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peachesyeo · 3 months

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Player 1117 0002 - in the garden

word count - 2.6k pairings - gamecharacters!ateez ot8 x fem!reader (ft. txt) genre - fantasy au, dark romance au, obsessive/yandere elements. chapter warnings - some violence scenes

author's notes - I'M BACK! Can we make this a monthly update? Yes or Yes?

thank you @sousydive for beta reading! thank you @ja3hwa for helping me, i love you!!

network: @newworldnet

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"I don't want to be friends with Kim Hongjoong."

Hongjoong's smile faded, splintering like a crack spreading across a porcelain mask. However, he quickly recovered, his eyes shining with tears as the table fell silent.

"Y/n-ah..." Yeonjun started awkwardly, unsure how to salvage the situation. Your father cleared his throat, signaling for the servants to serve the dishes. The silence was soon broken as the dining table came to life with the sound of light, animated chatter.

For some reason, the adults did not want to get involved in this matter. Unbeknownst to you, your three brothers exchanged worried glances, shifting their eyes from you to Hongjoong. You ignored their looks, focusing solely on the food in front of you.

If falling in love with Hongjoong is the reason why Eternity became a broken kingdom, that just gives you more reason to avoid him. Now that you are 'Choi Y/n', there is no way you are going to let the fall of Eternity happen. The characters you see in the game are living and breathing, and even though you've only interacted with your older brothers for a short while, it feels as if you've known them your entire life. How could you still let the same plot from the game unfold?

But why can't you remember who killed Yeonjun?

A small voice at the back of your head nags ominously, whispering that something is wrong, that you have forgotten something very, very important. But what is it? What have you forgotten?

The rest of the dinner went by in a blur. When your plate was clean, you wiped your mouth neatly with the napkin Yeonjun had fetched for you earlier. You got off your seat and turned to your parents.

“Thank you for the dinner,” you started, ignoring the piercing gaze of Hongjoong. “I shall excuse myself.”

“Alright,” your father replied, his voice warm yet slightly concerned. Your mother gave a small nod, her eyes filled with unspoken questions. You bowed to the Queen of Mist, who inclined her head to you, and gave a quick bow to Hongjoong.

You felt Hongjoong's gaze follow you as you left the dining room. You walked down the hallway alone, each step echoing in the quiet halls. As you reached your room, you dismissed the servants and closed the door behind you before you leaned against it, taking a deep breath.

You’re scared.

Hongjoong is a good actor. But his crocodile tears did not fool you, not when you knew the plot of Utopia. If you had not known what kind of person he is, you would have fallen into his web of deceits.

Get a grip on yourself, Y/n-ah.

Seonghwa knew that his prince was not in a good mood.

He stood behind Hongjoong, watching the prince roll a brooch between his fingers. Hongjoong’s expression was hidden in the darkness of the flickering candle, but Seonghwa knew he was thinking.

He couldn’t help but wonder why Hongjoong was in such a bad mood. Did something happen at the dinner with the Chois? Seonghwa thought of the dinners he had attended with Hongjoong back at Mist. Anger crept into his thoughts as a strange black mist gathered at the tips of his fingers. Was his prince ridiculed? Did they insult his highness?

“Hwa.” Seonghwa cleared his thoughts, his attention immediately shifting to his prince. Hongjoong was looking up at him with a lost expression on his face. “What do you know about the Star of Eternity?”

Seonghwa’s fingers curled into a fist. Was the Princess of Eternity the reason for Hongjoong’s mood? He quickly skimmed through his memory, trying to recall what he had heard about the Princess before.

“There wasn’t much news about her, except that the Chois are very protective of her,” Seonghwa replied carefully. Hongjoong looked at the brooch in his hand, a troubled expression on his face.

“Protective?” he repeated, his voice tinged with a manic edge. Suddenly, a crazed smile twisted his lips. Hongjoong laughed loudly, slamming the brooch into the couch. “No, no, no… She saw right through me, Seonghwa-ah…” His laughter turned into unsettling giggles as he spun around to face Seonghwa. His eyes were wild with excitement as he kneeled on the couch, gripping the attendant’s arm with a vice-like hold. “Isn’t it exciting, Hwa? Someone who saw through me… Even Mother fell for my innocent facade…”

“Your highness…” Seonghwa began, his eyes filled with a mix of intrigue and worry.

“Such an interesting person, the Star of Eternity…” Hongjoong muttered, his tone a disturbing mix of fascination and obsession. Seonghwa bowed his head slightly. “Do you know how she looked at me, Hwa? She didn’t trust me, not one bit!” Hongjoong sighed dreamily, loosening his hold on Seonghwa. “She’s not as easy as we thought, Hwa, no…”

“Do you want to get rid of her then, your highness?” Seonghwa asked, treading carefully.

Hongjoong’s smile vanished, replaced by an eerie stillness. His eyes flickered with a dangerous light as he considered Seonghwa’s words. “Get rid of the Star?” he repeated slowly, leaning towards Seonghwa. The older boy immediately let his knee fall to the ground, bowing his head. “My apologies, your highness-”

The attendant held his breath, bracing for the blow. True enough, a force threw him up in the air and sent him flying backwards into the wall while something sharp grazed his cheeks. Seonghwa let out a groan as he wiped the corner of his bleeding lips, picking himself up. Hongjoong looked at him from the couch, his eyes cold and unfeeling.

“Hwa.” Hongjoong called. Seonghwa crawled onto his knees, hearing the appending thunderstorm in Hongjoong’s seemingly calm voice. “Do you know why I left Wooyoung back in Mist?” Of course Seonghwa knew why. Wooyoung is Hongjoong’s younger half-brother, a result of the drunken King of Mist, who had forced the Queen’s maid into serving him whilst the Queen had just given birth to Hongjoong. The maid, who is loyal to his mother, had begged for the Queen’s forgiveness, and died shortly after giving birth to Wooyoung.

The other royalties looked down on Wooyoung because of his birthing, but the young prince paid them no attention. In fact, Seonghwa thinks that that brat does not see himself as a prince at all. He was always out of the castle, creating havoc and pranks on the other prince and princess.

But at the same time, that troublemaker is loyal to Hongjoong. He has no intentions of the throne, and sees Hongjoong as his only master, just like Seonghwa.

“Wooyoung is a good boy, but he likes to question my decisions.” Hongjoong answered his own question, picking up the brooch he was previously playing with. “But Hwa, you know better than to do that, don’t you?”

Seonghwa’s breath hitched. “Yes, your highness.” He answered.

“Good. Don’t let Mother see you in this state, Hwa.”

You frowned at the boy in front of you. Hongjoong stood before you, looking as innocent as a young foal. “Greetings to the Star of Eternity, may peace be ever in your favour.”

“Greetings to the Prince, may peace be ever in your favour,” you replied, setting down your cup of tea. After transmigrating into Y/n’s body, you had retained her memories and most of her behaviours. Y/n would often have a tea session by herself in the Royal Garden of the Eternity Palace, sometimes joined by her brothers if they had the time. However, you had only just started drinking your first cup of tea when Hongjoong barged into the garden with another tall teenager behind him.

At first, you paid no attention to him. The only thought in your mind was to keep Hongjoong as far away from you as possible. “What has brought the Prince into my garden?” you questioned coldly, your eyes conveying your dislike. Hongjoong looked a little hurt, his golden eyes staring sadly at you as though you had done something tragically wrong to him.

“Would you let me join you, your highness?” Hongjoong asked, with a hint of cautiousness in his voice. You opened your mouth to refute, but accidentally met the gaze of that boy behind him.

Long black hair, green eyes. A strong jawline, sharp cheekbones, and full, plump lips. This was Park Seonghwa, Hongjoong’s loyal attendant.

Park Seonghwa was one of the more popular characters in Utopia. He was a commoner on the streets who had pledged his loyalty to Hongjoong after being saved by him from an illegal magician’s tower. As an experiment, Seonghwa was different from ordinary men, and his elemental powers included the mysterious mist magic.

There wasn’t much detailed description of his display of power that you could remember, but one thing was certain: Seonghwa was not what he seemed to be.

In Jiwon’s route, Seonghwa was an elegant man who could make her blush with the simplest gestures. His charm was undeniable, and he expressed his affection through numerous courting gifts. From delicate roses and precious stones to exquisite clothes and even rare animals, Seonghwa spared no expense in showing his devotion.

One scene stood out vividly in your memory. Seonghwa had presented Jiwon with a precious tiara crafted from the finest amethyst after Mist had conquered Eternity. The tiara was breathtaking, its deep purple stone shimmering with a brilliance that captivated everyone who saw it.

But there was more to the amethyst than its beauty. That stone on the tiara was once part of the crown your father wore. It was the one precious stone that symbolised the enduring power and legacy of your family. Seeing it on the tiara was a stark reminder of the fall of Eternity and the painful loss of your kingdom.

In Y/n’s route, however, Seonghwa is no more than a cruel lapdog of Hongjoong. No matter how many times you have tried to court him, he has not once trusted you. Your brows furrowed at the thought of the amount of currencies you have spent to make choices for Seonghwa’s affection level to just go past fifty percent.

Stupid currency, what a scam.

“Your highness?” Hongjoong called out, noticing that your attention had swayed from him. His voice, tinged with irritation, cut through your thoughts. He frowned, following your gaze. His jaw tightened when he realised you were staring at Seonghwa, and that his attendant was the one who had distracted you from him.

Hongjoong’s eyes darkened with a mix of annoyance and jealousy. The prince moved swiftly in front of Seonghwa, blocking him from your view. “Your highness,” he repeated, his voice more insistent, drawing your gaze back to him. “May I join you for a cup of tea?”

You blinked, pulling your thoughts away from Seonghwa and back to the prince in front of you. Most of Hongjoong’s flaming red hair was tucked away into the black beret he was wearing, decorated with rubies. His golden eyes peered out at you from under his fringe, and you shook your head, steeling yourself against his intense gaze.

“You’re not welcomed here, Prince of Mist.” You said slowly, each word deliberate and firm. “As I said before, I don’t want to be friends with you, so do not come close to me.”

A sudden chill crept up your spine after you have said those words. You hear one of your maids gasp at your boldness, but you didn’t care. Behind Hongjoong, Seonghwa could feel his anger rising. How can anyone treat his prince like this? He thought, biting the inside of his cheeks while keeping his head low. His fingers twitched as a small cloud of dark mist began to form around it.

No, he couldn’t take this lying down.

But before he could do anything, Hongjoong took a step forward. You straightened your back, your eyes wide with alertness. “May I have a word with you in private, your highness?” Hongjoong asked, his silky voice laced with forced politeness. “Just this once.”

You gripped the hem of your skirt, your gaze shifting from Hongjoong to Seonghwa. After a moment's hesitation, you nodded. “Leave us,” you commanded, and your maids bowed respectfully to Hongjoong before quietly exiting the garden. Hongjoong was only thirteen years old; what danger could he pose? Besides, you recalled that his powers hadn't developed until he was fifteen. Seonghwa gave Hongjoong a long look, before bowing and leaving as well.

There was a moment of silence when the both of you were finally alone. Hongjoong advanced forwards and you tensed up, gripping the arms of your chair tightly. “Do not come closer, Prince of Mist.” You warned, as Hongjoong paused, his expression unreadable.

"I have a question, your highness," he began, his voice steady but with an underlying chill that seemed to lower the temperature around you. "As far as I am aware, yesterday was our first meeting, correct?" Hongjoong's long fingers toyed with a brooch on his collar. "I do not recall having done anything to warrant your dislike, your highness."

"I simply do not like you, Prince of Mist," you said coldly. For a moment, you thought Hongjoong was about to cry. Pools of liquid gathered in his eyes as he stared at you, but the emotion within them told a different story.

He’s not sad, you realised.

And then Hongjoong started to laugh. Tears of amusement rolled down his eyes as he grip the back of another chair for support, his laughter reverberating around the garden. You frowned, not understanding which part of the conversation was funny.

But you sensed something was amiss. Hongjoong breathed heavily, wiping the tears from his face. "You amuse me, my Star," he sighed, his intense gaze sending goosebumps along your skin. "You're the first, my Star."

The first person to see through him, the first person to not fall for his mask, and the first person to so blatantly show dislike towards him. Hongjoong licked his lips, and without warning, he pounced on you, leaning dangerously close. Your mouth opened in a silent scream as Hongjoong placed his hands on either side of you, trapping you in the small space of the chair.

“Let’s get engaged, my Star.” His words sent your eyes widening, shocking you. The Prince of Mist slid down towards the floor, kneeling in front of you. His head laid on your lap, his eyes boring into yours. “Our mothers would be elated at this news, no?”

At the mention of your mother, you finally found your strength back. You kicked Hongjoong off you, standing up so fast that the chair was knocked over. Hongjoong fell backwards onto the floor, his snake-like eyes capturing your attempt to escape from him.

“If you come close to me, Kim Hongjoong,” your voice was shaking as you pulled a long hairpin out from your long hair, causing it to fall over your shoulders. Pointing the sharp end of the hairpin at Hongjoong, you tried to control the trembles on your arm. “I’ll stab you with this pin. Have I made myself clear?”

Your chest rises and falls quickly as you watch Hongjoong pick himself up, patting off the dust on his clothes. “As you wish, my Star.” He answered, a smirk playing on his lips. You were aware of the possessiveness in his voice, gripping your hairpin tighter. “But this isn’t over yet, my Star.”

When Hongjoong left, your legs finally gave way and you collapsed in relief. When the maids entered, they were surprised to find you sitting on the ground with your hair untied. As they helped you to your feet, you turned to them with a cold expression. 'Not a word to my brothers,' you commanded. 'If my brothers hear anything about the Prince of Mist's meeting with me, be prepared to face the consequences.”

“Yes, your highness.”

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edenesth · 6 months

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MOOT GAME: " make up a trope for your moots and their biases. doesn’t need to be romantic. can be crackfic/funny/anything you want ^ㅇ(๑>◡<๑)ㅇ^ "

Dear Soulmate

I'm sorry it took me so long, anon! I didn't know how to approach this and was waiting for a friend to do it first🙈

For my one and only, my pookie, @itstheghostofmypast💖

Choi San — soulmate au (idiots to lovers)

In a world where soulmates exist, most people discover their other halves before reaching twenty-five, you struggle to find yours, even when he had been right in front of you all along. You've witnessed those around you revelling in the bliss of finding their destined partners, all the while blindly awaiting your own.

"I cannot believe this, I'm dying alone!" you cried.

"Pooks, he'll come when the timing's right, I just know it," Eve, your closest friend and platonic soulmate, reassured you, wrapping you in a comforting embrace as you poured out your frustration. Despite being on the cusp of turning 26, your soulmate remained elusive.

"How did you and Hwa find each other again?" you asked, desperate for answers.

Eve sighed, "Whenever one of us gets hurt, a flower tattoo appears on the other in the same spot of their body. You know how clumsy I am, he found me through those blossoms. But each soulmate pair has their own unique connection. Haven't you felt anything special?"

See, in this world with soulmates, each pair discovers their connection in their own way. There's no universal formula, and you despised that fact vehemently. It only added unnecessary complexity to the already challenging quest for love.

Your parents had found each other through their inner voices, where their internal voices are the other's instead of their own. Your sister had found her soulmate through a compass on her body that led her to where her other half is.

And then there was you. Nothing. Nada. Niente. Absolutely nothing at all.

And as your birthday drew near this year, panic set in. You'd soon be a year older than the age when most people found their soulmates. Maybe you didn't have one, maybe he died, maybe he got aborted as a foetus, maybe—

"Woah, woah, just take a deep breath, everything will be okay," your friend reassured, trying her best to help in any way possible, "Hey, didn't you say you've been having a lot of dreams lately? And it's always that same dream?"

You blew a raspberry in frustration, "Yeah, but I doubt my recent dreams have anything to do with my soulmate, assuming I even have one. They're always about that art museum I go to on weekends. I think it's just because I spend so much time there."

She pondered for a moment, "Wait a minute, didn't you mention that San guy you always see there? What if—"

"Oh, hell no," you exclaimed, shuddering at the possibility of that annoyingly gorgeous mountain of a man being your destined lover, "I'd rather be alone forever than end up with someone like him."

It all happened on a day when you sought solace at the museum after a taxing week at school. Exhausted from dealing with incompetent classmates and antagonistic professors, you longed for a moment of peace as you approached your cherished spot in the corner. But to your dismay, you discovered an ignorant man occupying not just one seat, but the entire bench with his belongings. And not just any bench, your bench, the one everyone knew better than to occupy.

So you did the first thing that came to mind, you might have uttered some unkind words out of irritation. Looking back, you acknowledge it was all very unnecessary, considering it was likely his first visit to the museum and he clearly didn't realise it was your spot. However, your pride prevented you from admitting fault.

Consequently, he responded with equal unpleasantness. Even the museum guards had to intervene before things escalated into a fight. Like dealing with children, they persuaded both of you to share the bench since there was clearly more than enough space for two.

You adamantly refused to yield your spot and relocate, asserting your presence since you were here first. Similarly, it seemed his foolish pride prevented him from budging as well; thus, you both found yourselves locked in a silent standoff, exchanging wary glances as you engaged in a weekly silent war.

"Ugh, was hoping I wouldn't have to see your face today," San sneered, earning a glare from you as you settled down beside him. You were running slightly late, having trouble getting up after yet another frustrating dream, one slightly more annoying than usual.

Deliberately nudging his bag aside with irritation, you narrowed your eyes, "You wish, loser. This spot is mine, and it's staying that way."

He smirked in response, "Someone's in a foul mood, but then again, when are you not? Hope it's not because of that dream where your precious bench gets snatched away for good."

"Shut the hell up—"

You stopped short, a sudden realisation hitting you like a ton of bricks. You hadn't shared that dream with anyone, not even Eve. No one should know about it except... No freaking way. He couldn't possibly be the one you've been waiting for all this time. It seemed too absurd to be true. Why, out of all people, would fate pair you with this insufferable, infuriating, irksome yet undeniably attractive, bastard?

"Surprise, genius. It's me, your soulmate."

"I knew," he confessed, his voice carrying frustration and resignation, "I knew from the moment I saw you that you were my other half. That's why I came here in the first place, why I was in this exact spot."

Your breath hitched as his words sank in. All this time, he had known, yet he had still chosen to engage in your petty conflicts.

"But when I met you," he continued, "I was excited, hopeful even. But your attitude, your stubbornness... it's unbearable. As much as I feel the pull towards you, I can't ignore how immensely annoyed I am by your behaviour."

His words landed like a punch to the gut.

"I know that if I had a choice in who my soulmate is," he admitted, his gaze intense, "it would never be you."

After a moment of processing his words, you gritted your teeth in anger, "Well, joke's on you, buddy. I don't want you either. Maybe it would be best for both of us if you stop showing up here from now on."

Days turned into weeks, and true to your request, San ceased his visits to the museum. At first, you felt a strange sense of relief, but soon, that relief morphed into a tumult of conflicting emotions.

You didn't know how to feel. Did you truly mean what you said, or were those words simply born out of anger? Your emotions were a tangled mess. On one hand, you had just turned away your soulmate after yearning for his presence for so long. On the other hand, you couldn't shake the resentment that it had to be him, of all people. Part of you longed to be near him, to reconcile and embrace your destiny. But another part recoiled at the thought, recoiled at the frustration his presence brought.

Unbeknownst to you, San wasn't doing much better. His heart felt hollow, the absence of your presence leaving a gaping void. He tried to carry on with his life as before, but the weight of your rejection hung heavy on his shoulders. But his pride also kept him from reaching out to you.

He suppressed the pull towards you, buried it beneath layers of denial and indifference. But no matter how hard he tried to ignore it, your essence lingered in his dreams, haunting him with visions of what could have been.

Then, one day, fate intervened in a way neither of you could have predicted. You fell ill with food poisoning and ended up in the hospital. In a panic, San saw it in his dream, a vision of you lying pale and weak in a hospital bed. Without hesitation, he raced to your side, his heart pounding with fear. As he stood in the hospital room, watching over you, he realised the depth of his feelings. Despite everything, he couldn't deny the truth any longer. You were his soulmate, and he couldn't bear the thought of losing you.

You furrowed your brows at his unexpected appearance, "What the hell are you doing here? Who invited you?"

His heart sank at your coldness, but before he could form a response, Eve intervened, giving you a playful smack on the shoulder, "Stop it, you! He came all this way, and you're still going to be mean to him?" Turning to San with a warm smile, she continued, "You must be San! I'm Eve, her best friend. It's nice to finally meet you. Oh, and please don't take her words to heart. She likes to pretend as if she hadn't been dying to see you again."

Blushing furiously at her blunt revelation, you shot her a glare, but she simply tucked a strand of hair behind your ear, "Behave yourself. I'll be back shortly after settling the bill with Hwa," she said, brushing past San. As she passed him, she gave a polite nod, "Please take care of her for me, won't you?"

"Of course, Eve," he replied, nodding in return.

As soon as your friend left the room, he took a step closer, his tone serious, "Listen, I'm tired of playing games. I came here because I realised I can't bear to lose you again. So, tell me if you feel the same right now. If you still want me gone, I'll leave and never show my face around you ever again."

His words struck a chord, and you couldn't hold back the tears any longer. He couldn't resist the pull any longer, sitting down beside you on the bed and wrapping his arms around you. Relief flooded through him as he felt you relax in his embrace.

"I don't want to lose you again either. I'm sorry I was an idiot," you whispered.

"You should be," he teased, planting a kiss on your hair, "But I'm sorry too. Perhaps I should have told you who I was from the start. Let's just... not say things we don't mean and hurt each other again, okay?"

You nodded, squeezing him tightly, "Okay, Sannie."

#edenesth #lovely asks #my pookie #itstheghostofmypast #ateez fanfiction #choi san #ateez san #soulmate au #choi san x reader #choi san x you

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daemour · 10 days

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♡ Event: @pirateeznet 2nd Anniversary Event

♡ Pairing: Farmhand! Choi San x home aide! f! Reader

♡ Genre: Harvest Moon AU, slight slow burn, fluff, slight angst, T for Teen

♡ Warnings: Cursing, some sexual innuendos at the end, that's it

♡ Summary: Working as a home aide on a farm brings you some new trials...namely a certain attractive farmhand named San.

♡ Word Count: 9277 (im SORRY)

♡ Genre: Regular Life ; Prompt: Coworkers

This was supposed to be...a lot longer. LAMFIJGDFJKGHKJSHDF x) With both Hwa and Joong as other love interests...but I gotta learn how to restrain myself LOL. But I do have more planned with YN and San (and a little more spicy too hehe) so if you'd like to read that let me know!

it's a honker of a fic, so i really do hope you enjoy despite the plot holes LMAO

Thank you to @okiedokrie for beta'ing,,,the first draft lmaooo surprisee...its totally different lol

“Are you serious?” you mutter, standing knee-high in a mud puddle. When you decided to move out of the city and stay with an elderly man as a home nurse on his farm temporarily, you expected to get dirty. But not like this, and not that soon. The wagon was only able to take you so far before you had to walk the rest of the way since it was technically private property or whatever the guy said. You didn’t quite remember his reasoning, and it wouldn’t have been such a big deal if it hadn’t started pouring about five minutes after you started walking. Now you’re cold and wet, and mud is everywhere.

With a frustrated groan, you try and take another step, wincing at the feeling of the mud squelching in your shoes and soaking your socks through. You’re having regrets, but you’re sure the ailing older man is having worse issues than wet socks and shoes and you power through. After a long and gruelling walk, you finally see the cream building and connected barn and you sigh in relief.

“Oh, man, you look a mess,” a voice is heard from behind you and you shriek, dropping down to the ground and clutching at your heart. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to scare you. YN, right?”

You nod miserably. “Yeah. This is Aria farm?” You punctuate it with a sniff as you try to regain your dignity.

The man laughs, much more high-pitched than you expected. “Yup. I’m the farmhand, San.” He holds out his hand. “Need a hand up?”

With a shaky smile, you nod, grabbing his hand and letting him pull you up. His grip is strong, warm, and calloused, and you shoo away any unwanted thoughts. “Got caught in the rain?” San smiles apologetically like he was the one who brought the showers down upon you.

“Yeah, I sure did.” You return the smile with a weak one of your own. “Got dumped at the end of the road by the wagon, and not five minutes later I got poured on.”

San winces. “Oh, well, sorry that had to be your first welcome here. I’ll give that guy a talk later—he means no harm, just likes to play pranks.”

You grunt, not caring all that much about the villagers in the town, pranks or not. You have no doubt that the wagoneer meant no harm, nor that the villagers aren’t nice, but most of your days will be spent cooped up with the old farmer in his house. Plus, you decided to move away from the city to get away from people and let your introversion take over.

It takes a moment for you to realise he’s expecting you to keep up a conversation. “How is Mr Takeru doing?”

San shrugs, his eyes continuously flickering back to you. “He’s doing fairly well, all things considered. The fall left him physically incapable of a lot, but his energy hasn’t dwindled at all.” There’s a fondness in his voice. “He’s happy to hear you’ll be coming. He loves having people around and his kids barely visit. To no fault of their own, of course. They’re all on different islands, farming as well and it’s hard to get away.”

You hum. You’ve heard of their family situation, how Takeru’s kids all followed in his footsteps to become farmers, and that their children also went on to become farmers. It’s interesting, and you sometimes wonder if it’s something they all wanted. “It’ll be nice for him to have someone around,” you tell an attentive San. “It would’ve been great for him if some of his family could see him, but I’m sure he’s excited anyway.”

As you talk to San, you don’t realise how quickly the two of you walk until you are already at the house’s porch. San opens the door, stepping in, but you hesitate for just a moment. You almost turn tail if it wasn’t for the warm smile San offers.

“Don’t worry, I promise Mr Takeru is super nice. And I’ll always be happy to keep you company.” His eyes crinkle as his smile widens even further, and you can’t help but feel your face warm at how sweet he is.

“I’ll have to hold you to that, then.”

“Are you going to the flower festival tomorrow?” San catches you right when you go out to grab the mail.

You tilt your head as you flip through the many letters. Nothing of too much importance, just a couple of notices from the local stores. You see a letter from one of Mr Takeru’s kids and you smile at the sight of it before realising you hadn’t responded to San. “The what?”

“Flower festival,” San repeats himself, a smile growing on his face. It always seems to be there when you see the farmhand. “It’s a holiday where couples enjoy the cherry blossoms together and all.”

You laugh, shaking your head. “San, I don’t know if you noticed, but I’m not quite part of the couples demographic.” The farmhand’s eyes sparkle at your joke, but his gaze does not waver.

“You could go with me,” he suggests and you choke on the spot. “I’m being serious! It’s a really nice time and it’d be a shame if you missed it.”

You sigh, glancing behind you. “We’ll see. I might be busy tomorrow.”

San still smiles triumphantly at your answer. “If you do decide to come, I’ll meet you at the church grounds at seven.” And before you can even respond, he winks and walks away, making sure to flex his back muscles. If you can’t rip your eyes away, that's your own problem.

As the clock ticks closer and closer to six, you get more and more antsy. You’re still debating whether to go. One part of you wants to go so he won’t wait in vain, but the other part of you wants to avoid all sorts of contact with people. Every time you go and buy groceries for Mr Takeru, the villagers all stop to stare at you. And you know it’s partly your fault for never trying to get to know them, but you really would rather stay a hermit.

But San, he was different. Although you’ve only been here for a few weeks, San seems to have taken an interest in you. He’s always finding an excuse to talk to you, be it lunch break or asking to pass a message to Mr Takeru. You’re not quite sure what his motive is, but you’re not complaining. He’s good-looking, kind, and makes an effort to get to know you. Perhaps you should return the kindness.

When the clock strikes half past six, you know it’s the last moment before you can make your decision. After a moment’s hesitation, you call up the stairs “Mr Takeru, I’ll be going out! Do you have everything you need?”

You can hear the smile in his voice as he responds, “Mmh, I’ve got my cane so I’m all good. Going to the festival, I see?”

“Bye, Mr Takeru” You roll your eyes good-naturedly even if he can’t see it, grabbing your bag and practically launching yourself out the door. If you run, you’ll make it just in time.

You’re sure you look crazy, running down the streets while attempting to pull your hair away from your face to no avail, but time is of the essence. You manage to smile at the villagers who wave at you, but you’re panting hard and you think your legs might fall off as you take the church steps three at a time.

As you catch your breath, you can see San out of the corner of your eye approaching with the biggest smile you’ve seen on his face. “You came!”

You open your mouth to respond but all that comes out is a hack from the lack of air in your lungs. San laughs, reaching over to pat you on the back as you take a moment to catch your breath. “My gosh, I am not cut out for running,” you gasp, finally straightening up and brushing your hair out of your face.

San’s hands slow as he shifts them lower to rest at the small of your back. “Well, I’m glad you made it anyway. Come sit with me and my friends. They’ll be happy to see you came.”

Without giving you a moment to protest, San sweeps you away towards the back corner of the courtyard. The two people sitting on a blanket you recognise—the farmer you buy your groceries from and the bartender who walks past Mr Takeru’s farm on the way to work in the afternoon, and neither of their names you ever got.

“Guys, this is YN,” San introduces you and you give a little wave as they chorus your name with ‘hi’s. “This is Wooyoung, and that’s Yunho.” He points to the bartender and the farmer respectively.

“Good to finally get your name,” Yunho smiles at you, a bright smile lighting up his face. “You’ve been shopping with me for what, two weeks now?”

You laugh awkwardly. “Yeah, just about.” You silently beg for the topic to change because San is sensitive about how you buy groceries elsewhere since a storm destroyed most of the farm’s crops. “What does one do at the flower festival?”

Wooyoung and Yunho exchange a glance between each other, their eyes soft. “Generally couples sit together and watch the flowers fall and talk about each other. At the end, you pick up a blossom and blow it after making a wish,” Yunho explains, the corner of his lips pulling up as Wooyoung leans into his body. “I’m here with Wooyoung.”

He immediately realises this is not the best thing to say as your face heats up and your brain immediately goes into overdrive. “You don’t have to be in a romantic relationship to go, of course!” San immediately rectifies, his hands shooting out to smack Yunho in the shoulder. “I always go with friends.”

A smile pulls at your lips even though you’re still a little awkward at the revelation. “Well, thank you for inviting me anyway,” you bow slightly. “It’s nice to get a little scenery difference.”

Wooyoung laughs at that. “Yeah, I don’t think I’ve seen you away from the farm since you arrived, barring your visits to Marimba and Horn Ranches.” You duck your head shyly and San swoops to your rescue.

“Not that you’re any better, Wooyoung. All you do is work and go home to sleep,” San teases. “Except when Yunho makes you go outside, of course.”

Both Wooyoung and Yunho immediately blush red and you laugh at the sight. “You two are cute together though,” you compliment. “Hopefully one day I can have a relationship like yours.” You miss the soft gaze sent your way by San, but neither Wooyoung nor Yunho do and they exchange a look before smiling back at you.

“I’m sure you will one day.”

It’s pouring buckets out there and even San has taken the day off. There’s nothing to do on the farm other than feed the animals, and the day before San had put extra food in their buckets for that occasion exactly. Mr Takeru is fast asleep and all you’re doing is sitting in the living room and trying to focus on reading. But it’s not coming to you.

With a sigh, you put your book back down and move to stand near the window, staring at the bleary landscape. That’s when you see it. A little glimmer of light right by the bending tomato plants. You narrow your eyes, unsure if your eyes are playing tricks on you, but then it happens again. Now you’re sure something is out there, and against your better judgement, you’re going to find out what it is.

With another glance towards Mr Takeru, who doesn’t seem to be waking up anytime soon, you pull on a raincoat and open the front door. The wind almost slams it shut but you catch it just in time, slipping out of the house and closing it gently instead.

The wind is practically bullying you as you make your way slowly over to the garden. When you finally reach the plants, you squint but can’t seem to find anything, but you swear you saw something. Your eyes dart around to see if you can find it again, and another sparkle catches your eye further down the road.

You cast a glance back at the house, inner debate raging in you. But at heart, you’re forever a toddler and you go chase after the pretty lights.

The farther you go, the more you’re starting to regret your choices. But you’re too far to find your way back—although you’ve been here for almost a month now, you’re not all that well-versed in where things are around this island. Yet another point into why you should’ve just stayed at the farm.

With a groan, you take another step closer, making your way through a tunnel of trees. The rain only seems to get heavier but you can still see the faint sparkling but not much around it and you step closer.

Suddenly, the rain melts away to reveal a little grove and a giant tree standing tall and proud. The only thing that tells you were just in the rain is the fact that you’re soaking wet. You blink, step back, and the rain falls around you again. Another step forward, and the sun is shining again.

You rub your eyes, sure you must be going crazy. But the sunny area is still in front of your eyes. As much as your brain is screaming at you to turn back and make your way home, your curiosity gets the better of you. You take a few steps closer, marvelling at the old spring on either side of the stone pathway you’re on.

You’ve heard of the stories of the fae and magic surrounding this island, mostly from Mr Takeru himself, but you always chalked it up to him being old, as much as you thought it would be nice for it to be real. And here you are, standing in the middle of what can only be called magic surrounding you.

The area looks almost unoccupied, with more of the sparkles that drew you out of the house in the first place flitting around. You take a couple of steps closer when someone steps out from behind the tree. “What are you doing here?” You don’t recognise the figure standing in front of you, with perfectly coiffed hair and a frown upon his pouting lips.

You blink at him. “Uh, I was taking a walk and ended up here. What is this place?”

The blonde man blinks at you. “You don’t know? It’s the Goddess Spring, home of the tree that powers our island. Though…I guess you are new here.”

You frown, cocking your head. “Sorry if I seem rude, but I don’t think I’ve met you. Who are you?”

The stranger’s piercing blue eyes widen and he laughs, waving his hands. “Oh my, I can’t believe I forgot my manners. I’m Park Seonghwa, son of the mayor of this little island. My father speaks highly of you and how well you care for Mr Takeru.”

His hand is firm and warm although his palms are softer than San’s. “Nice to meet you, Seonghwa,” you smile at him warmly. “Your father speaks proudly of you as well.”

You can’t believe you haven’t made the connection. Seonghwa isn’t the spitting image of his father per se, but they look similar enough to each other, especially in their eyes. Mayor Gil and Seonghwa both have the same stare.

The young man smiles again, shaking his head. “My father can be passionate. Now that he’s older, he tells me he has less grievances against the world. But I am curious—what are you doing here? It’s still pouring out there.”

You shrug, a little embarrassed. “I was just following some…uh…sparkles.”

“Sparkles? Nothing else?” Seonghwa’s facial expression shifts to one of curiosity. Your eyebrows furrow at his intensity and his features soften as he chuckles. “Ah, I don’t mean to alarm you. This island has a rich history behind this little grove. Are you busy?”

You shrug, glancing behind you. “No, not really. I’m not really in the mood to walk all the way back to the farm in the rain. I’m a big history fan anyway.”

Seonghwa shrugs, gesturing to the stone bench up further on the stone pathway. “Come and sit then. The story starts with this tree.”

To be honest, you don’t understand much of what Seonghwa explains. Something about bells and trees powering the island, and how only the line of mayors and Mr Takeru’s family can see the magic. But Seonghwa seems so passionate about it, and you have no reason to disbelieve it, not when you’ve witnessed the grove itself, so you just smile and nod and do your best to comprehend.

Seonghwa is finishing up his story of how Mr Takeru single-handedly revived the island when he takes a glance at his watch and gasps. “I’ve kept you far too long,” he sighs, shaking his head. “I’m sure the rain has stopped, you should make your way back to the farm before it gets dark.”

Your brows furrow, glancing up to see the sun getting close to the west. “Oh, crap,” you gasp, “I need to start dinner. Do…do you happen to know the way back to the farm? I didn’t quite see how I got here.”

Seonghwa chuckles. “Yes, you can just take a left out here and follow the path down the mountain. It should lead you to the pond right by Aria Farm. I’ll see you around town, then.”

You nod, promising him to try and find time to visit him in town before booking your way out of the grove. He was right, the rain had slowed to a drizzle that hardly bothered you. You’re making your way down the mountain, rushing so much you can hardly enjoy the view you missed on your way up.

As soon as the blue roof of the farmhouse comes into vision, you can’t help but smile to yourself at the familiar sight. Your little adventure was fun but now it’s time to go back. As you unlock the door and swing it open, your vision is immediately blocked by a firm, warm chest and strong arms wrapping around you in a tight hug. “YN, where were you?”

San’s worried voice reaches your ears and your initial shock wears off as you tilt your head back to look at him. “I went on a walk and found some grove near the mountains,” you explain honestly, and San’s eyebrows raise into his bangs.

“A walk? YN, are you insane? I came around to make sure you both were okay and Mr Takeru told me he didn’t know where you had gone. It was a crazy storm out there too. You have to be careful, YN. I– you could’ve gotten hurt.”

San’s arms tighten around your shoulders and your face heats up as you pat his back awkwardly. “Well, I agree it was pretty stupid of me, but I’m fine and here! I won’t do it again, I promise,” you try and cheer him up while also doing your best to wriggle out of his grip. It’s embarrassing for you to be so close, you’re sure he can feel the heat radiating off of your ears. He’s too hot for you to be this close to and you need some space before you combust.

You finally manage to untangle yourself, offering a smile to ease the distance between the two. “How long were you waiting for me, anyway?”

San sighs, running a hand through his dark locks. “Maybe just about three hours? I think I was about ten minutes away from going out to look for you myself. I mean, the rain only stopped an hour ago, it’s understandable I was worried.”

He’s trying to convince himself more so than you, but you can’t really blame him. You would’ve been the same way in his shoes. You try not to think about what would happen if he had suddenly disappeared in the rain. “No, I really am sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you,” you shake your head, glancing away in guilt. “I just thought something was out there and went on a wild goose chase. Turns out it was just my eyes playing tricks on me. But in the grove I went to, I finally met the mayor’s son.”

San’s expression shifts to one of understanding. “Seonghwa? He’s nice, I’m glad you’ve met him.” He finally smiles back, softly, but shakes his head as if remembering where he is. “Er, I suppose I should let you go have dinner now. You must be hungry.”

He slips out of the door before you can even respond, the thought of inviting him for dinner only popping into your head as he’s already halfway down to the river, his form glowing gold in the sunset. You poke your head out to call for him, but your nerves get the better of you and you just watch him grow smaller and smaller in the distance.

“You should go for it.” A hoarse voice interrupts your swirling thoughts and you turn back to see Mr Takeru leaning on his cane and smiling kindly at you. “You’re young, and pretty. Anyone can see clear as day that San likes you. You know, he was quite worried when you were out.”

You swear there is steam radiating off of your face. “Ah, Mr Takeru, don’t get my hopes up,” you laugh. “There’s no way San sees me as much more than a friend. Now, let’s get dinner started, no?”

Mr Takeru just sighs, a melancholy smile on his face. “You should run right after him before it’s too late, you know. But yes, let’s have dinner YN.”

You stand in front of the door of the mayor’s house, debating whether to walk in or not. When you received an invitation for lunch from Seonghwa earlier this morning, he had assured you that you could walk right in without knocking, but you felt a little too awkward to do that.

“What are you doing here?” A sharp voice startles you and you jump, looking over your shoulder guiltily. A silver-haired man with sharp eyes and thick robes gazes at you with an uninterested expression on his face.

“Ah– Seonghwa invited me for lunch here,” you explain, glancing back at the door.

Before you can say anything, the strange, eccentric man brushes past you, the many bracelets and necklaces he has on jingling. “Well, then. He’s up to one of his schemes to get me to socialise again. He invited me for lunch too. Come on in.”

He swings the door open, stepping inside the house and you stare at him with wide eyes before scurrying after him. The outside of the house is filled with flowers lining the stepping stones, but the inside of the house is more mature in decor, with dark oak tables and brown wallpaper. The stranger glances at you, having noticed your eyes wandering the decor and he laughs shortly. “Quite the juxtaposition of interior and exterior, no? Mayor Gil’s late mother had designed the inside and so the mayor hasn’t had the heart to change it.”

You’re about to respond when one of the doors to your right slams open, revealing Seonghwa standing there with messy hair and a sullen look on his face. “Sorry, I’m going to have to cancel lunch. My father has fallen ill with cow fever. YN, I’m so sorry to have to turn you away but I don’t want you to catch it, or Mr Takeru for that matter.” He heaves a sigh, then turns to the stranger. “Hongjoong, could you do me a favour and bring me some medicine?”

The man—Hongjoong—nods sharply and spins on his heel, striding out the door without a moment’s hesitation. You falter just a moment, shooting Seonghwa a quick smile and ‘hope your father feels better soon’ before following Hongjoong’s steps out the door.

On your way home, you can’t help but wonder…what on earth is cow fever? You’ve never heard of such a thing. You’re too lost in thought you almost don’t see San waving at you from afar. “Ah, hey San!” you greet him with a quick wave and a smile. “Did you have lunch yet?”

A shrug is your answer and you laugh at San’s nonchalance. “Nah, I was just about to head out for some, though. How was your lunch?”

You shake your head. “It had to be cancelled. Mayor Gil came down with the cow fever, so we decided to reschedule.”

A pout forms on San’s face. “Well, I hope he gets better. Cow fever is no joke. But hey, since you didn’t have lunch, would you like to join me?”

Although it would mean you’d have to walk back to town, you can’t say ‘no’ to the smile on San’s face. “Sure, I’d be happy to,” you grin. “Inn? Do you want to get sandwiches and eat on the dock?”

The smile on San’s face widens. “It’s almost like you’re reading my mind. Let’s eat on the dock.”

Without another word, he hooks his arm around yours and pulls you in the direction of the barn. “Ah– San, the town is the other way, you know.”

San laughs again, loud and bright. “Yeah, I know. We’ll take Emma.”

It takes a moment to register. “The cow? San, are you crazy?” you gasp, but there’s still a giggle present in your tone. “First, we have a horse. Second, I don’t even know how to ride a horse, much less a cow!”

“That doesn’t matter,” San grins impossibly wider, his dimples deep. “Emma’s sweet, she’s an easier ride than Princess. Plus, I want Princess to have some more bonding time with her foal. Come on, I promise it’ll be fun.”

You groan good-naturedly but can’t keep the smile off your face as the two of you approach the well-mannered cow. “Fine,” you agree. “How do I get on?”

Instead of answering your question like a normal human being, San places his hands on your waist. For a moment, you’re lost in his firm grip, but it doesn’t last long as he lifts you and places you on Emma’s back, a shriek emitting from your mouth. “San!” you laugh, looking down to see San’s eyes crinkling as he chuckles and pats your thigh. “Warn me next time!”

“So there’ll be a next time?”

“You’re focusing on the wrong thing,” you scold lightly, turning away so he won’t see your flushing cheeks. “Come on, let’s go. I’m hungry.”

You can hear San laugh to himself one more time before hopping up behind you and wrapping an arm around your waist. Immediately, your mind is taken back to that rainy day almost a month ago when he hugged you and your cheeks burn even more. “Hold on tight,” San hums, leaning forward till his lips are right by your ear.

And once again, he doesn’t give you time to mentally prepare before Emma runs down the path towards the town. You’re terrified, hands gripping so tightly on San’s that you’re sure your nails will leave indents. But somehow, you’re enjoying yourself taking a wild ride on a cow of all things. Maybe it helps that San’s body is pressed against yours and you can feel the heat radiating off him.

You’re practically in a daze when you reach the town, San lifting you off Emma much more gently than when he put you on her. “You good?” he asks, and you snort, shaking your head fondly.

“God, I can’t believe I did that. I can’t believe you made me do that. But yes, I’m good. More than good, even. That was fun.” You chuckle mostly to yourself, brushing your hair out of your eyes. “Come on, let’s eat.”

It’s your turn to grab San’s warm hand and pull him in the direction of the inn, the little bell tinkling as you step inside. Mai smiles at the two of you, waving you both over to her station. “Hello, you two. Looking for some lunch this fine morning?”

“Yep,” San leans on the counter with his elbow, ignoring the glare the head chef, Chihaya, sends him. Mai hides her smile extremely badly. “Could I get the tuna sandwich? And whatever YN’s getting.”

Your head snaps towards him. “Oh, no, no, San, don’t worry about it. I can pay for my own,” you decline as quickly as you can, but he raises an eyebrow in response.

“It’s my treat, YN. Don’t fight me on this, I’ll win. I invited you out, so it’s only right I pay.”

You narrow your eyes at him. “But–”

“No buts, okay? Don’t worry, I’m perfectly capable of paying for the both of us. Let me do this, YN. Just order, okay?” San holds up a hand, and you know he’s won.

With a sigh, you concede. “Fine. But next time, I’ll pay, and no buts.” San raises his hands in defeat. Satisfied, you turn back to Mai. “Could I get an egg sandwich?”

Mai chuckles, writing down your order in her little notebook. “It’s cute to see you two together. Poor San has been lonely for a long time.”

“We’re not dating,” you quickly correct her, face heating up in embarrassment.

“And I’m not lonely!” San interjects, pout on his face, and his cuteness in that moment makes you forget how awkward you were about Mai’s statement.

“Okay,” Mai chirps, clearly disbelieving the two of you, but before you can refute any longer, Chihaya stalks over, handing the two of you nicely wrapped sandwiches.

“Mai, stop bothering them. You two, go eat. See you later,” he shuts down the conversation, waving the two of you away.

Both San and you exchange a look before quickly leaving the inn, Mai’s sweet giggles trailing behind the two of you until the door shuts behind you. “Well then. Dock?”

You snort, nodding. “Dock.”

You skip your way through town to the dock, empty aside from the local fisherman about to head inside for his own lunch break. The wind isn’t too harsh today, something you appreciate so that the sea’s waves don’t get close to your feet. Neither you nor San feel the need to talk as you work through your lunches, the food delicious enough to keep your mouths occupied.

You finish your sandwich much earlier than San, leaning back on your arms as you sneak a peek at his side profile while he continues to eat, unaware. Something about his focused gaze on his sandwich seems to draw your gaze. As you wait, you can��t help but think back to Mai’s words, unable to keep your mind from daydreaming about Choi San.

Ever since that fateful day in the rain, the hug he had given you keeps popping up in your mind at the most inopportune times…like right now. You can already feel heat rising to your face once again and you quickly focus your eyes on the horizon to do your best to rid yourself of such thoughts.

You can’t afford to like San, not like that. Not when you have no idea what you’re going to do after this job, or even where you’ll go. This little island feels more like home than the big city did, but you don’t know where your life could fit in here. Not when it feels like everyone already has their place in the town.

“What are you thinking about?” You blink yourself back to reality, where San has finished his sandwich and is looking at you with such a fond look in his eyes. “You look lost in your head.”

You shrug, bringing your legs up to your chest and resting your chin on your knees. “I don’t know…” you murmur, a melancholy smile playing on your lips. “Just the future, I guess. What I’ll do later.”

San hums, his hand coming to rest close to your own, and you push back thoughts of grasping his worn, warm palm. “I get it. Before I started working for Mr Takeru, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do either. I bounced from ranch to ranch, even started over at Marimba Farm for a time until Mr Takeru offered me a job.”

“Is that where you met Yunho?”

At your question, San chuckles. “Yeah. He hired me at Marimba when it was first starting out, then recommended me to Mr Takeru after he was able to manage it with the help of Wooyoung. Yunho is one of my oldest friends here.”

“It must be nice to have that close of a friend,” you state, more to yourself than anything, but San hears you anyway, his brows furrowing with light concern. “Say…who’s Hongjoong? I met him briefly at Seonghwa’s before I had to go home. I’ve never seen him around before.”

San hums, tilting his head so he can look into your eyes more clearly. You fight to keep the blush of your cheeks. “Hongjoong runs the clinic, and does fortune telling on the side. He’s descended from a long line of wizards, and his paternal family has run the clinic for a very long time. Why?”

You shrug. “I heard something about him getting medicine for Mayor Gil. Thought it might be interesting to talk to him about the island’s medical practices. Since I’m a nurse and all.” You laugh, shaking your head. “Maybe I’m a little curious too. He dresses nothing like the other islanders.”

San chuckles alongside you. “His robes are the traditional wear for the wizards of this island. He does quite enjoy talking about the history behind them, so you should ask him about it some time. Any other trivia I can answer for you?”

His tone is light, teasing, and you snort and shove at his shoulder. “Shut up, can’t a girl be curious? I get it, you don’t like me.”

“You and I both know that’s the furthest thing from true.” San shakes his head, and you freeze, aware of what he’s implying.

“San–” You’re unsure of what to say. “I’m–”

“You don’t have to say anything,” San laughs, leaning in to tap his forehead against yours. “Not right now, at least. I’ll give you time to think about it. Now come on, let’s get back to the farm.”

Before you can blink, he’s already on his feet and holding out a hand to help you stand. After a moment's hesitation, you reach out as well, placing your hand in his. As he pulls you up, he leans forward to press his lips against the side of your head and you duck your head, heat rushing to your face.

The walk home is silent, but not uncomfortably so. Instead of riding Emma back, San lets her amble along the path on her own. You walk side by side, fingertips not quite brushing, stealing glances at each other and soft smiles. Maybe it's because he finally put words to what the two of you have, but you can’t help but wonder exactly why both of you are suddenly so open with how much you care for each other.

As he walks you to the front door of the farmhouse, he clears his throat, obviously wanting to say something. You turn to him expectantly, taking note of the nervousness in his eyes. “YN…” he mumbles, a far cry from the confident man he was on the dock. “No matter how you end up feeling, please don’t leave the island because of it. Everyone here likes you, even though you don’t really know them well. And Mr Takeru is terribly fond of you. Don’t let me influence your life too much, okay?”

You sigh, body visibly relaxing. “Of course not, San. I’ve grown to love it here. I don’t think even you can keep me away.”

San chuckles at your feeble attempt at a joke, out of pity, you think. “Okay, okay. Have a good day, YN.”

You close the door behind you, smiling to yourself subconsciously. “Miss YN, is that you?” Mr Takeru calls out, and you shake your head, willing your brain to clear up before quickly making your way to your employer.

“I’m here, Mr Takeru!”

You awkwardly stand at the bar, waiting for Wooyoung to finish up with a customer. The bar is the last place you would usually be, but you’re at a loss. San’s words have been replaying in your head since that fateful day on the dock, and you haven't spoken to him since. Not that he’s bothered by it. True to his word, San had been giving you space, only exchanging soft, sweet, ‘good morning’s and gentle smiles.

As each day passed, you knew what your answer would be, but then a letter arrived today from your agency back home. A reminder your contract was almost up. You knew you had to make a decision, fast.

“All right, what’s going on in your head, missy?” Wooyoung’s voice breaks you out of your swirling thoughts. “You look like you’re about to be sick, and I don’t want to have to take you to the doctor’s.”

You open your mouth, close it again, and then reopen. “Wooyoung, do you know if the clinic has any job openings?”

Wooyoung furrows his brow, frowning. “Well, you’ve picked the worst person to ask this question to. I’ve never gone to the clinic before, and Hongjoong never comes in here. But they might. Hongjoong’s grandfather recently retired, so as Mr Van takes his role, there might be a job opening soon. I think Mao was thinking about volunteering there, though. You’d have to talk to Hongjoong about it. Why?”

You hesitate, eyes moving from side to side. No one is close enough to hear you over the music. “Did San talk to you at all in the past week?”

Understanding dawns in Wooyoung’s eyes. “Ah. He told us what happened, but let me hear what you think of it. All our regulars are here already so I won't have to make any more drinks for a while.”

A sigh makes its way out of your throat. “My contract with Mr Takeru is ending soon. The easy answer is to renew, but what about after that? I don’t know where I could work, other than the hospital, and if Mao wants to work there, I don’t want to take that opportunity away from him.”

Wooyoung laughs. “I said he would volunteer, not work. He’s the fisherman’s son, the sea is in his blood. But even if you don’t work at the clinic, San would probably be happy to support you until you find something.”

You shake your head tiredly. “But I don’t want him to. He already works so hard, and I don’t want to make him feel obligated to help me, not when I’m capable of supporting myself and it’s just me overthinking.”

There’s a pause, and then Wooyoung dissolves into laughter. “YN, he would be helping you because he wants to. Hell, any of us would be willing to help you. Yunho could use someone to help him on his own farm, I’m sure Seonghwa would like to have a secretary, hell, I could use you as a server. You’re worrying too much about it. Things will work out if you want them to.”

You wince. “I know, I know. I just worry, you know.”

“Well, don’t,” Wooyoung teases. “Just talk to San. He’ll understand.”

“As always, your advice is impeccable,” you smile. “Thanks, Wooyoung, really.”

“It’s what I do,” Wooyoung winks, sliding a glass over. “Have a drink before you go, okay? I’m not getting paid to gossip, you know.”

You squint at him. “Don’t you own this bar?” All Wooyoung does is smile knowingly and nod towards the cup of…something. You take a tentative sip, and then another, and then it hits. The sweet but tangy flavour with a hint of bitterness from the alcohol. “Oh, this is good! What is it?”

“Raspberry cocktail,” he answers, way too proud of his creation. “I perfected the recipe today, as well as a few others. You should try those ones too.”

You laugh, downing the rest of your drink. “Sure, sure, go ahead. I’m almost never here anyway.”

Wooyoung practically vibrates in excitement, moving around the kitchen in a dash to prepare your next drink. You’re on your third drink and too busy laughing at Wooyoung’s antics to notice the presence behind you. When Wooyoung slides you your next drink, you ask, “Which one is this?”

“This one is your last drink,” a firm voice speaks up and you snap your head around, startled, to come face to face with San. “You still have work tomorrow, YN, you can't get too drunk.”

“Hey, Sanah,” you beam up at him, unbothered by his close proximity. You blame it on the alcohol. His eyes soften as he looks down at you, a smile tugging at his lips. “I was just talking about you!”

“Oh, were you?” San leans down, pressing his forehead against yours. “All good, I hope. Come on, finish your drink and let’s get you home.”

Without much further prompting, you down the rest of your drink and wave at Wooyoung, who is watching the two of you with an amused expression plastered on his face. “Bye, now,” he sing-songs, “get home safe.”

San rolls his eyes good naturedly, nodding at Wooyoung and sliding some money over to pay for your few drinks. “Have a good night, Youngah.” He wraps an arm around your shoulders, helping you stand and pulling you out of the inn. “What am I gonna do with you, huh?”

You hum, turning your head to press your face into his shoulder. “I dunno,” you mumble into him, breathing in the smell of his soap. “I don’t know what I’m gonna do if I end up out of a job. You’re too perfect, I can’t drag you down.” You don’t mean to say all this, but the alcohol is still coursing through your system and the courage still sits in your stomach.

San intakes a sharp breath. “What do you mean by that?”

You shrug. “You have a job, a life here. I’m here temporarily. When my contract ends next month, what am I supposed to do? I don’t want to go back to the city and leave you here, but I don’t have any idea what I’m supposed to do here.”

San sighs, letting his head sit atop yours, his cheek pressed against your hair. “Well, we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. I wouldn’t mind if you went back to the city if you visited. I wouldn’t mind if you stayed with me until you get back on your feet if you decide to end your contract. Hell, I’m sure Mr Takeru would be happy to employ you on his own dime, or someone else in town would take you on. But I’m glad you came to me, okay? I want to help you.”

You can feel your eyes stinging, and you curse yourself for drinking so much that it makes you too emotional for your liking. “Okay,” you concede with a soft voice. “Thank you, San.”

He presses a soft kiss to your forehead. “Of course, YN,” he smiles, and although you can’t see it, you hear it in his voice. “Now let’s talk later, okay? You need to go to bed.”

“Later sounds good,” you sigh, letting your body weight lean even more against San’s broad shoulders. “See you later.”

“Not right now,” San chuckles. “We’re almost home, come on. As much as it’s safe on the island, it’s chilly tonight, and I think you’d probably prefer sleeping in a bed.”

“Hmm, bed,” you repeat, yawning. “I like the idea.”

“I’m sure you do.”

The rest of the night is mostly calm, save for San convincing you to go to the bathroom to change, and not undressing in front of him. As he helps you brush your hair as you sit on your bed, you can’t help but to reach up and put your hands on his waist.

“You know, I really like you,” you mumble. The alcohol has almost faded, but the tiredness has hit and you’re just as loopy as if you were still drunk. “I hope you know that.”

San chuckles, his hands slowing to a stop in your hair. “I do, YN. I do.” He leans down, pressing another kiss to the top of your head. “Get some rest, okay? I’ll see you in the morning.”

He turns to leave, but not until you grab his wrist. “Wait! What about here?” you pout, pointing to your lips, and San arches an eyebrow, a smile toying at the corners of his lips and a laugh threatening to escape.

“Maybe tomorrow, if you ask me, okay? Good night, YN.” And with that, he leaves you to sleep, a smile plastered onto your face as you dream of his touch.

When you reawaken, you feel fully rested, yawning as you slip out of bed quickly and easily. A quick glance at your clock tells you it’s almost noon and you curse yourself for drinking so heavily. You’re never letting Wooyoung talk you into such a thing again.

As you make your way out of your room, you find Mr Takeru sitting on the couch. “Miss YN, come sit with me, okay? I want to talk to you.”

You pause, heart freezing. “Ah– sure, Mr Takeru. Nothing bad, I hope.”

The older man chuckles, waving his hand. “Of course not. This is something both Wooyoung and San have come to me about.”

You blink. “Ah.” You’re going to kill Wooyoung, and think about killing San (You’re too attached to him to follow though).

Mr Takeru laughs again. “I said it wasn’t bad, child, don’t look like you’re about to faint, please. San had expressed his affection for you to me, and Wooyoung has talked about how, in his words, ‘both of them are dumb as rocks and won’t date yet’. I’m quite aware that your contract with me is ending soon.” He pauses to take in a breath. “I would like to offer you a job with me off contract. That means you won’t be with your agency anymore.”

You blink at him. “I…I’m sorry, it’s a lovely offer, and I’m quite inclined to take it, but can I ask why? I mean, it would be cheaper for you to hire from the agency, and I’m sure I could figure something else out.”

“Miss YN, I’m sure you’re well aware I am not in much need of money. San runs the farm beautifully, and even though he is paid generously, the earnings far exceed what I need. And, as I have talked to Mayor Gil, Seonghwa, and Hongjoong, the clinic is happy to contract you so that in the case that I no longer require your services, you may work with them.”

You blink at him, your lower lip quivering. It takes you a moment to compose yourself, and Mr Takeru waits patiently. “The offer is so generous, and I would be a fool to decline it. I really do appreciate it, Mr Takeru.”

Your boss smiles. “Don’t worry about it, okay? Think of it as a favour to San as well. He’s worked for me for so long, he’s like one of my own grandchildren.” He pauses, letting out a yawn. “Now, go find him and tell him the good news, okay? I’d like to take a long nap.”

With a moment to compose yourself, you stand from the couch. “Thank you again, Mr Takeru,” you repeat sincerely. “I’ll prep lunch and put it in the fridge for when you wake up, okay?”

He waves you away, already getting ready to lay down on the couch. “Don’t worry about it. Mayor Gil is coming around to have lunch with me, and he’ll bring me something from the inn.” With another yawn, you know your conversation is over, and you spin on your heel and race out of the house, only one thing on your mind.

“San, are you in here?” you call out as you reach the ajar barn doors. “I need to talk to you.”

“I’ll be right down, just filling up the dispenser.” You can hear San’s voice from the loft and you look up, squinting through the sunrays filtering through the holes in the roof. The carpenters have been working on fixing that before the next rain.

Your gaze is drawn away by San climbing down the ladder, an extra bale of hay perched on his shoulders. As he turns around and you catch a glimpse of his face, your breath catches in your throat.

There wasn't ever a time where you thought sweat and grime on a person could be attractive…at least until right at this very moment. Sweat is glistening on his face, dripping off his cheekbones and chin, and all you can think about is swiping your tongue over his lips to taste it. The sight of it only serves to remind you of your drunken request to San, and his one condition that you ask him about it the next day.

“YN? Is there something you wanted to ask me?”

You blink up at him, eyes wide. “Can I get my kiss now?”

That was not what was supposed to come out of your mouth, but it’s too late to rectify it, so you’re left looking up at a dumbfounded San. The silence goes on for just a tad too long and you’re too embarrassed to face him now, so you turn on your heel and start to exit the barn, hopefully to drown your sorrows and yourself in the hot spring.

Before you can even step foot onto the threshold, however, San grabs your arm and gently tugs you into his warm chest. “Now wait just a moment,” he hums, chest vibrating against your back. His smell fills your mind and you tilt your gaze up to see him looking right back at you with such warmth in his eyes. “I didn’t give you your kiss yet.”

“Oh–” is all you manage to squeak out before San’s lips are on yours and you immediately melt into the kiss. His arm pulls you even closer against his body, his lips soft and inviting. “San–”

He doesn’t give you a moment to speak, his mouth capturing every sound escaping past your lips. You can feel every breath against your lips, his tongue pressing against the seam of your lips. Slowly, you part your lips for him and he wastes no time to map out your mouth, taking the air out of your lungs at how desperately he kisses.

As you fall deeper into his embrace, your arms come to loop around his waist, resting by his hips as your hands grip onto his shirt. His own hands roam up and down your sides, gripping at your waist and keeping you pulled against him. One of them finds its way to your face, cupping it with a gentleness that rivals the roughness of his mouth.

You could stay here like this for hours, but your lungs disagree, and after they scream at you for some air, you finally pull away, gasping softly as you lean your forehead against San’s. “San,” you call his name again, although this time your words aren’t interrupted by his lips but your lack of air. You take in one more breath, San waiting patiently as he looks at you like you put the stars in the sky yourself. “San, I like you. And I’m sure I’m just stating the obvious, but again, I do. I want to stay here with you, and just this morning Mr Takeru has offered me a personal contract with him. That’s what I wanted to tell you.”

San laughs, his hand on your waist moving up to stroke your cheek. “I know, YN. I asked Mr Takeru to make you the offer. Or, to be more precise, I implied that he should make you the offer, and I did that because Wooyoung implied to me to do that.” He tilts his head to press a short and sweet kiss to your lips again, chuckling to himself at how you follow his lips when he pulls back.

“Of course he did,” you roll your eyes good-naturedly, nodding as you lean up on your tiptoes to try and steal another kiss. “Nothing will ever be kept secret with his big mouth. Can we go back to kissing now? It’s easier.”

You can practically see the eagerness shine to San’s eyes. Instead of an answer, he tilts his head down to meet your waiting lips. This time, though, your makeout session is sadly cut short.

“So you two are finally together?”

You’re not too embarrassed to admit you shrieked, jumping out of your skin and burying your face in San’s chest. You can hear both San and Seonghwa chuckle, San’s arm tightening around your body. “Thanks to you, Seonghwa,” San hums. “We both really appreciate your role in this.”

“It’s no problem whatsoever. And as surly as Hongjoong can be, he’s happy to have someone else on board. But I’ll let you two get back to…talking. I was just passing through to have lunch with the jeweller. Have a good day, you two.” With a wave that you see out of the corner of your eye, Seonghwa leaves.

“I’m never going back to the town hall again,” you mumble against San’s shirt. “I can’t face Seonghwa again.”

San rubs your back with a comforting hand, although you can feel his chest rumble with quiet laughter. “I’m sure he understands, YN. Plus, look on the bright side. At least he didn’t walk in on a more intimate moment.”

Your head snaps up, heat blooming in your cheeks as you slap his shoulder. “San! We’re in the barn!”

A smirk is the only warning you get before San wraps both his arms around you and hoists you into the air, ignoring your squeal. “My house is just across the creek, you know. We don’t have to be in the barn.” You swear he can see how flustered you are just by your expression, and it only seems to egg him on. His one hand moves down to hold you up by your thighs, and you don’t think your face could get any hotter. “Shall we celebrate?”

“San–” you start to decline, but then you pause, casting a glance over your shoulder. Seeonghwa is long gone, and you’re sure Mr Takeru and the Mayor will be talking for a good few hours. “...All right. But put me down!”

Laughing, San happily sets you on your feet, leaning in to press his lips against yours again. “I really am glad you decided to stay, YN. Thank you for choosing me.”

“And if given the chance, I would choose you over and over San.” You smile up at him, reaching up to cup his face and pull him in for yet another kiss. Although the future seems uncertain, you’ll be happy to navigate it with him by your side.

#2ndpirateezyear #pirateeznet #kvanity #wkcnet #ateez fanfiction #ateez fanfic #ateez fic #ateez fluff #ateez angst #ateez au #ateez x reader #san fanfiction #san fanfic #san fluff #san angst #san fic #san x reader #san au

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makeitmingi · 9 months

Text

The Cat and Dog Game [Chapter 3]

Genre: Romance, Fluff, Comedy

Pairing: Yunho x Reader (y/n)

Characters: Chef!Reader, RestaurantOwner!Yunho, MaitreD!Hongjoong, Waiter!Yeosang, Waiter!San, Waiter!Mingi, SousChef!Seonghwa, SousChef!Wooyoung, PrepChef!Jongho

Summary: Yunho's dream was to open and run his own restaurant. But he doesn't know anything when it comes to cooking. Until you came along and accepted the job, bringing with you a small crew. How will the black cat tame the energetic golden retriever?

Word count: 3.4K

When you woke up, you saw Wooyoung in your kitchen, standing over the stove. Seonghwa was still asleep in your bed and you assumed Jongho was also passed out in the guest room where he shared a bed with Wooyoung.

"You're up early..." You yawned.

"Hi, love~ Good morning." Wooyoung smiled sweetly. He poured coffee into your mug and slid it over to you, as well as a small bottle of hangover cure.

"Thanks." You took a sip of coffee first before drinking the hangover cure. Then you shuffled over to him.

"What are you making?" You peered over his shoulder.

"Sopa de fideo, our usual hangover cure. I would have made avgolemono (Greek soup with lemon and chicken broth, thickened with eggs) but you're out of lemons." He said.

"Oh, I better remember to get some when I go to the shops again. And I'm always down for sopa." You smiled.

"Better add fideo pasta then. I just used the bag up." Wooyoung informed. You nodded with a hum and went to the fridge. You started to make a mixed fruit juice for Seonghwa, knowing he liked sweets to help him get over a hangover. He also didn't like bitter things and didn't like coffee.

"Hwa might only wake up later. After his drunk nagging and making fun of me, I only managed to get him to sleep at like 6 am." You clicked your tongue.

"He is so funny when he's drunk." Wooyoung snickered.

"If he's so funny, next time, you take him. The both of you were messes, Jongho and I wanted to just leave you both out here."

"Let's do that next time." Jongho spoke, letting out a loud yawn and stretching his arms over his head. He had an arm on his neck as he stretched out the stiff muscles.

"Jong, your hair." You laughed, reaching out to help him tame his messy bedhair.

"Wooyoung hyung kicked me in my ribs. I think I have a bruise." Jongho hissed, glaring at Wooyoung, who turned back to the stove and whistled innocently. You went to pour Jongho a big mug of coffee and get a small bottle of hangover cure.

"Alright, later, let's try to compile a list of produce suppliers we can contact for the restaurant. We'll probably have to use our own equipment until Yunho can get them in." You said.

"Yes. We'll definitely need our stand mixers." Jongho nodded.

"Ugh, those things are so heavy though. It's going to be a nightmare to transport them back and forth." Wooyoung whined.

"And at the same time, we can discuss a menu so we know what equipment we need." You added. When Wooyoung finished cooking, he portioned everything out.

"Pepper mill, please." You asked. Once Jongho finished garnishing his own bowl, he handed it over to you.

"Is Hwa hyung unconscious?" Jongho asked. Wooyoung snorted as he took a bite of food.

"I think so. He's too talkative when he drinks. I might have smothered him with my pillow in my intoxicated state." You shrugged. You said that with such a straight face that others who didn't know you might have thought you were serious. But Jongho and Wooyoung knew you long enough to know you were joking.

"Thanks for cooking, Woo. It was just what I needed." You said, starting to do the dishes. When Jongho was done, he came to help you dry the things and put them away.

"We'll have to wake Hwa soon." You yawned, laying over the couch.

"Ah, let him sleep more." Wooyoung grinned, coming over and laying his body on top of yours, making you grunt.

"Don't squish her, hyung." Jongho said, sitting on the armchair after refilling his coffee tumbler.

"Yah, Choi Jongho. I'm not that heavy." Wooyoung scolded and made no effort to remove himself from you. He even snuggled closer to you, letting out happy sounds.

"I'm so glad we're past the stage of you wanting to claw my eyes out." He giggled.

"Who says we're past the stage?" You mumbled.

"Okay, I'm going to take a warm shower. My brain is fogging." Jongho stood up and went to the room. You poked Wooyoung in his ticklish spots, making him yelp and yell until he got off you. You smiled victoriously and went to your room.

"Hwa!" You jumped onto the lump under the blanket like an evil cat. Seonghwa groaned at the impact, shifting under the blanket. You wriggled your body, squishing him.

"Darling, I'm not going to go deeper into the mattress." Seonghwa murmured, his voice muffled by the blanket.

"Wake up, Hwa. There's things to discuss."

"Well, I can't with you on me, can I?" He chuckled. You didn't even have a chance to get up before the door opened and a very loud Wooyoung barged in.

"Cuddle pile?! Where was my invite?!" He complained as he fell on top of you. You and Seonghwa winced.

"This isn't a cuddle pile! I'm trying to wake Hwa up." You squirmed.

"And not doing a very good job at it." Seonghwa said, reaching out from under the blanket to stroke your head while you shot him an offended look.

"We can just stay here all day." Wooyoung wrapped his arms around your waist, pulling you in to hug you, burying his face into your back. As you laid between them, Seonghwa shifted slightly so you had space but was still hogging your duvet. He was wrapped in it like a comfortable burrito.

"You should eat something, Hwa. I made you mixed juice in the fridge since you don't drink coffee." You said.

"What's the food? Did you cook?" He asked, voice slurring ever so slightly, an indication that he was falling back asleep very soon.

"I made sopa. Miss (y/n) here needs to go to the shops soon, she didn't even have lemons in the fridge." Wooyoung replied. You reached behind and slapped his hip.

"Hmm..." Seonghwa hummed. His eyes were the only thing you could see peeking over the blanket and they were closed.

"Hwa's so tired." You whispered to Wooyoung. Seeing Seonghwa so tired, you didn't really have it in you to wake him up again, wanting to let him sleep.

"And hungover." Wooyoung added.

"Yet both of you were the ones who didn't want to stop drinking last night." You said softly, turning your head to see Wooyoung just press his lips into a thin line. He clearly didn't remember what happened last night, none of the boys do. Even Jongho.

When you turned around again after a while to see why Wooyoung was so quiet, you realised that he had fallen back asleep too. You carefully slipped out of his grasp.

"Where's everyone?" Jongho asked when he saw you emerge. He had a towel on his head, used to dry his hair.

"Sleeping in my bed." You sighed and sat down beside him.

"Want to go to the shops?" He suggested. That wouldn't be a bad idea. Jongho was objective and didn't get as distracted as Seonghwa and Wooyoung.

"Sure. Just let me go change." You stood up, heading into the room to get some clothes.

Yunho let out a tired sigh as he came out of his father's office. He spent the night drafting a contract between himself and your cooking team. Then the moment it hit morning, he drove to his father's law firm to have him look it over. Mr Jeong made some edits but nothing major before sending his son off.

'Where are you? Want to go get brunch with Yeosang and I? - San'

'I just came out of my father's office after letting him look over the contract I drew up last night... Sure, I'll eat then go home to sleep. Text me the address. - Yunho'

After receiving the location address, Yunho drove over to where San and Yeosang were.

"Hey, sorry for the wait." Yunho said to his friend as he approached their booth. They shook their heads, San sliding in for Yunho to sit.

"How did it go?" Yeosang asked.

"It's fine. My dad made some minor changes but nothing too major. It's just a 1 year contract anyway, which I know how to draft." Yunho shrugged, looking through the menu.

"I meant with the cooking team. Must have went well for you to draft a contract right away." Yeosang laughed.

"Oh! It went well. Hongjoong hyung's friend, Seonghwa sshi, he is like their manager or some sort. But the main chef is this girl, (y/n) sshi. She's really cool, you'll see what I mean when you meet her tomorrow." Yunho grinned.

"Do you already have a crush on her?" San raised an eyebrow.

"No! I don't. She's just cool... I want to be her friend. And the other two guys in the team are cool as well, they're all cool! Seonghwa sshi and Wooyoung sshi are sous chefs. Jongho is a prep chef."

"That's nice, Yunho ah. But can the 4 of them handle the workload or bakery items and dinner service?" San asked.

"Well, that seemed to be their concern too. But I think they worked out a schedule." Yunho shrugged.

"That's why there's a contract?" Yeosang clarified. Yunho nodded.

"Oh yes, I was going to text (y/n) to tell her the contract has been drawn so they can sign it before work tomorrow." Yunho took his phone out to text you with an excited smile.

"Wow, tomorrow is opening." San said in disbelief. After seeing Yunho work so hard for the restaurant, it was finally going to open.

"I know, it feels weird to say that it's opening tomorrow. I can't believe it, really. Time passes so fast with all the construction and sourcing of things to put the restaurant together." Yunho rubbed the back of his neck. Just thinking about it made his heart race with anticipation, all the fatigue melted away.

"Let's order. I'm starving, I need my protein." Yeosang said. The both of them were gym rats so their post gym meals were always large. Yunho, Hongjoong and Mingi were always too lazy to go.

After the waiter took their order, they continued their conversation. Yunho glanced at his phone when you replied.

'Thank you for preparing it in such a timely manner, Yunho sshi. What time should my team and I be in tomorrow? - (y/n) sshi'

'You're welcome! 😊 It was no big deal at all, actually. Part of the job. How long will you and the team need to start preparing the pastries for opening? 🤔 - Yunho sshi'

'Depends. We will need to source for ingredients since the fridges and cupboards are empty. - (y/n) sshi'

'Sorry about that 😞 - Yunho sshi'

'I didn't say that for you to apologise to me. It is understandable since you didn't have a kitchen crew until yesterday. If possible, can I drop by later today to bring some equipment and ingredients for storage to be used tomorrow morning? - (y/n) sshi'

'Of course! What time is good? - Yunho sshi'

'Say 4pm? - (y/n) sshi'

'That's perfect! I'll see you then! 😼 - Yunho sshi'

Yunho had been so busy talking to you that he didn't notice Yeosang and San stopping their conversation to stare at him. He had a dopey grin on his face.

"Earth to Yunho?" San waved his hand in front of the taller male's face, making Yunho blink and look up.

"Who are you talking to...?" Yeosang leaned on his hands.

"Oh, (y/n) sshi asked if she can drop off ingredients and equipment off later at the restaurant. So she doesn't have to bring them in with the team at 5am." Yunho informed.

Yunho didn't know why he looked forward to working with you. Maybe because you seemed so wise when it came to food. The last person who awe'd him with food knowledge was his own grandmother, the whole reason why he loves food and eating, and wanted to open his own restaurant.

"Here you go." The waiter came back with their food and drinks, giving out the plates.

"Thank you for the food." The boys chimed and dug in.

"I'll help you behind the coffee counter tomorrow, Yunho. We can barista together." San smiled. Out of the group, Yeosang and Hongjoong were the worst with handling food.

"Mingi's going to try and sneak into the kitchen to steal food." Yeosang chuckled.

"He does love bread and pastries." Yunho rationalised.

After that brunch, Yunho went home to catch up on some much needed sleep. He made sure to set an alarm, he didn't want to be late to meeting you.

Yunho was on time, but when he pulled up into the parking space beside the restaurant, he saw you waiting there, leaning against a van and fiddling with your phone. His eyes widened in panic as he rushed to remove his seat belt and got out.

"Sorry I'm late!" He ran over.

"You're not late. I was early." You raised an eyebrow, standing up and tucking your phone into your pocket. Compared to yesterday, you were dressed a lot more casually, in sweats and a hoodie.

"Are you on your own?" He tilted his head when he noticed there was no one else in the van. You gave a nod and a hum, tugging your hoodie down.

"I'll get a trolley from inside. Hold on." Yunho went into the restaurant and grabbed a trolley.

"Oh wow." He was stunned when you pulled open the van door, revealing all the ingredients and equipment inside.

"We should move the cold stuff in first. It's these." You pointed to the cartons butter, milk, cream and other things that needed to be in the refridgerator immediately.

"Sure." He picked up the cartons and stacked them onto the trolley, wheeling them in.

"Why don't you stock the fridge while I bring the rest in? I'll bring the produce first." Yunho suggested. You nodded and went into the walk in, which was already turned on and cold. You began to stack everything inside, making a mental note to get bins and labels to organise it better.

"(y/n) sshi?" Yunho called you and you stepped out to see that he really brought in all the produce on his own. You were impressed by his energy and strength.

"That's fast." You chuckled. His ears turned red at your words but he maintained his grin.

"What should I do next?" He asked, enthusiasm in his voice. You imagined if he had a tail, he would be wagging it.

"Well, let's organise these first then. Before bringing in the equipment." You told him. He nodded and helped you bring the vegetables in.

"Shall I put these here?" He asked. You gave a nod and he put the vegetables neatly. He hummed softly to himself as he worked.

*RINGGGGGG

"Excuse me." You left Yunho and stepped out to answer the phone. Since you just stood in the kitchen, Yunho could hear bits and pieces of your conversation.

"Hwa, you were sleeping so I went to the shops with Jongho... No, he is not with me now. He had to go to his parents' place... I'm at the restaurant with Yunho. I brought some produce and equipment for tomorrow..." You said.

"Well, I tried to wake you. You went back to sleep... I borrowed a van from my neighbour and brought everything over... Don't worry, I can manage. Yunho did most of the lifting." You sighed.

"Alright... Make the bed before you go, I don't like my sheets in a mess." You hummed and ended the call.

Yunho's eyes widened. Were you and Seonghwa in a relationship? Judging by how caring and protective Seonghwa was of you, he shouldn't be surprised.

"Apologies." You came back and Yunho shook his head, acting like he had been busy.

"That's done. I won't need the meats in the freezer since we are serving them tomorrow." You said.

"So we bring the equipment in?" He asked. You nodded and walked out with Yunho trailing behind you. The equipment wasn't much but you did bring yours and Jongho's stand mixers.

"These are heavy." Yunho grunted as you lifted them from the trolley and onto the counters.

"They need to not move when mixing." You replied. Other than that, you brought in some pots, pans, a sous vide machine, a vaccum sealer and smaller essentials like mixing bowls, cutting boards and other cooking utensils.

"Let me know how much these are. I'll pay you back." Yunho said as he unwrapped the new set of measuring cups while you sorted the cooking utensils.

"It's fine."

"(y/n) sshi, these are for use in here so please, let me pay you back for them." He begged with a small pout.

"Alright." You nodded. Yunho glanced at you as your organised the kitchen in a particular way. He guessed it was the way you and your team worked comfortably.

You didn't try to make conversation with him but you could feel his eyes on you. You just continued arranging what you needed.

"S-So what did you have in mind for the menu tomorrow?" He stuttered.

"For the bakery, looks like it'll be lemon poppy seed madeleines, strawberry basil tartlets and palmiers. For the cakes, we're thinking a cheesecake of some sort, yuzu drizzle loaf and red velvet." You listed out, having brainstormed with Jongho at the market earlier so you could buy ingredients.

"Oh wow. That all sounds so good." Yunho's jaw slackened slightly at your words.

"If there's time, we'll push more stuff out since we want to test to ovens and equipment." You explained.

"Then is there any prep stuff that you need to do now?" Yunho only knew that some dishes needed to be prepared early because his grandmother used to marinate meats and vegetables overnight.

"Are you able to assist with food prep?" You eyed him.

"I have not done it before but I can try!" He grinned excitedly.

"Never said you will be." You stated, going to get your apron. You grabbed a spare apron and handed it to him.

"Actually, I'll help you sanitise and wash the stuff first. I might not be much help." Yunho rubbed the back of his neck when he saw you take your wrap of kitchen tools out, including your knife.

"We haven't even started yet..." You scoffed.

"Yeah but I feel like I might be in your way. When I was granted my food license, the intructor told me he hopes I'm not actually going to put my food license to use... I'm better washing dishes than actually cooking..." He said in embarrassment, his ears turning red. But you noticed the small pout on his face.

"Just try. If you can't, you can't." You turned to the counter space to continue setting up. Yunho smiled softly, grateful for your indirect way of encouragement?

"Okay, so we'll start with a blackberry apple tuile. We can leave it in the dehydrator overnight." You said.

"I'll get the cutting boards washed." Yunho said while you went into the walk in to get the ingredients that you would need.

You laid out the ingredients and used the sink on the other side to wash the fruit that you would be using. When they were done, you stood next to Yunho and started working on the apples.

"Umm..." Yunho didn't move. He didn't know what to do. For a moment, you forgot he was new to this.

"Sorry. Here. Use this." You handed him one of your spare utility knives.

"Hold the knife like this and slice the blackberries in half like this." You demonstrated. Yunho nodded and began doing the task. You watched him for a bit, worried that he might cut himself since he seemed a little wobbly.

"Like this...?" He winced, not that he cut himself. He was worried that he was doing a bad job. But you really can't do a bad job at cutting berries in half.

"That's fine." You prepared lemon water in a bowl. Then you took your pairing knife and began to peel the green apples that would be used.

Series masterlist

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softplots · 10 months

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MASTERLIST — female korean names !!

hi sweeties !! there are #50 (FIFTY) female korean names under the cut, they were all taken from kdramas. hope you guys like it !! please like/reblog if you found this useful !!

Park Se-Hee

In Byuel

Go Yu-Na

Kim San-Ha

Na Joo-Hee

Han Song-Yi

Lee Mi-Yeon

Jung Jung-Won

Shin Ki-Won

Kwon Na-Ra

Ah Mi

Yoon Hee

Young-geun

Yoo-joo

Heo Soon-sim

Choi Sun-ah

Shin Ki-yoon

Mi-so

Baek Na-hee

Ma Ho-Young

Lee So-Yeon

So-Jin

Lee Hyun-ji

Ah-reum

Yoon So-rim

Eun Tae-hee

Seong Mi-do

Ahn Ja-yeong

Hong Chae-ri

Eun-seo

Oh Ha-rin

Baek Je-na

Kim Ga-yeon

Seon-hwa

Son Ae

Eun Ok

Eun-mi

Kang Hye-young

Lee Yoo-ri

Choi Dong-joo

Jung-soo

Kim Yeong-chae

Jo Hae-In

Bae Doo-rae

Jo Ki-bum

Joo Wol

Yoo Young-joo

Joo Wol

Lee Yoo-jeong

Mo Jae-in

#krph #rph #masterlist #names masterlist #╱ 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 ﹕ masterlists .#rp resources #names help #korean names

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dancinglikebutterflywings · 4 months

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Be With You - Prologue

Pairings: Photographer!Kim Hongjoong x Widow!Reader

Summary: After a traumatic event, Hongjoong skips town and finds himself in a small village on Jeju Island. There he meets Choi Y/N, a widowed mother of one and finds out he's connected to her in more than one way.

Warnings: Mentions of grief and loss. Full list of warnings and disclaimers on masterlist post.

Word Count: 516 (chapters will be longer)

Tag List: Open. To join - leave a comment the masterlist or fill out my permanent tag list form.

Be With You Masterlist

©️ 2024 DANCINGLIKEBUTTERFLYWINGS. DO NOT COPY, MODIFY OR REPOST ANYWHERE.

Two people 465 kilometers from each other, abruptly awaken, their hearts racing and breaths shallow after their peaceful slumber had transformed into a haunting nightmare. They throw back their blankets, one getting up from his bed while the other got up from the thin mattress on the floor that she shares with her daughter.

Kim Hong Joong walks to the balcony of his one-bedroom apartment, feeling the cool city air embrace, waking him up the moment he steps outside.

While Choi Y/N walks to the back door of her small one-bedroom home that she shares with her daughter. The moment she opens the door, a gentle ocean breeze caresses her face, carrying with it the salty scent of the sea.

Both Kim Hong Joong and Choi Y/N carry the weight of their nightmares, haunted by the events of the past and present they both can’t seem to escape.

Hong Joong looks back inside his apartment. A chill runs down his spine as he takes in the emptiness of his apartment. The once vibrant room now feels empty and devoid of the warmth and joy it once held. The walls that were once adorned with colorful photographs of his family and friends now stand bare and the room that used to be filled with laughter and conversation is now still and silent. His camera, once a source of comfort and an extension of him, sits on the coffee table, longing to be used once more. He contemplates destroying the camera, but the sentimental value it holds stops him.

The stillness of the apartment becomes suffocating, prompting him to retreat inside and lock the balcony door. Instead of wallowing inside the apartment, he decides to leave everything behind and escape to Jeju Island, the farthest place in South Korea from Seoul.

Y/N, on the other hand, reflects on her home in the small village on Jeju Island. What was meant to be a temporary escape from her past has now become her permanent residence for the last five years.

And then there is Sun-Hwa, the little girl who bears the name of her father, a man that Sun-Hwa never had the chance to meet. Yet, Sun-Hwa serves as a constant reminder of the husband Y/N had loved and lost far too soon.

Y/N's gaze shifts to the young girl peacefully sleeping, curled up under a thin blanket. This small village is the only world Sun-Hwa has ever known. The only connection she has to Seoul are the stories Y/N shares about her father and the occasional visits from her Uncles Jong Ho and San, and her godfather Woo Young. She knows nothing of how they came to live in the small village they call home. She knows that one day, Sun-Hwa will have questions and she’ll have to answer them, but for now, Y/N is content to shield Sun-Hwa from the hurt and pain she’s been dealing with for the last five years.

Moving back inside, Y/N lays back down next to Sun-Hwa, wrapping the small girl tightly in her arms as she drifts back into dreamless sleep.

@staytiny2000 - @rainydayteacups - @everythingboutkpop - @qwonyoung23 - @mountiiny

@busanbby-jjk - @oddracha - @skittyneos - @ateezswonderland

To join - leave a comment the masterlist, send in an ask or fill out my permanent tag list form

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whatisonthemoon · 1 year

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Moon seeking to move to the U.S. in 1965?

▲ Pictured: Moon on his 1965 tour in D.C.

What was happening in 1965?

Both Young Oon Kim and Sang Ik Choi traveled the world with Sun Myung Moon on his first world tour. The world tour wrapped up in October 1965, with Moon returning to Korea on October 10.

March 31-May 3,1965, Moon stayed at Bo Hi Pak’s home in northern Virginia, a suburb of Washington D.C., and frequently met with Annie Choi, mother of Sammy Pak. Annie Choi was not related to Sang Ik Choi. Her family has a long, painful history with Moon. Moon would not leave until he was sure that Annie Choi was pregnant. Moon went on this tour without his young wife Hak Ja Han, though she joined him on his 1969 tour.

After spending time in Korea in 1964, and following Moon on his world tour, Young Oon Kim moved to D.C. following the tour. At this point she had already laid ground for the Bay Area church, following her stint in Oregon. The Pacific Northwest was largely under David (Sang Chul) Kim's leadership.

Sang Ik Choi (also known as Papasan) had been on Moon’s World Tour, along with Young Oon Kim. Choi arrived in the U.S., settling in San Francisco, on November 12, 1965. On December 11, Yun Soo Lim and Kenji (Daikon) Ohnuki arrived in San Francisco, reuniting with Choi. Prior to this, both Lim and Ohnuki spent several months in D.C.

Many said that this 1965 trip destroyed Papasan Choi’s faith. He had allegedly seen many things during this tour that disturbed the holy image of Moon. It is likely that neither Young Oon Kim or Papasan Choi had really believed in Moon as the messiah at this point, if they ever did. They seemed to have ulterior motives when it came to their membership, considering their presence in the UC for decades while privately claiming they no longer believed in Moon in the orthodox sense, as well as their countless government connections.

In 1965, Bo Hi Pak founded the KCFF, with Eisenhower as the honorary president. Both Radio of Free Asia and the Little Angels dance troupe were under the KCFF.

Moon was preparing the way for his move to the U.S. in 1965:

"There are many Christians who anxiously desire to see the day of the coming of the Lord. If the Lord comes by the clouds of heaven, I know there will be no problem for this present world to accept him. But it is also possible that even after the Lord has come through the clouds of heaven, and even after people meet him and realize that he is not their concept of the Messiah, some may not accept him at once. As I mentioned already, it is of vital importance that we must live with him.-- live with the Messiah, with the Lord, with the One. It is not only important to see him and meet him but it is important to stay with him. This is of ultimate importance. Therefore, America today has to develop a new way of life in which there is room for him.”

Moon spoke these words at the UC Headquarters in D.C. on March 12, 1965, one month after arriving in the U.S. for his tour.

It was on this tour that Moon was able to meet Eisenhower. Eisenhower allegedly told Moon during this meeting, "Man is a spiritual being. We must bring to bear a greater moral strength based on moral law to stand against the communists. It will take the vigor of youth to do this."

It seems he was hoping to eventually move to the U.S. It may have seen evident that providence was turning this way, as Bo Hi Pak had created a substantial political foundation and it was evident that his message was catching on, with communities that were effectively building a financial/economic foundation. Could he have also been hoping to continue providential sex with Annie Choi, or maybe even making her his primary wife while in the U.S.?

Sam Park’s mother, Annie Soon-wha Choi with Moon in 1954-56, 1964-65, 1969 and 1973.

Pak interviewed about Moon’s “SEX relays”

The story of Annie Choi and Sam Park in Mother Jones

Sam’s mother’s sister “intended as Father’s Bride” Soon-shil Choi is Annie (Soon-hwa) Choi's sister. Hak Ja Han was matched to Moon following the break-up of Moon and Soon-shil Choi.

Daikan took the photos of Moon with ex-President Eisenhower when they met there.

Kenji ‘Daikan’ Ohnuki is listed as an 1800 couple (couple 49)

“My father is truly a sad and tragic human being” – Sam Park, 2014 video transcript

Washington Monument – in 1965 Adulterous Moon got Annie Choi pregnant with Sam

Moon used a ‘Honey Trap’, a beautiful woman, to ensnare Sam Park’s very rich grandfather. Sam’s uncle explains what happened to the Choi family.

‘Annie Choi’ driven to have sex with Moon in D.C. in 1965

Moon’s fourth wife, Won-pok Choi:

The Korean language magazine, Sunday Journal, and Kirsti Nevalainen’s book, Ritual Sex in the Unification Church, both list Mrs Choi as Moon’s fourth wife. At least one Korean authority on new religions stated that Hak Ja Han, who came after Won-pok Choi, was Moon’s fifth wife. Won-pok Choi left her husband and children to join the UC in December 1954.

#1965 #washington d.c.#young oon kim #won-pok choi #won pok choi #sam pak #annie choi #soon-hwa choi #soon-shil choi #sun myung moon #pikareum #sex rituals #ritual sex #six marys #sang ik choi #papasan choi #bo hi pak #kcff

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bethelighthalazia · 5 months

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9 makes 1 team!

Chapter II - "Family"

Summary: What if ATEEZ had debuted with one more member? What if they had debuted with a young woman? Her name is Choi Hwa Young, younger sister of Choi Jongho.

Genre: fluff

Pairing: ot8 & fem!OC Choi Hwa Young

Word Count: 2155

Warnings: none

networks: @mirohs-aurora-society

back to masterlist

© by bethelighthalazia. Do not repost, copy or translate. Unless stated otherwise, those works are mine and born from my own ideas. I don't have any claim on the mentioned real existing Idols whatsoever.

Chapter II - "Family"

Hwa is sitting in her room, working on her own little project. She had been asked to do a solo stage at SBS Gayo Daejun, where she´s finishing up the song she's about to perform. None of the other members knew about this, except for Jongho, who basically figured it out on the second day after her getting the call and agreeing. During her preparations, Hwa had asked some select ones of her friends to help her, mainly Soobin and Eunkwang, and she asked her friend Hyunjin for advice on her outfit.

With SBS coming closer, Hwa has the pressure of working on two performances, one being her solo stage and one the official performance of Ateez as a whole. Even though she's often exhausted to no end, she's pushing through, sometimes working late into the night and then being carried to her room by one of the members, because she fell asleep in the living area of the dorms. Tonight is again one of those nights, Jongho walking into the living area just to see Hwa sitting leaned against the sofa, her open laptop on the coffee table, while her head is tilted down, her headphones hanging off her ears by now. “C’mon moonpie, let's get you to bed,” he whispers and takes her headphones off her head before closing the laptop, not without checking if she's saved everything properly first though. He then picks her up gently and carries her to her room, Hwa snoring quietly.

The next day, she does seem sleepy throughout the day, but nothing could dim her determination for the performances, happy and excited to perform every single one of them on the SBS stage. “Guys, I´ll head over to meet with Hyunjin and the boys at their dorms, I´ll be back for dinner,” Hwa says with a bright smile, a little breathless after they went through all three performances for that day. The boys smile and wave at her when she walks out, not before placing a little peck on their cheeks. Jongho decided to accompany her down to the entrance of the building, wishing her luck, because he knows what the meeting will be about. Hyunjin and Minho already waited in the car at the entrance to the KQ building, Hwa almost jumping into the backseat in excitement.

“Hey guys! Thanks so much for helping me, I just have to go over the dance a few more times and with your help, i´ll be ready for this weekend!” She exclaims happily, her cheeks blushed in excitement. The day with her two friends feels like time runs out way too quickly and soon, they went over the dance a few times and when stepping out of the practice room, they all noticed that it got dark already. “So, the boys don't know anything about the song or your solo stage? They haven't heard it yet?” Hyunjin asks, nudging Hwa´s side gently and Minho chuckles. Hwa just shakes her head, grinning. “Only Jongho knows that i´m doing a solo stage, but he kept shut about it and he hasn't heard the song either. I´m so nervous, but also excited!” She giggles, getting into Minho´s car once again, so they can drive her back to Ateez´s dorms, where Hwa hugs her friends and says goodnight before heading inside where the boys wait at the table, dinner already prepared.

“Oh- did you really wait for me now? You could've eaten already boys,” Hwa mumbles, quickly dropping her bag to sit down with the others for dinner, smiling happily. “Nonsense, jagiya. Binnie sent me a text to let me know when you´ll be home, so we prepared dinner for us all.” The wide grin on Wooyoung´s face gets even wider when Hwa places a kiss on his cheek and hugs him tightly. “You´re the best, Woo, thank you.” “Okay okay, stop it guys, we´re all hungry! Sit down princess, pleeease!” Laughing at Mingi´s whiney voice, she sits down and already reaches for her chopsticks. The food Wooyoung prepared does smell heavenly and when her stomach growls loudly everyone starts laughing. The nine of them have a fun dinner together, even doing the cleaning after this in teams before they all drop onto the sofa in the living room. “How was your day with them, little one? Are you ti-” With a look over at the girl, Seonghwa chuckles, seeing her cuddled up against Yunho, already passed out into a deep slumber as it seems.

The next few days until SBS fly by and when the day starts, Hwa´s alarm is set to snooze every five minutes until Seonghwa enters the room with a slightly annoyed sigh. “You know, when you press snooze all the time, why not set the alarm for an hour later? Come on, Hwa get up, you should shower before Wooyoung uses up all the hot water again,” he says, pulling back her blanket and opening the curtains in front of her window. When he looks at the sleepy Hwa, who slowly gets up and slurps towards the bathroom, he frowns, grabbing her pillow and smells it. Another deep sigh escapes Seonghwa as he hurries to find Hongjoong taking the pillow with him.

“We´ve got a problem, Hongjoong,” the older one says, throwing the pillow over to the captain, who raises an eyebrow in confusion. “What´s up? Whose pillow is this?” The younger asks, closing his laptop to give Seonghwa his full attention. “It´s Hwa´s. Did staff again wash our bedding and such? Her skin looked very irritated when I woke her up just now, and the bed linen didn't smell like our usual detergent.” Seonghwa´s suspicions get confirmed, when they hear some sneezing down the hallway, it seems like Hwa does react to the detergent once again. “Okay, you go and help her, make her shower more than once if necessary, I ́ll call manager-nim and try to figure it out. I really hope they didn't use this for our stage outfits as well…” Before he even finished speaking, Hongjoong already got out his phone to call their manager, hushing Seonghwa out of his room and to the bathroom.

After knocking on the bathroom door, Seonghwa waits patiently for her to answer him, Yeosand walking by as the oldest stops him. “Yeosang, can you tell the others to please remove the bed linen of every bed? And can one of you do that for Hwa´s bed as well please?” “Wrong detergent again?” The younger one asks and Seonghwa just nods, looking at Hwa when the bathroom door opens and both men can see the girl's face. Yeosang doesn´t need any more info and hurries to fulfill the task given by his eldest while Seonghwa gives Hwa a soft smile. “Come, we´ll wash your hair. Don´t worry, it was only one night, so it won't be too bad with the allergy.” Following Hwa inside, they leave the door open, this had been an unspoken rule from the beginning and now it´s a mere habit that whenever one of the boys is in the bathroom with Hwa at the same time, the doors stay open then. “My eyes are itchy…what if I can't wear contacts, Seonghwa?” She mumbles, leaning over the bathtub, so the oldest could help her wash her hair, his slender fingers massaging the shampoo into the girl's scalp to calm her down. “Then you can wear your glasses, little one. I promise, it´ll all work out, okay?”

After almost an hour, Hongjoong had finally gotten all the information on what happened, thankfully it was only the bed linen the staff had washed, and Seonghwa had managed to help Hwa to wash her hair and skin properly, so that almost no traces of the slight allergic reaction were left. However, Hwa´s eyes kept getting irritated whenever she tried to put in her contacts, which made her tense all morning. She's still quite insecure about her glasses and her freckles, so she's even more nervous for this performance day. Yeosang also had called Hyunjin to let him know what happened, so he´d be prepared to cheer up his best friend when they arrived at the building for the show. They all wore rather casual clothes on the way to the building, so the first way they have to go is to their dressing rooms to get ready with the first outfits, thankfully Stray Kids and Ateez had the rooms right next to each other this time, so it was easy for Hyunjin to join and encourage Hwa a bit.

“Ohh, you look pretty! Even prettier than Yeo!” Hyunjin exclaims when he enters Ateez´s room, drawing an “Oi!” from Yeosang. Hwa giggles slightly, even though she still feels terribly insecure about it, especially since the stylists couldn´t really put the usual makeup on the girl, and now her freckles are very visible. “Sorry Yeo, but she's just prettier than you, face it.” Hyunjin laughs, nudging his friend's arm while the stylists still help Hwa with getting ready completely. “Yeosang always will be the prettiest, Jinnie.” Hwa´s words actually draw a slight blush from Yeosang and behind the girl, Hyunjin can see the other members smile thankfully, grateful that he calmed Hwa down.

“Ateez, you´re on stage in five, everyone hurry!” From outside the room, they hear the managers call everyone to get ready and out to get ready for their first performance. When they're on stage, Hwa feels quite confident, even if her own solo performance lingers in the back of her mind. She does her best, smiling through the performance this time, since it's a Christmas song. When this one ends, her and the boys go backstage to get changed already, then sit down in their designated sitting areas for a while, watching the other performances. When it's time for their next performance, Ateez once again gets on stage, performing ‘Deja Vu’ and ‘The Real’. Hwa does struggle a bit, sometimes almost mixing up some steps, but it's almost unnoticeable for the fans, the only ones who might have noticed would be her members and possibly Hyunjin. Without any major mistakes from Hwa, Ateez once again crushed the stage, happy about all the fans cheering for them. When the music ends, they all walk down from the stage, gathering backstage to talk for a few moments and hand over the microphones. Before they head back to their spots though, Hwa announces that she's going to the bathrooms for a moment and will meet them at the table. At first, the boys don ́t want to leave her alone, since they know that she ́ll get lost, but Jongho was able to convince them.

When they all sat down, Seonghwa and Hongjoong exchange surprised looks when the MC announces a solo stage from ‘Choi Hwa Young from Ateez’ with her first own song ‘Family'. the other boys also stare at each other for a moment, only Jongho chuckling quietly since he knew, quickly shushing his members when they started to ask him questions. It's visible for them, and also for Hyunjin and Lee Know, that Hwa is very nervous as she ́s standing on the stage.

When the first notes start and some video clips from their dorms, recorded by Hwa herself on the big screen in the background start to play, the whole hall gets quiet. Then, Hwa starts singing, rapping and even dancing her own choreography. The song is about the boys, how thankful she is for them to have accepted her in this little found family. About how they always help each other, how she trusts them and that she would never want to exchange this happiness for anything in the world. Some clips show peaceful afternoons, some chaotic dinner-scenes or just them having fun and enjoying each other's company. Hwa even managed to include every member´s name into the lines, thanking every single one of them personally and telling every member how much she loves them. When she looks at the table with her boys, she can see some of them cry, all of them with a proud smile on their faces. ending the song on a high note, she can't hold back some tears, bowing to the audience as she finishes. Hwa had to close her eyes for a moment, but when hearing a commotion near the stage, she opens them, gasping when she´s suddenly engulfed into a hug between eight other bodies; the boys had just climbed the stage to hug and cuddle her, even Jongho hugging her tightly. “We love you, little one, and we´re so proud of you,” Seonghwa mumbles, the traces of tears evident on his face when the young woman looks up at him with a smile. She doesn't even hide her own tears at the moment, only laughing quietly as the MC has to interrupt their little celebration on stage, to ask them to clear the stage for now.

taglist: @mingis-mizu, @tinyelfperson, @hotteokkay, @minkilicious, @bunnliix, @gong-fourz, @dinossaurz

(if you want to be added to a taglist, follow the taglist-link in my pinned post)

#kat writes <3 #ateez #mirohsaurorasociety #ateez fanfiction #ateez fanfic #ateez scenarios #ateez fic #ateez fluff #ateez imagines #ateez hongjoong #ateez jongho #ateez mingi #ateez san #ateez seonghwa #ateez wooyoung #ateez yeosang #ateez yunho #ateez OT8 #9 makes 1 team

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twentysnoir · 7 months

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Especial KRP — Sobrenomes Coreanos

Cansado de Lee? Kim? Seo? Song? Choi? Hwang? Park? Abaixo do "Read More" você vai encontrar alguns sobrenomes mais incomuns que pode usar em seus personagens coreanos.

Ah, A (아 - A)

Ae (애 - É)

Ban, Bahn, Van, Vahn, Pan, Pahn (반 - Ban)

Beon, Bun, Buhn, Veon, Vun, Vuhn (번 - Bón)

Beom, Bum, Buhm, Veom, Vum, Vuhm (범 - Bóm)

Bo, Vo (보 - Bô)

Bok, Vok (복 - Bôc)

Bong, Vong (봉 - Bông)

Boo, Bu, Voo, Vu (부 - Bú)

Bi, Vi, Bee, Vee (비 - Bi)

Bin, Been, Bean, Vin, Veen, Vean (빈 - Bin)

Bing, Beeng, Ving, Veeng (빙 - Bing)

Da (다 - Dá)

Dam (담 - Dam)

Dan (단 - Dan)

Dang (당 - Dang)

Dae, Dai (대 - Dé)

Dok, Dock (독 - Dôc)

Dokgo, Dokko (독고 - Docô)

Don (돈 - Dôn)

Dong (동 - Dông)

Dongbang (동방 - Dôngbâng)

Deung (등 - Dûng)

Deungjeong, Deungjung (등정 - Dûngdjóng)

Eogeum, Uhgeum, Ugeum (어금 - Ógûm)

Eun (은 - Ûn)

Eum (음 - Ûm)

Hak, Hahk (학 - Rác)

Hae (해 - Ré)

Hyeong, Hyung, Hyoung (형 - Rióng)

Ho, Hoh (호 - Rô)

Hwa, Hwah (화 - Ruá)

Hwangmok (황목 - Ruangmôk)

Hwangbo (황보 - Ruangbô)

Hoo, Hu (후 - Ru)

Ja, Jah (자 - Já)

Jeom, Jum (점 - Djóm)

Je, Jeh (제 - Djê)

Jegal, Jekal (제갈 - Djegál)

Jeo, Juh (저 - Djó)

Jong (종 - Djông)

Jwa, Joa, Jua (좌 - Djuá)

Jeung (증 - Jûng)

Kangjeon, Kangjun, Gangjeon, Gangjun (강전 - Gangdjón)

Ka, Ga (가 - Ga)

Kal, Gal (갈 - Gal)

Kam, Gam (감)

Kan, Gan (간 - Gan)

Kae, Gae (개 - Gué)

Kyun, Kyeon, Kyoun, Gyun, Gyeon, Gyoun (견 - Guión)

Kyung, Kyeong, Kyoung, Gyung, Gyeong, Gyoung (경 - Guióng)

Kye, Gye (계 - Guiê)

Kok, Gok (곡 - Gôc)

Kwan, Gwan (관 - Guân)

Kwok, Gwok (궉 - Guóc)

Kyo, Gyo (교 - Guiô)

Kuk, Guk, Kook, Gook, Kuck, Guck (국 - Guc)

Kung, Koong, Gung, Goong (궁 - Gung)

Kwok, Gwok, Kweok, Gweok (궉 - Guóc)

Keun, Geun (근 - Gûn)

Keum, Geum (금 - Gûm)

Ki, Gi, Kee, Gee (기 - Gui)

Kil, Gil (길 - Guil)

Lin, In, Rin, Leen, Een, Reen (인 - In)

Man, Mahn (만 - Man)

Mangjeol, Mangjul (망절 - Mangdjól)

Mae (매 - Mé)

Maeng (맹 - Méng)

Myung, Myeong, Myoung (명 - Mióng)

Mo, Moh (모 - Mô)

Mok, Mock (목 - Môc)

Myo (묘 - Miô)

Moo, Mu (무 - Mu)

Mubon, Moobon (무본 - Mubôn)

Muk, Muck, Mook, Moock (묵 - Muc)

Mi, Mee (미 - Mi)

Nan (난 - Nan)

Namgoong, Namgung, Namkoong, Namkung (남궁 - Namgung)

Nang (낭 - Nang)

Nae (내 - Né)

Noi, Nwe (뇌 - Nê)

Ok, Ock (옥 - Ôc)

On, Ohn (온 - Ôn)

Ong (옹 - Ông)

Pan, Pahn (판 - Pan)

Paeng (팽 - Péng)

Pyeon, Pyun, Pyuhn (편 - Pión)

Pyeong, Pyung, Pyuhng (평 - Pióng)

Po, Poh (포 - Pô)

Pyo (표 - Piô)

Pung, Poong (풍 - Pung)

Pi, Pee (피 - Pi)

Pil, Fil, Peel, Feel (필 - Pil)

Ra, La, Rah, Lah (라 - Lá)

Ran, Lan (란 - Lan)

Rang, Lang (랑 - Lang)

Ryeo, Ryuh, Lyeo, Lyuh (려 - Lió)

Roe, Loe, Roi, Loi, Rwe, Lwe (뢰 - Lê)

Sa, Sah (사 - Sá)

Sakong, Sagong (사공 - Sagông)

San, Sahn (산 - San)

Sam, Sahm (삼 - Sam)

Sang, Sahng (상 - Sang)

Seomun, Seomoon, Suhmun, Suhmoon, Sumun, Sumoon (서문 - Sómún)

Seonu, Seonwu, Seonwoo, Seonoo, Sunu, Sunwu, Sunwoo, Sunoo (선우 - Sónú)

Seob, Sub, Seop, Sup, Suhb, Suhp (섭 - Sób)

Sobong (소봉 - Sobông)

Soo, Su (수 - Su)

Sun, Soon (순 - Sun)

Seung (승 - Sûng)

Si, Shi, Xi, See, Shee, Xee (시 - Xi)

Tak, Tahk (탁 - Tác)

Tan, Tahn (탄 - Tan)

Tang, Tahng (탕 - Táng)

Tae (태 - Té)

Uh, Eo, Eoh (어 - Ó)

Wan, Wahn (완 - Uán)

Wang, Wahng (왕 - Uáng)

Wun, Un, Woon, Oon (운 - Un)

Wi (위 - Uí)

Ya, Yah (야 - Iá)

Yeop, Yeob, Yup, Yub, Yuhp, Yuhb (엽 - Iób)

Yeong, Young, Yung (영 - Ióng)

Ye, Yeh (예 - Iê)

Yo (요 - Iô)

Yong (용 - Iông)

Yook, Yuk (육 - Iúk)

#noir helps #krp br #names list

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hwaightme · 2 years

Text

Family for Hire (Ch3.5)

(family for hire ml) -> blurb and general tags in series ml

☀️ pairing: single dad!seonghwa x business woman!reader ☀️ genre: romance, family, domestic, fake marriage, slice of life ☀️ ch. summary: adult to adult conversation should be easy, except when it is with someone who you are definitely not indifferent about, and who you had just spent a family-style day with. what will a conversation under the stars bring? ☀️ ch. wordcount: 5.3k ☀️ ch. warnings/tags: language, hwa being tactless, late night stargazing, banana milk hours, some mysterious texts, implied past family issues, fears, children, mixed up feelings, lmk if anything else! ☀️ perma-taglist: @doom-fics @layzfeelit @acciocriativity @justhere4kpop @honey-lemon-goose @byuntrash101 @shakalakaboomboo ☀️ series taglist: @yunnierights @moniesmoon @jackinmyarea @hwalysm @sankatchu @hijeongguk @likexaxdaydream @treasure-hwa @paralumanniluna @naiify @dementedaly @lilactangerine @ameliaag1117 ☀️ a/n: Hello there! big hugs and much love, hope you enjoy this chapter~ (p.s.: who else will never recover after the hwa madrid live? xD)

Chapter 3.5: Starting Something

After dinner, much of the time was spent with you three chatting away, until Nari, who was sat between you on the couch had begun to doze off and knock either into your or Seonghwa’s side. As soon as he disappeared up the stairs, with a sleepy Nari who was clinging onto his neck in his arms, you fished a long-forgotten phone out of your pocket. You saw that you had a few texts from Yunho, which clearly showed his progression from worry to 'don't have too much fun' with a series of wink emojis, making you roll your eyes. If only he knew what kind of a battlefield being in a closed space with a toddler was - even when said child's parent was the most attentive being you swore you had ever met and the little girl turned out to be infinitely precious - unpredictable and blunt, but still a wonder.

In addition to the cheeky messages, there were of course the classic out of hours work emails, which you, on any other day, would have probably gotten to answering that instant, but it did not feel right to do. Some strange desire to be respectful of family hours that were not even yours had overtaken you, and with a swipe, you removed the notifications. Stock markets were not going to crash if you were to delay responding to a basic question about plugging in random numbers into a spreadsheet until they looked right - may the internet be ever in their favour. What had caught your attention was something else entirely. An excited, friendly greeting, followed by a rather odd request - you would not put it beyond the author of the message to be rather bold on his asks, but considering your present plans, it was less than welcome.

>> heeyyyyy Y/nnnnn boss lady~~~ quick q, can I give your number to someone??? They're cool I promise :))))

You narrowed your eyes, rereading the notification. It would not hurt to have another networking opportunity, right? Wooyoung had never provided you with a faulty connection before, with some even having led to obtaining a new loyal client for the company, and others, like a certain Choi San, having become a reliable source of information, both in business, and in socials. But there was something almost unnatural about how he had approached the matter. First of all, he asked for your permission to send your contact, which is something that he had never done before, and you had never expected him to. Second of all, what was the promise for? Was it necessary? Since when was coolness a measure of influence that one had if all that was to come out of your communications was a new to connection on a professional site? A deep frown had etched itself onto your face as you took a screenshot of the message to send to Yunho for evaluation. An uncomfortable fuzziness occupied your head, and you could not help but want to stop thinking altogether. At least about people.

"Hey, Nari's all tucked in and dozing off... so... oh sorry, am I-" Seonghwa froze in the middle of the living room, which still bore a couple of signs of playtime chaos. He had wanted to take a seat beside you at the kitchen island that served to separate the two conjoined zones of the house’s base floor but refrained once he saw you glowering at the screen of your phone.

"No, no, I am just, uh, you know how compliance people are, email after email from them and nothing concrete." You were quick to brush off the suspicious message, wanting to feel confident that it was nothing important and was just Wooyoung being Wooyoung ‘in the best way possible’, also known as him having the spirit, but going about making good things happen in a very roundabout way. The last thing you could possibly wish for at this fragile moment at the beginning of your grand scheme was any kind of social disturbance.

“Here’s to you saying you wanted to do that back in first year!” Seonghwa chuckled and made a cheers motion with his hand in the air, manoeuvring around you to head into the kitchen.

“Yep… and now I am arguing with them basically every week, they really should learn to elaborate and explain…” you commented vaguely, choosing to not spend any longer on the peculiar message, closing the matter by tapping out a question mark and sending it to Wooyoung, followed by your trusty switch to ‘do not disturb’. You would rather have your attention on the dark-haired man next to you, who was currently appearing to look for Narnia inside of the refrigerator.

“And not email you on the weekends. That’s a crime. Milk?” he agreed and reappeared with two familiar plastic bottles, one in either hand.

“You have banana milk?” the surprise on your face was evidently clear enough for Seonghwa to be entertained, as he was motivated to continue.

“You know it. This is how dads get lit, I’ll have you know.”

“Wild and absolutely radical. How do you live like that?”

“Live fast. Here,” he passed the drink to you, pointing out the attached straw, “let’s go on the front porch, the neighbourhood is really nice at night.”

He was not lying about it being ‘nice’ - the term appearing to be a Park family favourite. In fact, it was much more than that. Perhaps picturesque or idyllic would be the right word. Sleepy houses under a blanket of a deep navy blanket, decorated with bright glittering stars, and not a cloud to remove the illusion of it being endless. Seonghwa had insisted that you wore your blazer again, while he had tugged on a zip up hoodie, insisting that this was so you would not get cold and scolding you when you initially had said that ‘it was no big deal'. Though now, you could not be more grateful for the well-meaning nagging as the chilly evening breeze caressed exposed skin, and you pulled the piece of clothing tighter around you.

When was the last time you and Seonghwa had shared a moment, any moment, alone together? Oh, that was right. You bit your lower lip, accidentally having retraced your memories. Now that you were more or less aware of his side of the story with regards to the confession, and it was easy enough to process; the opportunity was there to forget one entry in the series of misfortunes. However, prior to this final cry, there had been a build-up of occurrences in your life that had led you to grow more desperate, and, whilst you hated to admit it due to your work-pride you had cultivated, grow lonelier. And this build up was not something you would be capable of neither erasing, nor revealing any time soon. In hindsight, Seonghwa’s rejection could had been a better choice for the past you, too.

At least now, with a steadier foot on the ground as both of you began to walk your paths, you were able to enjoy their crossing. And now, as you were peering out beyond the refurbished fence gate and well taken care of greenery, you caught yourself wishing that your experiences and the years of being strangers would not weigh down so heavily on you. You had an inkling that perhaps that was why you could only register today as a billow of emotion – challenge, after challenge, and generally, not something you pondered at all. At best you thought you would just shake hands with Seonghwa, agree on terms and conditions, and be done with it. But here he was, welcoming you into his space, his life.

“This is all… a little crazy, isn’t it?” the question was a natural conclusion to your internal blur, which you physically accentuated with a particularly sharp stab of the milk’s metal film that served as a lid.

“I’ll be honest, for me this is the first ‘crazy' in a long time that isn’t about getting shots, bed times, or proving to strangers that no, I am not ‘some dude’, I am actually Nari’s father. So, if you were wondering why I even agreed in the first place... I guess part of it is that."

Seonghwa informed and lowered himself to occupy the space beside you. 'Part of it', huh. Keeping his secrets, then. The lamp above you flickered a couple of times, though upon closer inspection, with you tilting your head back and resting on your free hand, it was a small group of moths dancing around the illumination. As soon as your partner sat down, you reached out and offered to clink bottles, which he readily accepted with a shy smile.

“Wait, they do that?” after taking a sip through the tiny straw, you inquired. Seonghwa squinted, confused as to what part of the discussion you were referring to.

“What?”

“Like, strangers… asking you-”

“Ah, yeah. It has happened a couple of times. Not so much around the neighbourhood, since people know my daughter and I, but outside…” he trailed off, not knowing whether you would be interested to hear about his experience. Since you had proposed this family deal in a more business manner, he was not sure where that ended and relations that were too personal began.

“…outside?” you urged him on, eyebrows knitted, and concern growing clearer on your face by the second.

“We went to a playground out in the centre once, by the Han river, and this one lady with a pram and a kid, about Nari’s age, right by her side decided that it would be a good idea to ask my own daughter: ‘is that really your dad?’.”

“No way…” you uttered, growing irritated at the well-meaning, but insensitive action, “Do people like that exist?”

“Yeah-”

“So, what did you answer?” you hoped that at least a sliver of university-Seonghwa had remained for that; alas, there was not a trace.

“I just left. Calmed down Nari and left.” he elaborated. What could have he done, anyways? He understood why the woman had been concerned, and it was not the question itself that had internally set him off, but the fact that she had approached his daughter to ask it.

“Fair, but I want to find that mother now and see how she is doing. Just want to talk.” you hissed, pinching some of the grain that had eroded away from the steps on which you were sitting, rolling it between your fingers before angrily flicking it away.

“Ominous.”

“Just talking.”

“You verbally throw hands, Y/N, that much I can remember.” he retorted, with an out of place fondness, not dissimilar to how one would look over a photo album and reminisce.

“Verbal cosmetic surgery, Hwa, it can be more than helpful sometimes. Though honestly she should go get her eyes checked instead if she can't see the likeness." You concluded, taking another sip and looking up at the starry night sky. Now this was something you could get used to, instead of the fine dust particles that slammed against your nearly always closed windows.

A warmth spread over Seonghwa as he listened to you. It was not the first time he had heard about Nari being a mini version of him, but the first time he wanted to ask for an elaboration. In addition to that, you had used his nickname, which he did not realise he had been missing hearing as much as he actually did. Not finding any reason to filter his amiability, he inquired into what you meant.

"What exactly?"

"Oh, come on, it's easier to say what isn't." You retorted, feeling Seonghwa's gaze on you.

"No, really."

You were not sure why exactly he was so bent on hearing you list off random features that had stood out to you but were too tired to resist what probably was just standard father behaviour.

"Well, there's the eyes, of course." You began, imagining the two faces as if they were drawings set out in front of you.

"No way." He intentionally disagreed, biting back a cheeky grin as he saw you scowl and raise an eyebrow, still trained on something invisible ahead of you.

"Yes way!"

"How can you say when you're not even looking at me?"

"How can I say when Nari is in bed, asleep?" You shot back, finally turning to face him, almost gasping because of the intensity with which the man was openly gawking at you. The movement, however, appeared to break his boldness as he lowered his head and glanced at his Crocs - as he had explained, they were the most effective footwear to put on if one needed to pop out of the house for a short while, but you were sold when you saw the Star Wars themed decorations on both pairs which he had presented. So very Seonghwa - some things did remain.

"Fair point... but still, for reference." Barely a mumble reached your ears, but you preferred it, for the sake of your own heart. It did not overpower your strict convictions by volume.

"Right then, mister hypocrisy, the side profile of your singular sensory organ that is reactive to visible light, and your daughter's looks pretty similar if I do say so myself." You deadpanned, listing off what little you could remember from secondary school biology.

Seonghwa nearly choked on his milk, making it bubble as he snorted in response to your unexpected observation. Your hand instinctively moved to pat his back but retracted as he raised his own to show he was alright. Quickly enough the cough was replaced by a chuckle, utterly confusing you.

"Don't mean to be that person, but what's so funny?"

"Ahem, just thought of something totally tactless, don't mind me." He elaborated, mumbling.

"Okay impress me."

"No, no, it's fine."

"If it's a dad joke, I'll just give you an imaginary gold star.”

"Seems, I," he lightly punched his chest a couple of times to get the last of the fit out, "lose my breath around you." You erupted into a loud groan and demonstrative rolling of the eyes, secretly loving the phrase, and how Seonghwa's ears burned up into a bright pink.

"Damn, thanks for the warning, otherwise I would have lost my breath."

You did not think much about what you had said, considering the sentence to be innocent enough and far removed from emotional involvement, however it appeared that Seonghwa was on a roll, or lacking in oxygen as he followed up with a total breach of reason, forcing you to put physical effort into restraining yourself from destroying the plastic bottle with an untimely hand crush.

"Lost mouth to mouth opportunity...”

"NOW MISTER PARK SEONGHWA THAT IS ILLEGAL." You squeaked, unsure of how to handle Seonghwa suddenly leaning closer to you, looking you up and down asking:

"What, conflict of interest for our little business deal?"

You were lost for words, so automatically fell back on highly effective defence tactics:

"What if someone was saying that to your daughter, hm?"

Whatever he wanted to say was lost to his dominating creativity. You observed his expression turn sour as he visualized the scene, but with Nari in the starring role. A good dad, through and through, after all.

He need not explain himself, though to reassure Seonghwa that you meant well and this was lighthearted, you gave him a quick squeeze on his lower arm. In acceptance, he covered your hand with his, keeping it there for as long as he could. It was still a challenge to process that what was happening was real, and not a vivid dream. The day was a journey through time, making him realise just how much his life had changed and took a radically different turn compared to his peers. In all honesty, he had never expected to have any ability to return even a tiny fraction of that reality, and chose to assume that with his new role as a father, he had no right to reminisce. Especially at the beginning, that was almost true - he had no time to think, let alone take steps into the past. But now, when his regrets of his past had transformed into his present opportunities, Seonghwa felt like something in him had woken up after an impossibly long hibernation. If only every tomorrow that was to come, were to be like this.

"Ahem, okay, okay. So, uh, you said eyes? What else?" He tried to return to the previous conversation, and thankfully, you were equally as eager to move on from the unexpected moment of toeing a line that had been drawn by the years and uncertainty.

"There's the nose shape... at least the baby version of it if you get what I mean."

"Definitely would be strange to have an adult nose on a kid's face, yes." Seonghwa agreed, tapping his nose a couple of times for emphasis.

"I am glad we are on the same page there."

"And, what else?"

"Eyebrows for days, oh! And your smiles. Congratulations to her for winning the genetic lottery." You wondered whether the phrase was too much, but Seonghwa's proud grin dissipated your concerns.

"I'll save that for when she is a teen so I can remind her. "

"Oh yeah... that's going to be a thing..." you mused out loud, failing to conceal a twinge of pity as you recalled your own adolescence: not particularly enjoyable for any parties involved.

"Yep. Barely out of the woods ourselves, huh?"

"Yeah... but I think you'll handle it. Of course, I don't have much data to go off, but my first impression is that you are... you are doing a good job, Hwa."

"Thanks... though, Y/N... can I be frank?"

"Yeah, Frank and Frederick and Ferdinand." Mainly for the sake of lightening the mood, you threw out the random garble.

"I am winging it so hard it is unbelievable. And unacceptable."

A regular occurrence for everyone - for as long as one is alive, they continue to learn, absorb the world and patterns around them until they create what is called an identity, and then keep growing the embellishments. Simultaneously, Seonghwa sounded anxious, possibly wishing that he was a parenting pro from the get-go. As someone who had to reevaluate all priorities and step into a caring role, it was an unfortunate side effect of doing things objectively right, to feel as though the best, the real way to address one's kid's needs was always just out of reach.

"Same."

It was a struggle to fully relate, but that did not mean that you would stop trying, if at least for your own benefit. With all your might you tried to conjure an analogy, but the only thing to come close was standard perfectionism and religiously abiding by deadlines. Enough to say 'same'.

"Would have never guessed that was the case." Seonghwa, ever so supportive, despite the fact that you were, unknowingly making him regretful of his sudden career change.

You seemed to be doing well enough, and if the few years of intensive corporate grind had not made your drive and opportunity-seeking nature fizzle out, then combining family and a better paid and degree-based job would not be a problem. Some kindergartens he had considered had extended hours on offer for kids of working parents, with pickup times being later after work; had he gone down that route, he would not be suffering the judgmental gazes of the other kids’ mothers who likely assumed the was an unemployed leech. Admittedly, he had felt a certain level of satisfaction when observing the stunned crowd as your very obviously expensive car rolled into the parking lot to pick up Nari from the activity centre, especially since many of the kids, and thus the parents, were connected to the same school.

He wondered how quickly would rumours spread, and could already imagine himself wearing a satisfied grin as he… technically he could not say anything, could he? Since this was all an elaborate plan and would be over at some point? Well then, he would just have to remain mysterious and let the gaggle come to their own interpretations after seeing an attractive young woman step out from the driver’s side, stylishly dressed in Forbes-chique, and carrying herself like you knew what the future held. In other words, you could threaten them, with a confidence which he could not find within himself.

"Same. You are a natural." You returned the kind words, wishing that it was not such a hard feat for you to do. Conveying numerical fact and artistic white lies was easy enough, but sourcing feelings from the bottom of your heart… problematic.

"If only I felt that way too..."

"Then maybe you would be less careful and therefore less of an amazing dad. It kind of reminds me of the interns at work - the more confident they are, the more likely they are to commit an error." You gave Seonghwa a light pat on his upper arm as you attempted, in your own special say, to comfort him.

"Are you saying people should have low confidence and self-esteem?"

"No, what I am saying is that unshakeable confidence that is beneficial to a person is one that is built through experience. Many, many years of it. I bet you know the car thing." Anything to make the topic relatable to you; you were searching once more for any way to remove yourself from the concept of family, make it more 'user friendly', but this only served to add to the confusion.

"Car thing?”

"You know, the whole thing about some of the most reckless drivers being those who already have a license, have driven just enough to think they are the shit - so like, one or two years, and then... get to experience the joys of insurance, in the best-case scenario."

"Hah, noted. So, basically, stay alert."

"Guess so, but with a kid a lot of it is just a constant learning journey, isn't it?"

"Yep, just people constantly figuring things out. From fees to Nari suddenly not liking a food she was obsessed with for a year to her wanting to try doing something independently when we are running late..."

"You have the patience of a saint, Hwa."

"Job requirement, no?"

"I wish it was."

Silence fell over the two of you as you let the phrase slip. Seonghwa was not sure about how to respond, and you were not sure how to change the topic of conversation without making it sound too jarring.

It was obvious that your mind had gone elsewhere, miles, or perhaps it was more correct to say decades, from the conversation. You were looking inwards, searching for something, trying to clamber up your barriers. But it appeared to be a fruitless venture, as you repeatedly tried to start a sentence, words on the tip of your tongue, only for it to go dry and sabotage you at the last second. This turn of the discussion had striken a dissonant chord with you. Even though Seonghwa would not dare begin to guess why, he knew that it was essential he lightened the mood. It just felt right.

"Then you would be walking on thin ice, Y/N." He leaned over and whispered into your ear, beaming.

"Hey! I'll have you know I am a professional!"

"Yeah, yeah... sure. I have no doubt your market forecasting capabilities."

"Backhanded, but I'll take the compliment... you're right, not with kids." You huffed and took one final slurp of your drink. Compared to your relative optimism a couple of days ago, you could only perceive yourself as a trainwreck.

"I am only joking though, I think you have some talent. You say that but at the same time, Nari really took to you. I can see it. What we have to work on is you not getting jump-scared by everything she does and relax. We will help each other. We're husband and wife after all."

The phrase made you freeze in place. Right. That was exactly what you had signed up for. That title so you could flex it in front of your colleagues, and most importantly your bosses so that you would have a shot at bigger money, bigger dreams. Was this fair on Nari? Was this fair on Seonghwa?

You hummed in half-hearted agreement, tuning into the atmosphere surrounding you and Seonghwa. A myriad of questions glimmering above you like the stars dotting the sky. Constellations of misconceptions and miscommunications that were yet to be put right, or learned to be ignored for the better of you both. As you felt the presence beside you lean forward and sigh, breath abandoned to an infinite expanse of anxieties and hushed ruminations, a morbid curiosity began to plague you. Was it too late to do anything? What was it that you were actually trying to achieve here? Was a promotion the result, or the pretense? You rubbed your temples, with your inner wrists, disconcerted by the audacity which your inner conscious seemed to have. If you had said: goal, it meant goal. Funny how you needed to remind yourself of it, even if you had deemed it so important.

After a few more minutes of staring out into the dark, in silence that was filled only by the rustling of the tree leaves, you felt that it was time to leave, if you wanted to remain level-headed and prepared for an interrogation from Yunho. With a stretch, you pushed yourself off the steps and wobbled into a standing position, much to Seonghwa's surprise. Though that did not last long, and his face relaxed in recognition. Turning back, you were about to pick up the empty bottle, but he quickly intercepted, not giving you as much as a chance, only mumbling 'I've got it, don't worry' on repeat.

"But I feel like I have not done anything to help you today?"

"There will be tomorrow. And the day after. And the day after that. Don't worry, if you want your hands full, I can organise that pretty fast."

"No doubts about that. Once events coordinator, always events coordinator, right?"

"Absolutely. And organising a bunch of frat bros is a very good parent prep experience, I’ll tell you that one for free."

"Welp, I hope I won't be as much trouble..."

"I'm not too worried for the beginning, it's once you get comfortable..."

"Right, okay, same rule applies to me then: stay alert."

"In a meerkat fashion." With astonishing speed, Seonghwa rocked forwards and stood up beside you, running a hand through his locks to smooth them down after being rashly disheveled. Then to imitate the furry animal, he bent his arms at the elbow and wrist, earning an amused chuckle from you, along with a grin which you hid behind a closed hand, with a knuckle pressed to your lips.

“And to think you’re a grown man with a kid.”

“To be a good parent, you need to be a little bit like a kid, Y/N. Not through and through, but a smidgen is enough.” When you did not answer, he added more encouragement, hoping that his promises were significant enough to leave a positive effect on you.

Seonghwa would not want to admit it to you just yet, seeing how you were still adamant on abiding by business restrictions, albeit loosely, but throughout the day, he was hesitant to treat your appearance as something temporary. Ignoring time restrictions, he had indulged in fantasies of ‘what could be’ if you were to stay even for just a bit longer. But that was only natural to do after meeting someone from the past, right? To add, he did not want to regret his decision to introduce you to Nari, and Nari to you. If you two were to bond, and then you would take your leave… Seonghwa would never be able to forgive himself for letting you into the little circle he called family. The signs were already there, of his daughter quickly warming up to you, and it was only a matter of time until the point of no return would be reached.

You had heard of the notion that Seonghwa was explaining to you before this – to understand a child you needed to have an ability to tap into an inner child, a healthy, happy and nurtured one, that was. That was where your comprehension stopped, and you had previously ceased to bother. But now, as you were about to part with today and step into tomorrow as a changed woman, you guessed that this might be something worth learning. So long as you could sustain the belief that this was for a role than a calling.

“Right, so, um… I better get going… it’s getting kind of late…” you cleared your throat and announced, stumbling over your words slightly as Seonghwa would not take his eyes off you, following all your gesticulations and reading nuance.

“You sure? I can organise something for you here, so you don’t have to travel. I’d be more than happy to.”

“See, I have this thing tomorrow, and um, before that need to, you know, do some human things and uh, change and stuff…” your rambling did little to make you appear convincing, but Seonghwa was kind enough to not inquire further – you were sure that if he did, you would have cracked. When it came to him, you had always struggled to make up excuses and fables, even if sometimes that could have saved both of you from hurt.

“Okay.” What was new in your dynamic was how accepting and empathic Seonghwa had become. Or who knew, maybe he had always been that way, but in university had tried to hide himself away in the effort to appear ‘cool’.

In a spur of guilt as you followed Seonghwa back into the house to fetch your shoes, you spontaneously offered to drive him and his daughter to kindergarten on Monday morning. You could see the young man hiding his reaction from you by appearing busy.

“And what makes you think we couldn’t find a place in the local one?”

“Because the activity centre was hell knows where?”

“Fair point. And you’re right, kindergarten is equally far, so I’ll gladly take you up on that offer.” He agreed, and provided you the details of timings, and promised to send you the address.

Fumbling for a way to say goodbye, Seonghwa and you stood on either side of the doorframe, knowing that this should not be as hard as you were making it out to be. It was only once you recalled the message you had received sometime earlier that you quickly made your exit, acutely aware of his gaze trailing your journey away from the front porch to the fence, and disappearing behind the bushes. For some time after, he remained in the same place, letting himself come down from the paradise he had invented as slowly as he could, to return to functioning as a single, independent unit, at least until the dangerous play pretend were to continue on the early Monday morning.

Heart beating wildly, you crashed into the front seat of your car and sank deep until you were half lying down and able to look up at the sky. Not that the action helped distract you. Your mind was struggling to process why you were so on edge, and you desperately wanted to replace the sensation with the usual emotional numbness you associated with the concept of familial closeness. What was happening to you? You reached for your phone again, switching the mode back to see more texts flooding in both from your best friend and from Wooyoung. And the implied meaning of messages from the latter were everything but what you needed.

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armpirate · 2 months

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Kalla | Choi San || Chapter 20

MASTERLIST Previous || Next

Pairings: CEO!San x fem!reader

Genre: smut, angst, fluff, strangers to lovers.

Warnings: dom!San, sub!reader, voyeourism, use of sex toys, bondage, dirty talk, BDSM, exhibitionism, rough sex.

Summary: She was surprised by how fast her life went from the perfect fairytale to the destructive mess it had turned into. Dealing with a cheater ex boyfriend, having to move out to a different place because the house she lived in belonged to that man she once dreamed of spending the rest of her life with, while continuously being underappreciated at work... It was as if life was telling her to stop dreaming big, to go back to her small town, Bibury, and help her parents run the small farm her family had owned for decades.

At least until she received a call from her friend.

A sudden vacancy as an assistant showed up on one of her friend's system, having her being encouraged to take that big step and apply for it. She had no hopes for it. Mainly because she didn't have any experience on the field, and she didn't comply with most of the requirements that were added on the offer -and which most of them sounded ridiculous and exaggerated for the position, making her wonder who was the freak who needed so many guidelines in order to hire someone to pick up the phone and schedule events.

Although that hotel she'd be working on was much more than anything she could've come up with.

Choi San wasn't someone easy to deal with. After his previous assistant presented his resignation letter on his desk, he felt forced to start the whole selection process again -after merely two months.

Sure that he was being way too strict, enough to find that anyone who applied for the position wasn't enough, he asked one of his friends to be in charge of the interviews and the selection of the most adequate candidate.

Little did he know Wooyoung would hire the imperfectly perfect candidate for him, sure that she'd help him in many ways other than just in dealing with the responsibilities of his position.

A new challenge will come their way as soon as she steps inside the hotel.

Y/n will have to learn how to mold onto him and deal with all his small habits and requirements, and San will find himself trying to open up and let out all those same things that turned him into the person he was.

The more she digs in Kalla and all of its secrets and exciting corners, the deeper she'll dive into San's heart and soul... Although, maybe, she won't be able to take it.

Kalla opens its doors to you, sharing the vast amount of filthy and erotic plans it offers, and that you can join with a partner... Or maybe just by yourself.

Hope you enjoy your stay.

Chapter duration: 17 minutes

Her blood froze when seeing Mingi and Seonghwa standing next to each other while they looked at them with their mouths open. San could only sigh, while closing his eyes in the most pissed off way he could, while Y/n tried to explain the situation with the dumbest excuse she could -although she only ended up moving her lips without making a sound, because no ideas came up to back them up.

—Hey, Hwa —she greeted her roommate—. Min... Mingi? —she squinted her eyes, pretending not to recognize him— Wow, is it you? I really... didn't... Wow, what are you doing here?

—We just finished having dinner at the place next door. Mingi was asking for some good bulgogi —Seonghwa explained.

—Yeah. We were hanging out and I was hungry. What about you? And, um, San?

That smirk... The little he had known him, San knew it meant bad news.

—Do you know him? —Seonghwa asked in a whisper.

—He's our boss —he explained.

—Oh... oh —his eyes opened wide at the realization—. This is an interesting development.

Y/n had to fight the urge to face palm herself, at the same time she got ready to fight the universe for involving her in such a weird situation.

—We went out for dinner. It's been a long day—San answered, poking his hands inside his pockets while his face moved up—. We just wanted to discuss some issues.

—Looks like it ended on a good note —Seonghwa mumbled, keeping his giggles low.

—It was a rough day, and it ended on a nice evening —Y/n explained—. We just ran into each other right after work.

—I had no idea you two were seeing each other —Mingi's head tilted at the contradiction—. Well, I knew. But I thought I was making shit up.

—It's... not exactly like that —San rushed to explain, clearing his throat—. We were just enjoying each other's company.

—Seems like you were enjoying it quite a bit —Seonghwa teased again.

Trying to stop him from making another comment, she gave him a playful shove. She could almost see San's desperation building up with each comment he made.

—Alright, that's enough teasing for one night. We'll catch up later, okay?

—No, we'll catch up right after you kiss again to say goodbye —Seonghwa answered.

—Yeah, and I'm definitely staying a bit more —Mingi assured her, walking next to their common friend.

Y/n just wanted to throw something at them by the way they keep giggling while looking at them, acting as if they were teenagers catching two people from the same class holding hands.

—I'm starting to think I was too soft with him the other day —San mumbled, tilting his head.

Although there was something positive behind all that teasing, and behind being caught: at least he knew Mingi would stay out of his way when it came to Y/n. At least it worked to leave clear something he wasn't able to admit through words, and even less in the workplace.

—Yeah, I'll have to agree —she twisted her lips, finally smiling when her eyes fell back on him—. Thanks for tonight.

—Thank you for tonight —he rushed to turn it upside down.

Y/n was the one who dragged him out of the office, and the one who cheered him up when he needed it the most. He was most definitely the one who was thankful for her.

Just as he stepped away after bowing for one last time with a bread smile that showed off his dimples, a figure emerged from the shadows, walking with purpose towards Y/n was soon as she was alone.

Her smile suddenly dropped, and her heart sank when she recognized the figure approaching her from afar. It was the first time she had seen such a dark and angry expression on Andy.

—What the hell is going on here?

—Excuse me? —she lifted her eyebrows, parting her lips surprised.

—Are you fucking someone else?

—You really have the balls to confront me about starting my life after breaking up, when you didn't even wait to end things with me to get someone in our bed —she barked back.

—Is he the reason why you don't want to come back? —he approached her— We've been together for four fucking years.

—Four years that you ruined —she squinted her eyes—. Can you leave? Or do I have to call the police?

—We've just broken up and you're already screwing someone else?

Her eyes rolled at that question. He for sure did sound like a broken record, replaying his only argument to get back at her for something that she didn't do wrong.

—Andy, I really don't have the energy to do this right now —she calmly said.

As soon as she attempted to leave, his hand wrapped around her elbow to stop her, forcing her to turn back to him.

—Y/n, babe. Let's talk. I messed it up...

—Shit you did —she tried to let go—. Get off me.

—Is he better than me?

That question almost made her cackle on his face. Was San better than him? She didn't even need longer than three seconds for the answer to come through her head with all the valid reasons. In a matter of a few hours, he had her desperately begging to reach her high, while with Andrew the closest she got to that was when he finally learned where her clit was. And, leaving sex aside, San at least made things clear for her since the very beginning. It was unbelievable how she perceived more loyalty from him than a person she shared her life with for four years.

—To the point of acting like a slut for a ching chong's tiny dick?

She looked at him fast, unable to believe he had just said that. Andrew had a long history of being an asshole as soon as he felt annoyed or cornered, but never to the point of slut shaming her and using a slur to defend himself.

—At least I know how to use it —she heard San's voice next to her—. It's a bit sad you have to use dick sizes and ethnicities to make a point though.

San got on his car, looking through his phone to make sure there were no pending messages or emails he forgot to work on while spending some time with Y/n, only to glance one last time where she supposedly was -just to confirm she finally got inside her place- and find her being bothered by the same man who flew kilometers away just to be a pain in the ass for her

Andy smirked, letting out a light scoff before he let go of her arm, able to confront the taller man ahead of him.

—She's my girlfriend —Andy reminded him.

—No, she's not —he sighed—. That's why she doesn't owe you any explanations —San stepped closer to him—. And if I hear you disrespecting her that way again, I'll make sure to break your jaw so you think twice before you speak. Did I make myself understood?

—So this is why you've been ignoring me? —Andy scoffed, turning to her again— For this Jackie Chan?

San's eyes narrowed, his protective instincts kicking in when he went back to addressing her. He stepped beside Y/n, meeting Andy's glare head-on.

—She asked you to leave. I suggest you listen to her and stop talking to her.

—And who the hell are you to tell me what to do? This is between me and her —he confronted San again.

—Andy, please. Just go —Y/n tried to convince him, looking at him over San's shoulder.

But instead of stepping back, he went on with his act, his fists clenched on his sides. San moved in front of Y/n, hiding her body behind his back even more, his posture calm but ready.

—She doesn't want to talk to you. Respect that and walk away.

—You think you can just swoop in and take what's mine?

His hand moved fast against San, having Y/n covering her eyes with both of her hands while she waited for the collison, but her boss moved faster. His hand trapped Andy's wrist, twisting his arm easily.

—She's not an object. She's a person, and she's made her choice.

—You don't know anything about us!

—I know you're a pathetic loser, who took advantage of someone's trust and love and now you're crawling back because no one wants to be with you after seeing the scumbag you are —abruptly, he let go of his wrist, almost making Andy stumble.

He was cold and serious, making sure her ex-boyfriend knew he meant what he was saying. He wasn't going to hear any person disrespect someone else, and get away with it so easily.

Before San could react, Andy threw a punch, hitting San square in the jaw. San staggered back, his hand instinctively going to his face. Y/n gasped, stepping forward to place herself between the two men.

Among all the insanity, their eyes instantly met when San turned to her to make sure she was alright. Her heart squeezed again after a second, when Andrew moved again, taking the chance as soon as San was distracted to land a fist on his jaw before he could completely turn to her.

—Andrew, stop! This is insane!

San straightened up, wiping a small trickle of blood from his lip. He looked at Andy, with eyes filled with determination rather than anger.

—I'm not going to fight you —he shrugged.

—Stay out of this, man —breathing heavily, his anger was still simmering—. This is between me and her.

—No. There's nothing to fucking discuss between us —she let out frustrated—. You need to leave. Now. Get on the first plane to London and get off my fucking face.

Andy looked at her, his face a mixture of anger and hurt, nodding at her words while his tongue poked his cheek. He took a step back, his eyes flicking between San and Y/n as if he was hesitating for the next move.

—This isn't over —he threatened, lowering his voice—. And you... you're going to regret this —he pointed at San.

Her breath was shaky, yet her first reaction was turning to San to check on his face after her ex boyfriend punched him.

—Are you okay? —her knees were slightly flexed, trying to see something from a different perspective—. I'm so sorry he did that.

His jaw twisted, allowing him to feel pain exactly where Andy punched him.

—I'm fine. It's just a bruise. Are you alright?

His eyes were so intimidating, yet so protective at the same time, that Y/n's stare went blank while she could only nod.

—I'm okay —she managed to say after getting back to herself—. I'm just... I'm so sorry you got involved in this.

—It's not your fault your boyfriend is crazy.

They stood in the quiet street, the intensity of the moment gradually fading. While she looked at him, gratitude grew deeper in her eyes.

—Thank you, San. For everything.

—You don't have to thank me. I'd do it again in a heartbeat —he assured her.

His heartbeat turned faster when she stepped even closer, looking deeper into the small red mark on the right side of his face, unconsciously making him move back.

—You should get some ice on that bruise —her tongue clicked after that sentence—. Come up, I'll get you something for it.

—It's okay. I'll take care of it back at home.

But Y/n didn't let him insist for much longer, dedicating one death glare at him.

—You need to put ice on it before it gets worse. And you'll probably forget when you get home —she insisted.

—Okay, okay. II guess I can go up and put some ice on it before I leave.

San smiled to himself as soon as she turned around to guide him, appreciating her concern. Their fingers were intertwined as they entered her apartment building together, with him just letting her take him whenever she pleased.

—Come on in. Let's get some ice for that bruise —she guided him, stepping inside her apartment after typing the passcode.

As they took off their shoes to walk around the house without them, they both could hear the cackles in the living room.

—Hey, Y/n. Can you ask your boss to give me a free room for next weekend? I'll be needing a good time off.

Seonghwa's voice slowly turned lower as he was aware of the taller man that was walking right behind Y/n, bowing again to the two men already inside the house.

—Well, well, well. Look who's back. And with a battle scar, no less —Mingi let out with a smirk.

—What happened? Did you two have a wild night out? —Seonghwa gasped dramatically— I swear, we only left you alone for five minutes. Have some decorum.

—Very funny —Y/n rolled her eyes—. Andy showed up again and things got... tense.

—Again? —he asked, clearly worried.

—Tense? Looks like San here got a souvenir —Mingi joked again.

He was certainly having the time of his life that night.

—Just a minor disagreement. Nothing to worry about —he tried to ease up the situation.

—A disagreement with fists, apparently. You really know how to show a girl a good time, San —Mingi winked at him.

—Alright, enough with the jokes.

—You know, it's kind of romantic in a weird way —Mingi continued—. The knight in shining armor comes to the rescue and gets a bruise for his trouble.

—I can see it now —Seonghwa played along—. Modern Love Story. How a Punch led to Romance.

—So, San, does this mean you're her official bodyguard now? Or is this just a one-time deal? —her head threw back at Mingi's comment.

—Mingi, seriously, give him a break —Y/n groaned.

—Sorry, this is just too funny to let it slide.

—You know what else is funny? —San answered immediately after— I'll still be your boss tomorrow —he was the one smiling funny then, while Mingi's expression turned a bit more serious.

Ignoring Mingi's change in attitude, Seonghwa looked at Y/n again.

—Was it your ex boyfriend again? Shall we call the police?

—I'm sure he'll give up after what happened tonight —she shrugged.

—And if he doesn't? You come and go alone all the time. You got away today because San was with you, but in any other circumstance...

—Hwa, let's leave it there —she interrupted him—. Do we have ice?

—Yeah, in the freezer —he murmured, pointing to the kitchen.

She headed to the kitchen, rummaging through the freezer for an ice pack, while San stood waiting in the middle of the living room, with both Mingi and Seonghwa eyeing him up and down from the couch.

—Let's go for a towel, and go to my room —she suggested when she joined him again.

With a nod, San just let her lead the way, walking in front of him while glancing a warning look at her friends so they wouldn't let out a comment.

—I'll go for a towel —she announced to him, leaving the ice pack over her bed—. You can wait here.

He could've just left, insisting that he wanted to go home, but he didn't want to. He wanted to roam around her room, eye up some of the small details that screamed that room was hers, while letting that stupid smile show up in his face again.

Messy. Not only for some of the accessories she didn't manage to take with her, but how some books on her shelves were piled one over the other, while some were placed vertically.

Familiar. She had a fair amount of pictures over one of the shelves, under the wrongly placed books. Some with two older people, that he thought would be her parents, that also appeared in some other pictures with a younger couple and a kid Y/n was carrying, and another one hugging to her leg. He also saw several pictures with some other women around her age, which he assumed were her friends back in London.

He couldn't help but smile at how bright and happy she looked in each one of those pictures.

Loyal. He managed to spot one picture where she appeared with one of those women again, and Y/n looked way younger, probably from high school.

San had to highlight the familiar adjective when he spotted a drawing, probably from one of the kids she appeared in the picture with.

Athlete and creative. Lower on the rack, he spotted some skating medals, and next to it a diploma that congratulated her position in an annual craft workshop.

—Spotted anything interesting? —she teased him, stepping back inside the room.

—I did, actually —he nodded—. A gold medalist?

—That was like... —her eyes went to the back of her head, trying to remember how long it had been— six years ago. I had a pretty awful injury, and had to retire.

San's hand moved away from the medal, and his playful smile dropped when she mentioned that. He suddenly felt bad for even asking about it.

—That's awful.

—Not really —she shrugged—. Fortunately, it was before I could even think of dedicating fully to it. It was tough, but it could've been worse.

—Have you ever skated since then? —he wondered, stepping towards her.

—Hmm no. I even threw away my ice skates —after wrapping the towel around the ice pack, she motioned him to sit on the edge of the table—. Some things are better off in the past —she mumbled.

His eyes turned soft with her words and her sad expression, completely omitting how cold the towel felt on his jaw as she pressed it against him.

—What? —she giggled, avoiding his eyes to focus on his lips and how they slightly curved up.

—Nothing.

But he kept looking at her, admiring each one of her features while all of her attention was on him. It surprised him how he was able to recognize she wanted to speak by the way she bit her lower lip.

—That hotel was always your plan A? —she asked, trying to follow the flow of the conversation.

San couldn't remember what his main plan was before he threw himself on a flight to the United Kingdom. He spent so much time thinking how it'd be to see his mother, that he completely forgot about himself.

—In a sense, I guess it was —he grinned.

—How did you come up with that idea?

—I have a pretty good imagination —he smirked, winking at her.

Y/n could only roll her eyes, before a chuckle left her lips.

—Have you just rolled your eyes at me?

—Yeah, so? —her lips puckered, while she bent forward to leave their lips centimeters away— What are you going to do about it?

—I bet you'd love for me to tie you up again, with your ass up in the air this time, to fulfill that fantasy of me spanking it raw —her thick gulped was the affirmation he needed—. Kitten, too many emotions for today —his fingers pinched her chin—. Take it easy. Besides, I'll rather go for a better punishment.

—You aren't going to tell me which one?

—And give you time to prepare for it? Nope.

His lips trapped her in a short yet possessive kiss, before San got up from the bed.

—See you tomorrow —one last kiss was laid on her forehead, before he made the difficult decision of leaving her place.

Despite the events of the night, it was the first time he was going back home while fighting a smile from forming on his face. Y/n just made everything way too easy, their connection was insane, and the sexual attraction between them was off the charts.

He was sure there was nothing that ruin his day. Although, obviously, he underestimated the power his father had, and how easy it was for him to make his mood change in a matter of seconds.

The happy sound from his door as he opened it was only a mask of what was awaiting for him inside: his father sitting on his couch, looking at his phone, while one leg was crossed over the other.

—I heard you had some trouble today. Thought I'd come see the damage for myself.

San felt a mix of anger and exhaustion wash over him. His father and his comments were the last thing he needed that night.

—You heard? How? You have people spying on me now? —San asked, remaining calm as he stepped inside the house after taking off his shoes.

—Word gets around —his father snorted—. You can't expect to get punched in the face without people talking.

San's eyes narrow, his frustration boiling over.

—I'm wondering when it became your business.

—When you start getting into fights and causing scenes.

San's jaw tightened, his anger bubbling to the surface.

—You're one to talk about causing scenes... Do I have to remind you why you're lonely? Why mom left you?

—Don't you dare bring your mother into this —his father's eyes flashed with anger—. She's gone, and it's because she was too selfish to think about us.

—No. She left because you drove her away with your constant criticism and control. And now you're trying to do the same to me.

—I'm trying to make sure you don't ruin everything we have left —he got up to face his son, his posture rigid—. You think it's easy keeping this family together?

—Keeping this family together? you? —San's frustration was reaching its peak— You've done nothing but tear it apart. I'm the one who's been paying the bills, covering your debts, and making sure we have a roof over our heads. You've done nothing but drag me down.

—Watch your mouth, San. You have no idea what you're talking about.

—I know exactly what I'm talking about. I've been carrying you ever since Mom left —he sighed.

—That's everything I am, right? A burden.

There he was coming with the victim card.

—Cut the show. What do you want? Why are you here? Because I doubt knowing your son got punched had you rushing to visit me.

—I only came here to spend some time with you, and make sure you're okay —he shook his head—. And all I get in exchange is getting treated like shit.

—Just say you have nowhere to stay tonight —San cut him off.

—I won't tolerate you insulting me, I won't allow this from you.

San couldn't help but roll his eyes at the way his father dramatically made his way out of his house, knowing damn well he was the only one regretting getting out of that house that night.

That'd never change. It was as if his father had a radar to know when he was doing alright to show up and ruin his mood.

Taglist: @brown88

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