#so yeah a reminder that my reqs are open...

[itoshiierae]

hii can I req

hate sex with mean!sae (only mean in bed) cus he frustrated

──★ ˙🧷 ̟ !!

ᡣ𐭩 notes: lowkey this is what happens when you date a man with no emotional communication skills and a dangerously hot face 😮‍💨 (not proofread!)

ᡣ𐭩 cw: minors dni, angst, f!reader, rough sex, oral (m!receiving), light choking, mild degradation, emotional tension

you always knew dating someone like sae wouldn’t be easy. he’s not the warmest, or the most expressive. you tried to be understanding, but sometimes it gets frustrating— especially when all you want is a little reassurance, and all he gives you is cold distance.

so you accidentally blurted something you shouldn’t have:

“you’re always so cold… do you even want me, sae?? do you even care?? maybe i should’ve stayed with my ex if i wanted to be treated this way—”

you don’t even know why you said it. maybe it was to hurt him. maybe it was to make him feel something— anything at all. and for a moment it looks like it worked. his mouth twitches, and his eyes darken.

but then he immediately turns away.

he didn’t even bother to yell. just turned and walked away, like you weren’t even worth the effort of a reaction.

and you know how sae is. he’s never good in the heat of the moment. he always needs space; needs to step back, to breathe and process, before he ends up saying something he can’t take back.

so you tell yourself you’ll apologise later, once he’s calmed down. and once you’ve also figured out why you tried to hurt the one person you never wanted to lose.

──★

when he enters your shared bedroom 3 hours later, you immediately stand up.

“sae, about just now… I’m sor—”

“strip. now.”

“…huh??” you blink, caught off guard by the flatness in his voice.

“you wanted me to show you just how much i care, right?” he says slowly, eyes unreadable. “then do it. strip.”

for a second, you think about pushing back—asking why, maybe even telling him no. but then you see the quiet intensity in his stare like he’s already made up his mind. you swallow hard, breath shaky, as you drop your gaze while quietly peeling your clothes off one piece at a time.

the way he’s looking at you right now is icy and distant; weighted with everything he refuses to say. he stands completely still, fists clenched at his sides, teal eyes fixed on you as you peel off each layer of your clothing. the tension in his posture says more than words ever could. he hasn’t even touched you, and yet your heart feels like it’s splintering under the weight of his indifference.

“go on,” he mutters. “show me just how sorry you are.”

you immediately sink to your knees in front of him— lips brushing along the seam of his pants as your trembling fingers fumble with his belt.

you press a kiss just above his zipper before easing it down, pulling his cock free.

and when you finally wrap your mouth around him— he exhales sharply, teal eyes hooded with lust as they drop to watch every desperate movement of your mouth taking him in.

“look at you…” he murmurs, finally running a hand through your hair.

“crying and i haven’t even properly fucked you yet...”

then he tightens his grip suddenly—fist curling at the base of your skull as he pushes your head down, deeper onto his cock. your throat tightens with the stretch, a wet gag catching in your chest as tears prick the corners of your eyes.

“mm—yeah,” he groans, jaw tense. “just like that...”

afterwards, he carries your body and drops you onto the mattress— immediately rips off his shirt without hesitation, then climbs over you with that same cold, unreadable expression.

when he finally pushes his length in, it’s not mercy. it’s a reminder; each thrust measured like he’s making a point you won’t ever forget.

“so… you’re really gonna compare me to your ex??”

he pulls back, just to slam into you harder— mocking you with how calm his voice stays.

“…you knew how i was when we first started dating, you knew i always had trouble opening up,” each thrust feels like a reprimand, like he’s spelling it out for you the only way he knows how.

you reach for his mouth to kiss him, but he immediately turns his head, just to remind you that you haven’t earned that yet.

“no,” he whispers. “you don’t get that yet.”

your body’s trembling, chest too tight, your voice caught somewhere between shame and need, as you try to figure out if you’re angry or just broken open under him.

you try to speak, but the words crumble before they can leave your lips; by now, you’re nothing but a trembling, moaning mess.

then he immediately grabs your chin and forces your gaze to his again.

“aw, you’re shaking… what, your ex never fucked you like this??? yeah, ‘cause he couldn’t.”

his hips snap forward again.

the impact of his thrusts echoes through your ribs—skin slapping against skin, while your breath catches in your throat; your fingers claw at the sheets, desperate to steady yourself as you try to accommodate to his pace.

but he doesn’t pause or soften, he just keeps going like he’s trying to fuck the thought of anyone else out of you.

“s-sae—please… it’s too much, i can’t—” you mumble as your nails dig into his forearm, legs trembling from the sheer intensity of his thrusts.

“ohhh so now it’s too much?? wasn’t too much when you compared me to him,” he sneers dragging his palm down your spine as he pushes into you deeper.

the way he’s moving right now it’s like he’s trying to bury the words you forced out of him. every thrust is brutal, each one bitten off like he’s choking on everything he didn’t say a few hours ago, “go on… tell me again how cold i am.”

“m–sorry, sae, i–i really didn’t mean to….” you gasp, voice splintering as his hips keep slamming into you without pause.

your body quivers under him, already wrecked and overflowing with too much of him and still, he doesn’t stop. his palm slides up your stomach as he wraps around your throat again; almost as if he’s grounding you as he pushes his member in deeper.

“you don’t get to run your mouth and then fall apart the second i give you what you asked for.”

his fingers tighten slightly at your throat. not enough to hurt, but enough to remind you who’s really in control. you’re gasping, trembling, already so full it aches… and still, he doesn’t let up.

he leans down suddenly— grabs your jaw, forces your face up, and kisses you.

his lips crash into yours, hot and punishing as his tongue claims your mouth the same way his body does; deep, ruthless, all laced with frustration and feral need.

and when he finally pulls away, you’re left dazed and breathless.

“sooo…” he mutters, thumb brushing your swollen bottom lip. “do i still feel cold to you now?? don’t ever compare me to your fucking ex again.”

© itoshiierae 2025 𐙚 ‧₊˚ ⋅ please do not modify or repost my content onto any other platforms.

[jjonqseob]

hi!!! <3

can i ask a request?

i was thinking of a scenario with san, seonghwa or yeosang based on that clairo song called juna when she sings “you make me wanna go dance… you make wanna try on feminine… you make me wanna go buy a new dress… you make me wanna slipped of a new dress…” which I think it’s so sweet <3

thanks :)

you make me...

pairing: seonghwa & f!reader

summary: just hwa making u feel beautiful and being the best bf ever.

genre: fluff, romance, comfort, slightly suggestive.

tws: established relationship, insecurity, internalized shame

author's note: first time writing fluff stuff, i tried my best!!! it's my first time writing a req and also writing something based on a song, i hope u like it anon! and i also hope i have captured at least some of the essence of the song! sorry if it's too short tho. tysm for your request anon! enjoy :3

word count: 609

you were never a very open person, all because of the fear of what people would say, which your closest friends always said didn't matter, that you should express yourself as you are, but you never had the courage to do it.

at least until you met seonghwa, he was... as cheesy as it sounds, your safe place. he made you feel so loved, wanted, appreciated, beautiful... and above all, confident.

the more you started dating, the more your true tastes slowly blossomed, and he was always there, encouraging you and reminding you how precious you are.

currently, you were both at the mall. you had asked him to accompany you, and like the lovely person he is, he obviously said yes.

you were standing in the fitting room, looking at every detail of the dress you were trying on. the dress was... beautiful, but you'd never worn anything like that before. it was completely out of your comfort zone, and...

“everything okay in there, love?” seonghwa's voice interrupted your thoughts. you shook your head, trying to not overthink more about a simple dress.

“yeah... everything's okay.” your answer didn't reassure him at all. he knew you perfectly after all.

“come on, let me see you, okay?” god... how could you refuse when his voice was like a caress to your ears?

you opened the fitting room door slowly, finally revealing the beautiful silk dress you had chosen. seonghwa's expression changed, his face lit up, and he felt like his heart stopped.

the silence was killing you. did you look bad? the dress had been too much, hadn't it? you should have chosen something else. you shouldn't have asked him to come with you. you looked strange, didn't you?

“you're the prettiest thing I've ever seen...” you looked up at him, surprised.

and he was just looking at you with that silly, lovelorn face you loved to see.

“wait, really? don't you think it's...” he didn't even let you finish. he interrupted you with a quick but tender kiss, which made you giggle.

“love, it fits you like a glove, seriously. you look radiant, beautiful, gorgeous... i think i even need to sit down to recover.” you couldn't help but smile as you watched how seonghwa placed a hand over his chest dramatically.

“don't i look weird?” you asked hesitantly.

“weird? why? you look beautiful, my darling. so, no, you don't look weird at all.” seonghwa cradled your face, kissing your forehead, then took one of your hands and made you do a little spin, making the skirt of the dress move, what made you giggle once again. “you look like a princess.”

“i... i wasn't sure about all of this...” you started, pointing at the dress before taking a deep breath and continuing. "but you... with you, there's no pretending. you make me wanna try on feminine, you make me wanna go buy a new dress, you make me wanna slip off a new dress.”

seonghwa was silent for a second, his expression half awe, half adoration. then, leaning a little closer, he whispered to you with a smile on his lips:

“so let me be the happiest man in the world and help you try on a thousand dresses... and take them off too, if you let me.” his voice was soft, with that charming and mischievous tone that only he knew how to use with you. “but only if you let me tell you a thousand more times how beautiful you are.” he caressed your cheek and added with a smile: “i'd buy you a whole wardrobe if it meant seeing you this happy, love.”

[cosmoskelpie]

[fiastomatocheek]

IT’S OKAY, YOU’RE STILL LEARNING

requested: yes | req: dad!luke and reader cuddling after putting their daughter down for bed. she’s not even down for five minutes before she comes padding down the hall and into her parents’ room to snuggle and sleepily yap at them 🥹🥹

pair: dad!luke hughes x f!reader

genre: domestic fluff, family, comfort, emotional softness.

warnings: emotional vulnerability, sweet tears, bedtime softness, mentions of parenthood anxiety.

summary: after putting lucy to bed, you and luke cuddle up for a quiet night, but lucy isn't asleep for long-padding softly into your room in her universe star pajamas, bunny in tow. nestled between you both, she shares sleepy thoughts about love, pride, and what it means to be a family. her words innocent, tender, and full of understanding-remind luke and you just how deeply she's watching, learning, and loving.

fia’s note: this idea came to me right after yesterday’s dad!luke fic, i just imagined luce slowly developing this little habit where, instead of asking for bedtime stories, she always wants to hear stories about you and luke. she thinks those are way more fun, and her curiosity just grows with every story you and luke tell. even though the memories happened before she was born, she listens with so much joy, like she’s getting a glimpse into something magical. maybe that’s why she loves it so much because hearing how her mommy and daddy met, fell in love, and built a life together makes her feel like she’s part of that love story too.

tagging team fia ! — @iloveyoutodeathbutimdrowning @dancerbailey3 @mashmashi @hopefulsuitcasemoneyzonk @kell9rs @alwaysclassyeagle @nokiaholland @macka @silvenyy @bd147ms

fia’s masterlist | join fia’s taglist | yap & fic | mondays with fia

“Luce go down okay?” you asked.

Luke nodded, nose brushing your hair.

“Yeah. Said she wanted to count the stars on her jammies before sleeping. Got to ten before she passed out.”

“She’s been getting so curious lately. We had a little heart-to-heart today, Mommy and Luce talk. Said when she grows up, she wants someone who looks at her with ‘blink-blink eyes.’ Like her Snoopy does.”

Luke chuckled, shoulders shaking.

“That’s terrifying and adorable. Mostly terrifying.”

You tilted your head to look up at him.

“She said she wants someone like you, Snoopy.”

Before Luke could respond, the softest knock pattered against the bedroom door.

Tap tap.

Both of you paused.

The door open slowly, and a little figure appeared. Lucy.

She was in her favorite navy-blue pajama set covered in white stars, hair messy from her pillow, her bunny clutched tight under one arm.

“She’s doing it again,” Luke whispered like it was a secret.

“She’s doing it again,” you whispered back, smiling.

Lucy padded across the floor, climbed up onto the bed, and wedged herself between the two of you like it was the most natural thing in the world. She let out a deep sigh as her little body melted into the mattress.

For a moment, you thought she’d drifted off right away. But then

“…Mommy,” she mumbled in her raspy, sleepy voice. “Snoopy.”

Luke tilted his head toward her, voice gentle.

“Yeah, baby?”

Lucy didn’t open her eyes.

“I was so proud of Mommy. She’s the best Mommy in the world.”

You felt your throat catch as you brushed hair from her forehead.

“Oh, Luce…”

“Snoopy,” Lucy whispered again.

“Are you proud of Mommy too?”

Luke leaned in. “So proud, Luce. I’m proud everyday. Mommy’s the bravest, strongest, funniest person I know. She’s always been here, even when Snoopy wasn’t sure what he was doing.”

Lucy was quiet for a second, then added, “I’m proud of you too, Snoopy. You’re the best Daddy ever. You always got time for me and Mommy.”

Your heart clenched. You couldn’t believe how much love could live in such a tiny voice.

Then she looked at Luke, blinking slowly.

“But… sometimes you’re sad, right?”

Luke looked surprised. “Sad?”

Lucy nodded. “Yeah. Sometimes, when I’m supposed to be sleeping… you come into my room really quiet. You think I’m asleep, but I hear you, Snoopy.” She paused.

“You say sorry. You tell me you hope I forgive you ‘cause you’re still learning to be a daddy.”

Luke’s lips parted slightly.

“I didn’t know you were awake for that,” he said quietly.

“It’s okay,” Lucy whispered.

“Not everyone gets it right the first time. I know you try. And I love you even when you think you’re not the best. But you are. My best Daddy.”

You reached for Luke’s hand beneath the covers and squeezed it.

“And Mommy…” Lucy turned to you now, shifting her bunny.

“Thank you for being my Mommy. I’m so glad you’re my Mommy.”

You smiled, warmth flooding through you.

“Thank you for being my little girl, Luce. You’re the brightest part of my whole world.”

“I think… when Snoopy met me, he was… happy?” she asked sleepily.

Luke responded instantly.

“So happy. You have no idea. Before you were born, I carried around a picture of you, when you were just a little peanut in Mommy’s belly. I showed everyone. Even fans. When you were born, I cried. Real tears. And you know how rare that is.”

Lucy giggled weakly. “Yeah. You’re the strong one. Mommy’s the soft one.”

“And together, we’re your team,” you added.

Lucy blinked slowly, her eyes fluttering.

“I think maybe I didn’t know who you were… when I was born,” she said, voice fading, “but I think I was happy too. ‘Cause I got the best parents. I’m so proud…”

Her sentence trailed off as her breathing evened out and sleep overtook her once again.

You and Luke lay in silence for a moment, each of you staring at the ceiling, hearts pounding from the weight of the moment.

Luke finally broke it.

“She’s smarter than me,” he whispered.

“She’s definitely your daughter though,” you whispered back, turning to kiss his cheek.

“Heart too big.”

“She listens more than I realized,” Luke said, staring down at her.

“I used to think… if I didn’t do everything perfectly, I’d let her down. But she already sees me trying.”

“She does. And she loves you even harder for it.”

He let out a shaky breath and reached across Lucy’s little sleeping form to tuck a piece of your hair behind your ear.

“You were right about this. About all of this. Family. Love. Blink-blink eyes.”

You smiled sleepily. “I always am, Snoopy.”

[anothertimdrakestan]

living with the batboys headcanons!

req: begging on my hands and knees for what it's like moving into an apartment w/ the batboys/yj boys. like just gimme all the domestic fluff you can think of and all the things they'd be annoying abt yk

jason:

- he would be sooo annoying just wanting to sleep on the floor and leave everything behind

- "all we need is each other! let's forget the world babe!" to which you'd remind him "jace you literally have no clothes here and i'm not letting you spoon me on the wooden floor, i need a bed!!"

- begrudgingly, your strong man would move the boxes and happily hang any high-up decorations

- under your supervision, the apartment would become beautiful

- jace would put little locks on the windows so he could crawl in at any time of night, and his red hood gear would probably be strewn around until you put it back in the closet

- friends would come over and say "love what you've done with the place" to you, and give jason a thumbs up for trying

- he'd also bolt the bed to the wall so it doesn't shake when you- you know. yeah. it's jason todd after all.

tim:

- mr. gadget definitely has a techy house, the type where you can turn the lights on with your phone and set the AC from bed

- he's be sure to get a penthouse with a view and a grass balcony. he knew how you'd always wanted a pet and somewhere breathtaking to read, while gotham isn't the most beautiful, an ocean view would do!

- he never wants to stress you out, so he'd take it upon himself to schedule movers and place furniture in the ideal style

- he'd happily push the giant IKEA cart around if it meant he got to watch you skip through the store happily pointing at the things that would make your apartment a home

- champagne and a small get together once everything was finished, he'd be unable to look at you without a little tear in his eye, he never though the universe would grace him with your warmth, he'd buy you a million more houses if it meant you'd be calling his arms your home

- after long vigilante nights he gets a little too excited guessing where you'll be in the home, watching tv on the couch, curled up in bed, trying another internet recipe- he still gets butterflies when he opens the door and smells you in the air, and his heart skips a beat when you give him the first smile of the day in the morning

- though everything was moved in efficiently, you two still take trips to art galleries and farmers markets, looking for local treasures to bring home

- when you're at a wayne ent. gala tim waits excitedly for you to say "ready to go home?" because finally, home means being together

dick:

- richard asked you way too soon to move in

- you accepted because you needed your goofball around as much as possible

- with a rented u-haul and a dream you carried your stuff together. left airpod in his ear right in yours. showtunes, rap, and pop blasting at all times

- once the apartment was passable, you both slumped into chairs with bowls of cereal

- dick was excited to invite his family over to see the new place and you couldn't help but agree

- the family had a move-in party where everyone helps unpack the final pieces

- now looking at the mantle makes you think of roy, the animal-centric artwork of damian, new computer set up had to be tim, and the beautiful silk sheets and candles in the bedroom had to be dick himself. jason did leave a half drunk bottle of brandy though which was as warm a welcome gift as you expected

- for you and dick, it was home because the people you loved were there. it was rare to get time alone, but that's how you both preferred it, wrapped in the presence of the people you care about

- they say home is where the heart is, and your heart has never been more full than it was curled up in bed with dick, watching the batboys rip each other apart- hey everyone has their own definition of peace!

damian

- damian, when he's paying attention and not thinking about one of his many pets, is scarily good at reading your mind

- the minute you started thinking "this commute is awfully long" and "wouldn't it just be better if we were in the same home?" he was signing the lease to your new dream home

- full of natural light for both of your art work and ample room for the few pets that would move with you, it was perfect

- except the "art of surprise" excited dami so much he forget to ask if you were ok with moving

- you came home to an empty room and though you were robbed

- technically you were? but ii was worth it when damian unveiled his master plan

- with a little tweaking and a few target trips, everything was perfect, and like the gentleman he was, he there would always be a driver parked outside to take you wherever you wished to go

- dami couldn't contain his excitement that you both got to create daily schedules that revolved each other, dog walks in the morning, gossiping over lunch, and exploring the city together at night. even when you went out alone, he would insist he couldn't sleep until you were at home in his arms

- though you would protest, secretly you were the same way. nighttime routines just weren't the same without those green eyes staring lovingly at your every move

[fuddaround]

COMFORT › paige bueckers x fem!reader

⌗ summary : after going out for the first time with paige and her new teammates jealousy takes over only for it to be too much.

⌗ warnings : jealousy, possessiveness, cunnilingus, mentions of alcohol, mentions of previous toxic boyfriend, fingering, strap, fluff at the end

⌗ req

⌗ kay’s notes : i hope this is good for your req!! and again im so sorry it took forever to get done i honestly just kept getting stuck on the beginning 😭😭

you barely get the door closed before she’s on you. her lips crash into yours, hungry and wild, like she’s been holding back all night. like the way the team wouldn’t stop making you laugh or how dijonai kept touching your arm set something off in her.

you stumble backwards, breath hitching as your back hits the wall. her hands are on your waist, then your thighs, then under your dress. she’s not being mean—just desperate. needy.

“you’re mine,” she mutters against your mouth, like a prayer.

your head spins, still tipsy from the drinks but mostly from her. from the way she’s looking at you like you’re the only thing in the room.

“you let them flirt with you like that?” she mumbles, lips trailing down your jaw. “right in front of me?”

you want to say something—say it wasn’t like that, that you didn’t even notice—but then her fingers hook into your panties and all that comes out is a shaky breath.

she lifts you up like it’s nothing. carries you to the couch like she’s done it a hundred times, even though this is your first night out together in dallas. her first week here.

you whimper when she lays you down and she smirks, eyes dark.

“gonna remind you who you belong to.”

you nod. you’re let her.

she doesn’t waste time. spreads your thighs so wide they shake. drops to her knees like she’s worshiping you, but her grip on your hips says something meaner. says you’re not going anywhere.

“look at this fuckin’ pussy,” she groans, running her tongue through you slow just to hear you gasp. “so wet and messy, all from me, huh? just from me.”

you nod frantically, eyes already glassy.

her tongue gets greedy. sloppy. she’s not careful and she’s not trying to be. she sucks your clit like she owns it. spits on it and rubs it in with her thumb, fast and rough.

“don’t hide it, mama,” she growls into you. “you were lettin’ them touch you all night, now you better fuckin’ moan for me.”

your hands fly to her hair and she loves that. lets you pull. yanks you back down when you try to squirm away.

“nuh-uh. take it, baby. take all of it. be a good girl f’me.”

she smacks your thigh. hard. and again when you whine too loud.

“shut up. all that cryin’ and you’re still fuckin’ dripping. you like it when i ruin you, don’t you?”

you nod again, almost dizzy from the pressure.

she laughs, low and dark.

“yeah you do. fuckin’ whore.”

she slides two fingers in without warning and your back arches off the couch.

“ride ‘em.”

you stare down at her, breathless.

“i said ride my fuckin’ fingers, ma. be a big girl.”

you do it. shakily at first, but then her free hand grips your hip and helps you grind. helps you take her deeper, harder.

her tongue’s back on your clit and that’s what undoes you.

you come on her fingers with a scream that barely sounds human, thighs clamping around her head. she keeps going. licks it up like she’s starving.

you try to push her away and she growls.

“nah. i ain’t done with this pussy, not even close.”

she doesn’t stop until you’re crying. trembling. pulling at her hair like you’re begging.

and even then—she just pulls back, eyes wild, mouth soaked, and mutters, “that’s my baby. so fuckin’ pretty when you break.”

she disappears for a second. your chest’s still heaving, legs useless, and then she’s back—standing over you, black strap already buckled low on her hips like she was waiting for a reason.

“open.”

you blink up at her, dazed.

“open your fuckin’ mouth, ma.”

you do. because of course you do.

she grips your hair and slides the tip over your lips, slow at first, letting it tap your tongue.

“this what you wanted? huh? all night lettin’ them look at you like that, dressin’ like a slut. this what you were askin’ for?”

she slides in deeper, watching your throat bob as she rocks her hips just enough to make your eyes water.

“fuckin’ knew it. knew you liked being used.”

her grip on your hair tightens. she starts thrusting harder, the strap hitting the back of your throat with each roll of her hips.

you gag once—she pulls back. not out. just enough to make you breathe.

“you’re takin’ it. my girl’s good f’me, right? you can take it, baby.”

she’s grinning now. watching drool drip down your chin like it’s the hottest thing she’s ever seen.

“messy little thing. look at you.”

she fucks your mouth rough until your jaw aches and your hands are clawing at her thighs, needing something to hold onto.

when she finally pulls out, your lips are swollen and wet, and she grabs your face in both hands.

“get your ass up.”

you try—your legs barely work.

she doesn’t care. manhandles you until you’re bent over the couch, cheek pressed to the cushion, legs spread.

“don’t run from it,” she growls, lining up behind you.

then she shoves it in.

rough. fast. deep.

you cry out, body jolting forward, and she just growls low in your ear.

“you’re gonna take every inch, mama. i don’t give a fuck if it’s too much.”

her hand wraps around your throat, pulling you back into her.

“you earned this.”

her hips slap against you, the sound loud and wet and constant.

you don’t know where you end and she begins.

you’re dizzy. spent. and she’s still fucking you like she’s got something to prove. that you’re hers.

her grip stays brutal. one hand buried in your hair, yanking your head back so your neck arches perfect for her. the other smacks your ass hard—once, twice, until you gasp and jolt forward.

“stop fucking running from me.”

she yanks you back by your hips, deeper this time. the strap punches into you so hard your knees give out.

“stand the fuck up. take it like you want it.”

your hands shake as you try to push up. try to be good.

“so fuckin’ pathetic,” she hisses in your ear, voice low and breathless. “can’t even take my dick right. after all that showin’ off at the bar? you were begging for this.”

she’s sweating. thrusts coming faster, rougher, meaner. like she’s trying to fuck the jealousy out of her system.

“who do you belong to?”

you barely whisper it.

“you.”

she slaps your ass again, harder.

“nah, louder. say it like you fuckin’ mean it.”

your throat works, but the sound barely comes out. you’re too far gone—used, sore, overstimulated, your eyes wet and your body limp.

she doesn’t notice.

“fuckin’ dumb baby. can’t speak now? can’t talk with my dick in you, huh?”

her hand wraps around your throat again and squeezes, just enough to hold you still.

“don’t go quiet on me now, ma. you wanted this. you wanted to be ruined.”

she’s breathing hard, hips still snapping into you, pace cruel.

“look at this pussy. so sloppy. so easy. so fuckin’ mine.”

you blink slow. your hands slip on the couch.

she’s too caught up in it. too wrapped up in claiming you, in chasing something primal and jealous and possessive that’s been burning since you stepped out in that tight little dress.

since she saw the way they looked at you.

since she realized how badly she needed to remind you that you were her girlfriend, not theirs.

she finally pulls out, grabbing you by the waist and flipping you over like you weigh nothing.

your back hits the cushions, legs falling open, chest rising and falling fast—but still too quiet.

she’s too far gone.

“look at you,” she spits, eyes locked on your soaked thighs. “fuckin’ wrecked. and i’m not even close to done.”

she lines up again, grabbing your thighs and pushing them back until your knees are almost to your chest. then she slams in deep.

you whimper—barely.

“you feel that?” she growls, leaning over you, one hand on your tit, squeezing rough. “that’s mine. this is mine.”

she leans in and spits on your chest. rubs it into your nipple with her palm like she’s trying to mark you up even more.

you don’t moan. don’t cry out. just breathe hard and look up at her with glassy eyes.

she doesn’t catch it.

her other hand drops to your clit, rubbing fast and hard, her strap pounding into you with every thrust.

“you better cum again, baby,” she bites out, her voice ragged. “i wanna feel you fuckin’ fall apart around me. cry for it. go on—cry.”

she grabs your face. slaps your cheek. not hard enough to hurt, just enough to try to get your attention.

but you don’t react.

and that’s the first second her brain stutters.

her hand slows. her hips falter.

“ma?”

your eyes are still open. your mouth parted. you’re still taking it, but something in you isn’t there.

you’re not whining. not squirming. not begging.

just quiet.

too quiet.

her heart drops in worry.

“baby?”

she freezes. pulls out immediately, the strap wet and dripping between your legs, her hands flying to your face.

“shit—shit. baby. baby, look at me.”

you blink slow. lips trembling.

“paige…”

her whole body goes still.

“fuck. fuck, i’m so sorry—are you okay? fuck, what did i do?”

her voice cracks. her hands shake.

“talk to me, baby. please. please say something.”

she’s off you in a second. strap hitting the floor with a dull thud. her hands are all over you now, but gentle—so gentle, like she’s scared you’ll shatter if she touches you wrong again.

“baby. hey. hey, breathe with me, okay? i’ve got you.”

her voice is shaking. she cups your face with both hands, wipes at your tears with her thumbs even though they just keep coming.

you try to speak but nothing really comes out. your throat’s too tight.

“oh my God.” she presses her forehead to yours. “i’m so sorry. fuck, i didn’t know—i didn’t see it.”

you nod a little, but you’re still curled in on yourself. still shaking.

“i pushed too far. i didn’t check. i should’ve checked, mama.”

she’s crying now too. just quiet, broken breaths.

“you didn’t even say stop,” you whisper, voice hoarse.

she freezes. looks down at you like her heart just split in two.

“because you didn’t think it’d matter?”

you nod again.

her whole body folds over yours, arms wrapping around you like a blanket.

“it matters. it matters so fucking much. you matter. God, baby, i’m so fucking sorry.”

you bury your face in her neck and she rocks you, slow. holding you like you’re the most fragile thing in the world.

“you’re not him, it’s okay,” you murmur, barely audible.

her arms tighten.

“i know. but i acted like i was. i wasn’t thinking. i got jealous and lost in it and i hurt you, and i hate that.”

she kisses your forehead. your temple. your cheeks.

“you should’ve been able to tell me. and i should’ve seen it. i swear to God, it’ll never happen again.”

you’re still crying, but you don’t feel scared anymore. just cracked open. raw. but safe now.

“can i clean you up?” she whispers. “get you water, put you in the shower, anything you want. just let me take care of you.”

you nod.

“stay close though?”

her face softens in this heartbreaking kind of way.

“i’m not goin’ anywhere, mama, not a chance.”

she kisses you again, softer than she’s ever touched you before.

she helps you to the bathroom like you’re made of glass, one arm around your waist, the other holding your hand tight. the lights stay low, her shirt still on the floor where she dropped it earlier. everything’s quiet but warm.

she turns on the water, checks the temperature three times.

“not too hot, not too cold,” she murmurs. “we’re goin’ full goldilocks in here.”

you let out the tiniest snort through your nose, and her eyes light up like it’s the biggest win of her life.

“oh shit—was that a giggle? from my girl? say less, imma start doin’ a stand-up routine in here.”

you shake your head, wiping your eyes, and she presses a kiss to your temple.

“i’m serious,” she says, lifting your shirt over your head with careful fingers. “i’ll do impressions. dance. sing. whatever it takes to make you smile again.”

“yeah you can’t sing,” you mumble.

she gasps, dramatically offended.

“rude. i’m basically the next beyoncé.”

you let out a real laugh this time, soft and small, and she just melts.

she gets you in the shower and steps in with you, because she doesn’t wanna leave your side for even a second. she grabs your favorite body wash and lathers it slow over your shoulders and back, gentle as hell.

“see?” she murmurs against your neck. “good girls get the spa treatment.”

you lean into her, finally relaxing, and she wraps both arms around you from behind. her chin rests on your shoulder, and you just stand there together under the spray.

“you know you can tell me anything, right?” she whispers. “even if it’s scary. even if it’s hard. i’ll listen. i wanna listen.”

you nod, and she kisses your shoulder.

“and if anybody ever made you feel like your voice didn’t matter,” she says quietly, “i’ll spend the rest of my life proving them wrong.”

you blink fast, heart aching in a softer way now.

“okay,” you whisper. “i know.”

she holds you tighter.

“we’re gonna be okay,” she promises. “and i’m gonna keep makin’ you laugh. even if i gotta sing off-key or do a little ass dance in this shower. whatever you need, mama.”

you glance back at her, smile faint but real.

“you better dance, then.”

her eyes go wide.

“say less.”

she immediately starts moving, slipping a little, doing the ugliest shimmy you’ve ever seen, and you laugh so hard you almost fall into her.

she catches you, grinning.

“there she is.”

after the shower, she wraps you in the fluffiest towel she owns. “gonna start a petition to make you a national treasure,” she mumbles, kissing your damp forehead between gentle pats. “i’ll get signatures from the whole w. even sabrina.”

“that’s serious,” you whisper, and she grins.

“deadass. you think i’m playin’?”

she leads you back to bed after getting you both dressed like it’s some sacred thing. pulls back the covers, lets you climb in first. everything smells like her. clean laundry, vanilla lotion, the faint trace of her cologne clinging to the pillows.

she crawls in behind you and tugs you into her chest. doesn’t even hesitate.

arms locked around your waist, legs tangled with yours. her body heat wrapping around you like a promise.

you melt into her, letting her hold all your weight.

“feel okay?” she whispers against your temple.

you nod.

“still sore,” you admit.

she tenses for half a second, then exhales, kissing your hair.

“i hate that i did that to you.”

“you didn’t mean to.”

“still.” her voice breaks a little. “i should’ve known. i should’ve seen it.”

you turn in her arms to face her, nose brushing hers.

“you saw it when it counted.”

she closes her eyes. rests her forehead against yours.

“i swear to God, baby,” she breathes, “next time i’ll be better. i’ll listen. i’ll slow down. we’ll go at your pace, no matter what it is.”

you nod, fingers sliding under the hem of her shirt. just touching. grounding.

“thank you.”

she opens her eyes again, blinking slow.

“you’re so good, you know that? like, so fucking good. not just in bed or whatever. just you..”

you smile, barely.

“you make it easier to be.”

she makes this soft sound in the back of her throat. then she’s kissing you again—slow and long and quiet.

nothing rushed. nothing greedy. just her lips on yours like she’s saying sorry, and thank you, and i love you all in one.

“can i rub your thighs? or your back?” she asks once you’re tucked under her chin again. “just wanna make you feel good.”

“you don’t have to ask,” you murmur, eyes already fluttering.

she reaches for the lotion on her nightstand without even shifting you off her chest. warms it up in her palms first, then starts rubbing gentle circles into your thighs. over every sore spot, every place she’d left too much of herself behind.

“there we go,” she whispers. “my girl. my pretty baby. all safe now.”

you hum. let your eyes fall shut.

“stay here,” you mumble.

she smiles.

“it’s my apartment, silly.”

you both giggle, getting closer together.

she keeps touching you until your breathing evens out, until you fall asleep in her arms, skin still damp, heart still soft, body finally at peace.

and even after that, she stays wide awake.

watching over you.

holding you like she’ll never let go.

© fuddaround ౨ৎ @daffodil-darlings

[neeeooon]

heyyy can I request bllk guys with a s/o who's like nagi? like they're lazy, dependent on them like nagi relies on reo etc.

I would prefer if you do the Itoshi's, Reo, Barou, Kunigami and Oliver. Thank you <3

yesss i love nagi idc idc TY FOR THE REQ!!

when you’re lazy

bf bllk x nagi!reader. some are lowk toxic

itoshi sae

-> he is not amused

-> sae’s life is very go, go, go. he has to be active often to keep in shape for his career, and though he typically likes doing that stuff alone, it can be a bit frustrating when you never entertain the idea of joining him

-> “y/n.” “hm?” “have you moved since i left this morning?” “yeah.” “cause i’ve been at practice for fourteen hours, and you’re in the same spot you were when i said goodbye.” “whatever. g’night.”

itoshi rin

-> “you’re being lazy.” “y’know, that google guy said he hires lazy people ‘cause he knows they’ll get the job done faster.” “… you don’t have a job.” “below the belt, itoshi.”

-> despite how much you hate it, you’ll go with him when he invites you to games or spontaneous trips to museums. you might drag your feet after ten minutes, but you keep your complains to a minimum when you’re with rin

-> however, the days where you do nothing but spend time together are your favorite. you don’t need anything but his presence to feel content, lazy or not

mikage reo

-> he spent his whole life getting pampered, so it’s nice taking care of someone else for a change

-> “reo, my legs hurt :(“ “oh? do you need some medicine? here, hop on, i’ll take you to the nurse!” because he has a nurse that lives in his penthouse

-> if he gets upset when you reject his invitations to go on dates outside, he doesn’t show it. “y/n! there’s this really nice restaurant that opened close by. wanna go?” “the pants have already come off, mikage.” “fair. movie night?” “yes!”

barou shouei

-> “you’re going to get sick,” barou sighed when he went to get you for lunch and found you laying in bed, still wet after your shower

-> groaning, you rolled around and let your phone drop from your hand. “i don’t wanna dry my hair.”

-> ten minutes later, you’re sitting on the floor between barou’s legs as he dries your hair, fingers lightly scraping your scalp and making you even sleepier than before

-> “will you promise to at least try and remember to dry your hair next time?” “why would i when you’re so much better at it?” “… damn you.” “:p”

kunigami rensuke

-> fists are firm on his hips as he stands in your bedroom doorway. it’s nearly 2 pm on a saturday, and you’ve yet to leave bed

-> “y/n, it’s time to get up.” “mmm, but it’s a saturday..” “you haven’t moved in five hours!” “don’t wanna—hey!” you groan when he grabs you by the ankles and drags you out of bed. “it’s nice outside! let’s go for a walk.” “you want me dead.”

-> contrary to popular (your) belief, kunigami does not want you dead—he wants you to be active and healthy and not hide in your room all day. “see? isn’t this so much nicer than your bed?” “debatable.” “well, that’s not a no!”

oliver aiku

-> he finds his lazy little partner to be the cutest thing in the world. loves doing things that should embarrass you, like cut your food and feed you in public, carry you around when you don’t want to walk, etc

-> now, just because you’re lazy doesn’t mean you don’t care about your boyfriend. if you see his gaze wandering while he’s with you, you’ll give his ear or hair a tug to remind him you’re still in the picture

-> “just cause i don’t wanna go out doesn’t mean you’re going without me to look at people who aren’t me.” “i would never !!” “🤨” okay, i promise to keep my eyes only on the photo of you in my heart-shaped locket.” “right answer.”

[sharkbitten-sailor]

Hyello!!! Ive been loving your works so far, and I saw you were open for requests so could I req for a 007n7 x reader who simply likes to follow him around, not caring about the past. They always make their presence known despite barely talking at all. Which mmmighhttt be a little funny and scary at times when the reader doesn't respond at times and just, stares and stands too still (big ol eyes)

Reader very much does point out things lile generators and items or anything they find odd like a sign the killer or survivor is lurking nearby.

(Ahahahha this is somewhat based on my experience of my first time trying to myth hunt, and it ended with me following this 007n7 cosplayer for about 2-3ish hours because I felt bad they were getting bullied for like... 20 minutes, but I had no idea hoe to comfort them, nor interact in general. But we both did help each other find some things we found interesting!!)

[forsaken] 007n7 x reader who's kind to him headcanons .ᐟ

a/n; oooh hi anon! thank you so much for requesting, it's really adorable <33 i hope i got your idea right (please ignore any misspell & grammar mistakes, i only read this once-)

- 007n7 was once cast out by the survivor group, isolated even among those fighting for the same cause. keyword: was. that all changed when you appeared. - when you approached him with genuine warmth, he assumed it was a mistake. perhaps you hadn't heard about him yet. - but even after the admins shared his past, your kindness never wavered. that was.. new and unsettling. - he watches you carefully, waiting for the moment your smile fades, for the inevitable disappointment. but it never comes. - over time, he starts to believe, just a little, that maybe - just maybe he’s not beyond redemption. - he doesn’t fully understand why you treat him like someone worth knowing, but he’s starting to believe it. - he enjoys your quiet company. he appreciates the way you just… follow him around, watching him curiously while he works on a generator like a cat watching someone open a can. - or maybe, it's simply because you never judge him. not for the past, not for the present. - during rounds, you stick close to 7n7 like a shadow. the only times you're not by his side are when you aren’t chosen for that round or when you're off scavenging supplies, like boxy colas. - whenever you find something useful, he's always the first to get it. even an entire medkit. - of course, certain survivors tend to side-eye you both for that (*cough* elliot *cough*). - he genuinely appreciates your kindness, but he also reminds you that taking care of yourself should come first & depending on the situation. remember that time you handed him a medkit while sitting at a measly 20% hp? yeah, you scared him half to death. - your sharp eyesight makes you great at spotting generators for 7n7. but instead of fixing them yourself, you simply stay next to him, likely guarding him from the killer. - connecting wires isn’t your strong suit? no worries. you've helped 7n7 plenty, and it’s only fair that he returns the favor. - he’s a patient man, so he’ll take the time to teach you how to connect them. - after those grueling rounds, if 7n7 wasn’t chosen, he’ll immediately check on you, gathering supplies to patch you up like a worried father. - expect some head pats. they’re his way of saying, “you did well enough.” - if the bond between you two grows strong enough, he'll show his appreciation in his own way. - need to rant or vent? then congrats! you’ve found the perfect listener. he absorbs every word you say with deep intention, even taking mental notes. - the next time you bring it up, you'll realize he remembers everything. - you have a habit of playfully messing with his clones, like a cat batting at a new toy. 7n7 finds this oddly endearing and amusing. - it soothes him, melting away his stress. a quiet reminder that even in this hell, some things are still worth smiling about.

a/n; finally finished! sry 4 the delay, i got distracted slacking off mid-writing to play blocktales🥲 hope you still like it </3

[mingi-s-dimples]

Outage - Yunsan

KINKTOBER DAY 19, REQ. BY anon

~"Can you write a college au fic where Yunho and San are best friends living next door to the (fem)reader's apartment/ dorm. Both of them like the reader and they ended having a threesome at the guys' place (maybe she goes to their dorm during a power outage cause she's scared, you can decide the reason she's there). I'd like for the reader to be a virgin, whereas the guys are a bit more experienced. Yunho is a mean, rough dom while San is a softer, gentler dom and they work together to give the reader multiple orgasms in various positions." - I'm so sorry ml I would add all the details but it's gonna occupy all the space :<

pairing: yunho x reader x san

genre: 18+, filth, college au

summary: oops, energy's out on your floor. What a good night to go over at your besties, to finish your study session. Yeah, right.. you studied, for sure.. how to give a bj.

wc: 5.8k

warnings: college au, best friends, big dick!yunsan, reader is a virgin, finger sucking, fingering, multiple orgasms (A LOT OF THEM), like 3 orgasms by fingering and one by fucking for reader and yunsan having like two each... so lots of cummm, overstim, dacryphilia, bj, double penetration, yunho is a rougher dom than san, marking (LOOOTSSS OF ITTT), lots of eye contact, praising, pet names (sweetie, love, sweetheart, princess), unprotected, completely consensual, for sure forgot something, unedited might edit later.

Author's Note: it legitimately took me 5 days to finish this fic 🧍‍♀️ but it has 5.8k words so ig it's pretty expected 💁‍♀️. It is as detailed as I could write it, my love.. I hope you like it. Pls let me know if you did by completing the request form or by sending me an ask to my inbox! 🥰 I loved writing it, ngl... Enjoy, guys !!

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction and does not represent the reality of the members in any way.

The cool evening air nipped at your cheeks as you walked down the hallway of your apartment building with San and Yunho, your books and notebooks bundled tightly in your arms. Despite the demands of your classes, the three of you had fallen into a comfortable rhythm this semester, balancing study sessions with countless inside jokes, late-night ramen runs, and endless laughter. Living in the same building, with you just a few doors down from their shared dorm, had only solidified the bond between you.

"So," Yunho said, glancing down at you with a teasing smile as you reached the door to their place, "how much of Professor Lee’s reading did you actually finish last night?"

You groaned, letting your head fall back dramatically. "Please don’t remind me. I got, like, halfway before I passed out.”

San chuckled, brushing his shoulder against yours. “That’s better than Yunho and me. We didn’t even crack the book open.”

Yunho put his hands up in mock defense. “Hey, I never claimed I was on top of things! Besides, I was too busy helping San fix that stupid coffee machine he broke.”

San rolled his eyes, nudging him. “You’re the one who insisted on trying to ‘hack’ it to make double shots.”

“Details, details.” Yunho gave you both an exaggerated shrug, making you laugh.

As the three of you lingered in the hallway, the faint warmth of your playful banter started to drift. There was a stack of assignments waiting to be tackled, so after a few more exchanges, you decided to head to your own dorm.

"Alright, we’ve procrastinated long enough," you sighed. "I’ll see you guys later?"

San nodded, grinning. “We’ll probably still be awake at 2 a.m. if you wanna come back and cram together.”

Yunho gave a wink. “Or if you get bored, you know where to find us.”

“Noted,” you replied with a smirk, giving them a small wave as you turned and walked down the hall to your door.

Inside, your dorm room was quiet, lit only by the faint amber glow of your desk lamp. You settled in, organizing your textbooks and notes, trying to get into the right mindset to finally tackle your assignments. An hour ticked by, then another, and you began to make progress. But just as you were reaching the last few pages of your reading, the lights suddenly flickered. Then, with a low hum, everything went dark.

You stared at the darkness for a moment, blinking in surprise. The hallway lights were out too, leaving your entire floor eerily quiet and still. You grabbed your phone and quickly typed out a message to Yunho and San:

“Hey, my power just went out… Can I come over and finish my work? I can’t see anything here.”

The reply was almost instant. Yunho’s text popped up first: “Definitely! We’ll keep the lights on for you.”

San’s text followed a second later. “Come on over. We’ll even share the snacks.”

You smiled at their texts and went on packing everything you needed. Pens, the highlighters you always used for your notes, notebooks, textbooks… everything you thought you’d need. As you went out the door and locked it, you smiled and turned on the phone flashlight and went up the stairs to their dorm.

—

When you arrived at their room, Yunho opened the door with a grin, his eyes sparkling as he held it wide for you to enter. Inside, the room was cozy and warmly lit, shadows casting soft outlines across their books and scattered notes. The faint scent of coffee and something sweet lingered, wrapping you in an inviting warmth that made the tension from your dark, quiet room dissipate.

You placed your things on the table and settled into a chair, and before you even had a chance to fully adjust, Yunho shifted beside you. He leaned over, feigning interest in your notes, though his attention clearly lingered on you more than your work. His arm brushed yours, his fingers lightly grazing the edge of your hand, sending a gentle warmth up your arm.

“Feels better here, doesn’t it?” he murmured, his voice soft, almost inviting you to agree.

You nodded, trying to focus on the pages in front of you, but the warmth of his presence was impossible to ignore.

“Definitely feels better than sitting alone in the dark,” you whispered, a small smile creeping onto your face.

From the other side, San watched with a relaxed smile, sliding his chair closer. He rested a hand on the back of your seat, his fingers just barely skimming your shoulder, his touch grounding and comforting.

“Good thing you have us,” San murmured, his thumb brushing softly along the curve of your shoulder. The warmth in his voice, usually playful, was softer, almost reverent. He looked at you with a gentleness that made your heart flutter, his touch a calming presence that drew you in.

The room filled with a quiet, intimate energy as you all fell into a natural silence, the rustling of paper and the faint click of a pen the only sounds. But gradually, the space between you felt like it was diminishing, your awareness of their proximity deepening with every gentle touch and sidelong glance.

Yunho’s fingers began a slow trail along the length of your arm, a feather-light touch that made your pulse race, yet somehow left you craving more. His gaze held yours, warm and open, a subtle smile playing on his lips.

“You’re too quiet now,” he teased softly. “Usually you can’t stop talking.”

The words sent a shiver through you, and you managed a soft laugh, your voice barely above a whisper. “Guess I’m… distracted.”

San’s hand moved, his fingers brushing along your shoulder as his gaze softened. He looked at you for a moment, his usual grin replaced by a serious, thoughtful expression. “Well,” he murmured, “we don’t mind sharing a little… distraction.”

Surrounded by them both, you felt the pull of their closeness, each touch deepening the quiet understanding between you. The night continued in gentle, charged stillness, their presence speaking louder than words as you sat together, enveloped in warmth, comfort, and something that felt undeniably right.

The quiet atmosphere began to thrum with anticipation, an unspoken intensity filling the air as Yunho’s gaze lingered on yours, searching. He finally took a deep breath, and his voice, usually bright and playful, softened with a serious edge.

“I think we need to tell you something,” Yunho said, his fingers still tracing light circles on your arm, sending ripples of warmth through your skin. You looked up, curiosity and apprehension mingling in your expression.

He glanced at San, who gave him a subtle nod, his eyes holding a similar warmth as he looked at you. Yunho took another breath, a little unsteady, then met your eyes again.

“We both… like you,” he confessed, his voice barely above a whisper, but the weight of his words echoed in your heart. “San and I… we’ve talked about this, and we know it’s unusual, but neither of us could ignore how we feel.”

San moved closer, his hand resting gently on your shoulder, his touch both reassuring and grounding. “We want you to know that we’re here for you, together… if you’d want that too.” His voice was low and steady, but you could see the hint of vulnerability in his gaze as he waited for your reaction.

Your heart raced, the reality of their words sinking in, a warmth blossoming in your chest. You found yourself nodding, a small smile breaking across your lips as you whispered, “Yes, I… I want that too.”

A flicker of mischief sparked in Yunho’s eyes as he leaned in, brushing a gentle kiss to your temple. “You should know… we’ll take good care of you.” Then he paused, noticing the slight blush on your cheeks, the way your gaze shifted shyly downward.

“Actually, there’s something you should know too…” you whispered, the words tumbling out, heart racing as you admitted, “I’m… not experienced. I haven't, uh - had sex.. before.”

Yunho’s expression softened, a gentle laugh escaping him as he reached out to cup your cheek, his touch warm and steady. “Then, we’ll take it slow,” he promised, his voice tender. He looked over to San, who nodded with a smirk and a glint in his eye. “We’ll make sure you’re… well taken care of,” Yunho murmured, the reassurance in his words filling you with a sense of warmth and trust.

Yunho’s fingers slid down, grazing your jawline, his touch electrifying as he closed the distance between you. The air felt thick, charged, as if any moment of hesitation had melted away, replaced by something deeper, more primal. His eyes, dark with intent, flickered over your face, taking in every inch of your expression, every shallow breath. He leaned closer, his gaze settling on your lips, and you felt yourself drawn toward him, as if his very presence held you captive.

Just as his lips brushed yours, San’s hands found your waist, pulling you gently back against him. His warmth enveloped you, his breath hot against your neck as he leaned down, pressing a feather-light kiss below your ear. “We’ll go at your pace,” he whispered, his voice a soft promise, yet laced with that familiar teasing edge. His lips trailed along the curve of your neck, slow and deliberate, as Yunho’s fingers found their way to your hair, tilting your face back to meet his gaze.

“Are you still nervous?” Yunho murmured, his voice rich and warm. His eyes softened with understanding, yet there was an undeniable impatience simmering beneath, a quiet hunger that made your breath catch. You shook your head, a hint of a smile tugging at your lips, and Yunho’s own smirk grew as he finally, slowly, closed the last bit of space between you.

The kiss was tender at first, a gentle exploration, but you felt the fire building with each second. Yunho’s hands, no longer hesitant, traced down your back, drawing you closer as if he couldn’t bear the distance any longer. San’s grip on your waist tightened, his mouth pressing firmer against your neck, his breath sending a thrill down your spine. He sucked dark marks all over your back and shoulders, soft whines escaping your slowly rising chest. Every inch of you was surrounded by their warmth, their presence, until all you could feel was them, grounding you, igniting you, and filling you with a new, intoxicating sense of belonging.

“We've been waiting for this… y/n. For a looong time..” San whispered in your ear from behind, tracing his fingers on your body. He looked up at Yunho and gave him an understanding nod, to which Yunho pulled back, “Yes, sweetie.. you with that little smile of yours… and face. personality of yours…”.

In an instant, San lifted you up, his arms steady and strong as he carried you over to the bed, the movement gentle but filled with a kind of care that made your heart skip a beat. He laid you down with the utmost tenderness, settling behind you as he wrapped his arms around your waist. His hold was warm, comforting, and his fingers traced soft, delicate patterns along your arm, grounding you in this moment.

With San pressed against your back, Yunho moved to the edge of the bed, crawling forward to face you. His gaze held a softness that made you feel cherished, and as he took in every detail of your face, his smile was both gentle and captivating.

“You’re beautiful,” Yunho murmured, his voice low but full of sincerity. His fingers brushed a stray lock of hair from your face, tucking it carefully behind your ear. “Everything about you… just perfect.”

A blush crept into your cheeks at his words, and you looked down for a moment, but Yunho tilted your chin up, bringing your gaze back to his. “Hey, don’t hide from us now,” he whispered, his thumb brushing softly along your jawline. “We want to see you… all of you.”

Behind you, San nuzzled into the crook of your neck, his breath warm as he held you closer. “Yunho’s right,” he murmured, his tone soft yet intense. “We’ve been drawn to you for so long… more than we ever let on.” His arms tightened around you, the embrace protective and reassuring, grounding you in their presence. His lips found their way again on your neck, right under your jaw, where he marked you again. He was just oh-so-thirsty for you.

Yunho leaned closer, his forehead almost resting against yours, his voice a soft murmur. “It’s always been you. The way you laugh, the way you care about people… you’re everything we could have asked for.”

The gentle pressure of their touch, the way they held you so close, filled you with a warmth that ran deeper than anything you’d known. Their affection, their sincerity—it was as if they’d been holding onto these feelings for so long, waiting for the perfect moment to share them with you.

San’s hand moved slowly, gently intertwining his fingers with yours, his breath soft against your ear as he whispered, “We’re right here, and we’re not going anywhere.”

In their embrace, you felt safe, cherished, and undeniably loved, wrapped in the warmth of their closeness and the quiet intimacy of the moment.

Yunho’s eyes met yours, a hint of mischief glinting in his gaze as he leaned down, his lips brushing just below your collarbone. His fingers grazed along your shoulders, and he let his lips linger, pressing warm, slow kisses down the curve of your neck, making his way lower. Each touch felt like a silent promise, but there was something more deliberate in the way his lips marked your skin. The heat of his breath traced down to your collarbone, and as he pressed against you, his hands held you firmly in place.

With a quiet murmur, Yunho drew back slightly, his mouth leaving a faint, warm imprint on your skin, and turned to glance at San. His smile was laced with both a challenge and a hint of possessiveness. “I’m marking her everywhere,” he said, his voice low and edged with a playful intensity. “Let’s see who makes her feel it more.”

San smirked, his fingers still intertwined with yours, while Yunho’s hand found its way to your thigh. His touch was steady, almost firm, and he pushed your legs apart, creating space between you, his gaze tracing over your form with clear appreciation. “You’re beautiful,” he murmured, the words gentle against the intensity of his actions. His fingers slid along the soft skin of your thigh, a hint of roughness to his touch that made your heart race. Every glance, every touch, held a kind of reverence as if he was both admiring and claiming you all at once.

Yunho’s eyes never left yours as his lips began to trail slowly downward, warm and intentional, leaving a path of tender heat across your skin. His hands gripped your thighs, spreading them just enough to make space as he leaned in, his lips pressing along the sensitive skin of your inner thigh. Each kiss was slow, deliberate, and every now and then he would pause, sucking gently at the delicate skin until he left a faint, possessive mark in his wake. His fingers tightened slightly around your thighs, grounding you in the sensation of his touch as he worked his way upward.

Behind you, San’s hand moved to your neck, his thumb tracing a gentle line along your jaw before he tilted your chin up, his own mouth finding its way to the curve of your throat. The warmth of his breath brushed against your skin as he pressed a gentle, lingering kiss just below your jawline. “Just let us show you,” he murmured softly, his tone filled with affection, his fingers moving to caress the sensitive skin beneath your ear.

San’s hold on your jaw made your head tilt back slightly, and you felt Yunho’s mouth on your thighs, trailing upward with unhurried intensity, marking you as he went, savoring each touch. The way they held you—San’s protective yet gentle hold from behind and Yunho’s firm, claiming presence from the front—made your heart race, filling you with an undeniable sense of being cherished, their attention leaving you breathless in the quiet warmth of their embrace.

San’s breath grew heavier behind you, and you could feel the unmistakable heat of his cock pressing firmly against your lower back, his restraint slipping with every moment. His hands moved to your waist, fingers tightening as he pulled you up, shifting you to sit fully on his lap. The sensation of him beneath you sent a warm blush to your cheeks, and you smiled, caught off guard yet undeniably drawn to the warmth and intensity of his touch.

Meanwhile, Yunho was still focused on you, his lips grazing along the sensitive skin of your thighs, leaving small marks that trailed upward, each one deliberate, each one claiming. His hands roamed softly along your legs as he pressed one last kiss to your inner thigh before he pulled back, catching sight of the subtle evidence of your own arousal against the linen beneath you. A playful smirk tugged at his lips, and he looked up, meeting your gaze with a glint of mischief.

Without breaking eye contact, Yunho’s hand moved slowly, confidently, his fingers trailing along your inner thigh before reaching that sensitive place, his touch both gentle and intentional. His fingers explored with careful precision, his eyes watching your every reaction, savoring the way you responded to each movement. San’s hands remained steady at your waist, anchoring you in place as Yunho leaned in, his gaze filled with both admiration and a playful challenge, entirely focused on you, caught in the moment they shared with you.

“You’re so wet already… I can see that you love being marked, is that right?” Yunho asked, his finger pressing against your clit, keeping eye contact with you. “Tell me, sweetie. You wanted this too, mm?” two of his fingers found it’s way in, your head falling back on San’s shoulder as you felt Yunho’s fingers curling inside you. He started to finger you, his long, slender fingers hitting spots you’d never thought would arouse you but here you were.. between the two men you’ve always dreamed of.

“Yunho.. let’s take turns, shall we?” San said from behind, your eyes widened at his words. What did he mean by.. take turns..? you asked yourself.

He smiled at San’s words. “Yeah, sure.. why not. But first, let me have my way with her..” Yunho said and curled his fingers inside you, hitting your g spot a couple of times, moans escaping your throat. “Then.. you can have your way with her and.. “ he circled your clit with his thumb, making you bite your lip, “we can both have our way with her.” San scoffed from behind, approvingly.

“Now.. let's see how much you can handle, sweetheart.” the taller one whispered and he worked both of his hands around your folds. His right hand was 2 fingers deep inside you, finger fucking you rapidly, building your orgasm, while his other hand had the thumb onto your clit, rubbing it in circles, sometimes putting pressure on it. You squirmed and squirmed in front of him and above San, until you basically couldn't take it anymore.

“Y-yunho..!” you started, but words dissipated fast.

“What, princess?” he smiled at you, your face flustered.

“I-i.. ngh.. gotta-” you moaned out the last word, head falling back once again onto San's chest.

“Use your words, pretty girl.”

“I- gotta… c-cum! Yunho, p-please…” you pleaded, eyes teary from being stretched out by his fingers.

Yunho’s smirk grew, his fingers maintaining that perfect, teasing rhythm. He watched you closely, keeping eye contact, catching each hitch in your breath, each tremble, like he was savoring every second. “There we go, princess” he murmured, his tone turning a touch more commanding. “Let it all out…” Yunho said and pressed all your sweet spots until you squirmed over his hand and came all over, creaming on his fingers.

San’s hold tightened from behind, his hands firm on your waist, pulling you slightly against him. “You think you can handle more, princess?” His voice had a rougher edge now, the soft amusement shifting to something more intense.

“Y-yes.. please..” you whispered, voice low and quiet.

“Then.. show us just how much you can take it, sweetheart.”

Yunho’s fingers pressed deeper for a moment, coaxing a soft sound from you that only seemed to encourage them. “Look at you, so eager,” he murmured, his voice velvet-smooth but with a hint of challenge. “We’re not even close to done with you, sweetheart.”

“C'mon, San.. come here. Switch with me.” the taller one said and lifted you, putting you down in his lap, right against his hard cock. He was.. way lengthier than San was but.. San was.. girthier, you'd say? Either way, you were slightly scared of how painfully pleasurable it was gonna be.

You were already out of it. Face sweaty, flustered, eyes teary and legs trembling, but they were not yet done. San's hand ran between your legs, his fingers tracing your thighs. He lubed them up on your own juices then pushed them in, his fingers girthier than Yunho's. Two fingers of his feeling like 3 of Yunho's, you felt yourself being stretched out even more than before. You were close to your high again, even faster than before as you were already aroused.

“You look so beautiful like this, my princes…” San said and sucked a mark on your thigh. Surprised, you moaned pushing your head back into Yunho's buff chest. His right hand went under your chin and slowly pulled your mouth to his, going in for a kiss. At first, it was a soft, tender one. Then, as your moans and whines grew more often and his groans revrebrating through your body, the kiss deepened and the knot in your belly started to feel tighter and tighter, until San curled his fingers into your g-spot and clit at the same time and you beautifully came onto his fingers for the 2nd time in a row.

“That's it, sweetheart…” San whispered

Yunho continued from behind, “Such a good girl..”

How Yunho called you sent a shiver down your spine. Yunho lifted you up onto his lap, sitting you straight.

“One more, sweetie? We promise it's the last one…” he said.

“H-uh? I-” you couldn't even talk, but you nodded your head in approval. The boys looked at each other, giving understanding stares. San pulled you to his chest, placing you on his thigh. You were basically sitting sideways on his lap, your legs spread out evenly. Yunho came under your left leg, in the same position San was. They both pulled your legs outwards slightly, resting on one another's thighs. (it's like they're really close to each other and she's sitting on both men's thighs, left leg over Yunho's entire leg and right one over San's).

They held you promptly and their fingers traveled over your body, Yunho’s hand resting on your waist, San's on your breasts.

“Are you ready, our princess?” San asked.

You nodded. That was it.

“Hold your legs and spread out, darling.”

Both men's fingers went for your hole, a loud moan escaping your throat as you felt both men stretching you in opposite directions. One another was softly pulling towards themselves, inserting each of them two of their fingers, as deep as possible.

They took their time, as if savoring the moment as much as you, their breaths steady and close to your ear, a soft warmth reminding you that they were fully present. Their fingers moved with an intimacy that spoke volumes, every subtle yet harsh movement letting you feel how attuned they were to every reaction, every moan, whine you made.

Their touch became more focused, the rhythm of their fingers overwhelming as you felt the tension building deep within you. San’s voice was a soft murmur by your ear, encouraging you, each word melting into the warmth of his breath, heightening every sensation. Yunho’s grip on your waist steadied you, his thumb brushing along your side in tender, grounding strokes, keeping you fully present in the moment.

And then, with a final, gentle touch, the wave overtook you, breaking over you like a rush of warmth. Your body trembled in their embrace, your breaths mingling with theirs as they held you through every second, their hands offering steady reassurance as the sensations washed over you in gentle waves.

As you came down from your high, tears formed in your eyes from the overstimulation. You came all over their hands and linen for the 3rd time, biting your lips in pleasure.

They put you down slowly on the bed, then both sat right in front of you on their knees. Their cocks were dripping continuously with precum, hard and throbbing, waiting for action.

“Goddammit… you look so pretty like this. Teary eyes.. all fucked out and flushed and we didn't even fuck you yet. Yunho, isn't she perfect like this? Imagine her after we fuck her… oh god.” San said, carresing your cheek as he wiped off some tears.

Yunho’s eyes darkened, a low, breathless chuckle escaping his lips as he took in the sight of you, utterly captivated. He ran his fingers along your trembling jawline, thumb grazing over your lips. “Perfect doesn’t even cover it,” he murmured, voice laced with a deep, possessive edge. “But I don’t think I can wait any longer to see just how beautiful you’ll look after… Come here.”

He stood, pulling you gently toward the edge of the bed, eyes never leaving yours. “Right here," he instructed, his gaze commanding, leaving no room for hesitation. "Let’s see just how pretty you can be for us.”

He raised his brow at his cock, but backed off for a second. He looked at you, and then at San.

San smirked as he looked down at you, his eyes filled with intensity as he took in the sight of you kneeling so prettily on the edge of the bed, exactly where he wanted you. One knee pressed beside your thigh, he leaned in close, the warmth of his breath brushing your skin as he lifted his hand toward your lips.

Keeping steady eye contact, he raised his brows and tilted his head slightly. “Open,” he instructed softly, his voice commanding yet gentle, coaxing you to follow his lead. As your lips parted, he slipped two fingers past them, a glint of satisfaction in his gaze. “Good girl. Now, close around them… slowly, just like that.”

His fingers rested on your tongue, and he watched, completely focused, guiding you with a calm authority. “Suck, nice and easy," he whispered, his voice darkening, "let your tongue glide over them… there you go.” His eyes flickered with approval, and he leaned in just a little closer, his thumb brushing your chin as he murmured, “Show me how well you can listen.”

As you sucked on his fingers, coating them in your own saliva, he smiled at you, satisfied with your work. He then inserted one more finger, your tongue immediately moving and slurping around. After he was more than satisfied with it, he pulled out with a slight popping sound and backed off. He patted Yunho on the chest, who has been lazily stroking his length, looking at the two of you.

“Just in time.. I was going insane back here.” Yunho got closer to you, one of his hand tangling in your hair softly. “Open up, darling. Don't make me wait,” he said and tapped your lower lip with the tip of his cock, to which you opened your mouth and slowly took in his length. The corners of your lips stung as he slowly thrusted in your mouth, hurrying you to adjust to his size.

Yunho's breathing grew heavier as he watched you, his gaze dark and focused. Each slow movement seemed to be its own silent command, urging you to take more of him. His fingers tangled further in your hair, his grip firm yet tender.

You felt your cheeks hollow slightly as you adjusted to his size, your lips stretching around him in a way that sent a heated thrill through both of you. A soft whine slipped past your lips when he pulled back slightly, leaving you wanting more.

He chuckled, a low, knowing sound. “You feel so good, princess.." he murmured, his voice thick with restraint, though his eyes told a different story. You responded with a light hum, the vibrations adding to the tension building between you both. As his pace quickened, your hands found their way to his hips, steadying yourself as he guided you closer to his peak, mouth fucking you rapidly, feeling every corner of your mouth.

With one final, harsh thrust, Yunho’s breaths became uneven, his fingers tightening in your hair as his focus blurred, surrendering to the intensity of the moment. His low, rough voice spilled out in a shuddered exhale as he came. He looked down at you and nodded, urging you to slurp everything, “swallow, sweetheart.” and you did as told.

Just as you felt Yunho’s hand leave your hair, San took his place before you. He offered a playful smile.

Slowly, you welcomed him, the slight stretch challenging yet thrilling, but you never looked away. His hand reached forward as a tear slipped from the corner of your eye, a silent promise of reassurance as he swept his thumb gently across your cheek. With each slow movement, his thumb remained there, resting on your face.

“Fuck.. you didn't lie at all, man…” his head lolled back, biting his lip, “when you said she feels good..”

San’s breaths quickened as he found a rhythm, but he kept his focus on you, reading every reaction, every subtle change in your expression. He couldn't wait anymore. He wanted to cum and that was it. His hand pushed your head on his cock, making you gag and slightly choke on it. As he did that a couple of times he came right down your throat, urging you to swallow his load. It took him a couple of moments to release everything, your eyes teary as he kept his cock down your throat until the end.

“Damn.. that was hot” Yunho said from behind, his cock hard again, heavy in his hand.

“Princess.. would you be able to endure one round of… both of us fucking you, hm?” Yunho said, both men standing in front of you, keeping eye contact. “I just can't wait for my turn, you know?” he continued.

“I-uh” you hesitated for a second, but smiled and nodded shyly, looking up at him.

“That's our girl, man… look at her. Already flushed and ravished, but still wants more? Such a good girl…” San said and pushed you on the bed, crawling under you. He held you close to his chest as he moved up slightly and rested his back against the headboard. Yunho came from behind and kneeled right behind you, his hands resting on your waist.

“Are you ready, love?” he said from behind, your eyes looking into San's, not knowing what to expect. You nodded, and San was the first one to act. He thrusted as slow as possible in your cunt, your hands gripping the headboard as he let you get accustomed to his size. A loud moan escaped your throat, words stuttering as he started to keep up on a pace. Yunho did the same after he let you get used to San and as he started to softly fuck you, your eyes teared up and drops of tears fell onto San's chest. He wiped them off, in awe of your reactions and fucked you. harshness betraying his neediness for you.

“Fuck, you're so tight…” he said and his hands drove up and down on your back, trying to soothe you.

San’s hand gently caressed your cheek as you locked eyes with him, feeling his heartbeat strong and steady beneath you. His thumb traced over your cheekbone, wiping away any lingering tears "You’re incredible," he murmured softly, voice thick with admiration.

Behind you, Yunho’s hands remained anchored on your waist, fingers pressing into you in a grounding way. He leaned in close, his breath hot against your ear as he whispered, “You’re doing so well.” His tone was a blend of awe and satisfaction, his voice rough but filled with warmth that made you feel completely safe.

As they both moved with you, their rhythm became an unspoken exchange, synchronized in a way that felt almost effortless. You could feel the tension building in each of them, both of them on the edge, breaths deepening as they drew nearer to their highs. San’s grip on your thighs tightened, his knuckles grazing your skin, grounding you both as he savored every second. Yunho’s hand slipped up your back in a soothing motion, his rough exhale brushing against your shoulder, each of them close to finishing.

As they fucked you for a couple of times, you came unannounced, your aching walls tightening around their cocks. Surprised, both San and Yunho came down from their high simultaneously, their huge loads filling both of your holes to the brim. They fucked you through your orgasms and slowly came down to a stop.

Yunho slowly pulled back, exhaling a long, satisfied breath. His hand lingered on your back for a moment, his thumb tracing gentle circles, grounding both of you in the moment. He offered you a soft, tender smile, cheeks flushed and breathing deeply. San's arms wrapped tightly around you, pulling you close to his chest as he settled back.

“You did so well,” Yunho murmured, leaning down to press a soft kiss to your temple, his voice low and full of pride. His fingers brushed along your cheek with a feather-light touch, his gaze filled with awe. “You’re so beautiful, love… can’t believe how lucky we are.”

San pressed his lips to the top of your head, his grip tightening around you as he whispered, “Such a good girl.” His fingers traced soothing patterns along your back. “Every bit of you is incredible, you know that?”

The two of them exchanged a quiet smile over you, their gazes warm. They both leaned in, pressing gentle kisses to your cheeks, to your forehead, each one tender, grounding, letting you know how much you were cherished.

“Let's get you washed up, alright?” San said and lifted you, carrying you to the bathroom and placing you down.

“T-thank you.. it was in-incredible.” you finally managed to form a sentence, both boys looking contently in your eyes. They smiled at your words and San gave you a hand, holding you tight while the taller one turned on the shower.

NETWORKS:

@blossomnet

@illusionnet

PERMANENT TAGLIST:

@mingleshine @musiclovingfairy @crazylittlebisexual @sanhwalvr @gong-fourz @arki-sha @artistic-rendition @hongjoongtime117 @cypher-03 @woolysium @peachy-bell26 @memorabxlia @atiny1

[shy9-29]

When The Calls Stopped [Alt Ending]

“Sometimes, love isn’t about perfection; it’s about finding a way through the mess, together.”

SOMAR𝒊O ─── After everything that had happened with Sunghoon, you never expected to find yourself here — walking alongside Heeseung, hand in hand, with Niki trailing behind, his usual sarcastic remarks filling the space between you. It wasn’t perfect, but it felt real, and for once, you weren’t consumed by the past. The lingering tension had faded, replaced with something simpler, something worth fighting for. Despite the ups and downs, the drama, and the confusion, you were finally moving forward, together. ex 박성훈 x 이희승 𝐱 𝑓. reader ✉️ wc. 32.8k ✶ careful ! skinship, kissing, swearing, ptsd, etc 🔖

req open · masterlist · ver 1 · pt 2

The moment Sunghoon tells you he got accepted, his eyes light up with pure excitement, his breath shaky as if he can’t believe the words himself. “I did it,” he says, gripping your hands tightly. “I got in.”

For a second, time stands still. You always knew this day would come—he’s worked too hard, sacrificed too much for it not to. But now that it’s real, a lump forms in your throat, your heart clenching in a way you weren’t prepared for. “That’s incredible, Sunghoon,” you say, forcing a smile. “I knew you would.”

His grin is wide, radiant, but it falters slightly as he studies your face. “You’re happy for me, right?”

You nod quickly. “Of course I am.” And you are. You really, truly are. But beneath the pride, there’s fear.

He sighs, squeezing your hands like he’s trying to reassure himself as much as you. “I know I’ll be busy, but I promise nothing will change. I’ll call you every day. No matter what.”

You cling to that promise like a lifeline. “And I’ll call too,” you say, trying to sound certain. “We’ll make this work.”

A small smile tugs at your lips as you poke his chest. “And I’ll be your number one fan. No matter what happens, I’ll always be cheering you on.”

He chuckles, shaking his head. “You already are.”

The day he leaves, the airport buzzes with movement—voices overlapping, announcements echoing over the speakers—but all you can hear is the pounding of your own heart. Sunghoon stands in front of you, suitcases in both hands, his expression unreadable.

“This isn’t goodbye,” he says softly, like he already knows what you’re thinking. “Just… see you later.” You let out a shaky laugh. “Yeah. See you later.”

He pulls you into a tight embrace, and you hold on just as firmly, trying to memorize everything—the warmth of his body, the scent of his cologne, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. “I’m going to miss you so much,” he murmurs into your hair, his arms tightening around you. You squeeze your eyes shut. “Me too.”

Neither of you moves, as if staying like this for just a little longer might make it easier. But the world doesn’t stop for you. His name is called. He steps back. One last look. One last smile. And then he’s gone.

You grip your phone a little tighter. Every day, you remind yourself. No matter what.

That night, just as you’re starting to feel the weight of Sunghoon’s absence, your phone lights up with his name.

Incoming FaceTime: Sunghoon

You answer immediately, and the second his face appears on the screen, a wave of relief washes over you. He looks a little tired, but there’s an undeniable excitement in his eyes.

“Hey,” he says, grinning. “Miss me yet?” You roll your eyes, but your smile gives you away. “Obviously.” Sunghoon chuckles, shifting the phone so you can see more of his surroundings. “I just finished unpacking. My room’s kind of a mess right now, but at least my bed’s made.” He turns the camera for a second, showing a neatly made bed with an open suitcase beside it. “See? Responsible.”

“I’m proud,” you tease. “I was worried you’d just live out of your suitcase for the next few weeks.”

“Hey, give me some credit.” He shakes his head before glancing off to the side. “Oh! Before I forget—meet my roommate.” He tilts the phone, and suddenly, a new face pops into view. A younger boy with dark hair and a playful grin waves at you. “Hi! I’m Ni-ki,” he says brightly. “I’ve heard a lot about you.” Your eyebrows raise as you glance at Sunghoon, who groans, already exasperated. “Don’t listen to him,” he mutters.

You laugh, waving back. “Nice to meet you, Ni-ki. Take care of Sunghoon for me, okay?”

“Oh, don’t worry,” Ni-ki says mischievously. “I plan to make his life very interesting.”

Sunghoon shoves him away playfully. “Go away.” Ni-ki just laughs before disappearing from the screen. Sunghoon rolls his eyes but smiles anyway. “Yeah, so… that’s my life now.”

“I like him,” you say, still amused.

“You would,” he mumbles, but there’s no real annoyance in his voice. He shifts on his bed, getting more comfortable. “Anyway, tomorrow’s the big day. We’re officially starting prep for the comeback.” His eyes shine with excitement. “I can’t wait.” Your heart swells at how happy he looks. “That’s amazing, Hoon. I know you’re gonna kill it.”

“I hope so.” He lets out a breath, running a hand through his hair. “It still doesn’t feel real, you know?” You nod. “It will. And I’ll be watching every step of the way.” His gaze softens. “That means a lot.”

For a while, you just talk—about his flight, his dorm, all the little things you want to know just to feel closer to him. Eventually, his eyelids start drooping, and you know he needs to sleep.

“You should get some sleep,” you tell him softly. He pouts. “I don’t want to hang up yet.”

“You have a big day tomorrow,” you remind him.

He sighs but nods. “Fine. But I’m calling you again first thing after practice.”

“I’ll be waiting.”

A sleepy smile tugs at his lips. “Goodnight, Y/N.”

“Goodnight, Sunghoon.”

The call ends, leaving your screen dark. You stare at it for a moment, then take a deep breath, holding onto the warmth of his voice. For now, things still feel okay.

Your phone buzzes just as you’re settling into bed, and when you see Sunghoon’s name flashing on the screen, you answer immediately.

The moment his face appears, your breath catches slightly. His damp hair falls messily over his forehead, water droplets still clinging to his skin. The camera angle shows just enough of his bare chest to make your face heat up.

“Hey,” he says, running a towel through his hair. His voice is slightly hoarse, and there’s a tired but satisfied look on his face. “I just got out of the shower.”

“I can tell,” you say, trying to ignore how flustered you suddenly feel. “Rough practice?”

He groans, rolling his shoulders. “Four hours straight. My whole body is dead.” He flops onto his bed, the camera shaking slightly. “But it was fun. The choreography is insane.”

“Can you tell me anything about it?” you ask, curious.

He pouts slightly. “Not really. You know the rules.” You sigh dramatically. “So unfair.”

“I know,” he says, smirking. “But trust me, you’re gonna love it.”

Even through the screen, the excitement in his eyes is clear. You can tell he’s exhausted, but the way he talks about practice makes it obvious how much he loves it.

“You should rest,” you tell him gently. “You worked hard today.” He hums in agreement, shifting under his covers. “I will. Just wanted to see your face first.”

Your heart flutters at his words. “Smooth.” He chuckles, blinking sleepily at the camera. “It’s true.”

There’s a comfortable silence for a moment, both of you just looking at each other. Then, without thinking, you lift your hand and blow him a kiss through the screen. Sunghoon grins, catching it dramatically before returning one of his own. “For good luck,” he says.

You roll your eyes, but your smile is impossible to hide. “Sleep well, Hoon.”

“You too, Y/N.”

And just like that, the call ends, leaving your heart racing just a little faster than before.

That night, you’re the one who calls first. It rings a few times before the screen lights up with Sunghoon’s face—except he’s not alone.

“Y/N!” he greets, a little louder than usual. He shifts the camera slightly, and two more faces come into view. “Say hi to my members.”

The first boy, with a soft but confident expression, waves. “Hey, I’m Jungwon.”

The other, taller with sharp features, grins. “And I’m Jay. So you’re the famous Y/N.”

You blink. “Famous?”

Jungwon nods, smirking slightly. “Yeah, we were starting to think you weren’t real. Sunghoon always talks about you but never showed us proof.”

“Thought he was just trying to sound cool and mysterious,” Jay adds, laughing.

Sunghoon groans, pushing Heeseung away from the frame. “Don’t listen to them.”

You laugh, amused at their teasing. “Well, I��m real. Sorry to ruin the mystery.”

Jungwon grins. “Nah, this is better. It’s nice to finally meet you.”

Sunghoon rolls his eyes but smiles before stepping away from the group. The background noise fades a little as he walks down a quieter hallway. “Sorry about them,” he says, adjusting the camera so it’s just the two of you again.

“They seem fun,” you say. “You guys getting along well?”

“Yeah, but honestly…” He leans against a wall, sighing dramatically. “I’m kinda jealous.”

You raise an eyebrow. “Jealous?”

He nods. “My members are too good-looking. Especially Heeseung hyung.” He scowls playfully. “It’s annoying.”

You laugh, shaking your head. “You’re literally an idol now, Sunghoon. Pretty sure you’re not losing in that department.”

He gives you a tired grin. “You’re just saying that because you like me.”

“Maybe,” you tease. “But it’s still true.”

His expression softens as he looks at you through the screen. “I wish you were here,” he murmurs.

Your heart clenches. “Me too.”

For a moment, neither of you says anything, just taking each other in through the screen. Then, he exhales softly. “I love you, Y/N.”

A small smile tugs at your lips. “I love you too, Sunghoon.”

He looks at you a moment longer, as if trying to memorize your face. Then, with a sigh, he glances back toward the practice room. “I should get back before they start roasting me again.”

You chuckle. “Go. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“Yeah,” he says, his gaze lingering. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Hoon.”

As the call ends, you stare at your screen for a few seconds, warmth spreading through your chest.

It starts off small—just the occasional message from Ni-ki whenever Sunghoon is too busy to call.

Ni-ki [10:24 PM]: Hey, lover girl, your boyfriend’s passed out after practice. He literally wouldn’t shut up about you today.

Ni-ki [1:37 AM]: Sunghoon hyung fell asleep mid-sentence talking about how much he misses you. It was kind of gross but also kinda cute, I guess.

At first, it catches you off guard, but soon, his texts become part of your daily routine.

You [1:38 AM]: Aww, that’s sweet.

Ni-ki [1:39 AM]: Sweet? No, it was painful. He made me listen to a 10-minute rant about how pretty you are. I almost threw up.

You laugh to yourself, shaking your head. It doesn’t take long before you and Ni-ki start texting outside of just Sunghoon-related updates. He sends you random memes, blackmail videos of his members, and even the occasional voice note complaining about practice.

One day, he calls you out of nowhere, and when you answer, he’s grinning like he’s up to something.

“Okay, you need to hear this,” he says, barely able to contain his laughter. He turns on his camera, showing Sunghoon sitting at the dorm’s dining table, staring at his phone with the saddest expression ever.

“I swear she’s taking longer to reply than usual,” Sunghoon mumbles, poking at his food absentmindedly. “What if she’s busy? What if she forgot about me?”

Ni-ki snickers. “Hyung, it’s been two minutes.”

“Exactly!”

You can’t help but laugh. “Wow, is that really how he gets when I don’t text back right away?”

Ni-ki flips the camera back to himself, grinning. “Oh, you have no idea.”

From then on, Ni-ki becomes your unofficial Sunghoon monitor.

Ni-ki [6:47 PM]: Hyung just spent five minutes staring at a selfie you sent him. Is this normal behavior?

You [6:48 PM]: Let him be in love!

Ni-ki [6:49 PM]: Ew.

Despite all the teasing, you grow to appreciate your friendship with Ni-ki. He makes the distance a little easier to handle, always making sure you’re included in their world even when Sunghoon gets too caught up in his schedule.

And as much as he claims he’s sick of hearing about you, the fact that he keeps texting proves otherwise.

The next time you call Sunghoon, he picks up after a few rings, but the moment you see his face, you know something’s wrong.

His usual bright expression is missing, replaced by exhaustion. His hair is damp from either sweat or a shower, his shoulders tense, and even the way he holds his phone feels sluggish—like he barely has the energy to keep it up.

“Hey,” you say softly. “Rough day?”

He sighs, running a hand through his hair. “Yeah. Long practice. We started a stricter schedule since the comeback is getting closer.”

You nod, already feeling your heart ache for him. “What does that mean?”

“More rehearsals, stricter diet, extra workouts,” he mutters, voice laced with frustration. “I barely had time to eat today. And I have to wake up early to train again.”

You bite your lip, wishing you could reach through the screen and pull him into a hug. “That sounds exhausting, Hoon.”

“It is,” he admits, rubbing at his temple. “I feel like my body’s about to shut down, but I have to push through.”

You hesitate before speaking. “I know you want to give it your all, but… don’t forget to take care of yourself too, okay?”

He offers you a small, tired smile. “I’ll try.”

You frown. “Promise me.”

His gaze softens. “I promise.”

You sit in silence for a moment, neither of you wanting to say it, but you both know the call can’t last much longer.

“I should probably sleep,” he finally murmurs.

You nod, though you hate cutting the conversation short. “Okay.”

His lips part like he wants to say more, but instead, he just exhales. “I love you.”

Your chest tightens. “I love you too, Hoon.”

Even though you don’t want to, you end the call. The screen goes dark, leaving you staring at your reflection, your heart heavy with worry.

For the first time, it feels like the distance is growing.

At first, it’s subtle. Sunghoon still picks up your calls, but he seems more distracted, his answers shorter, his laughs less genuine. You try not to think too much of it—he’s just tired, stressed. You don’t want to be another thing weighing him down.

But as days pass, the distance grows.

Sometimes, he barely looks at you through the screen, eyes darting away like he’s too exhausted to focus. Other times, the calls are filled with silence, the easy conversations you once had now feeling forced. He still tells you I love you before hanging up, but even that starts to sound distant.

And then, one night, he doesn’t pick up at all. You check the time—maybe he’s still at practice? You wait a little, then try again. No answer.

You [10:32 PM]: Hey, you okay?

No response.

You tell yourself he’s just busy. Maybe he fell asleep early, maybe he left his phone in the practice room. But deep down, something gnaws at you.

So, after another hour of waiting, you do something you haven’t done before.

You [11:14 PM]: Nikiii is Sunghoon with you?

The reply comes almost immediately.

Ni-ki [11:15 PM]: Yeah, he’s in the dorm. Why?

Your stomach sinks.

You [11:15 PM]: Oh, I just tried calling him, but he didn’t answer.

Ni-ki [11:16 PM]: Weird. He’s literally gaming on his phone right now.

Your fingers freeze over the keyboard.

He’s not at practice. He’s not asleep. He’s just… ignoring you.

Ni-ki sends another text a few seconds later.

Ni-ki [11:17 PM]: Want me to tell him to call you?

You stare at the screen, debating. A part of you wants to say yes, to demand an explanation. But another part of you—the one that’s already bracing for the worst—tells you not to.

You [11:18 PM]: No, it’s okay.

You put your phone down and take a deep breath, but no matter how hard you try, the lump in your throat doesn’t go away.

Ni-ki stares at his phone for a moment after your last message, eyebrows furrowing. He glances across the room where Sunghoon is sprawled on the couch, eyes glued to his phone screen, fingers lazily tapping away at whatever game he’s playing.

With a sigh, Ni-ki stands up and walks over, nudging Sunghoon’s leg with his foot. “Hyung.”

Sunghoon barely reacts. “What?”

“YN texted me,” Ni-ki says casually, watching for a reaction. “She called you, and you didn’t pick up.”

Sunghoon’s fingers pause over his screen for half a second—so quick that most people wouldn’t notice. But Ni-ki does.

“She asked if you were with me,” Ni-ki continues when Sunghoon doesn’t respond. “I told her yeah, you’re literally on your phone.” His voice is edged with something unreadable, waiting to see how Sunghoon will react.

Sunghoon exhales through his nose, putting his phone down beside him. “What did she say?”

Ni-ki shrugs. “Not much. Just, you know, why didn’t he pick up?” He crosses his arms. “So… why didn’t you?”

Sunghoon runs a hand over his face, looking frustrated. Not at Ni-ki, but at himself. “I don’t know,” he mutters. “I just… didn’t feel like talking.”

Ni-ki raises an eyebrow. “That’s your girlfriend, you know.”

“I know,” Sunghoon snaps, but then immediately sighs, shaking his head. “I know,” he says again, quieter this time.

Ni-ki watches him for a moment before speaking again, his voice softer. “You should call her back, hyung.”

Sunghoon doesn’t answer right away. He just stares at his phone, the screen still dark. “I will,” he says eventually, but even he doesn’t sound sure.

Ni-ki doesn’t push him further. But as he walks away, he makes a mental note.

The First Missed Call Turns Into Many

You try to be patient.

The first time Sunghoon ignores your call, you brush it off. The second time, you tell yourself he’s probably just busy. But then it happens again. And again.

At first, you keep texting him, keeping it casual.

You [10:45 PM]: Hey, hope you had a good day! Call me when you cann

No response.

You [12:02 AM]: Guess you’re asleep. Goodnight, love you :)

Still nothing.

Days pass, and the excuses you make for him start to run out.

Ni-ki doesn’t say anything else about the night you first texted him, but you can tell he’s holding back. He still sends you updates sometimes, but they feel careful—like he doesn’t want to say too much. Like he knows something you don’t.

And Sunghoon? He’s not just distant anymore. He’s gone.

So, one night, after hours of staring at your unanswered messages, you finally let yourself ask the question you’ve been too scared to voice.

You [11:57 PM]: Did I do something wrong?

The message sends. The read receipt never comes.

And that’s when it finally hits you.

You’re losing him. And he’s not even trying to hold on.

Days turn into weeks, and Sunghoon still doesn’t call.

You stop trying to convince yourself it’s just a busy schedule. If that were true, he would’ve at least tried to reach out. Even a short text—Sorry, it’s been hectic or I miss you, talk soon—would’ve been enough. But instead, there’s nothing.

You still send messages sometimes, but they’re shorter now, emptier.

You [4:24 PM]: babeee

You [9:13 PM]: Hope you’re doing okay.

You [10:47 PM]: I miss you.

The worst part is knowing that he sees them. Your texts stay delivered, but you know Sunghoon—he never lets his notifications pile up. He’s reading them. He’s just not answering.

It’s Ni-ki who finally breaks first.

Ni-ki [12:32 AM]: You okay?

You hesitate before responding.

You [12:34 AM]: Not rlly

He doesn’t reply right away, but when he does, it’s not what you expect.

Ni-ki [12:41 AM]: He’s being an idiot. Don’t take it personally.

You stare at your screen, heart twisting.

You [12:42 AM]: Hard not to.

Ni-ki starts typing, then stops. Then starts again. Finally, another message appears.

Ni-ki [12:45 AM]: Just give me some time.

You don’t know what that means. But at this point, you’re too tired to ask.

The text comes out of nowhere.

[Cousin]: Ok I’m so freaking tired but just to let you know I just gave birth to the babyyy

You blink at your phone, rereading the message twice before it actually sinks in.

You [3:17 PM]: WOAH OMG! I’m so happy for you!

Your cousin, who comes from a family so rich that money is never a concern, has always been a little over-the-top. But nothing could’ve prepared you for her next message.

[Cousin]: Also, surprise! I bought you a ticket to Seoul so you can meet the baby. You’re coming next week. No arguments.

Your heart nearly stops.

You [3:19 PM]: no way? Omg ilysm

[Cousin]: see u soon <3

You sit there, staring at the screen in disbelief. Just like that, you have a flight to Seoul.

And suddenly, an idea creeps into your mind.

If you’re already going all the way to Korea… wouldn’t it be the perfect chance to see Sunghoon? Maybe, just maybe, seeing you in real life will remind him of what you used to be. Of what he’s been ignoring.

Before you can overthink it, you shoot Ni-ki a text.

You [3:26 PM]: Crazy idea, but I’m coming to Seoul next week. Wanna pick me up?

It doesn’t take long for him to respond.

Ni-ki [3:27 PM]: wait fr?

Ni-ki [3:27 PM]: You’re serious??

You [3:28 PM]: Dead ass.

There’s a brief pause before another text pops up.

Ni-ki [3:30 PM]: Okok I got you.

You exhale, gripping your phone tightly.

Maybe this is what you and Sunghoon need. Maybe this will fix everything.

Or maybe… it’ll show you that things are already too broken to be saved.

The days leading up to your flight pass in a blur. Between packing, last-minute errands, and letting your cousin spam you with baby pictures, you barely have time to sit still. Yet, no matter how busy you keep yourself, one thought lingers in the back of your mind.

You’re going to see Sunghoon again.

It feels surreal. You haven’t spoken in weeks—not properly, anyway. The last few texts you sent were left on read, unanswered, and now, you’re flying across the world to stand in front of him. You don’t know how he’ll react. You don’t even know if he’ll react.

A part of you debates telling him you’re coming. Maybe if he knew, he’d finally call you. Maybe he’d prove you wrong, remind you that he does still care.

But deep down, you know better.

So you say nothing.

Right before takeoff, Ni-ki texts you.

Ni-ki [6:02 AM]: What time does your flight land?

You [6:03 AM]: Around 4 PM Incheon airport

Ni-ki [6:04 AM]: Cool. I’ll be there.

He doesn’t ask why you’re coming. He doesn’t even ask if you’re here for Sunghoon. Maybe he already knows.

The flight is long—too long. The entire time, you feel restless, shifting in your seat, unable to sleep for more than a few minutes at a time. Your thoughts are too loud.

What if he doesn’t want to see me? What if things are even worse than I thought? What if…

You shake your head, cutting the thought off before it spirals further. No matter what happens, you’re already on the way. There’s no turning back now.

By the time the plane lands, exhaustion clings to your body, but the moment you step off, adrenaline takes over. You’re in Seoul. For the first time ever.

And, for the first time ever, you’re about to meet Ni-ki in real life.

The thought distracts you from your nerves about Sunghoon—at least for now. You push through the crowded airport, dragging your suitcase behind you, until you finally spot a familiar figure near the exit.

Ni-ki stands with his phone in one hand, the other tucked into his hoodie pocket. He’s wearing a mask, but the moment he spots you, he pulls it down, revealing a wide grin.

“Yo,” he calls out. “Took you long enough.”

Your face lights up as you speed up your steps, barely holding back a laugh. “Ni-ki!”

The second you reach him, you take a step back to really look at him. “Damn,” you say, tilting your head. “You’re taller than I imagined.”

Ni-ki snorts, rolling his eyes. “And you’re shorter than I imagined.”

You shove his arm lightly, laughing. “Shut up.”

Still grinning, he reaches for your suitcase without hesitation, easily pulling it along as he nods toward the exit. “Come on. Let’s get out of here before fans start thinking I’m sneaking a girl out of the airport.”

You laugh again, following him outside. The moment the cool Seoul air hits your skin, you take a deep breath.

This is it.

As Ni-ki loads your suitcase into the trunk, he glances at you. “So,” he starts casually. “When are you gonna tell him?”

Your grip tightens around your bag strap. “I don’t know yet.”

He hums knowingly, shutting the trunk with a soft thud. “You really think seeing you in person will change things?”

You hesitate, because you don’t have a real answer. Instead, you swallow hard and murmur, “I hope it does.”

Ni-ki studies you for a second, then sighs. “Yeah,” he mutters. “I hope so too.”

As you slide into the car, watching the city lights blur past, your heart pounds in your chest.

No matter what happens, you’re about to find out the truth.

The car ride from the airport to the building feels like a whirlwind of excitement and nerves. The streets of Seoul flash by in a blur—neon lights, bustling crowds, and the faint hum of night-life filling the air. You’re staring out the window, but your mind is a million miles away, thinking about Sunghoon.

Ni-ki, however, doesn’t seem to be as wrapped up in the atmosphere. He’s clearly comfortable in his surroundings, casually scrolling through his phone. Every so often, he glances at you with that signature mischievous grin of his.

“So,” he starts, breaking the silence, “we just filmed our concept trailer today.”

Your ears perk up at the mention of it. “Really? How’d that go?”

He shrugs, still typing something on his phone. “It was… fun, I guess. A bit chaotic, but that’s just how things go.” He flashes you a quick grin. “You should’ve seen Sunghoon, though. He was trying so hard to look serious—like a total ‘bad boy’ type. But then he tripped over his own feet during one of the takes.” He bursts into laughter at the thought. “It was honestly the funniest thing.”

You laugh too, imagining Sunghoon in his usual stylish vibe, trying to keep up with the tough-guy concept only to completely ruin the moment with a little slip-up. “I bet he didn’t like that,” you tease.

Ni-ki gives you a playful smirk. “Oh, he hated it. But he was laughing right after, so I guess it wasn’t too bad.”

You can’t help but smile, picturing Sunghoon’s serious expression and how quickly it would turn to frustration, followed by his genuine laugh.

“We’ve been filming all kinds of stuff for this comeback,” Ni-ki continues, tapping his fingers rhythmically against the seat. “Music videos, choreography practice, photo shoots… And on top of that, we’ve all been on crazy diets. Sunghoon’s been a little moody about it, honestly. But I think he’s pushing through. He’s always been like that.”

You nod, processing what he’s saying. “Yeah, he’s always been determined. He’s got that drive.”

Ni-ki glances at you, a knowing look in his eyes. “You don’t need to tell me. I’ve seen it firsthand. But hey, I’m not gonna lie, it’s been a little tense around here. A lot of pressure. Not just for Sunghoon, but for everyone. You know how it is when you’ve got a comeback around the corner.”

You sigh softly, feeling a tightness in your chest. It’s clear that Sunghoon has been under a lot of stress. “I can imagine. It’s a lot to handle all at once.”

“Yeah,” Ni-ki agrees, his tone a little more serious now. “I mean, we’re all living together, working together, and then you throw in the media stuff—people watching our every move… it gets to you. And honestly, it’s tough sometimes. We all get a little on edge. But we’re a team. We push through it together.”

You’re quiet for a moment, absorbing his words. You’ve always known that the pressure of being an idol was intense, but hearing it from someone who’s in the thick of it, especially in such a casual conversation, makes it feel more real.

“So how’s everyone adjusting to the new schedules?” you ask, trying to keep the conversation light again.

Ni-ki shrugs. “Some of us better than others. Jungwon’s pretty good at managing everything. But Sunghoon, like I said, he’s been a little off lately. It’s the diet, the workouts, the long practice hours… It gets to him, you know?”

You nod, understanding more than ever just how much Sunghoon is pushing himself. You wonder if he’s really okay—or if he’s just too stubborn to show how hard it all is.

Before you can say more, Ni-ki cuts in with another grin, his voice playful again. “But hey, enough about all that work stuff. Are you ready for the crazy, real Seoul experience?”

You laugh, your excitement slowly building again. “Definitely. Just don’t get me lost, okay?”

He raises an eyebrow at you. “Who, me? I’m practically a pro at this city by now. You’re in good hands.”

You give him a skeptical look, but he just laughs, turning back toward the front of the car.

And just like that, the tension in your chest eases a little. The road ahead is still uncertain, but for now, you’re with Ni-ki—who’s somehow managed to make even this unfamiliar city feel just a little less intimidating.

The car finally slows down, and your eyes widen as you take in the towering building in front of you. The massive black structure looms high above, the sleek logo of Hybe glowing on the side. It’s hard to believe you’re standing right in front of it—the headquarters of the company behind so many famous artists, including Sunghoon and his group. Your heart beats faster as Ni-ki parks the car.

“Here we are,” Ni-ki says, turning to look at you with a grin. “Welcome to the Hybe headquarters.”

You take a deep breath as you step out of the car, your nerves creeping up again. This is it. No turning back now.

You follow Ni-ki into the building, your footsteps echoing in the spacious, modern lobby. It’s sleek and minimalistic, with marble floors and glass walls. The atmosphere is charged, like you’ve stepped into a world where everything is on the edge of perfection.

As you make your way through the lobby, you notice a few people lounging around, their voices hushed as they chat quietly. You can’t help but glance at them—some of them are clearly idols. A couple of guys are talking in the corner, their stylized outfits giving them away instantly. The nerves in your stomach twist even tighter.

“Don’t stare too much,” Ni-ki says, his voice low but amused as he catches you glancing at the idols. “They’re just normal people like us. Just with more cameras.”

You chuckle nervously, trying to settle your racing thoughts. As you follow Ni-ki down a long hallway, you can’t help but be overwhelmed by the sheer energy in the building. Everyone’s in a hurry, rushing to their next activity, their conversations drowned out by the hustle and bustle of a busy day in the world of K-pop.

That’s when you feel a sudden brush against your side. You turn just in time to see a figure—someone who looks familiar, yet not fully.

It’s Jay.

You freeze, momentarily caught off guard by the unexpected encounter. He looks just as he does on the calls, but somehow more real, more alive. His features are sharper in person, his hair styled perfectly as usual. His smile is warm but a little reserved, a slight recognition in his eyes when he sees you.

“Oh, hey!” Jay says, his voice friendly but with a hint of curiosity. “You must be Y/N, right?”

You nod quickly, trying to hide the slight fluster creeping up your neck. “Yeah, that’s me. We’ve… talked a couple of times.”

He chuckles, taking a step back to give you a little space. “Yeah, I remember. Sunghoon talks about you all the time. It’s nice to finally meet you in person.”

You smile, the nervousness settling into a quiet excitement. “It’s nice to meet you too, Jay.”

There’s a slight pause as you both take in the awkward moment. Neither of you really knows what to say next. Sure, you’ve talked on calls, but it was always just casual, never anything too deep.

But before either of you can speak again, Ni-ki cuts in, a teasing grin on his face. “Jay here? You’re getting way too comfortable, Y/N. I thought you came here to see Sunghoon, not my other group members.”

You laugh lightly, giving Ni-ki a playful shove. “I’m just trying to get to know everyone. No harm in that, right?”

Jay raises an eyebrow, his tone suddenly more curious. “Wait—Sunghoon hasn’t told you anything, has he?”

You glance at him, not sure how to answer. “What do you mean?”

Jay shrugs, clearly not wanting to reveal too much. “Nothing, nothing. Just, uh, don’t be surprised if he’s… a little different when you see him.”

Your heart skips a beat. That sounds… unsettling. You try not to let your worry show as you nod, but the uneasy feeling creeps in again.

Before you can say anything else, Ni-ki pulls you gently along. “Come on, let’s get going. Sunghoon’s probably waiting for you.”

You follow, your mind racing with questions you’re not sure you’re ready to ask. Jay watches you go, his expression unreadable, and you can’t shake the feeling that he knows something you don’t.

You walk deeper into the building, the sounds of your footsteps fill the space, and for a brief moment, you feel like you’re stepping into a world that belongs to someone else. This isn’t the world of the quiet, comfortable calls and texts you’ve shared with Sunghoon. This is the real world—the one full of pressure, expectations, and maybe even more surprises than you’re prepared for.

You step into the practice room, heart hammering in your chest as you scan the space. The fluorescent lights cast a bright, almost sterile glow over everything, and you spot Sunghoon standing near the wall, his back to you as he talks to some staff members. The moment he hears the door open, he turns around, his eyes widening in surprise, and for a moment, everything feels surreal.

He blinks a few times, clearly caught off guard, but then his face softens as he steps forward, a small smile tugging at his lips. His gaze flickers to you, and the tension in his expression eases just a little.

“Y/N,” he says softly, almost like he’s reassuring himself. “I didn’t think you’d actually come.”

You step further into the room, trying to hide the nervous excitement that bubbles inside you. “You didn’t think I’d come?” You force a small laugh, though the words feel heavy on your tongue. “I told you I would.”

His eyes search yours, a mixture of warmth and something you can’t quite read crossing his face. “I know… it’s just a lot right now,” he admits, his voice quieter. He pauses, running a hand through his hair, looking at you with an almost hesitant expression. “But… I’m glad you’re here.”

You take a step closer to him, the space between you shrinking. The anticipation you’ve felt since the moment you decided to come here makes your heart race. You need to talk to him. There’s so much you’ve been wanting to say, so much you need answers to.

Before you can speak, Sunghoon lets out a long sigh, and his gaze shifts away. He runs a hand over his face as if he’s trying to gather his thoughts. “Y/N… I think I need to tell you something.”

Your stomach drops, the words he’s about to say hanging heavily in the air. You brace yourself, unsure if you’re prepared for what’s coming. “What’s wrong?” you ask softly, trying to keep the fear from your voice.

Sunghoon hesitates for a moment, his eyes flickering with an unreadable emotion. Finally, he opens his mouth, and the words come out in a rush. “I think we need a break.”

Your heart stops. The world feels like it’s tilting off its axis, and you can’t quite believe what you’re hearing. “A break?” you repeat, the words tasting bitter on your tongue. “From us?”

He nods slowly, his eyes avoiding yours. “It’s not that I don’t care about you, Y/N. It’s just… being an idol is tough. It takes up everything, and I think I need some time to focus on that. I don’t want to hurt you, but this… this is just too much to handle right now.”

The words sting more than you expected. You swallow hard, trying to keep your emotions in check. “But we were fine. We promised we’d make it work.” Your voice cracks slightly, but you push forward. “You said we could handle this together.”

Sunghoon looks at you then, his eyes softening, but there’s something distant in them too. “I thought so too, but… I don’t think I can give you what you deserve right now. You’ve always been so considerate, so kind to me, and I don’t want to hold you back…”

His words hit you like a wave, crashing down on you in an overwhelming flood of emotion. You try to process them, but they feel empty, like something you should’ve expected but never prepared for.

Without thinking, you take a step toward him, your body drawn to him like a magnet, needing some kind of connection. You lean in slowly, your breath shaky as you try to close the distance between you, desperate to feel the warmth of his lips against yours, to remind him of what you’ve shared.

But before your lips can meet his, he takes a step back.

You freeze, confusion and hurt flooding your chest. He looks at you, his face conflicted, and then he shakes his head gently.

“I… I can’t, Y/N.” His voice is low, strained, like he’s breaking apart just saying the words. “I’m sorry. I just… I don’t think I’m ready for this right now.”

A coldness washes over you as the realization sinks in. You take a step back, your heart heavy in your chest. All the words you want to say get stuck in your throat. He’s pushing you away, and you can’t stop it.

Tears well up in your eyes, but you blink them away quickly, refusing to let him see how much his rejection stings. Without another word, you turn and walk out, your footsteps echoing down the hall. You don’t care where you’re going, as long as it’s away from him.

The building feels suffocating now, the walls closing in around you, the weight of everything too much to bear. You walk faster, each step a reminder of how much things have changed.

Your heart aches as you exit the practice room, the door closing behind you with a finality that leaves you breathless. You don’t know how long you walk before you feel a hand on your shoulder.

“Y/N.”

You turn to see Ni-ki standing there, his eyes wide with concern. He doesn’t say anything right away, just watches you, sensing the pain radiating off of you.

“Are you okay?” he asks, his voice soft, but you can hear the worry beneath it.

You shake your head, trying to hold back the tears that threaten to fall. “No. I’m not okay.”

Ni-ki looks like he wants to say something more, but he doesn’t. Instead, he pulls you into a tight hug, his arms warm and reassuring, a silent comfort when you need it most.

“I’ll stay with you,” he says quietly. “Come on, let’s go somewhere and talk.”

You nod, letting him guide you away from the scene of your heartbreak, your thoughts swirling, the sting of Sunghoon’s words still fresh in your mind. You can’t help but wonder if he’ll ever truly come back to you.

Ni-ki leads you down a quiet hallway, his grip firm yet gentle on your wrist as he steers you toward a small vocal training room. He pushes the door open, flicking on the light, and gestures for you to sit on the small couch in the corner.

“Stay here,” he says, his voice soft but firm. “I’ll be right back.”

You hesitate, looking up at him, your throat still tight from holding back tears. “Where are you going?”

He sighs, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m going to talk to Sunghoon.”

Your heart clenches at the mention of his name. You want to stop him, to tell him that it’s okay, that maybe Sunghoon just needs time—but deep down, you know something has to be said.

Ni-ki sees the conflicted look on your face and kneels down in front of you, his voice softer now. “Just wait here, okay? Eat something.” He reaches into his bag and pulls out a snack, placing it in your hands. “I know you probably don’t feel like eating, but trust me, it helps.”

You swallow hard and nod, gripping the snack tightly. “Okay.”

He gives you a small, reassuring smile before standing up and heading out the door. The room falls silent once he’s gone, and you’re left alone with your thoughts.

You let out a shaky breath, staring at the floor. Everything feels surreal, like a bad dream you can’t wake up from. Sunghoon’s words echo in your head, over and over again. I think we need a break.

You squeeze your eyes shut, willing the tears away.

The sound of the door opening jolts you out of your thoughts. You expect to see Ni-ki, but instead, Heeseung walks in, mumbling under his breath. His expression is grumpy, his brows furrowed in frustration as he runs a hand through his hair.

He doesn’t see you at first. “Seriously, what is his problem—”

Then his eyes land on you. He stops mid-step, blinking in surprise. “Oh.”

You shift uncomfortably, wiping at your face quickly, hoping he doesn’t notice how red your eyes are. “Uh, hey.”

Heeseung tilts his head slightly, studying you. His usual playful demeanor is nowhere to be seen—he looks more exhausted than anything. After a beat, he steps further into the room, shutting the door behind him.

“Aren’t you Sunghoon’s girl? What are you doing here?” he asks, though his tone isn’t harsh, just curious.

You let out a dry laugh, shaking your head. “Long story.”

He raises an eyebrow, then walks over and leans against the piano, crossing his arms. “I’ve got time.”

You sigh, playing with the wrapper of the snack in your hands. “Sunghoon and I… we had a fight. Or, well, not really a fight. More like… he just told me we need a break.” The words feel heavier the second time you say them.

Heeseung exhales sharply, shaking his head. “Yeah, I figured.”

Your head snaps up. “What?”

He shifts, looking almost guilty. “I mean, I’ve seen how he’s been treating you lately. It’s been… different.”

You frown, defensive. “He’s just going through a hard time. He has so much pressure on him, and I get that. I’m not mad at him for feeling overwhelmed.”

Heeseung’s expression darkens slightly, his voice laced with frustration. “Yeah, but that doesn’t mean he gets to treat you like you don’t exist.”

You feel a flare of anger rise in your chest. “You don’t understand. Sunghoon loves me. He’s just… lost right now.”

Heeseung sighs, running a hand through his hair again, looking like he’s trying to choose his next words carefully. “I’m not saying he doesn’t care about you. But, Y/N… sometimes holding onto something that isn’t working just makes it hurt more.”

Your jaw tightens. “So what, you think I should just give up on him?”

He meets your gaze evenly. “I think you deserve someone who doesn’t make you question if they still care about you.”

The words hit you like a slap. Your fingers tighten around the snack in your lap, your chest aching.

“I’m not giving up on him,” you say, voice barely above a whisper.

Heeseung watches you for a moment, then sighs and looks away, like he’s given up on trying to make you see his side. “Alright,” he says simply.

The room falls into silence. You stare at the floor, feeling the weight of everything pressing down on you.

After a moment, Heeseung pushes himself off the piano and turns to leave. But before he walks out, he pauses in the doorway.

“For what it’s worth,” he says, not looking back, “I hope he realizes what he’s losing before it’s too late.”

And with that, he’s gone.

You sit there for a while, Heeseung’s words lingering in your mind like an unwelcome echo. I hope he realizes what he’s losing before it’s too late.

You don’t want to believe it. Sunghoon isn’t losing you. You’re still here. You still love him. Isn’t that enough?

The door creaks open again, and this time, Ni-ki steps back in. His expression is unreadable, but there’s something in his eyes that makes your stomach twist.

You sit up quickly. “Did you talk to him?”

Ni-ki sighs, rubbing his face before plopping down next to you on the couch. “Yeah.”

“And?” You search his face desperately.

He hesitates. “He said he just needs space, Y/N.”

Your heart sinks. “That’s it?”

Ni-ki frowns. “I mean… he said he didn’t mean to hurt you, but he thinks this is for the best.” His voice is careful, like he’s trying to cushion the blow.

You let out a shaky breath, gripping the edge of your sweater. “He’s just confused,” you say quickly. “If I talk to him—”

Ni-ki groans, tilting his head back. “Y/N.”

You look at him.

He gives you a small, sad smile. “You shouldn’t have to beg someone to love you the way you deserve.”

Your chest tightens. You open your mouth, ready to argue, but the lump in your throat makes it hard to speak.

Ni-ki sighs again, softer this time. “Look, I get it. You love him. And I’m not saying he doesn’t care about you. But if he really wanted this, wouldn’t he be fighting for it too?”

The words hit you harder than you expect. You stare down at your lap, blinking quickly.

Ni-ki leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “I hate seeing you like this,” he admits. “You don’t deserve to be treated like some afterthought.”

Your fingers tighten around the fabric of your jeans. “I just… I don’t understand how it changed so fast,” you whisper.

Ni-ki doesn’t answer right away. Instead, he reaches into his bag and pulls out another snack, handing it to you. “Eat,” he says. “You think better when you’re not running on an empty stomach.”

Despite everything, a tiny laugh escapes you. “That’s your solution for everything, isn’t it?”

He grins. “It hasn’t failed me yet.”

You take the snack, but before you can open it, the door slams open again.

Both you and Ni-ki jump as Heeseung storms in, his jaw tight, his eyes flashing with something unreadable.

Ni-ki blinks. “Uh—”

A ignores him, his gaze locking onto you. “Come with me,” he says, his voice firm.

You hesitate, looking between him and Ni-ki. “What—”

But before you can ask, Heeseung strides across the room, grabs your wrist (gently, but firmly), and pulls you to your feet.

“We’re talking,” he says, already leading you toward the door.

Ni-ki watches with wide eyes. “Should I—”

Heeseung shoots him a look. “Stay out of it.”

And just like that, you’re being dragged down the hall, your heart pounding, your mind racing.

Whatever this is, you have a feeling it’s about to change everything.

Heeseung’s grip on your wrist is firm but not rough as he pulls you down the hallway. His pace is fast, determined, and you’re practically stumbling to keep up.

“Heeseung—” you start, breathless, but he doesn’t even slow down.

Your mind is spinning. Why is he so mad? Where is he even taking you?

He finally shoves open the door to an empty practice room and pulls you inside, letting go of your wrist as he turns to face you. The door clicks shut behind him, sealing the two of you away from the world outside.

Heeseung’s jaw is clenched, his chest rising and falling sharply like he’s trying to keep himself under control.

You rub your wrist absentmindedly, still in shock. “What the hell is your problem?”

His eyes flash. “You,” he says, voice low but intense. “You’re my problem.”

You scoff, crossing your arms over your chest. “Excuse me?”

Heeseung shakes his head, pacing for a second before turning back to you. “I don’t get you. Why are you doing this to yourself?”

You narrow your eyes. “Doing what exactly?”

“Chasing after someone who clearly isn’t fighting for you.”

The words hit harder than they should. You swallow, forcing yourself to keep your voice steady. “You don’t even know me.”

Heeseung lets out a sharp breath, shaking his head. “I know enough. I know that you deserve better than someone who makes you feel like you have to beg for his attention.”

Your fingers curl into fists at your sides. “You don’t understand,” you say, voice tight.

Heeseung lets out a bitter laugh. “I understand more than you think.”

You glare at him. “How do you know? You’ve never even been in love before.”

His entire body tenses. For a second, something flickers across his face—something raw, something unspoken—but it’s gone before you can name it.

“You’re right,” he says after a moment, voice quieter now. “I haven’t.”

You think that’s the end of it, but then he exhales, running a hand through his hair. “But I do know what it’s like to give everything to someone who doesn’t appreciate it.”

You hesitate. “What are you talking about?”

He shakes his head. “It doesn’t matter.” He steps back, putting distance between you. “What matters is that you’re wasting your time on someone who won’t even look at you properly when you’re right in front of him.”

Your throat tightens. “I love him.”

Heeseung’s jaw clenches. “I know.”

Silence fills the room, thick with words neither of you are saying.

After a long moment, Heeseung sighs, glancing toward the door. “I should get back to practice.”

You nod, not trusting yourself to speak.

He hesitates at the door, then looks back at you, his expression softer now, but still serious.

“Just… think about what I said.”

And then he’s gone, leaving you standing in the empty practice room, your heart a mess of emotions you don’t know how to deal with.

You don’t know how long you stand there, staring at the door Heeseung just walked out of. His words echo in your head, looping over and over until they start to blur together.

You deserve better.

You’re wasting your time.

He won’t even look at you properly.

Your chest feels tight. You shake your head, as if that could physically dispel his voice from your mind. He doesn’t understand. He doesn’t know what you and Sunghoon have been through together. He doesn’t know how much Sunghoon means to you—how much you love him.

But then why did his words make your stomach twist like that?

A soft knock at the door makes you snap out of your thoughts. You quickly wipe at your eyes before calling out, “Come in.”

The door opens, and Ni-ki peeks his head in. His usual playful expression is replaced with something more careful, more hesitant.

“You okay?” he asks, stepping inside and closing the door behind him.

You nod automatically, even though the lump in your throat hasn’t gone away. “Yeah. Just… thinking.”

Ni-ki gives you a look that says I don’t believe you, but he doesn’t push. Instead, he plops down beside you on the practice room bench and hands you a snack.

“Here,” he says. “I don’t know if you’re hungry, but you should eat something.”

You let out a soft laugh, taking the snack. “Why do you always have food on you?”

“It’s my survival instinct,” he says, grinning. “You never know when you’ll be stuck in a long practice session with no breaks.”

You shake your head but unwrap the snack anyway. The simple act of eating gives you something to focus on, something to do with your hands.

Ni-ki watches you for a moment before leaning back against the wall. “So… Heeseung looked kinda pissed when he left. What happened?”

You sigh, looking down at the half-eaten snack in your hands. “He was just lecturing me about Sunghoon.”

Ni-ki hums, tilting his head. “Let me guess—told you that you deserve better?” You glance at him in surprise. “How’d you know?” Ni-ki shrugs. “Because it’s true.”

Your heart clenches, but before you can say anything, the door opens again.

This time, it’s Sunghoon.

Your breath catches as he steps inside, his gaze meeting yours. For the first time since you arrived in Seoul, you finally have his full attention.

Ni-ki looks between the two of you, then sighs dramatically and stands up. “Alright, I’m gonna head out before things get way too awkward in here.”

Neither you nor Sunghoon respond as Ni-ki slips out the door, leaving you alone with him.

Sunghoon exhales, running a hand through his hair. “Y/N…”

You swallow hard. “Sunghoon.”

He hesitates, then takes a step closer. “Can we talk?”

You nod slowly, bracing yourself for whatever comes next.

Sunghoon sits across from you in that quiet vocal room, the echo of everything unspoken louder than any conversation. He’s wringing his hands a little, his gaze low and unreadable, and your stomach knots as you wait—hoping, foolishly, for something different than what you already know is coming.

“I meant what I said before,” he begins, voice low, like he doesn’t want to hurt you even though the words already sting. “About the break. I still think it’s the right thing.”

You inhale slowly, nodding even though your throat feels like it’s closing up. He’s not being cold. He’s not being cruel. But that almost makes it worse. The softness in his voice feels like goodbye.

But then he adds, “I’d still like to be friends. If that’s okay.”

Friends.

The word sinks in like a weight dropping into your chest. You shouldn’t want that. It’s not enough. It shouldn’t be enough. But you can’t help it—you reach for it like it’s a rope keeping you from drifting completely away from him.

Because maybe being friends means staying close.

And staying close means little moments. And little moments could grow into something again.

You could still fix this. Still rebuild everything.

You offer him the best smile you can manage—tight, forced, but there. “Yeah. Of course. We can be friends.”

He exhales in relief, the corners of his lips lifting just slightly. “Thanks. I know it’s probably… hard. But I’m glad you came to see me.”

You nod. “Me too.” Even if it’s breaking you in real time.

You glance at your phone when it buzzes, and the screen lights up with a message from your cousin:

Outside! Baby’s asleep, lol. Don’t take too long.

You blink at the time. “Oh—my cousin’s here. I should go.”

Sunghoon nods, standing when you do. “Text me when you get home, okay?”

You pause for a moment, heart catching in your throat. Home. It doesn’t even feel like you know where that is anymore.

“I will,” you manage, then give him one last glance before heading to the door.

But when you step out into the hallway, you don’t expect to see him.

Heeseung is leaning against the opposite wall, arms crossed, one foot braced casually behind him, as if he’s been there a while.

“Done?” he asks, tone clipped.

You blink in surprise. “Were you… waiting?”

He shrugs like it’s no big deal, pushing off the wall and falling into step beside you. “Didn’t think you should walk out of there alone.”

You frown at that but don’t respond right away. The hallway feels colder than before.

“He told me he still wants to be friends,” you say after a beat. “And I said okay.”

Heeseung scoffs. “Of course he did.”

You stop walking and turn to face him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

He gives you a pointed look. “Just that it’s the easy way out. He gets to feel less guilty, and you get just enough hope to keep waiting around for him.”

Your jaw tightens. “He’s not like that. He’s just going through a lot. You don’t get it.”

He raises an eyebrow, folding his arms again. “No? Try me.”

You take a breath, words tumbling out before you can stop them. “You don’t even know me. Or us. So don’t stand there acting like you know what we’ve been through. You don’t.”

“And you don’t know him as well as you think,” Heeseung snaps back. “You’re trying to hold onto something that isn’t even there anymore.”

You bristle. “How do you know? You’ve never been in love before.”

The silence that follows is immediate, thick.Heeseung looks at you, eyes darker now, sharper. “Maybe not,” he says, voice quieter. “But I know what it looks like when someone doesn’t treat the person who loves them right.”

Your throat tightens. “He does care about me. He just doesn’t know how to show it right now.”

Heeseung shakes his head, exasperated. “You’re making excuses for him.”

“And you’re judging him like you know anything about what he’s feeling,” you fire back.

He doesn’t answer right away. His jaw is clenched, his brows pulled together. And the worst part is—he does look like he cares. And that makes your stomach churn in the most confusing way.

“I’m not trying to fight with you,” he says eventually. “I just hate watching you shrink yourself down just to make room for someone who won’t even meet you halfway.”

You don’t say anything. You can’t. You’re still too angry. Still too hurt. And—deep down—you hate that part of you wonders if he’s right.

“I should go,” you mutter, turning away. “My cousin’s waiting.”

He doesn’t stop you this time. But just before you turn the corner, you hear him mutter under his breath:

“I hope he figures it out before it’s too late.”

You pretend you didn’t hear it. Because if you did, you might stop walking.

You don’t look back as you walk away from Heeseung, your heart pounding too loudly in your chest to hear anything else. The last thing you want is to get caught up in another argument about Sunghoon and the mess he’s left behind, especially when you’re not sure where you stand with it all.

You walk down the hallway, the sounds of people practicing fading into the distance, your footsteps echoing in your ears. You turn the corner, heading towards the exit, your thoughts a whirlwind of confusion and frustration.

As you reach the front door of the building, your phone buzzes in your pocket, pulling you from your spiraling thoughts. You take it out, seeing a message from Chaewon:

Chae: I’m here! Baby’s sleeping. You good?

You let out a breath, forcing a smile despite everything. Chaewon.

You type quickly: I’m good. Be right out.

When you step outside, you spot her car in the parking lot, her shiny black SUV parked near the entrance. You don’t waste any time heading toward it, eager to get away from the building, away from all of it. Your heart aches, but you can’t dwell on it right now.

You slide into the car, and Chaewon’s already got the radio on, humming along to the song that’s playing. She flashes you a quick smile as you buckle your seatbelt.

“Hey, how was it?” she asks casually, glancing over at you. “You get to see Sunghoon?”

You nod, trying to keep your voice steady, but the tightness in your throat betrays you. “Yeah, I did.”

Chaewon watches you closely, her gaze flicking to the way you’re fidgeting in your seat. “What’s wrong? You look like you’ve been crying.”

You blink, trying to push back the tears that threaten to spill over. “It’s just… it’s complicated, Chae. I don’t know what to feel anymore.”

She pulls out of the parking lot, a soft hum in the background as you zone out for a second, her steady driving calming you down a little.

“You wanna talk about it?” Chaewon asks gently, her eyes never leaving the road.

You swallow hard, feeling the weight of it all. “He said he needed a break… like, he wants to be friends. I just don’t get it. He told me he loved me, and now… now it’s like everything’s changed.”

She nods, understanding without needing to ask for details. “I get it. It’s gotta suck, being stuck in limbo like that.”

You nod, not trusting yourself to say anything else.

You’ve been so focused on trying to keep everything together, but Chaewon’s calm presence makes you realize how exhausted you are. The emotional weight of it all is finally catching up to you.

Chaewon lets you have your space for a while, the hum of the radio and the quiet rush of the air around you the only sound as she drives. When you finally reach her house, she parks, turning to face you with a thoughtful look.

“You know, you don’t have to figure it all out right now. You’re here to see the baby, not stress about him.” She grins softly. “You deserve a break too.”

You give her a small, grateful smile, the first real one you’ve had all day. “Thanks, Chae.”

You get out of the car and head inside. The moment you step into her house, you’re immediately greeted by the sounds of a baby cooing, and you can’t help but feel your mood lift just a little. Chaewon’s younger sibling is in the living room, happily bundled up in a soft, pastel-colored blanket, their tiny hands curled around their toy.

You walk over slowly, kneeling beside the crib, looking down at the baby’s peaceful face.

For a moment, it feels like a whole new world—calm, simple, untouched by all the drama and confusion.

Chaewon comes up beside you, her eyes soft as she watches the baby. “Crazy, right? Just when you think you’ve got everything figured out, life throws you a curveball like this.”

You nod, blinking quickly. “Yeah… but this is nice. This is what I needed.”

She smiles and reaches out to ruffle your hair. “You’ll get through it. You’re strong, Chae. Just gotta let things happen.”

You take a deep breath, trying to focus on the present, on this moment of peace. You glance at your phone again, seeing no messages from Sunghoon. Not that you expected anything.

You wonder if this is it. If this is the final chapter of your story with him. But a small part of you holds on to the hope that maybe, just maybe, things will turn around.

You glance over at Chaewon, who gives you a knowing smile. “Want some coffee? You could use a break from all of this.”

You nod, feeling a small flicker of comfort. “Yeah, I could really use some coffee.”

Maybe today, the world would stop spinning long enough for you to just breathe.

As you sip your coffee, the warmth of it comforting you, your mind wanders back to the mess you left behind at the building. Sunghoon’s words, Heeseung’s too, are still tangled in your thoughts. But at least, for now, you can breathe a little easier. The baby’s cooing and the soft hum of Chaewon in the kitchen make everything feel so normal, so far removed from the chaos you’ve been drowning in.

You feel your phone buzz on the table beside you. You glance at it, distracted, before picking it up and unlocking it.

It’s a message from Niki.

Niki: Hey, I know this is kinda sudden, but the guys and I are heading to Busan tomorrow for a 3-day trip to relax. There’s an odd number of people going, and I was wondering if you wanted to come with us? You can crash at my place, of course. I’ve got a spare bed, and I promise I won’t be annoying… much.

Your fingers hover over the screen as you read the message a couple of times. Busan. A trip with Niki and the others. A chance to escape, clear your mind. The timing seems almost too perfect, especially with everything still so tangled up back in Seoul. A 3-day break sounds exactly like what you need.

You quickly type back:

YN: That sounds amazing, actually. I could use a getaway. I’ll pack light and catch up with you tomorrow morning.

You hit send before your brain has time to second-guess it. You immediately feel a little lighter, like the weight you’ve been carrying for the last few days has finally shifted. A small getaway—away from Seoul, away from Sunghoon, away from the mess of your emotions—is exactly what you need right now.

The phone buzzes again almost immediately, Niki’s reply quick and cheerful.

Niki: Awesome! I’ll pick you up early tomorrow. I’ll let you know the details once we’re closer. Can’t wait to see you!

You set your phone down again, a grin tugging at the corners of your mouth. You’re going to Busan. Maybe this trip will be just the distraction you need to forget everything else for a while. Or maybe it’ll help you sort through it all with a clearer head. Either way, it’s a chance to breathe.

Chaewon, who’s been watching you closely, raises an eyebrow. “Who was that?”

You glance up, a little surprised at her knowing look. You shrug, trying to play it cool, though a tiny spark of excitement flickers in your chest.

“Niki. He invited me to go to Busan with him and his group for a 3-day break. I think it’ll be good for me.”

She grins knowingly. “I bet it will be. Sounds like a good way to get some fresh air and clear your head.”

You nod, glad she’s on the same page. “Yeah. Definitely.”

The idea of spending time with Niki and his friends in Busan feels like a much-needed break from everything. A change of scenery might be exactly what you need to hit pause on the whirlwind of thoughts about Sunghoon. Maybe, just maybe, the fresh air and new surroundings will give you the space you need to clear your head and see things from a different angle. You can’t help but feel a little excitement bubbling up inside you—perhaps this trip will even give you a chance to get closer to Sunghoon again, to reconnect, without the constant tension of being apart.

You take the last sip of your coffee, the warmth from the cup lingering in your hands as the decision settles in your mind. Tomorrow, you’ll go to Busan with Niki. It may not be the perfect answer to everything, but it’s a step forward—a chance to take a breath and figure things out. You’re ready for the change, ready to move forward with a little hope that the distance will bring you clarity.

The next morning, you meet Chaewon’s baby, and you can’t help but smile at the little bundle of joy. The baby’s so tiny and sweet, with chubby cheeks and a soft little coo that melts your heart. It’s a welcome distraction, and for a moment, all the complications and confusion about Sunghoon feel far away. You find yourself holding the baby for a while, feeling the peace of the moment wash over you.

Eventually, you hear a buzz from your phone and see Niki’s message pop up.

Niki: Hey, what’s your address? I’ll come pick you up soon.

You quickly text him your address, feeling a spark of excitement at the thought of the trip. A few minutes later, you hear a car pull up outside. You grab your bag and step out, ready for the next few days.

When you get in the car, you see Niki at the wheel, smiling at you as you slide into the backseat. Jungwon and Heeseung are already sitting back there, both greeting you with a nod.

“Ready for Busan?” Niki grins, clearly in a good mood.

“Definitely,” you reply, settling in and feeling the excitement rise again as you realize this trip is exactly what you need.

You notice there are three more guys in the back of the car that you don’t know as well—Jake, Sunoo, and Jay. You’ve heard of them, but this is the first time meeting them in person.

Jay gives you a friendly nod when you make eye contact with him. “Hey, nice to meet you,” he says, his voice warm and welcoming.

You smile back at him, feeling the calm energy of the group.

Then, Jake speaks up, and you’re caught off guard by his voice—it’s completely different than what you were expecting. There’s no thick Australian accent, just a cool, easygoing tone that matches his friendly expression.

“Hey, nice to meet you! Niki and Sunghoon has told us a bit about you,” Jake says, giving you a smile. He seems like someone who’s easy to talk to, his presence warm and easygoing.

You laugh softly. “I’m glad to finally meet you! I’ve heard about you all.”

Sunoo, who’s sitting next to Jake, smirks and looks at you with a playful grin. “I hope Niki’s been telling you the truth about us, but I wouldn’t trust everything he says,” he teases, nudging Jake.

You smile, feeling like you’re already fitting in with them. “Oh, I’m sure I’ll find out the real story soon enough,” you joke back, which makes Sunoo laugh. He’s got that mischievous charm about him, like a close friend who can tease but also has your back.

The banter between the members is easy and lighthearted, and you feel your nerves start to settle. They talk about the plans they have in Busan—some downtime, visiting a few spots, and just enjoying the break.

As you glance toward Sunghoon, you notice he’s been a little quiet, though he’s still sitting next to you. When your eyes meet for a brief moment, there’s a strange look on his face—almost like he’s lost in thought. But then, he quickly turns away, focusing on his phone, and the moment passes. You can’t help but feel a little bit of tension in the air, but for now, you push those thoughts aside. This trip is about moving forward, even if just for a few days.

With the chatter continuing around you, you lean back in your seat and let the sound of the car and the easy conversation fill the space, feeling hopeful that this break will give you the clarity you need.

The ride to Busan is filled with chatter, laughter, and the occasional teasing between the guys. It’s easygoing, comfortable, and for the first time in a while, you feel like you can breathe.

Niki is talking to you about something—probably a funny story from practice—but your mind starts to wander, your focus slipping away. His words become background noise as you stare out the window, watching the scenery blur past. You don’t mean to zone out, but your thoughts drift back to Sunghoon, to the way he looked at you earlier—distant, hesitant. You wonder if he regrets coming on this trip, if he feels uncomfortable being around you after everything that happened.

You sigh softly, shaking the thoughts away. This trip is supposed to be a break, a reset. You should be focusing on the present, on the people around you.

Just as you shift in your seat, you catch a movement from the corner of your eye. It’s Heeseung. He’s sitting a few seats away, but you can feel his gaze flickering toward you every now and then. It’s not obvious—just quick glances, like he’s trying not to be caught. But you notice.

Your eyes meet for a split second before he looks away, his expression unreadable. You frown slightly, wondering what’s going through his mind. Heeseung has always been hard to read. From the little you’ve spoken with him, he’s always carried this air of confidence, like he knows more than he lets on.

Before you can dwell on it, Niki waves a hand in front of your face.

“Hello? Earth to Y/N?” he teases, drawing your attention back to him.

You blink, snapping out of your daze. “Huh? What?”

Niki narrows his eyes playfully. “Were you even listening to me?”

You let out a small laugh, feeling a little guilty. “Uh… yeah? You were talking about—” You pause, trying to recall anything from what he said, but your mind is blank. “Okay, no, I totally zoned out.”

Niki sighs dramatically, crossing his arms. “Wow. So rude.”

Sunoo, who’s been listening in, snickers. “She’s probably thinking about her one true love,” he says in a sing-song voice, nudging you with his elbow.

You roll your eyes. “Very funny.”

Jake chuckles from the front seat. “Leave her alone, Sunoo. She’s probably just tired.”

You nod, playing along. “Exactly. Long night, you know?”

Niki side-eyes you suspiciously but lets it go. The conversation shifts back to something else, and you use the opportunity to steal another glance at Heeseung. He’s looking out the window now, his jaw resting on his hand, deep in thought.

Something about the way he looked at you earlier lingers in your mind. But you push it aside. It doesn’t matter. Not right now.

Instead, you take a deep breath and force yourself to focus on the moment—the road trip, the laughter, the feeling of moving forward, even if you’re not sure where it’s leading.

The car rolls down the highway, music humming low from the speakers while the soft sound of conversation fills the air. Everyone’s a little more settled now—half-asleep, staring at their phones, or quietly talking in pairs.

You lean your head against the window, feeling the gentle vibration of the road under the tires. The glass is cool against your skin, and the sunlight makes everything outside glow gold and warm. Despite everything going on in your head, there’s a strange sense of calm. Like for the first time in a while, you’re not spiraling—you’re just existing.

But then you feel it again. That quiet, lingering glance.

You shift slightly and glance toward Heeseung. He’s sitting diagonal from you, earbuds in, arms crossed, looking… casual. But then his eyes flick toward yours, and it’s not so casual anymore.

You don’t say anything. Neither does he. He just holds your gaze for a second longer than normal, before turning away like nothing happened.

What was that?

You bite the inside of your cheek and try to ignore the weird flutter that hits your chest. It’s not a feeling you like. Not when it’s him.

You haven’t exactly forgiven Heeseung for the last time you talked—not after the way he just said you and Sunghoon weren’t good for each other like it was some obvious truth. The way he acted like he knew you, like he knew how your heart worked. He didn’t. He still doesn’t.

You shut your eyes for a moment.

Niki leans over and nudges you with his elbow. “Hey,” he whispers. “You okay?”

You blink and look at him, surprised. “Yeah. Why?”

“You just look like you’re thinking really hard. And usually when people think that hard, it’s either about food or feelings.” He grins. “You hungry? Or are you heartbroken?”

You roll your eyes and bump his shoulder with yours. “Shut up.”

He chuckles, clearly satisfied with himself. “We’re stopping for snacks in like twenty minutes. Don’t fall asleep.”

You glance out the window again, the reflection of Heeseung faintly visible in the glass beside your own.

Heartbroken? Maybe.

Confused? Definitely.

But you’re here. You’re moving. You’re doing something new.

And maybe that’s what matters right now.

Twenty minutes later, just like Niki promised, the van pulls into a sleek rest stop on the outskirts of the highway. Everyone starts stirring—stretching, yawning, rubbing sleep from their eyes.

“We’ve got a few minutes,” Jungwon calls from the front. “Grab what you need.”

You hop out of the van, the cool breeze brushing against your face, waking you up more than you expected. The air feels fresh, and the scent of grilled meat and warm pastries from the little stalls nearby is oddly comforting. You trail behind the boys as they head toward the convenience store. Jake and Jay are already talking about what snacks they’re hunting down. Sunoo is dramatically debating between two drinks in the cooler aisle, holding them up like it’s a life-changing decision.

Niki sticks close to you, grabbing a basket and handing it over. “You pick the snacks. I trust you.”

“Bold of you,” you tease, raising an eyebrow as you start tossing in random things—ramyeon, chips, a couple packs of gummies, a bottle of iced tea.

As you’re standing in line to pay, someone moves beside you. You glance to the side and find Heeseung silently dropping a can of coffee and a chocolate bar onto the counter next to your stuff.

You blink. “Um. You know this is my basket, right?”

Heeseung shrugs. “Yeah. I figured you wouldn’t mind.” His voice is low, casual, but not exactly friendly.

You stare at him for a second, caught between being annoyed and confused. “You could’ve gotten your own.”

He finally looks at you fully. “Thought we were friends now,” he says with a slight edge of sarcasm, the same tone he used that night in the vocal room.

You clench your jaw and pay for the snacks without another word. When you step out of the store, he’s waiting by the curb, sipping his coffee like nothing happened.

You toss the chocolate bar at him without looking. “You owe me 1,800 won.”

“Put it on my tab,” he mutters.

You’re about to snap back with something witty, something sharp—but then Niki pops up beside you, full of energy as always, holding a hot bun wrapped in paper.

“Okay, tell me you’ve tried these,” he says, breaking the tension, offering you a bite. You gratefully take it, letting the warmth and sweetness melt on your tongue.

“Okay, that’s actually really good.”

“Told you,” Niki grins.

The others start heading back toward the van, and you follow, sliding back into your seat next to Niki while Heeseung takes the spot across from you again. This time, though, he doesn’t look at you.

You steal a glance at him anyway. His jaw’s tight, his eyes on the road through the window.

Whatever this thing is between you and Heeseung—resentment, confusion, whatever—it’s lingering. Heavy. Unspoken.

You turn your attention back to Niki, who’s already halfway through his snack. “Do you think the place in Busan has a view?”

“I hope so,” he says with his mouth full. “Or at least a hot tub.”

You chuckle, resting your head against the seat, letting the noise of the boys fill the air again. You’re not sure how this trip is going to play out—but you’re here now.

And whether it brings closure or chaos… at least you’re not stuck in the past anymore.

You’re the first one back in the van after the rest stop, sliding into your usual seat by the window with a quiet sigh. The plastic bag of snacks crinkles in your lap as you settle in, fingers absentmindedly toying with a bottle cap. The van is empty for now, giving you a brief moment to breathe, to think—to prepare yourself for another long ride sitting alone, lost in your own thoughts.

Because of course, Sunghoon isn’t going to sit next to you. Not when things are still awkward, not when he’s been so distant. You don’t even consider it an option.

So when the van door slides open and someone climbs in, you don’t even look up. Not until you feel the seat beside you dip.

Your heart stumbles.

You glance to the side, and there he is.

Sunghoon.

He’s sitting next to you.

It’s so unexpected that you actually freeze, your mind scrambling to catch up. He doesn’t look at you, just messes with his phone, earbuds dangling around his neck like he’s pretending this isn’t a big deal. But it is. His shoulder is close—too close—and the familiar scent of his cologne lingers in the small space between you.

Your throat feels tight, but you manage to find your voice.

“Hey.”

His gaze flicks up, surprised for a second before softening. “Hi.”

You hesitate. “Didn’t think you’d sit here.”

Sunghoon lets out a quiet breath, almost a chuckle, but there’s something guarded about it. “I figured… it’s been long enough.”

That answer doesn’t explain much. But you don’t push it.

One by one, the others start filling up the van. Jake and Jay take the seats near the back, Jungwon slides in beside them, and Sunoo claims his spot across from you with a dramatic sigh, mumbling about how his legs are sore. Niki hops in last, plopping down next to Sunoo with an energy drink in hand.

Everyone’s in.

Everyone except—Heeseung

He pauses for just a second at the door, gaze sweeping the van—and then his eyes land on you and Sunghoon. His brows furrow, lips pressing into a thin line, and something flashes across his face—something sharp, something irritated.

You don’t notice, but Niki does.

Heeseung exhales, almost like a scoff, before moving past and dropping into a seat two rows back, slamming his water bottle down a little harder than necessary. The van door slides shut.

And the ride continues.

By the time you arrive at the hotel, you’re exhausted, stretching your arms over your head as you step into the sleek, modern lobby. Gold accents line the walls, soft jazz hums through hidden speakers, and the smell of fresh linen and coffee lingers in the air. You barely have time to take it in before Niki appears beside you, smirking.

“So.” He nudges your arm. “You and Sunghoon, huh?”

You blink, taken aback. “What?”

“I saw him sit next to you. That was very interesting.”

You roll your eyes. “It wasn’t a big deal. He just—”

“And Heeseung looked like he was gonna throw hands,” Niki continues, cutting you off.

You frown. “Why would he care?”

Niki shrugs. “Maybe he likes you.”

You stare at him.

“I’m serious,” he insists, hands raised in mock innocence. “That man was pissed.”

You scoff, shaking your head. “No. Heeseung hates me.”

Niki grins. “No, you hate him.”

“Because he deserves it,” you snap, crossing your arms. “He’s the one who keeps saying I should just give up on Sunghoon. That I’m wasting my time. That I should stop trying.”

Niki hums, amused. “So you do still think you have a chance?”

You glare at him.

He just smirks, leaning closer. “You know what they say about love and hate, right?”

“Don’t.”

He laughs. “Too late.”You groan, stomping toward the elevator, choosing to completely ignore the way Heeseung’s eyes briefly meet yours across the lobby.

Completely.

As soon as you step into the elevator, you press the button for your floor and lean against the cool metal wall, exhaling slowly. Niki’s words still swirl in your head, annoying you more than they should.

Heeseung looked like he was gonna throw hands.

Maybe he likes you.

You shake your head, dismissing it. No. That’s impossible. The only thing Heeseung has ever done is criticize your relationship with Sunghoon—telling you it’s pointless, telling you to stop trying. He doesn’t like you. If anything, he thinks you’re stupid. And the feeling is mutual.

The elevator dings, and the doors slide open. You step into the quiet hallway, adjusting the strap of your bag on your shoulder. The others are still lingering in the lobby, talking about dinner plans, but you’re too drained to join them. Right now, all you want to do is lie down and not think for a few hours.

You unlock your hotel room and step inside, flicking on the light. It’s nice—spacious, with a huge bed and a view of the ocean just past the sheer white curtains. You set your bag down on the desk and fish out your phone, about to check your messages when—

Ding.

A new text.

From Niki.

NIKI: btw ur sharing a room w me remember? don’t lock the door dummy

You huff out a small laugh, shaking your head. Of course he’d call you dummy.

You shoot him a quick reply before tossing your phone onto the bed. Just as you’re about to sit down, there’s a knock at the door.

“Y/N?”

It’s Niki.

You roll your eyes fondly before calling out, “It’s open!”

The door swings open, and Niki strolls in like he owns the place, tossing his bag onto the second bed. “Damn, this is nice. We should go on trips more often.”

You flop onto your bed, stretching your arms above your head. “Maybe if your company didn’t work you guys to death, you’d actually have time to.”

He snorts, kicking off his shoes before sitting on the edge of his bed. “Fair point.”

A comfortable silence settles between you as he pulls out his phone, probably to check messages from his other members. You stare up at the ceiling, exhaustion finally creeping in. The entire day has been draining—seeing Sunghoon again, the weird tension in the van, Heeseung’s stupid reactions. It’s all too much.

And yet, despite everything… a part of you feels lighter. Like being here, away from everything, might actually help.

Niki suddenly breaks the silence.

“Oh, by the way,” he says casually, scrolling through his phone. “We’re going to the beach tomorrow.”

You turn your head toward him. “Huh?”

“The guys decided while you were zoning out earlier.” He smirks. “Figured I should tell you before you walk outside in jeans like a dumbass.”

You groan, throwing a pillow at him. “Fuck you.”

He laughs, dodging it effortlessly. “Ew, I’d never.”

You grumble under your breath, but you can’t help the small smile tugging at your lips.

Tomorrow. The beach. A day to relax, have fun, and not think about Sunghoon or Heeseung or any of the complicated feelings threatening to pull you under.

You could use a day like that.

Bam bam bam.

“Y/N, I swear to fucking god—if you don’t open this door in five seconds, I’m pissing in the hallway!”

You jump a little, nearly stabbing your eye with your mascara wand. “I’m almost done, chill!”

Niki groans from the other side of the bathroom door. “You said that ten minutes ago! What are you doing in there, summoning a whole glam squad?”

You roll your eyes, placing the mascara back in your bag and giving yourself a final once-over in the mirror. Light pink bathing suit snug beneath your white tee, jean shorts just high enough to be cute but not uncomfortable, a touch of blush on your cheeks, and lip gloss shimmering under the bathroom lights. Your hair is loosely styled—enough to look effortless, but it definitely wasn’t.

It’s not like you’re trying too hard. You just… want to look good. Specifically in case Sunghoon notices. Not that he would. Not lately, anyway.

But still.

You smooth your tee down and smile at your reflection. “Okay. Let’s do this.”

As soon as you unlock the door, Niki barrels past you with a desperate groan. “Finally! My kidneys were about to explode.”

You laugh, stepping aside as he slams the door shut behind him. “You’re so dramatic.”

His voice echoes from inside the bathroom. “You’re lucky you look kinda cute or I’d fight you right now.”

“Kinda cute?” you scoff, turning to grab your bag. “You have no taste.”

“Debatable.”

You shake your head, biting back a grin as you slip your sandals on and head toward the lobby where the others are probably waiting. You feel butterflies begin to stir in your stomach. You don’t know if it’s because of the beach, the sunshine, or the fact that you’ll be seeing Sunghoon again outside the company building, outside the tension, outside the awkward silences.

Maybe today’s the day something shifts. Maybe not. But at least you’ll look good when it happens.

You step into the hallway just as Niki comes out of the bathroom, grinning like he won. “Finally, freedom,” he says dramatically, as if he just won a grand battle.

You roll your eyes but can’t help but smile. “Such a drama queen.”

“Hey, you’re the one taking forever,” he teases, winking at you before tossing you a hoodie from the bed. “We’re about to head out, and if you get cold, this is yours.”

You give him an exaggerated look of appreciation. “Thanks, but I think I’m good.”

He shrugs, not bothered, and heads out the door first, leading the way to the lobby.

The moment you step out into the lobby, the sunshine hits your face, and the air feels warmer, fresher. It’s a perfect day for the beach. You adjust your sunglasses and pull your bag over your shoulder, suddenly feeling a lot more relaxed. The sound of waves crashing in the distance and the cool breeze against your skin are just the things you needed to forget everything that’s been weighing on you.

As you and Niki walk toward the vans, you notice the rest of the group hanging around outside, casually chatting and laughing with each other. Sunghoon is standing a little farther off with Jake, both of them engaged in some conversation, though Sunghoon’s eyes flicker toward you the moment he catches sight of you. He seems a little surprised at how you look today—probably because you’ve been so wrapped up in everything else, he’s barely seen you relaxed.

You catch his gaze, and for a second, he seems to hesitate. But then, a soft smile forms on his lips, the kind that makes your stomach flutter a little. His eyes stay on you for a few more moments before he looks away, but you can’t shake the feeling that there’s something more behind it.

Niki notices too, giving you a side glance as he throws his arm around your shoulder. “I see someone noticed how cute you look today,” he teases, nudging you.

You look at him, startled. “Shut up.”

He just grins, that mischievous glint in his eyes. “I’m just saying,” he shrugs. “I think you’re getting under his skin a little.”

You can feel your face heat up, but you quickly mask it with a smirk. “I’m not interested in that drama right now. Let’s just enjoy the day.”

Niki shrugs again, clearly not buying it. “Sure, sure. We’ll see.”

As you approach the group, Sunghoon catches your gaze once more, his smile widening a bit, but you quickly look away, pretending not to notice. It’s like a little spark is igniting inside you again—maybe it’s the way he’s looking at you, or maybe it’s the possibility of things feeling normal again. You know it’s complicated, but for today, at least, you’re determined to push those thoughts aside and enjoy the moment.

With a deep breath, you pull open the van door, letting the warm breeze sweep through your hair, and slide into one of the seats, ready for the day ahead.

You take a quiet breath as you see Sunghoon standing near the van, half-listening to Jake talk while casually scrolling through his phone. His expression is calm, but there’s a quiet sort of tension in his shoulders—like he’s present, but not really here.

Your heart does this stupid little thing in your chest, half-excited, half-nervous. You smooth down your shorts and start walking toward him, the soft crunch of your sandals on the gravel the only sound between each beat of your nerves.

He looks up just as you’re a few steps away. His eyes widen just slightly, like he wasn’t expecting you to come to him.

“Hey,” you say, your voice light but cautious. You offer a small smile, tilting your head. “Wanna come with me to grab drinks at that little stand over there?” You nod toward the beach shack just a short walk away, nestled between umbrellas and folding chairs, the smell of fresh fruit and salty air drifting over.

Sunghoon hesitates, like he’s not sure if he should, or maybe he’s thinking of an excuse. But then he pockets his phone and nods slowly. “Yeah… sure.”

The two of you start walking side by side. The silence hangs between you, thick but not unbearable. Still, you notice how he walks with a small gap between you two—not like before, when his hand would casually brush against yours or his arm would nudge you playfully.

“So…” you start, trying to fill the silence, “this is kinda nice, right? You guys don’t get many days off like this.”

“Not really,” he replies, his tone a bit tired. “It’s been a while since we had a proper break.”

You glance at him. His hair is pushed back from the wind, his expression unreadable as usual. But there’s something different today. He’s not brushing you off. He’s not completely shutting you out. He’s just… distant, but not gone.

“I’m glad you came,” he says suddenly, catching you off guard.

You blink, turning to him. “Huh?”

“I mean, to Busan,” he adds, eyes still on the sand in front of him. “It’s… nice. Seeing you here.”

You smile softly, warmth blooming in your chest despite how guarded he still seems. “Yeah. I wasn’t planning on it, but… I’m glad I did too.”

As you reach the drink stand, you step up to the counter, pointing out two cold lemonades and handing over the cash before he can even offer.

“Still your favorite, right?” you ask, handing him the cup.

He takes it, his fingers brushing against yours for the briefest second. “You remembered.”

“Of course,” you reply, sipping yours through the straw and pretending like your heart isn’t speeding up.

The silence that follows isn’t as heavy as before. There’s a bit of comfort in it, like muscle memory pulling you both back into something that once felt easy. Still, you can feel the space he’s keeping—like a line he’s not ready to cross.

But for now, you don’t push it. You just walk beside him, the ocean air whipping through your hair and the taste of citrus on your tongue, hoping that maybe this is the start of something healing… even if it’s slow.

On the walk back toward the group, your conversation with Sunghoon finally starts to feel less forced. He tells you about how early their schedules have been lately, how one of the stylists accidentally switched his pants with Niki’s during filming, and how Jake once fell asleep during practice and didn’t wake up even after the music blasted.

You laugh a little too hard at that one, nudging his arm. “He really slept through music?”

“Dead asleep,” Sunghoon says, chuckling under his breath. “We had to shake him awake.”

For a brief moment, it feels like how things used to be—easy, warm, natural. His smile is softer now, less distant, and it lingers a bit longer when he looks at you. You catch yourself holding onto those small moments like they might mean something more, something you’re afraid to hope for.

As you near the beach chairs, the others are already setting up for a volleyball game. Niki is dragging a net across the sand with Jungwon’s help, and Jay’s rolling up his sleeves dramatically like he’s about to enter an Olympic match.

“I’m gonna join them,” Sunghoon says, setting his half-finished lemonade down on the little side table. He glances at you, almost unsure. “You wanna play?”

You shake your head with a small smile. “I’ll just watch for now.”

He nods and jogs over to the others, kicking off his sandals in the sand. You watch him for a second, the wind tugging at his hair, the familiar way he laughs when Sunoo spikes the ball at Niki and hits him square in the back.

You sit down on a towel in the shade, drawing your knees to your chest, trying not to overthink everything. It’s just volleyball. It’s just Sunghoon being… Sunghoon.

A few moments later, someone drops down beside you with a soft thud.

You turn, already knowing who it is.

Heeseung leans back on his elbows, his long legs stretched out in the sand, and gives you a quick sideways glance. “Didn’t expect him to actually go with you.”

You sigh, not in the mood for another passive-aggressive comment. “Why wouldn’t he?”

Heeseung shrugs. “He’s been weird lately. Even we don’t know what’s going on in his head.”

You roll your eyes. “Well, maybe because it’s none of your business.”

He raises an eyebrow at your sharp tone but doesn’t back off. “Maybe. But I’ve known him a long time. And I’ve seen what he’s like when he’s all-in with someone. This?” He gestures vaguely toward where Sunghoon’s playing. “Doesn’t look like that.”

Your chest tightens, but you force your voice to stay calm. “You don’t get to say that.”

Heeseung lifts an eyebrow, not backing down. “Why not? Because I’m not him?”

“Because you weren’t there,” you snap, your gaze sharp. “You didn’t see what we were like before. You don’t know what it felt like to have him look at me like I was the only one in the room.”

He leans forward slightly, his tone softening just enough to make it sting. “And how long are you going to hold onto that version of him? The one that used to look at you that way?”

You suck in a breath, your hands curling in the towel beneath you. “You act like it’s so easy. Like I’m just being pathetic.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t have to,” you shoot back, your voice cracking just the tiniest bit. “You think I don’t know how this looks? How I look?”

He doesn’t speak for a second. Then, carefully, “I just don’t want to watch you break yourself in pieces trying to fix something he already let go of.”

You whip your head toward him, heat rising in your chest. “What would you know about that? Have you ever even been in love?”

That catches him off guard. His mouth opens, but nothing comes out right away. There’s something in his eyes now—something almost vulnerable, but fleeting.

You don’t wait for a response. You scoff and look away, blinking quickly as your heart continues to thud a little too hard. “Didn’t think so.”

The air between you crackles in silence, tension thick but unmoving. The waves crash gently in the distance, steady and indifferent. Heeseung doesn’t say anything else, but he doesn’t leave either.

He stays beside you. Quiet. Still. And even though he’s the last person you want comfort from right now, somehow… his presence doesn’t feel so bad.

Even if you still kind of hate him.

The sound of sneakers scuffing against sand and the dull thud of the volleyball echoed across the beach. Sunoo served with a surprising amount of force, and the ball flew straight toward Sunghoon’s side.

“Hyung!” Niki shouted, already prepping for a return.

But Sunghoon didn’t move.

His eyes weren’t on the ball—they were on you.

Or more specifically, on you and Heeseung, still sitting side by side under the shade. You were talking, your arms folded, expression sharp as you threw Heeseung some kind of annoyed look. Heeseung said something back, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips, and Sunghoon’s jaw flexed.

The ball landed on the sand right beside him with a soft thump.

“Dude,” Niki called, jogging over and tossing the ball back up. “You good?”

Sunghoon blinked, like he was just now snapping out of it. “Yeah, yeah. Sorry.”

But Niki didn’t look convinced. His eyes followed Sunghoon’s gaze and then flicked back to you and Heeseung—still mid-conversation, still way too close for Sunghoon’s liking.

He raised a brow, lips quirking just slightly.

The sun had climbed higher, casting a warm golden glow over the sand and shimmering waves. Jungwon was the first to run into the water, yelling something about it being too cold while Jake chased after him with a splash. Laughter filled the air as the rest of the boys began to follow, peeling off shirts and diving into the ocean one by one.

You were still lounging on your towel, legs stretched out, your eyes lazily following their movements, when Sunoo suddenly popped into view—his arms dripping wet, hair slicked back, and an excited grin plastered on his face.

“Y/N!” he called out, slightly breathless. “Come swim! It’s actually not that cold!”

You laughed, shaking your head. “I didn’t even bring a towel.”

“Please?” he pouted dramatically, splashing a little water in your direction. “Don’t make me be the only one without a beach bestie!”

You rolled your eyes playfully but stood up, brushing the sand from your legs. “Alright, alright—I’m coming.”

You kicked off your flip-flops and pulled off your white tee and shorts, revealing the light pink swimsuit underneath. You weren’t sure why, but your heart started to pound a little as you walked toward the water. Maybe it was the cool breeze… or maybe it was the sudden feeling of being watched.

And you weren’t wrong.

From a few feet away, Sunghoon stood half-immersed in the water, eyes locked on you as you made your way down the shoreline. He was already soaked, his dark hair pushed back from his forehead, droplets trailing down his neck. But he wasn’t moving.

He wasn’t even pretending to look anywhere else.

His gaze lingered—on your face, your expression, the way you hesitated at the edge of the water, toes curling into the sand like you were debating whether to go all in.

You stepped into the water slowly, squealing when the cold nipped at your ankles. Sunoo splashed you immediately, laughing, and you chased after him half-heartedly.

But even as you laughed, even as you ran deeper into the water with the others, you felt that look still burning against your skin.

Sunghoon hadn’t looked away.

And a moment later, he was walking toward you through the waves. Quiet, focused, his eyes soft but unreadable.

You turned just as he reached you.

“Hey,” he said, voice low—barely audible over the splash of the waves. His gaze flicked across your face, like he was trying to figure something out.

You blinked. “Hey… You okay?”

He hesitated, swallowing. “Yeah. Just… You look nice.”

It wasn’t just the words—it was the way he said it. Almost like he regretted saying it as soon as it slipped out. His hand twitched at his side, like he wanted to do something—reach out, maybe—but didn’t.

You didn’t know what to say. And neither did he.

So, for a moment, you just stood there, half in the water, half in some blurry space between what you were and what you’re trying not to be again.

You shifted your weight in the water, suddenly hyperaware of how close he was. The ocean lapped at your thighs, but it felt like the world around you had quieted—like it was just you and him, standing in a space that used to feel so familiar, now filled with everything unsaid.

Sunghoon glanced away first, running a hand through his wet hair. “I didn’t think you’d come to Busan.”

You shrugged, trying to sound casual even though your heart was thudding like crazy. “Niki invited me. Figured… why not? Needed the break.”

He nodded slowly, eyes focused on the water. “It’s nice that you came.”

You looked at him, waiting for more. For something—anything—that might explain the way he’d been treating you lately. But all he gave you was a half-smile. Distant. Careful.

“So,” you said, forcing a little laugh, “this is us being friends now?”

His eyes flicked to yours, and there was something unreadable in them. “Yeah. I guess so.”

You didn’t reply. Not right away. Because how were you supposed to explain that you still wanted more? That you weren’t here just to “be friends,” that part of you was hoping being near him again might fix something broken?

Before the weight of silence could settle between you again, a splash hit your back, followed by Sunoo’s giggle. “You two are the slowest swimmers I’ve ever seen,” he said, floating by dramatically on his back.

You rolled your eyes, grateful for the interruption. Sunghoon chuckled quietly beside you, and even though it was small, it was the most genuine thing you’d seen on his face in days.

Then, as Sunoo splashed away to join the others, Sunghoon looked at you again. “You okay? Really?”

You paused, then nodded, lips pressing into a faint smile. “Yeah. Trying to be.”

“Me too,” he said, and something in his voice cracked just a little.

You were about to say something else, maybe ask what that meant, but before you could, the guys shouted from the other side of the water.

“Sunghoon! Y/N! Get over here—we need even teams!”

He glanced toward them, then back at you. “You coming?”

You hesitated, then nodded. “Yeah.”

He waded back toward the group, and for a few seconds, you just watched him. Trying to figure him out. Trying to figure you out.

But then, with a soft breath, you followed. Still unsure. Still hoping. And still feeling that stupid little ache in your chest that only seemed to appear when he was close.

After what felt like hours of back-and-forth in the scorching heat, the game finally came to an end. Everyone was drenched in sweat and sand, laughter and teasing filling the air as the teams broke up and trudged back toward the hotel.

Your legs were sore, your arms tired from the constant jumping and diving to save the ball, but the adrenaline was still buzzing in your veins. The beach had been fun, even if it felt like a strange mix of awkwardness and fleeting moments of normalcy with Sunghoon. Still, that nagging tension in the pit of your stomach wouldn’t go away. But for now, you pushed it down.

You reached the hotel entrance, pushing through the doors with the others, and as you stepped inside, the cool air hit you immediately, the exhaustion from the day settling over your body like a heavy blanket.

Sunghoon had already gone ahead, retreating to his room without so much as a glance back. It wasn’t unusual; he was always keeping his distance lately.

Niki, though, was beside you, his hand casually shoved into his pocket as he walked beside you, looking unusually calm for someone who had just spent the last few hours running around on the beach.

“I’m going to check the weather for tomorrow,” he muttered, pulling out his phone. “If we’re lucky, we might get some sunshine.”

You nodded absentmindedly, glancing out the large hotel windows. The sky was already dimming as the sun began to set, streaks of pink and orange fading into the dark blue of evening. But even as the view seemed serene, something was off. There was a heaviness in the air, like the atmosphere was preparing for something bigger.

Niki’s eyes darted across his phone screen, and his face twisted in confusion. “Well, that wasn’t what I was expecting…”

You raised an eyebrow. “What’s up?”

“It’s supposed to rain,” he said, glancing up at you with a grin. “Like, a full-on downpour.”

You felt the tension between you and the others starting to settle into the silence around you. The sudden storm on the forecast felt like it mirrored your mood—uncertain and heavy.

“Well, that’s great,” you muttered, your voice tinged with sarcasm. “A whole day of rain sounds like a blast.”

Niki chuckled, giving you a side-eye. “We’ll make the best of it. Worst-case scenario, we just end up staying inside and making trouble.”

You shrugged, trying to act like you weren’t bothered, but the truth was, you didn’t want the rain to stop you from clearing your mind tomorrow. You wanted something—anything—that could make sense of the mess that had been left behind. Maybe the rain could wash everything away. Or maybe it would only make it harder to breathe.

Either way, you still had no idea what you were doing here.

As you reached your room, Niki gave you a knowing look before heading off to his. “Get some rest. Tomorrow���s going to be… interesting.”

You nodded, but there was a knot in your stomach that wouldn’t go away. With a last glance at the darkening sky, you closed the door behind you and let yourself fall back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling, wondering what tomorrow would bring.

The sound of the alarm ringing in your ears felt too jarring, and when you looked at the clock, you realized you’d barely gotten any sleep. The exhaustion from yesterday’s game, combined with the unspoken tension you had with Sunghoon, was eating at you. But despite the late night and the early morning, you still made the effort to get up. It was a new day, and you weren’t going to let the rain stop you from doing something—anything—to move forward.

You groaned as you rolled out of bed, annoyed that Niki wasn’t awake. He had been staying up late, chatting and joking around with the guys last night, but you didn’t expect him to be the one to drag you out of bed this morning. You could have sworn he promised to wake you up so you wouldn’t be late for breakfast, but apparently, he’d already skipped out.

Typical.

You pulled on an oversized black zip-up hoodie and some shorts, making sure you still looked decent—comfortable but still put-together. The hoodie swallowed you, making you look small, but it was warm, and you wanted to feel like you had some semblance of control over the situation.

You ran your fingers through your hair, fixing it as best as you could, and then glanced at the clock again. There was no time to waste. You needed to get to the buffet before the rest of the group was too deep into breakfast, hoping Sunghoon would be there. Maybe you could talk to him today. Maybe things would start making sense.

You threw open the door to the room and stepped out, only to see that Niki had already left. The door to his side of the room was wide open, his bed neatly made as if he’d been up for hours. Typical again.

With a roll of your eyes, you hurried down the hallway, mentally going over what you’d say to him if you saw him. You couldn’t quite shake the feeling that there was still something unsettled between the two of you. Maybe this breakfast would be the time to get things on track—get some clarity.

When you reached the lobby, you could see the buffet area. The scent of fresh coffee, fruit, and eggs wafted through the air. You tried to stay calm as you scanned the crowd, hoping your nerves didn’t show. Your eyes searched the familiar faces.

Then, there he was.

Sunghoon stood by the coffee station, his hair still a little messy from sleep but looking effortlessly good as always. He was in a simple white shirt and jeans, and for a moment, it felt like the world slowed down as you took in the sight of him.

You took a deep breath and walked toward him, making sure you looked casual but confident. You had to. It wasn’t just about Sunghoon anymore; it was about you too. Your hand instinctively brushed your hoodie, straightening it out.

As you reached the buffet, you caught his eye. There was a moment where his gaze softened, but then he looked away quickly, as if unsure what to do with the fact that you were standing there. The distance was still there—almost palpable. And yet, you couldn’t help but hope that today might be different. Maybe he’d open up. Maybe there would be a chance to fix things.

You grabbed a plate and filled it with food, trying to keep your movements casual. But as you moved toward the seating area, you couldn’t stop stealing glances at him. Your stomach twisted as you thought about how much you missed him—the real him, not the stranger he’d been lately.

You tried to shake off the nervous energy building in your chest. You’d be fine. Maybe this was the day things would get better.

The sound of footsteps made you look up, and you realized you were right. Sunghoon was heading toward the seating area, walking toward you with a hesitant look in his eyes.

“Hey,” he said, his voice quieter than usual.

“Hey,” you replied, trying to keep your tone light. “You… you came to breakfast.”

He smiled softly, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Yeah, figured I’d better.”

For a moment, neither of you said anything. Then, you sat down, taking a deep breath. “I’m glad you’re here.”

Sunghoon’s gaze lingered on you, and you swore you saw something flicker there. But before you could say anything else, Niki suddenly appeared behind you, startling you both.

“Are we doing the breakfast thing or what?” Niki grinned, clearly not aware of the tension in the air. “I’m starving.”

You couldn’t help but roll your eyes at him. “I can tell,” you muttered under your breath, giving Niki a playful nudge.

Niki ignored you and sat down at the table, but not before giving Sunghoon a quick glance. The subtle exchange between them didn’t go unnoticed, and your stomach twisted uncomfortably. You couldn’t figure out what was going on—if anything at all.

But for now, you’d focus on getting through the meal. And maybe—just maybe—figure out how to fix what was broken.

You clutch your plate a little tighter as you make your way down the buffet line, pretending to focus on the scrambled eggs and fresh fruit while your mind spins. You’d barely taken two bites earlier—too distracted by Sunghoon’s presence, by the almost-conversation that had fizzled before it really began.

You grab a mini croissant and move toward the toast station when a figure slides into your peripheral vision. You know who it is before you even turn your head—tall, broad shoulders, and that familiar energy that always feels just a little too intense.

It’s Heeseung.

You instinctively ignore him, keeping your eyes on the silver tongs as you reach for a slice of toast. Maybe if you don’t acknowledge him, he’ll just keep walking. You’re not in the mood for another judgmental comment or another unsolicited opinion about Sunghoon.

But of course, he doesn’t walk away.

“Toast again?” His voice is light, teasing.

You blink, your hand pausing mid-air. Slowly, you glance over at him, confused. “What?”

Heeseung shrugs like it’s no big deal, arms crossed over his chest as he leans against the counter. “You got toast yesterday too. I remember. Is that your thing?”

You raise an eyebrow, cautiously placing the toast on your plate. “Are you seriously making conversation about toast right now?”

“What, I’m not allowed to talk to you unless it’s about your love life?” he replies, smirking. “Damn. Harsh.”

You open your mouth, ready to argue—but then pause. You’d been so sure he was going to bring up Sunghoon again. You were ready to defend yourself, ready to be annoyed, but… he hadn’t. Not this time.

“You’re just here to talk?” you ask, a little skeptical.

Heeseung holds up his hands. “I come in peace. Promise.”

You glance at him again. His tone is relaxed, maybe even playful, but there’s something in his expression—something gentler than you’re used to seeing. It throws you off.

You clear your throat, shifting your plate in your hands. “Well… yeah. I guess I like toast. It’s kind of comforting.”

Heeseung tilts his head. “Comfort food. Got it.”

There’s a pause between you. It’s not awkward… just unfamiliar. For once, he isn’t annoying the hell out of you. He isn’t picking at old wounds. He’s just standing there, talking about nothing. And somehow, that makes your chest feel a little less heavy.

“Didn’t think you were the type to notice what someone eats,” you mutter, but the corners of your lips twitch slightly.

“Only when they ignore me like I’m invisible,” he fires back, feigning offense.

You roll your eyes, but you’re smiling now, just a little. “Maybe I thought you’d come over and start lecturing me again.”

“I’ve got range,” he says, flashing a grin. “Sometimes I’m just here for the vibes.”

You shake your head and laugh softly, turning back to finish filling your plate. Maybe—just maybe—he’s not as unbearable as you thought.

You sat down with the rest of the guys at the long table near the window, the early morning light spilling in and casting a soft glow over everyone’s tired faces. You squeezed yourself between Sunoo and Niki, your plate balancing on your knees as you tried not to stare at Sunghoon, who sat diagonally across from you, fork lazily twirling around scrambled eggs like he wasn’t really paying attention to anything.

Sunoo leaned over, whispering something about how you looked “weirdly hot for a breakfast buffet,” and you snorted into your orange juice, nudging him playfully.

Jay was halfway through a mouthful of waffles when he looked up and said, “Oh, by the way—did you guys know there’s an indoor pool and hot tub nearby?”

That got everyone’s attention. “Wait, what?” Jungwon blinked. “I thought this hotel didn’t have one.”

“It doesn’t,” Jay confirmed, chewing. “It’s not technically part of the hotel—it’s like a sister facility or something? Two minutes down the road, but it’s indoor, and super nice apparently. Hotel gave me this little card for it when I checked in.”

Jake perked up instantly. “Why are you just telling us now?”

Jay shrugged, sipping his juice. “Didn’t think we’d have time. But with the rain today, kinda perfect, right?”

Sunoo clapped excitedly. “Hot tub and gossip? Count me in.”

You raised an eyebrow. “Wait, it’s raining?”

“Pouring,” Niki said, casually tapping his phone. “Started like twenty minutes ago.”

As if on cue, you heard the gentle tap of rain start to intensify against the big windows. The cloudy sky hung low, casting a soft gray hue across the cityscape outside.

“Thank God the hotel gave umbrellas,” Jake added, stretching. “Looks like we’re making it a spa day.”

After breakfast, everyone split to their rooms to change. You threw on a simple black bikini, covering it with an oversized cream hoodie and a pair of loose shorts. You didn’t want to look like you were trying too hard, but you also… kind of were. Just a little.

You met everyone in the lobby, where a bucket of complimentary umbrellas sat by the door like the hotel knew exactly what kind of morning it was. Everyone grabbed one—except Niki, who proudly insisted on using yours so you had to share.

“C’mon,” he said, holding the umbrella with a grin, “we’ve already shared worse—like the bathroom.”

You smacked his arm but laughed, tucking closer under the umbrella as you all made your way down the street. The air smelled like rain and wet pavement, cool against your skin, but the chatter and laughter between the group made it feel warmer somehow.

As the pool building came into view, a little glass dome tucked between shops and cafés, your heart fluttered. You glanced sideways toward Sunghoon—he was walking quietly behind you, his eyes flicking up only when someone called his name.

He still wasn’t the same. But maybe today would change that.

Or maybe, this day wasn’t just about him anymore.

You were mid-conversation with Niki—something light, probably teasing each other about who would tap out of the hot tub first—when Heeseung walked in.

His hair was damp, probably from the quick dash in the rain, and he wore a black sleeveless shirt and swim trunks, a towel draped lazily around his neck. You tried not to look, you really did, but something about him pulled your gaze in for just a second too long.

Maybe it was the way he moved—like he didn’t care if people were watching. Or maybe it was the way he didn’t even glance your way, like he was completely unbothered by your presence after everything. But there was this quiet confidence in him that was… hard to ignore.

You quickly looked away, focusing back on the small bubbles swirling in the water—hoping Niki hadn’t noticed.

Heeseung stepped into the hot tub without a word, settling on the opposite side. His eyes flicked up once, meeting yours briefly, but he didn’t say anything. Still, that short glance sent a weird jolt through your chest, one you didn’t want to think too hard about.

Then, just as you were about to force yourself to say something—anything—Sunghoon appeared at the side of the hot tub.

“Y/N,” he said, voice quieter than usual. “Can we talk?”

Your heart skipped. He looked serious—like he’d been rehearsing that question in his head. He didn’t even wait for you to answer, just tilted his head toward the hallway leading to the locker area, clearly expecting you to follow.

You nodded, brushing your damp hands against your legs before standing. Niki raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything, just gave you a subtle look that said you okay?

You weren’t sure.

But you stepped out of the hot tub anyway, trailing after Sunghoon, water dripping behind you, the sound of the storm outside growing louder as you left the warmth of the others behind.

The rain was relentless.

It poured from the sky in sheets, soaking through your already wet body, your hair clinging to your cheeks, and your breath catching cold in your lungs. Thunder rolled somewhere in the distance, and the sound of it echoed like your own heartbeat—loud, fast, uncertain.

“Heeseung!” you called again, louder this time, the slap of your feet on the wet pavement mixing with the rhythmic pounding of the rain.

He finally stopped.

His back was still to you, umbrella tilted slightly to the side, barely doing its job as rain slid down his shoulders. For a moment, he didn’t move. Then, slowly, he turned to face you.

Water dripped from his bangs, and his expression was unreadable—tired, frustrated, and something else you couldn’t place.

“Why did you leave?” you asked, breathless, voice sharp with confusion. “Why were you even there?”

Heeseung stared at you for a beat too long, like he was trying to figure out if it was worth it—whatever was sitting heavy on his chest. And then, you said it. The question that had been clawing at the edge of your mind ever since he walked away.

“Why do you even care if I get back together with him?”

That was when it cracked.

He ran a hand through his soaked hair, dropping the useless umbrella to the side. It clattered to the ground and flipped inside out with the wind, forgotten.

“Because,” he said, voice low and raw, “I wouldn’t have treated you like that.”

You blinked at him.

“I would’ve called you a hundred times a day if that’s what it took. I would’ve asked how you were doing every damn morning and again every night. I wouldn’t have ignored you, or made you feel like you weren’t enough.”

Rain streamed down both of your faces now, but you couldn’t tell which drops were from the sky and which were from the ache inside your chest.

“I don’t know when it happened, okay?” He took a step closer, his tone trembling like he hated the way it all came out. “But somewhere along the way, I started looking at you and wondering why the hell someone like you was still holding onto someone who couldn’t even see you.”

You tried to look away—tried to act like his words weren’t digging straight into your chest—but he wasn’t done.

“If it were me,” he said softer, eyes burning into yours, “I’d spend every second proving it to you. That you matter. That I’d never stop showing up.”

Your breath caught, completely stolen by the sincerity in his voice.

“I don’t care if you hate me,” Heeseung added. “But don’t act like I don’t see you. Because I do. I always have.”

The rain slowed to a steady drizzle, the sky softening into a dull gray.

And all you could do was stand there, the silence thick between you—because suddenly, you weren’t sure who you were chasing anymore.

You didn’t move.

Not right away, anyway.

Your shoes were soaked through, the cuffs of your hoodie dripping cold water against your bare thighs, and your heart was pounding so hard it made your ribs ache. Heeseung was standing in front of you—drenched, unguarded, and somehow everything you didn’t expect.

“I…” you started, but the words stuck in your throat.

He just stared at you, breath shallow. It was like he was trying to rein it all in, like he regretted letting that wall crack open in the first place. But there was no going back now—not when his words were still ringing in your head. I’d spend every second proving it to you.

You looked at him. Really looked.

His hair was dripping water into his lashes. His jaw was tense. His eyes didn’t waver.

“I didn’t ask you to,” you said, quieter now, but there wasn’t any bite to it.

“I know,” Heeseung replied. “But maybe you should’ve.”

That stunned you into silence.

“I know you still love him,” he added, glancing down for a second before meeting your eyes again. “But if someone makes you feel like you have to fight that hard just to be seen… maybe they’re not the one.”

Your chest twisted.

It was too much. Too honest.

Too close.

“I never wanted to be anything to you,” you admitted. “I didn’t even like you at first.” He smirked faintly, water still dripping from his chin. “Yeah, you made that really clear.”

You exhaled, and the tension cracked just slightly between you two. Still there, but softer now. Different. “I don’t know what I want,” you whispered. “I’m not asking you to know,” he said. “Just… let me be there. Let me prove I’m not him.”

You stared at him. At the boy who used to just be another face on Sunghoon’s screen. The one you thought was arrogant. Dismissive. Cold. Now standing in the rain, offering nothing but truth. You weren’t sure what you were supposed to say. But for the first time in weeks, you didn’t feel so alone.

“Come on,” he said, reaching down to pick up the umbrella, brushing the rain from it as best he could. “Let’s get you inside before you catch a cold.”

And for once—you let him.

As you and Heeseung walked back towards the pool, the rain continued to pour down, the umbrella barely protecting both of you from the downpour. The streets were nearly empty, the storm scaring everyone indoors, but you didn’t mind. The quiet between you and Heeseung felt almost peaceful, like a brief pause in all the chaos that had been swirling around you.

As you neared the pool area, you could hear the laughter and chatter of your friends—well, mostly your friends. You hesitated for just a moment before stepping inside. The heavy wooden doors of the indoor pool area opened with a soft creak, revealing the familiar faces of the other members lounging around the pool. But as soon as you entered, the room seemed to fall into silence.

Every pair of eyes in the room was on you. The usual sounds of splashing water and light conversation came to a halt as all the members looked up—some surprised, others curious. Sunghoon, sitting on the edge of the pool, was staring directly at you, his expression unreadable. His gaze lingered a little too long, and for a second, you almost felt like you were frozen in place.

You felt a knot form in your stomach, the weight of his stare making everything in the room feel heavier. Heeseung, sensing the shift, walked ahead of you, casually making his way towards the group, seemingly unaffected by the sudden attention. You lingered behind for a moment, feeling every pair of eyes on you as you walked toward the group. It wasn’t just Heeseung’s gaze that felt heavy; it was the entire room.

Jay, sitting near the hot tub, raised an eyebrow and gave you a small, teasing grin. “Looks like someone had a little chat in the rain,” he said, voice light, though you could hear the underlying curiosity. Jake, who had been lounging nearby, chuckled and stretched, clearly trying to break the tension. “Seems like we’ve missed something interesting.”

But you didn’t even register what they were saying, your eyes fixated on Sunghoon, who was still staring at you from the poolside. His expression was distant, almost cold, but there was something behind his eyes you couldn’t quite place. Maybe it was guilt. Maybe it was confusion. You couldn’t tell. As you walked further into the room, Niki, who had been sitting by the pool with a towel around his shoulders, nudged Heeseung playfully. “You both look like you’ve just been caught in a storm,” he said with a wink. “Did you two get along out there?” Heeseung smirked and replied casually, but you could feel his gaze shift toward you. “We got a lot of things sorted out, I guess.”

The rest of the group remained quiet, though you could feel the undercurrent of tension. Sunghoon’s eyes never left you, even as he stood up, brushing droplets from his shirt as if to distract himself from the heavy silence. The moment felt strange—too quiet, too charged. It was as if all the unsaid things between you were suddenly hanging in the air, just waiting to be addressed. Heeseung, sensing the discomfort in the room, placed a hand on your back and nudged you towards the others. “Don’t worry about it,” he said softly. “You’re with us now.” But despite his words, you couldn’t shake the feeling that things were still unsettled. Sunghoon’s gaze on you lingered too long, his expression unreadable as if he wanted to say something but couldn’t. You were about to sit down when Niki suddenly leaned over and whispered, “Are you alright? You seem… off.” You nodded quickly, forcing a smile. “Yeah. I’m fine.”

But deep down, you couldn’t shake the feeling that something had changed. Something had shifted in the air, and it was more than just the rain outside. As the group slowly resumed their chatter, you couldn’t help but glance at Sunghoon once more. His eyes met yours, but he quickly looked away.

You wondered if he was still thinking about what had happened earlier, if he still regretted everything, or if he was starting to pull away even more. But the longer you stayed in that pool area, the more you realized that things couldn’t just go back to the way they were. Something had changed between you two, and even if you both tried to pretend otherwise, it was impossible to ignore.

The tension in the air was thick, and as you sat down with the others, the weight of it hung over you. Sunghoon’s distant gaze didn’t help either. You could feel him watching you from the other side of the pool, but there was nothing left to say. The words had all been exhausted, the emotions too tangled to unravel in a single conversation. Niki, noticing the change in the atmosphere, nudged you playfully, trying to pull you from your thoughts. “You sure?” he asked with a soft smile. You nodded, even though you weren’t sure if you were.

pt 2 @sheseung

[violetseaslug]

i have dementia and I don’t remember if I already requested this or not so I apologize if I already have and I just forgot

semi x fem reader angst where semi goes straight to bed brushing off reader after a long day not realizing she completely forgot about readers birthday only to realize this when they wake up the next morning finding reader curled up asleep with puffy eyes and an uneaten slice of cake on the table

' wish that i could give you my love now ' ⋆˚ 𝜗𝜚˚⋆

★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★

tw: angst, but it gets resolved in the end

a/n: i dont remember ever getting this request so dont worry :D but thank you for the request love <3 my reqs r still open btw! I HOPE U ENJOYYYY AND I HOPE I WROTE IT HOW YOU WANTED IT 🧡 <333

★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆

After a long day, Se-mi would usually look forward to seeing you. The moment she stepped through the door, she'd drop her bags carelessly and search for you, her voice filling the apartment as she called your name. She’d wrap herself around you like a warm embrace, peppering your face with kisses, eager to tell you every detail of her day. But today was different.

She barely glanced at you.

A quick kiss on your cheek, a distracted "hello," and she disappeared into the bedroom without another word. No excited chatter, no playful hugs, not even a glance at the small cake on the table—your cake. The single candle, meant to cast a warm glow over a celebration you were counting down the days for, unnoticed.

You swallowed the lump in your throat as you watched her walk away.

“Out of all days,” you thought bitterly, your eyes lingering on the untouched cake. You had planned everything—imagined how she would light up when she saw it, how she’d pull you in for a slow dance after singing you happy birthday. But now, that excitement had faded into nothingness, dissolving like sugar in bitter tea.

Your feet felt heavy as you made your way to the bedroom. Se-mi was already lying on the bed, laptop perched on her lap, fingers moving swiftly over the keys.

“Is everything alright?” you asked, voice barely above a whisper, shaky with the effort to keep your emotions in check.

She didn’t look up. Didn’t notice the way your hands fidgeted with the hem of your sweater. Didn’t see the way your eyes searched for something—anything—that might explain her coldness.

“Yeah, I’m alright. Gonna go to bed soon,” she replied, her tone as distant as her gaze.

“So early... especially for the occasion.”

That made her pause. Her brows furrowed as she finally looked at you. “Occasion? Am I missing something?”

A small, empty chuckle escaped your lips. You shook your head quickly, forcing a smile that didn’t reach your eyes.

“No, don’t worry. There’s no occasion or anything.”

Se-mi nodded absentmindedly and returned to her work, her mind already drifting elsewhere. You stood there for a moment, waiting and hoping she’d realize. That something in her heart would tug and remind her. But nothing came.

The rest of the night was spent in silence. You busied yourself in the kitchen, cleaning and reorganizing, anything to keep yourself from breaking down completely. The apartment felt colder than usual, the absence of her warmth suffocating.

By the time you finally crawled into bed, Se-mi was already asleep, curled up under the blankets. You used to love the way she clung to you on your birthday, her arms around you as if she never wanted to let go. But tonight, she hadn’t even noticed when you slipped away to the couch.

Tears threatened to spill over, so you hurried to the linen closet. You pulled out two fluffy blankets, laying one over the couch and wrapping yourself in the other. The uneaten slice of cake sat untouched on the table, the candle long extinguished. It probably tasted funny by now.

As you curled up, finally allowing the dam to break, silent sobs wracked your body. You bit your lip to keep from making a sound. Thoughts swirled in your mind like a storm. Had she stopped loving you? Did she forget because she didn’t care? Was she pulling away, little by little?

You fell asleep wondering when things had changed.

The next morning, Se-mi woke up to an unfamiliar quiet. Normally, you’d still be in bed beside her, soft murmurs escaping as you stretched awake. But today, the bed was cold.

Her heart clenched. Something felt off.

She got up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she stepped into the living room. The first thing she saw was the untouched cake on the table, the pink candle still standing tall. A lump formed in her throat.

Then, she saw you.

Curled up on the couch, body tucked into itself as if trying to disappear. Even in sleep, your face looked worn—trails of mascara staining your cheeks, your lashes clumped together from dried tears. Your lips, usually curved into a gentle smile, were pressed together tightly, as if holding back all the words you couldn’t say.

Se-mi’s chest ached as the realization crashed over her.

She had forgotten your birthday.

Guilt clawed at her stomach as she turned back to the kitchen. The slice of cake from last night had gone stale, so she discarded it, her hands trembling. She opened the fridge and hopes to find the full cake she hadn’t even known was there. It was beautiful, decorated carefully, waiting for a celebration that never came.

Tears welled in her eyes.

She had messed up. Badly.

Moving quickly, she closed all the blinds, dimming the apartment into a soft glow. She carefully lit the candles on the cake, their tiny flames flickering against the quiet shadows. Then, she made her way back to the living room.

She knelt beside you, brushing a few stray strands of hair from your face before pressing a gentle kiss to your cheek.

You stirred, blinking sleepily.

Another kiss—this time to your forehead. Then, the mischievous smear of icing on your nose.

“Happy late birthday, sleepyhead,” she murmured, offering you a guilty, trembling smile. Her voice was thick with regret.

You stared at her for a moment, taking in the remorse on her face, the way her eyes shimmered with unshed tears.

You understood. It wasn’t intentional—she had simply been overwhelmed, lost in the chaos of her own thoughts. But that didn’t erase the hurt.

Still, you sighed, sitting up and stretching. “I forgive you,” you murmured, lips curling into a small smirk.

Se-mi perked up slightly. But she also knew it was never that easy with your mischievous nature. “Under what condition?”

Your smirk widened.

“Can I smash your face into the cake?”

Her eyes widened in horror, but before she could protest, your hands were already moving. The next thing she knew, her face was covered in frosting, her mouth full of sweet, sugary regret.

For the rest of the day, Se-mi was coughing up cake crumbs and sneezing out tiny sprinkles, but she didn’t care.

As long as she had you, everything was okay again.

[chenlezip]

secret admirer | woozi x reader .

⤷ summary: can i req a woozi fic? one where he writes little love songs and poems and y/n also writes them and they put love letters in eachother’s lockers BUTT its anonymous so they reject eachother without knowing its eachother :)!!

annas note: @jjjjeonww finally got around to writing this out for you, i’m so sorry it took me so long! 😖🤍 i hope i did it justice, thank you for writing chenle for me! (i’ll write out the mark request too!) i made a happy ending.. sort of..?

it’s the end of the school day and woozi is exhausted. he head to his locker, opening it and seeing something like a letter falling out of it. he bent down and picked it up, ‘to woozi’ it read with a small heart beside his name. what the hell? he questioned himself, who would do this? could it be someone he knew or not?

he shrugged it off for now, picking it up and hiding it in his blazer pocket as he grabbed his bag from the locker. he slammed it shut before feeling someone throw an arm over his shoulder, his best friend hoshi. “ji hoon~ how’s it going?” he asked and woozi just smiled, “it’s been a tiring day.”

once he’s back home and by himself in the comfort of his room, he opened the letter and read it.

‘your music reminds me of the sky before it rains— soft, melancholic, and utterly beautiful. i hope you never stop creating. it brings me great joy when i walk past the music room.’

but what intrigued him more was that there was no name on the bottom of the letter, just a small ‘yours, secret admirer.’

now, it’s your turn to find a letter in your locker. you just arrived at school and notice something just poking out of it. you take it out and smile, opening it up and reading the words on the paper, raw and unfiltered.

‘your words make me feel like i’m standing in the middle of my favourite song, you have such a way with them. and that’s quite rare.’

your heart pounded in your chest, oh my god.. this was the sweetest thing you’ve ever received in your life. you hid the letter in your notebook and head to class, rethinking the words over and over in your head.

it’s lunchtime. you’re eating together with woozi and his friends, laughing and having a great time. suddenly, someone mentions the fact that you both have received a secret letter from an admirer. you blush, “ah- it’s probably someone messaging around, right? i mean-“

woozi, on the other hand, noticed your reaction and his heart nearly dropped. messing around? he sighed, “yeah probably aha, i mean, who writes things like these nowadays?” now it was your turn for your heart to drop. thoughts were running through both your minds - is this really what they think? maybe i shouldn’t have wrote that letter now..

well, it soon comes out that woozi knows it’s you who wrote his letter. yeah.. he didn’t mean to snoop but he did notice the familiar writing poking out from your notebook that was on your desk in english class. luckily, you were asleep, head on the desk so he could take a closer look. he leaned in, slowly pulling it out and his eyes widened.

“you’re my secret admirer..” he whispered in a low tone. he smiled to himself and backed away, he had a plan. he was just going to write you a letter so you knew it was him, he didn’t care anymore, he wanted you to know.

and so, there he is in the back of the class, quickly writing out something small in his letter and quickly shoving it in your locker before the end of the day.

when you open it, you see it and you open it up, a gasp escaping from your lips as you see the name on the bottom.

‘i think we’ve been writing to each other for so long without really saying anything. let’s fix that, shall we? meet me after school— if you want this to be real.

lee jihoon.

[maxlarens]

sidewalk rule and george!! idk I think it would be cute 🫶

i was writing a logan thing but this took over my brain. never fear logan girlies it’s still coming. also first time writing george 🤔🤔🤔 hope it’s okay. and also a bit shorter than what ive been typically doing for drabbles but i needed to kind of warm up my george writing

You’re holding a sizeable bouquet of wildflowers picked from community street-side planters. A mix of purples, pinks, blues and white— it reminds you of being a kid in the England countryside. The stone cottage your grandparents owned before you all made the move to the outskirts of London. You’re excited to put them in the little glass vase that your Mum used to own, set it on the windowsill in your kitchen.

But it’s not complete quite yet, there’s always room for more and the flowers are just so pretty.

You keep letting go of George’s hand, ducking in front of him and carefully picking stems from the greater plant. Before rejoining his leisurely stroll, again and again.

“Sorry, Georgie,” you apologise for what feels like the millionth time, “I can’t resist.”

He smiles at you, toothy and bright. Shakes his head to say it’s not a bother. Lets you take his hand again.

You do it a few more times before you sigh and switch the hand you’re holding the bouquet in, “We need to swap sides. I keep cutting you off.”

George laughs, “I have almost tripped a couple of times. But it’s fine, don’t worry. Keep doing what you’re doing.”

You frown, grabbing at his right hand, “We need to swap then.”

He shakes his head again, a crease forming between his eyebrows. He dodges your reach for his hand, slips behind you and slings an arm around your shoulder. It keeps him on your left, on the road side. You frown a little more at that—

“Georgie, what are you doing?”

“Nothing,” he hums, “It’s just the sidewalk rule.”

“The sidewalk rule,” you roll your eyes, a little exasperated but not quite meaning it.

“Yeah,” he squeezes your shoulder, presses you against his side, “I stand on the car side so if we get hit you’ll live.”

A laugh bursts out of you, “Well I think if a car comes barreling at us it’s not going to make much of a difference, hun.”

He shrugs, you can see him smiling, growing wider by the second, “Yes, well, I’m being chivalrous and all that. So just shush.”

“Ah,” you concede, “I see. How upstanding of you, Georgie. Putting your life on the line for me.”

He laughs, giggles at the absurdity of it, “I try, sweetheart. I try.”

send me a prompt/req + driver and i’ll write something. pls make sure my requests are open first 💖

[amethystarachnid]

PROMISE

⤷ JAMES B. “BUCKY” BARNES

ᯓ★ Pairing: James B. “Bucky” Barnes x fem!reader

ᯓ★ Genre: romance, action and tiny bit of fluff, angst

ᯓ★ Request from: MARVEL bingo

ᯓ★ Story type: one shot

ᯓ★ Word count: 4k

ᯓ★ TW(s): reader tells Bucky that she wants him dead, swear words, depressed Bucky (?), reader gets shot so blood, coma

ᯓ★ Timeline: after CACW but everyone lives "happily" at the compound.

ᯓ★ Request: I'd love to req enemies to lovers Bucky where reader risks her life for him 🫶🏼 ( @roxymiaa )

ᯓ★ Comment if you want to be added to the taglist (specify if you want the everything taglist or for a specific character)

ᯓ★ Songs & Superheroes tales - The Game (to make a request, follow the rules on the link!)

ᯓ★ MARVEL Bingo (requests open)

ᯓ★ Masterlist

ᯓ★ If you are a Charles Xavier fan click on this link!

ᯓ★ English isn’t my first language and this isn’t proof read

ᯓ★ I realized I suck at writing enemies to lovers so yeah, sorry if this sucks since it's like a one-sided enemy thing (?), it's more like hate to love, and also, sorry for the wait <3

The Winter Solider, the man who killed your parents, the man whose life you wish to take even if doing so made you a killer.

The man who's living in your house and chatting with your friend, Natasha.

"If you keep glaring at him like that you'll burn holes in his head." Tony says as he sits next to you on the couch.

"I hope I do." You say as you sip your coffee, you hear your twin sigh.

"Listen, Y/N, I like having him here as much as you do and I know how much you hate him, hell, I hate him the same." Tony takes a deep breath, "But he was being brainwashed when he did what he did, you know that."

You look down. You know that it wasn't Bucky who killed your parents, you know that the man responsible for that is the Winter Soldier but Bucky is the Winter Soldier. How can everyone be so calm about it? Anyone could walk in the room at any moment, say a few Russian words and the man now holding a book in his right hand will use it to smash someone's head.

"I know." Is the only thing you say before standing up and walking out of the room, past Natasha and Bucky who are talking in Russian.

"Y/N" Natasha calls you and you turn around. "Will you be one of us for tonight's movie night?"

The Avengers' movie nights, where everyone sat in the cinema room to watch movies, if you remember correctly it would be Wanda's turn to choose them tonight, you and her always had similar taste in movies so it would be an enjoyable night with your dearest friends.

You were going to say yes, but then your eyes met Bucky's and it reminded you that he'd be there too.

You can barely stay in the same room as him during training or meals, the times where you're forces to share your space with him, but when you can choose to stay away from him, that's exactly what you do.

"No, I think I'll go to sleep early." Bucky looks down at your words, he knows that he's the reason you're isolating yourself more and more everyday, but there isn't much he can do.

He already apologized to Tony and you, he's even seeing a therapist now (that was Tony's condition to make him stay at the compound), he feels himself getting better and better everyday.

Especially knowing that Tony is searching for a way to erase completely the brainwashing from his mind, so that there'll be no way to turn him back in the Winter Soldier.

He looks at you as you walk away, knowing that there's nothing he can do to make you stop hating him when even he hates himself.

────୨ৎ────

You sit against a tree outside the compound, sipping a beer while deep in thought, but you still hear the faint footsteps approaching you from behind.

You recognize them immediately, since you have spent the last months avoiding them.

"Why are you here?" You ask harshly as you finish your beer.

"Wanda is making us watch Kate & Leopold for the fourth time, I couldn't take it anymore." He chuckles, standing next to your sitting form.

"She made me watch Australia ten times at least, but can't really blame her." You say with a small smile. Usually you would've already walked away from Bucky but the five beers you have already drank altered your mind.

"For the actor that starred in them?" You nod at his words.

"She's already excited for his new movie next year, Great Showman or something like that." You shrug your shoulders, trying to take another sip of beer but the bottle is empty.

"Here." He hands you an opened beer bottle and only then you notice that he has two in his hands.

Did he bring one for you only?

"You didn't poison this, did you?" You try to ignore the pain that flashes in his eyes at your words.

"I would never do that." He says, sitting down next to you, "Listen, I already apologized to you and Tony, what else do you want me to do?!" His voice is calm and this makes you even angrier at him.

You have been holding back your feelings for him for way too longs and the fact that you're also drunk makes you finally snap.

"To fucking die!" You yell at him, the bottle in your hand slips and hits the grass, shattering in tiny sharp pieces.

You don't even realize that there are tears coming out of your cheeks, running along your cheeks and then fall off your chin.

"Then kill me!" He takes a gun from the inside pocket of his jacket and puts it on your hands, your fingers immediately adapting to the familiar weight and your index finds its place on the trigger.

Bucky brings your armed hand against his chest and presses the gun against his body, "Kill me, because I swear to God, there's no one who wants me dead as much as I do."

Your eyes widen and suddenly you see the pain in his eyes, in his voice, in him.

"Do a favor to everyone on this fucking planet and kill me, please." His voice cracks at the last word and you see unshed tears in his eyes.

You have never thought about it like this, you were too focused on your own pain that you didn't even think that, maybe, he was in pain too.

Having to live with the memory of every person who he has killed, does he see blood on his hands everytime he looks at them?

"I...I..." Your eyes move quickly from his face to the gun in your hand, against his chest, right over his heart.

The heart you thought he didn't have, but now you understand that he does have a heart, a heart so fragile that it could break any moment if handled too roughly.

James Barnes does have a heart, one covered in scars and bandages and you don't want to be the one to add the final scar, the one that would shatter his injured heart completely.

The moon rays hit his blue eyes, making them almost magical.

"I know I don't deserve to live, I already tell myself that every night." A single tear runs down his beautiful left eye.

"T-That's not what I..." You stutter as you look at the broken man in front of you, how did you not realize it sooner?

Bucky hates himself for being the Winter Soldier as much as you do, if not more.

"I can't do it." You say as you stand up and drop the gun to the ground next to him.

"Isn't this what you've always wanted?" He says as he looks up at you, his eyes, big and glossy, remind you of a lost puppy that just wants to be comforted.

"I may have been wrong all this time." You look down at him, then glance at the gun by his side, "Don't do anything stupid with that, Steve would be sad." It's the excuse you give both him and yourself before walking inside the compound.

Once inside you turn around and see him hitting the tree with his right hand, you are too far away to understand what he's saying but he looks like he's crying.

"What happened to Barnes?" Tony's voice asks you from behind, you turn around and see him coming out of the cinema room, behind him you can see end credits rolling on the big screen.

"I don't know." You simply say before walking towards your room on the second floor.

────୨ৎ────

"What?! Have you gone mad?!" You look shocked at Steve and Tony, surprised that a plan as stupid as that came out of the two of them.

"You have to look past your personal problems, Y/N." Steve scolds you with a frown and if there is one thing that Captain America is good at, is making people feel guilty.

Like that one time you accidentally ate one of his yogurts and he looked so disappointed that you bought him twenty of them as an apology.

"This would be a great way to gain intel of this criminal organization who is selling weapons." Tony says, leaning back against his chair.

"And you think that sending me undercover with Bucky to a masked party in downtown Manhattan will help us?" You scoff at his words, crossing your arms over your chest.

You glance at Bucky, he has been silent during all the length of the meeting.

"We are sending you two because you are the only people who we trust enough to do it and because you have the last chances of being recognized." Steve explains, calmly as always, "People don't know Bucky's face, they may know yours, but we have masks that can make people see your features in other ways."

"With my technology we could make people see him bald." Tony points at Bucky, he looks up and touches his hair.

"I like my hair." He simply says, glancing awkwardly at you. Things between you two have been even more awkward than before after what happened under the tree two weeks ago.

"Fine, I'll do it." You scoff and stand up, Tony claps his hands together.

"Great, you already have a stunning dress waiting for you in your room, the party is in three hours." Your brother says.

"Three hours?!" You and Bucky say at the same time, you could get physically ready quickly but you needed your time getting mentally ready to spend a whole evening with Bucky glued to your hip.

"Yes, Mr. and Mrs. Jones." Tony says, handing you and Bucky an invite each.

"How did you get these?" Bucky asks.

"They're fake, obviously, but anyone who will look at them won't understand it because I did it." He says, showing off his ego.

Two hours and half later, you're walking outside the compound in a shiny designer black dress, already wearing Tony's mask which makes you completely unrecognizable to everyone else but Bucky apparently.

“You look…beautiful.” Bucky says as he looks at you, he too is wearing a designer black suit and it looks ridiculously good on him.

“Thank you…” You give him a small smile, “You don’t look too bad either.”

He smiles and looks down at himself, "Shall we go?", he hopes the car door for you and closes it once you're sat inside.

"So our cover is this: we've been married for five years and are secretly the owners of a large weapon-making industry, which is so secret no one has ever heard of it." You repeat to Bucky as he starts the car, drivinig out of the compound's garage.

"That's what they told us, yes." He nods.

"But we need more backstory if we want to do it correctly." You sigh, why didn't Tony write a full script for you two? He usually prefers to have every single backstory detail already organized in case of emergency, "Let's say…We met when we were twenty, it was love at first sight and…Oh yes! Our families didn't approve of us so we got separated and then we ran away five years ago and we got married!"

Bucky glances at you briefly before turning his eyes back on the road, "Are you sure we need all these details? I don't think anyone will ask us this type of things."

"Bucky, this is a party in downtown Manhattan, I have been invited to those kinda party before…" You look at him in disbelief, "Can you even imagine how noesy the people that attend those parties are? They live for drama, and they want every single detail."

"So you too?" He grins, "you too are noesy since you attend those parties."

"Oh, I'm the noesiest of them all, that's why I'm tellying you that we need to be really good with our acting." You turn your eyes on the road too, suddenly realizying that you called him Bucky earlier and not by his last name like you usually do, "So we need to act like we're deeply in love."

"That won't be hard." He smiles, "I've always been a great actor."

"Why don't I have trouble believing that?" You chuckle, leaning against your seat more relaxed, looking out the car window.

────୨ৎ────

"Oh you two are so cute." An old woman says as she looks at me and Bucky: his arm is wrapped around your waist while the other hold a glass of champagne, there's a mask similar to the one you are wearing on his face.

"Thank you, ma'am." You reply politely, it only takes you one glance at her to understand that she's the one hosting the party and so is the most powerful person in the room, for the moment at least. "Your dress is gorgeous."

"Oh dear, I see you have extraordinary taste…" She glances at Bucky, "But I should've understood that just by looking at your husband."

"He is handsome isn't he?" You smile, glancing at Bucky, you don't know what Tony's mask is making her see but with the mask or not, Bucky is indeed one of the most handsome man you've ever laid eyes on.

"Oh but I think my wife here is ten times more beautiful than me." Bucky gives you hip a playful squeeze, kissing your cheek.

"I see that you are still in the honeymoon phase." The woman chuckles. "How long have you been married?"

"It'll soon be our fifth anniversary." You smile at her, taking a sip of your champagne.

"Adorable, and what does your work consist of?" She asks, arching a brow. There are more than one hundred people at the party, it doesn't surprise you that she doesn't remember all of them and thanks to this she can't really remember if she really invited you or not.

"We produce weapons." Bucky explains, "We're new to the industry, so we were really happy when we received your invitation, it isn't every day that you receive an invitation by Miss Lond." You smile at his words, he understood one of the basic rules of parties: always flatter the host.

Miss Long chuckles, hiding the lower part of her face that isn't hiding behind the mask behind her fan, "Please follow me, I'll introduce you to some of my dearest friends."

During the rest of the night the microphone you're wearing gathers all the information for you and the party is going smoothly...Too smooth.

"I have a strange feeling." Bucky says as you two stand on the side of the dance floor.

"Yeah, me too, this mission is going too smoothly." Your attention is taken by the noise of a microphone being turned on and then you see Miss Lond walk on the small stage at the center of the room.

"My dear guests, I'm really glad you could make it here, I hope you are enjoying the party." The woman starts, "I hope to make it more interesting by starting a treasure hunt."

Murmurs emerge from the room and people look at her confused.

"We should go." Bucky whispers in your ear, you nod and hold his hand as he walks in front of you towards the exit.

"We have special guests here...Y/N Stark and The Winter Soldier!" After her words all the lights in the room - literally - point at you two.

"Well, no need to hide anymore." You say as you take the mask off, the same does Bucky. He reaches for the gun in his jacket and you for the bracelet that Tony gave you, which quickly turns into something similar to his Iron Man suit but that only covers your arm.

"I'll give five million dollars to whoever will bring them to me! Dead or alive, it doesn't matter!" She laugh in the microphone.

The air crackles with tension as you and Bucky stand back-to-back, encircled by a sea of armed enemies. Your pulse quickens, but you steady your breathing, fingers brushing the edge of the wrist-mounted device Tony gave you. It's not a full suit, but it’s packed with enough tech to keep you alive — and dangerous.

Bucky’s voice is low and steady behind you. "First time fighting a small army?"

"First time fighting with you," you reply, flicking the device on. A translucent energy shield springs to life on your left arm, while the right crackles with an electric charge, ready to strike.

"Stick close, then," he says, a hint of a grin in his tone. "I'll cover you."

The first wave rushes in, and the chaos begins.

You pivot just as a gunman fires, your shield absorbing the bullets with a flickering hum. With a swift movement, you deactivate it and thrust your right hand forward, sending a burst of electricity into the attacker. He convulses and drops, but there’s no time to celebrate.

Bucky is a blur beside you, his metal arm a deadly weapon as he blocks a knife strike and counters with a bone-shattering punch. His movements are fluid, precise, like he’s done this a thousand times before.

But it’s the first for you.

Two more rush at you, and instinct kicks in. You duck low, shield reactivating just in time to block a swinging blade. With a sharp twist, you bash the shield into the attacker’s face, then spin and release a concussive blast from your device, sending the other flying.

"Not bad," Bucky grunts, catching a gunman by the throat and slamming him into the ground. "But keep your guard up."

"Thanks for the tip," you shoot back, dodging a hail of bullets and firing a stun charge in return. The shooter drops, twitching.

The two of you are able to get out of the room, "Wait!" Bucky stops you. You two put tables and chairs and everything you can find in front of the door to gain some time.

The moment you and Bucky burst out onto the open street, you know something’s wrong. The hairs on the back of your neck prickle, and your instincts scream at you to move. You catch a glint of metal on the rooftop: snipers. Without thinking, you lunge toward Bucky.

“Get down!” you shout, raising the energy shield just as the first shot rings out. The bullet ricochets off the shield with a sharp clang, and Bucky turns to you, eyes wide with surprise and something else —concern.

You barely manage a breath before another shot echoes. This one doesn’t bounce off. Pain blossoms in your side, hot and searing. The world blurs as you stumble, the shield flickering out as your strength falters.

“Y/N!” Bucky’s voice is raw, panicked, as he catches you before you hit the ground. His metal arm is solid, grounding you, but it feels like you’re floating—disconnected. The pain is overwhelming, but the look on his face cuts deeper.

“I’m—” you try to speak, but the words catch in your throat, replaced by a choked gasp. You clutch at your side, blood seeping between your fingers.

“Why did you that?!" He yells as he picks you up, quickly running in the car, laying you in the backseats and quickly driving towards the compound.

"Because you deserve to live." You simply say, trying to get a glimpse of him from the backseat, are those tears running down his eyes?

"But not at the cost of your own life!" He shouts, hitting the steering wheel with his fist.

"I'll survive." You stutter, pressing your hand over the wound.

"I sure hope you do so I can kill you myself." He shakes his head.

"I expected a thank you at least, is that how you will repay me for saving your life?" You chuckle, coughing up blood right after.

"I swear when you'll get out of the infirmary of the compound I'll kiss the life out of you."

Your eyes widen at his words and you smile, "I take it as a promise." You say as your eyes slowly close.

"Y/N? Y/N!" Are the last words you hear from him.

Two weeks later

Your eyes slowly open but you have to close them again because of the brightness of the room: you are in the compound's infirmary.

"You're awake." Bucky enters the room just as your eyes get used to the light, "Tony just left to get something to eat, he hasn't left your side since I got you back here."

"What happened to you?" You ask confused as you see his bruised face.

He chuckles and sits on the chair next to your bed, "Tony." He shakes his head, "He got mad at me when you came back unconscious and I almost without a scratch."

"What an asshole." You sigh.

"So, how do you feel?" He asks gently.

"Thirsty." You joke and he immediately hands you a glass of water while he tells you that you have been in coma for two weeks.

"Guess I finally was able to get some sleep." He shakes his head at your joke.

"Jokes like this remind me that you are, in fact, related to Tony." He places the glass back on the bedside table.

"So?" You ask as you raise a brow.

"So what?"

"What about your promise?"

"Which promise?"

"To kiss the life out of me once I'm healed."

"You aren't healed yet."

"Maybe a kiss will heal me."

"I thought you hated me."

"Hate, like, love...They're all so similar." You smirk as he gets closer to you.

"Call me old fashioned, but I usually prefer taking girls out on a date first." His face is so close to yours.

"Call me new fashioned, but I think we don't need a date first since I risked my life for you."

"Promise to go on a fate with me anyway after you get Banner's approval?"

"Promise." His lips are finally on yours and even thought your breath probably stinks because of the two weeks you spent in a come, you couldn't care less because his lips are so soft that you can't focus on anything else.

Until you hear a plate shattering from outside the room.

You and Bucky immediately separate and look at the wall that faces the hallway...Which is completely made of glass.

And right behind that glass stands Tony, with a broken plate and food at his feet, his mouth open wide in shock.

"Oh shit, am I a dead man?" Bucky asks you even though you both can't hold back a laugh.

"BARNES DID YOU JUST KISS MY LITTLE SITER?!"

Likes, reblogs and especially comments are highly appreciated (I love reading your thoughts <3) I hope you liked the story!

[aisiedaisie]

૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა Hellooooo! My knees are lowkey quaking sending this req in considering its my first time ever but would thou be willing to write a poly!marauders x reader who is kinda like glinda from wicked? shes very bubbly, cutesy, a little bit air-headed but shes got good intentions and is OBSESSED OBSESSED with pink

no pressure though :) thank youuu ♡

Hello hello~!!!

Thank you so much for asking my dear! I am so sorry for taking so long to write this, I’ve been so busy with school. Now onto your request… I have, unfortunately, never seen Wicked so the characterization might not be the best but I hope I did your idea justice at the very least!

edit: If this isn't what you visioned let me know and I'll try again!!! ♡

Pairing: Poly!Marauders x Reader WC: 1.3k

The morning air bit at your cheeks, sharp and unforgiving, as though winter itself had woken on the wrong side of the bed. A delicate dusting of snow still clung stubbornly to the pavement, its crystalline sheen interrupted by streaks of white running through the roads. Every breath hung visibly in the air, curling away like fleeting whispers, a reminder that, yes, it was absolutely freezing.

Still, you and the boys had ventured out into the icy embrace of the day, determined to check a few errands off your list. If everything went smoothly— and time was kind —perhaps a movie would sneak its way into the itinerary. That said, the clock was ticking. Remus had an appointment with his chiropractor later in the afternoon, leaving little room for dawdling.

This time of year had always held a special kind of magic for you. The looming promise of the holidays seemed to imbue the air with a tangible warmth, even as the weather remained frosty. Everywhere you looked, there were signs of joy: twinkling lights, wreaths on doors, the hum of cheerful holiday tunes spilling from shop speakers. Your heart felt lighter, your steps quicker — something Sirius was quick to notice.

"Aren’t you a joy this morning," he remarked dryly, his voice tinged with a sleepy amusement. His silver eyes tracked the skip in your step as you bounded ahead, radiating delight. While he was undoubtedly pleased to be with you all, his enthusiasm was dampened by the biting chill and the indignity of being awake so early. His only solace came in the form of the warm paper cup nestled in his gloved hands, filled with an indulgent sugar cookie latte that promised a sweet distraction.

Remus, walking slightly behind, shot Sirius a sideways look, bumping his hip in playful admonishment. He lengthened his stride to catch up with you, his long legs easily matching your pace.

“It’s the holidays,” James chimed in from behind, his tone carrying a fond warmth as he took a sip from his significantly less sweet coffee. “You know how she gets this time of year, Pads.”

Remus chuckled softly, slipping his hand into yours as they all trailed into the grocery store. A wave of warmth wrapped around you like a cozy blanket as the automatic doors slid open, the chill left behind in favor of the comforting hum of indoor heaters and the faint, tantalizing aroma of baked goods somewhere in the distance.

“So, what’s the plan, dove?” Remus asked, his voice low and gentle as he looked down at you.

You beamed up at him, your eyes alight with excitement. “Gingerbread! I want to make gingerbread houses,” you declared. “But we’re out of cloves. Oh, and I was hoping to find some pink candies for decorating— if they have them,” you added, your voice softening with a hint of doubt.

It was no secret that pink candies were elusive this time of year, overshadowed by the dominating reds and greens of the season. Though festive and lovely, they weren’t quite what you had in mind.

Sirius arched a brow, his lips quirking into a faintly crooked smile. “Why not just make them pink?”

You turned to him, tilting your head in curiosity. “Make them pink?”

“Yeah,” he drawled, his tone laced with the sort of lazy confidence only Sirius could pull off. “There’s gotta be a way to make ‘em pink, doll.”

His smile, faintly lopsided and utterly disarming, made warmth bloom in your chest despite the lingering cold in your fingers.

James, ever the problem solver, had already begun to drift through the aisles, scanning for a solution. Meanwhile, Remus fetched a basket with the efficiency of a man well-versed in grocery runs, returning just in time to catch you gathering flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg from the shelves.

“Powdered sugar, right, doll?” Sirius asked, holding up a box as if he’d just unearthed buried treasure.

You grinned, nodding appreciatively. But then your eyes landed on a pack of white chocolate chips, sparking an idea. “I mean... I could make it pink with food colori—”

“They’ve got Valentines candy in the back,” James interrupted, his voice triumphant as he reappeared, his hands planted firmly on his hips. He stood beaming like he’d solved a riddle no one else could crack.

“Really?!” you squealed, your face lighting up with glee.

James grinned even wider, looking thoroughly pleased with himself. “Yep. I’ll grab them for you.”

And just like that, your holiday vision began to take shape, piece by piece. Soon, a pink gingerbread house— complete with frosted edges and delicate decorations— would join the charming little pink tree that had claimed its spot on the living room table.

 The thought filled you with a bubbling excitement, your mind already spinning with ideas of how to make your cozy holiday corner even more magical.

It wasn’t just the decorations that made it special, though; it was the way the boys indulged your whims, no matter how outlandish they seemed.

You could already picture Sirius, half-heartedly pretending to grumble as frosting stuck to his fingers, and James concentrating far too hard on piping perfect windows while sneakily eating candies when he thought no one was looking. Remus would undoubtedly take charge of assembling the house itself, his patient hands steady as he held the walls together, teasing you all for your lack of structural integrity.

“Dove?” Remus’s voice broke through your thoughts, grounding you back in the warmth of the grocery store. His amber eyes crinkled with affection as he tilted his head. “You’re smiling like you’ve just won the lottery.”

“Maybe she has,” Sirius quipped, picking up a box of candy canes and twirling one in his fingers. “After all, we found her pink candies. What more could she ask for?”

You laughed softly, stepping closer to him and plucking the candy cane from his hand with a playful grin. “Oh, don’t tempt me. I could think of plenty more.”

“Careful, Pads,” James teased, rejoining the group with his arms full of your prized pink candy melts. “You’ll end up promising her a pink Christmas tree for the kitchen next.”

“Oh, don’t give her ideas,” Sirius groaned, but his dramatic tone couldn’t mask the twinkle in his eyes.

“You’re all terrible,” you said, though the fondness in your voice betrayed you. Your arms brushed Remus’s as you added the last few ingredients to the basket, imagining the laughter and chaos that would follow once you all returned home.

Outside, snowflakes began to drift lazily from the overcast sky, blanketing the world in a soft white glow. It felt like a scene from one of those holiday movies you loved, and you couldn’t help but squeeze Remus’s hand in anticipation.

“Let’s make it quick,” he said gently, though the soft curve of his smile made it clear he wasn’t in any rush. “I think someone’s eager to get started.”

“I guess the movie theater has been pushed off the priority list,” James joked as he followed close behind, balancing bags of groceries in both hands.

“Next time, Jamie~” you sang over your shoulder, your voice light and teasing as you swung yours and Remus’s joined hands in time with the familiar Christmas tune floating from the store’s speakers. The melody seemed to follow you into the frosty morning, adding a cheerful soundtrack to your little procession.

Sirius snorted, his laughter a warm, rich sound that carried over the crisp air. “You’re such a menace when you’re in holiday mode, doll,” he teased, though his grin betrayed his fondness.

James shook his head with a mock exasperation, his lips twitching into a smile as he glanced at the lot of you. “You’re lucky we love you,” he muttered, though his tone was filled with amusement.

The four of you walked down the snowy street together, your breath hanging in the air and your steps crunching against the thin layer of powder beneath your dark pink boots.

Between Sirius’s sarcastic commentary, Remus’s steady warmth at your side, and James’s easy laughter, you could already feel the festive chaos brewing.

It was perfect.

[fushiguruuzzzz]

Idk if your request are open BUT if they are

Could you do a Yuji x reader based on the song apple cider by beabadoobee 🤗🤗

APPLE CIDER | Y.ITADORI

Hunched over a pile of crumpled papers and markings of ink that screamed of your exhaustion, the minutes became irrelevant, blurring into seconds that passed all too slowly. The hour inched toward midnight, the clock ticking, every dull click a reminder that your days were lessening. With missing assignments and the crushing pressure of their value, one day meant a whole lot.

You were pulled from your thoughts by the vibrating of your phone against the solid, wooden desk.

Yuji, 11:47pm -> 7 unopened texts

Yuji, 11:49pm -> missed call

You felt something odd coil in your chest as you read the bolded name. Sweet and bitter all at once, like the acquired taste of apple cider—or maybe sour candy. You couldn’t exactly pinpoint it, but you knew that it seemed to only grow with every beat.

You eyed the screen for a second, contemplating whether you’d open the notification or not. Either way a huff that seemed to rack through your whole body, you picked up the phone. As the FaceTime ringtone echoed through the room, you were suddenly hyperaware of your appearance. Your hair was sticking in all directions, and you were sure you’d never seen your face so sunken. Not like it mattered though, right? Yuji was your friend. You didn’t have to care about how you looked around him (that was even if he was the type to judge), because he was a friend. All was platonic, wasn’t it?

“Y/n,” he breathed. His voice was almost relieved as his face appeared on screen, your own disheveled figure shrinking into the corner.

You rubbed your eyes, feeling the hours spent running on determination catch up to you suddenly. “Yuji,” you replied. “Why are you calling me at this hour?”

“Why are you awake at this hour?” He quirked a brow, lips quirking up as if to tell you he knew he’d caught you.

You chuckled. “Touché.”

He grinned, crooked and boyish, but then it fell. It turned into something more serious, something timid in his eyes that you hadn’t seen before. “That’s not what I wanted to talk about, though…”

Your brows furrowed, his almost uncertain expression making a mix of curiosity and fear bubble in the pit of your stomach. “Oh?”

“Yeah.”

“…so, what is it, then?”

He opened his mouth to speak, cheeks growing hot as he closed it again. He did that for a few moments, looking like a fish out of water. He winced at his own incompetence and let out a sigh.

“I like you,” he blurted, only realizing what had left his lips when he saw it dawn on you. His entire face turned a shade that matched his hair. “F- I’m sorry. I wanted to do this better, but it’s just been bugging me and I didn’t know how else to-“ he cut himself off with a groan, dragging his free hand down his face.

When the initial shock faded, you found yourself laughing. “Yuji,” you said gently. “Yuji, calm down. I like you too.”

His eyebrows raised, and he looked genuinely shocked. “You do?”

“Yeah.”

“Wow- uh…” he stuttered, face heating up for an entirely different reason now. “Can I come see you?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay- okay,” he said, phone being set down, giving you a nice ol’ view of the ceiling. You were only able to assume that the shuffling on the other end was him getting himself together.

He craned the camera back to himself, his heart stuttering when he was met with your patient self waiting on his screen. “Okay, I’m coming. Give me five minutes.” He didn’t let you get another word in, Yuji disappearing from your phone and your home screen staring up at you emptily.

You smiled, and suddenly that feeling in your chest turned far sweeter.

a/n: btw, my pinned is always accurate! My reqs are open :) I hope this was okay, it was only loosely based on certain lyrics lol. also this got me back in my Yuji mood… spiderman yuji coming sometime whenever I finish it

Gen/Jjk taglist: @sh0ot1ngst4r @azinniyaa @kashee-h @fiannee @anotherwriternamedclara @ruruisru @lizbix