitive from your previous orgasm, but this feels too good to stop. With quivering hands, you slip your fingers through his hair, tugging and pulling carelessly. He's growing his hair out, so the length falls just shy of his shoulders, some strands curling over his neck like delicate tendrils of silk. 

Jeonghan's low groan pulls you out of your dazed thoughts. "Hannie..."

"Mhm, am I fucking you good, gorgeous? No one else can fuck you like I can, hm?"

You rake your nails across the nape of his neck, whimpering when he shifts just a little, hitching one of your legs up and hooking it around his slender waist. He thrusts a few more times, and his cock brushes against a spot that has you jolting, mewling as he grazes it repeatedly. 

"Oh? Right there?" Jeonghan noses at your cheekbone, listening to your gasps and whimpers, feeling his abdomen tighten at the obscene sounds you let out. 

"R-Right there..."

"That's it... You think Seungcheol can get you like this?"

At the mention of your ex's name, you whine loudly. A part of you hadn't expected Jeonghan to remember the earlier incident, but you should've known better. It seems stupid to think Yoon Jeonghan wouldn't remember an incident that occurred only an hour ago. 

"H-Hannie..."

"Hm, you gonna meet him for lunch? Gonna let him try to win you over? Gonna let him have what's mine?"

You shake your head, on the verge of sobbing, feeling your eyes fill with tears. "Wouldn't do that," you rasp. "I'm yours, Hannie..."

Jeonghan doesn't seem very convinced. "Yeah? You're mine?" he mutters against the apple of your cheek. His voice is low, any traces of anger or annoyance concealed. "You wanna say you're mine, with his contact still saved in your phone, baby? Don't be silly."

Your heel digs into Jeonghan's lower back, anchoring him to you as he continues to drill into you. "But I am yours—"

"Are you?"

"Y-Yes, always yours..." A hard thrust has you gasping, tears trickling down your temple, getting caught in your hair. 

Jeonghan's pace stutters, distracted by the way you blink up at him through your damp lashes. Tears gather at your lash line, and he can't help but want more. It's a sick thought, but Jeonghan doesn't care much. How could he care when he's balls deep inside of you, feeling like he's about to explode from the way your heat wraps around him so well? He wants to see you cry for him, sob, snivel, all because you can't get enough of his cock. He wants you to cum so hard you see stars and forget about everything but him, him, him. Choi Seungcheol will be the last thing on your mind. 

When Jeonghan lowers himself down onto his elbow, he seals his mouth to yours, kissing you fervently. It's a bruising kiss, teeth digging into lips, tongue rolling together in an alluring dance. After some time, Jeonghan reluctantly pulls back, taking a much-needed breath. He groans at the sight of your lips, all plump and damp with a mixture of his and your spit. "Fuck, baby... you're mine, aren't you?" 

 "Y-Yes, yes!" you babble, vision blurring as more tears fill your eyes. 

"You're gonna let me fill you up? Have your pussy dripping my cum for days so you don't forget who you belong to. You like the sound of that?"

"God, yes, yes..." 

Your thighs are starting to shake, Jeonghan can feel it on his hips. He brings his lips over yours again, not kissing you, just barely letting it brush over yours. He can feel every hot breath you release against his mouth. "Say his name, baby."

"Unghh... Hannie—" 

He snickers. "I said his name, not mine," he says darkly, pecking your lips once. 

You're confused and so goddamn frustrated. You're teetering on the precipice of your orgasm, and he wants to play mind games with you now? "No," you whine, shaking your head. 

"No? Why are you so scared?"

"F-Fuck, please!"

"I won't get mad at you for saying it, princess." His voice has dropped down an octave. It feels like it's seeping into your brain, turning it into mush. 

"C-Can't..." you murmur, drool gathering in your mouth the more Jeonghan splits you open. 

"You can't? Why? Scared you might cum if you say his name? Scared you'll think of him when you cum?"

Your eyes grow wide in alarm. "N-No! I wouldn't do that, oh god, f-fuck..."

"Then say it or you're not cumming," he threatens, grinding harder into you, angling his pelvis just slightly so that it brushes against your clit every time he thrusts in. He watches your eyes roll back, pleasure fogging up your brain. He feels your juices coat his pelvis, splashing over his lower abdomen. Whenever his cock dips in and out, the wet sounds resound throughout the room, and it makes him hiss. "Say it," he repeats, knowing he won't last much longer. 

You frantically shake your head, moans coming out stuttered. "N-No, please don't, I can't...Hannie—"

Jeonghan notes the way you're starting to sound distant. "Say it or I'm leaving you here to cum by yourself."

Your eyes meet his—frazzled, panicked, dazed. "Please, I can't!"

"You wanted me mad, right? This is it, princess. Show some gratitude and say his fucking name."

You're trying hard to read him, to possibly decipher his intentions, but it's so hard when you feel like you're on the verge of passing out from the onslaught of pleasure. You reach one hand down to rake at the skin of his lower back, earning a throaty groan from him, a sound that makes your skin prickle. Your other hand settles on his face, cupping his jaw softly, as if begging him. 

Your eyes roam over his face, taking in his exquisite beauty that always leaves you short of breath. His tousled hair hangs over his forehead, dangling in front of his eyes, dark like pools of obsidian, drawing you into their depth. There's a radiant flush that colours his cheeks, drawing your attention to the contour of his cheekbones and jaw, dusted lightly with sweat, highlighting the sharp features. Then his lips—so inviting and soft, parting with each breath. 

Jeonghan feels almost flattered under the weight of your affectionate stare. He briefly closes his eyes, breathing in through his nose, trying to pull himself together. He tries to push everything out of his mind—your delicious sounds, your intoxicating scent, your warm cunt around his cock. It's your sweet, quiet whine that pulls him out of his reverie. When he locks eyes with you again, he knows there's nothing he can do to delay his impending climax—not when you're looking up at him so tenderly, eyes fixated on him like a moth drawn to a mesmerizing flame.

"I c-cant... Don't make me say his name, p-please..."

Jeonghan swallows hard, one hand curving at the nape of your neck. With his grip he tilts your head up, letting your lips caress his. "Say my name, then. Say my name when you cum. Look at me and show me who you belong to..." 

You cum with a shout of Jeonghan's name, your whole body shaking at the sudden explosion. You squirm in your boyfriend's hold, toes curling over the back of his thighs as the pleasure ravages your whole body, surging through every nerve and every cell. It's numbing and so overwhelming at the same time, every inch of your skin humming with electricity, and every vein feeling like they've been set ablaze. For a moment, nothing else in the world matters except you and Jeonghan, entwined in each other as you lose yourself in the whirlwind of pleasure. 

"Fuck, fuck, should I fill you up, baby?" Jeonghan's voice quivers just slightly. 

The question sends another flood of ecstasy through you, cunt fluttering around his cock a second time. "Yes, yes—"

Your voice is like a siren's call to him, beckoning him, tempting him. Jeonghan is only a man, and he's not immune to a force as powerful as you. He sinks his teeth into your neck as he finally empties himself inside you with a drawn-out groan. Your tight cunt is pulsing so tightly around him, milking him, forcing every drop of cum to spill into you and coat your walls. A rather high-pitched whine escapes his lips as he slumps into you, hips flushed to yours, aching balls slick with the mixture of your release and his. 

You're panting heavily as you wrap your arms around Jeonghan, blinking up at the ceiling blearily, feeling filled to the brim with his cum still in you. Despite having the urge to clean yourself up and get rid of the stickiness between your legs, you lie there for another minute, feeling so content with Jeonghan's weight atop yours and his lips on your neck. Being with him is pure bliss. 

"Jeonghan," you say softly after some time, not wanting to ruin the peace and quiet.

He hums, rolling over to the side to lie on his back, letting his softening cock slip out of you. He pulls you into him with one arm, allowing you to settle half of your body on top of his. He lets out a pleased sigh, one hand grazing over your bare back, fingertips gliding down the dip of your spine. 

Placing a palm on his chest, you rest your chin on the back of your hand, gazing up at him tiredly. He seems to glow so prettily, eyes fluttered shut and a ghost of a smile playing on his lips. Despite the heaviness of your eyelids, you gather your resolve, knowing that you still have something to clarify with him.

Without thinking too much, you mumble Jeonghan's name again and smile when his eyes flutter open to peer down at you drowsily. His free hand comes up to brush back the hair from your eyes. 

"I'm sorry for not letting you know," you mutter, the weight of your guilt just now settling in your heart. If you don't apologise now, the feeling might devour you whole. "I should've told you..."

The hand on your back ceases moving, palm splaying on your upper back, warm against your skin. "Baby, I wasn't really—you know—angry about it. I was a little stumped, sure, but... I trust you. I always trust you."

You shake your head, pulling yourself up slightly to look at him better. "You deserve to be angry. Jeonghan, you should be so angry at me. I should've told you as soon as I got home from that dinner party."

Jeonghan chuckles, much to your dismay. "Okay, then why didn't you?"

"I just... didn't think it was important. I felt like it wasn't anything worth telling you. It's not a good excuse, I know."

"Is Seungcheol important to you?"

Your eyes widen in disbelief, unable to fully grasp what you just heard. "What! No, of course not!"

"Then what's there to apologise about?" Jeonghan says with a snicker. "Did you kiss him at the party? Did he try to make any move on you? Did he seem interested in you?"

"No to all of those. I... I told him I already found someone else," you admit in a quiet voice. 

When Jeonghan smiles at you, it looks somewhat smug. "That's my girl... Besides, it wasn't his face that you were sitting on when you got back home from that party, was it?"

Appalled by Jeonghan's words, you bring your palm down on his chest, smacking him. "You're disgusting, Yoon Jeonghan."

He only laughs, eyes crinkling as he pulls you even closer. "Don't act like you don't love it."

You say nothing, only bringing your head down to rest it on his chest again. His heartbeat is strong against your ear, and his skin feels warm under your cheek. 

"So..." Jeonghan begins. "Round two in the shower?"

He doesn't have to ask twice—you're already off the bed and sauntering towards the bathroom. 

© sweetlemontart — all rights reserved.

[hoshifighting]

Anklet Adorned

Preview: "You like that, don't you?" he says, his voice dripping with arrogance as he resumes his relentless pace. "You like it when I fuck you so hard that even your anklet can't stay quiet." he refers to the charms from the anklet he made for you, making little noises continuously synchronized with his thrusts.

Warnings: Smut, hard slutty smutty hard awesome sex, oral (f. receiving), unprotected sex, squirting, degradation, praising, orgasm denial, multiple orgasms, fingering, messy sex, sloppy, chocking, crying, aftercare, doggy style and etc.

Word Count: 3.7k

This smut was created through a request, thank you anon, I LOVED writing this one! (click here to be sent to the request)

Joshua, with his deft fingers and boundless imagination, had a passion for crafting bracelets. Be it beads or strings, he could weave magic with his hands, creating intricate designs that sparkled with personality.

Every day, Joshua would surprise you with a new bracelet, each one a unique masterpiece that told a story. He'd fill you with joy as he slipped it onto your wrist, his eyes gleaming with pride and love. From vibrant colors to delicate patterns, each bracelet was a reflection of his affection for you.

What made Joshua's gesture even more endearing was his knack for matching the bracelets to your outfits. No matter how last-minute your wardrobe choices were, he always managed to craft a bracelet that perfectly complemented your look. His dedication and attention to detail never ceased to amaze you.

One Friday evening, as you curled up on the couch watching a movie, Joshua sat beside you, his fingers busy at work with his latest bracelet creation. You watched him intently, admiring his skill and dedication as he meticulously threaded beads together, lost in his own little world of creativity.

But then, just when you least expected it, Joshua leaned over and gently slipped something around your ankle. Startled, you looked down to see a delicate anklet adorned with an array of pretty charms dangling from it. Your heart skipped a beat at the unexpected surprise.

"Surprise," Joshua whispered, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes as he admired his handiwork.

You couldn't help but smile, feeling a rush of warmth flood your heart. The anklet was exquisite, a perfect blend of elegance and whimsy, just like Joshua himself. Each charm seemed to hold a story of its own, and you couldn't wait to hear the tale behind this new creation.

Joshua adored the moments when your legs rested gently on his lap, your smooth skin inviting his touch. With tender affection, he would run his fingers along the length of your legs, reveling in the sensation of your warmth beneath his fingertips. But what captivated him most was the anklet adorning your ankle, its delicate charms dancing playfully against your skin.

As your legs lay draped across his lap, Joshua found himself mesmerized by the contrast of the anklet against your skin tone. The intricate charms seemed to come alive with each movement, casting dappled shadows across your legs as they swayed gently to the rhythm of your breathing.

"So, what do you want to do tonight, babe?" You ask.

"Hmm, I can think of a few ideas." Joshua trails his fingers along the curve of your thigh. "Well, we could keep watching this movie..." his hand ventures higher, teasingly brushing against the hem of your shorts, making you shiver at the touch, biting your lip. 

"Or we could find something... more entertaining." you suggest, brushing your thighs together sensually, immediately capturing his attention.

A slow grin spreads across Joshua's lips as he leans in closer, his breath mingling with yours. "I like the sound of that," he murmurs huskily, grabbing your thighs harder.

You find yourself lost in the moment, your breath catching in your throat as Joshua's lips meet yours in a passionate kiss. His tongue dances against yours, igniting a fiery passion that courses through your veins.

Before you realize it, Joshua is already on top of you, his weight pressing you into the soft cushions of the couch. With a gentle yet firm touch, he guides your legs to wrap around his waist, drawing you closer to him in a fervent embrace.

His hand finds its way to your throat, applying a slight pressure that sends shivers down your spine. It's a delicate balance of pleasure and restraint, a silent communication of lust between the two of you.

As you melt into his touch, surrendering yourself to the intoxicating sensation of his lips on yours and his hand on your throat, you feel a surge of desire coursing through your body. 

Desperately, your hands roam over the hems of Joshua's clothing, driven by a need to feel every inch of his skin against yours. With eager fingers, you fumble with buttons and zippers, determined to strip away any barrier between you and Joshua. 

Joshua chuckles at your needy antics, his eyes alight with amusement and desire as he watches you. Sensing your urgency, he reaches behind him, grabbing the hem of his shirt and pulling it over his head in one swift motion.

The sight of his toned torso, bathed in the soft glow of the room, steals your breath away. Muscles ripple beneath smooth skin, evidence of his strength and vitality. You drink in the sight hungrily, your heart racing with anticipation as you marvel at the beauty before you.

With a low grow, Joshua leans down, capturing your lips in a searing kiss, his hands roam over your body, as he undresses you with skillful hands. Garment after garment falls away, discarded to the floor in a heap of forgotten fabric.

Lowering his head to meet your dripping pussy, until his gaze meets yours, Joshua captures the expression of excitement in your eyes. He latches his mouth onto your cunt, and you melt on the cushions. 

As Joshua's warm mouth works its magic on your cunt, sending waves of pleasure coursing through your body, you can't help but surrender to the sensations washing over you. With each flick of his tongue and gentle suckle on your clit, he brings you to the brink of ecstasy, coaxing soft moans of pleasure from your lips.

Driven by an insatiable hunger, you instinctively wrap your legs around his head, pulling him closer as you lose yourself in the rapture of his touch. The charms of your anklet sway rhythmically against his back and he moans, as he feels the weight of your legs around him, Joshua's excitement grows, fueling his desire to please you even more. With a renewed sense of urgency, he redoubles his efforts.

His tongue slipped inside of your cunt, while he sucked you sloppy, you can feel the slick heat of your arousal dripping down your thighs.

As you feel the impending rush of your orgasm building to its peak, Joshua suddenly pulls his mouth away, leaving you panting and desperate for release. Your legs tremble around nothing, aching for the touch that was just tantalizingly close.

You whine in frustration, your body still thrumming with the echoes of pleasure, craving the exquisite release that eludes you. With a glistening chin and a cocky smirk, Joshua looks down at you, reveling in the sight of your desperate desire.

In moments like this, his softness gives way to a confident dominance, his cockiness taking charge as he watches you squirm and beg for more. He loves to see you in this state, your cries and pleads only fueling his desire to push you to the brink of ecstasy and beyond.

With a teasing glint in his eyes, Joshua leans in close, his breath hot against your ear as he whispers words of encouragement and promises of pleasure yet to come. 

"You're so close, aren't you, babe?"

"S-so close!" You protest, your voice tinged with need.

"That's the point," Joshua counters, his tone dripping with confidence. "I want to make you beg for it."

You groan, the ache between your legs growing more intense with each passing second. "Please," you plead, your voice barely above a whisper.

Joshua's smirk widens, his gaze darkening with desire as he watches you squirm beneath him. "That's it, baby," he murmurs, his fingers trailing lightly over your skin. "Beg for me."

You bite your lip, your body trembling with anticipation. "Please," you whisper again, your voice thick with desire. "I need you."

With a satisfied grin, Joshua leans in close, his lips brushing against yours in a teasing kiss. "I know you do," he whispers huskily. "And I'm going to make you feel so good."

"Don't stop now Josh, please…"

Joshua's smirk widens, his confidence palpable as he revels in your neediness. "Oh, I won't stop, sweetheart," he murmurs, his tone dripping with promise. "Tell me how badly you want to come."

You swallow hard, your cheeks flushing with embarrassment and arousal at his command. "I want it so bad," you confess, your voice barely above a whisper. "Please, Joshua, I need to come."

"That's better," he says, his hand trailing teasingly along your thigh. "But not yet. I want to see you beg a little more."

You whine in frustration, but there's no denying the thrill that courses through you at his words. Despite the ache of desire that burns within you, you find yourself craving his dominance, eager to submit to his every whim.

With a wicked gleam in his eyes, Joshua leans in close, his lips brushing against yours in a tantalizing kiss. "You're so beautiful when you beg, you know that?" he murmurs, his voice husky with desire. "I could watch you squirm all night."

Joshua tilts his head, his gaze fixed on the globs of arousal dripping from you. There's a hunger in his eyes, with a slow, deliberate movement, he reaches out, his fingers trailing through the slick wetness between your folds. You shiver at his touch, a low moan escaping your lips as he explores your arousal with a confident, knowing touch.

"You're so wet for me…" Despite the embarrassment that floods your cheeks, there's no denying the raw, primal thrill that courses through you at the sight of Joshua's arousal.

With a confident smirk, he leans in closer, his lips hovering just inches from your ear. "You like it when I make you this wet, don't you?" he whispers, his breath hot against your skin. "You can't get enough of me, can you?"

As you lie there, too aroused to think, Joshua takes control with a firm yet gentle hand. With a deft movement, he turns you around, pressing your chest against the couch while raising your ass up for him to see. You whimper at the sudden change in position, your body trembling with anticipation and need.

"Look at you," he murmurs softly, his voice laced with desire and dominance. "All spread out for me like a good little slut."

His words cut through the haze of desire, sending a shiver down your spine as you feel a rush of heat flood your cheeks. Tears prick at the corners of your eyes, a mixture of embarrassment and arousal overwhelming your senses.

But even as you cry, you can't help but feel a sense of surrender wash over you, knowing that in this moment, Joshua's dominance is all-consuming. His soft degradation only serves to heighten your arousal, the delicate balance of pleasure and pain driving you to the edge of ecstasy.

As your tears wet the fabric of the couch beneath you, Joshua's expression softens, a hint of tenderness in his eyes as he coos at you. "That's it, sweetheart," he whispers, his voice gentle against your ear. "Let it all out for me. You know I love it when you're so responsive."

As Joshua's tip teases your entrance, you can feel your core ache with longing, craving his touch with an intensity that consumes you. Every teasing brush against your slick folds sends a jolt of pleasure coursing through your body, heightening your arousal to dizzying heights.

His words send a shiver down your spine, your core fluttering in anticipation as you feel him slowly entering you. The sensation of him stretching you open, inch by delicious inch, is almost too much to bear, but you revel in the exquisite pleasure that courses through your veins.

With each slow, deliberate thrust, Joshua pushes deeper into you, his cock filling you completely as you cling to the couch beneath you, lost in a haze of ecstasy. Your walls clench around him, eager to be filled with every inch of his length as you surrender yourself completely to the overwhelming sensation of pleasure.

As Joshua fills you completely, you're so tight around him that he can hardly move, every inch of his length enveloped by the delicious warmth of your core.  Joshua almost loses himself in the sensation, his breath hitching at the sheer intensity of your grip. Your eyes roll back in ecstasy, a sight that only serves to fuel his desire further.

"You're so tight, baby," he murmurs, his voice laced with awe and desire as he continues to move within you. "I can barely move... but I love it. I love how you grip me, how you take me so eagerly."

With a hard thrust, Joshua elicits a little sound from you, a soft whimper escaping your lips as he drives into you with unbridled force. But it's not just your reaction that catches his attention—it's the tinkling sound of the anklet adorning your ankle, its charms dancing. With each powerful thrust, the anklet chimes, a sweet melody that fills the room with the rhythm of your pleasure.

"Hmm, what's this?" Joshua muses, his cocky smirk widening as he hears the anklet chime with each of his powerful thrusts. "You like that, don't you?" he says, his voice dripping with arrogance as he resumes his relentless pace. "You like it when I fuck you so hard that even your anklet can't stay quiet."

You can only moan in response, your body writhing beneath him as he continues to slam into you, hitting your g'spot with precision each time. The combination of his cocky demeanor and the relentless stimulation has you teetering on the edge of ecstasy, your moans of pleasure growing louder with each passing moment.

As the knot tightens in your stomach, signaling the imminent arrival of your climax, Joshua senses the impending release building within you. With each thrust, he can feel the tension mounting, your body quivering with the promise of ecstasy.

He glances down, his eyes widening as he notices the telltale sign of your impending orgasm—a white ring forming at the base of his cock where it meets your slick heat. It's a visual confirmation of your impending release, a signal that drives him to push you even further towards the edge.

"I can feel you getting close, baby," Joshua murmurs, his voice husky with desire as he continues to pound into you. "I want you to come for me. I want to feel you clenching around me as you lose yourself in pleasure."

And then, with a guttural cry of release, it happens—the knot in your stomach unravels, sending shockwaves of pleasure cascading through your body. Your walls clench around Joshua's cock, milking him for all he's worth as you ride out the waves of your climax.

With a primal hunger still burning in his eyes, Joshua shifts positions, laying you gently on your back. You gasp as the change in position heightens your anticipation, your body tingling with excitement as you await his next move.

Licking three of his fingers, Joshua smirks down at you before slowly sinking them inside of you. The sensation is electric, sending waves of pleasure coursing through your body as you arch your back in response to the overwhelming sensitivity.

You moan softly as his fingers delve deeper, filling you completely and stretching you to your limits. The wet sounds of your arousal fill the air, mingling with the rhythmic swaying of the anklet adorning your ankle.

Your breath catches in your throat as Joshua curls all three of his fingers inside you, hitting just the right spot that sends a jolt of pleasure coursing through your body. With a high-pitched moan escaping your lips, you arch your back, unable to contain the overwhelming sensation that threatens to consume you.

Joshua smirks triumphantly, his eyes alight with satisfaction as he watches you writhe beneath him, lost in a whirlwind of pleasure. He knows exactly how to push all your buttons, how to drive you wild with need, and he revels in the power he holds over you in this moment.

With one final, powerful thrust of his fingers, Joshua abuses your g'spot relentlessly, driving you over the edge into an explosive climax. You scream in ecstasy as the overwhelming pleasure crashes over you, your body convulsing with the force of your release.

In an uncontrollable surge of pleasure, you squirt, your essence spraying out onto Joshua and the couch beneath you. The sensation is electrifying, sending shockwaves of ecstasy rippling through every fiber of your being as you surrender yourself completely to the overwhelming bliss.

Joshua's eyes widen in surprise and delight as he feels you drenching him with your arousal. He revels in the feeling of your release, knowing that he's the one who pushed you to such dizzying heights of pleasure.

As Joshua feels the arousal surging through him at the sight of you squirting, a wicked idea forms in his mind. He can't help but wonder if you could do it again, this time around his cock. With a primal hunger burning in his eyes, he wastes no time in sliding his length inside you once more.

But as you feel him filling you effortlessly once again, you can't help but cry out, overwhelmed by the intensity of the sensation. "I-I can't take it," you whimper, tears welling up in your eyes as you struggle to accommodate his size.

But Joshua is quick to reassure you, his voice soft but commanding. "Yes, you can, baby," he murmurs, his hands gentle yet firm as he guides you through the discomfort. "You can take it. Trust me."

Joshua's voice is a husky whisper as he leans in close, his breath hot against your ear. "You feel so good, baby," he murmurs, his words sending shivers of pleasure down your spine. "I can feel you stretching open for me again, taking me so eagerly."

Despite the mess of white cream coating your pussy, Joshua's cock throbs inside you, pulsing with desire as he continues to drive himself deeper into your clenching warmth. Each thrust sends shockwaves of pleasure rippling through your body, your senses overwhelmed by the sheer intensity of the sensation.

With each movement, the tightness of your grip around him only serves to heighten Joshua's arousal, driving him to push you even further towards the edge of ecstasy. He revels in the feeling of your slick walls clenching around him, milking him for all he's worth as you both surrender yourselves completely to the overwhelming pleasure that consumes you.

As the intensity of your pleasure peaks, your nails dig deliciously into Joshua's back, leaving marks of desire in their wake. His cock buried deep inside your cunt, you feel every inch of him pulsating with need, driving you closer and closer to the brink of ecstasy.

With each thrust, the anklet around your ankle sounds ever louder, a symphony of pleasure that fills the room as you ride the waves of your climax. Joshua can only moan in response, his own desire reaching a fever pitch as he feels you tightening around him, your walls gripping him with a desperate hunger.

Feeling the spray of your arousal drenching him and the couch beneath you, Joshua's cock throbs with anticipation, the sensation only serving to heighten his arousal. He can't help but groan in pleasure as he feels you cumming around him again.

Your throat is already sore from the screams of ecstasy that have torn from your lips, your hair clinging to your face in sweaty tendrils as you ride out the waves of pleasure crashing over you.

With a guttural groan, Joshua releases himself inside of you, his hot seed filling you completely and adding to the mess already coating your pussy. The sensation of him pulsating within you sends shockwaves of pleasure radiating through your body, driving you to the brink of oblivion once more, your vision turning completely black.

As your vision slowly returns, you find yourself enveloped in soft covers, the lingering haze of pleasure still clouding your mind. Confusion washes over you as you take in your surroundings, realizing that you're now clean and showered, the evidence of your passionate encounter with Joshua washed away.

Just as you begin to wonder how it all happened, Joshua appears suddenly in the doorway of the bedroom, a cloth draped casually over his shoulder. His eyes light up with a warm smile as he takes in the sight of you, peaceful and serene in the aftermath of sex.

"Hey there, sleepyhead," he says with a gentle smile, crossing the room to sit beside you on the bed. "How are you feeling?"

You blink up at him, still trying to process everything that happened. "I... I don't know," you admit, your voice barely above a whisper. "What happened? How did I get here?"

Joshua's smile widens as he reaches out to brush a stray strand of hair from your face. "I took care of you," he explains softly. "After... everything that happened, I wanted to make sure you were okay. So I cleaned you up, gave you a shower, and tucked you into bed."

You smile gratefully at Joshua, feeling a sense of warmth and comfort wash over you at his tender care. "Thank you for taking care of me," you say softly, your voice filled with appreciation.

Joshua returns your smile, his eyes sparkling with affection. "Of course, baby," he replies, his voice gentle. "I'll always be here for you."

Then, he adds with a chuckle, "Oh, and I took care of the couch too. It's all clean now."

Your smile falters for a moment as you gasp, a wave of mortification washing over you as you realize what he's referring to. For a moment, you had forgotten about the mess you made on the couch in the heat of passion.

"Oh no," you exclaim, feeling embarrassed. "I'm so sorry, I completely forgot..."

You feel a rush of relief flood through you as Joshua cuts you off with a reassuring smile, his warm hand squeezing yours gently. "It's all okay," he reassures you, his voice filled with understanding and love.

You let out a sigh of relief, feeling grateful for his understanding and support. "Thank you," you murmur, feeling a weight lift off your shoulders as you relax into his comforting embrace.

But then, Joshua's words catch you off guard, and your cheeks flush with embarrassment as he adds, "And you know what?" he adds, his voice dropping to a husky whisper. "You looked so hot while you squirted."

[catboyieejeno]

seventeen reaction ₊ ༊ ˚｡⋆˚

➸ the seventeen members as boyfriends.

alt title: seventeen are boyfriend coded—that's all.

cw: mentions of food, sfw, cheol's & hao's are suggestive if you squint, they’re all a little long… i was very invested

masterlist

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ seungcheol

talk about a dude who is boyfriend coded fr

if he wakes up at any point during the night and realizes you happened to roll away from him in your sleep, he'll reach out across the sheets in search of your warmth, pulling you tightly into his chest before falling back asleep

and he's pressed into you so, so snugly, trapping you in his hold and tickling your neck with his shallow breaths

if you even attempt to shift away, he'll scold you in a gravelly, slurred voice or hum in protest (even if he's half-asleep) until you stop moving and accept your fate

anything you want, just say the word and it's yours

you mention that you like a specific type of flower? he's getting you a bouquet every week so that your vases are never empty. he overhears you talking about an item you've been wanting? by the very next day, it's yours, in different versions/colors cause he wasn't sure which one you'd like

treats you to frequent date-nights at high-end restaurants because you deserve nothing but the best... and he uh, has a bit of a ulterior motive haha....

these dates are a necessary staple in your relationship because he can't ever get enough of you when you get all dressed up for him

thanks his lucky stars for the patience he's been granted because you look too good and he almost can't wait until after dinner to have his way with you

whenever he kisses your cheek, he practically smashes his lips into you until your cheek is smushed and pushing your eye closed and his nose is digging into your cheekbone

whenever he has an early practice the following day and can't sleep over, he still insists on passing by your place to take you on walk or something where the two of you can catch each other up on your day and spend some time together between his busy schedules

i cannot stress this enough: you will never have to touch a steering wheel ever again

prepare to be passenger prince/princess forever. you will not need to drive anywhere when he's with you bc he insists on taking you everywhere

'hand on your thigh with your hand over his' type of guy

it’s second nature for him to scoop your legs onto his lap when the two of sit together on the couch + he’ll subconsciously start massaging your calves, rubbing at them and squeezing them in his big hands after a long day

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ jeonghan

the type to randomly kiss any bit of your skin that's exposed to him, and his kisses are so light and soft and sweet

on the other hand, he's also the type to bite you

like he'd start by softly nibbling and then his impulsive thoughts will take over and he'll bite you a bit too hard

echoes your "ow!" as if he also got hurt

but he can't watch you scowl or be mad at him for too long so he'll coo at you and apologize while holding your face in his hands (i know you've seen a clip of him going "aigoo" (아이고) when someone falls/gets hurt... it's exactly what he would say —its one of the expressions he uses very often and i can't picture anything else no matter how hard i try)

oh, he's a cheek kisser for sure

that tiny little smile that he does (see here and here for reference)... he'd do it and proceed to smother you with kisses on your cheeks because he's so obsessed with how soft they are

and no, you cannot move until he's completely satisfied and has given you as many kisses as he deems necessary

similarly, get ready to lay around in the morning until he decides he's had a sufficient amount of cuddles from you and can get on with his day

but to be honest, he's insatiable so you very well may end up lying around for an hour or two

during these cuddle sessions, jeonghan clings to you in a hug, hands softly rubbing your arms and traveling over your waist and thighs—it's not even sexual, he's just soaking up the feeling of touching you because it's something he can never get enough of

and if you did the same with him, letting your hands wander, his cheeks might glow a soft pink. that combined with the sleepy look on his face makes him look that much more riveting

he's already so pretty, you didn't think he could get any prettier but he can and he does every single day

and now it's part of your daily routine to hold each other and enjoy the comfortable silence/very light conversation about what dreams you had or what errands you have to run later

it's his absolute favorite way to wake up he literally can never get enough because he's greedy

you'd brush your hands over his shoulders and chest or softly trace his facial features, laughing when you're at his lips and he catches your finger between his lips in a soft bite (that he pairs with a little "aang!" sound effect)

and no because he's literally crazy enough to get mad at you for spoiling him with affection

sends you texts complaining because now, whenever he has to sleep away from you (bc of tour/schedules and whatnot,) he wakes up in a sour mood, missing the smell of you on his sheets and the feeling of your skin on his

and somehow that's your fault

immediately takes it back when you threaten to stop

"fine, jeonghan. i'll just make sure i get up every morning before you and that way, you don't miss me when yo-"

"what, nooooo! how could you even say that to me!"

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ joshua

i'm a supporter and enthusiast of the joshua gentleman agenda

but let me go into detail on what that really means

opens the door for you, pays for your meals, walks on the outside of the side walk,

yeah yeah yeah he does all of that but those are just the basics

joshua is a romantic, okay? this man goes above and beyond make you swoon and to ensure you feel so overwhelmingly loved and cared for all the time

knew from the moment he met you that the best things are worth the wait, so he took his time, romancing you with thoroughly planned out dates where his effort shined through, so that you'd know how much you mean to him from the start

for example: on one date, he took you rollerblading first—he put your skates on for you and strapped up your laces before helping you onto the rink where he'd stroll behind you, patiently waiting for you to gain the confidence to let go of the wall so he can take your hands in his

next, he takes you to the cutest little place that serves your favorite food (he researched it extensively and reserved the table a week and a half in advance)

found that there's a record/vinyl shop next door so you go there, and he gladly listens intently as you rave about your favorite artists and genres and songs

oh, and he's not done.

because finally, you're seated on the hood of his car, star-gazing at the top of a hill with a great view below and the two of you talking just about anything for hours on end and just as you're starting to realize how easy it feels to be around him—he's dropping you off and walking you to your door, leaving a kiss on your hand and leaving you wanting more

be serious. you're telling me you wouldn't fall in love?

fast forward, and he's still the epitome of boyfriend material

brushing your teeth next to each other and looking at one another in the bathroom mirror

skin care nights where he's picking you up so you can sit on the sink

and he's standing in front of you, one hand on your hip, the other smearing some pink goo on your cheeks as he's telling you how pretty you look

and you're so close that he can't help but softly kiss you, so slowly and tenderly until you both pull away and laugh as you realize you look ridiculous with fluffy headbands and face masks on

he holds you so close to his chest at night and will remind you that he loves you during pillow talk

quietly hums a melody when he senses you're beginning to drift off, thumb soothingly swiping your cheek as your eyes flutter shut

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ junhui

definitely does that cheesy thing where he swings your hands between your bodies as you guys are walking

likes coming up to you whenever he hasn't seen you in a bit or you’ve been doing something for a while

and he'll just throw his arms over your shoulders, resting his chin on top of your head and muttering “what are you up to?” in the tiniest voice

pet names, pet names. pet. names.

he might as well have forgotten your real name because to him you are honey or bǎobèi (宝贝) or bǎobǎo (宝宝) or baby or some other nickname he’s come up with during the duration of your relationship

even when he’s mad he doesn’t call you by your name and... you already know his temper’s pretty short... so it’s endearing to see how adamant he is about referring to you strictly as one of the soft nicknames he's assigned to you

so adaptable and mirrors all your emotions, especially if you’re excited about something or feeling a little bouncier than usual, he’s right there with you

also he thinks it's so cute when you happen to get excited about things. he's a sucker for that happy look on your face, so expect a few random gifts or surprises from him just so he can watch your eyes light up

cooks his favorite meals/comfort foods that remind him of home so that you can try them, and would be so proud if you like them

will 100% be so willing and eager to try dishes that are comfort meals for you, too (might even learn to make them just how you like them for days where you're down/sick)

nose kisses!

when he wakes up in the morning all warm and tucked up into your side and he sees the way your tired eyes blink back at him, lashes curling and eyelids heavy with sleep, he’s instantly inching closer and leaving the lightest kisses on the tip of your nose, nuzzling his own nose into your cheek and croaking a very sleepy 'good morning' into your skin

constantly plays with your hair

like, he’s not usually fidgety but if he can’t find anything to do to busy his hands, they’ll find themselves twisting and braiding your locks and it makes chills go down your spine every time

i can very vividly see jun being the kind to want to lay around with you on rainy days/his days off

watching movies, napping, talking for hours— he just loves quality time and being lazy and comfortable in your presence

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ soonyoung

lives and breaths for seeing a smile on your face, and that's not an exaggeration

will drop everything he's doing if there's a pout on your face for even a split second, and he won't stop until he finds out what has upset you

constantly babies you and expects you to baby him, too

if you had a cut or scrape, soonyoung would mirror your pout as he carefully starts cleaning and bandaging your injury

when he's done, he's pressing his lips to it because he insists his kisses have magical healing properties

also insists that your kisses are the same when he's got a cold

so naturally, when you refuse to kiss him in his snotty and sneezy state he's soooo offended

will sass you for approximately 20 minutes and refuses his medicine until he realizes you can still cuddle him

and all of a sudden he's forgiven you and settling for having you hold him instead

but seriously, soonyoung will love you so purely

his kisses are always so eager, hands clinging to your hips to pull you closer to him

if you're apart, he really loves falling asleep on the phone; it makes him feel just a little bit closer to you even when he's so many miles away on tour

and you can bet that when he's away he'll be calling you about every tiny little thing

"hey, i found a new toothpaste that's really good i think we should get this one-"

"hi baby, i just wanted to let you know that i ate the best kimchi jjigae-oh, but it's not better than yours!"

"no, no! you still don't get it. basically, the joke is: i told seungkwan he can't have coffee before a show because-"

if he gets home and you're napping he'll get all giggly and jump in bed beside you

will cuddle up to you so noisily, apologizing profusely if he happens to when he inevitably does wake you up and making it all better by wrapping his limbs around you and nuzzling himself into your neck where he unironically shushes you

"shh! you're too loud! i'm trying to sleep!" and you're looking at him because there's no way he's serious (he is)

this boy is fast asleep before you even start to drift off again

likes laying his head on your stomach so that your nails can rake up and down his back and through his scalp

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ wonwoo

he's careful and thoughtful with just about everything, and that extends to you and how he treats you.

as a boyfriend, wonwoo is so caring and unbelievably considerate of you and your well-being

honestly, he would be able to go the longest without clinging to you, but that's only because he gets his fill of your affection at very specific times and moments throughout the day

the two of you would wake up and get out of bed on your own time, whether the other is awake or not (though you usually wake up around the same time, relatively)

in his case, he'll leave a kiss on your head before heading to the bathroom to brush his teeth and wash his face and stuff

if you got up first, you'd would kiss his bare shoulder and go do the same and once both of you have made the bed, you're ready to start your day

and here, this moment, is one of the times of the day that wonwoo will so lovingly smile down at you, hooking a finger under your chin to tilt your face up

and he'd place, on your soft lips, a kiss so lingering and slow that by the time he pulls away to wish you a good morning, his voice is hoarse and it's not because that's the first thing he's said today

you'd settle on the couch for a quiet morning with tea or coffee and maybe some reading

and, in the evening, as soon as you get out of the shower, he's waiting for you with his arms open in a wordless invitation to finally join him

and so you crawl into his lap, holding his face and kissing him, swallowing every little breath and hushed sound he feeds you as your fingers disappear into his hairline to tug on the strands

would never admit it out loud but god, does he love kissing you

he could do it for hours on end and even then it might not be enough

his proclamations of love are quiet and mumbled against your lips after he's been kissing you for a few minutes straight, both of your lips plump and red and wet

any time you call him handsome or compliment him, you get one of two reactions: he's either shooting the smoothest compliments right back at you, or on the rare occasion that you catch him off guard, you get the pleasure of seeing the tips of his ears go red

a flustered wonwoo is delectable, and you're just about the only person that can elicit this reaction from him

even when the members provoke him or tease him about how infatuated he his with you, he can easily brush their comments off

if you rub his shoulders while he games, you've got him wrapped around your finger. will 100% stop what he's doing to spin around to tend to you, even if you weren't necessarily there to ask for attention

he's immediately smiling at you in that way that he does, ie: ˘ᵕ˘

and grabbing the back of your thighs so that you can't move away

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ jihoon

i just know jihoon would be so good at massages/back rubs

you probably don’t even have to ask for one, either. you’ll just be minding your own business and his warm hands will start tending to your neck and shoulders

would probably tilt your head back with his hands half way through just so he can give you kiss as you gaze up at him

at first, you were a little apprehensive about joining him at the studio, fearing you might distract him from work

and he’d ask you to accompany him on a few occasions, never insisting beyond his first request because he respects that you’ve said no, but if you happen to share your concerns, he's so quick to reassure you

"ah, you should have said something earlier! and here i thought you just weren't interested in my job. i've been wanting to show you what i've been working on for ages!"

when you finally give in... you realize what you’ve been missing out on

there’s just something about seeing him in his element, experimenting with different sounds and techniques

he's so focused and passionate and hard working and so good at what he does that your heart leaps in your chest when you see him !!!

and you’re not distracting him at all! he’s asking for your input and your thoughts and he’s just rambling on about different musical things. even if you’re not a musical person, this is the most you’ve ever seen him talk and it’s completely infatuating to hear him speak about something he loves

loves to fall asleep to your voice

he’ll be wearing the most infectious smile from ear to ear, shivering as your finger draws random shapes on his arm or chest and your honey-like voice lulls him to sleep

i think he’d have to have at least one meal with you every day

quality time is probably a love language that he never really knew he liked until he realized how important it is to him when you guys sit down for a meal together, chatting and appreciating each other's presence

it's really about the simple things with jihoon

would get home from the gym and give you a pop-kiss before hopping in the bathroom for a shower

his gym pump…. that’s all

so, so good at comforting you or just having difficult conversations in general

very good with his words so he knows exactly what you need to hear and how to say it

will forever be willing to talk out your doubts and problems—and although he's not vulnerable too often, he might open up and share his feelings with you because he values your perspective/point of view

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ seokmin

would die a happy man kissing your lips

such a tender, thoughtful kisser; his hands are holding you, drawing you closer to him with each passing second as he loses himself in your embrace

every kiss with him is so full of intention and emotion (cut to that one time he kissed jihoon’s cheek when he was crying, see link 1 and link 2)

and he will kiss you until both of you have to pull away for air, catching your breaths and giggling a bit amidst recovering

an absolute sucker for you playing with or tugging on his hair—not just during a kiss. at any point throughout the day, run your fingers through his locks and his knees will buckle

loves planning exciting dates and outings to take you on because his memories with you are so valuable (arcade games, sunsets at the beach, picnics, mini golf, bowling, etc.) and i don't doubt he'd like matching outfits...

it would be low-key though, like if you wore a blue top and white bottoms, he'd match you with sneakers in the same shade of blue and white t-shirt or something

i picture him wearing the stupidest little smile when he shows his outfit off to you, too

will be taking plenty of pictures to store in an album he has dedicated to you on his phone, and you already know it has some cheesy title

i think seokmin is such a sentimental guy that anything that involves you or reminds him of you in any way holds so much importance in his heart

the type to keep a post-it note you left for him when you stepped out of the house one time to do a grocery run

if you use hair ties he’ll always wear one on his wrist in case you ever need it, and the day you actually do because you forgot yours, he’s so proud that he had it at the ready!

constantly sends you songs/compiles playlists of songs that make him think of you or your relationship

similarly to jun... do not call this man by his name if you don't want to break his heart. he is baby, or babe, or love, or sweet angel, or darling, or pookie, or baby cakes, or literally whichever pet name you like the most—just don't call him seokmin

as a matter of fact, he will not answer to his name. can and will ignore you until you address him appropriately and even then he might still sulk for a bit

is one of the few members that i think would encourage you to build/develop a friendship with the other guys, and there would be no jealousy at all because he enjoys seeing his favorite people getting along

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ mingyu

has to have some form of skin ship with you at all times

he’s gotten so used to it at this point that it’s almost disorienting to not have a hand on your hip, lower back, thigh, knee, or hand

if you’re wearing jeans… mingyu will have his hand tucked into your back pocket

8/10 times he’ll insist on being little spoon or being the one who goes to sleep with his head on your chest and your arms wrapped snuggly around him instead of the other way around

i mean… what even is there to complain about other than the fact that he’d definitely press his cold feet onto yours and pout when you yell at him for it

gives the most addictive, warm hugs where he completely engulfs you, arms wrapped around your shoulders and yours around his middle (bc he’s so tall) and when your cheek presses against his chest you can literally hear how his heart starts beating faster before it ultimately calms down in your embrace

the first time you fell asleep curled up on his lap, mingyu swears his world stopped

he made sure to stay completely still for the entire duration of your nap

his arm fell asleep and his shoulder was slightly sore for like an hour after but that didn’t stop him from insisting this is how you should nap every time

will lay his entire body weight on you with no remorse

or will scoop you up and lay you completely on top of him so he can stare at your pretty face

needs a hello and goodbye kiss every time either of you are leaving/arriving somewhere

not a light sleeper but wakes up as soon as he feels you pull away from him or move to get up because he’s especially clingy when he’s tired

like, if you wake up in the middle of the night to pee, he’s the type to follow you to the bathroom and hold your hand from outside the door because he doesn’t wanna be away from you

and his eyes are still puffy and closed because he’s half asleep

probably stumbles the whole way there and back but he does it every time nonetheless

it takes him significantly longer to fall asleep when he’s away from you

likes sending you mid/post workout pics so please be proud of him bc he’s so eager to take them and send them to you

another man whose gym pump is insane….. brrrrr

loves showing you new songs he’s been listening to and singing the soft ones to you in a low voice, close to your ear where he can easily kiss your neck right after

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ minghao

oh he's so sneaky and slick

despite how many times you insist on him waking you up before he leaves for practice, he literally can't and won't

when he wakes up and sees you all curled up beside him with your eyes half open and your lips parted, his heart aches at the thought of interrupting your rest

so instead, he just slips out stealthily and gets ready without making any noise, constantly peeking over his shoulder if he hears you shuffle around under the covers

before he leaves, he'll plant a small kiss on your cheek and leave you a sweet note on his side of the bed instead of a text so it feels a little more personalized

but if you do stir awake and whine or call out or something because you've noticed he's gone! he's running over!

might even crawl back into bed to hold you until you're asleep again, even if that means he's running a few minutes late now

the type to handmake you things all the time, whether it's a painting or a scarf or a bracelet or a clay mug

and oh, the lazy kisses with this one. oh, my

they start at your lips and whether or not he intends to take it any further, it always escalates a bit because i truly think minghao would just love kissing in general and he may not be able to stop once he starts

he'd like sucking your bottom lip between his (specifically because he gets turned on by he loves how swollen and puffy it is after he pulls away) as his hands disappear into your hairline or under your shirt to bring you closer

he slowly trails down to drag his mouth along your jaw and neck

mind you, this is all while you're both laying in bed, and he's somewhere between hovering above you and cuddling into your side so his warmth and proximity is dizzying

and on days off where he has nothing he'd rather do that indulge himself in you this is favorite way to pass the time

he lets his warm tongue wander freely over your throat, teeth occasionally grazing the skin

long talks as you guys are readying for bed where he caresses your skin and kisses your fingers

always look so deeply into your eyes whenever you're talking

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ seungkwan

seungkwan is your boyfriend, best friend, and biggest headache all in one

conversations with him would be so, so undeniably entertaining

he absolutely loves telling you stories and they're so captivating because he's such a great conversationalist and everything he says is interesting

he'll talk your ear off. you guys would start talking at approximately 8pm, and suddenly the sun has come up and you're still talking ?????

something i think would be very common is bickering

it's always light hearted and never ends in a real argument, but it usually starts when one of you just feels bored and wants to get the other's attention

definitely ends with the victim sulking and pouting and the other having to make it up to them with plenty of kisses and apologies

probably fusses about needing his space to sleep and shoos you away

and by the morning he's completely wrapped around you, snoring softly and peacefully and all you wanna do is kiss his puffy lips because why does he have to be so stubborn all the time

complains if you wanna try his food but he’s always eyeing yours

will do the thing where he opens his mouth for you to feed him a bite and you just have to roll your eyes before giving in

only then will he willingly let you try his

seungkwan's face gets so, so red when you kiss his jaw or neck

he’s ticklish so he’ll gasp or form his lips into an ‘o’ when he feels your mouth there and maybe even start complaining even though he a, doesn't even mean it, and b, is tilting his head up to give you more space

isn’t too affectionate all the time but he does like leaning his head on your shoulder, especially on the couch as you watch a movie

his cheek is pressed into your shoulder blade as he's fidgeting with your fingers

kisses your arm repetitively !!! leaves a bunch of little smooches behind while he’s there

would also kiss your beauty marks/freckles

seungkwan memorizes your orders at restaurants and coffee shops so that he can surprise you with them when he comes over

would love going on walks with you during all the different seasons and talking to you about the changes in the trees and the weather

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ vernon

finds literally anything you say funny

will follow you around the store if you go shopping just carrying what you pick out/would carry your bag or purse for you most of the time

you may have to initiate a lot of the affection at the beginning of the relationship until he gets comfortable with it

it’s not that he gets flustered or anything, he just might not take the initiative at first

but once he does, his go-to is looping his pinky around yours and just holding it in a resting state, regardless of what you’re doing

in the morning, he wakes up before you and just goes on his phone until you wake up

and as soon as he notices you’re awake he’ll tilt the phone to you, showing you a tiktok he found funny

and i just KNOW his brightness is maxed out, too

you guys end up taking accidental naps all the time

he’s in bed on his phone when you come in and when he sees you, he lifts up his arm so that you’ll come and lay with him

and the two of you are just scrolling through videos on his phone until you both somehow fall asleep for the next three hours

your family and friends would absolutely love him :(

kisses with him start off as lazy pecks, lips smacking a few times before one of you gets the urge to deepen it and then his hands are slowly coming up to cup your face or hold your jaw

would also kiss the corner of your lips

favorite cuddling position is the generic ‘your head on his chest’ because when he feels you look up at him he’ll glance down to meet your eyes and pucker his lips to request a kiss

that, or just spooning because he likes curling up into your back for warmth

leaves a kiss on your hair while he’s there

i’m sorry but he WILL fall asleep while you’re talking

he doesn’t mean to but your voice is so soft and nice to listen to that he’ll try resting his eyes and end up up knocking out

vernon carries a picture of you in his wallet

it’s the first picture he remembers deeming as his favorite of you, and he printed a copy of it so he could carry it around when he was traveling or touring

and he doesn’t just have it there for show or for whenever he pulls out his wallet to pay for something

he will frequently pull it out so he can gawk at the picture of you when your time zones are different and he can’t call or text

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ chan

your hand might as well be permanently attached to his because he is always intertwining his fingers with yours

kisses on your knuckles and soft proclamations of love as he ogles you with the softest, most heartsick look on his face

will kiss your temple as his arms wrap around you, one hand coming up to gently caress your cheek

makes such an effort to learn about/show interest in the things that you like

even if he doesn't know anything about it, he will sit and watch you, pondering the techniques out loud as well as other questions he may have

could listen to you talk absolutely forever. literally anything you have to say is automatically the most interesting thing ever

he is 100% whipped for you and he doesn't even care if the other members poke fun at him for it. will never feel even a sliver of embarrassment because what is there to be embarrassed about? he bagged you... that's the biggest win in his book

even if they poke fun at him, they'd never poke fun at you. in fact, the members are so fond of you + they're so grateful that chan has someone like you who makes him so happy

and he knows they love you, which is why he tolerates their jokes

nibbles on your neck in the morning/before bed as he breathes in your scent

always making you laugh. at all times, in both unserious and serious situations, at the best and worst times... ever since you met this boy, you're always laughing

he's so quick witted that even when you guys are arguing about something, he'll end up cracking some wise ass joke and suddenly you're both doubling over, the topic at hand vanishing at once

any and i mean any act of service you do for him will not go unappreciated or unnoticed

you've cooked him a meal or folded his clothes? he's melting, pouting and whining at you because you didn't have to do all that :(

he's just constantly reminded how lucky he is to have you

the most supportive boyfriend ever

also your personal hype man

not only will you always feel so beautiful around him because he makes sure to tell you just how amazing you always look, but any and all doubts you have are gone

with chan, you feel like you can tackle absolutely anything because he gives you so much confidence and reassurance; always knows exactly what to say so that you feel loved and assured

and you figure, if he believes in you that much, there's no reason you shouldn't believe in yourself

⋆ ★

[welcometomyoasis]

Seventeen's reaction to their s/o being in the same variety show as them

Synopsis: When your relationship isn’t public, how would seventeen react when you, their idol s/o, appears in the same variety show as them? Idol! Svt x idol gn! reader | idol au, fluff | 1.1k words | warnings: unsolicited comments | requested by anon A/n: honestly the svt members are already chaotic social butterflies so their behaviour wouldn’t really change? But the heart eyes would be real. Also, thank you anon for requesting my first idol au!! I actually really like idol aus and will prob write more at some point!

Member exe. has stopped working

Seungcheol, Soonyoung, Dokyeom, Mingyu

☘︎ Why are you going to the same variety show as him? Do you want him to combust on the spot? He knows you can’t control which shows your group goes to for promotions, but this is such bad news for them. Sure he loves watching you in your element, talking about your group, the new songs you’ve released, dancing with that passion that he fell in love with. The thing is he loves watching you a bit too much. 

☘︎ During the show, his brain just stops working. Who cares about professionalism? He wants to admire the masterpiece that is you. He’s going to shoot out so many heart eyes at you. He watches with a look that says he is completely enamoured or smitten with you. He is in awe. He definitely would not be able to keep the goofy smile off his face. His mind goes blank. Of course, he would cheer for you as well. Loudly. Very very loudly. He’s just so proud of you. If he was feeling a bit daring, he might even post a selfie that you both took backstage. 

☘︎ The hosts might make a comment or two about how he’s falling in love with you. As long as it’s harmless jabs, you’re both usually okay with it though other members might try to steer the conversation away just to be safe. Still, he’s so obvious that his behaviour towards you is hard to ignore. The comments from the viewers would be full of things like “i want someone to look at me the same way he looks at y/n” or “he’s so in love with y/n i cannot” or “what’s going on in his brain?”

☘︎ Surprisingly, I don’t actually think that there would be much speculation about whether you both are dating. These members can somehow brush off their lovestruck behaviour with a smile. It’s just that these 4 members do always stop functioning at some point anyway? Their chaotic, mindless behaviour and cheering really isn’t that out of the ordinary when you think about it. They might become the butt of some jokes for a while but I feel like this whole thing would pass quickly enough. I guess it pays to be some of the most chaotic members? 

Is there something going on?

Woozi, Junhui, Wonwoo, Dino 

☘︎ Oh these members are in trouble. Unlike those in the previous group, these 4 have rather predictable behaviour when they are on variety shows. Woozi would participate in all the games and discussions but he isn’t the most outgoing. Dino is just Dinoing? Like he’s the baby of the group but he acts very maturely when he’s on variety shows. Junhui and Wonwoo tend to be on the quieter side. 

☘︎ So, when you show up on the same variety show, their behaviour is just too different. Woozi, Junhui and Wonwoo would participate and be much more enthusiastic. Even if they aren’t cheering loudly, they would stare at you with pride and adoration in the same way that they would stare at the rest of the svt members. They also would not hesitate to talk to you or interact with you during the discussion portions of the show. 

☘︎ With Dino, I do see him turning to become more whiny or acting a little less maturely to some extent? He might even instinctively turn towards you when his members tease him, as if he’s seeking reassurance or refuge. Or even if he tries to act the same, he will frequently sneak not so subtle glances at you like a school boy in love. 

☘︎ It’s the freedom and comfort that is seen in your interactions and their behaviour towards you that would definitely make people question if there is something going on? The behaviour would go viral with viewers being split between “he’s just having a weird off day which happens” or “oh they are definitely dating, if not he likes y/n”. Both your weverse lives and social media posts would have so many comments asking about your relationship. The speculation would go around for a while and these members won’t be able to shake the rumours off for a while.

Business as usual

Jeonghan, Joshua, Minghao, Seungkwan, Vernon

☘︎ Of course he’s excited that you will be going on the same variety show as him! He loves watching you but unlike the members in the previous two points, he knows how to hide his reactions better. He’s a professional about it. His opinion is that the best course of action is to act like himself. That way nothing seems out of the ordinary. 

☘︎ Jeonghan will be cheeky as always (no one is spared from his cheating and tricks, not even you). Joshua smiles adoringly at everyone and is a gentleman so he gets a free pass either way. Minghao might be a little more quiet than normal but I see people brushing it off because Minghao isn’t the most outgoing member on variety shows. Seungkwan is a professional host anyway so his interactions with you would appear normal (although his tone and gaze might be a bit softer). Vernon… is just Vernon. He stares blankly, interacts with others normally, and takes frequent sips of water. Whether or not his gaze is fixed on you or not, no one can tell. 

☘︎ On the inside though, he’s squealing at how good you look, how cool you look, how adorable you are. He makes a mental note to give you extra hugs and affection later because watching you makes him fall in love with you all over again. He loves you so much, but at this point when you both aren’t comfortable publicising your relationship, he will do everything in his power to remain professional. He knows you are doing the same. You both want to keep your relationship out of the public eye and the unsolicited comments that come along with it. So for now, he’s content with showering you in love in private. 

☘︎ And just say that he slips up slightly, or if the hosts/ viewers makes any unsolicited comments about the two of you possibly being in a relationship, he will brush them off by saying he’s just being supportive of his fellow idols. He will be very firm about it, and he would make sure that they know not to try and pry into your private lives further. 

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