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peachysooxo · 14 days

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THE LAST TIME - CHAPTER 2

pairing: kyungsoo x mila (OFC) genre: angst, romance, drama theme: lovers to enemies to lovers again? (Possibly), marriage in trouble word count: 4,082 warnings: cursing, cuteness description: It’s summer 2013, Mila and Kyungsoo enjoy a day at the beach with their friends. Sungho warns Kyungsoo to stay away from Mila, only for Kyungsoo to ignore it and share a moment with Mila that changes everything. songs that inspired this chapter: Crazy for this Girl by Evan and Jaron, Besame by Camila and Angel by Jon Secada

author’s note: hello! welcome to the past! We are now going to see how Kyungsoo and Mila’s relationship started. The graphic at the top of the chapter will serve as time markers between “now” (present day) and “then” (the past) before each chapter. I had a lot of fun writing this story, and I really hope you enjoy it! If you like the story, please leave a like and feel free to reblog! Also, just to note, photos are not mine, and the character face claim is Ylona Garcia, she fit how I imagined Mila would look in my head. Dividers by @saradika-graphics ! Thank you so much, enjoy!

- Aria

SUMMER 2013 Malibu, California KYUNGSOO

Nothing beats a summer evening on the beach with your friends.

Life had been chaotic since Mila and I made our debuts as artists with SPG Entertainment. We’ve been in and out of rehearsals, recording and writing sessions in preparation for our album releases. Sungho, Mila’s father and CEO of the company, decided to release our albums a few months apart from each other. Mila’s been working nonstop and finally; her album will be released at the end of the summer. With our chaotic schedules, everyone in our friend group had today as a free day to get together at the beach. We’re also nearing our end of being together in the same city before we all go our separate ways. Mila’s brother and my other best friend, Chanyeol, already got a head start and left for Korea to produce an album for a group.

Mila’s cousin, Emily, got accepted into a performing arts university in New York, the same one our friend Jongin was attending. Nadalia, Mila’s best friend, decided to go back to London to attend art school. Baekhyun is off to Japan to attend university and intern at his father’s company, Byun Talent Agency. Mila and I were going to New York for work, and she decided to attend NYU while working on her music.

I don’t know how she’s going to juggle a university workload and a music career. It worries me that she’s taking on too much, but all I can do is support her because there’s no stopping Mila once her mind is made up. I glance over at her, laughing and joking with Jongin and Nadalia. She’s wrapped in the hoodie that she stole from me earlier, her high waisted shorts barely peaking out from the hem of it. She always steals my hoodies and I just allow her, I love how they look on her anyway.

“Everyone! I would just like to say congratulations to our girls, Emily, Mila and Nadalia. This is just the beginning for you guys. Sad to say this will probably be our last time together until Winter, so let’s make the best of the time we have together!” Baekhyun loudly announces as Emily starts to drag Nadalia toward the water.

“This is exactly why I don’t make speeches! No one listens!”

“No one asked you to!” Jongin laughs.

“DO. NOT. EMILY!” Nadalia screams. Mila laughs and takes a video of Emily doing her utmost to get Nadalia thrown into the ocean. Baekhyun rushes toward them, picks Nadalia up and throws her into the water.

“BAEK! I HATE YOU!”

“This is insane,” Mila says to me, “I’d kill you if ANY of you…”

“MILA IS NEXT!” Jongin yells, picking her up off the sand. I laugh and watch him playfully cradle her over the waves. Mila flings her head back toward me with a pleading look on her face.

“SOO! DON’T JUST WATCH!” Mila shouts, and I take a few casual steps over, unzip my hoodie from her body and nod jokingly at Jongin.

“Proceed.”

Mila screams as she plummets into the water, Nadalia swimming toward her.

“That was so wrong!” Mila shouts, “a hoodie is more important than me?”

“I believe it was planned!” Nadalia adds as they help each other back onto the sand. Mila’s shirt clings to her body and I can’t help but stare at her curves but have to look away so it’s not ridiculously obvious that I’m checking her out.

“Come here, best friend!” Mila shouts, opening her arms. Once she gets closer to me and opens her arms, I’m done for. I dart away from her and she catches up to me while jumping into my arms, soaking my clothes in the process.

“Revenge!” Mila chuckles, I shiver at the cold feeling of her wet clothes on mine. I hold onto her anyway, my hands cradling her thighs.

“You’re supposed to be the nice one,” I smile, “be nice to me.”

“You are supposed to be nice to me because I’m your best friend!” Mila yelps. I walk her toward the waves again and she holds on tightly to me as she begs me to turn around, everyone is staring at us. I lean her over the waves and she wraps herself tighter around me. “KYUNGSOO!”

I tease her a little more, then drop myself into the ocean while holding on to her. Mila pops up from the water and swims to me. She turns and sees all of our friends taking pictures and videos of us.

“You’re so wrong for this. I’ll get you back! Just you wait!” Mila shouts.

“I guess hell will freeze over when this happens,” I joke, wiping my face. Mila raises her eyebrow and we swim back to the shore. I offer her a towel and we notice the attention turned to Baekhyun and Jongin playing chicken with Emily and Nadalia. I never believed in golden hour until I saw Mila during a sunset. glance over and see everyone is occupied with each other, it’s the perfect time to sneak away.

“Mila,” I lean in, taking her hand in mine, “come with me.”

“Where are we going?” She asks excitedly.

“Angel, just trust me.” I laugh, calling her by the nickname I gave her from our debut night. When I was watching her onstage, the lights were hitting her just so, and she was wearing an all white outfit. She looked like an angel, so to make her blush I started calling her that. We climb up the bluffs and I glance over at the sunset.

“Come sit.”

Mila smirks with a semi confused look on her face. She sits next to me and looks out at the sunset. She smiles and exhales, taking in the scene of the sunset.

“I love it out here,” Mila says, “the sunsets are so gorgeous.”

“They are. I’m glad you came today.” I nod and glance over at Mila, my heart fluttering at how she looks against the sunset. The wind combs her hair back and away from her face, her beautifully curious eyes taking in the view. Her lips part as she softly sighs, her arms rested across her knees.

Her beauty isn’t the only thing that I love about her. To be honest, I think her physical looks are just a bonus. Who Mila is on the inside is even more beautiful. Any time I need her, she’s there for me. She supports me and is always honest with me. She makes me smile over the smallest things and soothes me just like how the ocean waves always come back to shore. Mila has me wrapped around her finger and she knows it. She just doesn’t know that I’m crazy for her.

“Soo?” Mila shakes my shoulder and I’m brought back to the present. “I thought I lost you there, are you okay?”

“I’m good, don’t worry! Just thinking about everything, how far we’ve come and now everything is coming true that we worked so hard for.” I reply.

“I know, it’s crazy, isn’t it? I’m glad you’re by my side through all of it.” Mila happily grins.

I’ve known Mila since we were kids, we met at a SPG Annual Gala Dinner. It was the first one my parents and I attended in Los Angeles. We had moved from Korea just a month prior and everything was new to me. She came to California from Mexico after her mother, a singer named Selene Espinosa, passed away while on what would be her final tour. Chanyeol was told to watch over for the night. Mila cried in a corner because she was missing home and I didn’t blame her. I remember her watching the party go on from the vantage point of a small play area for all of us kids with a pout on her face. Chanyeol tried his best to comfort Mila, but she wouldn’t budge.

I was eating strawberry ice cream and saw the tears in Mila’s eyes. I didn’t want to see her cry, so I offered her my ice cream. In my mind, ice cream fixed everything. She smiled up at me and we ate the rest of my ice cream together, attempting to speak to each other without knowing a word of what we were saying, neither of us knew English yet. We were best friends ever since. That party took place at the resort down the road from this beach, maybe that’s why this beach is so special to me.

“Pinky promise me something. Promise we’ll never end this friendship over anything. We’re going to start getting busy and we might not see each other as much, but I still want you in my corner.” Mila sits up and offers her pinky to me. Of course she’d offer an innocent solution. I chuckle and we lock our pinkies together, a cute little smirk dances across her lips.

“I pinky promise you. As long as you’re in my corner, too.” I nod. It drives me crazy that she is so adorable in everything that she does. I scold myself for having these feelings, I shouldn’t. Over the years, I’ve seen Chanyeol go insane over guys that only wanted to be friends with him to get to Mila. He hated it when his friends would flirt with his sister. I hated it when they’d flirt with her too, but for different reasons. Now, I knew I became the very friend Chanyeol hated to have and it began eating at me. At the same time, I started caring less and less what Chanyeol wanted, and more of what I wanted. That makes me a shitty friend but I can’t help this feeling anymore.

“So this is where you snuck off to!” Baekhyun joins us on the bluff, the others following close behind.

“Awww look at the happy couple!” Jongin coos.

“We are not together!” Mila blushes, it’s so damn cute.

“Not yet!” Nadalia shouts.

“I think Chanyeol would kill the both of them if that happened.” Baekhyun awkwardly chuckles, knowing he’s right I just nod.

“Well, that won’t happen because there’s nothing going on.” I add, Emily gives me a knowing look.

“I agree with Nadalia, not yet!” The group plops down and we talk like we always do, joking around and just enjoying our time together. Mila shivers at my side and I wrap my arm around her, trying to keep her warm. Emily snaps a picture of us and the group, quickly uploading them to Facebook. The sky keeps getting darker, Baekhyun and Nadalia get ready to leave.

“You’re leaving? Already?” Jongin pouts.

“We have to head out, too.” I reply, helping Mila to her feet.

“Nini, love, we won’t be separated for too long. Just until winter.” Nadalia hugs Jongin and rubs his back. Jongin is a very gentle guy, and he holds a deep value to our friend group. We all grew up around each other because of our parents, so we’re pretty much an extended family.

“Yeah man, it’ll go by fast!” Baekhyun hugs Jongin next. Mila reaches Baekhyun and gives him a big hug.

“Stay out of trouble, alright?” She smiles.

“Oh you know me, Meels, I’m a good boy!” Baekhyun smirks.

“Whatever! Meels, Emmy, I’ll see you in Mexico?” Nadalia hugs the girls. Mila and Emily’s grandparents live on a ranch and they decided to have a girl's trip before Nadalia leaves for London.

“Most definitely! Just 7 more days!” Mila’s been talking about it since the plans were finalized, she was raised on that ranch by her grandparents. Selene couldn’t be around much due to her work schedule, so Mila’s grandparents volunteered to step in and raise her. I went there a few times, and it really is a beautiful place. Seeing her so excited about it makes me happy, she deserves a break after working so hard for so long.

Everyone starts heading toward the cars, and I take one last look at the beach, my mind filled with the possibilities of being with Mila alone in New York. Maybe I could just lay it all out on the line there. Maybe I shouldn’t. All I know is that I have to make a decision about this soon, I can’t hold back anymore.

“KYUNGSOO! Are you coming?” Mila calls to me. I look up from the waves of the ocean and gaze in her direction. She’s a few feet away from me and I turn toward her.

“Yeah, I’m coming!” I call to her. My heart flutters as my focus stays on her as she waits for me to get to her. I’ll be fine with her always being right there, smiling as she waits for me.

She’s always there, and if I mess this up, I risk losing that.

Rehearsals for my first music show have been grueling. I’ve been spending a lot of time in the dance studio preparing this performance, so it’ll be perfect. There’s no room for failure, or a misstep. This means everything to me, and it’s almost to where I want it to be. I sit on the studio floor alone and drink water, huffing for breath. A figure appears in the doorway, and I see that it’s Sungho with a serious look on his face.

“Kyungsoo, may I have a word?” Sungho asks.

“Yes, sir.” I reply nervously. I wonder what the hell I could’ve done to make him want to speak to me one on one. Sungho lets out a sharp exhale and all I can do is worry about what he wants to tell me.

“You’re doing well, Kyungsoo. Your parents have been sending me messages constantly about your progress and I have nothing but good things to report back.”

“Thank you, sir.” I reply with my head lowered. My father was filming a movie in Canada and would be arriving home after I move to New York. My mother was participating as a judge on a singing competition in Japan and was stuck filming there. I’ve been doing my best to keep them updated, but I know they ask Sungho more questions about my progress and work ethic over anything. I love them, but I know I get my perfectionism from them, and they expect nothing less.

“Though, there is something we need to discuss about your future with SPG.” Sungho crosses his arms and dread starts to fill my chest.

“What is it, sir?” I ask nervously.

“I would like to set a ground rule, Kyungsoo. I’ve been noticing how much closer you have been with Mila in the last year, even more so in the last few months. It became apparent to me that there needs to be clear boundaries drawn when I saw the two of you together in a Facebook post… A little too close for my liking. Believe it or not, Kyungsoo, the both of you are starting to build fan bases and they’re asking questions. Mila cannot be distracted at such an integral part of her career. A distraction like this is only going to cloud her head with dreams and hopes that you can never give her.” Sungho explains, his words echo in my head. Power exudes from him, reminding me that I’ll always be in the friend zone, and it’ll be his doing.

“Sir… I’m not following.” I decided to play dumb. It’s my only chance at surviving this conversation.

“Mila is young and impressionable. She has her mother’s foolish heart. If you take Mila away from her focus, it won’t be good for anyone. Consider this a professional warning from a concerned father, stay away from my daughter unless it’s for professional reasons, is that understood?”

Confused, I nod my head. I didn’t think a Facebook post of us at the beach with our friends would upset him this. I also haven’t seen anything out of ordinary from our fans, some want us to be together but haven’t gotten any access to our Facebook pages to prove that we were together at the beach. “Yes, sir.”

“Good, I’m glad we are on the same page.” Sungho nods in approval. “Now, off you go. You need to rest if you want to perform well. Don’t worry about the rumors online, I will be seeing to it that the dating rumors are shut down. Have a good night, Kyungsoo.”

I leave the room, confusion blurring my thoughts. Did that really happen, or did I imagine it? What dating rumors is he talking about? Sungho has never done something like this before, Mila and I have always been close. Our closeness isn’t something that just happened recently. I don’t know what changed to make him think he had to say something to me.

As soon as I walk into my apartment, I shut the door with a groan. While flipping on the lights, I place my takeout I picked up on the way home on the counter. My phone pings with messages from my parents checking in on me. I send quick replies, promising to have dinner with them whenever they can get to New York and set my phone down next to my food. With everything that happened today, all I want to do is eat and unwind. I take a shower, change my clothes and settle on the couch to eat and watch a movie. Before I knew it, the clock says it’s past 10 PM. My phone vibrates with a text from Mila, immediately I get concerned.

Mila Soo, r u awake?

Kyungsoo Yea i’m awake, why?

Mila Coming over, wanna see you

Kyungsoo Mila… what’s going on?

Mila Be there in 10 minutes.

I get up and pace the room, wondering what could’ve happened that she wanted to see me this late. I slowly get up to look through the peephole and sure enough it’s her waiting for me. Did Sungho talk to her too? I quickly open the door and let her in.

“Mila, what’s going on?” I ask.

“I just wanted to see you. My dad and I had our weekly argument about my career. I didn’t want to be home.” her voice wanders as she sits cross-legged on my couch and gazes up at me, “are you doing okay? You look like something is bothering you”

“I’m alright, just a long day in rehearsals,” I reply carefully, “are you okay?”

“Yeah, frustrated because of the usual bullshit. I could do without the comparisons to my mom,” she groans, “my dad is so… Fixated on me becoming Selene 2.0. He thinks that if I follow her career path, it’ll be the most successful choice but that’s not what I want, Soo. Him and I got in this massive argument over it earlier. Chanyeol stuck up for me, but… I don’t know. It’s enough that I miss my mom, I don’t necessarily want to be competing with her ghost.”

I nod and sit next to her, rubbing the spot between her shoulder blades on her back. This is a habit I’ve built with her, it’s one of the only things that soothes Mila. It’s interesting to me that Sungho is so set on making her into another version of Selene. They’re two different people and Mila has her own idea of what kind of music she wants to make. It seems to me that he has guilt he hasn’t come to terms with and is pinning it on his daughter. It’s not right.

“I’m proud of you. You stuck up for yourself and what you want. This is your career, your music. It’s okay that you’re different from Selene. I think if she was here, she’d be against you being an exact replica of her.” I explain, still rubbing her back. I wrap my arms around her and kiss the top of her head.

“Thanks, Soo. You always know how to make me feel better.” Mila nods, but I know something is still bothering her.

“Why don’t we get your mind off of everything and watch a movie?” I offer, and Mila agrees. I get up and put her favorite movie on, Casablanca. We sit together on the couch and I keep her in my arms, caressing the web of her hand with my thumb. She leans her head on my shoulder but she still looks down.

“Angel.” I mutter and her eyes lock on mine. Adrenaline rushes through me as my fingers find their way to her cheek, caressing it slowly.

“I hate it when you’re sad. You know that, right?” I softly coo. Mila nods slowly, her eyes glittering with something I’ve never seen before: want.

“What do I have to do to make you happy?”

“I want… Something that I can’t have, and I realize that right now. I don’t know why, but it feels like anything that would make me happy is far from my reach.” Mila confesses. I slide my hand from her face down to her side, bringing her closer to me. Sparks of electricity between us bring the room to a static high.

“What do you want?” I ask, my voice dropping an octave. Mila’s chest rises and falls quicker as the words fall from her mouth in between soft breaths.

“I… I want… You,” She breathes, “I know this might be the dumbest thing I could say, but I don’t have anything to lose. You make me happy. You make so much sense to me. When I’m with you, I feel the most like myself than I do with anyone else. But you’re… You’re my best friend. You’re Chanyeol’s best friend. And… I feel like an idiot for telling you all of this…”

Mila gave me this chance and I’m not wasting another second. I cradle her face in my and and push my mouth on hers, frozen in the moment. The nerves melt away and I slowly guide Mila’s lips to fall into a soft rhythm. The electricity explodes into flames of want and curiosity at the touch of her flesh against mine. I obsess over the taste of her lips, I become more and more addicted to her as the seconds pass.

Mila presses herself against my side tilting her head to deepen the kiss as I run my fingers through her hair. Pulling her into my lap, my hands travel down to her waist until her legs wrap around me. I slide my tongue across her lip, her mouth obeys my silent command and opens to let me in. Mila’s gentle groans vibrate against my tongue as I explore her mouth, tugging at her bottom lip with my teeth.

A dark part of me awakened as we kept going. I want to take Mila into a world she’s never been to, a world where no other guy could kiss her this way but me. Mila’s hands grasp my shoulders, soft whines escaping her mouth. How long have we been holding ourselves back? This is not how I imagined our first kiss going. I slowly break from her, taking her beauty.

“Kyungsoo...” she whispers with uneasiness in her tone.

“Hm?” I ask, looking up at her, twirling her hair around my fingers.

“What the fuck did I just do?” Reality sinks in as she climbs out of my lap.

“Mila, wait…” I call as she paces away from me. I grab her wrist and turn her to face me, our breath still trying to regulate after our impulsive connection.

“This never happened.” She blurts, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I have to go.”

“Why are you running from it now?” I snap.

“It’s better that I do it now before I ruin this even more!” Mila snaps back. “I can’t have one more regret. I can’t have that regret be you. I’m sorry, Soo.”

“Mila…”

I let her go as she darts out of my apartment. I’m bewildered, hurt and happy, it’s confusing. At least now I know she feels this, too. I just have to figure out how to convince her that it’s okay to want this because I want it just as bad. We can’t keep running from the truth, we can’t keep hiding from our feelings. It’ll only make things worse if we do. Now, I have to play the waiting game if I want this to work, because if I know Mila, she needs time to think about this.

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dreamylittlesugarcube · 2 years

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Flames of Attraction

Genre: EXO AU

Characters: Kyungsoo x Female Reader

Warnings: Swearing, kissing, mentions of “the deed” but nothing graphic

Word Count: 9.3k

Summary: Who’s the boss? You are! Or at least, you had been until he showed up. For the past month, you’d busted your sous-chef butt to keep the hotel restaurant afloat after the head chef abruptly up and quit. Now, the manager’s brought in a friend, celebrity chef Do Kyungsoo, to lead the kitchen. With Kyungsoo wanting to run things his way, will tensions flame into something more?

A/N: Oh my gosh, I finally finished! This is my longest fic to date, as part of the Crimson Aurora Hotel and Spa Collab. Buckle up for ~10k, folks! ! hope you enjoy it! Please re-blog so that others can find and interact with this post easier. Thanks a million!

P.S. I’m planning to write some filthy epilogues for anyone interested!

P.S. GIFS and pictures do not belong to me, so credit should go to the original owners. (theonly-vagina-kyungsoo-will-fuk

~*~

“Feeling a little tense today, boss?”

You glanced up briefly from your pork cutlets to find Hyun-min staring at you, elbows on the counter in a manner you’d told him you don’t enjoy. As the chef de partie in charge of the meat station, a classmate from culinary school, and a long-time friend, he was entirely too perceptive for your liking. This quality was exceptionally beneficial in the workplace, but not so much when you were trying to squash your anger in the name of professionalism.

“No, what makes you think that?” you responded, lying through your teeth.

Hyun-min flashed you a cheshire cat grin, feigning nonchalance. “Oh, I don’t know…maybe because our new boss shows up tomorrow? THE WORLD FAMOUS CELEBRITY CHEF DO KYUNGSOO?!”

“Who’s side are you on anyway?” you mumbled as Hyun-min squealed in excitement.

“Yours, of course. But I can’t help it. The man’s a legend–helming a three-starred Michelin restaurant when he was under the age of 25 and he’s model-hot?!”

He fanned himself dramatically with a copy of tonight’s menu.

No one needed to tell you how talented Do Kyungsoo was. His accomplishments spoke for themselves–the book deals, the television shows, the James Beard awards, and yes–the coveted Michelin stars. You'd watched him on TV before and couldn’t deny that he’s good–okay, amazingly good, with a great knack for flavor. He’s been listed in more than one “30 Under 30” article. Was it fair to be blessed with that level of both talent and looks?! Furthermore, you wondered why someone like him, who’s been the executive chef of many, many famous restaurants would come here. Perhaps, Manager Kim had more connections than you knew.

It’s been several months since Head Chef Maurice abruptly departed. Many chefs have been interested in replacing him, but Manager Kim wasn’t satisfied with any of them, which left you, the sous-chef, to fill in the gaps.

Rather than sticking to one type of cuisine, you introduced fusion dishes, which have been very well-received. You were happy, guests were happy, and Mr. Kim seemed happy…so happy that you thought he might give you the promotion you always dreamed of. After five years of toiling away at this restaurant you’d thought maybe, just maybe this was your time. You felt blindsided at the news of Do Kyungsoo’s arrival not even two days ago, which left you with no time to process anything beyond anger.

“I’m fine,” you said tightly, grabbing your meat hammer. “Absolutely.” Pound. “100%.” Pound. “Totally.” Pound. “Fine.” Pound. Pound. Pound. Pound.

“Uh-huh, sure,” Hyun-min sayid, narrowing his eyes in obvious doubt. “You can lie all you want, honey…but don’t take it out on my poor, innocent pork cutlets. They’re supposed to be thinly pressed, not hacked to pieces!”

He quickly grabbed the tray of meat and moved it protectively out of the way, like you were a wild animal he couldn’t trust not to strike once his back was turned.

You flushed in embarrassment at your lack of composure, still incredibly on edge. Since you weren’t allowed to mete out your frustrations on the schnitzel, you’d need to seek out other avenues. Fortunately, your friend at the front desk was only too happy to help, and before you knew it, you were face down on a massage table, tension draining from your limbs under the masterful hands of the Crimson Aurora’s best masseuse.

~*~

Not 20 minutes into your lavender-induced stupor, a knock sounded at the door. Jongin told you to wait and slipped out the door, returning to quietly inform you that a certain Do Kyungsoo had arrived and “required your immediate attention.”

As you dressed, you could feel your stomach twisting into knots as you made your way to the kitchen. Standing outside the kitchen doors, the absence of clanging pans, furious chopping, and loud, boisterous voices was your first clue that something was amiss. Through the window, you could see the kitchen staff positioned in a line, as though awaiting military inspection from their commanding officer. Do Kyungsoo stood in front of them, looking every bit the formidable chef he was rumored to be in his immaculate black chef’s coat.

Taking a deep breath, you pushed the door open, crossing the threshold that usually felt so familiar, yet was now completely alien. You put on your best “welcome” smile and stepped into the lion’s den. The noise from the squeaky doors drew the man’s attention and he turned to look at you.

Coming forward, you bowed in greeting. “Hello, my name is ____. I’m the sous-chef here. My apologies for being late, I was just informed of your arrival.”

Kyungsoo sized you up from head to toe, noting your messy hair, untucked shirt, and overall lack of polish. Not what he’d expect from his supposed second-in-command. What type of serious chef got a massage during the work day? If he were any of his former employers, you’d be given your notice immediately. The restaurant world was an unforgiving place, but Kyungsoo knew the dangers of being too quick to judge, so your skills in the kitchen had better impress.

You shuffled past Chef Do to stand beside Hyun-min, painfully aware that the former probably definitely knew exactly where you were. You might not be happy that he was here, but you’d never want your professionalism to be questioned over such a matter. Tonight he wanted to observe and see how the kitchen works and this dinner was your chance to wow him, to prove to Chef Do that you knew what you were doing. You’d worked your butt off covering for Chef Maurice and done a good job, goddammit!

With renewed vigor, you threw yourself into preparing tonight’s special, your team working hard alongside you to pull out the stops, all while under Chef Do’s watchful eye. It was unnerving to feel his gaze on you, judging your every move during prep work–choice of ingredients, knife work, organization–and you could tell everyone else in the room was feeling the same tension. If Hyun-min was an open book, then this man was the definition of a book wrapped in chains with a lock and key, his expression never changing, making it frustratingly impossible to know his thoughts.

Kyungsoo circled the kitchen, observing each and every moving part, noting both what he liked and things that needed to change. People had always told Kyungsoo that he was hard to read. His agent was always telling him he needed to “emote” better and give more fan service to the camera when he was filming shows. Kyungsoo disagreed–it wasn’t that he hid his emotions, he just didn’t see the point in pretending to be something he wasn’t.

Cooking was serious business–raw and real, both chaotic and orderly at the same time.

During filming for his various television shows, he missed the sights and sounds of the organized chaos around him–orders coming left and right, a flurry of quick hands pushing dishes through the window, and the joyful calm of the knife in his hand as he rhythmically chopped vegetables.

By the time the first ticket came through, you and your team were in the groove and you were forever thankful for muscle memory. The donkkaseu was perfect–golden and crunchy from the panko crumbs and slightly spicy from the red pepper flakes. It went down on a brioche bun, topped with kimchi coleslaw, and accompanied by a creamy gamja salad. Running a clean cloth around the edge of the plate, you rang the bell, literally sending your heart and soul out of the kitchen on a platter.

Ashley, longtime waitress and confidant, gave you a thumbs up through the window and you breathed a sigh of relief. Throughout the night, customer reactions were generally positive and you fielded the odd complaint of “the fish is dry” or “I asked for the steak medium” with ease.

10:00 came and went and the kitchen closed down to its nighttime snack menu, serving a selection of Korean favorites like pajeon, tteokbokki, stir-fried squid, and cheese corn to be paired with a menu of creative cocktails. This brainchild of your’s and Taemin’s, the hotel bartender, had worked to draw in guests coming back from shows and concerts and attracted pedestrians from the outside looking for an elevated bar experience.

An hour later, the kitchen was clean and the prep for tomorrow was done. You thanked the team for their hard work and sent them home, with you and Hyun-min remaining to fulfill the last-minute orders. You could see Chef Do in his office through the open door, scribbling furiously, no doubt making sure to take down every little mistake made during tonight’s service. You cringed, knowing there would be a debrief sooner rather than later, but pledged to defend yourself and your team, should the need arise. Everything ran smoothly tonight and you were proud of the job you’d done, though not immune to the fact that there was always room for improvement.

Hyun-min rang the bell and Ashley came to retrieve an order, a secretive smile on her face, which could mean only one thing: gossip.

“Am I going to have to ask or are you just going to tell me?” you asked, giving her a pointed look before handing over the plate of cheesy rice cakes.

“Fine, twist my arm if you must.”

Ashley beckoned you and Hyun-min over and leaned in close, as though she was about to divulge top-secret information.

“Chanyeol’s getting lucky tonight…sent a drink to a girl and now he’s laying on the moves.”

“Hot piano guy?” you clarified, watching as Hyunmin hung his head and groaned. “Sorry, Hyun-min, I guess that ship has sunk.”

“Why are all the available men in this place taken?” he whined. “First hot, ice king Sehun, now tall drink of water, Chanyeol?!”

You patted his arm in sympathy and silent agreement. Despite the fact that the Crimson Aurora Hotel seemed to employ a mysterious amount of above-average looking men, neither of you had been able to make a love connection.

That might be for the best, you mused.

You worked long hours and not everyone was understanding about the amount of time and effort it took to do what you do. Your last boyfriend had complained that you worked too much, were too focused on the restaurant and not enough on him or your relationship. In hindsight, he’d been right–you had put the job first–but honestly, he hadn’t supported you in the way you needed–always making comments about you needing to “get a real job” like his. You wanted and deserved someone who not only believed in you, but understood your drive and passion for creation and innovation.

Ashley grabbed the plate from the pass and turned on her heels, throwing an “I’ll keep you updated” over her shoulder.

With the last order of the night complete, you closed down the kitchen, hanging up your apron on the hook before turning off the lights. The glow from the office drew your eye, but the now-closed door dissuaded you from further investigation. Slinging your bag over your shoulder, you pushed through the kitchen doors and made your way to the place your night usually ended: the bar.

You slid onto a bar top stool, feeling relaxed for the first time today. The red bubble pendant lights, reminiscent of magma, cast a crimson glow over the space. At this hour, the place was mostly deserted, save a lone businessman in one of the alcoves. Seeing no sign of Chanyeol, you assumed he’d retired for the evening with his new lady friend.

Without asking, Taemin placed your drink of choice in front of you and you took a sip, enjoying the burst of fruity flavor on your tongue. He left you to your thoughts, but not before leaving you a bowl of spiced nuts and prawn crackers to snack on. You closed your eyes, letting the jazzy music wash over you, appreciating this time to decompress.

“May I join you?”

The request, accompanied by a gentle tap on the shoulder startled you practically out of your chair. Chef Do stood before you, dressed in jeans and a simple black t-shirt, looking remarkably less intimidating than just an hour previous. Considering the two of you hadn’t started off on the right foot, you couldn’t imagine what he wanted to talk about.

When you gave a hesitant nod, Kyungsoo took a seat next to you. Mindful of first impressions and the work he had to do tomorrow, he asked for water when the bartender came to take his order. You were quiet next to him, so he tried to break the ice.

“Service went well today…You did well today, _____.”

You froze mid-swallow, sputtering as liquid went down the wrong way.

“Was that the wrong thing to say?” he wondered.

“No,” you confirmed, trying to keep your tone as even as possible. “Just not what I was expecting.”

Kyungsoo managed to stifle a smile.“What were you expecting then?”

What had you been expecting?

A jerk who thought he walked on air, someone who ordered others around without deigning to lend a hand, that’s what. It would be easier to hate someone like that, easier to let your anger simmer under the surface. Honestly, you weren’t sure what to do with the person who was currently in front of you. You munched on the prawn cracker, grateful for the crunch, crunch that filled the silence.

Kyungsoo lifted a brow at your obvious avoidance of the question. He chose to artfully change the topic. Eyeing up the prawn crackers, he asked you to share, taking a second to lift it to his nose and inspect the outside before putting it in his mouth.

“Even fry, consistent cuts, crisp texture. Where do you source these from? They remind me of the ones my grandmother used to make.”

“Actually, all the bar snacks are made in-house,” you informed him, pride filling you as you spoke.

You explained that you’d been trialing the homemade snacks and late-night bar menu in hopes of attracting new customers, ones who appreciated quality food and alcohol.

“Not what you were expecting?” you responded cheekily.

“Not exactly,” he returned, smiling genuinely at your response.

“And the response has been good?” he asked, a hint of skepticism as he peered around the now-deserted room.

You grinned behind your hand. “There’s a concert venue down that street that should be getting out in about–”, you checked your watch, “–fifteen minutes. This place’ll be packed soon with people looking to wind down from their music high. I usually try to be out of here by then, but you’re welcome to stick around and see the chaos for yourself.”

You downed the rest of your drink and pulled cash from your wallet, which Taemin warded away with a firm shake of his head and an “on the house”. You bowed your head in appreciation and stuck a couple bills into the tip jar.

“Just friends trying to support friends,” you said, smiling sweetly at Taemin’s look of censure.

You looked over to see that Chef Do had finished his water and put his coat on. You bid each other goodnight and then you were off to the subway station, ready to get home to your apartment, take a well-deserved shower and watch some mindless TV.

Sitting at home, wrapped up in a blanket, you flipped through TV channels searching for something to watch, not that there was anything decent to watch this late anyway. You turned to a cooking channel that was your usual standby and came face-to-face once again, with your new boss, but this time he was whipping someone’s butt in a battle for the best beef bourguignon. He won, of course, but on these types of shows it seemed like he always did.

You thought back to your day, which to your surprise, wasn’t as bad as you imagined it might be. This morning you’d been angry–angry that Chef Do was coming, angry with Manager Kim for not giving you a promotion, and in all honesty, angry with yourself for not being good enough yet.

Now, those emotions felt flimsy and fragile, slipping through your fingers like air, and as much as you tried to hold on, away they went. Resentment might remain, sure, but a burgeoning respect had started to well inside you, one that recognized talent for talent and appreciated a dry sense of humor…and something else too, that you don’t want to name just yet. With that in mind, you clicked the television off, tuning the man out of your living room and out of your life–at least until tomorrow.

~*~

Morning came and Kyungsoo felt hungover, despite having nothing but water at the bar last night. He knew it would be a long day at the restaurant, so he filled up on some breakfast and plain coffee. His phone rang and he saw his agent’s number flashing on the screen. He was tempted to ignore the call, but knew she’d just keep calling back if he didn't pick up.

“How’s my rockstar chef today?” his agent, Nina, drawled in her Texas accent.

“Fine, Nina, just–”

“Perfect,” she interrupted. “Listen babe, I know this whole “head chef” thing wasn’t exactly your first choice, but Kim Junmyeon is a good friend and I owed him a favor. Think of it like a little mini-vacation.”

It was obvious that Nina had never worked in the kitchen because no one, no one who’d ever worked in a restaurant kitchen would refer to it as a “vacation”.

“Listen sugar, I’m working on lining up another show for you. The network is thrilled with ratings for your last series and they’re clamoring for more.”

“But Nina, I don’t want to–”

“Yeah, you don’t want to stay at the hotel for too long. I know, I know. Nina will get you out of there soon, don’t you worry.”

“That’s not what I was going to–”

“Listen, Kyungsoo, my Starbucks is here so I’ve got to run. Mwah!”

Kyungsoo didn’t even have time to say anything before she was gone. He wasn’t surprised–Nina ran a mile a minute and he was absolutely certain the woman was made up of 90% caffeine. She’d been his agent for years, since the beginning, when he’d been a simple link cook with a dream.

It would be fair to say he never expected things to go this far–the crowds, the book deals, the shows, the fame–everything. All he ever wanted was to share his cooking with the world, maybe even own his own farm-to-table restaurant, so truth be told, he was excited at the prospect of settling down for a little while and making his mark on the Ink & Pepper.

When he’d been approached about the opportunity six months ago, the Ink & Pepper had seemed like a restaurant with uninspired food and little direction, and needing some massive changes. He’d come prepared to wipe the slate clean of anything or anyone weighing down the place–employees, concepts, menus, whatever it took. Upon arrival, he’d been shocked to find the kitchen in pretty decent working order. Provisions were well-organized, stations were clean, and the staff worked cohesively.

Not at all what he expected.

He knew it came down to you, the sous-chef masquerading as the one in charge. The sous-chef who got massages during the work day. He hadn’t thought much of you when you walked in looking like you’d just woken up from a three-hour nap; however, you’d quickly proved him wrong–executing and expediting dishes flawlessly.

From the beginning, it was obvious you were used to being top dog and he wondered how you’d take to following his orders. He smiled, fondly thinking of the days he himself had been filled with bright ideas and loads of sass-not so different from you.

With a little time left before he had to be at the restaurant, he took his two puppies out for a walk before dropping them off at daycare. Leaving his car behind, Kyungsoo strolled through the neighborhood, making note of the small, tucked-away restaurants that he wanted to try (and maybe own) someday.

He was stopped by several older ladies who asked for his autograph and was happy to oblige. Two signed napkins and many selfies later, he was zooming through the streets on his way to the Crimson Aurora.

The kitchen was in full swing by the time he walked through the doors and he was greeted by the sound of clanging pots, sizzling pans, and steam, which halted to a whisper. Gazes followed him as he walked to his office and stowed his things. He called the team together and went over his notes from the previous evening. Once he made it clear that he wasn’t firing anybody, the staff visibly relaxed…well maybe except you.

You frowned several times while he was talking, most notably when he mentioned that menus would solely focus on classic, French cuisine. Interesting. You must prefer a different style of food, and he made a note to ask you about that later. You also cringed when he critiqued the cook on the lamb chops from last night. Not debatable, in his opinion, it was medium or bust.

After he finished, he pulled several staff members to go over the grocery order for next week, when his menu went into effect. He had relationships with some of the top vendors in the city and he wanted to make sure the restaurant had access to the best ingredients possible. He hadn’t had time to go over the new menu with you, but he was excited to roll it out next week.

The day flew by–diners came and went, food left the kitchen and empty plates came back–and soon the moon was high in the sky. The kitchen lights dimmed, and from his office he could see the staff heading out for the night, leaving you and Hyun-min behind to finish up.

The spicy, sweet smell of tteokbokki filled his nose, making his mouth water. He remembered the tteokbokki his mother used to make him growing up, with plenty of fish cakes and sliced eggs.

During culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu, he lived in Paris, adopting the lifestyle and the cuisine. Fresh fruits and vegetables, cheeses, yogurt, meat, and fish–a delicious and nutritious diet, but very different from the food he ate growing up.

From his vantage point, he could hear bits and pieces of your conversation with Hyun-min–a bad experience on a blind date, the latest episode of The Bachelor, and Hyun-min’s cat giving him the cold shoulder. Kyungsoo didn’t have any use for idle gossip, so ended up tuning out most of it anyway, at least until he got a late-night call from New York. By the time he was done, the kitchen was deserted. Curious, made his way to the bar, and sure enough, there you were, sitting in your usual spot. Without thinking too hard, he slid into the seat next to you and ordered his new usual.

~*~

Three months later

“Just water will do tonight, Taemin.”

You knew who spoke without even having to look. Chef Do’s voice was distinct–deep and rich like melting chocolate, one that carried perfectly in a room (or kitchen). Water again tonight, it seemed. It made sense, Chef Do–Kyungsoo, as he’d told you to call him off-the-clock, seemed like a water kind of guy.

“Do you drink anything else besides water?”

“Do you drink anything besides passion fruit cocktails, ___?” Kyungsoo shot back playfully, sliding into the seat next to you.

“I’ll have you know these are passion fruit mocktails, Kyungsoo. In my old-age, I can’t handle alcohol on a weekday like I could in my youth.”

You were over-exaggerating a little bit, considering you weren’t even 30, but bouncing back seemed harder these days, especially when you had the responsibility of being up for work just hours later.

Looking over at Kyungsoo, you lifted an eyebrow. “What’s your excuse?”

Kyungsoo shrugged. “I just drink water, nothing else. It’s very…hydrating.”

He winced, clearly aware of how obvious that answer was.

You nodded awkwardly before reaching into your bag and pulling out a glass container. You’d learned that Kyungsoo was a sucker for snack foods, so this ought to do the trick. Oddly enough, this had kind of become your nightly routine for the past few months: cook your butt off all day and hole up at the bar with your boss at night. Hyun-min had joined you a couple of times, but dubbed it “boring” since it didn’t involve soju, spandex, and getting down at the club.

“You want some kimbap? Nothing fancy, just some beef rolls and a couple of tuna.”

You handed over the container for Kyungsoo’s inspection. Someone once said “you eat with your eyes first”, and you found that was especially true for chefs. Your kimbaps looked pretty good, the veggies were cut consistently, the egg was yellow and soft, and the roll was tight. Not as good as your mom’s, but decent.

Kyungsoo cautiously took one and popped it in his mouth. You offered him more and the two of you ate in silence.

Kyungsoo chewed thoughtfully before asking: “When do you have time to make these things? The rice seems really fresh, so obviously these weren’t made yesterday.”

“We usually keep some ingredients on-hand for staff in case they get hungry. I make them right before we leave…you’re usually on the phone when I do.”

Kyungsoo let out a big sigh, massaging his temples.

“It’s my agent, Nina. She lives in New York, so there’s a bit of a time difference.”

“How do you do it all?” you wondered aloud. “Balance running a restaurant and a television career at the same time?”

Kyungsoo chuckled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.

“Truth is, I don’t. It’s always one or the other. If I’m filming a show, I’m gone from work for weeks or months at a time. My agent is always pushing me to do more shows and appearances, but if I do, it takes me away from being in the kitchen. Even now she’s pushing me to judge some big competition show in Europe.”

It was surprising to hear this from him. He seemed like such a natural on television, born to be on screen. You would have never guessed he felt any other way, but here he was, wanting the simple basics of cheffing.

“...but you’ve worked at some of the best restaurants in the world…all those Michelin stars…”

“But are they truly mine?” he mused. “Someone else’s vision…someone else’s kitchen…not mine…”

Getting a Michelin star always seemed like a pipe dream, so much so you never gave them more than a passing thought. But pondering it now, you realized he was right: Michelin stars were given out to restaurants with outstanding cooking, in terms of ingredients, flavor, technique and consistency over time. While the chef might be the vehicle to gaining those stars, the stars stayed, even if the chef moved on to other places.

“Well, technically this place is yours now, right?” you said, trying to lighten the mood.

Kyungsoo smiled softly. “Yeah…I guess you’re right. A place of my own to finally do as I wish….”

Though you’d slowly come to accept the reality of working under Kyungsoo, your chest still tightened at his words. A place of my own.

“...and what about you?” he continued. “You must have a dream too.”

When you sheepishly admitted to having a similar dream, understanding lit his eyes.

“Ah, so that’s why you’ve been so morose about the menus lately.”

“I have not been morose”, you grumbled as Kyungsoo shot you a look of mock disbelief. “I haven’t! Disappointed is the word I would use.”

Kyungsoo scratched his chin thoughtfully. “Have you ever thought about working somewhere else? There’s got to be hundreds of places that would see the value in your skills.”

“I mean, sure, I’ve thought about it here and there, but the Ink & Pepper was the place I first got my start and the people there are like family. I’m not sure I could leave. It just feels right, you know?”

Kyungsoo nodded in understanding, at the same time knowing opportunities would be more ripe if you looked beyond the small boutique hotel restaurant. Plenty of talented chefs never made it further than being someone else’s underling and he didn’t want that to happen to you. Kyungsoo knew many of the top people in the industry and if he put a word in with the right people, maybe you’d…

Taemin chose that moment to interrupt, saying the bar was closing, and checking your watch, you realized you and Kyungsoo had never stayed this late before. You meandered down the sidewalk, silently making your way towards the bus stop, together but alone in your thoughts. Kyungsoo dropped you off at your stop and you watched his back as he slowly walked away.

“Are you going to do it?”

You were loud enough that Kyungsoo turned back, his brows furrowed in confusion.

“The show, I mean. Are you going to do it?”

Kyungsoo’s eyes filled with understanding, as he came to a stop a few feet from you.

“I’m not sure,” he admitted. “Why? Just waiting for me to go so you can take back your crown?”

“Hardly.” you huffed, scowling at the mischief you saw in his eyes.

“Then you’ll miss me?” he asked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

You rolled your eyes. “Again, hardly.”

He stepped closer. “That’s a shame, because I’d miss you, ___”, he said quietly.

You turned towards him, ready to deliver another biting comeback, when you saw he was serious.

“You what?”

“You heard me. I said I’d miss you.”

Dazed, you sucked in a breath, trying to process what you just heard. It was quiet around you, and you realized Kyungsoo was waiting for you to speak. Words needed to be formulated into sentences, but unfortunately your brain was jumbled up like a plate of scrambled eggs.

Kyungsoo stepped closer, and all you could see were his eyes, jet-black against the night sky. He lifted his hand to your face, running his thumb across your cheek in a gentle caress. You opened your mouth to speak, but no words came out, as though your brain was unable to process anything but the ripples of electricity running through your body and the warmth of his skin against yours in the cool night air.

In your peripheral, you heard the squeal of the bus as it angled into your stop. The doors hummed as they opened and several people got off, no doubt ready to hit the town. You needed to get on that bus, but to do that, you’d have to break away.

Kyungsoo reached up to clasp your face with both hands, drawing your gaze back to him, no doubt sensing your imminent withdrawal.

“I have my car here, ____.” Kyungsoo murmured, his deep voice making you feel tingly. “Let me take you home.”

With the bus driver looking your way, you only had a few seconds to make a choice. You knew what you should do–get on the bus and go home to your apartment alone–but here you were, contemplating being alone with a man–your boss you might add! — a man you’d never thought about in a romantic way until now…

Are you sure? a voice inside you countered. You’ve never thought of him in any other way? Never fantasized about him caging you against the door of the walk-in? Not once imagined what was under the tight, black chef’s coat he wears everyday?

You sucked in a breath as your brain acknowledged what your heart had known for a while now. Kyungsoo occupied your thoughts during the day (and night) more than you’d like to admit, and before you could remind yourself this was a bad idea, you found yourself blushing and nodding.

You took the arm he offered, and soon you were cruising through the city street. Leaning back against the expensive leather seats, you could feel a deep tiredness settle into your bones. You fought to stay awake, but as the car’s warmth drifted over you and soft jazz filled your ears, you were soon lulled into dreamland, as Kyungsoo’s car sped towards your destination.

~*~

Kyungsoo eased to a stop in front of your apartment, happy you had agreed to let him take you home. This was too far from the hotel for you to travel alone. He’d definitely be dropping you off on a regular basis, now that he knew. Not only would it satisfy his concern for your safety, but selfishly, it would also fill his need for you.

Looking over, he smiled to see you dozing next to him. Turned towards him in sleep, he admired your features in the soft glow of the streetlights. It was so different to see this side of you, so relaxed and serene–a stark contrast to the fast-paced, tenacious dynamite you were in the kitchen.

You murmured in your sleep and his gaze was drawn to your lips and he wondered what they felt like. His hand hovered inches over lips and he longed to run his thumb across your cupid’s bow.

His plan was foiled by the blare of a car alarm two blocks down, causing you to startle awake.

“Kyungsoo! How long have we been sitting here? Why didn’t you wake me?” you admonished, playfully swatting him on the shoulder.

Truthfully, he’d enjoyed watching you sleep, just being near you was enough to make his heart flutter. But as usual, Kyungsoo played things closer to the vest, not wanting you to know how much you affected him.

“Should I have carried you up the stairs then, like a gallant knight aiding a fair lady?”

You made a retching sound in your throat. “No, absolutely not. Besides–” you say, your gaze flickering up and down his body, “I have doubts that you’d even be able to get me to the door.”

Kyungsoo knew it was a joke, but it didn’t stop him from bristling at your words.

“Ah, that’s where you’d be wrong, ____. You see I lift.”

You quirked a brow in his direction, amusement sparkling in your eyes. “Yeah, lift pans, maybe.”

“Try me,” he challenged.

“Okay, you’re on. A piggyback ride all the way up to my apartment. Oh and did I mention I live on the 4th floor?” you added, bursting with glee.

Looking out the window at your tall apartment building, Kyungsoo found himself regretting his rash words just a bit. He did go to the gym, he hadn’t been lying about that, it was a necessity in his line of work to keep his stamina up. However, he’d never carried an adult human more than a couple of yards at any given time. Puffing up his chest, he knew he’d make it even if it killed him, he had a lady to impress, afterall.

When Kyungsoo bent down and ushered you on, you hesitantly stepped forward to get into position, sliding your arms around his neck. Up close, the pleasing scent of forest teased your senses and you had to stop yourself from pressing your face into his neck and inhaling the musky scent.

Kyungsoo lifted you with surprising ease, wasting no time before starting the long ascent up the winding staircase. As he climbed and climbed, Kyungsoo’s breathing quickened and you could tell he was getting winded. His palms were scalding through your pants and you could feel the warmth of him seeping into your skin. When you finally reached your apartment door, Kyungsoo sounded like he was running a marathon.

“Alright. Here. We Are. I Win.” Kyungsoo said, taking a long breath between each word.

You held your hands up in defeat. “Okay, okay, I surrender. I was wrong.”

Being wrong had never, ever felt so right.

Kyungsoo gently set you back on your feet, before turning to face you.

“So what’s my prize?”

“Your what?”

“My prize, ____. You challenged me, I won, therefore it’s only fair to receive appropriate compensation.”

“And what’s your idea of ‘appropriate compensation’?”

You knew what you wanted him to say, what you wanted him to do. The moment at the bus stop had teased your senses, and now, all you could think about is what it would feel like to have his lips against yours, his strong arms pressing you tight against his body.

Kyungsoo detected the hint of flirtation in your voice and it chafed against his conscience. Up until now, he’d been able to keep up the light-hearted conversation, continue to play the game, both now and at work, while burning on the inside. The angel on his shoulder told him this was a bad idea, that no good could come from kissing an employee, but the devil on his other whispered about how good it would feel to finally have your lips against his own.

Before he knew it, his body made the choice for him, wanting satisfaction and tired of this constant state of denial. His arms shot out, encircling your waist and pulling you tight against his body. Your eyes widened, narrowing on his lips, and he took that as an invitation to seal his mouth against yours.

Sinking into Kyungsoo’s warmth, your hands wound around his neck to secure him closer. You sighed into his mouth, tilting your head to the side, squealing at the feel of his tongue teasing your lower lip. Your hands found their way into Kyungsoo’s silky hair, and you tugged him closer, groaning as he sucked your tongue between his lips. The sound of heavy breathing filled the quiet hallway and you wanted nothing more than for him to slide you up the wall and take you out of your misery.

Kyungsoo’s attention drifted to your neck, allowing you a moment of reprieve to catch your breath. Soft lips moved from your collarbone to just below your ear, alternating between gentle kisses and soft flicks of tongue. Kyungsoo paused to blow lightly on your skin, still wet from his previous care. You shivered at the sudden hot-cold sensation, clutching Kyungsoo’s head closer in a silent bid for more.

Footsteps echoed in the hallway and the sound of male voices drew closer. You knew those voices: Hyun-min and his posse on the way back from a wild night out.

Forced from your lust-induced haze, you regrettably tore away from Kyungsoo’s lips. Kyungsoo’s stark look of confusion quickly faded as he realized the situation you were about to be in. Shoving the key into the lock, you pushed open the door, pulling Kyungsoo inside in the nick of time.

As the voices outside faded, you breathed a sigh of relief. The last thing you needed was Hyun-min finding you pressed up against your boss as he sucked on your neck. Not because he’d object, but simply because he’d never let you live it down.

In the darkened apartment, it was quiet, save for the sounds of late-night traffic drifting through the window and Kyungsoo breathing beside you. Pins and needles ran up and down your spine, your entire body titillated by the sounds of Kyungsoo’s movements in the darkness. Wanting more.

Kyungsoo whispered your name. Yes or no? he silently asked.

When you didn’t respond, he slid his hand along the wall, fumbling for the lightswitch, as if that would bring the answers he sought.

You had only seconds to make a decision.

Yes or no?

A split second decision. You clapped your hand over his, preventing him from flipping the switch. In the darkness, the sweet spell remained, unbroken by obtrusive light. And in the dark, consequences be damned.

Reaching out, you grabbed Kyungsoo’s hand, softly tugging him further into your apartment.

~*~

Fuck. Chop. Fuck. Chop. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Chop. Chop. Chop.

Kyungsoo dropped the knife, running his fingers through his hair. Getting on the line usually helped clear his thoughts, but not today. No matter what he tried, his thoughts drifted back to you. It’d been dark when he woke in your bed, so dark his eyelids had practically begged for more sleep. It had been so tempting to wrap you tightly in his arms and remain.

But he had left.

It wasn’t his style to leave without a word, but he’d been unsure of where you stood. He felt regret with how things had ended–you deserved to wake to a frittata and fresh coffee in bed, not to cold sheets and an empty apartment.

The back of his neck heated in shame. He’d slept with an employee. This was basic work ethics 101–do not engage in sexual relations with staff members. Cocky it would never happen, he’d let his guard down around you. How could he–

“Something bothering you, Chef?” Hyun-min asked, startling Kyungsoo from his thoughts.

Kyungoo attempted nonchalance. “No. Why would you think that?”

“Maybe because you’re practically pulverizing the vegetables,” Hyun-min said gesturing knowingly to the cutting board. “Unless gazpacho is now on the menu?”

Kyungsoo looked down to see finely diced tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions, cut too small for the fresh salad he’d intended to make.

Hyun-min loaded the remaining vegetables on a tray, carting them away before any further damage could be done. “I swear, you and _____ have it out for my station,” he muttered as he walked away.

Cut off from his distraction, he was grateful for once when his phone rang.

“Hello, Nina,” he greeted, closing himself into his office for what would no doubt be a lengthy conversation.

“Hey, doll. How are ya?”

“Well, actually Nina–”

“Great, glad to hear it. Listen–Nina came through for you, love. You’re out.”

Kyungsoo frowned. “What do you mean, Nina?”

Nina sighed, talking slowly as if she were explaining it to a toddler. “I mean you’re out of that little restaurant, babe. The network called and the competition show in Europe is a ‘go’. They want you there in two days.”

Kyungsoo sucked in a breath, trying to digest what he’d just heard. Two days? Nowhere near enough time to tie up loose ends–both with the restaurant and with you.

“Two days, Nina? That’s–”

“I know, love. It’s an eternity, but what can I do? You have a flight to London tonight, so pack a bag and head to the airport. I’m sending the tickets to your email now.”

“Thank you, Nina, but I–”

“No problem, kiddo. Nina’s here for you. Oops, Bobby’s here, gotta run. Talk soon, mwah!”

Before he could get a word in edgewise, the call dropped and she was gone. Kyungsoo vowed to himself that he’d get a new agent when this was all over, someone who actually let him finish sentences once in a while. Or let him have a vacation. Do anything that wasn’t on a schedule.

By the time he’d packed up his office, the rest of the staff had filtered in, prepping for the long day ahead. A soft knock sounded at the door, drawing his attention. You slipped inside, shutting the door behind you, a look of determination on your face. You turned, walking to stand in front of him with your arms crossed.

“I have something I want to talk to you about, Chef Do.” you announced, the use of his formal title not lost on him.

He gestured for you to sit, but you remained firmly where you were.

“Why did you leave like that?” you whispered, voice low in the off chance anyone was listening outside. “You just left..no note..no text…no nothing. Did it not mean anything to you?”

Your voice cracked at the end, betraying the hurt you’d promised to keep hidden.

Kyungsoo sighed, running his hands over his face. “No, ____, of course not. But I’m your boss. I crossed a line last night–”

“We crossed a line last night,” you corrected, hurt turning into anger at the insinuation he’d somehow taken advantage of you. “I remember being very much in control last night, Kyungsoo.”

Watching the hurt blossom in your eyes, Kyungsoo wanted nothing more than to take you in his arms, assure you that last night had been special, a night he’d never forget.

His phone dinged and he looked down to see an email from his agent, with the tickets for his flight. He had a flight out of here to London tonight and the timing couldn’t have been worse.

Fuming with righteous indignation, you looked around Kyungsoo’s office, for the first time noting its emptiness. Where pages and pages of notes had dominated its walls, now stood bare. Stacks of cookbooks were packed neatly into brown boxes sitting on the floor. Your heart squeezed at the realization: he was leaving. But why? Surely it couldn’t be because of last night…

“So…that’s it? You’re leaving…just like that?” you said in disbelief. “Was it because of last night?”

Kyungsoo flinched, not liking the hurt in your voice. “No…no absolutely not. My agent called me this morning…the show is on, _____. They’re expecting me in London the day after tomorrow…I have a flight out tonight.”

A roaring noise filled your ears and a tightness filled your chest. What did you say to that? “Congratulations”? “Don’t go”? “What about us”? It all seemed lame in the moment. One thing was sure, however: you wouldn’t be that girl. The girl who simped over a celebrity one-night stand, who expected more when it was never anything beyond casual.

“Congratulations, Kyungsoo,” you said, a wistful smile on your face. “I’m sure it’ll be amazing.”

“____, about us, I–”

Your eyes started to feel hot. “No, Kyungsoo, don’t worry about it. I know we were just caught up in the moment last night.”

“But I really–”

You shook your head to keep the tears at bay, backing towards the door. “You don’t owe me any kind of explanation, Kyungsoo, I get it. Waking up alone was enough of a clue, so you don’t have to say anything else.”

“Wait–”

“Goodbye, Kyungsoo. I hope you get everything you wanted.”

You slipped quickly out of the office, not stopping at Kyungsoo’s continued protests. You didn’t want to hear what he had to say. No, it would gut you to hear you were just some hook-up. Better to avoid and save your heart the pain.

Your feet carried through the kitchen and out the door just as tears started to fall. The scent of starch and detergent fumes engulfed you as you fled to the laundry room, the best place at the Crimson Aurora for some good old-fashioned privacy. You stayed there, hidden, not brave enough to face him at the very end. The loud whir of the industrial laundry machines washed out the sound of your tears and then and there you vowed to cleanse your heart of him, like removing a stain from a white sheet.

~*~

Three months later.

It still felt weird. Sitting in the office, that is. Your new office. It almost didn’t seem real–so much so you had to pinch yourself to prove it wasn’t a dream. But there it was, written on a shiny, gold desk plate: _____ ________, Head Chef.

You looked out into the bustling kitchen, filled with activity as the staff–your staff–worked hard during dinner rush. Making your dishes. In your kitchen. You still couldn’t believe you were here. Thinking back to that day three months ago, you’d never have guessed what life could bring.

After hiding out in the laundry as long as humanly possible, you had trudged back to the land of the living, hoping to make it through dinner service so you could go home and have a good old-fashioned ice-cream cry.

Hyun-min had practically jumped on you when you walked through the kitchen doors, peppering you with questions. Where was Chef Do going? Why were you crying? So many questions it made your head spin. The phone had rung, and you’d been relieved, for once, to be summoned to Manager Kim’s office.

Being the amazing friend that he was, Hyun-min had insisted you celebrate after hearing the news. You’d gone out with the kitchen staff that night, dressed to the nines, but without your heart really in it. You felt conflicted–you finally had it, the dream job you always wanted, but it came at the expense of losing something–or someone.

Kyungsoo’s new television show had started airing, but you couldn’t bring yourself to watch, not willing to be tortured by what you couldn’t have. Luckily, your work kept you busy, at least during the day. It was nights that were harder. You couldn’t escape him, even in your own damn apartment. The stairs, the door, the bed–all reminders of that one unforgettable night before the rug was pulled out from under you.

A knock on the door disturbed your thoughts and you looked up to see Hyun-min hovering in the doorway, a peculiar expression on his face.

“Um, boss? There’s a customer out front who’d like to speak to you…something about overcooked lamb chops…”

“You offered to re-make it, I’m assuming?”

Hyun-min nodded. “Yeah, but they said they wanted to talk to you specifically.”

Telling him you’d be right there, you reluctantly got up from your chair and donned your starched, white chef’s coat. Dealing with a picky customer wasn’t out of the ordinary, but your threshold for dealing with complaints today was at an all-time low.

“Table 4”, Hyun-min called as you headed through the kitchen and out the doors into the dining room.

Walking through the busy dining room, you dodged waitstaff and waded through customers, fresh from a matinee musical performance. You approached Table 4 from behind, where a lone male figure was seated.

Taking a deep breath and pasting your “the customer is always right” smile on your face, you prayed a little sweet talking and a comped glass of wine would be enough to smooth this situation over.

“Excuse me–”

Dark brown eyes turned toward you, full lips that you were intimately familiar with parted into a smile.

Kyungsoo.

You rubbed your eyes, making sure you weren’t just seeing things, that he was really there. What was he doing here? It didn’t make sense. He’d blown into your life, set it on fire, then breezed out, never to be heard from again. In the three months he’d been gone, you hadn’t heard from him once.

“_____,” he breathed. “I heard you got the head chef job, so I came as soon as I got back from London. I missed you–”

Hearing his voice, your resolve wavered. You cleared your throat, striving to take control of the situation. You were a professional, the chef in charge now, and you wouldn’t let your feelings get the better of you, gosh darn it!

“Hello, sir, I heard from my kitchen staff that you were unhappy with a dish we prepared for you. May I ask what the issue is?”

Kyungsoo’s smile slipped from his face, as though he was surprised, almost disappointed at your reaction.

Kyungsoo leaned forward, making sure no one could hear him but you. “Can we talk…privately?”

As Kyungsoo led you into an empty office, he felt a hint of unease. He’d pictured your reunion much differently. In his imaginings, you were overjoyed at the surprise of seeing him, smiling widely before pulling him close for an embrace–the embrace he’d imagined everyday during those long, lonely weeks in Europe. He understood, but it stung all the same.

Once inside, he walked towards the window, stopping to look out into the bright moonlight, trying to gather his thoughts. You stayed a respectful distance away, looking wary, as though you were about to bolt out the door.

You waited for Kyungsoo to speak…and waited…but he only continued to look out the window. “Look, Kyungsoo, what is it? I’ve got to head back to work soon.”

Kyungsoo turned towards you, silhouetted in moonlight, his eyes dark as the sky behind him.

“I missed you,____. So much. Everyday.”

You snorted. “Sure, Kyungsoo. You missed me. So much so you called me all of zero times. Or did I just miss all those calls and texts you sent me?”

Kyungsoo shifted between his feet. “I know I messed up, _____. I shouldn’t have just left like that, you deserved better than that.”

“Yeah, you’re right, Kyungsoo. I did deserve better. You just left without any explanation.”

Kyungsoo started to speak, but you kept going.

“I’m not talking about leaving for Europe, Kyungsoo. I understood that part, you had an opportunity and took it. But that morning, you just left my apartment, no note, no explanation, nothing, after we–” you cut off, not wanting to say it aloud.

Crossing to you, Kyungsoo gripped your shoulders. “I’m sorry, _____. That morning, it killed me to leave. I wanted to make it so good for you, but I was scared.”

You watched as Kyungsoo worried his lower lip. “Scared of what?” you breathed.

“Us. What we did. I was your boss, ____. No matter how much I wanted you, I was disappointed in myself. Then, when I was in Europe, I wondered if you’d even want to hear from me. I was your boss and I took advantage of you, I worried you felt you had no choice–”

You put your pointer finger against his lips, cutting him off before he could finish what he was going to say.

“Kyungsoo, I appreciate the concern, but I’m not a baby. I chose to invite you in, I chose to let you kiss me. For god’s sake, we were stone cold sober, so it’s not like we can even blame the alcohol. You didn’t force me to do anything, okay?”

He nodded and you removed your finger from his lips.

“For what it’s worth, I thought you deserved a frittata. If I could do that night over, I’d have made you the most delicious breakfast you’d ever had and served it to you in bed.”

“Well…I guess next time, I’ll be holding you to that, then.”

Kyungsoo looked up, his mouth forming an “o”. “Next time?” he whispered.

“Yeah, next time,” you said, a small smile lighting up your face.

Kyungsoo slid his hands from your shoulders to cup your cheeks. “So…you forgive me?” he said, hopefully.

“Yeah, I forgive you. You made some dumb decisions, but hey, at least you’re still cute.”

Kyungsoo pinched your cheeks in revenge, immediately stroking the reddened skin to soothe the burn.

“So, what are you going to do now that you’re back?” you asked, turning serious again.

“I actually leased a restaurant just a few streets over,” he said sheepishly. “I finally did it, got my own place.”

“So…you were really here to check out the competition, eh?” you said, shooting him a grin. “What did you think?”

Moving his hands to your waist, Kyungsoo pulled you against him, your faces just inches apart.

“The lamb chops were a little overdone,” he said with a wink.

You scoffed. “Shut up, Kyungsoo. Don’t you have anything better to do with those lips? Like kissing me, perhaps?”

“Much better,” he said, joining your mouths together at last.

As your lips clashed, you soaked in the feeling of being in Kyungsoo’s arms again. You certainly hadn’t expected today to end this way. That Kyungso was here to stay was even more of a surprise, in a restaurant of his own not four blocks away. Once again, you were competitors, though this time on equal footing.

As they said, “keep your friends close and enemies closer,” and this enemy, you’d enjoy keeping very, very close.

~*~

Thank you so much for reading Flames of Attraction! I hope you enjoyed it and if you did, please re-blog for others to find! And please support the other amazing creators on the Crimson Aurora Hotel & Spa project. @myeoning-call @leewalberg @yourkeeperoftherunners @taem-min @ouvuo @dreamylittlesugarcube @jxstadaydreamer @xiubaek-13 @yourkeeperoftherunners @ninibears-erigom and @sojuri

XOXO,

Emmy

#kyungsoo exo #kyungsoo romance #kyungsoo x you #kyungsoo x reader #exo kyungsoo #kyungsoo fanfic #kyungsoo fanfics #kyungsoo x oc #do kyungsoo #kyungsoo story #exo d.o #exo fanfiction #exo fanfic #exo #kyungsoo fanfiction

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iinterludia · 1 month

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#iinterludia #interludia #chanyeol #exo #d.o #romance #tolkien #chansoo #fanfic #spirit fanfics

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blueberryjam1201 · 7 months

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Unexpected

Chapter 4

Genre: Drama, Romance

Summary: How the one week in separation will change their life?

This story wasn't suppose to be sweet and heartwarming from the first place...

Dear reader, are you ready for a new ark filled with sadness? But remember, after every rain the sun is shining. Will Kyungsoo find his sunshine in this storm?

"Was I always this vulnerable?

Was you my only strength?

Sharing with you my desires,

Telling you about my misery,

Like you are the best medicine,

...

Does it have a side effect?

Or Did I overdose?

The season has changed...

Why I'm still here?"

Kyungsoo breathed heavily while leaning on a desk in his office room at home. All the books were scattered under the shelves. Ripped pages next to them. The abandoned guitar's unfortunate place under the wall on the right side of the room was telling stories about the hysteria from a not long time ago. There was this unbearable lament bouncing off the walls...

In silence...

Chapter under the cut❤️

It was a sunny morning, past 6 a.m. This airport was living its own life like it was Saturday afternoon in the city center. Many flights landed. The light brown color of the floor tiles reflected the sunlight, jumping inside the building by the glass walls from the exit side. Kyungsoo was sitting on one of the bench seats inside.

He wore a light brown jacket and black trousers. While holding a mobile phone in his hand he smiled gently. It was YiSeul messaging about having fun the next couple of days without her.

"It's a work trip, how can it be fun?" He thought, and the phone started ringing.

- Chanyeol-ah! - Kyungsoo answered while looking around.

- Kyungsoo-yah!- laughed while imitating his friend - I'll be there in a second, just going to the toilet and grabbing a coffee, you're ok? You can wait near the entrance, I'll find you -

- Ok, hurry up - said Kyungsoo, and hung up. He then grabbed a grey backpack, wore it on his arms, and bucked his waist-belt. After that grabbed a large, black suitcase on wheels and casually proceeded to the exit.

Outside were small (compared to inside) crowds of arrived travelers. This was a street where many cars were parked to collect those travelers, and opposite the exit, a little further down, was a small park with trees and benches. He looked up in the sky. Even the noise around couldn't disturb his peaceful mind. "..ah...it's only one week...I hope she won't be bored alone....". These thoughts were swirling around his head, how great is to have her by his side...

Suddenly, he jumped to the side, barely staying on his feet, and raised his head to see who just pushed him so hard.... realizing he unconsciously caught this person, so she didn't fall on the ground...

It was a young woman. He thought: "Maybe 25, maybe 28, it's difficult to predict as girls these days are using many amazing cosmetics and ..."

She jumped back from his hands, waking him up from his internal analysis. Panicked, brushed her long dark brown hair with her fingers, shouted "Apologies!", grabbed her large, black suitcase, and ran away leaving him speechless. It was a long few seconds when he was watching her disappear.

- Kyungsoo! - Chanyeol jumped on him, scaring him slightly, so he swung clenched fist at his friend's stomach, but just touched to scare Chanyeol back in revenge.

- You done? - asked

- Yeah, let's go. Your coffee - Chanyeol handed the warm drink to KyungSoo and they headed to the nearest taxi.

The hotel where KyungSoo and Chanyeol were staying was in a classic 1970s style. Although the windows were modern, and looked a little bit out of context, in general, the view was pleasant, and looking at the interest in this place, none of the guests probably minded the mix of styles.

They checked-in in reception and hurried to their booked rooms to change clothes and prepare for a meeting.

Kyungsoo entered his room which was studio apartment size. From the small anteroom, he could enter all the rest of rooms which was: the toilet on the left, the kitchen opposite, and the bedroom on the right. Funny how the bedroom was connected to the kitchen from the inside. "This could have been just one room, what is the point in those walls separating the anteroom?" He smirked, after creating a reconstruction plan in his head. His mind is always absorbed by analyzing new experiences and places like it would change anything. But he can't fight with this part of his personality.

He went to the bedroom first and placed his backpack on the small brown bedside cabinet under the white wall. All the walls were white, and the carpet covered the floor on every inch, excluding the toilet where the white tiles were placed.

Then he put his suitcase on the bed and opened it to take some stuff important for the meeting...

"What is that...?" He stiffened and all the waters in his body started to boil from shock, out of fright, or all kinds of panic emotions you can feel at this kind of moment. His mind went blank. He tried to remember what happened before he arrived at the hotel..." That girl..." he whispered with a pale face. Hopefully, his laptop was in the backpack together with all the documents. He tried to calm down, took a deep breath a few times, sat on the bed and after long seconds of consideration he created a plan for a meeting. That was the most important now.

Then he looked into her suitcase and found a name tag, similar to the one that parents are sewing or just hang on their kid's clothes or bags when they go to primary school.

The message on the tag was as follows:

If found alone

Call Rose

01937xxxx

He was gazing at this tag for a long time in silence. It wasn't certain to him if his messed up state of mind was caused by this situation in general, the fact she swapped the suitcases by mistake or...that she was keeping this tag in her suitcase because it's probably the last thing that adult would think of before going on a trip alone...

He called the number.

The signal was on but no answer. Then tried again, 4 times to be precise.

After looking at the time on the phone, he hurried up and started preparing for a meeting.

The meeting place was a boardroom in one of the JJ ENTERTAINMENTS buildings. This spacious room had only the most important furniture which was a long, polished wood table and 11 stylish spinning chairs for all board members. The walls were in magnolia color, the floor was covered by navy, fluffy carpet. Doors were at the top of the left side, and the wall on the right was made from stone mosaic wall tiles in a light gray color, with the exception in the center where there was a place for a 90" size TV. Also, at the bottom of the wall, under the TV was a small chiller for drinks, filled with only water and a few cans of Coca-Cola, probably ordered by the members beforehand.

It was 9 a.m. when 11 attendees started gardening, including Manager Kim. Each one of them was in an expensive suit, mostly grey and black. Besides men, 5 women came, also in suits of the same colors. Then Kyungsoo was wearing the same clothes as before, which were a light brown jacket, and Chayeol in a retro-styled hooded jacket. They both sat just at the beginning of the table under the TV.

The man in his probably 60s sat just at the end of the table and patiently waited till everyone was settled down. He was the CEO of JJ Entertainment.

At some point, he said:

- Good morning, I hope everyone had a comfortable journey. We are here today to discuss the anniversary concert next 3 or 4 weeks. The date still hasn't been settled up, but we will get there eventually....- and waited for any reaction from other members. His facial expression reminded the one of the governor in prison. He smiled like an angel, but his gaze was a thread. He didn't have to say a word, his stare was creating a law that everyone had to obey without discussion.

- Let's begin, shall we? - and the angelic smile just appeared, bringing insecurity even to prepared for these meeting members....except two friends at the end. Kyungsoo was typing lyrics on his mobile and sending them to his email address while Chanyeol was absorbed by staring at the least favorite board members and laughing quietly at their frightened behavior.

The meeting was going smoothly. Each one of the employers was sharing their theories or presentations. Kim was sitting quietly until his time came.

- Woo Shik, what have you prepared for Creams? - the silence appeared in the room. Woo Shik was a young man, age max 30. Black curly hair cut short in the back, but fluffy bangs were almost covering his eyes. Long face, small eyes, and slightly damaged lips from biting.

-...um...- he started, but had difficulties to construct the sentences - they will be performing 5 songs...so I was thinking, we can choose the most popular 5 ...- he paused for a moment to look at their reactions, which were none so he continued- and...um...we can make the "candy" appearance, fans loves it....- he paused again. This time it looks like he ran out of ideas, so the pause was like a begging for someone else to speak up. Kim slowly looked at Kyungsoo who was still working on his phone hidden under the table.

- Doh, anything you wish to add? - ...silence. Kyungsoo raised his head and needed a few seconds to understand the situation. Then he leaned on his chair comfortably and said:

- I would use 4 of the most popular songs, 2 from the debut and two from the second album. Then I would give them 5 minutes to interact with the audience announce a new single, and sing the highlight from it. It would build excitement amongst fans. Also...- he looked at Woo Shik - I don't think the "CANDY" theme is the best. First of all, they are not newbies anymore, and together with the last scandals about them dating seems not in place. I would choose FAITH as the 4th song to emphasize that they are no longer children. That would help to make the audience understand that they are also human beings and will calm down the media a little... - he finished.

The silence in the room was shouting about admiration. Then suddenly, the silent applause could be heard. That was the CEO who was entertained with KyungSoo's speech.

- Manager Kim, what's your decision? - Kim needed a long second to answer:

- I'll go with KyungSoo's idea...- it seems his plan to embarrass Kyungsoo has failed. Was it this plan? Or maybe there was a different reason?

The meeting was carried out as planned till the end, and no one realized that KyungSoo's presentation was mostly created on a mobile phone while going by taxi and during the meeting itself.

Later in another room, there was a presentation again, this time led by one person for the audience consisting of employees. Large area, fully in white colors, hundreds of chairs, and a scene with a mini cinema screen behind. The presentation was about the stadium where the concert will take place and all the important details in this matter.

Kyungsoo was sitting with Chanyeol somewhere in the middle of the right side of the audience.

- How's our naughty YiSeul? - Chanyeol joked after looking at Kyungsoo scrolling the phone.

- Alright, I think. Stop talking like she's your girlfriend too -

- I always wanted to ask you this, because sometimes when speaking, she has this weird accent, where is she from? -

....

KyungSoo's eyes widened in a second.

Time has stopped, why is his mind blank suddenly? Where is she from? He was replaying all his memories in his head like an opened family photobook, like an archive in the basement or the attic. He was in every corner of his memory...where is she from?

- Oi! - Chanyeol woke him up from his trance - Don't tell me you don't know! - covered his laughing face to not make any loud sound - KyungSoo-yah, that's not good? Ask her, and let me know ok? -

Kyungsoo was barely hearing his friend as his mind just created another investigation in his head. What does he know about her past? They meet one year ago, he was always telling stories from his life, he complained to her about his dilemmas, she was supportive...was she? She was always there, right? But was he supportive? Has she ever told him about her difficulties?

This year passed so fast that he wasn't paying attention to many significant points. What does he know about her?

After another important presentation, the working day was finally over.

Kyungsoo came back to his room, looked at the phone, and threw it on the bed, then went to take a shower.

*buzz buzz*

The phone was ringing.

When he came back from the shower, while drying his hair with a towel, he grabbed the phone and stiffened.... 4 missed calls and one text message. He rushed to open it:

- Do you have my suitcase?! -

He breathed a sigh of relief and started typing:

- Yes, can we meet tomorrow morning? I need the equipment from inside ASAP -

Two seconds passed:

- OK then, tomorrow at 6 am at the airport, same place as today. See you! -

He opened his round eyes widely but smirked with satisfaction that everything was sorted. Now, only time for a dream after this long day.

YiSeul hasn't texted him, she's probably busy. "Good night" he typed with a heart emoticon at the end.

Good night, KyungSoo-yah...

The next day, same time as yesterday, Kyungsoo arrived at the airport. He was waiting at the entrance for women who swapped their identical suitcases. He still couldn't believe this story, but he accepted that, and told himself that many unexpected stories can happen, like his and YiSeul's example. He waited. "I think I came too early," he thought, but after looking at the phone, it was exactly 6 a.m., as agreed. He wore the same jacket, so she would recognize him. All of a sudden, he felt shivers, sometimes you feel this when someone is watching you, so he raised his head to look for the source of this unpleasant feeling.

Just opposite him was standing a short girl, with dark brown long hair lying on her arms. Her pale skin color and dark, upturned eyes together had something unique, fascinating, Kyungsoo couldn't explain it in words. Maybe it's that red lipstick? She was wearing a blue sweater and a long, white dress, almost hiding her feet.

Slowly, she came nearer to him while not losing an eye contact.

- Is that you? Do you have my suitcase? -

KyungSoo's chest flattened as the uncertainty was forcing him to be prepared for any defense if it wasn't her, if he just had long eye contact with a random person who would approach him without any reason. He smirked and said:

- I have no idea how we swapped our suitcases, but hopefully, you had this name tag. Are you always keeping it inside?- he couldn't wait to ask that question which had intrigued him since yesterday. She then grabbed her suitcase and left his next to him. Then she smiled gently, raised her head, and explained:

- I get what you mean, that's unbelievable, right? I can't believe it myself, but what happened is I was late for my meeting, hopefully, I had all the documents on my phone so just printed them off on site. I was running and looking at my phone, so it's my bad, apologies for running into you - the way she spoke made Kyungsoo surprised as she answered all his questions in one go, and for some reason, he was not even bothered anymore. What happened, happened. Hopefully, everything will be back to normal from now on.

- What's your name? - she was looking at her phone while asking. Kyungsoo, amazed by this question said:

- Doh Kyungsoo, but why are you asking? -

- No reason, I'm Rose. Nice to meet you. Apologies, but I need to check in, my flight is soon - then she moved to the entrance, raised her hand, and waved - See you, maybe someday! -

- Remove! my num..m..ber...- The last word he whispered slowly as she was gone already.

For some reason, this situation was fascinating for him and he smiled while turning around and headed to the first taxi.

He spoke with YiSeul later. She was in the hospital with her mom. Her health was not getting any better, and that made Kyungsoo upset but he needed to focus because today he had another busy day...and all week was the same. He was waking up and going to the JJ ENMT building, planning, writing, arranging, listening, recording, and planning again. He spoke with YiSeul every evening, In the daytime she was absorbed by work and her mom's condition.

He then arrived in Yeonhui.

"Finally at home," he thought. It was evening, so the skies were covered in dark ink, and because of a rainy time, the clouds were covering all the stars.

His fence and grass were in the same condition as he left. "She took care of this place". Then he opened the door, not even thinking about taking off his shoes, he just wanted to see her first.

She was in the kitchen wearing an apron, a little dirty after cooking but that didn't matter. Nothing matters, as far as she's here. Her hair was tied in a top knot. The only makeup on her face was probably mascara. She lifted her soiled in sweet cake icing finger and licked it while raising her eyes to look at him.

- Hey! - he ran to her and hugged her like he just found his long-lost treasure.

- How's the flight? - she asked while hugging him back and patting his arm.

- Easy, it's a short flight so I didn't even realize when we landed. How are things? All ok? How's mom? Sorry, that is the most important, is she feeling better?

YiSeul looked into his eyes, it seemed she was constructing the best sentence to describe the situation.

- She's back at home, it seems she just overworked, and her back is not standing this kind of pressure anymore -

Kyungsoo was speechless for a second.

- So it's not life-threatening? -

- No, she fell down the stairs while doing housework. It's OK now -

He asked himself, what was the reason for him to create the life-threatening sickness, was it something she said? Or he just added this part by himself, which is hard to accept, but now he can't remember what exactly she said about her mother's condition. Mom - hospital - bad well-being - this generated a story in his mind? Sounds like an absurd. Maybe he is just too sensitive, maybe he was asking for a situation where he can support YiSeul, the same as she was supporting him up until now? If that's the case, that is very selfish of him.But he still couldn't accept this possibily....

- I'm happy everything is fine now, was worried about your mom -

YiSeul smiled slightly, took his hand, and led him to the set table, filled with tasty dishes and a big cake in turquoise color.

- Wait! - he gave an order and ran straight to the shelf just above the sink, grabbed a red wine, and came back to the table with two wine glasses.

- Addition to the delicious food you have prepared - he hasn't tried it yet, obviously, but he missed her, and whatever she prepared he will appreciate. Then he gave her a kiss...going deeper as his deep feeling of longing. She put her hand on his back for a second, then suddenly she cut this precious moment with words: " Let's eat first, shall we? - smiled and sat down.

"What's that? " he thought while standing still and watching her. "What is this feeling?"

Why does her lips seems so unfamiliar today?

#kdrama #doh kyungsoo #do kyung soo #do kyungsoo #exo kyungsoo #kyungsoo #exo d.o #exo d.o.#exo do kyungsoo #exo do #fanfic #Fanwork #Romance #Comedy #Drama

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k-nonsense · 1 year

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My updated rankings/reviews of all the k dramas I have seen so far (up to 54 now). I would recommend any show I gave a C grade or higher, which is most of them. I bolded recently added shows.

1. Hometown Cha Cha Cha: An absolute masterpiece. It’s a heartwarming fish out of water story about a big city girl who finds herself in the quirkiest little seaside town. I wanted to stay in Gongjin forever. Grade: A+(Netflix)

2. Extraordinary Attorney Woo (S1): Delightful! Never have I ever rooted for a lead harder. She is the most endearing lead you will ever find. And the male lead is so so swoony. Grade: A+(Netflix)

3. Alchemy of Souls: The wildest of rides and the perfect blend of fantasy, adventure, mystery, comedy, and romance. The characters are just so lovable, you’ll never want it to end. Season 2 just as good as Season 1. Grade: A+ (Netflix)

4. Love To Hate You: New fastest binge of my life. 10 episodes and I didn’t fast forward at all. There were no bad/slow parts. Also the funniest KDrama I’ve ever seen. Just watch it. You won’t regret it. Grade A+ (Netflix).

5. My Demon: This show had me utterly enthralled, it was so mysterious and suspenseful and yet incredibly goofy and romantic. My new favorite main couple in all KDrama land. Yes it wasn’t perfect but I enjoyed it so much, it really encapsulated everything I love in a tv show. Grade: A (Netflix)

6. Business Proposal: It’s got every trope you can think of and it does them all to perfection. Plus it’s hilarious. Grade: A (Netflix)

7. Healer: This super romantic action mystery drama will keep you on the edge of your seat. Ji Chang Wook is equal parts sexy and adorable which is a seriously winning combination. Grade A (Viki). One caveat: I was very disappointed by a certain wardrobe decision in episode 3.

8.Her Private Life: Super funny and charming. The romantic leads have incredible chemistry. The premise is so good! Might be the one of the most rewatchable kdramas. Grade: A (Netflix)

9. Castaway Diva: Just utterly heartwarming. An instant classic. Ultimate underdog, redemption, story that teaches us what real love and family is. Also Ki-Ho is the new standard by which all men will be judged. Grade: A (Netflix)

10. Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung: Great strong female lead. Very good messages. Couldn’t stop watching. The most adorable prince I’ve ever seen 💜Cha Eunwoo💜 Grade: A (Netflix)

11. Bad Prosecutor: Absolutely thrilling and hilarious. It’s like a heist, detective, lawyer, action comedy that will keep you wondering who is outsmarting who? Super shocking plot twists. Amazing OST. Stuck the landing with a truly satisfying finale. Grade A (Viki)

12. Sh**ting Stars: Probable the biggest turnaround of any show I’ve seen (The “Africa” part was so problematic). However it turned out to be one of the funniest and swooniest KDramas out there. There are 5 couples and you will cheer for all of them. Grade: A- (Viki)

13. Strong Woman Do Bong Soon: The main couple is absolutely everything! Just fast forward through pretty much every side plot (they are not important) and you’ll love it. Grade: A- (Viki)

14. So I Married the Anti-Fan: It’s campy, fluffy, goodness, with a fierce female lead and a K-pop star enemy/love interest. 2nd fastest binge of my life. Grade: A- (Viki)

15. 100 Days My Prince: An absolute classic period drama romcom. Who knew D.O. could kiss like that? Such a great strong female lead. I LOVE a show with adorable, quirky, townspeople. Grade: A- (Netflix)

16. Romance is a Bonus Book: Might be the most romantic K-Drama I’ve ever seen. Nothing about the trailer or setup intrigued me but I’m so glad I watched it anyway. It was a truly beautiful love story. Grade: A- (Netflix)

17. Because This Is My First Life: This drama really does everything right for me… A slow burn romance built on mutual love and respect. Supporting characters who I genuinely cared about and had incredible side stories of their own. A critique of the patriarchy. Women supporting women. An adorable cat. Maybe a bit melodramatic at times but not too much. Grade A- (Netflix)

18. Start-Up: Exceptional acting, compelling storylines, intriguing plot twists, great cinematography, intense love triangle. It’s just all around high quality. Grade: A- (Netflix)

19. Run On: Cute, fun, silly and pretty light. I especially loved the supporting cast. Strange storyline but it was a fun easy ride. Grade: A- (Netflix)

20. Forbidden Marriage: This is a weird show, but weird in the best way. It’s like a comedy, horror, romance, fictional-historical. I don’t know how to describe it but it’s really fun. B+(Viki)

21. Soundtrack #1: Short and beautiful. I just loved it. No one does heart eyes better than Park Hyung-Sik. Grade: B+(Disney+)

22. Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-Joo: A bad-ass yet vulnerable female lead. The main couple just had a lot of fun together. Refreshing. Grade: B+ (Viki)

23. Doctor Slump: This show was a really nice journey of both mental health and romance. Grade: B+ (Netflix)

24. Welcome to Samdalri: Very heartwarming and beautiful story about love, family, friendship, and going home. It has quirky townspeople and Ji Chang Wook 😍 what’s not to love? Grade: B+ (Netflix)

25. My Lovely Liar: Creative and engaging premise, intriguing mystery, and a swoon worthy romance. A very fun viewing experience. Grade: B+ (Viki)

26. King the Land: This drama pretty much has no stakes or conflict and the main couple has THE MOST chemistry I have ever seen in my entire life. So if you just want to turn your brain off and be happy, this is the drama for you. I absolutely loved it. Grade: B+ (Netflix)

27.Law Cafe: This drama has so much to love, a strong/fierce/brilliant and morally righteous female lead, lovable side characters, steamy romance. But what I loved most was how the show spotlighted important issues like consent and abuse in nuanced and progressive ways. Yes it’s a fun rom-com but it felt like the beginning of a new chapter of more egalitarian storytelling which made me really excited for the future of k-dramas. Grade: B+ (Viki)

28. Not Others: A lovely Gilmore Girls type show about the relationship between an immature mother and her very mature adult daughter. It was a pleasure seeing them grow in their relationships with each other, others, and themselves. I want more! Grade B+ (Viki)

29. Cheer Up: Sports, comedy, romance, mystery, suspense, coming of age, this show had everything. The female lead was the lovable, feisty, driven, and brave. The male lead was adorkable, considerate, and sweet. It’s all very enjoyable and wholesome. Grade: B+ (Viki)

30. I Am Not A Robot: Zany premise but it was surprisingly pretty grounded for how crazy the set up was. It’s funny, emotional, good story telling. Great character development. Grade: B+ (Viki)

31. See You in My 19th Life: The shared experience of watching this mystical mystery drama week to week made it a really enjoyable watch. Not sure if it was totally satisfying, or that any of the couples’ chemistry felt authentic, but it was a very interesting and creative storyline. Grade B (Netflix)

32. Summer Strike: This show made me cry a lot. It’s heartbreaking yet healing. I’m still not sure if I liked watching it or not but it was a beautiful story of found family. Grade B (Netflix).

33. Shopping King Louie: Adorable! So many light fluffy feels for this show but it does drag a bit in the second half. Grade B (Viki)

34, Fight For My Way: Such lovable leads. Love the fierce female lead and adorable himbo male lead. It’s like a coming of age story but for 30 year olds. Storyline was ok. Second couple was skippable. Grade: B (Viki)

35. What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim: More PSJ is always a good thing. This drama did all the tropes in ways that didn’t always feel fresh, but it was very romantic and hilarious. A true classic. Grade: B (Viki)

36. Touch Your Heart: If you can just stick it out through the first few very shaky episodes, you will enjoy this adorable, fluffy, series. Grade: B- (Netflix)

37. Doom at Your Service: It was sometimes real sad yet ultimately a heart warming mystical story. Grade: B- (Viki)

38. True Beauty: Fun, cute, teen drama however, it’s a little too “antsy teen” for me. Cha Eunwoo though💜 Grade: C+ (Viki)

39. Destined With You: The chemistry between the main couple was absolutely sizzling. Rowoon was both hilarious and next level adorable. However, the plot and the characterization of women occasionally made me very frustrated. Grade: C+ (Netflix).

40. Suspicious Partner: Great story, great characters, attractive actors, beautiful romance, interesting plot, sometimes funny, sometimes suspenseful, but with 40 episodes, the plot was dragged. Grade C+ (Viki)

41. Crash Landing On You: The first half is GREAT but the second half is way too melodramatic for my taste. It’s a very interesting storyline, the main couple has insane chemistry, and there are very lovable side characters. Grade: C+ (Netflix)

42. Secret Romantic Guesthouse: First few episodes were a fun scooby gang mystery, middle episodes were super boring, last 3 episodes were crazy fast paced and thrilling. It ended well- I’ll give it that. Grade: C (Viki)

43. Dear.M: It was inoffensive and decently entertaining. If you like school dramas, you’ll probably enjoy it. Grade: C (Viki).

44. A Good Day To Be A Dog: The storyline is bonkers but very intriguing. It started off so well but the storyline lost its way in the back half. But hey, Cha Eunwoo + dogs, it’s worth the watch. Grade: C (Viki).

45. Angel’s Last Mission: Love: This drama was very similar to Doom At Your Service but it was more a bit more redundant with all of the tragedy and crying. I LOVED the chemistry of the main couple but I found myself fast forwarding a lot. Grade: C- (Viki)

46. Marry My Husband: Episodes 1-11 were phenomenal. Such an interesting premise with shocking twists and turns. After episode 11 it seemed like there were new writers who had never seen the show. Very disappointing but top tier villains. Grade: C-

47. Our Beloved Summer: I LOVED V’s “Christmas Tree” OST however I struggled to keep watching. Boring storyline but great acting. Grade: D+ (Netflix)

48. Heavenly Idol: An absolute hot mess. It was completely convoluted and just low quality but I also weirdly liked it. I can’t bring myself to rank it higher because I know how bad it was but I actually enjoyed it better than many shows I ranked ahead of it. Grade: D+ (Viki)

49. My Secret Romance: The story of a total screw up female lead falling for a manipulative, gaslighting, hottie. It was problematic yet fun? So 🤷‍♀️ Grade: D+ (Netflix)

50. My Man Is Cupid: Pros: many cute dogs, sometimes those dogs wear human clothes, cute ending. Cons: Makes no sense, not much chemistry, murder plot takes up too much time. Grade D+ (Prime).

51. She Would Never Know: As handsome as Rowoon is, I found his character problematic at the beginning (no means no buddy) but he did get a lot better as the show went on. I just ended up skipping to watch just the scenes with the main couple, which made the show way more enjoyable. Grade D (Netflix)

52. My Love From the Star: I found myself fast forwarding a lot through all the parts that didn’t involve the main couple and most of the flashbacks. Grade D (Viki)

53. Goblin: The age gap is too disturbing for me, like call the police disturbing. However, the Grim Reaper who is one of the most adorable characters I’ve ever seen. Grade: D- (Viki)

54. Extra-Ordinary You: I have never felt so betrayed by a second half of a series as I did in this one. All of the character development that it seemed to be leading to was replaced by a pretty sickening codependent relationship. Grade: D- (Viki).

Currently Watching: Wedding Impossible (I think I like it)

Dramas I’m Thinking About Watching: Gaus Electronics, Bad and Crazy, Hospital Playlist, Another Miss Oh, Oh My Venus, My Roommate is Gumiho, She Was Pretty, Crash Course in Romance, Soundtrack #2, Queen of Tears

Dramas I just couldn’t Finish (I’m sorry I tried): Today’s Webtoon, Once Upon a Small Town, Love in Contract, Hotel Del Luna, Kings Affection, Record of Youth, Behind Your Touch, Sparkling Watermelon, Tale of Nine Tailed 1938, Strong Girl Nam Soon, The Story of Park’s Marriage Contract

What are your thoughts on these shows? Do you agree or disagree with my rankings? Any k-romcom recommendations that are not on the list yet?

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starillusion13 · 1 year

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Please! Listen to me

Pairing: college student! Jaehyun x college student! Reader (mention of NCT Jaemin x reader)

Genre: Angst, Romance, fluff, slice of life, university au, non-idol au, a very emotional au (read with caution) W.C : 3.5k

Warnings: Isolation, depression, past traumas, death of loved ones(major character which will really make you sad and am sorry) and Jaehyun’s dimples with his cutest smile(major warning)

Summary: “Will you listen to me?”, looking upward with a soft look on the face , eyes searching for the answers deep inside the opposite brown orbs which are staring directly to her. “You really thought I was joking back then? I meant every words honestly and trust me, you are the MOON amid my ocean of star”, confessing the heart out with a adorable smile revealing tiny dimples which causing the eyes to twitch tightly.

I recommend you to listen to ( That's okay by D.O.)

Taglist: @mymoodwriting @justhere4kpop @vvshere

Well this story was supposed to be something else but now it ended up a bit different from the original plot because I didn't feel okay with writing that plot.

I hope you kindly show some love with reblogs and likes and feedbacks are always appreciated.

*under the cut*

The streets are lonely just like the heart of yours. The street lights are not illuminating the place much as needed similarly just the way you always put up a smile on your face which is not enough to decrease the ache in your heart. ‘The people around me are so happy even if they had a rough day at least they could go back home in a relief to get back to someone’s warmth.’ They enjoy the warmth and can rely on it to ease themselves. Well unlike you who has to face a cold world when you return back to your place after a long day which you can’t even call it a ‘home’ anymore. The place which once seems a warm paradise to you is now like a cold abandoned Hell.

No one is going to listen to you anymore.

Once for you coming back home was the best thing ever you desired. Coming back to see the smile which erase your every tiredness from your body. The warm hug which made your home a paradise and then “How was your day my love?”. This was enough for you to calm down from a stressful day and forgetting all the problems in your life and just focusing on HIM.

Today is different from those days. It’s now similar to the days you are spending for last 6 months. LAST 6 MONTHS AFTER HE LEFT YOU. Now you longer want to go back home early. No longer the surroundings feel fresh and enchanting to you which once you both cherish a lot. The surroundings are to your likings full of flowering plants and open fields with some old trees which give a place a soothing and calmness. But now you feel suffocated passing through it because its no longer the same to you without him by your side. The park came into the view and a sad smile appeared on your lips oblivious to your sense. “I MISS YOU” this park is the place where you both first met and shared so many memories which you didn’t thought back then to be the sad ones later. Tears welled up in eyes but you didn’t bother to wipe them away. At least the tears were warm unlike other feelings in your life.

Standing in front of the apartment still you don’t feel like to enter into. ‘If I go back today, Will he be waiting there for me just like those days?’ But deep down you know no matter how long you wait, he wont ever come back to even if he wants to.

Unlocking the door, you are welcomed by the cold darkness of the living room. You didn’t even bother to switch on the light rather turned towards your right and entered the bedroom and switched on the bed light. You placed your bag on the study table and chose to fresh yourself to brush off your mind. It took almost 20 minutes to complete yourself drying off after the shower and plopped on the bed. You don’t know why suddenly all your past thoughts are flooding your mind today.

It was supposed to be a usual day like other but the batchmates ruined your day by telling

“You, ugly bitch is not the one to be loved you know.”

‘Yes, I know and that’s why parents left me when I was too young as well as he.’

This is the reason you felt so low with your emotions. Six months back when you finally realized that he won’t be back in your life ever, you never felt the warmth in yourself. You tried to move on, to forget about your past life but somehow you still miss him.

‘Wish you could have died in that accident too with him.’

People around made you such an emotional mess with their consolations which sometimes seemed fake to you. You tried to move to a different place and to start a life from a fresh beginning but his smile reminds you that this apartment is the only last place you can feel him. You isolated yourself from the outside world even skipped meals but you know all these could never give you anything else other depression. So without getting involve in any conversations you put up a smile every time you went out and try to keep yourself busy in your part time jobs so that you have to come back home late and keep your mind off of HIM.

Unfortunately for you, his brother JUNG JAEHYUN is in same university and some of the classes with you in your university and that’s why classmates pick on you even more.

“You, bitch look at him. How you have killed his brother and left him all alone.”

‘Really, I guess I should have died in his place at least he would not have to lose his brother.’

JUNG JAEHYUN and NA JAEMIN, they are not brothers by blood but step-brothers. They are of three years apart in age but the bonding between the brothers were beyond anyone can imagine. No one can even have a doubt that they are not real brothers. Jaehyun’s parents adopted Jaemin when the younger one’s only parent, his mom died due to a chronic illness. Since, then they are brothers and were being called JAE BROTHERS.

Starting of the university, you fell in love with Jaehyun because of his heart laugh and dimple smile with a kind gentleman personality. You didn’t tell him about your feelings scared to get rejected and then bullied by those mean classmates. You and Jaemin were in the same year and were best friends. He had a sneaky personality but a gentle one like his elder brother. Jaehyun was one year senior than you both and you all often meet in the cafeteria or in the common classes. One day Jaemin asked you about your feelings for his brother.

“Y/N, tell me honestly.”

“What?”

“Do you like Jaehyun?”

You didn’t know what to reply like if it is right to say that to him. What will happen if he tells this to his brother and then the next everybody in the college will somehow know about it.

“I don’t know….”

“Look don’t try to hide it from me at least when we are like…..best friends.”

“See I don’t-”

“You are afraid to get rejected and then bullied because of the rumours that will be spread.Right?”

“Hmm…” You no longer denied your true self in front of him when he knows you more than yourself.

“I knew it!!!” He smiled at you and added “Well I have a silly idea that we can work out and please don’t deny because to know your feelings for him, you have to do this. I know my brother very well and how much he likes you so its better I try this plan to better solve the problem between you two.”

It was a shocking news to know from him how his brother loved you every moment you three met at your usual spots but neither of you ever let the other to know about your feelings.

“I don’t trust your ideas but I give it a chance. So what’s the idea?”

Jaemin again gave you his heart smile and in return you smiled at him.

“Jaemin please come back……I can’t handle this without you….Please…..I am lost…..I don’t know what to do anymore….Should I give up?...” You glanced to the bed side table and took the phot frame in your hands and the tears rolled down your eyes. You sat up and looked at the picture. The two brothers enjoying their day for their weekends. It was the last picture he had clicked before that day. Jaehyun clicked him that picture so that he could send you.

Who thought it would be the last time. The last time to be the part of the game you both started to make Jaehyun realise his feelings which you both didn’t realise to have turned into a reality. Yes, starting the game, you both were enjoying it as best friends but eventually you both started dating officially when one day you both get to know that Jaehyun has to take over the business so parents won’t allow him to date now so that he won’t get distracted. You were heartbroken on hearing that but Jaemin was there for you.

He was always there for you. He is still there for you but just you can’t see him, touch him, feel him and say your every problem to him. There is now no one to listen to you.

The daylight is so strong for your view that you have to twitch your eyes often. You have noon classes today and you are making your way towards the building. ‘My day is no longer special without you.’ Last night you cried a lot and you don’t remember when you fell asleep but found the frame you were still holding in your grasp when you woke up. ‘I will try to be happy for you, you always wanted the best for me. And I will prove you that how a strong girl you have made me.’ Crying the whole night you realize its better to keep his soul and pay off his hard works he did for you back then. You smiled today, a genuine smile.

“Y/n?” you were lost in your thoughts and didn’t realise that someone has approached you and calling you. But the second call broke your thought.

“Jae…Jaehyun? Oh hello…I will be going to my class…Bye” you avoided his eyes and turned on your heels when he suddenly grab your upper arm and faced you towards him.

“Why?” this is the first time you both are having a conversation in six months after the incident. You ignored his gaze as much as you could because without Jaemin you didn’t have the confidence to face him and after his death, you think he will blame you for all the cause. Somehow you have felt his longing gaze always following you in class and he was upset whenever the classmates bullied you. Whenever he tried to speak, you thought he will cause more scene so you ran away.

“Why what? Leave my hand Jaehyun. I am not in a mood today to be bullied again. I came early so that I could sit in the front so that I don’t have to sit around those girls so please leave.”

He held you even tighter when you tried to wiggle out of his grasp.

“Why are you ignoring me?”

“I am not ignoring YOU but the scene you will create for blaming me for your brother’s death.”

“I don-”

“I know you will blame me for everything. It was really a stupid idea to start the game who knew the consequences would be like this.”

“Why will I blame you?”

“Because like everyone else you also think, I am not a person to be loved and I should have died that day instead of him.” You are crying mess now because standing in front of your first crush and speaking about a cursed day…..without Jaemin by your side.

“So, you really think I will blame you. Even if I should, I can’t blame you, I can’t leave you now. You are suffering like this for past six months and you think I will leave you knowing how broken you are.”

“I am okay. I know how to take care of myself…Everything is okay.”

Jaehyun tried to speak when you both heard approaching footsteps down the stairs towards the hallway so he pulled you to a nearby empty classroom which only used for some major student project works. When you both entered, he hugged you tightly seeing how badly you were crying and not even trying to control the tears.

“That’s okay. Let it out to me. Just don’t say to leave.”

“Why?” now its your time asking him the reason for being so affectionate to you because he should blame you for his death as if you both didn’t went to have the date then everything could have been fine.

“Please Y/n let me...let me hold you…I- I don’t want to lose you again…please” he is still hugging you and could feel him snuggling in the crook of your neck. You slowly picked up your right hand and patted on his back while the other hand was still crumbled on his shirt. You have stopped crying now and waiting for him to explain what does he meant now by not losing you again.

This is the first you and jaehyun are so close with each other and you could feel the heat his body was radiating.

“Jae, what do you mean? Why are you suddenly like this? I-” You broke the hug and went to nearby bench to sit on it. Shaking your head you spoke again,

“I don’t understand why are you suddenly listening to me? Why are you even speaking to me? Are you feeling pity for me? Please let me remind you I don’t need any of this. We should go in our separate path.”

“I should have listened to you before Y/n… I should have listened to him before.”

“Jae….”

“Hmm… I think I am the real stupid one here. I didn’t understand what was he trying to say to me and what was he trying to do but still chose to believe my other self that I should become an intruder in his happiness.”

Jaehyun looked at you with a sad smile but now holding an eye contact with you. You never imagined to spend such a time with him all alone without him. He is really looking so down and broken unlike the other times when you three used to meet and he would be the one to be the brightest among you three and whenever he used to laugh on his brother’s joke, your heart skips a beat. Today it’s different it’s no longer that happy meet but a sad and confused one. You thought all these months that you are the one affected by his death but what about Jaehyun. He lost the most precious part of his life, they both were not close enough with their parents and usually always stick by each other. How is he feeling all these months? How is he keeping him off of this empty space in his heart?

“That day…That day when you both returned from the club and I called Jaemin for an important purpose. I got to know about the truth between you both. Jaemin was too drunk to listen about the business stuff and suddenly he rambled on the things between you both.”

Now your full attention is on the boy standing in front of you. You never knew all these months that Jaehyun knew about your feelings for him but he knew, he knew but still he kept it hidden but why.

“ He told each and everything since the first day you both started the game and how he tried to make me jealous. But the last thing he told me really was not expected.”

“What did he say?” You are hoping to hear how he had begged his brother to understand him with false accusation or made another horrible plan one with his brother.

“He loved you but you still love me. It really used to hurt him to see the one he loves to always have feelings for someone else. He didn’t realise when playing the game when he got attracted to you. That’s why I fake a problem of my parents and business deal. I wanted him to get the happiness he deserves.”

“Why did you joke about protecting me every time I will be in need. You will never let my world to be shattered in pieces like this. You were drunk that day. It was another reason I was ignoring you all these months you know.” Tears again rolled down your eyes but now you didn’t make any sound.

“I want to listen to you Y/n. The same way Jaemin used to listen to you. I have already so many regrets within me and now losing you will add up to it” he took your hands in his and make you stand up. He gave a gentle squeeze and said “Please, Listen to me and trust me I craved to listen to your voice and you to share your problems so that you don’t have to face this harsh reality all alone.”

“Will you listen to me?”, looking upward with a soft look on the face, eyes searching for the answers deep inside the opposite brown orbs which are staring directly to her. “You really thought I was joking back then? I meant every word honestly and trust me, you are the MOON amid my ocean of stars”, confessing the heart out with an adorable smile revealing tiny dimples which causing the eyes to twitch tightly.

This smile gave you the warmth you were missing all these days, all these months. All these years you thought Jaehyun to ignore you only for his brother’s happiness. Jaehyun’s eyes are shining the same way you saw stars in Jaemin’s eyes. No matter how much Jaehyun loves you but his every move is reminding you of Jaemin. You can see yourself the brightest star in their life.

‘You were Jaemin’s sunlight who left you in the dark and now you are Jaehyun’s moonlight who will show you the light to your life again.’

“Please let me continue your life where he left it. I don’t want you to start from the beginning but to hold onto the string where he left. He was a wonderful chapter of yours and I don’t want you to forget about it. The rest will be you and mine’s chapter. Please let me hold your hand forever.”

“I don’t know Jae. I don’t know what to do anymore. What to feel anymore. Everything is shattered within me. I am barely holding within myself.”

“That’s why I want to be the support. I want to be the one you can trust upon and I want to listen to you just like the way he did. I want to be the warm place in your life. The warmth you lost the day he left us.”

“Jae……I trust you…” Just this is the only thing he wanted to listen from you. He suddenly crashed his lips on you. Your hands were in his one hand and the other one holding your neck gently. Your free fingers take hold of his shirt and squeezed it. The kiss was sudden but not rough, it was gentle and passionate and for a second you thought about kissing jaemin when he suddenly broke the kiss.

“I’m sorry….I’m really sorry…” he closed his eyes but you both were still in the same position. His forehead was resting on yours.

“That’s okay Jae. Let’s give it a chance. He did so much for us at least we could be together. All these years of my university were special because of him. He is a precise and wonderful piece of my life. But Jae, you can be the one whom I can share my memories with him. He would be happy to know that his plan worked.”

Jae hugged you again, “I’m really happy that my brother got someone like you. He deserved to be loved by someone like you. I hope you both get each other forever in your next life.”

“Let’s first continue this book. You have started my book, he had made me realize the things and to feel them in a different way and then he left. Suddenly you came into it again and promised to continue till the end.”

Both of your classes are long forgotten. You can catch up with your topics some other time but you can’t give another chance to reduce the weight of your heart like this like here and with him.

“No. He has never left us, he is always with us that’s why we are here together standing like this. We were always three and will be three until the end. His smile and his soul is always between us keeping us warm.”

“Thank You Jae.”

“I love you Y/n. I know you can’t forget him but at least we can take small steps.”

You hugged him tight and loose a bit to look into his eyes. He smiled at you and gave you a peck on lips.

“I love you.”

‘I’m sorry Jaemin but I want to continue rest of the book but remember you are still a part of it.’

You and Jaehyun finally smiled a genuine smile today in all these months. Maybe somewhere Jaemin is also smiling for you two are together now.

Your world is again warm and also you three are together.

#nct au #nct jaehyun #nct jaemin #nct fluff #jung jaehyun x reader #jaemin x reader #nct imagines #college au #fluff #angst #nct angst #a star 🌟#nct x reader #nct scenarios

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the-renaissance-men · 4 months

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This is not a rant, however …

I’m mildly irritated that Donghae’s recent drama has such poor ratings.

I know that the romance/romcom genre prevails in kdrama but not every drama has to follow that pattern.

Some dramas are very predictable, they don’t care about suspense, it’s more about the look of everything.

With the exception of Panda and Hedgehog, all of the other dramas/series Donghae participated in were not your typical kdramas. Oh Youngshim was maybe closest but since it was based on a webtoon it missed some key elements.

I think it’s safe to say that Donghae, while loving slipping into different roles, isn’t your typical male lead either. Even compared with other idols, I guess he would feel too embarrassed to act like Lee Junho in King The Land, D.O in 100 Days My Princess or even Suho in Rich Man Poor Woman (for me one of the tamest performances by an idol in a kdrama).

And I’m asking myself, is that a bad thing? Must every male lead actor be Prince Charming? Must every kdrama be a Cinderella story?

I was very excited about Donghae’s drama and counted down the days until it premiered. I have watched all 7 episodes so far. Yes, it’s true, not much is happening, yes, sometimes I wish they’d focus more on Jung Hyeon-seong and Han Seong-ok’s storyline and less on the supporting actors’s. I wish not every episode would end on a cliffhanger, but that’s how the writer thinks the story should be told. I’m hopeful that by the end everything will be revealed.

Having said that, I wish the viewers would watch the drama with an open mind and focus on what they see instead of what they want to see.

I know that drama means exaggeration, everything is either seen through rose-colored glasses or it’s the end of the world, but every now and then there’s a more realistic, more close-to-life story and it should be celebrated likewise.

That what this drama does. Showing that life is tough, relationships are tough and the dreams you had an a young adult may fade away as you grow older. There’s no glamour, no grand gestures. Sometimes it’s even plain and monotonous because that’s what life is like sometimes as well.

(Also I’m reading comments about how viewers call Donghae’s character a red flag and I don’t agree with that either. There are always two sides to a story.)

I will continue watching and hoping that the end will bring a smile to every character’s face.

And I will continue to support actor Lee Donghae in whatever role he feels comfortable slipping in 🥰

#donghae #lee donghae #donghaelee #suju donghae #super junior donghae #super junior #suju

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boysplanetrecaps · 4 months

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Build Up Ep 1, Part 1

Hello and welcome to my latest project -- recapping Build Up: Vocal Boy Survival from MNET. The show features some familiar faves from Boys Planet -- Jay, Wumuti, and Hwanhee -- as well as members of CIX, Just B, Up10tion, KNK, Newkidd, Ab6ix, Vanner, A.C.E. Fave1, BDC, IMFACT, M.O.N.T., WEi, and Pentagon. Don’t worry, it’s not Hui this time! I already wrote some posts in which I introduce you to the 40 participating contestants, divided up by their chosen category: Allround, Soul, Power, and Unique. Now, I’ll start actually recapping Episode One. Come join me, won’t you?

It's tough to find a video link for the full show, and the one that seems most stable doesn't have English subtitles, so I'm going to try my best to write the recaps in such a way that even if you can't see the show yourself, or if the feed you have doesn't have subtitles, you'll be able to understand what's going on.

We begin with a woman playing with little glowing metal bricks. You know, as you do.

Also, those ombre nails kind of slap.

The woman is our MC, Lee Dahee, who you might recognize (or might not) as one of the hosts of Road to Kingdom. I know her because she played the female second lead in one of my top five K-dramas of all time, I Can Hear Your Voice. (It’s not about singing -- it’s a courtroom drama/noona romance about telepathy and revenge. You guys, if you need a kdrama to watch, just watch this one, ok? Ok thanks.) She’s stunningly beautiful in that show.

She looks… different now, I guess I’ll say.

I wish that there wasn’t so much plastic surgery pushed in this business, because I genuinely wouldn’t recognize her, and I’ve watched that drama all the way through at least three times. Anyway.

She begins to speak, and we hear snippets of various singers as she does. The snippets that we’re hearing are the 40 brief performances that were uploaded to Youtube to tease the show.

She says, “There are various voices in this world. Unique voice: A voice that is a genre itself. Soul voice: Voice that moves people with its unique sentiment. Power voice: A voice that solidifies its presence. All ‘round voice: A voice that can harmonize with anything. When they come together and gain chemistry, a new harmony is created.”

I can’t help but think of Exo. Baekyhun has a unique voice; D.O. has a soulful voice; Chen has a powerful voice, and Suho has a sweet all ‘round voice. Hey, what do you know - the lady is right! It does create a new harmony!

She explains that they’ve gathered together 40 vocalists for this show, looking for the best combination. It’s a bit of a Queendom Puzzle vibe, but vocal based. And out of the 40, we’ll be picking four.

We hear from some of these 40 vocalists, speaking over each other, their faces hidden in shadow. We’re going to have to go with these MNET subtitles, that say things like “Catharsis is created when voices are stacked, especially when there are four.” I think it is supposed to mean, “A four part harmony can really bring out the emotions of a song.”

It’s an MNET show, so it begins with some of the contestants walking in and commenting on how big and cool the set is. They think it looks like the Colosseum, which, meh, not so much but I mean, ok.

We can’t know who they are yet. It’s dark in the studio and they can’t even see each other. They still bow and greet each other politely, chatting about how nervous and excited they are as they take their spots on their… I don’t know, transporter pads. Beam them up, Dahee!

They’re walking in in small groups, made up of members of the same “category”, and their name tags are color coded to their category: unique is green, soul is blue, power is purple, and allround is orange.

Left to right: Bain, Jay, Jung Soomin

I love this Korean thing of just shouting at each other, “You’re good looking!” Even in the dark.

Eagle eyed (and owl-eared) Boys Planet fans probably recognize this guy:

It’s Jay Chang, from Boys Planet! As I said in my other recaps, I love Jay's vocal color, which is clean and lovely, and though I think he could work on his technique, he's definitely a great singer. He also seems like basically a nice guy, though he gives off slight fuckboi vibes to me. Is it just me?

Hong Seongjun (former BDC), in the white jacket that makes him look like a waiter, recognizes his neighbor in the brown jacket as Seunghun from CIX. Hong Seongjun says, “excuse me… aren’t you from CIX?” Seunghun bows to acknowledge it, and Hong Seongjun says, “But you’re way too famous,” ie, to be on this show, and Seunghun says, “no, I’m not, I’m really not.”

Another group enters, led by a mop of light colored hair that I think belongs to Geonu, also known as Lee Geonwoo from JustB, who you may have seen on I-land.

Some more people come in, and one of the trainees -- this red haired fellow, my darling Bain -- says “oh my God! Sunbaenim!”

That hangul there says “oh my God” phonetically.

My darling Bain, also member of Just B , has recognized Jeon Woong from Ab6ix. I don't have any data on where they would have met, but they probably have a lot of friends in common at the very least. I think a lot of idols know a lot of other idols since they all train together at different agencies and go on these reality shows together all the time.

People are surprised that Woong and Seunghun are on the show, but not as surprised as they are to see Yeo One from Pentagon, who enters to the strains of Pentagon’s biggest hit, Shine. One of the other guys says, “It was so dark, but he was so handsome that I could see his silhouette.” I think the translation is a little wonky here, but I love the idea that if someone is really handsome, you can see them better in the dark.

My darling Bain says to Jay, “I’m shocked to see such big players.” Jay replies, in English, “Big time players make big time plays,” and do you see what I mean about the fuckboi-ness? Even if you like him, you have to admit that’s a bit cringey. Sigh. Jay, honey, why'ya gotta say things like that?

Jung Soomin replies, in English, “I’m a small time player. I just started!” Soomin is American, specifically from Chicago, and I guess his head was cold that day.

They’re all present now, each one standing on his own transporter pod bay. Oh, MNET.

They all applaud in excitement for the beginning of the show, and my darling Bain interviews, “Welcome to Survival!”

The lights come up in the studio and now the boys can see each other. So now it’s time for them to react to how handsome and famous they all are.

Yoon Inhwan in his gray suit interviews, “When I looked around, I thought I was in trouble. Everyone was too handsome.” Look at all the handsome fellas, including Kim Minseo, in blue, and a bunch of idols, including Seokhwa from WEi, and two members of Just B: my red-haired darling Bain, and pink-mop-headed Geonu.

Just FYI: I’m going to keep calling Bain my darling, because I listened to his stunning cover of Driver’s License by Olivia Rodrigo and now you know I still love him, baby. I talk more about it in my episode zero recap.

Hilariously, our old friend Lee Hwanhee (from Boys Planet) says he’s intimidated by the other guys. Hwanhee is always a little insecure, isn’t he? I think he’s had a lot of setbacks as an idol, and it’s wearing on him.

Neon, in green, tells his neighbor Hong Sungwon in the half gray, half white sweater that he feels defeated in terms of looks. Aww, you’re fine, Neon! I think you have a cute smile.

Seokhwa from WEi voice-overs that he’ll dominate with music, not looks, and this fellow on the left…

… says, “this is about voices, right?” He is Park Jeup, from IMFACT, who is also a solo artist. I just have to say, omg, his bow. That is a full on pussy bow, you guys. That square, lantern jaw juxtaposed against that bow is a sight to see and I am here for it. (The guy on the right, wearing the red suit, is Hyukjin, from a nugu group called Fave1.)

Everyone’s excited to hear each other’s voices.

Sunyoul (in the pink sweater) from Up10tion, same group as Hwanhee, is looking around the room and sizing up the other people, wondering if he can tell who is or isn’t a good singer based on their looks.

Then there’s a bit where a few people notice Jay. Kim Minseo, in blue, who sang Rolling in the Deep, kicks things off. He interviews that he was wondering if Jay would be there. Guess he watched Boys Planet too! Or Under 19, perhaps.

There’s this cute moment, where Hwanhee points Jay out to his neighbor, Seunghun from CIX.

Hwanhee is like, “That guy over there with his hands in his pockets? He’s really good.” I bet that Hwanhee and Seunghun have met before, since they both have been in the game for several years. Hwanhee is a year older than Seunghun and debuted around four years before him, so he's both hyung and sunbae to his nervous neighbor.

Then there’s a mini montage of them all recognizing each other -- Hyukjin noticing Jay, Hwanhee noticing Hyukjin, Bain noticing Hyukjin and pussy-bow Park Jeup. Hwanhee says that they’re “vocal monsters.” Hey, man, so are you! Where is your confidence, my friend?

But a lot of the contestants are intimidated by each other.

Suddenly…the lights go down again! And to make it even scarier, the subtitles punk out for a few minutes! This happens at about 6 minutes into the episode. So, let me give my google translate a real workout until the subtitles come back. Here we go.

A fanfare of glittering light heralds the entrance of MC Lee Dahee. The boys freak out. On screen, it says, “IS THIS TRUE?” as the trainees all stare open mouthed.

The camera does a full pan up her legs to her body, and on the Bilibili site -- now sadly denied to us all -- something in Chinese scrolls across the top, which my phone translated as “The English subtitle is so tiring.” I know that’s not quite what it meant, but I love it.

As Wumuti stares, open mouthed, it says “LIke a goddess!”

Someone says, “Is this true? Isn’t this AI?”

“She’s a celebrity!" “Wow, she’s so pretty.”

As Hyukjin -- wearing that red leather suit jacket -- looks on, it says “Angel’s Descent.”

Hwang Inhyuk in his ombre pink sweater says “It’s a good thing you came out.”

Dahwee says, “Hello!” and they all say hello back. “I will go on this journey with all of you. I am the MC, Lee Dahwee.”

On screen, as they all frantically bow, it says “Thank you very much <3 “

As our old friend Hwanhee gives the thumbs up, it says “Best MC-nim.”

I’ll give a sort of interpretation of the on-screen words’ translation since they don’t make a ton of sense. Basically, she’s telling them what’s going to happen next. There’s 40 of them and, through various musical missions, they’ll build a 4-member team. At the end, only one team will be selected to debut. This group will be an opportunity for the whole world to enjoy a kpop group with proven vocals.

Choi Suhwan in the black jacket over a white shirt and with parted bangs, says, “Ah… only 4…”

This is Bitseon (from M.O.N.T.), on the left, and Taehwan (from Vanner) on the right. One of them is voice-overing, “I’m sure there will be a big fight over the song.”

Lim Junhyeok, wearing a white hoodie that I guess he picked off the top of his laundry pile, voice overs, “there are many people who are good at singing.” Junhyeok was kicked out of Day6 after only being in it for six months -- I talk about it in my episode zero recap.

Donghun from A.C.E. is wondering what songs they’ll sing, I think. As I was writing these recaps, it was always so funny to me that Donghun is from ACE, because based on the way he’s dressed and his demeanor, he looks like he’s a detective in a noir movie who just got off shift and is about to order a whiskey at the bar. I hope you don't mind if I call him Detective Donghun in honor of that.

Dahee goes on that there are 40 participants, who chose what voice color represents them.

And right around here the subtitles come back, bless ‘em!

Yoonseo in the red and black leather jacket says, “Allround voices go well with many genres,” and we see a few of the various Allrounders.

Next, we take a look at the Soul singers:

Then the Power singers:

And finally, Unique.

The weird LED stage they're standing on turns into a pie chart showing the breakdown of the categories, and that is delightful.

Then, Dahee announces that they’re going to dive into their first major mission: Voice Check. “You’ll listen to voice files,” Dahee says, referring to the teaser songs we already heard. “If you want to build up with that voice, press the button.”

So this is a bit like the beginning of Queendom Puzzle, when the girls each performed for the others one at a time, and they all voted on whether each girl was good or not, essentially. Here, though, the boys are deciding who they want to work with in their teams of four. They’re choosing solely by the voice -- no looks, no sympathy.

It’s worth noting that them wanting to work with someone isn’t necessarily equivalent to thinking someone is good singer. They’ll be looking for people who they think their voices would harmonize well with. Regardless, Dahee explains that “the outcome of the evaluation will impact your first mission greatly, so make careful choices.”

The boys are nervous -- what if someone gets zero votes?!?

We see some staff members scurrying around giving them all some really uncomfortable looking plastic stools to perch on.

And as they’re settling in, Lim Junhyeok (former Day6) turns to his neighbor, Woong (AB6IX), and says, “Your name is Woong, right?”

“That’s right,” says Woong.

“I knew you when you were at JYP,” Junhyeok says, putting his hand on Woong’s shoulder.

Woong immediately gets really excited, jumping out of his chair. “Wait, you were at JYP?! When were you a trainee?”

“Day6,” Junhyeok says, simply.

“HYUNG!!!” Woong says, recognizing his old friend and giving him a hug.

Filmed on MNET's very finest Idaho russet.

Aww! This is exactly the stuff I watch shows like this for. FRIENDSHIP IS THE BEST SHIP, you guys.

They’re all asking each other what songs they sang, and from what we see, no one is telling anyone. Soomin, our friend from Chicago, asks Jay “Whad’ja’sing, whad’ja’sing?” They’ve got that English speaking connection. Jay, who is definitely feeling his oats, says “It’s part of the surprise.”

Meanwhile, Hwanhee cannot take his eyes off the MC, Dahee. He’s like, this show is scary and I never do well on the 8 million survival shows I keep forcing myself to go on, but this gorgeous emcee is making it all worth it. I am going to use this as an opportunity to stare at her as much as possible before an actual bodyguard appears to drag me away. She’s 38 to his 25, but I believe in the power of love, don’t you?

They’re all nervous, especially CIX's Seunghun, who busies himself staring at the floor. Yeo One voiceovers, “How many of these people will like me just from hearing my voice?” Aww. As we'll see, that is Yeo One's major storyline -- he is used to being a good looking backup dancer in Pentagon, and wants people to actually like his singing voice.

Ma Jaekyung, in his too-big-for-him gray blazer, asks KNK's Inseong if he’s nervous. CIX’s Seunghun says his heart is beating like crazy. Taewoo wonders who the first one up will be.

The first song that plays -- at least, the first song we hear play -- is V02. Jaekyung and Inseong both recognize the song immediately and look at each other and say “Baby Baby!” in unison, almost like it was an improv exercise.

Everyone recognizes the song -- we even see Dahee mouthing along -- and those of us who watched Boys Planet probably recognize the voice: Jay.

The editors do this cute thing where they superimpose the image on the floor, but I really don’t think it was shown live.

I have to wonder if Wumuti at least recognized the voice? This is his third reality show in a row with Jay! But all we see is him saying, “well done.”

Everyone seems to really like the performance. It is really good, naturally, though it wasn't completely perfect. (See my episode zero recaps for more info on what I thought of each performance. And please don’t get mad at me!) A lot of people are pressing the button to indicate that they’d like to perform with Jay. Can't blame them at all.

Hong Seongjun from BDC interviews, “He has a trendy singing style. He’d make up for what I lack.”

Everyone wants to know who the voice belongs to, but first, they’re going to reveal the votes, reveal the votes, reveal the votes, reveal the votes! The guys immediately realize that this will be their fate -- to have their vote talley revealed in front of everyone! Someone says, “oh no, this is like a public execution.”

The vote is revealed: 23 people voted that they’d like to work with V02 (Jay). Those who voted for him are surprised that only 23 voted for him out of 39, when to them, the voice seemed so good. Are people just way too strict? No.

Kang Hayoon explains that he thought about voting for the voice, because it was amazing, but he didn’t think that it would harmonize with his. (Spoiler alert: I think he's right.) I think a few others had a similar thought. I’m pretty sure if the vote was “did you like this?” everyone would get 39 out of 39. Well... most people.

Of course, this voting criteria is a bit of a problem, because the show is using this voting system as a way to rank the contestants by quality, and yet the metric they're using isn't necessarily identical to the issue of quality. I guess it's better than voting whether the person is "better" or "worse" than you, like the girls had to do on Queendom Puzzle.

Dahee reveals that the voice belonged to Jay , and Hwanhee’s neighbor, Seunghun from CIX, gestures as if to say, yep, you got that. Looks like Hwanhee at least recognized Jay’s voice!

Jay voiceovers that he was on an idol survival show (we see clips from Boys Planet) but didn’t get many chances to show his vocal skills. I mean, he did, but people just hated him for being foreign, mainly. Or for whatever random reason, IDK. Here at least people appreciate him -- his neighbors tell him he did a great job.

Next up: V16, End of the Sea by Choi Baekho, as performed by musical actor Kim Seongjeong, the one in the tan jacket and striped tie. It’s a lovely performance, if not exactly to my personal taste, and everyone immediately reacts to his deep, rich tone. It’s a “real voice” that “fills the studio.”

Seongjeong gets 25 votes, again, not an indictment one way or another on his quality.

After that deep voice and sentimental performance, everyone is really surprised when he gets up and says he’s going to dance. He dances a bit while people clap, then unexpectedly just launches himself into the air with an amazing spinning leap.

When he's done, he bows and says: “Dance, physique, and song. I’m the new actor, Kim Seongjeong.”

Dahee asks him if anyone has ever told him that he looks like well known actor Kim Woobin, and I guess I kind of see it. Seongjeong interviews, “Where do I look like him, exactly? What part of my face? My eyes? Is it because I look like a dinosaur?” and he offers us a huge grin that completely transforms his face. Aww!

What a cutey.

Ok, in honor of his jump spin, and the fact that he said he looks like a dinosaur, I’m going to call him the “leaping lizard.” But I don’t mean that in a mean way. Like I said, I think he’s got a great smile! I like him. 😀 This is just to remember who I’m talking about. Cool? Cool.

Alright, I've used up my allotment of 30 pictures, so it's time to wrap up this segment of the recap.

And just as a note, the first 30-45 minutes of one of these shows are always really, really slow going for me as I get to know who is who. I have to do research, read Korean name tags, etc, etc, and it takes forever. I'm not going to promise to catch up to the show, but I hope to at least gain on it a little.

Thanks for following me on this ride! I'll see you in the next one!

#build up #bpr recaps build up #build up mnet #ab6ix #cix #up10tion #jay chang #boys planet #Just B #knk #Pentagon

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pajarinwrites · 8 months

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EXO recs

directory | general masterlist

✨ favourites

OT9 / Multi

an adventurer's guide to romance ✨ @guardians-of-exo & @softly-savage-mint-yoongi i'm not giving up hope that they'll still post Jongin, Jongdae, and Baekhyun TT, fantasy!au, i haven't read all of them yet but yixing and yeol are so good i refuse to believe any of the others could disappoint

EXO Mall ✨ @yehet-me-up i don't know why everyone and their mother does EXO series, but i am definitely not complaining, junmyeon's was adorable, xiumin's is brilliant, i'm sure the others are just as great

EXO as Rich Kids @spacequokka EXO has more group series than every other group combined, every time i find a good fic it's part of a series like what? so far i've read jongdae's it's super cute

Xiumin

don't call it a love song (EXO mall series) ✨ @yehet-me-up 16.8k deserves it's own mention bc music nerd minseok?? rocker minseok?? bookstore owner!reader??? it's like this thing was written specifically for me, i ate this shit up it was so cute, their interactions were so cute, probably my favourite idiots2lovers ff, the snow scene, the singing scene, the dancing scene, the everything scene, minseok being a simp regularly, there is no fault in this ff, i'm gonna stop now i could keep going god help me

burning bridges @kwanisms 1.5k this hurt me, it's angst, it's not exactly happy, the synopsis tells you as much but every time i still read it and think maybe, maybe...

Suho

the meet cute (EXO mall series) @yehet-me-up 4.5k also deserves it's own mention, dilf!junmyeon??? how does writer know all of my favourite things in the world?? TT the antique store thing suits our leader so well, why is he so attractice? and his sungmin is super cute argh, i have beef with this ff because why is it so short TTTTT

Lay

you work too hard @cxsmicmyeon 0.7k just some domestic fluff with workaholic yixing, i'm projecting so hard onto this fic omg

extraordinary ✨ (an adventurer's guide to romance) @softly-savage-mint-yoongi & @guardians-of-exo 10k apothecary!yixing, yixing with glasses(!!!!!!), he's so sweet in this, they're both so cute, it's one of my favourites of the series so it deserves a special mention here

Baekhyun

inquiring minds @papermatisse 2.7k professor!baekhyun, i don't know what is up with exo-ls but y'all always find my most absolute favourite au versions for the boys like fr what's going on, anyway, this was soo freaking good! i read a professor one about woozi (svt) that was trying to do what this ff did but...., and now i get to read the concept executed perfectly, i'm screaming ugh

Chen

disclaimer: these are obviously works of fiction and they take place in non-canon universes. we all wish jongdae and his family only the best, duh. if you're uncomfortable with reading ff about him, skip ahead. me, personally, i'd like to keep a little delulu corner in my daydreams available for him <3

CEO!Jongdae ( EXO as Rich Kids series) @spacequokka 0.5k it's so short TT but it's super sweet, the last line really got me, too

Chanyeol

kissed barely awake @irregular-idol-imagines 0.6k this confused me but it was so cute and fluffy that i didn't really care tbh

the doctor will see you now @kwanisms 4.5k this was kinda unhingend, in the best way possible, that's a high compliment in this context, incubus!yeol? i didn't think i'd like that premise but i did, i loved the slight horror aspects, the ending?? and how it linked back to the beginning? borderline genius, chapeau

D.O.

spellbound ✨ @whimsical-ness 6.7k ahhh this is soooo good, their dynamic is so nice, kyungsoo is such a freakin' cutie i cannot, and the other member cameos are so fitting ugh i love this so much

but you're warm... @kwanisms 0.5k ew this is so cute, i love cuddly, clingy kyeongsoo TT

Kai

movie night @galaxybam2 0.8k reading this taught me things about myself i'd have preferred not to know. enjoy, sluts (affectionately)

Sehun

spellbound @navellera 6k this doesn't feel like 6k, it was over in the blink of an eye, one of the only sehun ff i've read so far that i could actually stand, most of them (that i've looked at so far) have really weird writing in that the author puts weird sentences in a row that feel disconnected and irrelevant to one another sometimes, this one didn't have that, also, i've been looking for some hogwarts!exo and this really scratched that itch

#rin's exo recs

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peachysooxo · 2 months

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Coming Soon

The Last Time: A Kyungsoo AU Love Story

pairing: Doh Kyungsoo x Mila Rose Doh (OFC)

genre: romance, drama

theme: angst, solo!kyungsoo, EXO!AU

tropes: marriage in trouble, right person wrong time, elopement, jealous male lead, high school sweethearts

DESCRIPTION EDITED AS OF 04/21/2024

description: Mila Rose Park always believed in love and that there was someone out there just for her. Kyungsoo Doh never imagined he would fall in love so deep with a girl that was forbidden to him: his best friend Chanyeol’s little sister.

With the two young lovers decided to risk it all and elope when they were barely old enough to drink, they thought they knew much better than every voice telling them no in their lives. Even worse, they weren’t ready to handle the attention around their marriage because of who they were: international pop stars that both just so happened to be signed to Mila’s father’s record label, SPG Entertainment.

Mila couldn’t have possibly planned her marriage falling apart, especially because of the risk it took to get married in the first place. Being 25 and on the brink of divorce changed the trajectory of Mila’s life and her belief in love. To the public, Kyungsoo and Mila were music’s it couple. Behind the scenes, they began to avoid each other as much as possible. Kyungsoo was a workaholic, closed off, and had a jealousy issue that Mila overlooked for the sake of love.

Kyungsoo can’t imagine his life without Mila, he knew his possessive and apathetic ways were a problem but never fixed the issue. Any time the divorce petitions come in, Kyungsoo would outright deny them. Mila is a bright, bubbly and gorgeous woman but so stubborn and frustrating when it came to getting what she wanted. Kyungsoo lost sight of what he loved about her in the first place. Will Kyungsoo and Mila find their way back to where they started? How did they drift so far apart in the first place? Will they ever find themselves back in love, and not fake it for the cameras?

Welcome to the Romantic Universe - A series of 4 intertwined standalone stories featuring Kyungsoo, Chanyeol, Baekhyun and Jongin. Set in both New York and Los Angeles, this is an EXO alternate universe where EXO doesn’t exist as a group, but the members are all still close friends. Everything is a work of fiction and non canon. The only characters that I own are my original characters. In no way am I suggesting that the attitudes, characteristics and personalities depicted are how I see the EXO members. It is purely a work of fiction.

THIS IS IN NO WAY SUGGESTING THAT I WANT EXO TO DISBAND OR HAVE A PARTICULAR MEMBER TO LEAVE THE GROUP! This story is a work of fiction and is meant to be in an alternate universe. I hope you enjoy!

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kpopimagi · 10 months

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A Flower Under The Rain [Part 5]

Characters: Baekhyun, Kyungsoo and Kang Gyuri (OC) Genre: Angst, Romance Au: Hanahaki!Au Type: Series Word count: 10, 205

It all began with a cough and then, a subtle sting in her chest. Kang Gyuri cried, knowing that in a matter of months, she would be another figure in the death toll of the most dangerous and cruelest outbreak in human history.

Everything was overwhelming.

Still, too out of it, Gyuri simply limited herself to letting Kyungsoo take her away from the coffee shop. As soon as she felt remotely better, he stopped a taxi before the police and agents from the National Health Service could take anyone into custody for questioning. They always did when someone died of the Hanahaki disease in a public space. Luckily, he managed to close the taxi’s door just in time the first ambulance arrived at the site.

After a silent ride with Kyungsoo, she arrived home, but the moment she closed the front door behind her and saw her parents watching television in the living room, Gyuri felt a lot better and grounded in a reality she knew was safe and secure. However, drained to even talk, let alone try to pretend she was all fine, she excused herself, saying she needed to lay down for a bit.

Although she felt like she hadn’t slept for days, something was bothering her, and taking the watch off her wrist. Gyuri realized how heavy it felt and the longer she looked at it, the more she noticed how refined and expensive it actually was. Kyungsoo must be a careful person, Gyuri decided, considering how well taken care of it was.

She flipped the watch around, and for a second, she thought her eyes were deceiving her. As exhausted as she was, her mind must’ve been playing tricks on her heart and her faith because the name she saw engraved in the back of the watch couldn't be true. That name wasn’t even real. It was only a pen name, and it was a legend. A mystery no one knew the face of. A tear fell down her cheek as her finger traced the capital that held so many of her hopes. A capital D and a capital O.

Gyuri wanted to laugh. Suddenly, his reply of being unemployed by choice seemed like the funniest yet unintentionally sarcastic joke ever. Because one of the reasons that made D.O. so mysteriously fascinating to the entire world was the fact that he never wrote a second book. That brought many to think it was all a scam, and the writer died like everyone else with the curse did.

Opening her laptop to do some research, Gyuri wondered how on earth she was supposed to start. She wouldn't be the first to try to find out his identity, but the cold watch on her hand reminded her that she had a clue that no one else might have. Gyuri simply typed D.O. watch on the search engine and hoped for the best. She could’ve never imagined getting thousands of results, and she just stared at the articles, utterly stunned. She even found the official website of the Swiss watchmaking manufacturer that made the watch that happened to be a special edition gift given to the writer as a token of their appreciation. That book was, after all, the greatest source of hope in the middle of such worldwide dispair.

Clicking faster than ever, Gyuri navigated through the website. She read the articles and then compared the watch in her hand with the one in the pictures. Her breath trembled, and her heart dropped to the floor when she saw the estimated price of the watch. She had been carrying almost 4 million dollars on her wrist, and she wasn't even aware.

Her cell phone buzzing somewhere in her room stopped her anxious train of thoughts, and when she found it, she wished she could ignore the texts on the screen but knew better than to ignore Baekhyun. Staring at the device for a while, Gyuri tried not to read too much between the lines.

Most times, Baekhyun would pick her up whenever they hung out, except for very few times when he had previous commitments before seeing her. He always made an effort. Her best friend tried to work his activities around to spend quality time with her. It was an engraved part of him and their relationship.

However, when he set a time for them to see each other at some random park, she couldn’t stop herself and feared the worst. Luckily or not so, her answer came a few seconds later in a whole minute and a half audio message, and she wasn’t entirely surprised when she listened to it.

“I was wondering if Mina can tag along tomorrow if that’s alright with you?” His voice asked with genuine and nervous hesitation. “If you don’t feel comfortable about it, don’t worry.”

Gyuri knew that the last part of his message was also honest. If she wasn’t comfortable yet, he wouldn’t force it. However, something did not feel entirely alright. Not trusting her voice enough to reply with an audio message, she replied with a simple text that she wouldn’t mind.

Taking the watch with her for safekeeping, Gyuri laid down in her bed, aware of how tired she was but at the same time, afraid of even closing her eyes. She debated if she should reach out for that one person that became a kind of a lifeline. It felt selfish of her to even bother him any further when he had done so much already, but she couldn’t help it.

Gyuri stared at his phone number, deciding if she could call him instead of sending a text. Because truth to be told, his replies so far had been extremely short. Closing her eyes, she made up her mind and pressed the button. Surprisingly, he answered the call almost right away, and greeted by his low and monotonous voice, she couldn’t bring herself to speak.

“Is everything alright?” He asked after a few seconds of silence.

“Are you free tomorrow?” She cut to the chase and facepalmed herself in embarrassment. “I’m seeing Baekhyun tomorrow and he wants to bring his girlfriend along.”

“He’s bringing her along?” He asked as if making sure he understood the situation. “Do you want me to go with you?”

“I’m so sorry,” She blabbered, suddenly mortified, “now that I think about it, it’s very silly.”

“I’ll go.”

Gyuri closed her eyes, smiling to herself at the amount of relief his short reply infused into her whole body. She had to remind her giddy mind to calm down.

“Can we see each other first?” She asked, begging the watch in her hands for him to accept.

Kyungsoo merely hummed in agreement, and somehow that simple answer made her body finally relax. Gyuri curled up in her bed, and too tired to change her clothes, she pulled the covers over herself. Once she settled between the bedsheets with the watch in one hand and her phone in the other, she couldn’t think of anything else to add to end the call.

“You must be tired.” He added after a long while as if he could read her silence, and suddenly aware of the exhaustion, she nodded even if he couldn’t see her. “Is it because of what we saw today?”

His voice was as soft as a whisper and stripped from any judgment. Although it was more than obvious he already knew the answer, Gyuri still replied with the smallest voice she could muster.

“I’m still scared.”

Kyungsoo hummed, and somehow, Gyuri didn't need more. Just by knowing that someone knew her struggle was more than enough. However, from all the responses she could expect from a conversation of that type, a sudden chuckle wasn’t one of them. Especially not from someone like him.

“I’m not good at these kinds of things,” Kyungsoo eventually said, more to himself.

Gyuri chuckled as well. It was amusing to her that he said that while he also happened to be the man that spoke to the entire world about hope. He didn’t even have to say anything comforting when she found his silence strangely reassuring.

“What do you like to do in your spare time?” She asked in a way to ease his awkwardness.

“I like to cook and watch movies.” He replied, quite animatedly, although his tone was still soft.

“What do you like to cook the most?”

Gyuri wanted to know out of genuine curiosity but it was as if that simple question turned on a chat mode on him, and she closed her eyes and smiled to herself as she basked in his voice. Especially when she asked how he prepared a particular dish and he would talk about that and all the different Korean dishes he liked. From time to time, Kyungsoo would ask if he should stop and let her sleep, but Gyuri would let out a soft sound every time to show him she was still listening, and he would start again. Eventually, his voice mellowed more and more until she couldn’t hear him anymore and fell into a peaceful slumber.

***

The dreadful day finally arrived, and there was no way Gyuri could skip it. The more she tried to come up with an excuse to cancel her weekly hangout with Baekhyun, the worse the sting in her chest got, and she realized she couldn't just lie to him without her heart twisting in response.

Despite everything, Gyuri was unexpectedly excited and even dressed up a little bit more than usual. She wore the expensive watch on her wrist and spent most of her bus ride constantly pulling the sleeve of her jacket down to cover it and overall thinking that someone was watching her and planning a whole heist to cut her arm off and steal the small fortune dangling in her tiny wrist.

Without any incidents other than her nervousness, Gyuri arrived at the coffee shop. She spotted Kyungsoo from a distance, already waiting for her, sitting at a table by the window. Ignoring the rush of giddiness and excitement she felt, she hurried inside.

As soon as she crossed the entrance, as if getting hit by a truck, Gyuri suddenly realized who she was about to meet and felt utterly unprepared. She even regretted having the book in her purse, naively thinking she could get his autograph or something of that sort. Pretending she hadn’t seen him yet, Gyuri made a beeline to the counter to order a drink.

Amid a mess of thoughts and self-awareness, she only asked for a water bottle, and her voice was caught up in a squeak when Kyungsoo himself showed up by her side. Unable to fully look at him as a sense of starstruck admiration paralyzed her body when she suddenly noticed his smart and expensive looks, the feeling of his heavy watch on her wrist, and his attentiveness even in the smallest of things. Gyuri didn’t even have the time to react when he pulled his wallet out to pay for her drink, and all the giddiness was soon replaced by remorse.

Once seated by the same window he had been waiting, she looked around, wary of everything and everyone in their near vicinity. As unsuspiciously as she could under the table, Gyuri took his watch off and slipped it across the table.

“Are you crazy?” She said, leaning over so she wouldn’t raise her voice that much, “How can you give me that so easily?”

“I get nagged if I don’t wear it often.” Kyungsoo replied with a small and amused smile as he grabbed the watch and observed it as if it was made of plastic, “I don’t really like it.”

“Still, what if I’d lost it or got it stolen?” She whispered out loud, feeling a weight over her shoulders being lifted as he put the watch on with a smirk.

The sudden confidence exuding off him caught Gyuri off guard, and she just stared at him, admiring him in a different light. For a split second, he seemed to glow in a very healthy and lively way that made her start to wonder a million things. Like, for starters, how manly and classy he actually looked without his glasses and how effortlessly handsome he was.

Gyuri also wondered how on earth she managed to become friends with one of the most famous personalities in the modern world. She even shared a freaking slice of cheesecake with him. She carried around his four million-dollar watch and was now sitting in front of him once again. Kyungsoo happened to be the only survivor of the outbreak. He was like an undefeated hero, and unable to believe her luck, she found herself speechless.

“You are him, aren’t you?” She whispered, stunned and scared and excited by his reply, “You are The Love Survivor.”

Kyungsoo lowered his head, but Gyuri didn’t miss the tiny twitch in his brows and the pout on his lips at the nickname some people had for the writer. However, and against all of her expectations, he nodded. It was a subtle nod, and in what looked like a nervous fidget, he scratched the back of his neck.

“I just wrote it down,” He said, his voice monotone as if he was talking about the forecast, “I wrote my pain and frustration down.”

Gyuri leaned back on her chair, mind blown at the confirmation, and the noise of awe and wonder that came out of her, made him look up and smile. It was such a tender and childlike expression that somehow felt like he threw a wrench into the works of her mind. He just seemed to find her reaction to the whole revelation somehow comical.

“Do you want to hear the story?” He asked as if the story of his journey to write one of the most successful books in the last decade was not that interesting.

“If you feel comfortable telling me, I would love to.” Gyuri said, trying not to sound that eager, “It’s not like we have anywhere else to go.”

Kyungsoo chuckled again, which Gyuri started to realize fit his face and tone very well. She looked at him, taking his time as he chewed on his lower lip, deep in thought.

“A friend of mine kept a close eye on me when I contracted the disease. He wanted to know how I was coping with it and I showed my diary to him.” He started, a bit too straight to her liking, “Back then, he was starting his career as an editor.”

Gyuri perked up. She instantly knew who he was talking about. The entire world knew about D.O.’s infamous editor slash manager. Some people were convinced he was the author in disguise but in every single interview, Kim Minseok was calm and collected and all dandy to deny any rumors. He was the public face of the book, and he knew how to capitalize on it with his charms and good looks.

The man was one hell of a charmer, and if she wasn’t mistaken, he was considered one of the most wanted bachelors in Seoul. Gyuri couldn’t argue with the masses; the man was genuinely pretty. He was also cute in a particular way but sweepingly and disarmingly handsome to everyone, men and women alike.

“He didn’t say anything but his eyes sparkled,” Kyungsoo kept on with his story, almost fondly at the memory. “He denies it to this day but he saw the potential.”

“That’s it?” Gyuri thought out loud before she could stop her mouth, but the twitch on the corners of Kyungsoo’s lips let her know he wasn’t offended.

“One day, I had a bad episode.” He said, crossing his arms over his chest and fixing his attention to something in the table between them. “It was so bad that it almost finished me. I was ready to give up when he just pitched me the idea of leaving a legacy behind.”

Gyuri felt small. She felt herself shrinking in her seat, and when Kyungsoo finally lifted his eyes to meet hers, she felt utterly exposed before him.

“I was running out of time,” he explained, “I knew the next coughing fit would be my last. I felt it ready to burst out of my skin so I did it. I amused him on his plan to publish my diary.”

“Is that why you don’t like it?” Gyuri wondered out loud. “Because it is your diary?”

“I never meant to stay alive and see it published.” He said, glaring at one bookshelf near them, and amongst all the books, she could see the spine of a copy of his book, “It’s my heart opened to the world.”

“If it counts,” she said, realizing she had to forget about the book in her purse for good, “I believe it’s terrific.”

“Why do you like it?” He asked instead, leaning closer to the table as if he was genuinely curious to know.

Gyuri didn’t need some time to think about it. She knew the answer just as well as she knew the story and what it made her feel. It was a no-brainer for her.

“I love,” She started, thinking of the best way to word it, “I really love the spark of hope at the end, even if it’s not clear if it is real or not.”

For a second, nothing around them mattered. All Gyuri was aware were Kyungsoo’s eyes on her. If he wanted to say anything about what she just said, he didn’t elaborate. He just stared at her face, and when such attention felt quite unbearable, and almost as if she was getting saved by the bell, she heard the soft buzz of her cell phone in her purse.

To her annoyance, they left the coffee shop to meet Baekhyun and his girlfriend in the specified place, although Gyuri felt like ditching them. Kyungsoo was far better company than them, but the sudden halt on the writer's strides made her almost bump into him. She chuckled at first, but the amusement wore off immediately when she found him facing her. Kyungsoo scratched the back of his head with one hand. His eyes fixed at some point away from her and his lips pursed in a wry face.

“About the book,” He said, his shoulders dropping, “don’t tell anyone about it.”

Kyungsoo gave her a wan smile that Gyuri didn't particularly like and then simply walked away. However, whether or not she could keep his secret safe, the thought alone of him asking for her discretion made her feel sick to her stomach. The sensation she had been pushing back since that long phone call the night before became too strong to ignore.

“I’m so sorry.” She said loud enough for the people walking around them to look at her.

Suddenly aware of the unwanted and judgy stares, Gyuri just ran up to Kyungsoo, who was looking at her, taken aback. Once she caught up with him, she recognized the uncomfortable heaviness of her actions.

“I’m sorry for taking advantage of you.” She apologized, closing her eyes in the hopes of the earth under her feet opening and swallowing her whole, “That has never been my intention.”

Gyuri heard the sound that came from him but other than that, he remained silent. When she opened one eye to see what she thought would be an upset glare, all Gyuri found was him just staring at her, and she was determined to make things right as the guilt continued to weigh her down.

“Back then, when we first met, you literally saved my life and I am grateful to the bottom of my heart.” She confessed, “But I feel like I keep taking advantage of your generosity.”

“You’re not.”

That ripped her eyes off from the round and lustrous tips of her favorite shoes. All she could see were those dark and round eyes in front of her. She kept looking at them but found nothing but understanding and an unmatched lack of prejudice in them.

“You have no obligation whatsoever to do any of this.” She added, looking around the buzzing crowd around them.

Kyungsoo opened his mouth, but that one voice that made her heart soar and ached at the same time called her name. Gyuri’s entire body snapped back to the only reality it seemed to know and that was completely and unquestionably ruled by Byun Baekhyun and his incomparable need of attention.

She turned around and cursed under her breath when she finally saw him approaching, all dressed up. Gyuri knew him well enough to know that he’d put effort into his clothes as she just gaped at him, at the well-fitted jeans, the belt, the tucked-in shirt, and the dark overcoat. This date must’ve been a special occasion for him, considering that he was even wearing dress shoes. Baekhyun didn’t do that. She could count on the fingers of one hand the number of times he wore something different than sweatpants and his ugly white shoes.

Baekhyun called her again, greeting her from afar, already raising his arms. However, his smile faltered when he saw Kyungsoo by her side just as much as her heart twisted when she saw Mina walking right behind her best friend and flashing a huge smile at her.

The sting in the middle of her chest was suddenly back. The thought alone of having Baekhyun touching her in any way made her skin crawl in anticipation but not in a good way. As if her body not only longed for him, it also reminded her of the pain and the agony, and she felt forced to step aside. Gyuri stood slightly closer to Kyungsoo to protect herself from the pain and the motion was almost unperceivable, but Baekhyun still noticed it. Gyuri couldn’t be sure what hurt her more if the frown on his handsome face or the yearning burning in her heart. Forcing a smile, she ignored it all to embrace the horrific and painful certainty that the closer she stayed to Kyungsoo, the further she kept Baekhyun away.

The introductions were brief, or at least that was how it felt to Gyuri. Like it happened when they first met at the restaurant, she barely managed to even look at Mina. She was just too pretty and too perfect, with her big eyes, perfect smile, and perfect skin that was soft and white as milk. It made sense that Baekhyun liked her. He would be an idiot if he didn’t.

“Why are there so many people?” Kyungsoo wondered out loud.

Gyuri had been so out of herself, trying her best to mute Mina’s perfect and melodic voice that she hadn’t realized that they were surrounded by people. Lots of people. She looked around, getting lost at the sea of faces passing by so fast and so unbothered that she felt the anxiousness taking over. Gyuri latched onto the closest thing she could reach, which happened to be Kyungsoo’s arm, and when she peeped at him, he looked just as clueless as she was.

“Crowds,” Gyuri said under her breath, trying her best to stay calm. “I hate crowds.”

She soon found the only logical explanation for the chattering and menacing crowd moving in every direction hanging from a tubular structure. Gyuri just couldn't believe how ridiculous the entire situation was.

“World Human Statue Festival” Gyuri read the colorful banner that welcomed them and wished she had ditched them as she wanted in the beginning. “Who thought this was a good idea?”

"I've been wanting to come," Mina added, excitedly pulling Baekhyun by the arm, "I bet you will love it!"

With a fond chuckle, Baekhyun smiled at her and complied, letting her guide him through the crowd, leaving Gyuri and Kyungsoo behind as if they didn’t even exist.

“Does it make me a mean person if I don’t want to talk to them?” Gyuri asked as she stared at her friend’s figure disappear.

A part of her strongly wanted to run after him, to keep an eye on him and make herself noticed to him. Thinking in that way was a ridiculous idea, and attempting to contain her heart, she looked at Kyungsoo, who simply shook his head in agreement to her question. Letting out a relieved sigh, she made a beeline to the entrance line for the event.

“Do you want to go somewhere else?” Kyungsoo asked, standing next to her as someone pressed a stamp on the back of their hands.

“He won’t let us,” She retorted in annoyance when they found Baekhyun laughing at something his girlfriend was telling him. “Trust me. He is that annoying.”

Although he didn’t seem to be as bothered as she felt, Kyungsoo nodded and walked silently by her side. They wandered around the park in awkward silence, following the couple that seemingly hung out as if they were alone.

Baekhyun was so absorbed by his perfect girlfriend that he didn’t notice when Gyuri and the writer fell behind and took a different path. It was only then that she started to enjoy the event. She had to swallow her pride and accept that just like Mina said, she was kind of liking the festival despite the overwhelming amount of people around them.

Every track of the park was flanked by human statues standing on wooden platforms. For the first couple of minutes, Kyungsoo and her, just admired them in silence until a random kid ran from somewhere behind them. They watched him drop a few coins in a plastic cup placed in front of the platform of one of the statues. As if it was a machine, the statue moved, and Gyuri felt Kyungsoo jolting in surprise by her side as the person in costume high-fived the kid. When she looked at the writer, his eyes were wide in awe, as a big and nice smile spread across his face.

“Do you have change?” She asked, realizing every statue had a cup for coins near their platforms and got suddenly excited to see them all move.

“We should buy something.” He suggested, already bringing a few checks out of his wallet.

“This is so exciting.” Gyuri giggled to herself when Kyungsoo strode away to the nearest food stall.

Gyuri felt her legs slowly come to a halt and her smile disappear when they found Baekhyun standing in front of a statue that twirled and motioned him to do the same. He did as told, and the statue clapped, delighted but only to show him how to twirl the girl next to him. If it was her, Gyuri would’ve stepped back almost immediately and hid behind someone. Of course, Baekhyun chose someone that played along. Mina laughed, letting Baekhyun twirl her around just like the statue wanted.

“You don’t have to torture yourself,” Kyungsoo whispered as they watched the couple smile at each other.

“It isn’t that it’s not me, don’t believe me that shallow.” She explained, trying to rub the pain off her chest as she followed Kyungsoo away from the impromptu dancing show. “I've just never seen him like this and that hurts.”

Kyungsoo simply gave her a look that felt full of empathy that managed to comfort her before he told her to wait for him on the nearest bench. Not wanting to think about anything, Gyuri followed the instructions and waited for him, fixating her eyes on the tips of her shoes.

Minutes later, Kyungsoo was back and holding a huge strawberry milkshake in his hands and Gyuri’s first reaction was to wince just to imagine the amount of sugar that thing had. She could feel her tastebuds protesting even before actually taking a sip. However, not wanting to be rude, she grabbed the drink, thanked him but hesitated for a second.

“Don’t think about it.” He said, leveling to her eye level and gently nudging the drink towards her, “You need sugar."

Unsure, Gyuri did it, bracing herself for the sugar rush to punch her in the face, but it never came. The strawberry milkshake was as bland and tasteless as water, and the more she sipped and drank, the hardest it was to believe that she couldn't taste the slightest bit of sweetness.

"It happens when you feel uncomfortable," Kyungsoo explained.

“It's like the candies," She made the observation, grasping the calmness and sense of security in his voice and knowledge.

Kyungsoo nodded, giving her a small smile but their little moment was interrupted by Mina’s voice demanding a strawberry milkshake as well as she remarked, with a sting of jealousy, of how much of a thoughtful date Kyungsoo was. Gyuri didn’t care in the slightest about Mina’s rambling. All Gyuri was aware of was Baekhyun's scowl as his eyes went from her to Kyungsoo and the fact that he was still in front of her with one knee on the ground.

Like it happened on that first time they met at the restaurant, Kyungsoo ignored the glares and without explaining himself to anyone, he held her hand securely in his and helped her up. Gyuri heard him say something, she saw his lips move and gesture somewhere but every single cell in her only registered the sound of Baekhyun’s voice, the evident pout in his face, and the confusion taking over his expression.

“...But you don’t like strawberries, Gyuri.” Her friend mumbled as they walked past them and left him at the mercy of his demanding girlfriend.

That was partially true. Gyuri didn’t eat strawberries at any given chance as they weren’t her favorite fruit, which altogether was far from her not liking them. However, Baekhyun decided that she hated them just because he had never seen her eat one. Gyuri thought about that logic and found it so dumb that her grasp around the milkshake cup tightened in a wave of annoyance she didn't know where it came from.

“We have change now.” Kyungsoo interrupted her internal rambling and showed her a handful of coins.

Forgetting about the turmoil inside her, Gyuri found herself smiling only because Kyungsoo seemed beyond excited. His big and brown eyes were wide in wonder and eagerness, and the excitement in him was so contagious that she wasn't planning on spoiling the experience for him.

“This one is from Mexico.” Gyuri read out loud as Kyungsoo admired the mariachi painted in dusted black and gold.

She dropped a few coins on the cup, except the statue didn’t move immediately as some others did. Gyuri just stared at it, hopeful that it would do something at some point, but nothing happened. Disappointed, they were about to leave when a Mexican tune started, and the statue lowered his sombrero to salute her. Then it took a proud stance, and to her absolute delight, it started dancing. She heard Kyungsoo by her side gasped in awe as the guy danced in perfect balance on such a small surface.

A couple of minutes later, the statue ended the dance with a bow and flashed a dashing smile back to Gyuri. The writer was the first to start clapping, and she followed right away, just as amazed. The mariachi winked at her, and Gyuri immediately felt her cheeks flare but not before she did the same back at him. The statue chuckled, flashing a huge, unbelievable white smile at her.

“Kyungsoo, take me away,” Gyuri mumbled, pulling his arm, “take me away before I spend all of your money on him.”

Laughing, Kyungsoo dragged her away while still slightly in a daze by the flirty mariachi and as soon as she was out of danger of falling for a stranger, he left her behind in the search for the next statue.

Still giggling to herself, Gyuri finished her milkshake and caught up with the writer, who was standing still in front of a statue. She joined him and almost let out a sound of amazement. The next statue was an old man in what looked like a wool blazer, standing next to an old accordion-style camera on a tripod. Gyuri was sure the camera was obscenely and comically huge.

Kyungsoo was the one that dropped the coins into the cup, and as expected, the statue started moving. The cameraman gushed over the writer as if he had found the most handsome man ever. Gyuri couldn’t help but giggle at the embarrassment in his face, but that only caught the statue's eyes. She instantly froze under the sudden attention and felt her heart skip a beat when the cameraman made dramatic hand movements for her to move closer to Kyungsoo.

Gyuri could feel him stand next to her, and she was too startled to do anything else but watch the statue going behind the camera and make a face at them. Kyungsoo chuckled when the cameraman made movements more vehemently for them to stand closer to each other. Between the soft chuckle that came out of Kyungsoo and the sudden chain of events, she felt her cheeks heat up when he took her hand and drew it through his arm, placing his hand on top of hers.

The statue clapped, delighted, and ran back behind the camera. Before the picture was snapped, Gyuri dared herself to look up at Kyungsoo. She found him softly smiling at the camera, and his head tilted closer to hers in a stance that felt way too intimate for the kind of relationship they had.

Ignoring the sudden thrill and warmth feeling spreading through her skin, she looked forward to the camera and smiled. She never expected a flash coming out of the camera and even less to see the statue coming over to them, handing them an actual instant picture of them together.

Kyungsoo let her keep the picture, and awkwardly, they wandered off in different directions though they kept on finding each other in the crowd. Acting as if nothing had happened, they just smiled at each other before resuming their way to admire the rest of the statues.

Eventually, Gyuri heard Kyungsoo calling her name. His voice was unexpectedly loud, and he was smiling brightly as if he had just discovered the coolest thing ever. She joined him, infected by his excitement, and once by his side, she found the statue was just as amazing as his expression. A man was riding a bicycle with a leather bag hanging crossbody over a vest, a postman worn-out hat on his head, and an envelope in his hand. Gyuri immediately knew what he was portraying.

“You should see this one,” Kyungsoo mumbled as he slipped a few coins into her hand.

With an excited nod, Gyuri dropped the coins in the cup by the wooden box, and flashing a huge smile, the statue started pedaling, reciting what sounded like a poem in a foreign language. Once done, the statue blew a whistle. To her surprise, it jumped off the bicycle to give the envelope to her as it showed a gentle smile. Kyungsoo nudged her forward, and she mirrored the smile the mailman gave her and even more when it bowed in a very theatrical manner. After that, the mailman went back to his bike, brought out another envelope of his leather bag, and froze again.

“That was so cool.” She mumbled, slightly in a daze.

“Is there anything in the envelope?” Kyungsoo asked as they walked away to another statue.

“Of course there isn’t,” Gyuri snorted, “Can you imagine how many letters he must have printed if he’s just giving them out every time someone gives him a coin?”

“It's not empty.” Kyungsoo pointed out, and Gyuri had to concede that the envelope felt thicker.

They just stood there, in the middle of the square, as Gyuri opened the envelope to find a folded piece of paper inside and her heart softened at the words written. It happened to be one of her favorite excerpts of D.O.'s book, and she couldn't help but feel strangely comforted. However, the moment Baekhyun and Mina found them, the sting in her chest twisted uncomfortably.

Gyuri shut her mouth tightly, exasperated. Not entirely sure if it was at Mina’s antics or the effects she had on Baekhyun and subsequently what his reactions did to her heart. She firmly believed Mina wasn’t ill-intended but just as smitten with Baekhyun as Baekhyun seemed to be with her, and there wasn’t much Gyuri could do about that.

As if the curse was alive and aware of her mind, something twisted in her chest when she caught Baekhyun beaming a smile at his girlfriend, completely captivated. Gyuri had to force her body to look elsewhere and walk away even if she could feel something creeping under her skin.

With tears threatening to fall, she rummaged through her purse, searching for the candies tin can and focusing on her breathing as she practically ran away from the pain. By the time she managed to get some candies into her mouth, she was coming into a pop-up gift shop and was closely followed by Kyungsoo.

She halted for a second, aware that she ran away, leaving the rest behind and that that could have made Baekhyun grow suspicious of her. Mortified of her cowardice, she evaded Kyungsoo’s eyes when he stood before her. He just observed her in silence, and without saying anything, he went further into the shop, pulling her softly by the arm.

Gyuri let the trinkets distract her, and his steady presence by her side calmed her down and gave her something to hold onto. Without realizing it, the squirming inside her heart stopped, and she found herself smiling at an absentminded Kyungsoo grabbing some cutesy turtle toys. She just observed him bringing the small toy closer to his face and glaring at the turtle as if he was in a staring contest against it. Then he placed it back on the shelf and moved on.

“For being such a best seller worldwide known author,” Gyuri pointed out, and he looked at her taken aback, “you don’t talk much.”

The reaction was immediate. Gyuri saw his cheeks rising as his ears got red, and his eyes avoided looking at her. As if wanting to hide his embarrassment from her, Kyungsoo covered his mouth, but not before Gyuri heard his muffled laugh and saw his smile.

“Cute.” She observed.

She felt unexpectedly proud of herself for bringing such a riveting expression out of him that she had to look away to calm her nerves down. Thankfully, something in the corner of her eyes caught her attention.

“I’m not cute.” He insisted, and she could see how hard he was trying to placate his smile.

“I beg to differ.” Gyuri added, “We have to commemorate this moment.”

She grabbed him by his sleeve and pulled him towards the stall that caught her attention and where a photo booth was installed. Gyuri felt his resistance almost immediately as soon as he realized where she was taking him. She kind of had to give it to him that he tried really hard to stop her. Kyungsoo came to a stop, planting his feet to the ground so that she had to grab his arm and pull him into the booth.

“Why are you making me do this?” He asked as she handed him some random props for the pictures.

“It’s fun.”

“Stop.” He insisted, grabbing her arms when she tried to put some kitty ears in his head.

“Amuse me,” She persisted, not really expecting him to cave in so easily.

Kyungsoo actually did it. He caved in, dropping his hands in defeat. He kept the kitty's ears on and faced the camera, looking positively mortified. In a blink of an eye, the machine started snapping pictures, and it was a silent shoot as they stood in different poses while the lights flashed in front of them.

Just like it happened with the first picture, they remained awkwardly quiet as they returned the props to their place. When they stepped out of the booth, it was to find Baekhyun right outside, reaching out for the pictures that slipped out of the machine. In a blast of sheer instinct, Gyuri slapped his hand away.

“They are mine.” She said.

Not strong enough to see the hurt in his eyes, she just grabbed the pictures and walked to Kyungsoo. She gave him a look to let him do the rest of the evasive maneuvers, but it didn’t exactly work as Gyuri wanted. Minutes later, they were all seated at a small table. They ordered drinks and snacks as if they all got along as the best friends Mina and Baekhyun pretended they were.

“So, what do you do?” She heard Baekhyun ask as soon as he was settled in front of him.

Gyuri went stiff in the wake of the question. She never thought about that as she was mindful of keeping the secret to herself. However, it never crossed her mind the possibility of Baekhyun asking such questions. It was harmless curiosity and normal considering the setting, but Gyuri felt uneasy nonetheless.

“Accounting,” Kyungsoo replied nonchalantly, almost ignoring Baekhyun as he busied himself with the snacks.

Gyuri stared at Kyungsoo, taken aback by his lack of excitement in his reply. She wasn’t the only one that noticed it because Baekhyun simply waited for him to say more but after a long and painful silence, an annoyed scowl deepened on his pretty face.

“That’s it?” He pressed, unconvinced.

Kyungsoo nodded and, feeling her jaw drop, Gyuri kept staring at him, shocked. He was too modest. Kyungsoo wasn’t just the best-selling author in Korea. He was still on the New York Times Best Sellers list and had been granted countless awards. There was even a heated debate on whether or not he applied to win a Pulitzer as his nationality was still unknown and some thought he was probably American due to the fighting nature of the book's protagonist. Gyuri found that rumor ridiculous but not as absurd as the one that claimed he was a runner-up for the Nobel Prize in literature. That last one sounded too crazy for her and yet, Kyungsoo showed himself a bit too modest.

With a nod, Baekhyun changed the topic. He wasn’t interested whatsoever in whatever Kyungsoo could add about the subject and shifted his attention to his girlfriend. Other than the music playing around the dining area, the silence at the table felt heavy to Gyuri until a tune she knew picked her ears.

It was one of those catchy songs that could be heard everywhere she went, and the lyrics came to her mind. She started mumbling them, swaying from one side to another as her body relaxed at the melody, and she caught herself right on time. Baekhyun was singing the lyrics to himself too, and she found herself bobbing her head along with his voice. Suddenly aware of what she was absently doing, she noticed the stillness next to her.

“I like the song.” She muttered when she found Kyungsoo staring at her.

Feeling her cheeks burning with the embarrassment of getting caught doing something so silly, Gyuri snatched a corndog from Kyungsoo's plate and stuffed her mouth with it. Baekhyun, on the other hand, pulled his phone out to shazam the song, but the music was too faint and the sound of the crowd around them too loud to get the name of it.

Silently, Kyungsoo grabbed the phone from Baekhyun's hand and walked away. He would have stood up like a sprint and gone after the writer if they weren't all so stunned to watch Kyungsoo climbing up on one of the benches. They saw him raise his arm towards the speaker, placing the phone right in front of it.

Seconds later, he was back with the artist’s album on the screen of the phone. Feeling fuzzy inside, Gyuri grabbed the device and meant to look for the song on her phone, but when she pulled it out of her pocket, she found the pictures with Kyungsoo as well.

“Thank you.” She smiled at him.

With the song completely forgotten and careful to not crumble and damage any of them, Gyuri placed both pictures over the table and the fuzziness in her chest got stronger and more pleasant.

“Can I keep one?” He asked, looking at the pictures with renewed interest.

Gyuri observed them for a split second before deciding that she wanted to keep both pictures. She had a nice couple-like snap of Kyungsoo looking like a dashing boyfriend and an overly cutesy image of the writer with cat ears and a filter of rosy cheeks, red lips, and sparkling eyes. She couldn’t get rid of any of those pictures.

Shaking her head, she grabbed both pictures and pressed them against her chest. It never crossed her mind how strange it could be to have his attention on that particular part of her body. Gyuri tried to convince herself that Kyungsoo was simply staring at the pictures in her hands. Her hands were just conveniently pressed against her chest, but nothing beyond that.

“Give them back.” He said in a serious tone that made her reconsider her decision.

“She said she will keep them,” Baekhyun added although his words were barely registered either by Kyungsoo and Gyuri as they kept glaring at each other.

“Why do you want them so much?” Gyuri asked, curious to know.

“You look pretty on them.”

Kyungsoo spoke in such an unceremonious manner that the silence that came after his answer was deafening. The fuzziness was too much to handle that Gyuri couldn't help but smile. She felt a tingle on her skin in a sensation she had never felt before. The sting in her chest shifted somehow as if it retracted and cowered at his words, and she kind of wanted to do the same out of pure giddiness.

“That was so smooth.” Mina mumbled to herself, and somehow, that managed to bring Gyuri back to her senses.

“So do you.” She retorted back, ignoring the heat she felt on her cheeks, and lifted her arm, holding the pictures far from his reach. “I’m keeping them.”

The quick motion made her gasp, and she could feel her face burning because she couldn't tell what actually startled her. She wasn't sure if it was Kyungsoo's suddenly leaning over her to grab the pictures or the hand clasped around his arm, preventing him from getting any closer. Gyuri couldn't really tell. What she could grasp was the uncomfortable silence that came afterward when they all looked at Baekhyun. They were all surprised not only at the sudden action but at the visible irritation on his face, and the tension became unbearable when Kyungsoo stared back at him, unfazed.

“Baek, I want coffee,” Mina chirped over animatedly.

If Gyuri hadn't been aware of the murderous glint in her friend's eyes, she would've found Mina's tone annoying. However, she was only trying to distract her boyfriend. Gyuri had to admire her composure because she managed to make him let the writer's arm go.

“These waffles go so well with coffee.” Mina pressed, smiling at him.

“She doesn’t like having people touching her,” Baekhyun muttered in a huff as he stood up and walked away.

Mortified, Mina apologized, forcing a smile before leaving the table as well to follow her boyfriend into the crowd and leaving Gyuri behind fully made into a nervous wreck. The silly excitement and giddiness of everything Kyungsoo did was nothing compared to what a single display of emotion from Baekhyun could do to her heart.

The sensation of the pain crept through her flesh. The pressure on her chest, and the realization that no matter how much she tried to engage with anyone else other than Baekhyun was hopeless, made it impossible for her to stay still. Just like she'd been doing lately, Gyuri ran away.

She bumped into numerous people as she tried to get some air into her lungs. Her body felt like it was about to collapse just at the memory of his angry eyes and furrowed brows, and what she needed was an isolated place to hide. She needed to find a safe place even if everything around her seemed to spin out of control.

Somehow, she found a small and dark gap between some booths, and Gyuri didn't even care to check what they were selling on each of them. She just hid there and let the darkness engulf her, but she didn't even succeed to calm down in that small hiding spot when she heard someone whine.

“Back off…” The girl warned, and as if in a sudden overdrive of adrenaline, Gyuri was ready to come out of the shadows, “You seriously need to back off. She’s clearly uncomfortable.”

The last sentence made her stop. To Gyuri's annoyance, she recognized that voice that she had to lean closer to the wall until she finally heard Baekhyun retort.

“How would you know?”

“You’re making it weird not just for her," Mina pointed out in a more mellowed tone, "but for everyone else too.”

“Are you jealous?” He asked, and Gyuri could sense the disbelief in his voice.

“Baekhyun, sweetheart, she is just as nice and adorable as you described her.” Mina explained with a soft and caring tone that made Gyuri wonder if they were talking about her. “And I’m not jealous of your friendship with her but you might be ruining her chances with your attitude.”

“What attitude?" Baekhyun shot back, confirming what she thought, "She’s the one that's acting all weird.”

Gyuri winced in pain. It wasn't even the sweet and condescending tone in Mina's voice but the fact that Baekhyun was talking about her behind her back.

"That dude is getting all handsy with her and she's letting him, and..." Baekhyun argued, his voice rising in frustration, "And she never does her nails.”

"They're dating, why wouldn't she want to look pretty?" Mina asked, and even from a distance, Gyuri could hear the amusement in her voice. “Sometimes, something as small as getting our nails done can make us feel prettier.”

“She’s already pretty.” Baekhyun retorted, and whatever Mina’s reaction was, it made her friend chuckle.

Gyuri thought she heard Baekhyun whisper something that had his girlfriend giggling in response, and she knew that was her cue to leave. She stepped out to the light, and afraid to even look around and find him doing something that might hurt her more, she went back to the food court where Kyungsoo was patiently waiting for her.

“What happened?” The writer asked.

“I heard them.” She gasped, collapsing in the chair next to him and realizing until then that she was on the brink of hyperventilating.

“Breathe.” He whispered, his hand softly rubbing slow and soothing circles against her back. “Focus on opening your lungs.”

She had been too upset and shaken to even think to try. However, her body seemed to listen to Kyungsoo well and without any resistance. Gyuri managed to calm down with the help of his gentle hands, his soft voice reminding her to breathe, and his overall, soothing presence. In a matter of minutes, she could finally take a deep breath that filled her lungs with something close to relief.

Her efforts were in vain though. Baekhyun and Mina were back, both of them looking at her and Kyungsoo as if they had grown a second head. Mina with curiosity and a hint of mischief, and Baekhyun, well, he was just bluntly glaring at the writer.

After that, everything went downhill for Gyuri. Mina insisted on walking down a trail of lights and flowers that apparently, was the must-look spot to get beautiful couple pictures to post on social media. All Gyuri wanted was to stay away from Baekhyun. She desperately wanted to alleviate the sting deep in her chest and breathe normally but she found herself witnessing the owner of her heart holding someone else's hand.

"Kyungsoo, I can't do this," was all Gyuri could mumble before the ground under her feet moved, "I can't breathe."

Something was bubbling up in her chest, coming slowly up her throat. Terrified to start throwing up flower petals in public and especially in front of Baekhyun, Gyuri turned around and got away from there with Kyungsoo's help.

“Where’s your watch?” He asked as soon as they found refuge on a nearby bench.

Gyuri desperately fumbled through her purse, but her hands were shaking too much. She could barely keep the watch in her hands without it slipping through her fingers that Kyungsoo had to help her put it on as fast as possible.

“You have tools,” He said, firmly, looking straight into her eyes and squeezing the hand she had over her watch, “and you know how to yield it, remember that.”

It was harder said than done. Gyuri understood what Kyungsoo said, and she meant to do as told but whatever was boiling inside her body had utter control of her. In a blink of an eye, some overpowering predilection compelled her to do the opposite. She looked aside to see where Baekhyun was and what he was doing, but Kyungsoo was fast enough to stop her. His hand cupped her face and, as gently as ever, turned it back to him.

"I can't hold it anymore, Kyungsoo," Gyuri stuttered, feeling her eyes watering because of the familiar itchiness in the back of her throat. "He will see it."

“You can cry if you need it.” He added, quite tenderly, and Gyuri almost fell for that.

“No, he will notice it.” She begged. ”I can’t let him see it.”

“I won’t let him see you like that," Kyungsoo reassured her, bringing her closer to hide her face from Baekhyun, “I promise.”

Shaking her head and refusing to let her body take over, Gyuri sat up straight, swallowing the pain down. If she let it happen, even if it was just tearing up, she would never stop. She couldn’t let Baekhyun see her struggling. One single tear would send him fussing over her, thinking that Kyungsoo did something to hurt her.

Gyuri opened her hand, and Kyungsoo poured a handful of candies, which she instantly threw into her mouth. Just like that, with the faint relief those candies brought, she focused everything on her to calm down until Baekhyun and Mina found them. Unable to look at her best friend, Gyuri stared at Mina instead, only to notice that she was possessively holding onto his arm.

“Are you alright?” The girl asked, genuinely concerned.

“I’m just tired.” She replied, trying her hardest to smile.

“I think we’re calling it a night,” Kyungsoo added, standing up.

Just then, Gyuri felt his absence. She stared at his back, realizing how close he had been. How firm his arm had been around her shoulders. She was so immersed in her breathing, commanding her mind to take charge and numb her heart that she hadn’t realized that Kyungsoo never let her go. It was then that she missed the warmth of his hand on her cheeks and the safety of his caring presence so overwhelmingly close to her.

Embarrassed in a way, although Gyuri couldn’t tell why, but she avoided her friend and followed Kyungsoo down the path to the exit. As she left the couple behind, she suddenly heard Baekhyun come to life, whining. Mina told him to calm down and knowing that whatever expression he had on his face would destroy all the self-control she had so hard to get, Gyuri covered her ears and caught up with the writer.

“I want to go home.” She mumbled, throwing the last couple of candies left on the tin can. “I’m losing it.”

Kyungsoo only nodded and kept walking, pointing to somewhere far away from where they were, but once again, Gyuri heard Baekhyun behind her, calling her. She had to close her eyes at the sound of his voice saying her name with such urgency. However, her good manners got the best of her, and they had to stop their escape.

“We were thinking about getting something to eat after this,” Mina said, smiling through and through, seemingly excited. “Like a true double date.”

“Gyuri needs to be home,” Kyungsoo explained, as calm and polite as possible.

“Did something happen?” Baekhyun asked directly to her, and the only thing Gyuri could do was to shake her head. “We can drop you off.”

“I’m taking her back home,” Kyungsoo added, and the surprised gasp Baekhyun let out finally made her look at him.

The itchiness came back in a rush, although her heart swooned at the severity of his expression. He didn’t look that happy. While Baekhyun could lose his temper easily in a childish way, sometimes, he knew how to control himself. She could see the genuine annoyance in the tiny yet unmistakable frown on his face as his eyes glared at the man standing next to her but whatever he was thinking, he let it slide.

“Hey, are you sure about this?” He asked her, once again as if he was giving her another chance to make the right choice. “Your house is on my way.”

“It’s fine.”

That was all Gyuri could say before her throat closed up. She forced a small smile through the pain and waved a hand to Mina, just to not come off as rude even if she didn't want to, and then followed Kyungsoo down the street.

Still in a daze, coughing and feeling lightheaded, Gyuri came to her senses once inside Kyungsoo’s car. For how long did they walk? She didn’t know. Gyuri couldn’t even tell how she got inside the car or how long Kyungsoo had been driving in silence. It took her a couple of seconds to gather her bearings and recognize where they were at that moment. As if knowing her surroundings was some sort of relief, the coughing fit was over, and she felt her windpipe open. Finally able to let out a big sigh, she closed her eyes, exhausted.

“That was taxing, even for me.” Kyungsoo added after a while and rubbed his hands over his eyes as they waited during a red light, “Are you alright?”

“I’m sorry.” She pouted, finally having a clear mind to think, “You know, Baekhyun isn’t that much of an asshole, normally or like, most of the time and...”

“Don’t...” Kyungsoo interrupted her, his voice still leveled and relaxed, “It is not you who has to apologize.”

“But you don’t know him.” Gyuri defended her friend.

Uncomfortable with the way the writer could disregard what she had to say, Gyuri couldn't stop the harsh tone in her words. The annoyance bubbled inside her just to look at his stupid, calmed face and his unfazed attitude, and she was ready to throw hands at him, figurately. The writer beat her on that.

“No matter how much you love him.” Kyungsoo replied, “But Your unconditional affection for him doesn’t give him any right for you to apologize for his faults.”

Gyuri felt her face burning and her blood boiling. She wanted to curse at him. She needed to raise her voice and prove why he was wrong in his assumptions. She desperately wanted to say so many things, and yet, her eyes stung with tears. Just as fast as her anger flared, she recognized that that kind of feeling scared her. It annoyed her that she could get bothered by something so little and insignificant. Annoyed with herself, she just crossed her arms and looked out of the window, ignoring his annoying and calm poise until they arrived at her place.

Silently and still upset, Gyuri meant to get out of the car as fast as she could but when she was about to open the door, Kyungsoo called her with the softest and most tender voice she’d ever heard.

“Just cry it out.” He said, looking at her, and she noticed that despite the stuffing silence that almost drowned her, the look in his eyes was still gentle.

“Why do you always tell me to let it go and cry?” She asked, halting for a moment, “I’d assume that fighting back a disease meant, well, fight it back.”

Gyuri saw the change in his features. The gentleness faded away, and his face gave her nothing. He just stared at her. He blinked a couple of times but other than that, he was just so hard to read that she had to wait for him to explain himself.

“Resisting only makes the roots find a weaker spot,” He explained, after a while, “It will kill you faster.”

The last sentence was merely a whisper, and Gyuri couldn’t help it. The anger was all gone and forgotten and replaced by the very same fear that had been haunting her since the day she found out she contracted the curse. She wanted to cry and bawl her eyes out so she could just get rid of the horror once and for all.

“Yeah, that makes sense." Gyuri hesitated to say before opening the door, and moved by a sudden wave of regret, she brought the pictures out of her pocket and left them in the cupholder between them, "Good night."

#EXO #AFUTR #Baekhyun #Kyungsoo #EXO Fanfic #EXO Fanfiction #Hanahaki #Hanahaki Disease #Angst #Romance #Fanfic #Fanfiction

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iinterludia · 2 months

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Doh Kyungsoo e o Alto Rei Elfo

Sinopse: Após um acidente que o dispensou do exército, Kyungsoo decide recomeçar sua vida em outro país, buscando escapar de seu passado e encontrar alguma normalidade. No entanto, sua rotina é abruptamente interrompida quando ele se depara com um homem misterioso, alto e vestido de maneira estranha, que o observa intensamente antes de desmaiar. Chanyeol, o rei elfo, foi transportado para um mundo diferente do seu durante um ataque ao seu reino. E após 600 anos de busca, finalmente reencontra Kyungsoo. Sem saber como retornar ao seu reino, Chanyeol é acolhido pelo ex-militar, mesmo este duvidando da sanidade do rei elfo. Kyungsoo, surpreendentemente, se sente bem ao lado dele e aquele vazio que ele sempre sentiu, estranhamente diminui. Por estar em um lugar onde a natureza élfica nunca existiu, o rei corre perigo, por isso Kyungsoo precisa decidir entre cortar a comunicação com a realeza élfica e deixá-lo ir, ou embarcar junto para a Terra média sem a possibilidade de voltar para sua casa.

TÍTULO: Doh Kyungsoo e o Alto Rei Elfo AUTOR(ES): Interludia CATEGORIA:EXO COUPLE: CHANSOO (CHANYEOL & KYUNGSOO) GÊNERO: ROMANCE, FANTASIA TAGS: chansoo, soulmates, elfos, terra média ONDE LER: Spirit Fanfiction ◈ AO3 ◈ Wattpad ◈ +Fiction ◈ Nyah Fanfiction

Oiê, o post de hoje é uma divulgação! Yaay!

Como puderam ver pela capa, sinopse e detalhes da fic, essa chansoo lindinha é minha baby de reestreia depois de 12 anos sem escrever uma fic.

A verdade, maninhos, é que eu tenho uns plots e outros que vão surgindo do nada. Às vezes fico pensando se o que vem na minha cabeça já não é uma das fics que eu li e acho que é um plot novo kk.

Vamos ao que interessa:

Doh Kyungsoo e o Alto Rei Elfo, apelidado carinhosamente de DKARE, conta a história de como o rei elfo, Chanyeol, reencontra seu amado após 600 anos. Adivinha quem é o mô dele? Isso mesmo, o ex-piloto da aeronáutica, Doh Kyungsoo.

Mas como eles se reencontram se eles fazem parte de diferentes mundos? Kyungsoo vive sua pacata vida com uma estranha e interminável sensação de vazio e Chanyeol detém o título de maior autoridade élfica na Terra Média, mas está definhando de tristeza, qual a probabilidade de Kyungsoo ser a pessoa que Chanyeol procura? E qual a probabilidade do Kyung acreditar no cara maluco que apareceu no seu terreno às seis da manhã?

Para os amantes de EXO e do Universo Tolkien, descubra acompanhando DKARE, toda quarta-feira nas seguintes plataformas de fanfics:

Spirit Fanfiction ◈ AO3 ◈ Wattpad ◈ +Fiction ◈ Nyah Fanfiction

Sim, eu joguei em todos os lugares que eu tinha conta.

XOXO, Interludia.

#iinterludia #interludia #fanfic #romance #exo #d.o #chanyeol #park chanyeol #do kyungsoo #doh kyungsoo #love story #soulmates #chansoo #tolkien #middle earth #tolkien elves #elfos #fantasia #fantasy

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blueberryjam1201 · 5 months

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Unexpected

Chapter 7

Genre: Drama, Romance

"The part of my personality I hate the most is ...

I can't be apathetic,

I can't do things halfway...

that comes also to the love.

I wasn't aware of it until I met her, YiSeul.

I was naive to truly believe this would last forever.

I gave her my everything... ah...how can I get out from this void?"

The thunder fell silent as the morning sun has risen. The swang in the wind grass hummed the melody. A lullaby for a still sleeping souls. The doors weren't locked. In the kitchen and sitting room, only silence breathed, distracting attention from the sadness which was still lying on the floor together with scattered chips, food and a broken bottle...

Whiskey bottle...

His legs were hanging helplessly from the couch, and his arms were covering his face. That's where Kyungsoo fell asleep...there was no point in going upstairs. The bedding in the bedroom was reminding of her too much... Every corner in this house did.The void in his head created in the last few hours was keeping him sane, and at the same time cutting off the reality supply.

He moved one arm off his face, staying still in the same position. Dark circles under his wide-open eyes were telling about every second of the heartbreaking story he experienced. Red and swollen eyes were shouting about the litres of tears shedded.

...the scattered chips on the floor. Hopefully, he hadn't damaged the TV... Wet stain after throwing the glass with orange juice...it's probably sticky...needs to be washed properly... white food containers after take away were lying near the couch on the left side...oh...the pieces of food were still inside. Now they are covering part of the white carpet...it needs to be washed too...

He rose from the couch and moved slowly to the kitchen. The feeling of hangover was painted on his face, even though he wasn't drinking much. That was more of the damage made by overwhelming emotions. The silence wasn't only outside. The void created in his head was blocking any sounds from outside. There was no recollection or planning for the upcoming few minutes. Just silence. No existing thoughts.

His weak hands opened the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water just at the bottom. Then, after opening it and taking a sip he moved to the stairs. Climbing up was for some reason more difficult than usual. Every step seemed higher.

After reaching the top he moved to his bedroom on the left.

This corridor had two doors on the left wall leading to the bedroom and bathroom, and two on the right, a small recording mini studio and storage room. However, on that side in the middle was another corridor leading to another room. That was his library, office room or just a place dedicated to work. He opened the bedroom doors and walked inside. It was perfectly tidied, with no sign of the war. Still no sound in this void. Just an image of the white, printed bed cover. How many times has he confessed to her here? How many times did he touch her naked arms from behind to fall asleep while feeling her presence? Lost in the memories, he stood in silence for a few minutes.

Suddenly the phone started ringing in his pocket. No need to check who is calling. He ran to the bed, ripped the sheets off and threw them on the floor. Stripped the pillow case and duvet cover, ran to the wardrobe under the right wall, grabbed all the rest of the sheets from it, then ran to the stairs and threw it at the bottom... It gave him a little ease. Breathing heavily he was looking down on the abandoned sheets, and slowly the hate start to blooming in his mind.

It was a chaos in his void... It wasn't a void anymore, this became a prison. Cube filled with display screens playing that scene from the night before on loop, and many other scenes from their last year's history. Everything was becoming so clear now. He was naive. He was too absorbed by work and love he felt, that in his mind there was no possibility of doubting her. If not for her, he would probably live for work only anyway...

He moved to the storage room at the end on the left side of the stairs. This was just a simple small room, with white walls and wooden panels covering the floor. Two wardrobes on the left side, a shelving unit on the right and then a wooded glass door cabinet. Many pictures were standing behind the glass, his family, friends and ...YiSeul.

The one he was looking at was a simple couple picture... Was it? She was standing next to him in a summer dress, decorated with painted flowers, holding a small shopping bag in one hand while the other was grabbing his t-shirt sleeve for some reason. He was standing next to her...he just realised he never grabbed her hand. They never held hands randomly...

She was happy about the present. He bought an iPhone, the new model back then, with headphones on Bluetooth, and took her to the cinema to watch Pixar's new animation. She enjoyed it! ...or that's what he thought back then... he won't believe in anything anymore....

He opened the glass and grabbed all the pictures with her, then walked out of the room.

"Your hand was always near mine, I could grab it anytime... ...ah..." he looked at the floor while the teardrops appeared in his eyes corners. Then he thought:

"The sand, Collapsing under our wet steps, The long empty street...

....we didn't care about hurting our feet while running barefoot..." he suddenly took out the phone from his pocket and pressed record. There was a spark in his eyes for a second. The inspiration gave him an ease, idea for a song... He repeated everything and then added:

"The taste of this drink was different with you, I could drink from your lips until I fell..." he gritted his teeth due to sudden waves of sadness which came back again. He froze in one place and closed his eyes: "Because... I was certain... you would be there... Next to me in the morning..." He bent his back and kneeled on the floor while crying. The strong heart has broken...

That was the moment which he couldn't fight anymore... He wiped the tears, stood up and with still clenched teeth threw the picture he was looking at before to the wall, and the rest of them just over the stairs railing...

"I was certain you would be there... How naive was that..." whispered after the screams in the void had passed...

Later, he cleaned up all the mess downstairs and sat on the couch looking at the switched-off TV. The phone start to vibrate, that was Chanyeol. He looked at the screen, but there was no point in answering...he didn't want to speak or see anybody... Suddenly, the intercom bell rang. He rose and moved to the front doors.

"Hi, it's food delivery" he head after pressing the voice button. He then went outside to collect the food. It was raining...

He brought the takeaway inside, grabbed chopsticks and sat down on a couch to eat akisoba, the food he ordered. It was tasty, and the flavour wasn't as much as he expected, but considering he still hadn't eaten anything, hunger made him eat anything.

"You told me you hate akisoba" He suddenly heard her voice in his head, like in a dream, or reality if she'd be there.He stopped... Looked at the half-eaten food, left chopsticks next to it and stayed like this in silence.

"I never said I don't like it, there was always something more interesting on the menu..." he squeezed his head with his hands as if he wanted it to burst. Then grabbed food and hurried to the kitchen's bin to throw it away. Then he brought a big box from the small toilet behind the kitchen and boxed up all the items he had thrown over the stairs railing. Then, while holding the box he rushed to the door and when he was about to press the handle... He slowly backed up, turned to his coat hanging on the rack and put his left hand in the pocket. He took out a small box... That was an engagement ring he bought when he was on a trip... He planned to propose yesterday... Slowly he put it inside the box with all the sheets and the walked outside.

His household waste bins were standing in the garden next to a dumpster. It's not usual to keep a dumpster on house properties, but it was here already when he moved in, and it's useful so he kept it for large rubbish like equipment or furniture. He opened the dumpster and threw the box with the abandoned items. Then stand again in silence . Gazing and the dumpster without any move. Even his breathing has stopped...then the fire exploded inside, embracing the dumpster and creating a dark fog. Small burned pieces were flying around him, floating in the wind, touching his faces naked skin...but he hadn't felt anything... the void was still silent...

*bzzzz bzzz* the phone in his pocket rang. That woke him up from the nightmare which seemed to bring him a little piece of joy. The dumpster was still there, and the non-existing fire disappeared. He grabbed his phone without even looking at the screen, his gaze was still stuck in one place.

"Kyungsoo-yah, what's up? Why not answering my calls?" That was Chanyeol Kyungsoo needed a few seconds to sober.

"Chanyeol-ah..." he whispered

"What's up? Did you just woke up?"

"...YiSeul..."

"We need to get ready, the date is set up for next two weeks. Kim's going mad..."

"YiSeul..." Kyungsoo had to rise his voice slightly to interrupt his friend in full of excitement speech "YiSeul is gone...."

"No man, that's not good. Is it?"

"She left yesterday..."

"But why? Do you want to talk about it?" Kyungsoo lowered his head and grit his teeth, fighting with himself to not break apart. He sobered...

"Kyungsoo-yah, are you coming to work tomorrow?"

It took him few seconds to catch a breath between sobbing and holding and breath to not make any sounds.

"Tell them I feel ill...Chanyeol..." that was the moment when the tears fallen down and he couldn't hold it inside anymore. He crouched holding his stomach. "I don't know what should I do now...she said things I don't understand..." this time sobbing was more aggressive, he wanted to shout, to punch anything standing in his way..."She came back to her ex, never loved me. I was just a substitute...a support in her loneliness..."

"Kyungsoo, you need a break. I'll come by tomorrow...no, tomorrow work...I'll be there in the evening, ok? I'll definitely come..."

"No..."

"...you don't want to see anybody?"

"..."

This few seconds of silence was deafening.

"I understand, give me a call if you need anything. I'll speak with them tomorrow, so no worries. Take your time...see you" He hang up leaving Kyugsoo alone as he was told. On this dark evening, in the pitched black garden, still crouching.

Crying of sorrow...

He woke up in the morning on a bare mattress in the bedroom. In clothes. His mind was still in the void he created, hopefully any memories dissapeared.

He went to the toilet to take a shower, then grabbed a protein baton. No need for a breakfast, even though he is not going to work. His stomach wasn't feeling the hunger or any other need. He grabbed water and after getting dressed in a blue hooded tracksuit with white strips on side, he gone outside. The tracksuit hoodie was covering his head, he didn't want to show his face, nor looking at other people. Using a car was a first thought. His main point of going outside was to buy a new bedding and grocery. However, after grabbing the car doors handle, he changed his mind. He is not fully well to drive, his state of mind is not fully sane to do it, and a walk can help him collect his thoughts.

In the city center he made all the shopping as planned. The main street near his house seemed to calm him down. It's not center anymore, but all the most important shops are here...and life. Crowds of people, individuals, couples or families, all the residents are living their own life.

On This long street was a barber and next to it regular hairdresser, which looked like for women only. Funny how both of them were owned by a couple. Next, accountancy private office, a bar usually crowded by football fans, watching the match and making sure to let all the neighbours know about it. Then corner shop with limited grocery, random items and magazines. The Alley leading down to KyungSoo's place. Pharmacy. And so on... On the other side of the road, the one Kyungsoo was walking, there was a large shop dedicated for kids, electronic devices repair, jewellery shop where, except buying jewellery customers could use other jewellers services. And then KyungSoo's favourite florist's. He will look at the name today, it was bothering him for long time.

"I like this place, can't imagine to live somewhere else" the thought "Atmosphere here is like at home. We all know each other even if we never talked. All the shops were here from when I remember, it would be sad if any of them would disappear...I never showed this to YiSeul...she was always coming straight to my house, or meet in the city center...have I ever been walking with her on this street? Ah..for some reason being here is giving me a peace of mind. I should have walk more, not using car all the.." *BUM*

He jumped on side, barely stayed on his feed. Someone just bumped into him, so he impatiently start searching for the culprit...and opened eyes widely.

"I'm sorry, I'm in a hurry...woow!" This voice! It was her! The girl from the airport!

"How...how is that possible!?" They both shouted at once. She started to laugh, even though he was speechless and still tried to comprehend who is he looking at.

" Are you from here? That's unbelievable! I mean...meeting you!" She said while grabbing the sleeve of his tracksuit. "I really need to go, I hope we will meet again!" She shouted while already running forward " See you, hopefully soon!" And dissapeared...

He needed few more seconds to understand. How is this wicked girl here? He didn't even realised that left corner of his lips has raised. He smiled...? First time from two days...

He turned around and crossed the street, but after reaching other side he turned around to finally check the flower shop's name.

ROSE

...

"This is insane" he thought, and while again his one corner of lips raised slightly showing amusement, he walked down the alley leading to his house.

Back at home, he was using a new bedding sets to cover the sheets. Phone was lying on the table under the window. Vibrating. For long time. He picked it up after finishing.

11 missed calls.

Suddenly, it started to ring again. It was Kim. Kyungsoo haven't felt anything, no panic, nor fear, even though he very much knew what he will hear. He answered...

"Doh Kyungsoo, have you filled the sick leave form?"

...

"For what?"

"Exactly, I don't care about your personal life, and you shouldn't mix it with work too. Your job is important for the company, and if we won't have everything fully prepared before the event I will make sure that was Your last time. You were lucky back then, but..."

("Yeol is talking too much" he thought)

...

"That was many years ago, I always wanted to ask you, are you resending me for staying?" Kyungsoo asked. Silence...

Kim moved on his chair what was head in the mobiles speaker.

" You were THE child, and the reason why I'm mentioning it is because you are again using your personal problems"

"I believe that is a different situation, and I will be back to work...just..need few more da..."

"You need to come to work tomorrow, I don't care how heartbroken you are. I'm hanging up" and so he did...

The void suddenly became loud again. The screens showed moments of fear...when he wanted to hide, when he was running away. When he saw the thousands of eyes, heard the laughs. He covered his ears and crunched.

Suddenly the phone vibrated again, but it wasn't a call, just a text message. He slowly sat down on a bed and looked at the screen.

Message from unknown number...

"Was is Kyunggu or Kyungchu?"

Surprised, he looked up on a different messages from this number as a part of investigation, who is it?

"Do you have my suitcase?!"

Then he messed up his bangs by hand and made irritated facial expression. "It's her..."

The phone buzzed again, so he quickly looked at the screen.

"My real name is Go YoonJung, save it!"

His eyes widened suddenly.

"YoonJung?....why does it sound so familar...?"