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#americans always get it wrong BUT THEY GOT HOBIE RIGHT

zxmickeyzx · 9 months

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Mumbattan Cafe Ch.2

Barista! Pavitr x Artist! Miles

Miles came into the cafe for some chai tea, to see his friend Gwen on her shift and make some art while relaxing in the cafe. Instead he got some Barista who looked very annoyed when he tried to order and then became very passionate about ranting to him about how people say chai tea instead of just saying chai. Miles didn't mind him lecturing him on it though.

At least it was from someone so cute.

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Pavitr was having an okay morning. Usually he had more energy in the mornings being the morning person that he is. The sun always felt like a blessing on his skin. And usually His body was ready to jump out of bed. Most of the time he looked forward to the day.

But today, everything ached.

Last night he decided to help his best friend Hobie lift his equipment so that his band would be ready to play at a new club that contracted him temporarily for the next few days.

So he came home very late last night. He got an earful from his Auntie Maya. As her only Nephew, she is very protective of him.

As he slowly slumped outta bed, he dragged himself to the bathroom. Looking into the mirror, he saw the bags under his eyes from having less sleep than usual. He didn't look or feel like his usual self but he knows he needs to push through and help his Auntie Maya at her cafe. They lived right above the cafe which was very convenient.

He opened the water in the sink and splashed some cold water on his face to wake himself up before starting to brush his teeth. He then started to finger brush his hair a bit and put some coconut oil in his hair.

He takes a deep breath before putting on a smile to start out the day.

‘Yeah lets try to have a good day’ He thinks to himself.

He put on a plain white t-shirt tucked into some black slacks. His typical outfit for going to work.

He starts to walk out to the kitchen and sees his Auntie had already started brewing some chai for him to start his morning with some Ajwain Paratha to start off light for the day.

“Good Morning my Shona.” His Auntie Maya greets him, handing him his cup of chai

“Good morning!” Pavitr greets back with a smile.

They both walk to the table where they start to drink and enjoy each other's presence.

“Pavitr, I need to go get some groceries today, so can you be in charge this morning for a bit? I realized we are running low on some food.” His aunt sips her chai a bit before taking out a grocery magazine. “There are some deals I want to get before they are sold out. Do you think you’ll be able to handle the cafe for a bit?”

Pavitr takes a sip of his chai before answering.

“Of course I can handle it! I’ve done it before!” He gives her a reassuring smile.

His aunt chuckles. “I know you can, but I will be gone for an indefinite amount of time not just an hour but I should be back before 3 o’ clock.” She pauses a bit. “But Pavitr, my Shona.”

“Yes?”

“Please, try not to get upset with people saying chai the wrong way. They can't help it, they are ordering the American way. They don’t know better.” She shakes her head to sip her tea again. “Just give them your best customer smile and don't worry about them.”

Pavitr frowns a bit. How will they learn the right way if he doesn’t try to correct them? And hearing people say tea tea was rather annoying.

“Okay..” He agrees reluctantly, looking down at his cup.

“Pavitr! I am serious, we can’t have people not coming back because they come to relax and have our products. Not a lecture.” She gives him a stern look before sighing. “Maybe I should put Gayatri in charge and you can come with me to the supermarket instead”

Pavitr’s eyes widened. “No! I can handle it. I swear I won't lecture one single customer, promise!” He didn't want to deal with going to the grocery store. It just gets boring at times and he ends up wasting the whole day there between his Auntie Maya catching up with her friends, and over analyzing every single product, he would go crazy.

“Alright, you better keep that promise. Gayatri will tell me if you don't keep it. She will be on shift along with the recent hire, Gwen.”

He pouted a bit. “I don't need to be watched. '' he mumbles.

At least he was working with Gayatri, and Gwen, he liked being on shift with both of them. Sometimes his friend Hobie would stop by and even help around if he had the time. Gwen just finished all her barista training last week, and is officially working on the floor. She was really cool and he had a lot of fun getting to know her for the past 3 weeks. It turned out she knew Hobie too! The two of them sometimes played together if their schedules lined up. She was a good new friend he made and he liked hanging out with her outside of work.

His Aunt finished her chai, and went to go grab her things while he finished up his breakfast and cleaned up after himself. At the apartment entrance, him and his Aunt went down the stairs into the back of the cafe, and started getting the cafe a bit ready for it to open.

After they cleaned the cafe and set up the registrar, his Aunt had to leave. They quickly exchanged goodbyes.

Pavitr went to get the baked goods ready. After a bit Gayatri came into the cafe with Gwen and also helped him with bringing out the products and turning on the machines.

Soon it was 5 minutes until they would get their morning rush. Yes they had 3 people but they could handle it. Besides their fourth coworker was this man named Ben Riley who was an acting major who loved to be dramatic. Honestly, he was so strange but apparently a lot of female customers like his looks so he couldn't complain.

It was 7:00am and it was time to open the doors. The first wave of customers were people going to work and early morning classes. He started out on barista duty while Gayatri was at the cash register and Gwen was on warming good duty. They cycled turns at each station but were making sure to give Gwen Barista duty when there were less orders so they wouldn't overwhelm her.

He kept hearing people order iced chais, which were their most popular drink because they get the authentic kind. Sadly almost all of them would order it saying “Chai tea”. Gayatri was really an angel because even though it peeved her too she kept up that customer service smile. By the time it was 8:30 am, he was already “Chai tea’d out”. A lot of college students came around this time, some because they liked the place, so they stopped by before class and some for clout for their social media. But most of the customers were the same, saying the drink incorrectly. There were some people who did say it correctly but they were Indian too, so they knew better. He even heard one guy correct his friends on how they pronounced it which Pavitr hoped that more than that friend overheard him.

When 9:00 am rolled around things started to slow down but there were still a decent amount of customers in the store, so he took the register and Gayatri took Barista and warming duty. They told Gwen to go to the back and take a break before they would put her on the Barista duty. When that happens he would take a break and Ben would be in.

He kept a smile on while taking customer orders, but he was tired. The girl was taking too long to order because she decided to have a conversation that he had no interest in hearing at all. What was more annoying was how she kept on saying Chai tea this and Chai tea that. Asking her friend if she wanted some “Chai Tea”. There was only so much he could take hearing her talk about the drink like that.

To make matters worse she talked all about that drink to her friend, only for her to decide to get an iced latte instead. She told him her friend said something about it being her lucky drink for

her zodiac sign or something. He did not care enough.

Finally she was done ordering and more importantly was not his problem anymore.

He sighed and hoped the next customer interaction was better.

The next customer was a tall guy with soft looking black curls and smooth chocolate skin. He had freckles and some beautiful hazel eyes. He was wearing some casual street wear.

He was kinda cute. He was definitely a new customer though, considering he took a bit of time to order. Maybe he was nervous. So Pavitr put his best smile on to make him feel comfortable.

The guy ordered a bagel with cream cheese and jelly, a common New York breakfast order.

After putting in his food order on to the registrar he asked the guy what his drink would be. But then he heard the dreaded two words.

‘Chai Tea’

And something in Pavitr just broke. He couldn't help himself.

“What did you just say?” His eyes widened as he slowly looked up at the customer in disbelief.

He didn't even register the customer's reaction.

“Um, chai tea?” The guy repeated, confirming what he heard.

And Pavitr?

Pavitr just lost it.

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Tagged List:

@ar1-thecat, @marrz-sucks

#miles morales fanfiction #across the spiderverse fanfiction #across the spiderverse #fanfiction #chaiflower #goldenflower #miles x pavitr #pavitr x miles #pavitr prabhakar #Mumbattan Cafe

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beautifulpersonpeach · 2 years

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A little related to your latest ask on armys not being prepared for solo era…

One thing that I’ve noticed during these recent collabs is that a lot of armys forget that BTS are just features and not the main artists. It’s something that was very obvious when My Universe was released, and again in Left & Right. Even now for Bad Decisions I see a lot of complaints about the promo…

Idk, I think it’s annoying and very disrespectful to the main artists when armys question the production, line distribution (wtf loool) and now even promo. They’re not kpop artists so why should we expect the same rollout right???

It’s doubly ennoying that armys have even been complaining about Hobi’s promo without even trying to wait and see the whole promo cycle he’s planned… I was very much disappointed about the lack of physical CD too but I was already expecting that he’s not gonna go the usual promo cycle that we’re used to… Idk I feel like people are so quick to judge stuff these days… but it does make it entertaining when the assumptions are proven wrong.

Hi Anon,

You've made good points here. Why should ARMYs apply the expectations they have for OT7 BTS, k-pop and HYBE to American artists and their labels, and to solo rollouts that we know the members are highly involved in so might be more individually tailored to their preferences?

On one hand, people generally work with what they know, and if all they've known is how BTS typically promotes new OT7 music, that's what ARMYs will base their expectations on, so I understand them to some degree. But on the other hand, it's about time we got with the program in Chapter 2. There'll be a lot of collaborations with teams who have their own way of doing things, and the important thing IMO is to get the facts right first, and support the artists if you're inclined to.

I will say though that I think ARMYs this time handled things well. For Bad Decisions, there was some momentary confusion at first, then people realized Benny's just an unserious lad and they rolled with it. In fact I think Bad Decisions is one of the most seamless song rollouts in Chapter 2. It helped that Benny's team appeared to actually try to promote the song and went about it in a fun, hilarious, and kinda brilliant way. But also, ARMYs seem to be adjusting to the fact that we should expect everything and nothing. After celebrating a new BTS song with local cops in the middle of the woods in LA, I think the fandom is ready for just about anything.

Anything, except the way the song could perform on the charts. Lol.

Some people are always going to complain and in my experience these tend to be the solo stans or chartmys. I think it will take a few more song rollouts for chartmys to realize different rules apply in Chapter 2. I'll be watching this alongside you, Anon.

#ask #BTS in Chapter 2 #ARMY in Chapter 2 #bad decisions

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whysojiminimnida · 2 years

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My Real Favorite Moment of 2021

Because let's be honest, I feel like hardly anyone saw this. Those of us who did see it didn't believe it at first. It got almost zero traction on social media. And yet it's one of those Big Gesture Loud Gay things Jungkook does sometimes and when I tell you I was living, kids, I WAS. LIVING. Don't worry, I'mma show it to you. Here's the full video from The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, dated May 25, 2021. Watch it all, it's cute and we watch original content in this household for truth and context.

youtube

Yeah yeah fear the double bunny, Koo invented Spock's thingy, someone stole Jimin's pogo stick and Seokjin can summon talk show hosts with his magic double joints. Hobi looks very pretty. We got that part. FF to 3:57. Watch it. Watch it again. Rewind it and watch it one more time, Jungkook focus. Still no? Try this. Don't hit the play button on the .jpgs tho. I mean nothing will happen but we all do that and it always feels dumb when we do. Still shots below:

Look at Jungkookie. See how everyone else is just buttering toast like good talk show guests? Not our Koo. This double bunny is pointing at... his heart? Himself in general? Looks like his heart, it's on the left, where his heart is. He points not at toast. There is no buttering going on here. (Or anything straight but we're getting there). So then--

Oh, he has just given up the toast buttering song promo agenda at this point and nobody is paying attention to this like... I know I always say Koo ain't slick but I feel like this one time he kinda was. HE EVEN PAUSES FOR A FULL SECOND just to be sure we're looking because...

He flies that pointed finger just as gaily as possible (well he couldn't very well point it straight could he) over his right shoulder. At Jimin. Who is not even seeing this are you fucking KIDDING ME? I saw this live and stopped my DVR. I really hope Jiminie caught it on the rewatch, if there was one. BECAUSE JEON JUNGKOOK JUST DID THAT. The rest of the Tannies just doing their jobs and Jungkook is out here in front of God 'n'em pointing out that Jimin has his heart on national American network fucking television AND HARDLY ANYONE SAID BOO ABOUT IT. To this day I have only seen this moment come up a handful of times and people always seem mildly confused. Maybe because it was so fast (it was). Maybe because they were blinded by OT7 beauty (they are beautiful). Maybe they just couldn't believe that Jeon Jungkook, Korea's Sassiest Gay Little Shit (I say it with love) just pulled that off. Personally? I was stunned. AM I CRAZY OVER HERE? Wait, don't answer that. Because legit I have a diagnosis or so, even though I have had a lot of therapy and I don't even take meds anymore. I could use something nice for anxiety but that's beside the point. ANYWAY OKAY FINE I AM POSSIBLY INSANE BUT. I AM NOT WRONG. So while I am very late on a couple of promised posts (I see you shoulder grip and MiniMoni and I am so sorry, my brain sucks, we're still compiling photos over here), this would not leave my brain as one of my favorite Jungkook Gives No Fucks For Your Closet moments ever. You can explain away a lot of stuff but this. This is clear, it is deliberate, it is public, and if you watch it six times and still don't see what I see then I will wear my hat proudly and call it a You Problem. Happy 2022, everyone!

#jeon jungkook does what jeon jungkook wants goddammit #jikook jikook they jikooked they out here jikooking the jikookery #you wanted proof of jikookery being jikooked and they trying to give it to you #also a whole park jimin exists #jikook just jikooking nbd #must be sunday at the jeon park shared workplace #y'all out here all about whose dogs are those fugly little gremlins sorry gremlins and here's me back last may #manual dexterity our boys got it #same face as did i fucking stutter jimin btw #serious jungkook is not joking with us #like really if we can't pick up what he is putting down we have issues atp #late show with stephen colbert #Youtube

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sweetestofchaos · 2 years

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♫ 𝐵𝑢𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑓𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑠 ♫ Y/N is an American music artist and she gets her period ♫ Part 7 ♫ 2.4k

SFW // Interracial Relationship // Strangers to Lovers // Cursing // SOL // Fluff // Part 6 // Part 8

Taglist: @thickemadame

🇲🇦🇸🇹🇪🇷🇱🇮🇸🇹

a/n: divider made by @benkeibear

“Ah..arug..ah choo!” Y/N quickly buried her nose and mouth into the crook of her arm as she sneezed and groaned. The movement between her legs made her shudder in disgust and shift her weight to her left foot as she tried to rearrange herself without drawing too much attention as she cooked breakfast. Seokjin was in the space adjacent to her with Jungkook playing some video game that they had brought over.

Y/N’s stomach was starting to cramp up and she could feel a cluster headache forming right behind her eyes. Of all the days for her period to come, it just had to be today; the one day she had a meeting with her manager. Since Y/N had officially moved to South Korea the terms of her current contract were in question since her original company merged with another. The HR team were trying their best to make Y/N come back to the States and they were even throwing around the threat of suing…it was a mess.

“Wooooooow!!!”

“Watch your back!”

Y/N took a deep breath in to claim herself, but the smell of the raw meat had other plans. Covering her mouth, Y/N ran to the bathroom and threw up the little bit of food that she had snacked on while cooking. Another gush of warmth leaked out and Y/N felt tears burning at the corner of her eyes. The sudden movement and sound of Y/N throwing up made Seokjin toss his controller and hurry to the kitchen. He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and told Jungkook to keep an eye on the food. Seokjin walked in the guest room and knocked softly on the door frame of the bathroom.

“Are you sick? I got you some water.” Seokjin walked into the bathroom and set the bottle of water beside the toilet before he flushed it and sat on the floor with Y/N. He pulled her into his lap and rubbed a hand up and down her back.

“Was it something you ate?” As Y/N cried silently into Seokjin’s chest, she shook her head. “Is…is it that time of the month?” Seokjin asked as he eyed the white and blue plastic wrapper sticking up from the waste bin. Y/N groaned, and Seokjin kissed her temple, letting his fingers dig into the tense muscles of Y/N’s lower back. “Lay down and relax. I can finish up breakfast and I’ll send Jungkookie back home-”

“I-I’ll be fine. Kook can stay, he doesn’t have to leave.”

“Are you sure?” Seokjin watched as Y/N straightened up in his lap and rubbed at her watery eyes. “He can always come over another day.”

Y/N shook her head with a sniffle, “It’s fine, Jinnie.”

Seokjin frowned at Y/N’s words but said nothing more on the subject as he helped Y/N up to her feet. He stayed by Y/N’s side as she rinsed her mouth out with the water bottle before she was ready to lay down. Keeping his hands on Y/N’s waist, Seokjin led Y/N to the bed and helped her lay down, making sure to pull the blanket up to her chin.

“Get some rest. I’ll bring you a plate.” Seokjin pressed his lips to Y/N’s forehead and smiled softly before he pulled away and nuzzled his nose against hers. Heat attacked Y/N’s face and she gently pushed Seokjin away from her. Chuckling, Seokjin left the bedroom and pulled the glass partition shut before he let out a sigh. Jungkook turned to look over at Seokjin, the concern for Y/N clear in his large eyes. Seokjin coughed and walked over to Jungkook.

“Y/N’s gonna rest for a while. Let’s finish the breakfast and keep it down in the meantime.”

“Is Noona okay?”

“I think so,” Seokjin shrugged his shoulders. “She has her period…” Seokjin’s eyes widened and Jungkook raised an eyebrow.

“What’s wrong?”

Seokjin glanced over the partition and shook his head, “I’ve never been around Y/N during her period.”

Jungkook frowned at Seokjin’s words and focused on the food in the pan. “D-do you think she’s any worse than Hobi hyung’s sister?”

“Guess we’ll find out.” Seokjin patted Jungkook on his back and smiled. “Come on, what do you need me to help with?”

Pulling on a pair of gray sweatpants, Y/N groans as her stomach cramps up. She has already had a dose of liquid Advil and the cramps are still kicking her ass. Forcing herself to throw on some makeup, Y/N sighs as she looks at herself in the mirror. Her skin is dull, and the discomfort is clear in her eyes. Grabbing concealer, bronzer, blush, and highlighter, Y/N wakes up her skin before she swipes on some black eyeliner, mascara, and tinted red lip gloss.

She slips a set of gold hoops in her ears, and pulls her hair back into a ponytail, not bothering to lay down her baby hairs before she leaves the room and walks down the steps. Seokjin isn’t in the apartment; he ran out to get a few things while Jungkook is on the couch watching tv. Hearing Y/N’s footsteps, Jungkook looks away from the tv and his eyes widen at the sight of Y/N’s outfit.

He thinks she looks amazing for someone who is on her period and is dressed down. He never knew someone could make a pair of sweats look so good. “Are you feeling any better, Noona?”

Y/N gives Jungkook a reassuring smile as she walks over to the glass partition. “I’ll be fine, Jungkook. Just have to get through this meeting and then I’ll go right back to sleep.” Jungkook frowns at Y/N’s words but says nothing. He knows what it’s like to not feel well and still have to work.

“If you need me, shoot me a text. I should be done in an hour.” Jungkook nods his head and watches as Y/N disappears into the second room for her meeting online. Jungkook turns the volume on the tv up a little, so that he won’t hear any of Y/N’s conversation and he pulls his phone from his pocket. Seeing that the group chat is blowing up, Jungkook opens it, and he stares at the photo of Seokjin standing at the counter of a convenience store with pads and candy in his hand.

“Awe, hyung’s so cool,” Jungkook mutters to himself as he reads over all the texts. The guys are all teasing Seokjin about the fans calling Seokjin the ultimate boyfriend. Jungkook knows that Y/N most likely hasn’t seen the picture yet or even heard anything about it since she started her meeting, and it makes Jungkook think for a moment if Y/N will be upset. He’s pretty sure that Y/N didn’t ask for Seokjin to get her anything. If anything, Y/N will be surprised to see whatever bag of goodies that Seokjin brings home. Shooting Seokjin, a quick message, Jungkook asks Seokjin to pick up some ramen and a green tea KitKat as well.

Seokjin calls Jungkook shortly after the text message and when Jungkook answers, Seokjin starts ripping into him about not being his pack mule and always having to bring something for Jungkook back from any store. In the same breath, Seokjin asks Jungkook to see if there is any meat in the fridge before he comes home. Being the little shit that he is, Jungkook points out that Seokjin called Y/N’s apartment home and Seokjin hung up without another word. Jungkook laughs as he gets off the couch to inspect the inside of Y/N’s fridge and answer Seokjin’s question. Finding a pack of lamb in the fridge, Jungkook lets Seokjin know that there isn’t much meat.

“Wait! J-just give me a damn minute!” Y/N’s voice is loud as she slides open the partition and Jungkook nearly falls over when he sees a wad of bloody tissue in her hand pressed to her nose. Y/N pulls open one of the drawers and grabs a black rag that is mixed in with a bunch of other medical supplies. Easily, Y/N swaps out the tissue for the rag and she tosses the used tissue in the trash. Seeing the fear in Jungkook’s eyes, Y/N sighs and gives him a tight smile.

“Give me a minute and I’ll explain. I’m fine, I promise.” Y/N hurries back into the bedroom and Jungkook follows her, opting to sit on the edge of the bed while he waits for Y/N to finish up with her rushed departure from the meeting.

The screen in front of Y/N goes black and she sighs heavily. The meeting couldn’t have gone any worse. Not only does she have to travel back to the states three times a month, but she also has to write four songs a month as well. Closing her eyes, Y/N takes the time to make a mental note to buy a better laptop that she can take with her back and forth with her on the plane. Keeping her head tilted back, Y/N turns around in her chair and gives Jungkook a tired smile.

“Did I scare you?” Y/N questions softly and Jungkook’s face flushes at her words. “Sorry, Kook. I get nose bleeds every once in a while, when…I’m on my period. It’s called catamenial nosebleeds and they aren’t that big of a deal.”

Jungkook nods his head and stands up from the bed, “Does Hyung know?”

Y/N shakes her head and Jungkook frowns. “You should tell him soon. Even if it’s not anything life threatening, I know Seokjin Hyung would like to know.”

“Oh, really?” Y/N ponders over Jungkook’s words and slowly pulls the towel from her nose. The bleeding has stopped, and she can breathe better now. “I’ll tell him later tonight, I guess.”

Jungkook opens his mouth to comment, but Y/N’s phone lights up and she grabs it. “Shit. I forgot to take it off do not disturb.” Y/N mutters to herself and she fiddles around on her phone. Her eyes widen and she narrows her eyes at Jungkook. “Where’s Seokjin?”

“Huh? Hyung…he went out for some groceries?”

“Doesn’t look like groceries to me.” Y/N frown and Jungkook laughs. He can tell that Y/N is blushing from how she’s keeping her face tucked closer to her chest.

“Don’t worry about it, Nonna. ARMY thinks it’s really cute how caring Hyung is towards you.”

Y/N smiles and stands up from her chair, “He didn’t have to buy anything. I could’ve done it myself.” Jungkook gives Y/N a doubtful look and she sucks her teeth.

“G-go play your lil games, bunny boy.” Jungkook laughs at Y/N's attempt to insult him and quickly hops out of the room before she can even try to throw anything at him. Smiling to herself, Y/N heads into the bathroom to wash the blood from her nose and chest.

When Seokjin walks into Y/N’s apartment, it’s silent. Toeing his shoes off, Seokjin tightens his grip on the bags in his hands and paddles into the kitchen to set the bags down. “What are those two doing?” Seokjin wonders out loud and he pulls open the partition downstairs only to find it empty. “Did they leave?” Seokjin goes to the front of the apartment to check the shoe rack by the front door. Jungkook’s sneakers are still there. Scratching the top of his head, Seokjin puts his shoes away beside Jungkook’s and heads up the steps. Seokjin pulls open the partition and he smiles when he sees Jungkook, and Y/N curled up in each other’s arms sound asleep. “These two…” Pulling his phone from his back pocket, Seokjin takes a few pictures and sends them to everyone in the group chat.

Seokjin moves to close the door with a sigh, “Guess I’ll start lunch by myself.” Heading back down the steps, Seokjin starts to unload all the groceries and gets started on lunch for himself and the two sleepy heads upstairs. Seokjin turns on the bluetooth speaker and turns the volume down before he starts to play some music to fill the quiet space around him. He hums along to a few songs, dancing by himself as he moves about the kitchen, lost in his own little world.

Upstairs, Jungkook wakes up first, the scent of food making his stomach growl. Y/N is sound asleep beside him, and he carefully gets out of bed, making sure not to move too much. Tip toeing to the door, Jungkook giggles as Y/N snores softly. Slipping out of the room, Jungkook walks down the steps, and he smirks seeing that Seokjin hasn’t noticed him yet. Creeping up behind the older man, Jungkook wraps his arms around Seokjin’s waist with a roar and Seokjin jumps with a shout. Jungkook falls to the ground in laughter and Seokjin glares down at him.

“You brat! I almost dropped the rice!” Seokjin grumbles and Jungkook wipes the tears from his eyes as he sits up on the floor.

“S-sorry Hyung, I couldn’t help myself.”

“Ashii,” Seokjin sucks his teeth and moves away from Jungkook with a bowl of freshly made rice in his hands. “Wash your hands and start cutting some vegetables, since you’re up.” Jungkook jumps to his feet and hurries over to the sink to wash his hand making Seokjin smile. He might be older than before, but Jungkook is still the same little boy who just wants to help everyone out. “Was Y/N okay while I was out?”

“Noona?” Jungkook nibbles on his lip ring trying to think of what he should tell Seokjin. “Y-yeah, she was fine. Her stomach started to bother her, so we drank some tea and took a nap.”

“How did the meeting go?”

“Oh!” Jungkook turns to face Seokjin and shrugs his shoulders. “I don’t think it went well. Y/N looked really upset after she got done.”

“I’ll have to ask about it tonight,” Seokjin mutters to himself as he starts to mix the rice into the eggs.

“Are you staying here tonight, Hyung?”

“Yeah, I don’t want Y/N to do too much while she has her period.”

Jungkook smiles large at Seokjin’s words, “You’re so cool, Hyung!”

Seokjin blushes at Jungkook’s words and shakes his head. “Shut up, brat.”

#soc seokjin #soc butterflies #seokjin x black!reader #kpop ambw #interracial relationship #bts fluff #boyfriend!seokjin #exqueuese me #butterflies

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bunny-bts · 3 years

Text

Never Want To Hurt You Pt 1

Author: Hi~ (◕ᴗ◕✿). Flashback parts are in bold and this might have more than one part or just be a very long one shot

Pairings: Eventual Taeyhung x reader

Summary: You have always been in Taeyhung's life, in fact you were created just for him, literally. He had a chance with you years ago but now it is too late to take back his rejection when two of his best friends fall for you. You aren't the little girl he knew anymore, he finally notices you are a woman and he wants to rip thier throats out

Warnings: Jimin and Jungkook beef, manly jungkook, curse words, cranky jealous Tae, flirty jimin, sexy clothes, self confidence, the boys growling and glaring, maybe some angst, drama~, suspense~ (some of these are for future chapters)

"Any plans for your birthday?" Namjoon throws his arm around Taeyhung's neck. "Yes actually, my yeodongsaeng is visiting. I haven't seen her in a few years. We only texted"

"That's nice man, I'm sure your little sister is excited to see you too. It will be nice to see her again," Namjoon smiles, revealing his dimples.

"No, my other little sister. We aren't really related, you guys haven't met her"

"What? You're kidding right bro? We have to! So, is she coming here?"

"Yes, and she is staying for a while"

"That's nice, how long?"

"To be determined"

"Oh alright, well, when is she supposed to arrive?"

"Soon, she made it to Seoul last night. She is a fan, excited to meet you all"

"That's awesome, we should treat you two out to dinner. I'll get the guys," RM pats his shoulder and goes to round up the other five then comes back with them.

"She's your yeodongsaeng but you aren't really related?" Jimin asks curiously as they all sit around on the couch to wait. Tae nods, "yes, she was a gift to me for my second birthday. Any of you try anything with my girl and I will make your lives miserable." He continues fidgeting with his collar and tie in the mirror.

"oh, he is protective of his princess!" Jin declares with a loud obnoxious laugh and Hobi joins in, slapping thier knees.

Tae's nose flares and he sighs, "yes. Very. Do not try anything with my princess. Got it?" He turns and says through gritted teeth. Jin stares wide eyed and Hobi raises his hands in surrender. "His princess," he teases and nudges Seokjin.

"Hold up, you got a human being for your second birthday?" Yoogni interrupts. "Yes, I told her mother and father that I wanted a friend and they said they would get me one"

"Okay, that's actually really sweet. But, you said she was FOR your second birthday?"

"That's when she happened to be born, it's our birthday. Any more questions?"

"How come we haven't met her yet?" Jungkook asks. "Because you are perverts."

The guys all look to each other and shrug thier shoulders, giving each other the 'he ain't wrong face', except Jin. He looks offended.

"Is she Korean?" "Yes and no, she lived with her aunt on the farm next to dad's much of the time but she is American."

"Did you ever go out?" Jimin asks casually, not meaning anything by it.

"What?" Taeyhung quickly whips his head around and asks wide eyed.

"You called her your princess, did you ever date her?"

"......No.....," He turns back to the mirror and keeps fidgeting.

"He was hesitant," Namjoon smirks as he points it out, "so, you want to?" "Disgusting....," Taeyhung responds as there is a knock on the door which Namjoon opens. "Hi," the leader smiles.

You immediately blush, "H-Hi, I-I'm Y/N, I'm here to see Taeyhung?"

"We know, please come in," Namjoon gives you his dimple revealing smile, escorting you inside with a hand on the small of your back. "Guys, this is Y/N," Jin waves at you along with Hoseok and you return the gesture, "H-Hello," you smile. "I got tired of waiting and went to get us some mil-," Jungkook walks out of the kitchen, sipping a bottle of milk himself and handing one to Jimin sitting by the kitchen door. He stops short, staring at you and freezing with wide eyes, milk dribbling down his chin and the bottle he was passing Jimin falling to the ground because Jimin looked up from his phone to grab it and it slipped when he saw you and lost focus. "Oh than-"

"Did I....?" You are so confused by thier reaction to seeing you. "Jungkook, you've got something uh," you point to his chin and he runs to clean himself up. Jimin makes his way to you.

"Hi~," he stands and walks over smoothly, wiggling his brows which makes you giggle and blush at the same time. "Tell Tae we will see him there, she's riding with me," Jimin takes your hand and pulls you out. "Jimin wait I don't think-," Jimin was out before Namjoon could finish protesting.

"She's here?" Taeyhung walks out to them just after. "Yeah, Jimin pulled her out and said she was riding with him," Hoseok tells him. "She's not disgusting?" Jungshook says softly. "No? She is sweet?" Taeyhung says confused before they all leave. "Can we just go before Jimin well y'know?" Tae asks annoyed and they all follow him out. "Ride with me Kook," he slips in the car. "Okay," Jungkook slides in the car with him and they drive off.

"She is so pretty," Jungkook says, smiling to himself. Taeyhung raises a brow at him and shrugs, "I guess for a little girl she's cute" "LITTLE GIRL!?" "What?" "That was NOT a little girl!" "What are you talking about? Yes, she is" "How long has it been since you've seen her?" Taeyhung shrugs, "in person, four years?" He answers as they all pull in at the restaurant and walk inside.

"Over here!" Jimin calls out to them. He was being extremely charming and you had to admit you liked it. He had gotten you a slice of cake that you've never tried before and was sweet talking. It was really cute, so was he but they all were. You wave to the others who make thier way over. Jimin and Jungkook sit on your sides, arms behind you. You are unaware of them glaring as snarling at each other to back off and focused on Tae who froze when he saw you.

"Excuse me," you stand to run over and hug his neck. He is still frozen. Physically his body can't move, he is afraid to touch your back to return the hug. His heart is pounding, and his stomach felt strange. You weren't a little girl anymore. You were a fully grown woman. As you hugged him your full chest was pressed to his, his eyes shoot to glance down. Yeah, you filled out. He gulps as he notices you smell different. Were you wearing perfume? His little girl, this couldn't be. What was happening? His eyes close and he finally snaps out of the trance enough to hug you back, a arm around your lower back pulling you in closer. He subtly buries his nose in your neck, god, that scent was so sweet and intoxicating. You pull away then.

"I missed you so much Oppa~," you giggle. "D-Don't call me that-I missed you too," he smiles. "But....okay?"

"Y/N, sit beside me~," Jungkook pleads. You laugh at his grabby hands and sit down with the guys.

The dinner goes by very well, you feel you really hit off with the guys and Jungkook and Jimin especially. It was obvious they were flirting and you were happy to do the same. They even asked you out on a movie date which you happily accepted.

Taeyhung stands up. "Excuse us," he harshly yanks you up and pulls you outside by your wrist. "Ow! Tae! What the hell is your problem!?" "Stop it," he demands with flaring nostril. "STOP WHAT!?" "Stop flirting with them." "NO. You had your chance with me Kim Taeyhung so back off. I'm a woman now and I can make my own decisions," you yank your hand away and stomp back inside.

#bts x reader #bts #bts fic #bts tae tae #bts taeyhung #teayhung x reader #junkook #kookie #bts kookie #park jimin #bts jimim #jungkook x reader #jimin x reader #jimin x y/n #jimin x you #kim taeyhung #taeyhung x reader #tae x reader

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dreamcatcherjiah · 3 years

Text

JAMAIS VU | TEASER 1

Namjoon & A-Young

Namjoon and his wife met at a museum

he wanted to pay attention to the art works around him

but his eyes kept going back to the woman sitting alone on a bench looking at a still nature

he gave himself two hours

if he walked around for two hours and she was still sitting there he would go up to her and say something

“do you come here often?” didn't sound as good out loud as it did in his head, though

she laughed at his lame joke and invited him to sit with her

A-Young and Namjoon broke up when they had been dating for six months, Namjoon didn't want to put her through the life of dating an idol

she went to their office and spoke to Bang PD nim and then proceeded to bang on Namjoon’s door until he opened it

after giving him an earful, they got back together

they dated for three years before they got married

the members call A-Young their honorary leader because she picks up where namjoon falls short

A-Young and Namjoon want to have two kids

Jin & Yura

they were childhood friends who reconnected after college

Jin tried to keep in touch through idol training but always seemed to be busy when Yura wasn’t and the other way around

Yura went abroad to study while he debuted and when she came back he was already an idol

they had an on and off relationship for a couple of years, meeting when they could but understanding when it wasn't possible, until Yura asked him to talk

they discussed if it was worth it dating, getting serious and facing the backlash that it would mean if they went public

Jin didn't want to hurt her but after a long talk with Namjoon, Jin decided he didn't want to loose her and asked her to date him

they got married after a year, the fastest of the seven

Yura is the closest with Jungkook and Yoongi

Jin and Yura want to have one child, maybe two

Yoongi & Hyejin

Hyejin was a graphic designer who was hired to create the new cover of Agust D’s third mixtape

Yoongi made it a requirement to be involved in the whole process so it was a given they would meet

at first they didn't really get on

Yoongi said Hyejin’s vision for the mixtape was all wrong and, being the hotheaded young woman that she was, she didn't take it the right way

it took Yoongi two whole months to get out of his studio and admit he was in the wrong

Hyejin had spent those months working nonstop in different versions of the cover so when they met again, Yoongi found himself with a smug-looking designer and seven different versions of said album cover

he returned to the dorm wide-eyed and talking nonstop about Hyejin designer and her talent

over the months he wouldn't stop releasing songs only to have the excuse to work with her

One of those songs he didn't release, but played it for her in his studio and asked her to be his girlfriend

They just got married after six years of dating

They want to have a daughter

Hoseok & Haneul

Haneul is a Korean-America dancer who auditioned for a position as a back-up dancer for the American leg of the Love Yourself Tour

Hoseok saw her and another dancer practice the Just Dance routine backstage and joined them

it became a routine during the tour, so much so that they became fast friends

the boys used to tease them about liking each other but they payed no mind

once the American leg of the tour was over, Haneul stayed in the US and Hobi moved on with BTS to Europe

Hoseok felt down, like something was missing, his routine now broken because the most important part of it was kilometres away

thanks to some careful planning on the maknae line’s part, Haneul was waiting for Hoseok right there, backstage, the day of the final concert

Haneul stayed in Seoul from then on, working at a small dance studio and it wasn't long before she asked Hobi out

After he got over the initial shock, he accepted on the condition that he’d be the one proposing next time

and so he did, after two years dating, and Haneul said YES

they want to have three children

Jimin & Jae-Hwa

Jae-Hwa was minding her own business when the man in the table next to hers in the cafe tried to get up and ended up spilling his coffee all over her

Jimin had always had a difficult relationship with chairs but it wasn't until the most beautiful human he had ever met ended up drenched in coffee that he considered it to be a serious problem

Jae-Hwa got worried the second Jimin collapsed on the floor, a mess of arms and long legs, and the cutest giggle leaving his plumb lips

Jimin, who didn't find it difficult to get on his feet, offered her his most sincere apologies and his phone number to pay for Jae-Hwa’s clothes

Jae-Hwa didn’t use the number and some weeks went by during which both of them forgot about the other

They met again in the coffee shop and, not wanting to loose her again, Jimin blocked her path without noticing she had a full cup of coffee

he ended up drenched and Jae-Hwa agreed to go with him shopping to replace the ones she had ruined (he didn't tell her the price of his designer clothes and his friends still tease him for that one)

the rest as they say is history, Jae-Hwa ended up falling completely in love with Jimin and his adorable and hard-working personality, and he fell just as hard for her

they got married after five years of dating

they want to have one boy

Taehyung & Iseul

Iseul was an ARMY. she became one after going to a BTS meet and greet with her niece

she went completely speechless in front of Taehyung, who automatically fell in love with the little girl tugging at her hand

Tae insisted on little Nari coming to all the concerts and fan meetings she could, as long as she came to say hi to him before

Iseul and Tae kept meeting for months, Nari not missing a chance to spend time with BTS, who have fallen in love with her as much as Taehyung has

It is the boys who realise Tae no longer waits only for the little girl, but his face lights up when her aunt enters the room

in one of the fan meetings Nari fell asleep on Tae’s chest and Iseul didn't have the heart to wake her up. Tae tried to transfer her to her aunts arms but ended up accidentally kissing Iseul in the cheek

A few months later Nari handed her aunt a little box with a note on top “Auntie Iseul, would you like to go on a date with Uncle TaeTae?” Signed Nari & JIN SUGA RM JHOPE JIMIN JUNGKOOK

Tae and Iseul got married three years later, Nari was the flower girl and there were six very happy uncles at the ceremony

Taehyung and Iseul want to have a big family

Jungkook & Mi-Hi

Jungkook left the dorm the night Yura and Jin told them they were getting married

he was the youngest and he was still alone, he didn't blame his brothers and he loved Yura like a sister already

it was just hard seeing everyone happy and paired up when he craved the love he saw them give their significant others every day

he walked until it started raining, when he started walking faster, trying not to get soaked

suddenly an umbrella covered his head, Mi-Hi concerned about the young man walking around alone under the rain

Jungkook’s big doe eyes ran over her face and she blushed deeply, recognising his soft features

Jungkook offered to walk her home, and Mi-Hi as thanks, offered her umbrella for him to return home, making him promise he would try to keep warm not to catch a cold

a few days later JK was still thinking about the sweet, nameless stranger when someone behind him in the seven eleven exclaimed “I have just THAT umbrella!”

when he turned around he saw a wide-eyed Mi-Hi openly staring at his chest

Laughing at her starstruck expression, he picked up another triangle kimbab and a can of beer and told her to follow him

it would be an inside joke between them how their first date actually was a late night snack by the Han River where no more than three sentences were exchanged

Jungkook and Mi-Hi got married after almost seven years dating

they want to wait to have children but both of them would love to have a little boy

Permanent Taglist: @preciouschimine @forget-me-notforever @annywaa @alpacaparkaseok @bangtan-madi

#castlebangtan #bangtanarmynet #ot7 drabble #bts #bts fic #JAMAIS VU TEASER 1 #dreamcatcherjiah #JAMAIS VU

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gwoongi · 4 years

Text

dancer in the dark (pt. 1)

jeon jeongguk / reader genre: rockstar/pop-punk au, smut, angst & fluff rating: explicit words: 33k warnings: slowburn, explicit sexual themes, alcohol use, recreational rockstar drug use, smoking, adult language, dark themes including negative side-effects of drug use and drinking including intoxication & irrational behaviour, dry humping, mental health struggle, koo has an australian accent, unprotected sex, slight exhibitionism, if things feel good in this fic then wait 4 part two to ruin everything a/n: ok.....hear me out......guk as a lead singer of an alternative-punk-rock band....and he looks like this......and this….. AND THIS………and his band r basically chase atlantic......Ok ur welcome & pls give this fic a chance!!!!!!!!!! i luv it a lot and its probs my fav so far ˭̡̞(◞⁎˃ᆺ˂)◞*✰ def a long one so get ur tea and blankets and buckle up! notes: have it. this has been in my drafts since like july. just take it and smile.

dedicated to @httpjeon, who force fed me pictures of rocker jeongguk and repeatedly kept me sane + motivated. thank u sm

Money can’t buy you happiness. Jeongguk, for the longest time, thinks he’s happy. Truthfully, Jeongguk doesn’t know what happiness is until you find him.

BIRTH OF DEVILS. (LONDON)

“That was August Blue in the Live Lounge, covering Thanks For The Memories by Fall Out Boy. These guys have some right talent, don’t they? Yeah...well, you can keep up to date with them by watching their interview with us on IPlayer right now, and they’re also going to be on tour in London and various other American venues within the next few months. I’m proper excited for that...”

No matter how many interview schedules and radio plays, Jeongguk doesn’t feel as though he is ever going to get used to this feeling.

For now, it is an endless series of chaos, radio stations and newspapers wanting to talk to the newest music craze- because that’s what August Blue were, whether Jeongguk liked that or not.

August Blue were a band who nobody thought could make it. From early fans of the band, when they were barely filling up Korean venues and getting more than a thousand views on original songs, to big-name celebrities like Axel Choi who had waltzed into Jeongguk’s part-time job when he was seventeen. The man, one of Jeongguk’s idols, had looked him in the eye, considered his band and his dream and said he didn’t have the talent to do anything good with his band, and told him, if you want to be big, you have to be American.

It wasn’t quite the same, or what Axel had intended for it to mean, but four years later Jeongguk now sits number one on the Billboard Charts with his ‘band with no potential’, making a name for themselves, bringing pride to their culture, love with their music, and money to Korea’s economy. The amount of fans that August Blue had collected over the four years of Jeongguk’s band being formally considered a band were unimaginable, many flocking to landmarks to photograph lampposts he stood next to on Instagram, others going to his home-country to enjoy the country that had birthed icons.

If only Jeongguk had the same love and pride for his country; they had turned their backs on them simply because of their popularity overseas.

Well, fuck them- Jeongguk and his band are going somewhere no other Korean band or artist can even touch, and while we’re on the subject- Axel Choi can eat a dick! Jeongguk’s not doing so bad for a Busan boy working at 7-Eleven, and while Jeongguk’s drinking champagne like a King on the top of the charts, it’s hard to see everybody else at the bottom.

August Blue leave the BBC Broadcasting House, on their way to the hotel for their last two nights in London before heading back to America. It doesn’t quite feel real yet, for Jeongguk to say that his band have sold out two nights at the O2 Academy Brixton. Admittedly, it’s not as big as their shows in America, which similarly happens to be where most of their fans are located, but for a first time in the UK, it’s a dream to see it sold out with his band's name and faces on billboards nearby.

Beside him in the black van, August Blue’s bassist Hoseok sighs deeply and fastens his seatbelt, his hands immediately rummaging into his coat pocket to pull out his phone. Nevertheless, a smile does dance on his lips; a few fans had gathered outside the building to see them off, as well as welcome them when they arrived for their Live Lounge recording and interview. It still feels surreal for Jeongguk to see his face on shirts, and to hear people call his name. As the car begins to pull out of the car park, Jeongguk squints through the darkened glass at the fans, a bright smile on his face as they cheer, right until the car is out of the building vicinity.

“Should arrive at the hotel in thirty.” From the passenger seat, August Blue’s manager twists to face the band in the back seats. Jeongguk barely lifts his face to see him, his eyes glancing over and then moving back out the window, watching London pass by in a blur. “Try and get some shut-eye. Good job today, guys.”

“Thanks, coach,” Seokjin replies. It’s always Seokjin who does the talking, taking the role of Big Bro whenever August Blue’s lead vocal and, let’s face it, the reason why they have fans, Jeongguk, isn’t feeling particularly chatty, which is more often than not. “Let’s keep working hard, yeah?”

The question is directed out to everybody in the van, and Jeongguk finally looks over. He nods, gently and smiles as if it hurts him to be genuine, and then his attention is back out the window, his mind back with the fans who had screamed for him, his heart filled with the warmth of the memory.

It’s good to be loved, to be accepted. It’s good to be successful when people doubted you could do it.

THE DEVILS ARE DANCING. (VENICE)

“It sounds really good, Jeongguk. Want me to run it one more time?”

Jeongguk shrugs the weight of his jacket off his shoulders, twisting the cable attaching to his headphones so they unravel around his body and raises his thumb through the glass to the rest of the studio. On cue, the familiar sound of the opening melody to August Blue’s updated track, Hold Your Breath, floods through the speakers, slightly tinny but nonetheless clear for all to hear. While Sejin, August Blue’s manager, aids the producer by pointing out minor audio flaws, Jeongguk joins the rest of his band in the studio to gather around. The last to join the group is Seokjin, the drummer who rubs at his wrists pathetically, his duet of drumsticks poking out of his back pocket.

Sejin’s right- it does sound good.

The strums from Hoseok, Taehyung and Namjoon’s instruments sounds incredible, and it’s probably their strongest non-punk track of the year. Retrospectively, it sounds nostalgic, reminding Jeongguk of those summer evenings in Busan after a tiring day of school and garage-band practise with the guys. When the chorus moulds together, Jeongguk’s lips lift to a satisfied and exuberant smile, the harmonies from everybody’s vocals blending together before the chorus comes to a finale, and Namjoon’s deeper vocals come for the second round of verses.

As he listens, Jeongguk recalls the moment he sat down and wrote this song, back when he was eighteen and feeling like the world was against him. In that respect, this song means a lot to him and the band, reminiscent of a time where it felt impossible to get out of the garage and into venues. Then, when Friends brought them out of small Korean venues into charts abroad and giving them radio play, Jeongguk had stored Hold Your Breath on a memory stick and his worn out lyric book, until the right moment came for him to present it to a studio. It just so happened that ADORA, a respected and famous Korean producer based in the US-of-A, had loved the track, bringing it back to square one where Jeongguk stands still, unaware that the single has finished playing.

“It’s one of our best,” Namjoon admits bashfully, his hand brushing the back of his neck, a habit. He extends his gaze out to the rest of the band, “am I right?”

“Better than Friends?” Seokjin asks, surprised. He tilts his head as if he disagrees. “Nothing can beat Friends.” After that statement, something about another song comes up in conversation but it dies out over the sound of Hold Your Breath being rolled back and played again.

On the other side of Jeongguk, Hoseok hums and claps the younger on the shoulder, the sound of Jeongguk’s hiss ignored and silenced by the excited discussion over the track by the producers, lunch menus between Seokjin and Namjoon. With a slight wince, Jeongguk looks over at the bassist.

“It’s all thanks to you!” Hoseok says, a tight but honest smile on his face. “Without you, there’d be no songs. I’m telling you, we knew you were special!”

“Thanks, Hobi,” Jeongguk replies quietly. “Let’s hope people like it and it sells.”

“Why wouldn’t it?” Hoseok muses, frowning. “Just because it has a story doesn’t mean it won’t sell. Honestly, Guk, this one’s great. It’s gonna be amazing.”

Like always, Jeongguk finds that difficult to believe, despite records and albums selling luxuriously every time. It’s mandatory to doubt, especially when you’ve got a lot to lose; August Blue are just another band, another group of guys trying to make a name for themselves across the pond. Right now, they’re not huge, not as big as Jeongguk wants them to be- they can sell out a couple arenas, top charts and headline shows, but they’ve still got a long way to go, still got the prejudice of being foreign. If anything, that only motivates them more. Nothing feels better than proving the white man wrong.

“When it’s finished, we’ll have a promising B-side for the album,” starts Adora, the producer looking over her shoulder with satisfaction at the five guys. “I’d like to run through Dancer in the Dark, though? Adjust the drums, maybe add more to the sax?”

Jeongguk nods, taking a quick sip of water from a bottle on top of the small cabinet pushed to the wall of the studio. “Might work better as the A, actually. Guys, what’dya think?”

“Yeah, sure,” Namjoon replies. “It’s a good song- will probably look better with a music video too. Want us back in the booth for it?”

Adora shakes her head, rolling the song back up. “Nah. Just gonna listen for now. Good job, guys.”

With that, and the familiar opening melody of Dancer in the Dark filtering through the speakers, Sejin claps his hands and gives a thumb to the rest of the band, sending them off for an hour or two until they’re needed again. In ADORABLE TRAP Records, singers were more often than not props, voices for her to play with. Jeongguk provides a demo, a rough idea of what the song should sound like and Adora works her magic, changing tones and amplifying the bass, creating something magical and sensational for when August Blue regroup in the studio at a later time. The band trust Adora and her team, considering she’s half the reason why they’re big worldwide in the first place.

THREE AM is August Blue’s anticipated first full length album, after many months of EP’s and mini albums, alongside the handful of covers accumulated over the years. ATR expects it to be completed by the end of the week, with only minor final touches needed on a select few of the tracks, eleven seamless and sensually exciting songs ready to release to the budding and hungry public. Like always, the pressure of perfection hangs over the studio, intoxicating and infuriating, and as soon as he can escape the room, Jeongguk inhales the clean and purified air of the outer studio, where a leather sofa sits beside a flickering vending machine that’s surely seen better days.

Hoseok groans, massaging the cramp out of his shoulder with his leather jacket still in his hand, spinning wildly with the arms extended out, hugging the air. “God, I’m so fucking hungry. Shall we go out?”

“Mm,” Namjoon agrees, “sounds good. Guk, Jin, you in for some food?”

Somewhere behind Jeongguk, Seokjin sighs loudly- a noise that has the nerve to sound like a whine, childish and ungrateful. “I need to find new drumsticks. Look at the state of these things.” Over his shoulder, Jeongguk spies the blunt ends of Seokjin’s sticks, the smooth and rounded ends frayed and close to splintering.

“How did that even happen?” Hoseok asks incredulously, while Seokjin’s distinct laughter rises in volume.

“Don’t ask,” Seokjin shakes his head in reply. “Anyway, won’t take long. Isn’t that one store nearby? The one owned by the Daegu guy?”

Namjoon confirms this. Not too far away from ATR, located in a renovated storage house in Venice, there is a comfortably successful and trustworthy store that August Blue aren’t strangers to; DBOY is one of the best, expensive and well respected amongst musicians who frequent LA. Jeongguk recognises the name, as if on command picturing the small guy who runs it in his head.

Of course, it’s not owned by him- DBOY is known for being established and owned by Min Dowoon, a retired music producer whose name is legendary amongst artists and most certainly intimidating to the likes of Busan boys like Jeongguk. Regardless, it is his son, Yoongi, who pretty much runs the place. From what Jeongguk can vaguely remember from the last time he met with Yoongi, he recalled the aforementioned to have a fine and grand collection of ostentatious instruments and equipment. As for the seller himself- well, Yoongi can be a little bit of a nouveau-riche, perhaps even unapproachable, but it’s not as if people go to DBOY looking for a conversation.

Jeongguk might be the lead vocalist of the band, but he most certainly does not regard himself the leader. Due to this fact, he stares back at the other members of the band, waiting for a decision to be made for him. While on stage, Jeongguk enjoys playing pretend and acting as if the world was his for the taking, his for his pleasure, off-stage he enjoyed living quietly and comfortably, some might say obediently, shying under the authority of his elder band-members.

“What? Yeah, of course,” Namjoon replies almost immediately. “It’s on the way to that Korean place we went to last time we came here.”

Taehyung sounds zealous at the mentioning of the Korean restaurant, which pretty much means everybody’s mind has been made up. When Seokjin catches up with Jeongguk and wraps his longer arms around him playfully, Jeongguk finally lets himself loosen the tension carved into his skin from the studio, being pulled and pulling Seokjin out of the studio and into the sunny street.

The drive to DBOY is neither long or difficult, considering the traffic has decided to fall on their side of luck today. Hoseok, who enjoys being the designated driver for the band whenever he can help it, turns right and pulls the car into the staff-only car park, uncaring for the signs that turn him away and parks awkwardly near the shrubs behind the store.

Without being affected in the face of Seokjin’s disbelieving protests against Hoseok’s parking preferences, Jeongguk undoes his seatbelt in a grouchy silence and hops out, feeling the underneath of his knees aching due to the tightness of his jeans. The front face of his knees are torn, the tan skin poking out and slightly red from where, out of unhealthy habit, he scratches his skin, the only source of colour aside from his skin being the mustard of his shoes, comfy and worn out of love.

He always forgets just how warm America is- not that it’s not welcomed, of course. Only, now he half wishes he hadn’t worn an all-black ensemble, the sun hot on his neck and underarms. The rest of August Blue take their gentle time getting out of the hired vehicle, a cacophony on the right side where Seokjin and Hoseok have stepped out, arguing over the angle of the tyres as if it genuinely makes any difference considering the car is out of sight from the public, meaning it’s bothering nobody at all besides Seokjin, who appears to be the only person complaining.

Jeongguk just rolls his eyes, over it, and brushes his untamed parting out of his eyes carefully, avoiding catching the curled strands on the bar of his eyebrow piercing.

DBOY, like always, is quiet and glorious, rising high against the bungalow-sized stores surrounding the lot. Its architecture is refined, boxy and brown and all-in-all American, a copy of every brown bricked building you’d see in the movies. And yet, it still stands out, with bright yellow accents like the colour of Jeongguk’s shoes, similarly promoted within the interior if Jeongguk remembers correctly.

The first time Jeongguk had come here it had been with acquiesce, mostly just to shut Seokjin up after he read a few five star reviews online. That was around about the time Taehyung had joined the band, with little rockstar aura and a gift for the keyboard and saxophone, which incredibly added an accent to August Blue’s music that helped them chart worldwide, a Korean The 1975 as a headline which didn’t seem all that bad, given the leader of the latter seemed down to Earth about it.

Jeongguk now cannot deny that DBOY offers something to a piece of music that quite literally no other can, hence why he sets off first towards the oversized yellow door and pushes it open with all its weight. Like Yoongi and his brusque facade, Jeongguk’s not shocked to find the door is a heavy metal, requiring attention to push it open, but yet it always catches him off guard, as if he’s expecting it to get easier each time.

Once inside, the all too familiar sound of I Want To Break Free greets his ears, the sound echoey and tinny, like you’d expect for a building with a high ceiling decorated with pipes drenched in the signature yellow. It is bright, and chilly as he enters due to the air-conditioning, yet the warmth engulfing him as all of the band enter and the door closes. On a good day, DBOY is virtually empty; majority of their orders are online and dealt with by another customs manager that is not the staff on duty, which coincidentally is how Yoongi likes it, considering he’s a bit of a black sheep, not exactly enthusiastic about talking when he can help it.

While Hoseok and Taehyung make a b-line towards the vinyls and collection of photographs that Yoongi displays in order to show off how many celebrities he’s had the delight of selling to, Jeongguk follows behind Seokjin and Namjoon as they head towards the desk, pushed towards the back of the store behind endless stacks of records, the left side of the store displaying a rare and gorgeous collection of instruments that Jeongguk ogles at as he passes.

Yoongi is a personal collector of vintages, including exact pieces and similarly replicas, the newer models closer to the desk where the cameras can keep an extra eye on their condition. Jeongguk has half an idea to make a directional change and head right, but the opening to the operative desk appears before him, or over the shoulder of Namjoon as he walks behind him.

DBOY feels abnormally silent today, not even the distinct humming of Yoongi detectable in the stacks. Namjoon purses his lips, looking around half-heartedly before moving towards the desk, raising his hand to drum his fingers upon the varnished dark wood. The dull sound of his fingertips brings Jeongguk’s head away from the instruments, and similarly, a head from a book.

At first, Jeongguk’s only half-looking. In blunt honesty, he’s not too interested in whoever is behind the desk, a sigh leaving between his lips as he buries his hands into the pockets of his jeans with great difficulty due to the tightness, something which attracts the eyes of the little dove behind the desk, her eyes darting to the refined bulge of his biceps and veins crawling on his forearms.

“Oh,” comes a gentle voice that, with reluctance, pulls Jeongguk’s eyes back over. “Sorry. I didn’t even hear you come in! I didn’t even hear the bell…”

Namjoon’s eyebrows pull upwards. “You have a bell?”

“Yeah...I think?” Questionable. “Well, I thought we did...I bet Yoongi took it out again. Fucker, he doesn’t tell me anything.”

Seokjin leans backwards on one foot, taking a peek back towards the doors where, hoorah, there is a bell on the wall above the entrance. “Oh, look at that. Guess you do have a bell.”

“Well,” finishes the voice, and Jeongguk takes the chance to look at the little display on top of the desk, a complementary addition that spells out the cashiers name in a disgustingly ordinary font. Y/N is what it reads today, which Jeongguk makes a note of and looks away from at the same time. “That bell is definitely broken. Huh. Anyway, sorry. Can I help you?”

“Yoongi here?” Namjoon asks, his weight now entirely reliant on the weight of the desk. By this point, Jeongguk has led himself over to the instruments, the only sight of him being his back marked and outlined by the clinginess of his tee.

You nod once, smiling and slamming the book from your lap on the top of the desk. Never did Namjoon expect for the title to read The Encyclopedia of Sharks, and as you spin in your chair to heckle in the back office, Namjoon glances at Seokjin over his shoulder with an amused smile, his eyes gesturing back to the book earning Seokjin a snigger.

“...and you didn’t tell me the bell was broken at the door.”

Your voice enters the store once more from the back office, accompanied by the smaller frame of Yoongi as he discards a tinfoil ball into the trash underneath the desk.

“Sorry. Y/N, the bell at the door is broken,” Yoongi deadpans, and you sneer in reply, tugging away from his childish and playful smile to be seated. When he’s decided he’s finished fondly looking at you, Yoongi addresses the band in the room, a secondary smile lifts the corners of his lips. “Long time no see.”

“Yeah. Yeah, sorry, tour,” Namjoon offers as an explanation.

“Don’t sweat it,” Yoongi shrugs in reply. “You recording?”

“As we speak,” Seokjin pipes in. “And, look- went to some stores in Vancouver for sticks last year and got given this!” His tone is elevated with genuine aghast, holding up his drumsticks and Yoongi pulls a face.

“That’s what you get for going somewhere other than here,” Yoongi frowns. “Come with me. The newest collection actually just came in. You all in here? Keep sticky fingers away from my signed records.”

The remainder of their conversation is muted for you, as you watch the group of guys shuffle away from the desk and towards the display of instruments. Whereas Yoongi holds an extensive knowledge on music and instruments, you can happily and readily admit that it is not within your comfort zone.

Truth be told, the only reason you work at DBOY is for money, and because Yoongi happens to be a relative willing to pay you more than you deserve. Family history is the reasoning for Yoongi’s undying devotion to music, alongside a half-completed degree in sound engineering that he tells people he’s got, because the two years he braved University sure as hell didn’t happen for no reason.

As for you, you prefer the less audible arts, the ones starting and stopping with paintbrushes and splashes of colour. If someone were to ask, your job at DBOY offers a daily observation of the various album covers dotted around the store, ready to be fingered and thumbed when you’re changing the display shelves, or cleaning the trays.

In simpler terms, Yoongi is the expert. You’re just the person who sits behind the desk and pretends to be a professional.

“Newer Hickory over here,” says Yoongi, as he leads the three ducklings through the store towards the lined stacks of drumsticks. In awe, like a child in a candy store, Seokjin surges forward and gapes at the selection, his eyes glued to a signature collection, signed and overwhelmingly expensive. “Oh, yeah. Queen. Signed by Roger Taylor himself, wanna feel ‘em?”

Seokjin does want; his eyes light up like tiny lamps and they widen in size, followed by the rise and fall of his feet as he hops with literal overflowing excitement. Namjoon laughs at the sight of it, the sound eventually calling Hoseok and Sticky-Fingers-Taehyung away from the pride of Yoongi’s photo collection and towards the rest of the band. Something deep within Jeongguk claws, a smile on his face as he watches Seokjin get visibly excited over the drumsticks formerly belonging to Roger Taylor. Even Jeongguk himself, despite the sudden appearance of his angst, oohs and aahs at the stick set, being directed by Yoongi to the line of new guitars and boxes on show.

“New face?”

By the time Hoseok has settled with the group, Yoongi looks up from the set of Les Paul that Namjoon is admiring for its matte polish and notices Hoseok’s gaze pointed in your direction. Yoongi follows, his chin lifting with satisfactory pride when he sees you’re reading, as always, unfocused on the group and submerged in your own world.

When you wanted, you could be excited about celebrities when they came into DBOY, but there was honestly the high chance that you didn’t even know August Blue. Considering Yoongi knew them through connections and through a year exchange programme in Australia where he had met Jeongguk and gave him advice for the band, he of course felt familiar, close enough to actually consider the members to be friends.

“Sorta,” he admits in reply. “She’s been here a while now. Y/N.”

“She’s pretty,” Namjoon comments, which, to no surprise, irritates Yoongi. He glares in the direction of the guitarist and scowls, his face pulled up with disgust.

That’s when Jeongguk looks over, drinking in the sight of you for the first time ever. Usually, Jeongguk takes great pride in the fact that he fears attachment, therefore closing himself off emotionally to everybody outside of August Blue. Due to this fact, he almost never finds himself interested in anybody, his limitations at sex which, even then, he doesn’t engage in often.

He spies on you from where he is standing, next to the electric guitar displays, watching carefully at the way you carry yourself, what you choose to show people. What you are doing now is boondoggle, skimming through pages you’ve read before to present the image of you being busy. By luck, you had dressed more nicer than usual for this date- your hair pulled half up and half down, the lilac scrunchy keeping the curls together and a black and white striped dress wrapping around your body to where Jeongguk predicts could be your knee.

Without being modest, there’s really nothing world-stopping about you. Jeongguk knows this as he stares at you; he’s had better, and definitely had worse. God forbid it, but you have the audacity to look normal, mistakenly placed in the store, sticking out like a thumb that is sore.

“She doesn’t look like she should be working here,” Jeongguk throws in, offers almost, and Yoongi regards him with the raise of his brows, an amused smile on his face.

A deep groan rises out of Namjoon’s chest. “Here we go. He always does this- every time there’s a pretty girl, he gets like this.”

“Gets like what?” Jeongguk asks, scoffing.

“Jerky,” Hoseok agrees, laughing and pointing a finger at Jeongguk accusingly. When he silences with small gasps of amusement, he smiles and says, “did you know it’s a turn off for girls?”

“Then tell me why I have more game than you?” Jeongguk quips.

Hoseok just laughs, and both of them know it’s false, considering Hoseok and his unofficial girlfriend have been hooking up for the last five months, whereas Jeongguk has remained single and sexless; which he doesn’t care about, especially when there’s a million other things he could be doing and worrying over. Comfort previously found in pillowcases and sexual endauvers can now be found in white powders and green liquids, either- either warm enough to keep him happy, at least until Seokjin tells him he should stop and put it to rest.

Yoongi quietly twists the key in the display lock after confirming that Seokjin wants the sticks in his hand. “She’s good. She does her job, and in return, I let her do what she wants when nobody’s in the store. Give it a break, yeah?”

Jeongguk scoffs with surrender, raising his shoulders as he lets it drop at Yoongi’s request. Meanwhile Yoongi answers questions about the instruments for sale, lined up for the band to gawk at with ungraciousness, Jeongguk actually turns back around. Another elongated sigh leaves his mouth, the sound of creeping boredom, and finally, his gaze once again settles on yourself.

You’ve moved since he last looked over; the book on sharks is set on top of the desk again, and now you’re risen. From where he is standing, the desk curves, revealing that his predictions on dress length were fruitless considering the stretch of your dress rises above the knee, bunching around your thigh comfortably. He has to respect it- it’s hot in Venice.

Without particularly wanting to, Jeongguk’s legs wander from his original spot towards the desk, his eyes elsewhere to feign disinterest. The truth of the matter is that he isn’t really interested, unless you counted the dull rise of arousal in the pit of his stomach. That being said, Jeongguk glances up at your face once more and sucks air into his cheeks, hollowing the skin as he knocks on his heels and turns away from you before you can notice. Namjoon was right, to some extent. You were pretty.

“You like The Clash?”

A sweet voice hauls Jeongguk’s attention up and over towards the corner of the desk, where on the other side you stand with both hands flat on the surface, your entire body lifting your weight cutely. Jeongguk’s heart leaps and he glares down at his hands, finding London Calling in his hands, indicating that whilst on his solo mission of pretending to be preoccupied near you, he had just picked up the first thing in front of him.

Jeongguk clears his throat gruffly and shakes his head once. “No.”

For a few seconds, nothing is said. “Oh.” And Jeongguk hopes you’ll leave it there, let him pretend he’s invisible until he’s thought of something to say, but as always, his prayers are ignored. “Do you need help finding something?”

“No,” Jeongguk grits out. He speaks with acrimony, the tone at first catching you off-guard until he looks up, and his eyes tell a quiet story that makes your mouth close tightly. “I’m browsing. Am I not allowed to browse?”

Whether he likes or expects it, the way Jeongguk speaks makes a grin spread across your face, covering your original expression of surprise. He’s not quite sure how to feel about this, or what to make of how his chest feels when it happens.

“Sorry,” you reply, not exactly sounding apologetic. “It’s my job to ask, I guess. Well...enjoy your browsing. If you need me…” Repeatedly, his gaze lifts from the stack of CDs back towards you and it is only when you look away that he allows himself to slip, the smallest of frowns tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Although he knows better, Jeongguk sighs and pushes himself away from his end of the desk. It slides, semi-circular with the front in the store and behind it in its own secluded room, decorated with posters and old lockers that are used for storage. It doesn’t take looking up to register the fact that Jeongguk has moved next to you, parallel; something about Jeongguk feels particularly distinct, heavy and intimidating with the smell of hazelnut that enriches woody elements, a signature male smell that fills your nose.

“So.” Jeongguk starts over, his voice clipped but also clear, as though encouraging a conversation. To you, it feels unpredictable, almost as if talking to him was absurd; to Jeongguk, it is a bravado. “You like sharks.”

Out of surprise, your attention snaps towards him. His expression gives nothing away, and it is only when he raises his eyebrows expectantly that you remember the book, that stupid book you found under the desk when you clocked in this morning after your nine-am seminar. The Encyclopedia of Sharks, smiling razor blades face up at you and an embarrassed heat rises in your body.

“Um, not really?” you confess, avoiding the scrutiny of his stare. Jeongguk’s face is levelled into unamusement, challenging the fact you don’t like sharks in the same way you questioned his interest in The Clash. A bewildered smirk dawns on his face and you smile, tightly and revealing a dimple near your jaw that Jeongguk’s attention is pulled to. “I like Sharknado, though.”

“Right,” Jeongguk replies, finishing with a laugh that is mostly air through his teeth, a snigger of sorts, and he shakes his head downwards, fluffing his hair all within the same movement. It shocks you, genuinely, to hear a laugh come out from his mouth.

While he is busy sniggering to himself, because apparently what you said tickled his remaining sense of humour, you seize the opportunity to dance your eyes across his body. “Your tattoos are pretty.” It leaves your mouth carelessly, but Jeongguk looks up with a smile on his face, a gorgeous set of pearly whites on show.

“Yeah?” he asks, and then he flexes his arms unintentionally, peering at the black ink decorating his skin. Your mouth waters inside, soaking in the sight of him before it’s snatched away, like all the good things in your life. “Thanks.”

“Mhm,” you offer, feeling mortified.

“I saw you’re close with Yoongi,” Jeongguk mentions, after a short pause. “Boyfriend? Best friend? Super close colleagues?”

“What? Ew, no. Yoongi’s my cousin. Well. You know, when someone just becomes a cousin ‘cos you’re close,” you reply, and Jeongguk nods casually, pursing his lips, and it ends there. “Also...none of your business.” He smirks.

On cue, an eruption of laughter simmers from across the store where Yoongi and the rest of Jeongguk’s friends are gathered, and you swallow the lump in your throat and glance at him, finding he hasn’t looked away. “Are you guys, like...in a band, or something?”

Jeongguk doesn’t know what to say. Should he be offended or relieved that you don’t know who he is?

“Something like that,” he nods.

“Can’t be that popular then, if I don’t know you,” you tease, fighting the urge to laugh when Jeongguk’s face falls dramatically. “I’m kidding. What did you say your name was again?”

“We’re called August Blue.”

“No, I meant your name,” you laugh.

Jeongguk splutters, coughing nothing out of his throat. “Oh. Jeongguk.”

There is no reasonable explanation behind why Jeongguk’s stomach feels weird when you smile- it is an unspoken rule that Jeongguk doesn’t do feelings. Jeongguk doesn’t do romance period, only hooks up on the rare occasion that he’s high enough to feel something for someone other than himself. Yet something is unsettling inside, bubbling like the top layer of boiling water in a cauldron, threatening to spill out in waves.

“Well, Jeongguk from August Blue- who I shall be indulging in very soon, as in, when you leave the store and I can do it without you watching me-,” you pause when he laughs again. You wonder if he laughs often, or if you’re one of the lucky ones. “-, it’s a pleasure meeting you.”

“Is it?” he questions disbelievingly.

You tilt your head curiously. “Why wouldn’t it be? I mean, aside from you coming for me doing my job.”

Jeongguk rolls his eyes. “Whatever. And, I’m just saying.”

A playfulness grabs at your shirt. “Why? Are you dangerous, Jeongguk?” Your eyes narrow into slits, challenging, and Jeongguk just smirks, exhaling softly. There is something charismatic about him, that’s for sure.

“All I’m saying, is that guys like me aren’t good for girls like you,” Jeongguk settles, unprepared for the unexpected laughter that bursts from your chest, bouncing around the room until Jeongguk actually feels somewhat uncomfortable. “What?”

But the laughter is uncontrollable, loud enough to bring Yoongi back to the desk questioningly, followed by the rest of August Blue as they shadow Yoongi like lost puppies. Yoongi pushes the small gate open and his eyes widen at you hunched over on the desk, secondly acknowledging Jeongguk as he stares deadpan at you, wondering what it was he said that was so comedic.

“You make it sound so simple,” you tell him, once the laughter has subsided. “It’s cute that you think you know what kind of girl I am.”

Hoseok side-eyes the situation as Seokjin fishes out his credit card, feeling as though they’ve all interrupted something they shouldn’t have. What is more shocking is the fact that Jeongguk accepts the challenge- he’s normally isolative with his voice when around new people, only comfortable at home or on the stage surrounded by people screaming lyrics he died to dream up and write down.

“Aren’t I right though?” Jeongguk asks, smiling like he’s got it figured out. “The pretty innocent girls like you...I’m the kind of guy your family warned you about.” While Namjoon snorts, Taehyung nods, supporting Jeongguk’s statement as you look over his shoulder at him.

Before you can even speak, Yoongi barks out a laugh, shaking his head as he returns Seokjin’s card. “Guk, you have no clue.”

If there’s one thing Jeongguk dislikes, it’s feeling as though he’s missing out on something. Back and forth, he looks at both yourself and Yoongi, waiting for an explanation. Yoongi prolongs it, finding sadistic enjoyment in the gradual irritation solidifying on his face, his tongue prodding his inner cheek with a bored expression to match.

“Dude, her daddy’s Axel Choi,” Yoongi snorts, and he laughs loudly when Jeongguk’s whole face drops to the floor, the butterflies in his stomach replaced with an instant sourness, like the bitter burn of alcohol after one too many glasses.

Bewildered, Jeongguk is rendered speechless, and while Yoongi burps laughter and makes a note of the stock now that Seokjin has purchased something, the respective remaining four members of August Blue share cautious glances, apprehensively watching what Jeongguk does or says. Saying Axel Choi feels stupid and minute, but within Jeongguk’s world, it has the same consequence as saying Lord Voldemort in Harry Potter. Whatever attempts Jeongguk has made to forgive or forget what Axel Choi once said to him in that 7-Eleven in Busan is fruitless, the judging and patronising tone clear in his ears, flooding back like a PTSD.

“Wait, what the fuck?”

“Ooh,” you start, lifting up with excitement, “what did he dooo?”, at the same time that Namjoon warningly mutters Jeongguk’s name.

“You look nothing like him,” Jeongguk says dumbly.

“That’s kinda where the step comes in. Stepdad, no blood relation, thank fuck!”

“Come on, Guk, it’s not like she was even there when he shat on all your hopes and dreams,” Yoongi frowns, raising his hand slightly in an effort to diffuse the tension. Purposefully, he ignores the way you look at Yoongi with question, realising instantly that Jeongguk’s behaviour isn’t a matter of personality but instead pride, a desperation to prove himself. “Lay off.”

“He’s family.”

“Is he fuck,” you snort, the sound and language together making Jeongguk even more confused, his head pounding with a mixture of nausea and relief, the upset of his seventeen year old self something he can’t quite shrug off, like the memory of a bad dream. “And, come on. Isn’t that unfair? Put it this way- your dad kills someone, should we go to jail too just because we’re family?” Jeongguk says nothing. “Besides, he’s been married to my Mom for like, six years? And I still don’t like him or get along with him!”

“We just have...bad experiences with him,” Namjoon admits, not forgetting to throw a glare in Jeongguk’s temperamental direction, and he reacts with a jerk, an annoyed scoff leaving his mouth.

Jeongguk crosses his arms. “He told us we’d never succeed. The fucker basically said we didn’t have the talent to be big.”

“And yet, here you are,” you point out thoughtfully, and Jeongguk pauses, acknowledging you fully. “People always succeed when others are negative. I guess we’ll just have to prove him wrong, hm?”

The funny part is that Jeongguk absolutely knows that you are right. In spite of the jarring fact that Axel Choi’s memory is now back in his life with the news of your connections to him, Jeongguk is fully aware of how none of this is your fault. Jeongguk knows better than anybody that baseless judgements were more often unhelpful and toxic than not, and instantly, an apology is brewing in his mouth, words connected by thin strings in his brain, formulating two simple words that feel impossible to mouth.

Alas, rockstars and their inflated egos; Jeongguk swallows the words back down, battling the urge to say what’s truly on his mind because he’s afraid of what might come out in its place.

So he walks.

Dejected and confused, Jeongguk spares a look at everybody in the room before shaking his head, as if trying to get something out of his head. The worry that slightly pools in your stomach at the sight of it worsens when he storms back down the length of the stacks, closely followed by Hoseok who is a foot away from calling his name. For the rest of the band, it seems, this is instrinctic of Jeongguk, and they quietly but speedily finish up and follow suit. Before he exits, Namjoon smiles over at you, something hidden in the movement that assures you it’s not your fault, even when your agape mouth and stuttering starts suggest you feel otherwise.

Jeongguk makes it out of DBOY before his lungs cave inwards, the hot smell of air pumping into his body as he steps outside to catch his breath. Hoseok’s hand comfortingly presses between his shoulder blades as he finally catches back up with the younger, and Jeongguk refrains from snatching himself away. The demon in his head cackles and the desperate angel pets his hair, tells him that if he pushes more people away, he’ll have nobody. Jeongguk’s not sure if he’s heard that angel speak before.

Hoseok guides Jeongguk back towards the car, silently accepting that Jeongguk didn’t mean it. He never does. He quietly accepts it, patting his leg when Jeongguk sits down once the car is unlocked. Jeongguk doesn’t say a word, not even when the rest of August Blue pile in the car, animatedly talking about the Korean restaurant they’re planning to eat at next. Clockwork routine, they never bring it up afterwards.

The car pulls away and Jeongguk winds the window down with a frown. He’d like a cigarette.

Not that Jeongguk has been counting, but it has been four days since August Blue had visited DBOY.

Against his tight schedules consisting of long hauls in Adora’s studio, revising songs and making minor changes to each track in preparation for the album release in a few days time, the mere memory of DBOY has been the last thing and least important thing on his mind. In sooth, he doesn’t think about it until he’s alone, vulnerable in his own personal comforts surrounded by white and red. The memory haunts him, keeps him awake for no reason. Jeongguk wishes he could go back, wipe the slate clean, listen to the angel and not be such a prick. He can do this- he does do this.

On the following day, Jeongguk wakes up with a free schedule, waking in bed with the dark grey sheets belted around his lower waist. Casting a glance to his phone that lights up distractedly with notifications, he sees that the time reads eleven am and he yawns. Knowing the rest of the band, they’ve probably scattered already; Hoseok had mentioned something off-handedly last night about spending the day with Roseanne, and Namjoon would most likely be reading alone or exploring with Taehyung, the final man of the hour, Seokjin, sleeping in until it hurts to sleep.

He could do the same, but he doesn’t. Instead, Jeongguk gets himself up and ready, finding his body lead itself back in the direction of DBOY, only realising that he’s come back when he’s outside the front blinking up at the sign.

Somewhere down the street, the sound of screaming reaches his ears- sometimes it’s hard to escape the fans who long for a glimpse at their idols, and to avoid them catching on as to where he’s fled to, Jeongguk hurls himself through the heavy metal door and into the store. It comes as no surprise that it’s empty inside, cool again and this time bursting the lyrics to a Fleetwood Mac record he can’t quite remember the name of but recognises.

The long walk down the length of the aisle is intimidating, daunting as Jeongguk walks and sees nobody behind the desk. Aside from the echoed sound of Fleetwood Mac, the store is virtually silent- admittedly, there is a small group of teenagers at the other end talking quietly, but they are so muted that Jeongguk at first doesn’t realise they are there. Instead he continues forward, slowing significantly when he reaches the desk and finds absolutely nobody in attendance.

For a second, Jeongguk considers leaving. However, the herd of fans he had stalking him outside are no doubt still outside somewhere, and as soon as he considers it, the sound of your voice makes his head snap up attentively. The door that joins the desk space to the back office rattles slowly and then pulls open, and Jeongguk inhales a breath when you step out, as charming as you were five days prior.

Jeongguk is all you see when you pick your chin up, staring at his face closely as he hovers lumpishly, looking out of place. Before he can speak, you regard his appearance, a flattering mixture of tonal blacks; the tight leather jacket covering a black roll neck and tight skinny jeans, even the trademark face-mask that has been pulled below his face, hanging by his neck.

“Oh,” you breathe softly, stunned. “Jeongguk, right?…”

“Hi,” he replies, and you take pleasure in noticing the dulled volume of his voice. “You’re here.”

He considers it a win when you smile. “Well, I do work here.”

“Yeah, I know, I don’t know why I said that,” Jeongguk mutters. “I just...Are you free?”

You make your way towards the desk, gently kicking an empty storage box with your feet. “Sadly, I am always free. You know, considering Yoongi is so popular, this shop is always empty. What’s up with that?” It’s rhetorical, and Jeongguk laughs gently. “What’s up? Left something here? I didn’t think you’d come back...well, after…”

Jeongguk frowns immediately, the unmissable darkened gaze of regret on his face. “That’s actually why I came back. Look.” He sighs, deeply and loudly. “I know it’s not your fault. With Axel.” As he speaks, your gaze is glued on him, your eyes occasionally scanning various parts of his face. “And it’s so fucking unfair for me to hold you against things he said before you even knew him, or whatever, yknow? I guess it just caught me off guard.”

You nod genuinely. “It happens.”

“And, look, I know I don’t even really know you that well, but I can tell you’re just nothing like him,” Jeongguk continues, his temper rising slowly. “You’re kind, and funny, and he’s just an asshole and-” But he stops. And, what? And, he’s still family.

“You’re right,” you agree, laughter spilling from your tongue. “No, he’s the biggest asshole. And his music sucks, let’s be honest.” Jeongguk’s mouth opens, like he wants to speak. “No wonder it took him fourteen years to make a hit…” And he laughs, loudly and in agreement.

It must be a rarity to see him smile, to hear him laugh; with your heart in the sky, staring at Jeongguk laugh makes you feel warm, your hands quivering with satisfaction at the way his eyes curve into horizontal brackets, like moons, his teeth free with the comfort of knowing he’s safe being happy.

So, explicitly, he doesn’t say sorry like he wanted to. He tries- the words are right there, it would be easy, it is easy. As always, you are understanding, sympathetic to Jeongguk as he struggles to get his words out coherently. You know what he means. You like that he cared enough to try, anyway.

Realistically, he could have left it there, and maintained that stereotypical air of mystery and unavailability he’s used to showing people. On the contrary, Jeongguk finds more reasons to slink back towards DBOY, until he’s entirely familiar with your work schedule, having accidentally turned up when you were at a lecture, and had to suffer the pressing curiosity of your cousin. Yoongi had been so over Jeongguk pretending he was here out of personal pleasure of being surrounded by music that he had eventually just told him your work times, prompting Jeongguk into working harder in the studio to ensure more free time.

Like always, nobody in the band minded. If it meant Jeongguk was investing his spare time in something other than his own loneliness, they were happy to let it be. As for yourself, the reoccuring showing of Jeongguk in DBOY was at first, something you anticipated until the third showing where he had turned up in what you think might be his best look yet. Finally, he wears splashes of colour, his aura breathing with life as he turns up to the store wearing blue denim jeans, with maroon boots and a red beanie over his hair which has been flattened.

Each visit from the man is memorable in its own way, for either parties; you gradually learn that Jeongguk was the lead singer of August Blue, his accent distinctly Australian no thanks to his mother’s dual citizenship that resulted in many family holidays out there, and the year abroad that had chanced him to meet Yoongi. In return, Jeongguk learns that you haven’t even turned twenty yet, your birthday approaching soon, and that your a dilettante, knowing virtually nothing technical about music and instead comfortable in the field of physical art, a first year studying visual art and media.

Jeongguk learns all of this on the third visit. On the fourth, he finds out that you’ve finally listened to his bands music in time for their album release the following day, now in love with the truth of their lyrics, a direct quote from your mouth that Jeongguk remembers perfectly. And on the day of THREE AM’s release, on one of his final days before tour preparations are due to start, Jeongguk finds himself in DBOY with the sound of his own voice on the speakers, and the breathtaking sight of you dancing while stacking the shelves.

It’s a new track, one off the album that dropped this morning. Dancer In The Dark plays all around him, his mind reeling when he reaches you, your back to him and hips twirling as you work. You don’t even need to turn around for Jeongguk to know that you look gorgeous- that’s something that has changed over the past few weeks of Jeongguk returning to DBOY to see you, and annoy Yoongi, respectively.

Something inside of Jeongguk now craves you, beyond the simple lust he would have imagined. Perhaps it’s the way you didn’t know who he was, treated him like a human being rather than a God; maybe it was the way you’re so ordinary, a taste of normality Jeongguk misses, or the way you’re a relation to someone he’s been working for the past four years to prove wrong. It could well be all three.

The baby blue teddy coat over your body covers your skirt, a display of smooth and tanned legs for him to leer at, your hair once again twirled into loose curls, half up and half down, a signature style like Ariana’s high pony.

Evidently, you’re unaware of his entry. Yoongi still hasn’t changed the bell above the door and the speakers playing his record are right above your head; this gives Jeongguk the perfect opportunity to quietly approach you from behind, waiting until the chorus fades to an end for him to carefully press his hands into your waist with a soft “boo” pushing between his lips.

In turn, you jump, his hands momentarily cupping your waist as you move out of his grasp, turning around defensively to see who in the right mind would dare to put a hand on you, only for the guard to be dropped with reassurance once you see Jeongguk behind you, a grin on his face.

“Hi, you,” you say to him, wincing when you realise how loud the music is. “Congrats on the album release!”

Jeongguk laughs boyishly. “Yeah? You like it?”

“Mhm!” you assure, nodding with emphasis. Jeongguk follows the hint of moving away from the loud music as his voice transitions into the opening chords of a David Bowie track. “Do you even have a bad song? Like, the difference between Vibes, Dancer in the Dark and Keep it Up...gorgeous.” He laughs again, feeling over the moon at your authentic excitement. “I really love your voice.”

If humans could melt, Jeongguk would be gloop. “Thanks, Y/N. I mean it, I’m glad you like it.” His brows quirk playfully, “Clearly.” He means your dancing, circular swirls to his voice, and you conceal a smile and look away quickly.

“I recognise Hold Your Breath, too,” you continue, choosing to deliberately ignore his playful comment. One might even assume it to have been flirting. “Isn’t that one of your earlier songs?”

By this point, you’ve hopped over the desk, slid over the wood as Jeongguk watched your coat and skirt hike up with the lift of your leg. “Mmm. I see you’ve done your homework,” he comments.

“I got...curious,” you defend weakly. “I like that song. I’m so glad you decided to do a studio version, it is what she deserved!”

Today might be a new record broken for How Many Times Can Jeon Jeongguk Laugh In Your Company.

“Well, there you have it. You can listen to all of it in HD to make up for me not being here for a while.” Your smile falters and Jeongguk smiles in an attempt to ease your disappointment. “We start our promotions next weekend, actually. Just a couple shows in the States, nothing huge.”

“Oh,” you nod, your voice oddly lost and spacious. “Ugh, I’d love to see you live. I bet it’s gonna sound amazing.”

A breath hitches in Jeongguk’s throat. Come on, idiot, jeers the demon inside of him. The angel slaps him on the back of the head but his words do not cease. You haven’t got all day to do it.

“Then come,” he blurts.

Mirroring him, your mouth falls round, open. “...O-M-G, I’d love to...but I’m like...broke,” you tell him, jokingly but around the truth you both know is there.

“Y/N, you can come for free, I’m inviting you,” Jeongguk explains slowly, the grin widening on his face. Awestruck, you’re lost in the beauty of it. “I want you to come. See us play, see me. You won’t have to pay for a single thing- everything’s on me.” He breathes, “Please,” added as an afterthought.

Admittedly, he hadn’t anticipated the following silence. “When?” you ask, breathily.

“Next Saturday,” Jeongguk offers, having thought about it since before the album came out. “At the Hollywood Palladium. It’s our opening show, and I’d just really, really like for you to be there.” You think about the date for a moment, smiling when you realise what day the date falls on.

“Hollywood? That’s...amazing, Jeongguk, really,” you tell him, your voice quiet still. “...Can I bring a friend? When I listened to August Blue, they were there and we both got really invested.”

A weight is lifted off Jeongguk’s shoulders knowing that his offer has been considered. He smiles brightly, the moons back out. “Depends. Is your friend male?”

Now it is your turn to grin, your weight held up by your elbows as you lean on top of the desk towards him, slotted between his hands. His familiar hazelnut scent is strong here. “Yes. He’s male, gay, and incredibly in love with my cousin.”

What Jeongguk feels is not relief, or irritation; an elevated feeling of happiness stirs in his chest. You are so unlike anybody he’s met, from the way you see the humour in everything he says, not taking him seriously enough to treat him like he’s better than everything else, and the way you make him feel like there’s something about him worth liking; to the way you’re probably the only person he’s ever met who genuinely likes the Sharknado franchise. It without a doubt goes without saying that good things pop up where you least expect them to, in people you didn’t anticipate meeting. Feeling like his head is in the clouds, Jeongguk’s lips press together into a smile, bashful in appearance and nods, satisfied.

“Okay then,” he nods, taking a second to grasp the situation before he laughs to himself, scratching his ear absentmindedly. “Here’s my number for then, then. You can call me when you arrive, and then I’ll come out and get you, or I’ll have our manager sort some things out, so you can skip the lines and get in before everyone else.”

“Alright,” you agree softly. “Thank you, Jeongguk.”

Although he shakes his head nonchalantly, feigning only a moderate amount of happiness, on the inside, Jeongguk’s body is screaming, his heart vibrating rapidly in his chest. On the other side, even when he bounces into a following conversation about your hair and the new book placed on the desk that you’ll probably read when you’re bored later today, you feel like you can’t breathe, can’t quite comprehend the fact Jeongguk is standing before you, his number in your phone, the sun unmatching his smile.

Some things don’t feel right, but being with Jeongguk isn’t one of them. Maybe luck is on your side for once.

(LOS ANGELES)

“So. You’ve decided to be late.”

Adjacent to where you’re standing, Park Jimin lies like a starfish on your bedsheets, his chin tilted up to the ceiling in agonising boredom as you fuss over your hair for the literal fifth time in the last four minutes.

Meeting Jimin was both the joy and the bane of your life, the boy being an unstable balance of chaotic and neutral, his sole purpose in life being to annoy the shit out of you. It had been a lovely sunny morning the day you first met him- only it had begun to thunderstorm the second he entered the arts classroom, pathetic fallacy. Being the quiet black sheep clearly did not always work in your favour considering the only spare seat left was the one next to you, meaning fate had decided to bring you both together to sketch still-life pears and grapes. Either that or a case of big, bad luck- the opinion differed depending on who you asked.

Regardless, here you both are; by cordial invite from Jeon Jeongguk himself, you have around twenty minutes to get to a venue that is thirty five away, and Jimin huffs for the fifth consecutive time, pointedly glancing over as you finish applying a generous amount of lipstick that no doubt will fade during the show. Your face is an art-piece, your body modestly covered in a silk buttoned shirt patterned with red flowers, tucked into some comfortable black jeans that Jimin turns his nose up at.

“They’re comfortable,” you argue weakly, finally following him to the car and deciding to do your shoes in the backseat. As half promised over text, Jeongguk sent a vehicle, the driver impatient and displeased by your tardiness but he says nothing, because it’s his job to drive, not to speak.

“Skinny jeans are the most impractical outfit for getting dicked down,” Jimin says with a clipped tone. “And isn’t it obvious that Jeongguk wants to do that?”

You shrug, biting the inside of your cheek. “It might not be like that.”

Jimin genuinely laughs. “Oh, come on- it totally is. Why else would he invite you backstage, send a car, and stop by at your work almost daily?”

“Maybe he wants to be friends?” you suggest, but both you and Jimin know that’s so far from the truth that you can’t even see it- you just don’t want to admit it just yet. When Jimin’s tongue darts out of his mouth with a smirk, you roll your eyes and lean down to your feet as the driver cruises down the street on the clock.

[17:39PM] Jeongguk 🎼: hey are you on your way?? [17:39PM] Jeongguk 🎼: havent heard from u [17:40PM] Jeongguk 🎼: u ok?

About ten minutes into the drive, almost peaceful save Jimin’s random questions about Jeongguk, or the venue, neither particularly answerable at this stage, a series of notifications flood your phone. Taking the chance to answer while Jimin finds time to bully the driver into talking to him to cure his driving boredom, you glance down at the messages, your body reacting with a flush when you see Jeongguk’s name light up in bold.

[17:41PM] You: yes !!!! in the car rn

His reply is instantaneous.

[17:41PM] Jeongguk 🎼: ok cool 😋 as long as ur safe [17:42PM] Jeongguk 🎼: got worried lol

“Five minutes,” the driver calls, to nobody in particular as he pulls up to a set of traffic lights. Oblivious to speed limits, he seems to have got you there in the designated twenty, before the gates opened for the crowds outside.

[17:44PM] You: we will be there in five minutes ☺️ [17:44PM] You: : i’ll text you when we’re here [17:45PM] Jeongguk 🎼: ok cutie, see you then 😛

You are grown, and too old to be crushing over a boy like you’re in high school, but the way Jeongguk interacts makes your toes curl with a whole new alien type of fondness, the need to giggle paramount. You refrain from doing so, because if Jimin hears he will never let you live it down. In an effort to ignore the excitement and nervousness coursing through your veins, your leg bounces erratically as the driver, who is apparently named Joe after the chauffeur bodyguard in The Princess Diaries (no thanks to Jimin and his “boredom” which borders insensitivity), pulls up in the barricaded staff car park. The fans outside have no idea: they just see a car and start screaming, their cheers making goosebumps ripple up your arms like romantic kisses.

“That makes me feel really important,” Jimin mutters, perhaps glum about the fact that he hasn’t had this much attention since he was chubby and innocent in third grade. “Ready to go?”

“Yep,” you breathe, unsure as to whether or not you mean it. Nevertheless, Jimin opens the car door and steps out, instantly making a crowd gathered by the barricade scream. They scream for anything, just wanting to be heard, but being Jimin, he soaks it up as you clamber out on the other side.

Jeongguk seems particularly popular, and it probably wouldn’t look good if fans saw an unknown girl get out the car to go backstage. You know how fans are, how it’s easy to jump to conclusions without the facts. While Jimin raises his hand to teasingly wave at the girls who scream in response, you follow Bodyguard Joe to the backstage door guarded by two oversized muscular men, bowing your head as you enter and feel the heat of the backstage rooms hit you in the face.

At some point, Jimin joins you inside, shuffling around your body when he spots Yoongi appear at the end of the opening corridor. Yoongi is always invited to August Blue shows, by personal invitation of the band-members who are mostly Namjoon. Remembering that Jeongguk technically has no idea you’re here, you quickly shoot him a text message before a female staff member touches your shoulder gently, offering a lanyard with VVIP written in black ink, likely a band members handwriting. She smiles, quickly running over the safety regulations because, give her a break, it’s her damn job. You’re nodding, acknowledging her words blindly until she’s done, sending you on your way towards Taehyung who pops his head around the corner and smiles brightly when he sees you.

“Hey, you!”

Quite honestly, you don’t think you’ve ever said a word to Taehyung before. He doesn’t seem particularly awkward to speak to you despite this fact, and beckons you closer with a wave of his hand. As you draw nearer, you smell the faint aroma of vodka crossed with raspberry, clinging to his clothes and mouth as he comes close to speak so you can hear him over the heavy bass filling the speakers.

“What?” you ask him loudly, seeing his mouth move with nothing coming out. All you can hear is the recording of Obsessive on the speakers, pounding, reverberating the floor beneath your Dr Martens.

“I said,” Taehyung shouts, his lips on your ear, “Jeongguk’s waiting for you. I need a wee really badly, but he’s in the artists lounge, that way.” He points vaguely in a direction, but the sight of Jimin stepping in and out of a room indicates the general direction regardless. “Enjoy the show, yeah?”

“Course!” you nod to him, and he wastes zero seconds staring at you and legs it in the opposite direction, towards where you assume the toilets are. Your eyes follow him as he leaves in endearment; he’s cute, constantly looking bewildered and confused. It’s his almond eyes, like puppy dogs’.

But the thought of seeing Jeongguk outweighs watching Taehyung leave; you hurry down the corridor and enter the room you expect to be the artists lounge, and your breath is taken away immediately when Jeongguk is the first thing you see.

As if anticipating your entry, he stands the second you enter, and while he moves, you freeze. Jeongguk looks absolutely breathtaking: his hair is curly, falling over his face with a slight parting not directly centered, hooped earrings hanging from his earlobes, adding a sparkle secondary to the way his eyes are shining in the backstage lights. His skin is gorgeously tanned, shaded and accentuated by the slipping material of his shirt that reveals the expanse of his collarbones, the black complementing the tightness of his jeans. You don’t get to look at his shoes- he stops at your toes and you peer back up at his face, rendered speechless by the smile on his face.

“Hi,” Jeongguk says, laughing as if it’s so crazy that you’re here, actually here. Before you can even think of speaking, Jeongguk inhales a breath and brings it back in with one movement; he reaches for you, encircling his arms around you for a quick hug that you’re not going to let go to waste. As soon as he feels your hands on his back, he pulls you closer, tighter almost, one hand on your lower spine and the other on the back of your head.

The hug is genuinely short, but it feels eternal.

“You made it,” he comments, his voice so bewildered that for a moment, you’re actually confused. Jeongguk speaks insecurely and it makes your heart wrench- you wonder who hurt him before, what made him think that he wasn’t deserving of things as simple as somebody coming to a show when he asked them to.

“Of course. I wouldn’t have missed it for anything,” you tell him truthfully, your arms slipping to his forearms. “I’m excited!”

Jeongguk grins happily. “Me too! Ah, I’m happy you’re here. You look gorgeous.” And without shame, he drags his gaze up and down your body.

“That’s good, then,” comes Jimin’s thrown in comment from across the room, where he occupies one of the leather seats next to Yoongi and across from Hoseok, who fidgets skittishly and fiddles his fingers at a Rubix cube. “Do you know how close we were to being late because she was busy deciding a lip colour? Jimin should I go red or nude? Jimin does this shirt go with my shoes? Jimin should I paint my nails red or black to match?”

A laugh ripples out of Jeongguk’s chest and he looks back at you adoringly.

“That’s not how it happened,” you protest weakly, pouting when Jimin cackles and smirks. “And we made it didn’t we? Shut up before I revoke the plus one card.”

“I’m already here, though,” Jimin reasons.

“I’ll force you outside,” you reply.

Yoongi pulls a face, then, finally joining the conversation. “Y/N, you can’t even open the front door to the shop when you enter, let alone drag Jimin outside. Nice try, though.”

An offended gasp leaves your mouth and Jeongguk turns around, petting the top of your head. “It’s okay. Sometimes, even I can’t open it. Anyway- drink?”

You decline this offer, not really wanting to drink anything heavy in fear of vomiting it up when the show starts. Based on your history, throwing up when you’re overly excited seems to be a dirty habit, something Jimin is very happy sharing when you opt for a glass of water while Jeongguk carefully pours himself a glass of whiskey. He doesn’t tease or poke fun. Jeongguk simply smiles, like the story is a memory he’s fond of remembering, and nods you in the direction of the couch where he wants you to sit. It stays this way right up until the show starts, and then the chaos begins and the nerves settle.

Now, you’ve never been backstage before, never seen how crazy it gets as the show’s about to start. While the rest of the band hurry around collecting outfit pieces, taking a drink or tuning their instruments to perfection, Jeongguk quietly tugs at your arm and brings you to the side, a gentle and reassuring smile on his face, a frequently used expression when it concerns yourself.

“Rachel is our main backstage manager and she’s gonna take you and Jimin down to where I’ve put you for the show, yeah?” he explains, his gaze intent. Rachel is the woman from earlier, smiling patiently near the door. You spare her a glance and then look back at Jeongguk. “I’ve put you down by the stage so I can see you, okay?”

You nod. “Yeah. Yeah, that’s okay.”

“Hey, it’s okay, you’re not in the crowd, you’re right by the stage in front of the barricade with the staff,” Jeongguk says. “Safe and sound, comfy and cosy. Can you come back after the show? There’s a party. I’ll- I’ll take you?” His tone is expectant, hopeful, and you’d be absolutely insane to let him down.

“I’ll come,” you promise. “Good luck!”

Again with the boyish charms; Jeongguk’s following smile is relaxed and lopsided, his head similarly quirked.

“Thanks, baby,” he calls, his smile widening when he notices the surprise flood your cheeks. “Cheer loud for me?”

“Always,” you tell him, gauging the scrunch of his eyes before Rachel directs both Jimin and yourself out of the backstage vicinity and towards the VVIP standing just next to the barrier. Whether or not Jimin overheard the entire ordeal is unclear; he doesn’t comment even if he did happen to overhear, remaining uncharacteristically silent until you reach your spot and he loosens up, gazing up at the stage in wonder.

When the venue feels packed to the brim and the reverberating bass of guitars literally vibrates the room, Jimin screams something about his excitement over the noise, catching your widened smile in his direction and laughing, throwing his arms around you.

Hollywood Palladium is genuinely packed to the brim, the fans by the barricade stamping excitedly as the VCR rolls to an end, the lights fade to a crimson red and silhouettes of August Blue appear on the stage. They are sensational, eliciting a chorus from the crowd that is deafening. Jimin laughs again, looking back and forth at the crowd and back at the stage, two girls from the barricade recognising him as the guy from outside and taking a photo, likely anticipating that he is of importance.

Like all concerts, the first five minutes are mind-blowing, epic and fantastical and slightly nerve-racking for all parties. At the sound of the opening chords of Meddle About, another wave of screams pierce the crowd and you wince, not expecting it but a smile still wide on your face. The cymbals crash and the lights flash brightly, revealing Jeongguk on the stage at the front, both his hands on the microphone as he speaks the first words of the night, lyrics dripped in smooth vocals that make your body swirl like on drugs. It’s mesmerising, sexy and sounding perfectly like the studio recording.

Hearing them live is a whole different experience- the way that August Blue perform is otherworldly, feeling like you’re in a subspace of slow-motion, every movement on stage emphasised. Not wanting to waste all of the show gawking at the lead vocalist, you glance at all of the other members, in awe of their talents and presence on the stage, even spotting the golden gleam of a saxophone in your peripheral vision. It is only then that you register the fact that Taehyung plays the saxophone live, and excitement and anticipation replaces birthed nerves from the opening song.

When Meddle About fades to a finale, Jeongguk smiles to himself widely as the melody to Obsessive plays almost immediately after, Namjoon’s riff introducing Jeongguk’s welcoming, “Hollywood Palladium, are you ready?” before he dives into the song. Here, Taehyung fiddles for his sax and beams down at both you and Jimin, returning to his spot to play as the song continues.

Like all songs from August Blue, you wish it would never end, your heels grinding the floor as you bop in Jimin’s arms, his chin buried in your neck as he rocks you from side to side affectionately. For the entirety of the song, and even after then, you refuse to take your eyes off Jeongguk; he moves with calculation and care, the world his bitch beneath his feet as he smirks, fucking the crowd, swirling in figure eight motions as he sings. Jeongguk is the eighth wonder of the world.

Obsessive ends, your torso rising and falling after their performance. It was a show of elan, your body buzzing with small vibrations like a bumblebee; Jeongguk’s hair is disheveled, and he exchanges caring looks with the other members, giving them the opportunity to catch their breath as he once again addresses the crowd.

“Hollywood…” he starts, smiling wolfishly when the crowd erupts into piercing screams, the fans at the barrier pounding against the metal bars impatiently and Jimin eyes them cautiously, wrapping his arms tighter around you and considerately shuffling further away. Jeongguk glances down, then, making sure everything is okay, and his eyes fall on you. The first thing he sees is your smile, enamoured and bright and wide, like golden light at the end of a dark tunnel he can’t get out of. You notice now that he speaks how strong the accent is, months and years of Australian visits clearly paying off. It’s nice, new and different, completely unlike how he speaks in Korean. “We feelin’ good tonight?”

The crowd respond gleefully, and Jeongguk chuckles into the microphone.

“Thank you all for coming out here tonight,” Jeongguk begins, swaying slightly on his feet. The movement is endearing. “Being here, on this stage, is something we have dreamed about, and now that we’re here...Wow. We couldn’t be here without you guys. Everyone who’s here- friends, family, lovers-” the crowd scream because they’re used to being mentioned this way, but when Jeongguk’s gaze briefly flickers down to you, you immediately burn up, curling into Jimin as your best friend laughs knowingly, squeezing you tighter when Jeongguk finishes his speech to the crowd, “-you guys are fucking awesome. You like the album?”

Of course, Jeongguk is not alone on the stage. Reminded of this fact, you pay attention to each members introduction, occasionally finding your eyes wandering back to the lead vocalist who seems to always be staring back. In a sea of screaming fans and waving banners, Jeongguk’s eyes land on you each time, as if reminding himself that you are here, you are here for him.

When the band finish their introductions and Jeongguk says his piece, and the opening hum from the guitars around him announce Dancer in the Dark, Jeongguk glances at you one final time and sees the way your body reacts to the song familiar to your ears, a curve extending the corner of his mouth. Jeongguk brings his attention back to the crowd where it will stay for the rest of the concert, his mind wandering between each lyric and break. Maybe- just maybe, things would work out for him in the end.

DEVIL IN THE DARK. (HOLLYWOOD)

There is a constant hum in your ears, your fingertips vibrating as you force yourself out of the car.

Judging by the sky draped in an ebony black, it’s either extremely late or extremely early, the loud music from the large estate already audible and you haven’t even entered the party yet. Even though Jeongguk had expected to take you in his personal vehicle to the party that would celebrate their first American show of the year, things hadn’t exactly gone to plan; his eyes met yours as soon as you hurried backstage to find him, pleading and frantic and your name on the tip of his tongue, unspoken when Rachel ushers the band out of the venue after an already overstayed welcome. Still, the frequent vibration of your phone under your thigh when you settled travelling with Yoongi and Jimin instead kept your thoughts preoccupied, Jeongguk’s contact practically permanent on your lock screen.

[23:40PM] Jeongguk 🎼: shit !!!!! [23:40PM] Jeongguk 🎼: i wanted to wait but they kept pushing me outside [23:41PM] Jeongguk 🎼: did u get out safe? [23:43PM] You: yep don’t worry !!! [23:43PM] You: we’ll be on our way soon [23:44PM] You: im hungry so we’re getting food first oops [23:45PM] Jeongguk 🎼: ok baby see u soon [23:45PM] Jeongguk 🎼 is typing…

The triple dots are constant.

Bodyguard Joe is the driver who drops you off, muttering under his breath when all three of you pile out the back and he’s free to leave. Before Yoongi can even shut the door properly he is speeding away, desperate to get out of there. Yoongi can’t say he blames him- he’s only staying for a little bit, at least until Jeongguk starts being Jeongguk. He deliberately doesn’t mention it to you. He wants you to see it for yourself.

Inside, it’s hard to see through the smoke. There had only been about fourty minutes difference between Jeongguk arriving there and the three of you, and evidently, they waste no time bringing the party into motion. Already, guests either by invite or chance are drunk, intoxicated with dark beer bottles and shot glasses, a wreckage of splintery glass by the door surrounded by a pair of shoes, like a warning. The lights are dimmed, each room dark save a lamp with a dying bulb or LED lights, flashing rainbow colours to the beats of songs, the smell of alcohol and weed lifting in the air. It’s rancid, strong and pungent but typical of parties you’d expect celebrities within the realm of Jeongguk to do, people who held the world at arms length.

Along the wall, the coat pegs are covered in a bundle of mismatched coats and jackets, a single Converse hanging by its laces as some sort of practical joke. In light of this, you decide to just keep your coat thrown over your shoulders, the black suede comfortable and moreover protective as faces you’ve never even seen before regard you with high interest as you pass. Jimin scowls and drags you closer to him, Yoongi leading the way with a gaze that could kill, parting the sea of dancers like Moses. The vibe, however, remains undisturbed, the bodies continuing to dance and drink as they were before Min Yoongi stepped through the mix, with two virtual nobodies behind him. He knows where he’s going- he’s done this before.

This mansion is a maze, with corridors leading everywhere, filled with bodies you didn’t know. You deduce that the main parlour where you’re headed to is the hub of the party, judging by the way the small groups of people outside become multiplied, the sound of laughter and music louder when you enter through a doorway. The room is soaked in an indigo neon light, the long haul of strip lights attached to the moulding by the ceiling by silver pins; almost all of August Blue accommodate one of the recliner sofas, one particular male suspiciously absent.

“Yoongi!” Faintly over the sound of the music, Namjoon’s voice carries its way to your trio, Yoongi’s attention moving to the band and he moves in that direction, with both Jimin and yourself close on his heels. Namjoon already looks affected by the alcohol stirring in a whiskey glass, the colour clear and making no difference when it sloshes over the side onto the bare skin of his forearms. Exchanging a tight lipped smile with Hoseok, who seats a beautiful girl on his lap who sips her drink quietly, you glance around the room for Jeongguk, your heart sinking when you don’t spot him anywhere.

“Great show,” Yoongi says, now that the music has been turned down somewhat, no thanks to Taehyung who has just stepped out of the bathroom and winced at the volume, now sitting back in his original spot beside Seokjin and his widened legs. As an afterthought, he adds, “as always. This is Jimin, by the way- and you know Y/N.”

Seokjin looks up from his glass: “Hi honey. Good night?”

“Yes, it was amazing,” you reply, your eyes wandering again. A few strangers are seated on the couch alongside the members, including three girls you aren’t familiar with. Two look out of this world, mentally vacant and the third watches you carefully, her lips pouted sourly. “Hello,” you call to her, uncomfortable.

“This is one of Rosanne’s friends, Cassandra,” Seokjin introduces, although he doesn’t sound particularly enthusiastic.

“Cassie,” she throws in.

“Oh, like the song,” you judge, looking back at Seokjin and catching the roll of his eyes before he can hide it away. Concealing a smile you look back at Cassandra.

“Yeah. Isn’t that funny?” she asks, giggling sweetly. “I like to tease Guk about it. It gets him shy. Did you see him on the way in, by the way? I’ve been looking for him.”

Oh. So she’s one of them- it’s evident in the way August Blue glance over at her with annoyance, glancing back at you with a blank stare. You know better. “No, actually. I just got here.”

“Well,” Cassandra-Cassie continues, smiling tightly, the look so ingenuine that it looks as though it hurts her to fake politeness, “if you see him, let him know that I’m looking for him.”

“Does he even know who you are?” Jimin asks before he can stop himself. Cassandra narrows her eyes.

“We met in passing.”

A snort exits Jimin’s nose. “If he remembers you, I’ll genuinely be surprised.”

Whatever is or isn’t said by the rest of the couch is unheard by you; once Jimin has finished his slander of Cassandra-Cassie whilst perched on Yoongi’s knees, you decide you’ve heard enough and pick yourself back up off the couch despite having only just sat down.

Whoever remains at the couch pays you no mind, aside from Yoongi who nods gently as you gesture to the connecting hallway, an arch in the cream smooth wall that no doubt leads to either the outside, the kitchen or a bathroom, perhaps all three at once. His eyes do not leave you until you’ve wormed your way out of the room, quietly and meekly weaving through bodies on the walls and declining at least three drinks offered in your direction. After peering into several rooms, including the kitchen that was far too crowded and scorching to even enter, and glanced out through the french doors to the scattered party outside, looking on the patio glowing in blues and pinks, the pool splashing with laughter.

Even the end bathroom that is larger than the kitchen is practically empty save the guy passed out in the bathtub with a glass of sparkling champagne in a slender glass on the sink, and you suddenly feel very dejected, closing the door behind you as you exit back to the long hallway. Maybe everything was too good to be true- maybe girls like Cassandra were girls Jeongguk had invited, like he had you, suddenly ghosting when they all appeared in the same room. It feels rude to assume that, but with no text messages or indication as to where he might be and with whom, disappointment begins to simmer in your stomach.

It nearly settles, confusing dejection with nausea and the thought of Jeongguk having played you is a thought you ruminate, until you’re halfway down the hall and a door to a connecting room that has now opened welcomes a body cloaked in the bedroom darkness, an arm leaning out to grasp your sleeve and pull you inside.

A strange sense of deja-vu hangs over this situation, familiarity striking with the hand that unwraps from around your arm and meets the second around your waist. Before you have even finished twirling to face the body in ownership of said arms, the sound of quiet chuckling makes you relax instantly, a smile growing when you fall with a soft thud against the torso of Jeongguk, his mouth in level with your eyes.

“Hi, stranger,” you laugh softly, looking up at him with wide eyes. “I’ve been looking for you.”

Jeongguk hums, and you catch a whiff of alcohol practically pouring off him. “Been hidin’. You found me, you win.” Jeongguk does a poor job of attempting to be sober, his speech slurred and his smile cheesy and smirkish. “I was tryna ride with you, but Joon shut the car door and we just drove off, you know?” You honestly don’t, but you nod anyway. “Tried to call you but dunno where my phone’s gone. Think Joon’s got it.”

“That explains why you weren’t replying,” you say, mostly to yourself. Jeongguk inhales the air through his nose quickly, one sniff, and relaxes his arms around your middle; his forearms are resting on your hip bones with his fingers gently stroking and drumming against your lower back, and it is here, with him so close, that you notice the glow of sweat on his hairline, the fringes slightly matted down and smudged black under his eye, glitter shines of his eyebrow piercing. “Got worried about you.”

“You were worried about me?” he repeats, that same smile on his face. Jeongguk sounds so amazed by this fact, so bewildered that you’d care.

Anticipation whirls in the pit of your stomach as his voice drops in volume and hardness, and the school-girl crush swims back to bite when Jeongguk’s forehead bends to press against your own, the taste of alcohol on your tongue before he’s even leaning in to kiss you. Jeongguk’s hands immediately fly to cradle your face, accidentally bringing a fistful of hair to your cheek as he holds you, practically picking your face up to warm to his mouth. It is just one kiss, long and deep and soft, leaving behind the taste of a bitter liquor.

Jeongguk’s eyes open through slits when he pulls away, analysing how you still haven’t come back to reality from it, and so he moves in again, in a body roll motion stealing a second kiss, his lips pressed up against you in full. He doesn’t know if it’s the booze in his veins or the electrifying feeling of your hands over him that has him buzzing all over- it could be both, for all he knew.

Beginning to doubt his own self control when you mumble and sigh into his mouth, Jeongguk gently brings himself away, out of the kiss and sending your eyes open in a daze. Cracking his own eyes open, Jeongguk restrains himself from going right back in- the orange glow from the outdoor lights shine on the left side of your face and his heart leaps, drumming in his ears. He frowns loudly, feeling your thumbs rub against his wrists. “Sorry.”

You pause, “Why?”

“For making you worry,” Jeongguk explains, his voice murmured through pouted lips. “I made the baby worry.”

“The baby?” you repeat, chuckling. He grins. “We’re almost the same age, y’know.”

“The baby,” Jeongguk coos, his giggles indicative of his level of soberness, which seems to be unlikely. “Little nineteen year old baby-”

“Twenty,” you add, and Jeongguk stops with a quiet “huh” that sounds like a baby, ironic. Jeongguk remembers you telling him your age, and that you’d be twenty soon. Had he missed your birthday? As if hearing his internal struggle, you smile softly: “Today is my birthday, actually.”

Truly, Jeongguk doesn’t know what to say. His mouth hangs agape, like the information was sacred. “What…? You didn’t say anything- I could have got you something, done something-”

“This whole day has been a gift,” you stress, cutting him short and calming him down. “Truly. My Mom and Asshole are in the Maldives because that’s more important than me, and so I went out for breakfast with Jimin, skipped my yoga session because treat-yourself-vibes only on my birthday, and then I had the best time at your show and now we’re here. So, honestly-” as you talk, you finger his shirt, wrapping the material around your nail, “-everything has been amazing. This is my gift- you are my gift.”

Jeongguk pouts. “You’re way more important than the Maldives...you wanna go to the Maldives? Shall we go?” Based off the state of things, Jeongguk is a playful, chatty and overall excited drunk, his eyes blown wide with what you hope it just alcohol buzz. “I’ll take you.”

You laugh, gently stroking his jaw and very briefly, before he can get too addicted, kiss him. Before Jeongguk can pucker his lips back for you, you’re back on the ground with your feet flat, shyly smiling at the way he still tries anyway- because you can’t blame a man for trying.

“You like the party?” Jeongguk asks, unconcerned. His hands are back on your back, now, his arms wrapped around you tightly.

“Mm, it’s fun,” you agree. “Will you come out and join all of us? We’re all in the lounge-” you smirk up at him and he raises his brows, “Cassandra is there.”

“Who the fuck’s Cassandra?” questions his voice, and you laugh loudly, surprisingly gleeful.

“Someone else who was looking for you like me,” you tell him, frowning. He hums, interested in this fact and your expression. “Think she likes you.”

Outside the door, someone rattles at the handle, the noise falling short as though they’ve been stopped from entering. Jeongguk seizes the last word with a triumphant smile.

“Don’t worry,” he assures, and your gaze drops to his lips as his teeth drag on the bottom, pulling teasingly. “I’ve got my eye on someone special.”

There had been reasoning behind Yoongi’s decision to not mention Jeongguk’s habits.

For one, it’s none of his business to talk about what Jeongguk does and doesn’t do when under the influence. Secondly, he feels as though he’s not supposed to say, like it’s a secret he’s sworn to keep. Truthfully, Yoongi doesn’t want to give the wrong idea- he doesn’t want the truth to be misunderstood or misinterpreted, and so he stays quiet. Like all other members of August Blue when Jeongguk touches alcohol, he’s quiet. At this stage, there’s nothing he can do but wait for Jeongguk to stop, patient and helpful.

It has to be early hours, now, and if Yoongi’s phone wasn’t dead, he’d check. By this point, the party is on its last legs, the volume of people decreasing dramatically as songs become more slow and sultry, all the lights blood red. It’s about time he and Jimin leave, actually; like always, Seokjin and Taehyung have disappeared into one of their bedrooms on the second floor, and Namjoon is asleep on the couch with his mouth ajar, Hoseok and Roseanne planning to remain present in the hub until the party goes to sleep, because someone needs to clean up, and it sure as hell won’t be anybody else.

Yoongi bids his farewells individually, with Jimin needily clinging to the sleeve of his shirt with the vodka oozing out of his body, his head on a whole other planet. By the time Yoongi makes it to the other side of the room where you are with Jeongguk, he’s worried Jimin might actually fall asleep before they get to the car.

Something interesting has happened. Yoongi slowly moves towards the leftover crowd around Jeongguk and sees your face immediately, worry crossed with affection etched into the look on your face as Jeongguk tightly holds you on his lap, his legs twitching and smile on display. It’s around about this time Yoongi begins to overthink it, letting his gaze drop to your hands holding one of his while his other reaches out to the coffee table, littered with bottles and shot glasses, and most importantly, the puddles of white. He gulps, looking back at you. Surprisingly, you don’t look put off, or disgusted- more so you look sad, as if filled with intense guilt as Jeongguk hugs you, his heart in one place and head in another.

When one of the girls next to Jeongguk pats his arm and Jeongguk looks over, you spare the chance to look back in the direction of Jimin, overwhelmed with relief when you see him losing balance over the shoulder of your cousin. Jeongguk struggles for a second to let you free but he does, and you move towards Yoongi, already expecting his departure.

“You should leave too,” Yoongi says seriously. “Before he gets worse.”

He- you look over your shoulder at Jeongguk. Now, he’s on his knees, his chin on the coffee table as he inches towards a fresh line on the surface. Someone’s credit card sits decorated in the powder and Jeongguk, whilst pressing his finger to one nose, snorts the line without question and with a smile. You look away, facing Yoongi with a dark expression.

“You knew?”

“We all knew,” Yoongi sighs. “This...is moderate.”

Processing what he’s saying, you shake your head stubbornly. “If I leave, then it will get worse. I don’t want to leave him on his own. I wanna be here for him, before it gets worse than what it already is.”

“It will get worse, always does.”

“I don’t care, I’m not leaving him here,” you reason. “Before you tell me I’m not special and I can’t change him, I’m not here to change him. I’m here to support him. I’m gonna stay, make sure he’s okay.”

Yoongi really wants to intervene, warn you against it. People before you have tried, he wants to say. But he doesn’t; he smiles weakly, thinking about how you’re too good for the world and people around you and he brings you in for a hug, kissing the crown of your head.

“Alright. Happy birthday, by the way. Twenty...Hag,” Yoongi mutters before he pulls away. Jimin mirrors the movement, drunkenly giggling in your ear as he pulls away and thuds against Yoongi’s side. Yoongi doesn’t even flinch, doesn’t complain; secretly he likes the clinginess.

“Thanks, Yoongs,” you laugh, standing still until he steers himself and Jimin away from the scene and you’re left with no other option but to retreat back towards Jeongguk, who must be on his third line. The distinct and slightly jarring sound of snorting makes you hurry quicker towards him, until you can reach out and pet his hair, making him look up before he’s even finished the line.

The boyish grin that Jeongguk gives you when he looks up and sees your face is beyond beautiful, and he’s so distracted from the lines that he doesn’t notice or care when the girl next to him, displeased with his lack of attention, finishes it off for him. Doing everything in your power to not cry about how Jeongguk looks, fucked and wrecked with white powder under his nose, you shoot him a smile and smooth your hands down the side of his face.

“‘m pretty,” he mutters. “You’re so fuckin’ pretty.”

Laughter tugs at your throat, little puffs of air through your nose as you bend your head to meet his wandering gaze, wiping the powder from his nose before it kills you to keep looking at it. He sniffs, finding that it tickles, and plops his chin in your lap, hands on your thighs.

“Sleepy?” you ask, petting his curly hair.

“Mm.”

“Mm yes, or…?”

“Mm...comfy,” mutters Jeongguk. Through his hair, he looks up at you. “Can we make-out?”

You snort out a laugh, massaging his scalp. “Oh my God, you are so drunk. Come on, big guy.”

“Wanna stay with you,” Jeongguk says. “Don’t leave.”

“I’m not gonna leave you,” you tell him. “I promise. Look, everyone’s getting ready to leave now, too, I think the party’s pretty much over.”

Jeongguk eyes the room with a half-lidded gaze, furrowing his brows like he doesn’t quite know where he is. “Huh. Everyone left.”

“Mhm.” He starts to reach for the cocaine on the table again and your heart beats with panic. “Hey, I think that’s enough now.”

“Lemme finish,” Jeongguk requests.

“You’ve had enough,” you stress, taking hold of his hand. “Let’s leave it there for tonight, okay, baby?”

Jeongguk’s head snaps towards you. “Baby?”

You nod, affirming. “Yes. Look, oh, I’m so tired-” you pretend to yawn, keeping one eye open to observe his expressions as he smiles childishly.

“You’re faking,” he accuses.

“Nope. I’m so tired, let’s go sleep,” you continue.

Jeongguk continues to smile, occasionally laughing when the sound can get out of his throat. You’re half expecting it to be a waste of time, for him to insist on taking more lines and drinking more booze, but he does neither of these things. Jeongguk nods once and runs his hands across your thighs, taking them in his palms and roughly squeezing, getting to his feet when you tug him up.

Across the box shaped recliner pattern, Cassandra-fucking-Cassie glares up from her seat, alongside several others who stare at you as if you’ve grown another head. Truth be told, and unbeknownst to yourself, Jeongguk has never listened to anybody like he does for you. You have no idea how insane it is to see Jeon Jeongguk following the orders of a girl nobody knows, and honestly, you don’t care. Feeling Jeongguk’s hand slide into yours and the other occasionally reaching to fondle the back of your leg as he searches for you in dark is enough, it’s the only thing you care about.

You don’t really know where you’re going; behind you, Jeongguk is mumbling the way to his bedroom, which appears to be up the grand staircase and on the top floor, where he can pretend he’s above the world. Even with his directions, the path seems unpredictable, his torso occasionally bumping into you when you pause at corners. Eventually, Jeongguk notices where he is and conceals a yawn, his face contorted into sleepiness as he gently pulls you in the direction of his room, unsurprisingly at the end of the corridor, a master. Before he can open the door, Jeongguk yawns loudly, slumping against the doorframe and laughing slowly when you curve around him, reaching for the handle and forcing your way into the room.

Inside, it’s cold, the window propped open and a midnight colour hanging on the walls, silence. Jeongguk doesn’t turn on a light, and he doesn’t want you to either. He still holds onto your hand, or rather your fingers, and leads the way inside. His bedroom is like a hotel suite, a small lobby area of sorts when you walk in with three doors North, East and West, all leading to separate rooms including the main bedroom, bathroom and closet, all his for his own liking. He, of course, heads to the East, in the direction of his bed. It’s equally as cold in there but Jeongguk doesn’t care.

Under his breath, Jeongguk hums something unintelligent, waiting until he’s right by the side of his bed to twirl around. His arms find themselves back around you, lifting you off the ground which elicits a squeal of surprise and falls with a soft pat on top of the bed. Your pelvis is on his abdomen, your face on the bed next to his neck and he holds you tighter, engulfing your smell and warmth. Amongst the drugs and the childlike excitement, Jeongguk is an affectionate drunk around those who matter to him. His exhale of breath akin to a sigh tickles a breeze on your ear, and you struggle to pick your head up and look at his face; he meets you with a titter and puckers his lips, kissing you before you can decline. He grins triumphantly.

“Got it.”

“Mm, you did.”

He laughs again, the kind of laugh that sounds gravelly. He’s so drunk. “Got you.”

Humming, you entertain that thought, reaching your head to peck his jawline. Jeongguk sighs contently, about to move his hands from your waist to your thighs when you shuffle up and away, his brows furrowing with perplexion. “You’ve got me.”

Jeongguk’s head tilts. “Where are you going? Don’t leave.”

“I’m going to use the bathroom, and then I’ll be right back,” you promise him. Jeongguk pouts, emotionally clingy which is unusual, but flops back down onto the bed without vocal protect.

In the time it takes for you to rush to the bathroom, pee out of nervousness and nervously pet your hair and make it look absolutely no different, Jeongguk is knocked out asleep when you re-enter the room. His breaths are quiet, and heavy, his legs hanging off the side with his heels on the floor. The urge to sigh is unreal, but you know he must be tired, more tired than you are. Standing just before him on the bed, you’re uncertain of what to do first, but then you move to pull his feet out of his shoes, quietly tossing them to the side and then hauling his legs up onto the mattress. At some point during the night, he might shuffle- he does, slightly, when his body is on one level, and he sleepily worms his way to the side of the bed closest to the window, the right side, his side.

Half of your heart wants to leave. Maybe the way Jeongguk acted tonight was purely because of things he drank, things he lets into his body. But, subconsciously, you know better; the other half of you begs for you to stay. If Jeongguk changed his mind, it would be one walk out of the door and out of his life, easy and simple.

Instead of thinking about that, you gently toss your jacket to the floor and kick off your own shoes, laying flat next to Jeongguk as he falls deeper into sleep. Even if he wakes up with cold feet tomorrow morning, at least he won’t be alone.

The next morning, it is raining. It doesn’t often rain, and so you can’t help but hear the heavy sound of rain outside the window, no thanks to yourself for forgetting to close it before climbing next to Jeongguk. Speaking of the man, he remains asleep, his head twisted on the pillow facing you with his body flat on his back, one leg up and the other spread out. He looks so peaceful, hopefully at peace with his dreams.

Without waking him up, you roll over off the bed and sink your feet to the floor, silently retreating to the bathroom with your phone in your hand. Surprised by the time, it reads eight fifty am, and you scroll down your notifications which seem to have multiplied unusually. Few are from Instagram but majority are texts, from Yoongi and Jimin, one from your Mom that reads a simple “happy bday” and nothing more.

[03:32AM]: Yoongi 👹: hope ur safe and ok [03:41AM] Yoongi 👹: did u go home?

He sent those at three.

[08:50AM] You: shit sorry [08:50AM] You: was sleeping [08:51AM] You: im still with jeongguk, he passed out and i stayed so he wouldn’t wake up on his own

There is a short silence.

[08:53AM] Yoongi 👹: ok, be safe [08:53AM] Yoongi 👹: jimin says good morning lol

Sitting on top of the closed toilet, you hurriedly reply to the flurry of messages and by the time you’ve finished, ten minutes have passed and it is now nine. Checking over yourself in the mirror and deciding that you could ultimately look a lot worse, you move back into the bedroom, overhearing loudness from the remaining people in the house who had an early start to the day.

Jeongguk stirs slightly, showing signs of being awake. Under his breath he groans, reluctant to confirm his consciousness by keeping his eyes closed, and you slowly reach to put your phone back on the bedside table and clamber on all fours onto the bed. With the weight dipped, Jeongguk huffs, peering open one eye and watching you crawl up to him, knees near his body and hands brushing the long hair out of his eyes.

“Morning, sleepy-head,” you coo, voice quiet because nine is still early.

Jeongguk groans, saying nothing. He shifts, ironing out the cramps in his limbs and sitting up, reaching a hand out for you, grabbing air like a child. Your gaze drops to the way his fingers roll expectantly and you slip your hand into his, taken aback when he tugs you over onto him, your legs over his hips as his arms steady around your waist.

Suddenly he’s very awake, moving your hair back and then kissing you, like he’s been starved of it. It begins gentle, timid, with his hands barely touching you as if he’s expecting you to move away and reject it. You don’t, however; when he pulls back you immediately move back in, twisting your arms around his neck, prompting him to follow by tightening his arms around your body, bringing you flush up against him, hips touching, sex throbbing. Jeongguk groans into your mouth, his hands guiding your body as you make shy movements, barely rolling up against him creating friction he wasn’t aware he needed so badly.

Jeongguk isn’t sure if what he’s doing is okay, and you don’t care. All that seems to matter is having you near him, as close as you can possibly be. Under your shirt, Jeongguk slides his hand up your back until it’s at the back of your neck, his left tight on your hip bone as the guider. He welcomes, no, encourages, your hips rocking against his slowly, teasingly, perfect momentum for the morning with the rain. It is both unnerving and exciting in how Jeongguk remains silent, save his occasional groans into your mouth.

Once Jeongguk has grown bored of kissing your mouth, satisfied with all he’s done, his mouth departs and moves to your jaw, peppering a line of wet kisses from the underside to your neck. His hands spring away and move to hastily unbutton your shirt, unpopping one at a time as you whimper, feeling the hardness buried in Jeongguk’s jeans begging to be free.

Jeongguk breathes heavily, desperately pulling the buttons undone and undressing your shirt from your body. At first, he barely notices the fact that your bra is missing until the shirt is down to your elbows, sexily like a shawl, and his eyes land on your hardened nipples. Jeongguk half laughs, touching his thumbs on the underside of your breasts.

“Just like that,” he mutters, and you pout through a whimper that brings his eyes up to your own.

“Shut up, there was no way I was sleeping with it on,” you reply, and he hums, it makes sense. Jeongguk doesn’t blame you- why would he? He’s a guy, he likes tits; he likes your tits, smallish and round, big enough for him to hold and fit in his mouth, which he does.

Raising his eyebrows, Jeongguk smirks and brings his mouth to your right tit, his mouth around your nipple and you moan sweetly, your hand raking through his messy bed-curls. Like taking a toothless bite out of a whip of ice cream, Jeongguk’s lips pull around it, his eyes flickering up to observe your expressions- one glance and he immediately feels overwhelmed, a pressure on his crotch, discomfort, the need to be free. His hips stutter and he ruts up against you, two clothed crotches rubbing together, stolen gasps in the morning ambience. Finished with his hands on your tits, Jeongguk fully removes your shirt, balling it up and throwing it across the room, where it lands pathetically on one of the knobs of his drawers.

In one movement, Jeongguk secures his arms around you and hikes himself up onto his feet, squatting and turning so you should fall on your back. Following, he pushes you down into the mattress, your head half on the pillow and this time, his legs on your hips, not an overpowering weight but enough to keep you pinned down. You writhe, your back arching up off the mattress as Jeongguk’s mouth trails down from your face, where he leaves a starting kiss on your lips, down your neck and between your breasts, encouraging the roll of your hips with his hands. Muttered incoherence is all he can hear as he shimmies down, his tongue on your skin, teasingly licking a stripe up across your crotch covered by uncomfortable jeans.

Jimin, that fucker, he’d been right. Skinny jeans truly were the least practical outfit.

Jeongguk straddles himself up, planting his body over you like one would during sex. Humming against your lips, Jeongguk’s teeth pull at your bottom lip, his left hand gripping your leg and positioning it around his waist, your legs parted and his crotch directly hitting yours with every grind. Jeongguk gives nothing away- he stares, unwaveringly and deadpan directly into your eyes, grunting at the faces you pull, the whimpers leaving your lips, your rutting underneath him.

He buckles unexpectedly, pounding you deep into the mattress with a high pitched moan, captured by his mouth as he squeezes your flesh around his hand, holding you to him like letting you go would result in him losing you entirely. Jeongguk’s torn between wanting to cry and scream; in his short, sad, twenty one years of living, he’s not sure he’s ever felt as desperate for another person before. Never craved somebody the way he craves you, never needed somebody the way he needs you. Jeongguk stares into your eyes, opia. For fucks sake- he likes you so much, needs you so much-

“Jeongguk, you up?”

Freeze frame. Namjoon steps into the room, his eyes widening with surprise when he comes through the East and spots your shoes and bra by the door, shirt hanging off the cupboard, and Jeongguk on top of you with his lips on your neck, hands on your waist, leg around his middle and crotch up against his. Over Jeongguk’s bicep, you stare at him, your eyes blown open, but Jeongguk doesn’t seem to stop, or even care. Even when you grip on his bicep to let him know you’re not alone, Jeongguk looks up from your neck and spots Namjoon. A soft exhale leaves his lips and he grunts, unbothered.

“Yeah,” he replies bluntly, biting down on your neck and revelling in the tug he receives in his hair when he does so. Still, Namjoon stands by the door in awe, unsure of what to do or say. Jeongguk pulls away, his face still stuffed in your neck, “you need something, Namjoon?”

“I,” Namjoon says, gathering his thoughts. He clears his throat. “Sejin called...He said he’s going to be round at about eleven ish, so I was, um, coming to see if you wanted breakfast, or…” As he speaks, Jeongguk is selfish, still grinding against you like Namjoon’s not even there. He’s listening though, his ear free to hear as he sucks his mouth on your skin, practising sex against your jeans.

Naturally, Namjoon’s gaze wanders to your breasts when Jeongguk picks himself up slightly, grabbing one with his palm and kissing patterns across your sternum. He gulps, uncomfortable.

“Be down in a minute,” Jeongguk says, shrugs, not really a promise. Namjoon nods, flushing as you moan unexpectedly, your traitor pussy having a mind of its own, controlling the way you think. Namjoon about makes out an arch on the grey comforter and catches your gaze, half-lidded, and he turns away, he’s seen enough.

“Take your time,” Namjoon squeaks out, unsure of whether the flush is for his head or his dick but he’s not sticking around to find out, and hurries out the door and back into the house. Jeongguk’s facade doesn’t fall until he knows for certain that Namjoon has left, which means he waits until the sound of laughter resonates downstairs, meaning Namjoon’s said his piece to the rest of the band likely gathered somewhere, waiting for him.

Planting one final kiss to your breast, Jeongguk groans and picks himself up onto his hands, his torso still over the lower half of your body and his gaze on your chest. It doesn’t move for a moment, staring in silence until he suddenly starts laughing to himself. The tangled mess of hair bounces with his shoulders and his head drops for a few moments, and then he peers up at you with a smile and you can’t contain your own bubbling laughter, scandalised.

“I know I’m a day late,” he breathes, “but.” Jeongguk smiles softly, “Happy birthday, gorgeous.”

“Mmm. Thank you,” you preen. “Best birthday ever.”

This causes Jeongguk to guffaw, laughing under his breath. “Joon enjoyed it too.”

“You’re such a prick, you could have stopped,” you laugh to him, slamming his shoulders gently. Jeongguk grins, shuffling until his ass is on your stomach, straddling with his hands intertwined with yours.

“Yeah,” he agrees, because he could have. “Didn’t feel like it though. Plus, he said you were pretty once. ‘Mnot taking any chances with you.”

You gasp, astounded. “And what if I had thought he was pretty, too?”

“Then I’d cry,” Jeongguk replies simply, considering it a successful quip when you laugh sweetly, your cheek on your shoulder looking up at him like he was God’s angel. He blinks, like he’s processing the information, “thank you for staying. Look, if last night I was fucked up, it’s okay if you’re not cool with that. It can be a lot and I-”

“Jeongguk, I’ll always stay. If you need me, I’ll stay,” you tell him seriously. “I’m here for you, even when it’s difficult. I-” you pause, “I care about you.” It won’t be the last time Jeongguk feels like he has nothing to say to you, and honestly, it’s not the first time either.

Jeongguk looks down at you, his face devoid of a smile now that your words have settled in. When he realises what you’re saying, what that means for him.

“I’m sorry. I’m...a fucking shit show,” Jeongguk says quietly, and he barely moves when you instantly sit up, rising with your palms cupping his face, holding him gently and closely.

“Please don’t say sorry. I’m here, if you need me,” you say to him. “If you want me.”

“I do,” replies Jeongguk. He licks his lips, “of course I do.”

Warmth blossoms in your chest, and it would be easy to kick back, let him keep kissing, stay in the warmth of his bed covers. So suddenly, life feels like it can get better. So suddenly, it feels like everything is going to be okay.

(LOS ANGELES)

Things begin to change quite suddenly.

In the moment, you hardly realise how fast paced life is moving for you, too caught up in the moment, in the thrill of what has become of your life after the show at the Hollywood Palladium. For some reason, you didn’t expect to be an addition to Jeongguk’s life after the party, especially considering August Blue still had several other shows and cities to perform in, meaning the likelihood of seeing him decreased.

He had surprised you, though, by making a considerable effort to frequent DBOY whenever he could before he left for Jersey, alongside the rather spontaneous decision to take you for dinner after your shift, ending with a bang and a kiss and your mother peeking from behind a curtain inside the house when Jeongguk pulled up to drop you home instead of your own flat afterwards.

As far as you knew, nothing with Jeongguk had especially changed; judging off the lingering smell of nicotine and alcohol when he turned up to get you, and pictures of dark lights and white tables on his private accounts, which only made it harder to say goodbye to him.

There had been a change in pace between Jeongguk and yourself, an establishment of feelings discussed over that afternoon dinner looking out at the ocean. It had been unexpected and impulsive, you still dressed in your lackluster University outfit and Jeongguk in attire that he put on when he woke up in the morning, but everything seemed to feel right.

It hadn’t been much, nothing but him setting the record straight that he wasn’t sure what he was doing, but he wanted to do it- if you would have it, he’d like to be in your life. There was the bump in the road that was his status, his tours and his unspoken struggle with white lines and drunken nights that could be troublesome. Could turn you off, could make you not want him. You laughed at that like it was the funniest and simultaneously the stupidest thing he’d ever said, and maybe it was.

Across the room, Jimin kicks his feet up onto the coffee table despite countless efforts to get him to stop. Now that the late birthday weekend spent with your family had come to a happy end, you were once again welcomed in your shared flat with Jimin; it’s a measly apartment close to campus with an expensive empty third room that you both use as art storage. Next to him on the couch is the greasy pizza box, his fingers pulling a slice off the cardboard. You stand behind the couch, looking at the back of his head, and then look back at your phone. As always, there’s nothing, no notifications besides an Icloud storage backup failure. You sigh, having expected it.

Jimin looks up when the couch dips in weight as you sit next to him, moving the pizza box to his lap rather than your spot. He has the nerve to appear offended, still shoving a slice in his mouth.

“I’ve picked the movie,” he starts.

“Swear on God, if you’ve picked Orphan again, I’m going to beat your ass.”

“It’s the best horror movie to date, come on!” Jimin argues, making zero effort to change the movie once it’s already started. People who didn’t know Jimin would take a look at him and anticipate him to be an angel, questioning why you would ever be annoyed by such a cute face. This- this is why.

Regardless, all you give Jimin is an eye-roll and decide to quietly accept the fact that your movie night has, once again, become an ode to Orphan. It’s not a problem- if a movie could define and represent a friendship, Orphan could summarize your relationship with Jimin.

The movie plays as far as Esther pushing her sister into the road when disturbance arises. Jimin is the first to stir, hearing the front door to your apartment crack open and a sheepish Yoongi steps inside, a bag of takeout in his left hand and keys in the right. He is, of course, late as always, and you expect he won’t hear the end of it by the time he’s wedged himself into the room; rightly so, Jimin interrogates him on being late as the front door closes, and right as the sound of arguing fills the room a blaring ring from your phone picks up.

It’s sad to admit that you pick up your phone in lightning speed, peering in the light as Jeongguk’s contact fills the screen. The way seeing his name light up on the screen feels like an urgent release, like finding treasure after searching for so long- you haul yourself up off the couch and head back towards the kitchen as the couple shuffle in. Glancing at them as they collapse in laughter to the couch, you smile and answer the call from Jeongguk that never stops ringing.

“Jeongguk,” you say, once you’ve picked up and heard nothing but murmured party ambience over the line. Something crackles, like the movement of clothes, and Jeongguk hums like he’s in a trance. “Can you hear me?”

“Hi baby,” his voice calls. He laughs, lucid, “Y/N, baby. Hi baby.”

“Hi,” you coo in reply. “Where are you, I can barely hear you…?”

“Party!” laughs Jeongguk. “Wrap up party. ‘so funny, you should come.”

A smile ignites. “I can’t, I’m not in that state. Are you having fun? What are you doing?”

For a moment, Jeongguk doesn’t reply. From the sounds of it, he seems otherwise occupied, for in the background the quiet sound of party laughter and glass clinking reminds you of where he is, what he’s doing, what he’ll end up doing. You swallow thickly.

“It’s okay,” Jeongguk says after some time. “Kinda fun.” He waits one second and then says, “can’t hear you. I’m gonna go outside, don’t hang up.”

“I won’t. I’m not going anywhere.”

Jeongguk moves outside, the party tucked behind as he leans against the brickwork of the rented bar used for the party. There’s a payphone on the wall, dripped in neon lights and he stands next to it, his body chilled by the night, leather on his skin.

“What are you doing?” Jeongguk asks, sniffing. That’s the indicator. Something inside of you sinks thinking about what he’s done, how sad it is that he does it to himself and nobody bats an eye.

You throw a glance back across the room; Jimin is settled in Yoongi’s lap, bringing soft laughter out of your cousin as the still frame of Orphan burns the television screen. “It’s movie night, so Jimin and Yoongi came over.”

“Mm yeah?” Jeongguk says. “Fun, sounds so fun, Yoongi said you lived with Jimin.”

“I do,” you reply gently. “When do you come home?”

“Saturday, maybe,” Jeongguk estimates. “Then I’m gonna come see you. Wanna take you out again, can we go out somewhere, I wanna go out.”

You laugh, tucking yourself into the kitchen when Yoongi and Jimin start laughing too loudly. “Course. Just let me know when, I’ll make room for you.”

For a while, Jeongguk doesn’t say anything interesting. In fact, it’s mostly a string of incoherent and confusing sentences, his pout audible as he speaks and at least he’s not making bad decisions, half the reason you haven’t told him to go back to the party. Maybe you’re in it too deep, maybe you have no right being worried about him like that. If his band members didn’t seem to be too worried, and they’ve clearly known him longer, then why should you be so concerned?

“Called you for a reason, you know,” Jeongguk says, after a short breath of silence.

You raise your eyebrows and lean against the doorframe, pulling at your bottom lip with your teeth after asking him why.

Jeongguk sniffs and then drops a deep exhale of breath. “Missed you.” Your heart thuds painfully. “Miss you, miss your voice. You should have come.”

“Maybe next time,” you offer. You’re unsure if telling him that you didn’t come because you don’t know what you are to him is wise at this exact moment, and so you decline to offer him a reason. Not that he asks. “I miss you too. I miss you coming to see me at work, made my day.”

Jeongguk laughs to himself. “I miss it. Coming home on Saturday, can I see you then?”

You pause to think. “Ah...it’s Yoojung’s birthday.” Yoojung is Yoongi’s sister, which Jeongguk remarkably remembers. He frowns, questioning. “There’s a party at her house, I’m obviously going because I’m family.”

“Yoo is a fan of the band, I think,” Jeongguk says. “Maybe I’ll ask Yoonie if I can come, surprise her or something. Wanna see you.”

“You can’t wait an extra day? I think I’m free all day on Sunday,” you offer, but Jeongguk declines.

“Nah. Greedy.”

He sniffs once, curtly and quickly, like inhaling sandpaper. You repress a sigh, not wanting to give away anything that might upset him, and you tuck further into the kitchen to escape the noise of the couple on the couch. It rises in volume, Jimin’s tone calling for you which Jeongguk can surely hear, but clearly cares little for.

“Fair enough,” you reply, smiling. “Are you going to go back in and party?”

For a second, Jeongguk says nothing. Unbeknownst to you, Jeongguk leans against the damp bricks with his chin tucked to his collarbones, gaze hazy and a smile on his lips. The air is cool enough to straighten his head, at least clear his vision from speckles to something clean.

“Just like talking to you,” he mumbles. “I don’t know, I don’t know if I wanna party anymore.”

“Then don’t, baby, it’s okay,” you tell him, trying to avoid eavesdroppers in the living room. “Find Seokjin and leave for the night, hm? Have some rest and then we can see each other when you get back for Saturday, m’kay?”

Jeongguk says nothing, listening in the background to Yoongi and Jimin as they heckle you into living room to finish the movie. He wants to say something, more than anything he has words on his mind, sentences on the tip of his tongue; he doesn’t. His head isn’t clear enough for him to trust himself to speak. So, instead, he takes an inhale of the outside air and glances around at his surroundings, observing the moonlight on the lake nearby and the dark green ferns around the car park.

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m gonna go to bed,” he decides to say.

“That’s good. Just let me know when you’re home safe, okay?” you tell him, silencing the duo with a finger to your lips and the couple on the couch suppress giggles of amusement. To them it’s funny. “Okay?”

“Yep. I’ll text,” Jeongguk promises. From behind him, the door to the club opens and you can faintly hear a voice calling him. It’s out of your hands but you hope that it’s Seokjin, or another member of the band. “Miss you.”

You smile, “I miss you too. Get some rest, okay? I’ll see you on Saturday.”

Jeongguk hums. His voice is gone in the wind, too small to speak out.

(HIDDEN HILLS)

“And, you know, don’t get me wrong- I love parties as much as the next person, believe me, but if you can’t have an Iron Man balloon just because your parents are too damn lazy to go across town to Party City to get me one, then is it really a good party?”

Min Yoojung takes a sip from her glass and practically shrivels with distaste. For some or known reason, she had assumed that when you turned eighteen, life would dramatically change and you’d suddenly enjoy the taste of alcohol. Or, at least, that’s what UK TV shows had told her- mind you, she now knows that’s entirely inaccurate.

“I mean, think about it,” she continues with a huff. “Yoongi gets his own private club hired out for his birthday with the members of KISS playing on stage, and I can’t even get a balloon?”

Yoongi sits directly across from her on the patio sofas, a cigarette between his two fingers and a glass of red wine on the small table. He hides a smirk, feigning absolute disinterest as his sister speaks, waiting until she’s finished and looking between yourself and Jimin for some sort of explanation before he speaks.

“It’s because you’re adopted,” he replies smoothly, which only sets her off more.

To some extent, what she is saying is not flawed. For Yoongi’s eighteenth birthday, he had gotten everything he wanted, things he brought up in passing wrapped up and gifted to him on the morn of March 9th. And, Yoojung is walking proof that the myth of the baby sibling being the favourite is simply not true. Granted, Yoongi’s only the favourite because he’s semi-famous, whereas Yoojung still attends public school and dines in three star restaurants with allowance money she may as well not have. That’s not to say that her birthday sucks; it doesn’t, because the Min’s have money and standards and this party in the backyard might make a headline in some Indie magazine online. Who knows.

It’s leisurely and small, with only few celebrities in attendance not including the Min’s and their relatives. You’re not entirely unfamiliar with the life of stardom- unfortunately, being the step-daughter of Axel Choi therefore meant having a camera in your face once or twice. Even though Axel was no relative of yours, and by no means did he ever have the audacity to assume he could fill the role of your Dad: Axel was an okay guy, protective of his family and by extension, protective of you. You didn’t mind, just one less camera to hide from, one less ugly photograph uploaded online for a bit of money.

That being said, Axel pulled a few strings and got a few A-Listers to show up, including a KPOP group that Yoojung had liked when she felt like an alien in her own country. Amongst those are some of Yoojung’s friends, who fear sitting near Yoongi because he’s the hot older brother type, and fearful of you who they don’t know, which isn’t any less scary from them knowing you.

“You haven’t done the cake yet, right?”

From behind Yoongi, out comes Wheein, one of his old friends from University. She carefully climbs over the seat to sit next to Jimin, mindful of her glass that sloshes and Yoojung sighs, pressing her chin into the heel of her hand.

“Nope. Yoongi says people haven’t turned up yet, so I don’t know what’s up with that,” Yoojung shrugs. “Honestly-” now she rises slightly, her back straight and finger pointed accusingly, “you fucking planned my whole party. Is this the Yoongi and Co show, or what?”

“Yes,” Yoongi replies, as though it were obvious. He drinks. “Stop complaining and wait, it’ll be worth it.”

Yoojung scoffs, “Yeah right. If Tony Stark doesn’t come to this house dressed in his suit making that suity noise, then consider this birthday over.”

Yoongi pauses. “Okay then, I guess I’ll start sending people back home, because you can’t even get an Iron Man balloon, what makes you think he’s gonna pop round in person?”

Yoojung shrugs, “Poetic cinema?”

“Keep dreaming, cabbage patch baby.”

“Cabbage patch baby?” Jimin laughs. That’s when Yoongi ignores Yoojung’s frustrated groans and launches into an explanation behind the name, which involves Yoongi telling Yoojung when she was little that their Mom found her in a cabbage patch. You’ve heard it before, so you’re not listening when it’s explained. Your gaze instead lifts across the patio, awkwardly catching your mother’s as she looks around for you.

Her eyes light up when she spots you and immediately she waves you over, not taking no for an answer as those round holes turn into slits faster than you can even mouth the syllable “n”. While Yoongi dives deeper into Yoojung’s misery, you pick yourself up with a sigh and head on over towards your mother.

She stands next to Axel, as well as Yoongi’s parents, and two celebrities you vaguely remember for being present at Yoongi’s birthday many moons ago. You fake a smile, wanting to be polite, wanting it to be over. It seems your arrival had been pre-planned and expected, for your aunt turns to you with wide eyes and brings you by the elbow.

“Y/N. We were just talking about you- you know Maxine, don’t you?”

No. You regard the stranger, subtly looking them up and down and smiling tightly. “Of course! It’s so nice to see you.”

“We were just talking about the arts- classical, of course, because we all know how you turn up your nose at the modern artists of today,” your Aunt says.

“Well, I do like modern art, I just find classicals more interesting to study. More composition, colour, texture...more empathy.”

“Whatever,” your Aunt interrupts. “Maxine has a son who works in the Louvre. He’s looking for junior guides, people to talk arty to visitors and make everything sound nice.”

Maxine smiles to intervene. “Actually, he’s not high enough in the business to request people, but I do know that he’s got an eye for women who like the arts. Miyoung told me that you study it at University level.”

You nod, bored. “Yes, I do. I’m not sure I want to move to Paris for a job, though...so…”

“Oh, no,” Maxine laughs. As she does this, one of Yoongi’s other friends, Jaehyung, creeps up behind you and quietly says hello to your mother and to Axel, half listening when Maxine says, “Duke is actually on pursuit for somebody who can match his artistic background.”

This, of course, makes Jaehyung laugh suddenly. He takes a slice of cake off a nearby tray and takes a bite, moving to walk away as he says, “Y/N doesn’t need help in the dating department, I don’t think.”

You glare at him.

“What does that mean?” your mother asks. “Do you have somebody?”

“No, Mom. Nobody.”

“Sure she does,” Jaehyung winks. “Was all over Instagram.”

“That’s a lie,” you gape.

“Is it?” he shrugs. Is it?

Aunt Miyoung gasps like she’s heard an offensive secret, touching her collarbone as she looks between Jaehyung and yourself. Jaehyung grins, saying nothing and running back to Yoongi before you can slander him. You’re in for it now.

“The boy that dropped you home?” your mother presses.

“You knew about this?” Miyoung asks. “Maxine, I am deeply sorry- I feel foolish.”

“I-Yes,” you tell her finally. Jeongguk, the man in question, might not be what everybody now thinks he is, might not even be what you think he is. “It hasn’t been long, so I didn’t want to get my hopes up.”

“And he’s famous?” Axel asks.

You look at him. “Yeah. I guess. You wouldn’t believe he was, but he is.”

Axel raises his eyebrows, by now not in the least surprised by the bitterness in your tone that has been there since your mother first introduced him. He’d probably be more surprised if you didn’t talk to him like that. Regardless, Axel takes it with acquiesce, glancing at your mother for some sort of guidance that she can’t and won’t give to him. It is in this moment that the back gate that leads to a leaky trail next to the spacious garage and past Holly’s doghouse opens, like arms inviting a hug.

The gate needs oiling, screeching to gain attention as it opens and in steps pairs of booted feet. The selection of pauses, gasps and an excited murmur from Yoojung’s friendship group out over by the poolside paints the picture for you, and you don’t feel the need to turn around. Noise alone confirms that the person who opened the gate is the same man in topic of conversation, his eyes dancing around the yard until they land on Yoongi’s father, acknowledgingly and then finally onto Yoojung, who he happens to notice quickly than he does the back of your head.

“Speak of the devil,” your mother starts, recognising him.

Axel hesitates visibly and audibly. “That man. That’s him?”

You purse your lips, taking a peek over your shoulder at Jeongguk. He speaks for himself; his muscles cling underneath a white tee and leather jacket that feels overdressed, paired with faded black jeans decorated with gashes and two zips. Axel only frowns because he’s not dressed like a prep, or a future Doctor like he would have liked for you, hypocrisy. Not even dressed ‘normal’ like boys he sees on the covers of magazines belonging to your step-sister, his own blood, his actual daughter. Jeongguk is dressed for attention, his gaze high over his glasses that you’re unaware he owned.

“It might be,” you reply quietly, and it’s telling enough that Axel sighs, folding his arms.

“Not that it’s any of your business,” Miyoung says quickly. “You should have just told us it was Jeongguk.”

“You know him?” asks Axel.

Miyoung nods, sipping her wine. “Sure. He’s been friends with Yoongi for a few years now- we actually cleared him to visit for Yoo’s birthday.” Finally she acknowledges you: “Handsome boy, Y/N. How did you find him? Yoongi?”

“More like he found me,” you muse. “I tried to remain professional, but he kept coming back to visit me at work.”

“Romantic,” your mother sighs honestly.

Yoongi’s father laughs. “Jeongguk has a type.”

You stare at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

He shrugs. “The last time he had a girl on his arm he bed her and got rid of her. Funny, actually, you two had the same hair.”

“Hair isn’t a type,” Miyoung snaps.

“I’m just saying,” he continues, shrugging again. “Don’t get your hopes up, honey.”

“So, he’s a player?” Axel grunts.

“No,” you defend quickly. “No. Well- yes, he was. People change when they’ve found the right person to change for.”

Axel chuckles wryly. “And you think you’re the one to change him?”

“Not change him, but I’ll be there for him whenever he needs me,” you nod. “I trust him.”

“I can feel my ears burning.”

Jeongguk’s voice creeps over your shoulder before you can even notice that he has made his way over towards you; the feeling of his chin rested just above your ear makes your body pause and he wraps one arm around you, observing everybody in the huddle. The Min’s consider Jeongguk secondary family, welcoming him with a smile that Axel doesn’t reciprocate, not that Jeongguk gives a shit. For Jeongguk, this is monumentous, the time for him to prove himself to the guy who didn’t believe in him.

Actually, he’s surprised to find that the feeling of worship he felt for Axel as a teenager is still there, now that he’s standing right in front of him. It’s strange, subdued and numbing, but still there and pressing. Jeongguk tries to look anywhere but at Axel, but he can’t help it. Axel doesn’t even remember him, and has the audacity to stare at Jeongguk like it’s his first time, first impression of the guy dating one of his daughters.

Jeongguk pauses his thoughts and thinks back to you- are you dating? Wouldn’t hurt to lie, just to piss of Axel even more. Jeongguk wasn’t an exceptionally smart guy but he wasn’t stupid; it was evident that Axel didn’t like him, obvious from the ugly grimace on his face. He doesn’t care- Jeongguk relishes in his dislike. That gives him power, now.

“Jeongguk,” says Miyoung, smiling wide.

Beside her, your Uncle sips his drink, silent and occasionally glancing between Jeongguk and Axel. Maybe everybody disliked Axel, Jeongguk thinks to himself, as he stares at the pulled crease between your Uncle’s eyebrows. He knows vaguely that you’re related to the Min’s through your mother, and that they, unlike your mother, never got over the death of your Dad. Maybe they too can’t stand the sight of Axel, bragging and sour-faced, acting like a member of the family when in reality, all he is is an imposter, a wolf in sheeps’ clothing, awkward and looking misplaced.

Jeongguk smiles back at Miyoung. “Hi, it’s good to see you. Thanks for having me.”

“Our pleasure,” Miyoung replies. “You’re a punk, y’know- dating our Y/N. None of us had any clue! Why hide such a beauty?”

Jeongguk grins. His arm wrapped around you tightens gently. “Sorry. We didn’t want to rush into making anything public…” He trails off, looking at you. “Get nervous and tell people?”

“Actually, you have Jaehyung to thank for that,” your mother pipes up with a sigh. For the first time, Jeongguk looks at her entirely. She looks nothing like you, too done up with surgery and makeup for him to see a resemblance. Maybe you looked like her before, maybe you favoured your Dad. “I’m Jennifer, Jenny, by the way. It’s lovely to meet you.”

Jeongguk smiles constantly, accepting her tight hug as she welcomes him. “Jeongguk.”

“Y/N doesn’t talk about you,” she says.

“In fairness, I don’t talk about anything,” you add, but she’s not listening. Jeongguk is, though, and his heart tugs. He’s got the situation kind of figured out.

“I don’t blame her,” Jeongguk replies smoothly. “We weren’t sure it was time to make things official- it’s new.”

“And it’s serious?” Axel asks, speaking for the first time.

Jeongguk watches him. “Yes, sir.”

Axel bristles. “I don’t believe we’ve been introduced. I’m Axel, I’m Y/N’s father.”

“Step father,” you cut in.

“Father,” he repeats. Axel extends a hand outwards for Jeongguk to shake. Even though he hesitates, Jeongguk accepts, firmly shaking it. It’s a good handshake, Axel ought to be impressed. What doesn’t sit right is Axel calling himself your father- something he’s never been given the right to say.

“We actually have met before,” Jeongguk says, and around his arm he feels you tighten, briefly glancing up at him.

All eyes in the huddle are on Axel, including the long forgotten Maxine who watches quietly. “Did we? I don’t remember you.”

“Well, it was a long time ago,” Jeongguk explains with a flat tone. “We were in Busan. You came into my work and bought some cigarettes, I had your opinion on some of my work.”

While Axel thinks about it, your mother gasps happily, clueless and embracing her hands. “Oh, that’s wonderful. Honey, it’s great that you helped this young man.”

Unknowingly, the Min’s writhe on their spots. They know this story. They know the truth- maybe that’s why they dislike Axel the way everybody else does.

“Did I?”

“Yeah,” Jeongguk continues, with the same flat tone that makes you shudder. “Yeah. You told me our music was shit and that I’d never make it in the business because I was a Korean boy from Busan with dreams I couldn’t reach. You told me we’d never succeed and that we’d be stuck in Busan flipping burgers and working night shifts at 7-11, and that the only way I’d succeed was if I was American. Dunno if you remember that, but I did.”

Nobody says anything. Not even Axel, who stares coldly.

“Well, we made it,” Jeongguk laughs quietly. “I took your advice and it really helped motivate me to prove you wrong. We’re number one on Billboard and we’re making history as the first all Korean band to top the charts and headline The Governors Ball next year. Not bad for a basement boy from Busan, right?”

Your mother gulps. “That’s really wonderful, Jeongguk, you should be really proud.”

Jeongguk pities her. “Thank-you. We worked hard for it. Now we’re here.”

“And I suppose it will do Y/N some good, being with somebody so successful.” For the first time since Jeongguk’s arrival, Maxine speaks up. She cradles her champagne glass tenderly and examines Jeongguk with her slinted fox-like eyes, as if nursing a different agenda.

“Thank you,” repeats Jeongguk. He tightens his arm around you, obviously enough to create a statement. While it’s mostly to prove to everybody- and himself- that you and him are an item, it’s also to rub extra salt into Axel’s wounds, his face like he’s sucking on a lemon. “Y/N helps keep me driven a lot. I owe her so much already, I’ll make her happy and do her proud. Thanks to Y/N, I don’t think I could be here. I’m here because she suggested it, actually, for Yoojungie.”

“And a good job, too,” Miyoung finally says, trying to avert the tensions. “Else Yoojung would be miserable at her own birthday party.” And everyone laughs, apart from Axel, not that anybody cares. “Jeongguk, shall we start the music up?”

Jeongguk nods. “I’d love to. Thanks, Mom.”

She smiles, walking away to prep. Feeling Axel’s stare cold on your skin, you gently push yourself into Jeongguk, until he’s walking backwards towards the selection of trees where you turn in his arms, looking up at him. Jeongguk smiles honestly for the first time, his heart thumping.

“Hi,” he says gently.

“Well, you know how to make an entrance,” you note thoughtfully. Jeongguk’s eyes rake your own, wordless. “Be careful how you act around Axel. He’s strangely protective.”

“I thought he wasn’t family.”

You frown. “He’s not. But he’s still… you know. Part of the family.”

Jeongguk says nothing at first. “I get it. I do,” he assures with a nod. The next moment, he has his hands on your upper-arms, smoothing. “It’s good to see you, by the way. You look beautiful.”

A smile crosses your face. “It’s good to see you, too. Missed you.”

“I missed you too, we just got off the plane this morning,” Jeongguk explains. Took a nap on the way home and then got dressed and we came straight here.” He pauses playfully: “Do I look okay?”

You laugh girlishly, catching his elbows with your fingers. “You look great. Who knew you wore glasses?”

Jeongguk grins. “They’re fake, I’m a fraud.”

“Of course,” you joke. “Like all rockstars.”

“Hey, don’t bring in my fellow rockers!” Jeongguk laughs too, an unusual sound. “As much as I wanna stand around and stare at you, I need to go and say hi to Yoojung and perform and stuff. It’s kinda why I’m here…”

“LOL,” you say. “You don’t have to explain yourself, Guk. Go, I’ll survive.”

“Okay,” he resists. “But I’ll come back later, yeah? Can’t ignore my girlfriend.” Jeongguk raises his eyebrows mischievously and then, rustles in his pocket whilst speaking, “Oh, wait. Happy-” he checks the time and shows his phone screen to you as he steps backwards, “-ten minute anniversary, babe.”

As Jeongguk steps away, dragging his fingertips along your palms as he steps backwards towards the curved pathway around the pool, a warm feeling simmers in your stomach. Maybe it’s the sunlight shining gold across his skin or the way his smile finally reaches his nostrils, extending wide, his eyes folded into moons- but something about the whole ordeal seems safe, seems gorgeous and heavenly, at the same time domestic. He winks, turns and heads towards the rest of August Blue sheltered around Yoojung and Yoongi, and you’re left with the imprinted image of Jeongguk’s smile on the spot of grass he just stood on, burning, refusing to leave.

[23:39PM] Jeongguk❣️: so i don’t think ur family like me…. [23:39PM] Jeongguk❣️: am i out of the picture now?

The sound of your phone fills the room and pulls you out of the bathroom, which connects to your family bedroom back in the house your family live at currently. Yoojung’s party had ended hours earlier, the grand finale with Jeongguk helping bring out her cake, fireworks on the evening, a hand on your waist.

Rubbing at your wet hair, you sit on the bed and reach for your phone, glossing over the messages, smiling.

[23:40PM] You: hey now [23:40PM] You: i don’t think my family like me either [23:41PM] Jeongguk❣️: wanna run away and be my family? [23:42PM] Y/N: where are we running to? [23:42PM] Jeongguk❣️: idk yet [23:42PM] Jeongguk❣️: somewhere nice [23:43PM] Jeongguk❣️: far away [23:43] You: omg yes [23:44PM] You: kinda wanting to go to hawaii...what are your thoughts on hawaii, gukkie? [23:45PM] Jeongguk❣️: hawaii on a first date? imagine that….. [23:45PM] Jeongguk❣️: u DO dream big [23:45PM] You: i tried [23:46PM] Jeongguk❣️: it’s not exactly hawaii [23:47PM] Jeongguk❣️: but how about a late night rendezvous at olive garden

(At the same time…)

[23:47PM] Jeongguk❣️: omg … as if i just spelt that word right [23:47PM] You: autocorrect, u cant fool me [23:47PM] You: and omg sure…..,,,,,, [23:48PM] You: something tells me ur already here and thats why you’re asking

(A honk outside your window.)

[23:49PM] Jeongguk❣️: 🤪 [23:49PM] You: my hairs wet 🥺 [23:50PM] Jeongguk❣️: i’ll roll down the windows?

(A sigh.)

[23:50PM] You: pls give me five minutes

Jeongguk had been parked up outside, his car hidden half in the shadows by a flickering streetlight, inconspicuous and with the inside lights on. It had taken all but three minutes to find his car, and another three for you to warm up to talking to him inside the car. Slipping into the passenger seat with the sound of Magnetic Moon on the AUX and the shining smile from Jeongguk had been nerve-wracking, perhaps nerve-wracking is even an understatement. Nonetheless, the song had rolled to an end and just before Tiffany could transition into the smooth vocals of Lana, Jeongguk said his first few words beyond “hi”.

Olive Garden was a few miles away from your neighbourhood- small and pushed to the side with a selection of palm trees scattered outside, like a postcard for Malibu. Like most, if not all American’s, you’ve been here before, already have a go-to on the menu. Jeongguk drives into a parking bay near the shrubs and opens the doors for you, pulls out chairs, goes the extra mile ordering wine in advance in a private section of the restaurant that you didn’t know existed. You’ve only ever been here with Yoongi and Yoojung, two celebrities who sometimes have the luxury of leaving the house and not getting immediately noticed.

“What do you wanna do after?”

Jeongguk, halfway through cutting his sirloin steak, glances up with an honestly surprised expression. “You still want to hang out after?”

You shrug, taking a sip of the wine. “Sure. Why wouldn’t I?”

“Because our first date since I got back from tour is at fucking Olive Garden,” Jeongguk states.

“I like Olive Garden…” you mumble, which he hears.

After swallowing a large mouthful, he sends it down with a gulp of wine. “Well, I’m not gonna complain. Shall we go for a drive? You ever been to the beach at night?”

“I live in LA, who hasn’t been to the beach at night?”

“Okay, true,” he replies. “I used to do it all the time in Busan, too. Lived right across the road, could see the sands from my front porch.”

Once dinner is over, and once Jeongguk has quite finished coercing you into sharing an ice-cream sundae with him, Jeongguk takes you up on the invitation to drive to the beach, the night sky like looking into the eyeball of a stuffed animal, the stars like specks of dust on an Afterlight edit. The boulevard is lit up by circular bulbs, tiny attractions for moths, bright like close up stars. Jeongguk drives smoothly, the window slightly down and occasionally his eyes glanced over at you; your hair is messed in the wind, the sound of Kim Petra on the AUX sending your body into little bops, something Jeongguk wants to remember for the rest of his life.

“So much for letting my hair dry.”

Jeongguk laughs from the back of the car, closing the boot and bringing out some spare towels to hand over to you. They’re yellow, like fresh little buttercups, and slightly wrinkled, smelling like faint juice and sea-salt. Regardless, you take the towel off him and begin to quickly rub it against your hair, once again trying to even out the wetness, less than the shower back home, enough to still drip on your arms and legs.

“You splashed me first,” Jeongguk replies, standing outside the door whereas you sit with your legs hanging out, sideways on the backseat. Behind him is the beach, dark and the sound of the ocean lapping like television static, the faint sound of the amusement arcade down the prom. His body is wet too, the ankles of his jeans clinging to his skin with ocean water.

You turn your head to him, smiling. “Guilty.” When he laughs, you continue to speak and bring the towel back down to your lap, “Okay, it’s what they all do in the movies. What else are you supposed to do on a beach at like...midnight. Wait, what time is it?”

“I dunno, like, three?” he guesses.

“No way.”

“Feels like three. Check the front.”

You lean over to check. “It’s definitely not three.”

Jeongguk shrugs boyishly, that same grin creating dimples near his chin. “Not far off. It was a guess.”

“Good for a guess,” you assure. Jeongguk wrangles the towel from your hands politely, wringing it out and throwing it back into the boot. Your hair can dry again in the wind when Jeongguk drives away, the same way it did when he picked you up. He has this theory on his mind as he walks back around to the open door, although the words leave him when he returns, having found that he has nothing at all to say now it’s come down to it.

Jeongguk moves back in, his body shoved between your legs slightly as he moves closer. You gaze up at him, the light behind him making his body glow dark, sighs like whispers in the quiet ambience.

“I really had a lot of fun tonight,” Jeongguk says, like it’s a secret. “Even though this morning your family almost had a heart attack discovering that we were, well, whatever we are...I still had fun.”

You hum in agreement, watching his face as it moves into the light. “Yoojung had the best time. I haven’t seen her that happy since she met Paul Rudd at Disneyland, and that’s seriously impressive.”

Jeongguk laughs quietly. “Paul Rudd.” He almost can’t believe that.

“As for us,” you continue, stress on the ‘us’ which brings Jeongguk’s attention full circle and back entirely onto you in the backseat of his ride, “well...what are we?”

For a few moments, Jeongguk doesn’t say anything. “I have the fantasy and the reality.”

You nod, encouraging, and so he continues. “The fantasy is that we give it a go. We try it, really try. Y/N, with every small inch of my delicate, precious body-” (giggles are delivered by you as he speaks)- “I absolutely adore you. And I never knew I could feel like how I feel with you. I only ever wanted the sex, and even then, I didn’t want it that badly, and then you wandered into my life and everything feels so...so...I don’t even know a word. I just know it feels amazing when I’m with you- I feel amazing. And, of course, the reality is that we’re two sad early twenties rich kids who are pining and don’t know what to do about it.”

And it’s true, it’s so true. The sad reality of it all was that unless either one of you stepped up first, this dynamic of uncertainty would continue on as the norm. Where you were too shy to be bold and make a move, Jeongguk felt too insecure to step up.

“Well, then…” you start, chewing the inside of your cheek, thinking. “How about we try making the fantasy our reality?”

Nothing.

Jeongguk blinks and cocks his head in bewilderment. “Really?” You nod. “You want to?”

“If I didn’t want to, why the hell would I leave my house with wet hair to go eat at Olive Garden and lovingly stroll on a beach at midnight?”

Jeongguk’s eyebrows raise in amusement. “Oh, so it was loving?”

“I was definitely feeling some kind of way,” you confirm.

At long last, Jeongguk smiles wide, shuffling closer. His hands wrap around your face gently, like holding a delicate bird in two palms, and his fingers brush against your ears, tickling the skin, nails fingering your hair.

“That’s good to hear,” he replies, “Great, actually.”

“Yeah?”

Now, Jeongguk hums, his trademark reply for when his eyes are too lost for words to be conjured up to describe how he feels about what he sees. He is, what one might recall to be as “lost for words”. His teeth clip at his bottom lip as he questions what he’ll do next, and for a brief moment you catch his tongue darting out in nervousness as he leans closer, smell of mint on his breath as his lips touch yours, and the heavens open.

Metaphorically and literally, so. As Jeongguk brings you closer to him, his lips still pressed on yours, his heart elevates into subspace, his body light and euphoric. At the same time, the sky grumbles, hungry, and it begins to pour, tiny droplets on the roof of the car and on Jeongguk’s back. He winces, doesn’t pull away, and quickly separates himself from you to squint at the sky.

He sees nothing, because it’s way too dark, but he feels it. Sighing briefly, Jeongguk turns back to you and nods his head upwards, miming for you to shuffle backwards into the car. A rush of something hot creeps down the middle of your body as you do so, feeling Jeongguk’s hand on your calf as he climbs in after you, his ankle caught on the door bringing it to a close, but not fully. The red alarm light is bright and begging for attention but Jeongguk pays it no mind.

Instead, he crawls back to you, eager to pick up what he left. It’s welcomed, warm and inviting, as Jeongguk holds you back closer to him and returns the kiss, hot and open mouthed. Something clicks inside of you, a moment of realisation as Jeongguk sets himself over you, his thighs like a cage and his hair tickling your eyebrows. When this feeling simmers, you grin, something Jeongguk is only mildly surprised about. He doesn’t ask questions, he doesn’t really need to.

In fact, Jeongguk doesn’t really say anything at all; he doesn’t need to, and he actually can’t, given the volume of the rain now it comes down heavier. It’s so loud, almost deafening, which you almost thank out loud for. The rain at least covers up your breathy moans as Jeongguk’s hands wander, pulling at the bottom of your dress and fisting it into a ball, the fabric rising higher.

When Jeongguk finally pulls himself away, it is selfish. He pulls back and sits down, in the middle seat so there’s a window view from every angle, his feet in either footwell. Jeongguk shakes his head and hair out of the way, his hands making their way back to you to bring you up and over into his lap. This time, Jeongguk accepts a kiss from you, his cheeks cupped almost by your hands which gives his hands free reign to smooth across your body, swiftly lifting the bottom half of your dress up, wrapping it like a belt across your hips. If the rain were silent, he’d like to have heard you, heard the way you whimper as the bulk in Jeongguk’s jogging bottoms brushes against your pussy, the fabric of your underwear making it hypersensitive and ten times more exciting.

Jeongguk’s lips widen, his mouth open and inviting for you, accepting tongue when you bring your lips back to his after a short break. His eyes flutter and roll backwards, the tickle of your breath through your nose on his skin as he holds you closer, as if you can get any closer than what you already are. Then, when you quite suddenly bite down onto Jeongguk’s tongue and lips, he groans, pleasured, his hands moving beneath your skirt to grab your ass, lifting you up and down on his very attentive boner.

If Jeongguk or yourself ever thought that the first time you’d have sex would be near the public beach in the back of his car in the middle of a very thunderous rainstorm, you might have laughed, or said there would be more to it. In actual fact, it’s just how it is- Jeongguk shimmies himself out of his bottoms soon enough, reaching into the back side of the car to pull out a condom, since he always has some in case of emergencies, like most guys do. He’d like to not use one, but he knows it’s not safe- he doesn’t know if he’s got something, or if you’ve got something. Either way, he rolls it onto his dick in a record speed and sinks you down onto him all within the same ten seconds, and, yeah- it’s not what he expected to happen, it’s not what anybody expects to happen, but it feels right, feels great. When he’s fucking somebody as good and as lovely as you, he’s not allowed to be picky on the location.

He can’t allow himself to be picky- he knows that he’s wanted you ever since he saw you swirling to Dancer in the Dark, he knows that things are meant to be how they play out. Actually, he doesn’t mind it. He likes the risk of someone seeing, likes the way the windows fog up and how the car rocks slightly, obvious to people outside. Jeongguk relishes in that excitement, crossed with the pleasure and arousal coursing through his body when his attention is pulled out of hit thoughts and back onto you. The rain quietens down and he hears you, feels his hands grip tighter around you and his guided pace quicken, all with a breathy high tone in his ear, occasional breaches of rain and roars of thunder, an orchestral accompanying each of you through the sex, until gushing sounds of rain are what he hears when he sees white in his eyes and over his dick, a melting handprint in the condensation on the window.

[02:34AM] You: def just heard something on my balcony so if i die, pls tell yoongi that it was ME who lost his left airpod and it was also me who stole his signed Nirvana album it’s on my shelf im sorry [02:35AM] Jimin 🦶🏽: um [02:35AM] Jimin 🦶🏽: wtf….. [02:35AM] Jimin 🦶🏽: u really just gonna die and not leave anything for me???? [02:36AM] You: SSKSSKKSKSKSK [02:36AM] You: u can have my bank account details + contents [02:36AM] Jimin 🦶🏽: !!!!!!!! [02:37AM] Jimin 🦶🏽: omg rip y/n <3 u will be missed omg…..omg cant believe ur dead

All jokes aside, you stare for a long time at your balcony doors, going insane at the sight of nothing at all through the glass and your curtains, slightly see-through to allow the sun in the mornings.

The night burns on your eyes, flashing swirls of colour taking over as you stare for too long at seemingly nothing at all. Quite possibly, it is the wind, or an animal that has climbed onto the balcony from out of one of the trees. It’s happened before- one time, a family of raccoons migrated onto your balcony during the September months of last year, and stayed there for so long that you forgot your balcony had doors. Those same doors are locked, like they always are on a nighttime, but the bedroom window remains open, slightly pushed out to allow in a breeze to circulate the room.

Knowing that it’s probably nothing, you settle back down into bed, drifting back into sleep remarkably fast for somebody previously quite concerned with being killed. This fact is startling- not just to you, but also to Jeongguk, who cocks a leg over your balcony rail and then through your window. What also shocks him was how easy it was to do all of this, now that he’s standing in your bedroom with nothing to say given the fact that you’ve fallen back to sleep.

Jeongguk sighs softly. It’s been about a week and a half since the beach, and the car, and the rain and the first time, but it feels like it’s been months. Jeongguk had to leave for a few days, three at the most, to film some puppy interview for Buzzfeed and continue other solo interviews while the rest of the band settled for a break in their LA residence. Every moment away felt like agony, so painful that Jeongguk found himself back outside your house, surprises stored in emails on his phone.

He steps quietly over towards your bed, wincing when his weight on top of the comforter causes a loud rustle and squeak. Still, you don’t wake, not until Jeongguk lays himself over you with his hands near your shoulders, his voice quiet and murmuring your name, hair tickling your face, lips on skin.

“Wha-Jeongguk?” you ask quietly, your voice groggy. “How’d you get in here…?”

“I think you need security, urgently,” Jeongguk replies quietly. When you roll over onto your back, he smiles gently and wraps hair from out of your face around your ear. “And you need to start locking your windows. You make a robbery look very easy.”

You sigh. “Oh. I thought it was okay.”

“Just be glad your intruder is me and not somebody else,” he says caringly. “Sorry I woke you.”

“No,” you say, rubbing your eyes. “I was awake...and then I closed my eyes for a bit. Hey, was that you out on the balcony?”

Jeongguk grins. “Knew you saw me.”

“I didn’t. Well, I did, but I thought I was being overly paranoid,” you tell him. You yawn away from him, “What time is it, babe?”

Jeongguk purposefully ignores the feeling in his chest. “It’s two fourty.”

You groan. “Are you stopping the night? Get in, I’m tired.”

Jeongguk brings himself down to kiss you once. “No. No, no, you can’t sleep right now. I wanna go out.”

“Now?” you ask, aghast.

“Yeah. Let’s go somewhere.”

“At like three-am?”

“Yeah, sorry, it was the only time I could get it. I wanna take you somewhere special.”

Once Jeongguk is finished speaking, you open your eyes wider and observe him. It’s only then that you notice his clothing; over his upper body, he wears a large oversized grey hoodie, slightly worn out and wrinkled with the drawstring missing, and as always, dark jeans that blend in with the night. A frown worms its way onto your face, your expression unreadable to Jeongguk’s eyes.

“Get it? Get what, babe?” you mutter.

Jeongguk hums, like shrugging.

“Where are we going?” you ask, starting to sit up which forces Jeongguk to roll over on the bed, until his feet swing over the side and hit the floor. He wants to stay quiet for the sake of yourself, considering he’s not looking forward to accidentally waking up your family. You’ve been staying at your parents' place for the entire week, abusing reading week for sleeping in, going out for something to eat, and returning home to watch Glee rather than finish your art assignments. Naturally, Jeongguk doesn’t want the whole family to reject him just because he woke them up at three in the morning to collect you from your room.

“Hm,” Jeongguk starts, straining to hear if anything outside your bedroom catches his ear. He faintly hears the sound of claws across the wood, remembering you once mentioning that your family had a dog. “How about we go to Paris?”

You whip around to look at him, making out his silhouette in the dark. “Paris? Are you fucking with me?”

“Why, what’s wrong with Paris?”

“There is nothing wrong with Paris,” you affirm, gasping. “I just...really? Paris?”

“Yeah. Thought we could stop by The Louvre to see that dude Maxine tried to set you up with.”

You snort quietly, moving to turn on a lamp which brightens the room into shades of orange. “How did you even know about that?”

“I hear things,” he says, shrugging. Jeongguk then shakes his head and looks back at you, making his way to the bottom of the bed. “No. I just really wanna take you out somewhere special.”

“The beach was special to me,” you tell him.

Jeongguk smiles, “Me, too. But...Paris.”

Laughter bubbles at the back of your throat. “Okay. Let’s go to Paris. Why not?”

“Yeah,” Jeongguk agrees, laughing also, “why not? Need help packing anything? You won’t need a lot, I can take you out when we get there.”

You pull a face, looking back at Jeongguk. “Wow...our first vacation together and you’re already going to spoil me?”

Jeongguk grins widely, “Well, on our first date I humped you, so I guess we’re pretty unconventional.”

You have nothing to say in reply to that.

(PARIS)

One thing you never thought you’d get the chance to do is take a trip on a private jet, holding up the scheduled flight times of other aircraft at the airport. That changes the second that Jeongguk pulls up outside of LAX, his hand carefully and tightly clamped around your own as he escorts you whilst also being escorted by his own small handful of security right into the large building. Thankfully for him, the airport is empty, occupied by sleeping flyers who wait on hard, metal chairs, the tinny sound of music playing at volume three.

His jet is small, yet luxurious; it’s everything out of a movie set, decorated in mocha creams and whites, clinking glasses of champagne waiting to be swallowed. His pilot knows him by name, and there’s a handpicked air hostess who looks bored and old, her lock screen a picture of her children. Jeongguk smiles at her, even addresses her by name and introduces you with a chirpy tone. The lady looks surprised, covering it up with a tight smile of nervousness. Maybe you’re the only girl Jeongguk’s ever brought on the plane before. Maybe you’re another girl he’s brought on the plane, you don’t know for sure.

After take off, Jeongguk spins in his recliner seat and drums his fingers in his lap. You sit opposite, looking meek, your gaze out the window at the dark clouds and sky. As you continue to fly, the sky opens up, into ombre colours that fascinate. One is looking at the beauty of nature and the other is looking at the beauty of a woman. Neither says a word.

When the plane reaches touch down, the airport is quite bustling and energetic, thankfully again no fans who caught an air of mystery from Jeongguk’s suspicious tweets at one in the morning, when he spontaneously booked tickets without even getting the green flag. Money to waste, risks to take, is what he’d say. Jeongguk helps you carry your small bag to the hired vehicle, an inconspicuous black car with black-out windows. He’s half expecting the vehicle to give him away, but nobody present actually gives a fuck about who is in the car and who isn’t. So, he climbs in without being noticed, his hand in yours, right up until the doors close and you’re hotel bound.

“Fuck, jet-lag.”

Jeongguk dives onto the bed, his back on the duvet and nose tipped up to the ceiling. Presently, you’ve been in Paris for a few hours, staring at the roads below with tired and sleepy eyes, heavy shoulders, a day indoors. Jeongguk’s been to Paris before, quite a few times actually - you haven’t, seeing the city in glimpses outside your balcony. To his right, the bathroom light clicks off and you shuffle out, a towel wrapped around your body as you cross the width of the room.

“Right?” you agree with a small frown. You crouch to pick up a fallen jacket off the back of the chair, tucked underneath the white vanity. “I almost fell asleep in the shower.”

“Yeah? You tired?”

“Exhausted,” you say honestly. “Once I’m dry, I think I might head to bed.”

Jeongguk hums in reply, maybe agreement. He lets you do what you need to do; of course, he takes a peek, because he’s a boy and he can’t help himself. You’re dressing by the window, staring out at the pretty Eiffel Tower who shines, lit up for the evening. The room is dark, dressed in midnight tones, the only light outside and the glow of one of the lamps upon the table top. Jeongguk is so wordlessly in awe that he doesn’t care about not being able to see. He sees your silhouette against the light of the city, curved and beautiful, hidden away by a long button up that you picked out of the wrong suitcase, not that he cares. His cheek is pressed against the pillow and he feels his body lifting up off the bed like he’s levitating. God, his chest is so light, it hurts, he wants to scream, he wants to cry, laugh, smile, leap up and yell. You finish buttoning and turn and he returns to the mattress.

The bed dips as you crawl up onto it, your knees by Jeongguk as you sit next to him on the bed. Instantly, Jeongguk’s hands move to your hair to move it away from your face as you look down at him, one hand on your knee also. On command, the smile on his lips widens softly when you brush away his fringes off his face, humming and then reaching down for a kiss, stealing one from his lips without warning and another off the slope of his chin.

“Paris is pretty,” you tell him. Jeongguk hums. “Thank you for bringing me here.”

He shrugs awkwardly. “Sorry it’s not the Maldives, baby.”

“Whatever. Paris is better,” you say. “Our view is gorgeous.”

You look back at the window. Jeongguk does not. “Yeah, it’s beautiful.”

“Must have been expensive as fuck,” you exhale, turning back to him. His hand that was once on your face drops to your back, wandering until it’s found on your ass. It feels nice, you can’t complain.

“Rich kids of LA come to Paris to make noise and take tourist photos by the Eiffel Tower,” Jeongguk replies, joking but sounding serious, which is a talent of his. You laugh, so he knows it’s something you recognise. He laughs too. “It’s actually in Yoongi’s name. Just asked him if I could use it for a weekend away.”

Your brows curve upwards in amusement. “Oh?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m a fraud, it’s not my apartment,” he sighs, “but, at least we’re here. Like it enough, and I’ll buy us a house here.”

“Are we really there yet?”

“Might be,” Jeongguk theorises. “Wanna try it for a bit longer?”

Nothing is said. Outside, a car honks and you sigh at the same time, through your nose, playing with your fingers with Jeongguk’s locks of hair that grow longer over his face. His head hasn’t moved, still squashed against the pillows, his earrings tangled and most likely stuck to strands of his hair, a difficulty for when he decides to move. He feels your hand on his face again, comforting, and he inhales your familiar scent and knows you’ve come closer by the time you’re there, pressing your lips to his.

It’s fleeting, fast. You pull away right as Jeongguk comes to terms with what you’re doing, and so he follows you up as you move away. He’s sitting up, his hands on your elbows as he moves to kiss you again, finish what you started.

A bar door outside opens and music spills out, just as Jeongguk’s hands move from your elbows to your ribcage, his heart in his throat when you reach up to tenderly hold his face, fingers near his ears on his neck. This is euphoria; your hands drop, Jeongguk moving once more to prod and palm. As he kisses you, his thumbs gently massage around your breasts, in circular motions, soft and cradling and exploring. Into his mouth you groan, quietly, like a vocal moan that lasts for a few seconds before being captured by his lips again. Jeongguk’s left hand claws at your boob, grabbing, reaching up to your neck. Now he’s holding you, his hair in his eyes tickling as he guides you. On your cheek, you feel his thumb grazing, holding you close to him even when you pull apart for a modicum of a second to capture your breath. Quite possibly, he could be sick out of nerves - your hands fall limply to his wrists, then down as his hands hold the damp back of your head. After a little longer, Jeongguk pulls himself away, his eyes half-lidded and yours closed entirely.

He admires what he’s done and what he sees. Once more, he kisses you, dragging it out until he’s moved away again, simply admiring. You’re far from done, though; you pull him back after catching your breath, your eyes now open and slightly fuzzy. Jeongguk smiles, warmly, gently. You might cry. As his hands drop from your head to the top of your shirt, fiddling with his fingers around the buttons, your lip gets caught between your bottom teeth and Jeongguk’s eyes are drawn to the sight. He might make a comment, might not. He decides not to. Instead, he moves back in and bides his hands time to undo your buttons.

The cool silk of your shirt drops as he undos the buttons, sliding like rainwater down your shoulders and arms, until it pools around your elbows. Thankfully for him, Jeongguk’s only in joggers and a button down, something he can easily slip himself out of. You’re wearing next to nothing, now that the shirt’s out of the question; all that decorates underneath is underwear, which Jeongguk doesn’t care for anyway. His hands paw at the shirt, trying to undo the last button without pulling away but it feels impossible. Frustrated, he huffs and moves away, his gaze locked on the final button above your pantline and he flushes when a laugh leaves your lips, something small and delicate and girly. He twitches.

“You, too,” you say, once the shirt is removed and you’re only in underwear, which is next on Jeongguk’s list of things to remove. He looks up with mild surprise, having the audacity to be confused by what you’re talking about. It is only when your fingers curl around the waist of his joggers that he smiles, like an idiot, and hums charmingly.

“Shuffle back for a minute?” Jeongguk asks, and you do, excited and buzzing when Jeongguk quickly pushes the joggers down his thighs. When they bunch around his ankles he kicks furiously, like a child, grunting - and you’re laughing, giggling like a school-girl, drunk on the residue of his lips. Of course, he smiles too, because happiness is a goddamn drug. He inhales with exasperation, muttering “아이씨” under his breath. He finishes it up with a chuckle, a voiceless laugh out of his throat, and then he kisses you again.

Jeongguk eventually ends up lifting you, one arm flush against your waist and his other hand graciously ripping down your underwear, careless and selfish when he hears the fabric tear. Your eyes widen, having heard it too, but you’re too dazed to mention it. The undies are tossed towards the balcony door and Jeongguk settles you back on his lap, for a brief moment. He kisses you again, pulling himself snug against you and then, he lays you down.

“So pretty,” Jeongguk comments, his hands sliding down your sides.

“You can’t even see me,” you say.

Jeongguk shrugs, shuffling down the bed. His elbows pinch into your thighs, locking his arms over them and his chin is on top of your groin. “Don’t need to. I just know.”

You slightly laugh, finding it endearing. Jeongguk chuckles too, pressing a kiss to your stomach and then his hands push up at your calves. With your legs up into arrow shapes, knees to the sky, Jeongguk kindly peels them apart, planting himself right in between.

“Jeongguk,” you breathe his name. He grins, you can feel his mouth extending against your skin. He doesn’t reply.

Situated between two smooth legs, Jeongguk’s head dips and dives. A groan is rasped out of you, followed by a string of moany exhales as Jeongguk’s tongue lays flat, covering every inch of your pussy further with sucks and nips that make your toes curl. Jeongguk’s not done this to you before. He feels slightly anxious, because he wants it to be good for you. He wraps his arms around your thighs, burrowing his head in.

“Mpmf- Jeongguk,” you gasp, your head hiding in the comforter. Jeongguk’s on his stomach, nonchalant. Jeongguk licks everywhere he can, kitten licks that stretch out into long ones, exploring. Your mouth drops. Jeongguk moves one hand away from your leg, his fingers curling up to your pussy to stretch out your labia, one finger lazily brushing against your clit. Each brush is exciting, teasing, sensitive. He hums. He’s heard you. He wants to hear more.

He doesn’t do more, because Jeongguk doesn’t want you to cum yet. He has his fun, feeling your thighs lock around his head and quiver when his fingers swipe on your nub, his tongue inching into your cunt, driving out sounds from your lips. Jeongguk entertains that for a few more minutes, hard and throbbing by the time you’re begging for him to stop, rather than keep going.

When he pulls away, your legs shake, quivering like being left out in the cold for too long. He lays down flat instead, tapping your body for you to make a move when you’re ready, which doesn’t take long. Soon after, he feels the brush of your wetness against his leg as you haul yourself up and onto him, hovering over his middle, your hands on his chest.

Jeongguk cocks his head thoughtfully. “Want to?”

You bite your lip. “Yeah.”

“Okay.”

Hair falls over your shoulder. “Do you have a condom on you?”

“In my bag, somewhere,” Jeongguk suggests. He glances to the pile of bags near the door, “But it’s so far away. Are you on the pill?”

“No,” you frown. There’s nothing for a minute. “Want to anyway?”

Jeongguk hesitates, “Yeah. Do you?”

“Yeah. I do,” you tell him. Just as you’re about to take his dick in your hand, Jeongguk reaches out to stop you. You look up at him, finding the glimmer in his eyes in the dull light, “what?”

“What if I cum?” Jeongguk asks.

“I’d like you to.”

“What if I cum inside of you?”

A short silence. Jeongguk drums his fingers impatiently against your thigh. “Whatever,” you settle with. His heart trembles when your hand wraps around him. “I’d be a good Mom.”

Jeongguk laughs, then, his other hand joining the other on your waist. “If it happens, I’ll look after both of you. You can be unemployed and pampered if that’s what you want.”

“God, that’s fucking sexy,” you sigh.

He’s kidding, so are you, but the risk is still great. Jeongguk swallows a thick lump down his throat and settles his hands on your hips, embarrassed to be nervous with the build up of you rising up on your knees, planted either side of his waist. A tremor of coldness makes him shudder as your hand touches the base of his dick, hypersensitive without the rubber. For a brief moment, he catches your gaze, slightly hidden away behind fringes of hair that cast over your eyes.

“Are you sure about this?” he asks, nervous and rubbing his hands against your skin.

You dip your head. “Yeah. Are you?”

“Mhm. I just - just want it to be good for you,” he confesses. “Don’t want it to hurt you. Don’t want you to regret it.”

“Well, are you clean? I got tested not too long ago, did it before my last pill. I’m clean.”

Jeongguk shifts. “Did it on tour with Hoseok. He was going because of Rosie and I was going because he suggested it for us. I’m good. That sound alright for you?”

“Yeah,” you nod. “It sounds perfect for me.”

And so it’s perfect for him, too. Jeongguk questions whether this is right, whether he should stop, but right now he can’t think properly. Not when he can feel himself growing rigid in your grasp, the bristle in his body when you slowly rub your clit across the head of his cock, vibrations. He grunts under his breath, his fingers shaking against your hips. Looking up at Jeongguk once more between your hair, catching the pull of his bottom lip in the scarce light and feeling his body rising beneath you, you shake your head over your shoulders and position yourself. And then you sink.

Paris is a gorgeous city, bustling with life. Across the narrow road, where another small apartment sits with a bay window and a balcony decorated with plants, the lights flicker in strobe patterns, neons bleeding into dulls seeping into pastels. A party, a parade, an applause when the size of Jeongguk adjusts inside of you. He can’t hear you, not over the noise of the party that has suddenly birthed in the moonlight hours. Perhaps Jeongguk is thankful for this, and the way it covers up his noises also.

Jeongguk groans inwards when you clench around him, familiar with the way it feels, remembering the unaccustomed sting and burn. After some time to adjust, you relax, making your first movements up and down, testing the waters, building a rhythm. Jeongguk can’t breathe, his mind paused, his breathing lodged in his throat, his lungs singing. You keep it up, the momentum, finding a pattern in the beat of the music in the background; the bass is your routine, each bump a drop onto Jeongguk’s hips, the brush of his head against your inner walls, euphoric.

“Oh my - fuck,” Jeongguk hisses, his voice barely heard. You catch it though, like a faint whisper, the sound burning your face with embarrassment. His grip tightens, nails digging into your skin as his palms slide from your hips to your ass. He holds like handles of a motorbike, guidance.

You’re slouching, hunched over with your hands on Jeongguk’s chest. He feels a pressure, not sure if it’s your hands pushing down or if it’s his own body, forcing down an orgasm he doesn’t want to have too soon. He sees purple behind you, your dark silhouette cast over him like an angel. With every slap against his body made by your ass, Jeongguk groans, grunts, borderline moans. When he strains to hear your gasps of air something in the background masks them, a sabotage.

“Feel good?” Jeongguk asks. His hands move to your wrists.

You whimper, thoughtless.

“Babe, does it feel good?”

“Mhm.” Your head falls to the side, cheek on your shoulder: “Mhm, feels good.” Something moany comes out of your lips, something muffled and whined. Imploring, spoiled. “Fuck, Jeongguk, that feels so good - keep….keep it like that.”

Jeongguk thinks it over, familiarising himself with his own movements. His grip squeezes around your wrist.

“Like that?” He follows with his body slowly thrusting up, like he would move if he were grinding the air, like inching his hips up under the covers to feel his dick on the duvet.

“Yeah,” you breathe. Even though he can’t see that well, you glance down at him: “can you - can you hold my hands?”

Jeongguk feels his stomach sink and rise, flipping, the butterflies. “Sure, baby.”

When you feel Jeongguk’s hands in your own, you hum to yourself, rising with your fingers interlocked. Jeongguk lets you do what you want with them, obliging when you slightly part his arms, hands locked on either side in the air. You sink, and rise, and sink, and rise, and Jeongguk is lost in the stars. Red, orange, blue, magenta- the rainbow appears as your wings, Jeongguk’s eyes trying to adjust in the dark on your face, on your tits, on the bits that are grainy in his vision. He imagines instead, based off memory of the beach, and the rain. When he feels your cunt clench around him again and your hands slip away to fall back behind you, Jeongguk curses into the air and lifts himself up, his arms wrapped around your middle.

“You feel so good,” Jeongguk says, his lips ghosted over yours now that he’s sitting upright. “Mhm? Hear me? Fuck, you feel so fucking good right now-”

You whimper. Jeongguk seals it up, steals it, captures it with his mouth as he kisses you. His hands are all twisted and searching, one between your shoulder blades and the other on your ass, his mind reeling when you put your palms on his cheeks, absolute bliss. It’s loud, or it would be if he could hear over the sound of the music in the apartment over, and Jeongguk picks up pieces in between the basslines, vocals and harmonies stripped apart so he can find your voice underneath. He pulls his mouth away, latching it to your neck, where your mouth is near his ear, right where he wants it. A hot flush runs up his body when he feels your breath on his ear, hears your needy moans and groans, feels your hands clawing at his back.

“Ugh- umf, Guk, I’m - I’m close,” you pant, his reply a bite to your neck. He sinks his teeth in, like a vampire with dull teeth, and you cry out into his ear. His cock twitches inside of you, the ridges of his cock smearing against your walls. He hums, not sure if you’ll hear it. You don’t. He pulls away and mouths the bite.

“Cum when you want to,” he says sweetly, moving his mouth to your ear briefly before moving back away. His hair is soft against your neck, his head angled to kiss at your skin, covered in a glow.

“What about you?” you ask.

Jeongguk smiles, his teeth present on your skin. “Don’t worry about me. I’m right behind you.”

He nuzzles his face into your neck, his eyes closed serenely as he holds you tight, holds you as you bounce up and down for the finale. Above him, your body trembles.

“Tired,” you laugh breathlessly, and Jeongguk makes a confused noise, like he hasn’t quite heard you correctly. After no reply, he sniffs, collecting you in his arms to hold you tighter than before, using his energy to move you. You may as well be paralysed, a fucktoy for him as he bounces you up and down, basking in the moans in his ear, pornographic and nasty and lewd and heard over the music that has changed tempo.

“Ah!” Jeongguk grunts into your ear with every slam onto his dick, feeling his body seize up in warning. “Gonna - I might…” He doesn’t finish the sentence. You’re not listening to it. All you can focus on is the feeling in your stomach, pressing your nails into Jeongguk’s skin.

Jeongguk saves his own release for later. He focuses, instead, on you and making you feel good, slowing himself down in the race so that you can come first. His lips press back to yours, tongue hot, and he stops bouncing you. One arm is tight around your waist and the other snakes to the front of your body, between your legs where around your thighs he finds your clit, rubbing with his thumb. He can feel your body tense and dither over him, a tightness clenching around him as you squirm, Jeongguk’s hips tiredly thrusting upwards in a slow and steady rhythm.

“Ah - Jeongguk,” you cry, words sinking into his mouth. “Baby-”

With one final flick upwards, Jeongguk lets out a throat-forced grunt into your mouth right as the pot spills, and down the length of Jeongguk’s dick trickles white. You can’t see, it’s dark and blurry, and everything feels numb. It’s nothing like the beach, which was sweet and tender and a rainy haze. This time, it’s a burning that feels dull until it races up your body, like hot goosebumps, until it washes over your body like the drop from the tallest roller coaster. Jeongguk milks it up, his own hands shaking as he grunts wordlessly, until he stutters, his toes curling.

“Umf- babe,” he pants. He moves his hands, you’re attempting to move for him but you feel stuck. Instead you clench, hard and soft, Jeongguk squirms. “Gonna- I’m-” He’s silent. One moment, you hear the laughter and a cork pop outside, and the next moment, Jeongguk’s moans are in your ear, his hands rubbing up your thighs as he moves twice upwards, as if storing his cum in safe spots inside. And then, as if on cue, he pulls out, stuffing his hand where his dick was to feel the cum drip out, like a melting ice-cream.

On his forehead he feels your lips parted and breathing and he fiddles his fingers around, non-sexually, curious. The cum stains his fingers, dressing them, and he laughs from his chest, lost of breath.

Jeongguk sighs, slotting his fingers into your mouth quite suddenly. He can barely see you, the light is still dim behind you but it’s enough for him to make it out, the grain obtrusive. He feels your lips close around his fingers and your tongue on his fingertips, a dazed smile across his face.

He sighs again. “Shit. You’re incredible.”

With a wet sound, he moves his fingers out. Despite cumming, his dick is still semi-hard, on it’s way out. Jeongguk preens when your arms wrap around his neck, his mouth needily on yours for a brief kiss. “So good.”

“Yeah?” you ask quietly.

“The best,” he confirms. “Where’ve you been all my life, hm?”

You laugh through your nose, quiet. “Wasting money at Uni and working for my cousin.” He laughs too, a small one that makes him sound small. You play with the hair at the back of his head, “Sorry for making you wait so long.”

He shrugs. “Was worth it. You’re worth the wait.”

You hum in reply, too tired to move.

“Sticky,” you say with a frown.

Jeongguk’s arms tighten around you, acknowledging your words. “And you just got clean.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll shower in the morning.”

After a short while of sitting there, you slowly untangle your arms from around him. Jeongguk has the nerve to be confused, a small hum in question as you climb off him.

“Where you going?” he asks.

“I’m going to pee,” you reply. “To be safe.”

“Oh. Okay, pee on.”

“Sorry,” you say. Leaning up to kiss his lips, Jeongguk smiles into it and all the while as you move to hurry towards the bathroom. The sound of the toilet seat being lifted, and a slight squeak from the toilet that Yoongi desperately needs to consider replacing, and then Jeongguk settles down onto the bed with a happy sigh. His chest rises and falls as the party goes on outside, fireworks behind the Eiffel Tower.

He could get used to this.

Something wakes you up with the sunrise, twisting into soft orange colours that stretch across the agriculture of Paris. It barely lights up the city, enough for shadows to still be drawn across the mocha coloured buildings, the stone still cold in the shade. You wriggle inside the sheets slightly, discomfort between your legs and very slowly, your eyes adjust to the slight light brewing in the bedroom.

The patio doors leading out onto the small balcony are drawn open, the see-through curtains swaying like slow hips in the wind. Beside you, the bed is cold, untucked and open where Jeongguk has climbed out. Mentioning Jeongguk, you notice that he sits on the end of the bed, facing the sunrise and the Eiffel Tower with a notebook in his hand. The pages are folded over the spine, bulking it up, and he taps a pen against his ear quietly. The sound is all you can hear alongside the early-rising birds, a car honk outside and the next door neighbours hanging out of their window with chocolate bread and strong coffee.

“Mmm. Guk?”

Your voice is slightly hoarse, bedirdden, and Jeongguk manages to hear it as he turns his head over his shoulder. A smile dawns on his face and he shifts, one hand on the bed and the book closing shut on its own. “Hey, baby. Sorry, did I wake you up?”

You yawn, rubbing your eyes. Some mascara rubs off onto your hand. “No, you’re okay.” He doesn’t say anything at first, there’s no competition for the next word. When your vision finally settles onto a visible image, you see Jeongguk’s face and the book in his lap. “What are you doing…? Wait, what time is it…”

“It’s about five thirty,” Jeongguk estimates, although he’s not sure. He’s actually not far off, it’s five fourty one. “And, um...not much.” For a moment, Jeongguk sounds bashful. He shrugs, hiding the book and smiling at you. “You can go back to sleep if you want. I’ll be quiet.”

“Kinda hungry,” you admit. You inhale the air, “Oh my God, those fuckers next door have coffee.”

“Chocolate bread, too. Caught a glimpse when I opened the doors.”

You groan. “What the fuck…”

Jeongguk laughs, genuinely. His head turns back towards the Eiffel Tower, in awe, and after a few minutes of nothing but morning silence, you sigh and clamber over the sheets. They’re cold, crisp and wrinkled, and Jeongguk looks up at the noise. He frowns, only because you’re wearing barely anything.

“You’re gonna get cold,” Jeongguk points out, his hands reaching for the bed throw that had been kicked onto the floor during the night. “Want me to close the window?”

“No, it’s pretty.”

“It’s cold, though.”

You push your face onto Jeongguk’s shoulder blade. “Whatever.”

He chuckles, resigning from the conversation. You’ll win anyway. A tiny bird lands on the patio rails, and you inhale the morning air, planting a kiss on Jeongguk’s shoulder.

“You sure you’re okay?”

This makes Jeongguk look up. His eyes wear confusion and adoration, round and searching as he looks over his shoulder. “Yeah. Why, why wouldn’t they be?”

“I worry about you, ‘s all,” you reply quietly. “All the time.”

Jeongguk’s heart breaks.

“I’m...I’m good,” he replies honestly. “Really good. I haven’t been doing this great in...well...I don’t know, forever? Call it cringey, or whatever, but having you in my life...Fuck, it’s changed everything.”

You gaze up at him. “You’ve made a pretty big difference in my life, too, you know?”

“Yeah.”

“And I’m here for you. Always.”

Jeongguk doesn’t miss a beat- his hand wraps to stroke your hair, curled from the shower earlier, pressing a little kiss to your nose. He nods, and his hair brushes against your face. “Yeah.” He nods, confident, “Yeah. Actually- LOL,” he laughs, “I. Um, I wrote something.”

“Oh? Yeah, what did you write?”

He reopens the book. The pages are littered with lines of writing, alongside small doodles in the margins, words like arrows shooting across the lines. His hands flip to a page that has the corner marked down, the numbers “23” in bold outline at the top of the page. You inhale, nervous, your eyes lazily looking at the lines.

“Just a song,” Jeongguk explains. “Woke up, looked over at you, just got the idea. I had to write it down as soon as I thought about it. Got the melody and stuff worked out, just need to make a note and tell the guys when I get back.”

You hum, genuinely enthralled. You quickly look at him, “Can I hear some?”

If it were light enough, you might have caught a blush across his face. He clears his throat, shy.

“I’m fadin’ away off some kind of drug, maybe it’s lust, maybe it’s love,” his voice is quiet, almost as if speaking the words is something wrong, “I know I said I’d straighten a week ago, I feelin’ though, bout to reach my peak, you know. This city’s got me fallin, now, I’m fading away, I’m losing my head…” He mutters the lyrics, singing quietly. As he skims over what he’s got scribbled down, you can feel your heart thudding, soaring, feeling numb and soft and warm and everything else.

“It’s about you, called 23,” Jeongguk says. At some point, you’ve missed the rest of the lyrics, intent on gazing at Jeongguk like he is God’s angel sent down from Heaven. He is so beautiful, so kind and pure. “Sound okay?”

You nod, and maybe Jeongguk sees tears pearling in your eyes. “Yeah. Fuck- it sounds beautiful, Guk.”

A smile immediately reaches across Jeongguk’s face. It lights up the room better than the sun, now reaching higher into the sky. “You’re beautiful. I wanna make you so happy.”

“You do make me happy.”

“Yeah?” he asks, laughing, his eyes turned into moons. “Well...Look. I’ve never had to ask anyone, so it’s awkward as fuck right now, but...like…” He laughs, and you do too, because you know it’s coming, “Do you, like...wanna be my girl?”

“Your girl?”

He laughs louder. “Fine - my girlfriend! Y/N L/N, the light of my small and sad life, will you please be my girlfriend?”

Once your laughter has calmed down, and Jeongguk’s hand tiredly slips from your hair down to the bed next to your own, you really, honestly look at Jeongguk. Above everything else, you can’t quite believe that you are here with him; with somebody you never thought you had a chance with, with somebody who you would do absolutely anything for. The way you presently feel about Jeongguk is overwhelming and dangerous, so strong that sometimes you feel afraid by it. You bite your bottom lip, amusing the idea of actually thinking about it, and then you nod.

“Sure. Of course,” you agree, kissing his shoulder. His head follows you, his breath on the bare skin of your shoulders as he ducks his head to kiss the side of yours. “You’ve got me.”

Jeongguk feels like he could quite honestly burst into tears. “I’ve got you.”

(“I’m not 23 though,” you say to him once the love has died down. He cracks a smile and pushes you back onto the bed, returning to look at the Eiffel Tower.)

part two (final)

759 notes · View notes

kerikaaria · 4 years

Text

If I Never Met You: Chapter 16

(??? X Reader) Idol!AU, Manager!Reader)

Genre: (PG13) Fluff, angst

WC: 4.6k

Warnings: None

Series Masterlist

Chapter 15 | Chapter 16 | Chapter 17

No More Dream blared in the spacious room, the boys hard at work dancing for their music video. We were at the tail end of the third day of shooting, and despite how exhausted they were from the long days they were still pouring all their best efforts into the shoot.

As soon as the director called a cut, the seven of them took the chance to relax the best they could, letting their tiredness show while there were no cameras filming. Stylists and makeup artists walked over to them to make sure they still looked perfect for the next take.

It was tough having to watch this. Three days of minimal sleep, almost non-stop up and go to get the video shot in the shortest amount of time possible. I wanted to tell whoever was in charge that the boys (and the staff, having to stay up for just as long) needed more time to break and rest. But this was the nature of this industry and no matter how I felt I wasn’t going to be able to convince them to do any differently.

The first two days, Sejin stayed here with me the whole time until I was comfortable being on my own. Today, he had other work he needed to do so I was by myself. I was feeling really drowsy by this point. I got even less sleep than the boys because I had to make sure I was up and ready before them to get them here on time. To be honest, there wasn’t much to “manage” at something like this, but it was still part of my job to make sure the whole thing was going smoothly, and to be here just in case the boys needed me for anything.

After one more take of the whole dance routine, the director announced that we were done. Relief washed over me, and I pried myself out of my chair to go to the boys.

“You guys did amazing,” I said as I approached them. “Let’s hurry up and get you guys ready so we can all go home.”

I felt a heavy weight on my back and turned to see Namjoon using me as a support for his exhausted body.

“Joonie, are you okay?” I asked.

“Yeah, I’m good,” he responded. His voice sounded weak, contradicting his words. “The quicker I can sit down, the better.”

“Well, let’s go then,” I chuckled as I pulled him to my side and supported him with my arm.

The boys got changed out of their wardrobe and their makeup removed quickly, the staff not taking their time since they wanted to get home as well. The eight of us piled into the company van and I drove back. I dropped them off at the apartment before returning the vehicle to the company.

As soon as I parked the van, no longer needing to be alert to traffic, my body seemed to want to just fall asleep right there instead of making its way home. I started to close my eyes before I heard one of the van doors slide open, followed by the driver-side door. I looked to see a tired-smiled Hoseok standing there.

“Why didn’t you get off when I stopped at the dorm, Hobi?” I asked as I lazily unbuckled my seatbelt and gathered my belongings. I was a little upset with myself for not noticing he didn’t exit the van with the rest of the members.

“I wanted to make sure you got back home safely,” he responded as he put a face mask on.

“I’ll be fine,” I managed to squeeze out through a yawn.

He chuckled. “Yeah, sure. You looked like you were about to fall asleep in the car.”

We started walking our way back home. My exhaustion made it difficult to speak, but I forced myself to so that I didn’t fall asleep. “You guys really did well the past three days.”

“Thanks, noona,” Hoseok replied. “I hope the video turns out well.”

“Of course it will,” I turned to smile at him. While distracted, my shuffling feet tripped over something on the sidewalk.

Hoseok was quick to catch me so I didn’t fall. “Are you okay?” he asked as he turned to face me.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I just tripped.” I offered him a tired smile.

We resumed walking, but he kept his arm wrapped around me for support. We had a flight of stairs to climb once we got into our building, and each step I took felt like another 10 pounds had been added to my weight. At that point, I was really thankful for Hobi’s support.

When we arrived at our doors he watched me walk through mine first, wishing me a good night and telling me to get plenty of rest before he entered his own home.

I had fallen asleep so easily that I almost didn’t even remember going to bed. Needless to say, I slept really well and was ready to work the next day. Sejin and I reviewed the finalized pictures from the photoshoot done just prior to the music video shooting, and I couldn’t stop my mouth from hanging open, occasionally making a sound of amazement.

“What’s that for?” Sejin asked.

“What’s what for, oppa?” I responded, finding it difficult to peel my eyes away from the pictures on the screen.

“Your reaction to the pictures,” he responded, chuckling.

“Oh. I don’t know, they just look so…” I paused, trying to find the right word but being unsuccessful. “They look really good,” I settled on, even though that phrase didn’t do them justice.

Sejin let out a hearty laugh. ��You’re not blind, you’ve always known they’re good looking boys, haven’t you?”

“Well, yeah. Of course I have. But these pictures just captured their looks so well! Although, I still don’t get why they asked Namjoon to go with this kind of hairstyle. He doesn’t look bad, but I just think he looks so much better with how his hair naturally is.”

“It fits the hip-hop style image,” Sejin responded with a shrug. “I’m not too fond of it either, but we’re not the stylists.”

“Speaking of that, can’t we still ask for some of the styles for We Are Bulletproof Pt. 2 to be up for debate? Some of those outfit choices are…”

“Going with the hip-hop style image,” Sejin repeated.

“I know, I know. But, can’t they take it from me that they’re just over-the-top and cheesy? Like, why on earth should Jungkook be wearing an American football helmet and padding?”

“You already tried talking to them about that, (Y/n). Did you forget?”

“No, I didn’t forget… I just hope I can still change their minds.”

“Look, I get it. I do. I’m not fond of it, either. But we need to make sure they stand out and by doing things a little extra, even if it may be cheesy, it’ll help make that happen. Just roll with it, okay?”

I groaned and threw my head back. “Okay, okay…”

After we finished reviewing the pictures, I went to the office café to eat lunch before we got too busy with meetings for me to have time to eat. I normally brought food from home for lunch but I didn’t give myself any time this morning, preferring to get as much sleep as I could to recover from the past few days.

I sat down at an empty table and put in my headphones to listen to the boys’ debut album as I ate my food. The music wasn’t a style I typically listened to, but it was my boys so of course I wanted to listen to them. And to be honest, the more I listened to it, the more I started to like the songs.

As I was finishing my meal, I saw someone sit down across from me. I pulled one of my earbuds out as I looked up to see who it was. I was glad I already finished my food because the sight would have made me lose my appetite.

“Hello, (Y/n)-shi,” the woman said.

“Hello,” I greeted back. “I’m sorry, but I don’t actually know your name.” I tried my best to not sound rude.

“Oh, I guess I’ve never properly introduced myself,” she replied. “My name is Son Haewon.”

“Hello, Haewon-shi,” I responded. Finally, I had a name to match the face of the woman who’s been giving me way too much grief. “How can I help you?”

“Oh, please. You can call me unnie,” she said with a smile I could tell was forced and fake.

Not wanting to start an argument, I decided to comply with her request even though using the word with her felt like ice on my tongue. “Okay, unnie. Is there something you needed?”

“Oh, nothing really,” she said, placing her chin in the palm of her hand. “I just wanted to chat. I feel like we started off on the wrong foot.”

Yeah, doing nothing but ridiculing me and giving me a large second-degree burn would kind of do that.

“How did the music video shooting go?” Haewon asked.

I was kind of taken aback by the attempt at small talk. Part of me wondered if she actually did want to try to make amends, but I primarily remained skeptical. “It went well. It was tiring for everyone, but the boys pushed through really well and I think it’ll turn out great.”

“That’s good to hear.” She paused for a moment, crossing her legs under the table. “By the way, I heard an interesting story the other day.”

“Oh?” I pretended to be interested.

“I heard that BTS almost lost their debut date.”

Where on earth did she hear that? Only the people who absolutely needed to know were told. As far as I knew, she was not one of the employees needing to be in on the loop of what was going on.

I pretended to not be sure of what she was talking about. “Where did you hear that?” I asked innocently. My suspicions that she was here to cause me more trouble were rising.

“From one of my coworkers. They said it was why Sejin oppa had been even more swamped with work up until recently.”

Yeah, because I totally wasn’t as well. “I’m not sure why you or your coworker were told that, but they are most definitely debuting on June 13th as planned,” I responded firmly. I didn’t like to make a habit of lying, especially if I was worried if it could come back to bite me in the butt, so I didn’t want to confirm nor deny that the date was ever taken away in the first place.

“Well, that’s good. But you did lose the date for a little while, did you not?” She seemed like she tried to hold back the smirk that inevitably flashed on her face.

This little… What business was it of hers? I really wanted to get out of this situation, but I wasn’t sure how. If I got up to walk away it’d be just as bad as giving her all the answers she wanted, and she would probably just follow me and continue to nag me anyway.

“It doesn’t matter because the date is set in stone and nothing is changing,” I replied, hoping that would put the issue to rest.

“You know, I figured that if he hired someone like you,” she emphasized the word, staring me up and down, “it must have been for a good reason. But seeing as BTS’ debut was almost ruined because of you, I’m not so sure.”

I couldn’t stop a flabbergasted laugh from escaping my lips. “You have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.” I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms.

“Oh, I don’t?” she responded. “Weren’t you the one who got the debut set up, and the one in contact with the agent from the broadcasting company? They called you to tell you it was revoked, didn’t they? How does it have nothing to do with you?”

How could someone be such a complete witch? She talked bad about me both behind my back and to my face. I’d be surprised if she had any friends, or real friends at the very least.

“What that company decided to do didn’t have anything to do with me, Haewon-shi,” I said. “And to be frank, what happened has absolutely nothing to do with you. I’m sure you have better things to do with your time rather than go poking around someone else’s business.”

She scoffed at me. “I’m your sunbae in this company and I’m also older than you. Just because you’re a foreigner” – she seemed to almost spit out the word – “doesn’t excuse you not using proper manners. You’re supposed to show me respect.”

I raised my eyebrows. “I’m fully aware of the honorifics and how important age and seniority is to Korean culture. But why would I show respect to someone who’s spewing out nonsense and has always been nothing but fully disrespectful and rude to me? Not to mention, that coffee gave me a second-degree burn that took weeks to heal so I’m definitely not thankful for that, either.”

“You’re such a rude, cheeky little brat, aren’t you?” Haewon pushed herself out of her seat as she glared at me.

“What’s going on here?” someone nearby asked.

I turned around to see Hoseok, and I felt relieved knowing my friend was there with me.

Haewon instantly changed, putting on a fake smile and let out a breathy laugh. “Nothing, we were just getting to know each other a little better. Weren’t we, (Y/n)-shi?” she tried her best to sound nice, but was so obviously fake.

I didn’t respond and just kept steady eye contact with her.

“That’s not what it looks like to me,” Hobi said as he walked up to me and placed a hand on my shoulder.

Haewon’s gaze moved to his hand, her smile fading from her lips.

“Is everything okay, noona?” Hoseok asked me with concern.

Haewon didn’t give me a chance to respond. “Did you know about how you almost lost your debut date?” she asked, emotionless.

“Haewon-shi,” I said as I stood up. “That wouldn’t be your business to tell them.”

“So they don’t?” she raised an eyebrow as she smirked at me. “They don’t know how they were almost ruined before they even started because of you?”

“We do know that we almost lost our debut date, actually,” Hoseok responded in my defense. His tone was firm and assertive, but not angry. “But we saw noona working her absolute hardest to do everything she possibly could to get us back on track, and it was actually because of her that we got the date back.”

Haewon’s smile disappeared once again, taken aback by how quickly and straightforward he responded.

Hoseok didn’t falter even a bit as he continued. “Not only that, but ever since she started working here, she’s always done everything she possibly can for us. You don’t know anything about how hard she works, you just don’t like her because you’re judging her age and the fact that she’s not Korean. But she’s one of the most honest, hardworking, caring, and amazing people I’ve ever known.”

His voice wasn’t angry; he was the type of person that it took a lot to make him angry. The only emotions I could feel from his words were ones of tenderness and care for me. If anything, the way he spoke felt stronger and more meaningful than words said in anger. “She doesn’t deserve you harassing her like this. We’re all so tired of hearing people like you giving talking badly about her and giving her a hard time when you know nothing about her.”

He grabbed my hand and gently squeezed it as he directed me towards the door.

“I wonder what kind of relationship you must have with them (Y/n)-shi, for them to always be protecting you like that,” Haewon called after us.

Hobi and I both stopped dead in our tracks, and I slowly turned around. “Excuse you?”

“I think you heard me,” Haewon said. I wanted to wipe the smirk off of her face so badly. “What do you really do with the boys, (Y/n)-shi?”

“It’s called having good friends,” Hoseok said as he placed an arm around my shoulders to turn me back toward the exit. “Nothing more than that.”

We finally made it out of the room and Hoseok walked me back to my and Sejin’s office. I couldn’t help but feel affected by her again. Yeah, I stood my ground and talked back to her. But now that we left and my emotions were calming down, I couldn’t help but be shaken up when I processed her words – it was as though she always knew exactly what my insecurities were.

When we arrived at the office, Sejin was not there so it was just the two of us for the moment.

I sat in a chair, placing my elbows on my knees and covering my face with my hands.

“Are you okay, noona?” Hoseok asked, placing a gentle hand on my head.

“I can’t believe she would suggest that there’s something other than friendship between me and you guys,” I said, trying to focus on that rather than my insecurities. “That’s so appalling that she would assume that.”

“She was just trying to get under your skin, that’s all,” Hobi comforted. His voice sounded so calm and soothing.

“I can deal with her saying anything else to me,” I tried to convince myself as I lowered my hands, “but her trying to bring you guys into it just crosses the line,”

“It’s okay, noona. Anything she said was meaningless and you know that.”

“I know.” I sat back in the chair and sighed. “I just don’t get why she won’t leave me alone. You’d think we were teenagers in school with the way she just keeps…”

“Bullying you?” Hoseok finished for me.

“Yeah, I guess it is bullying.”

“You guess?” Hoseok seemed bewildered that I’d say that. “What else does she have to do for you to see it as bullying?”

“It’s not that, it’s just… It’s weird to use that word when we’re talking about a grown woman and not a teenager.”

“I guess some people just don’t grow up.”

“She said what?!” Jin exclaimed in shock.

After returning back to the dorm, Hoseok decided to tell the rest of the group about what happened at the cafeteria. Part of him had wanted to wait for (Y/n) to tell them together, but he also didn’t want to make her think of it more than she had to. He could tell that whatever that woman said had bothered her more than she let him know.

Yoongi and Taehyung had pointed out the woman to the rest of the members when they would come across her at the company, so even though none of them knew her name – until today – they all knew her face. That was why Hoseok knew he had to intervene when he saw their noona being confronted by her in the cafeteria.

“Wow, she’s got some nerve to make that kind of assumption out in the open like that,” Namjoon said.

“That’s absurd,” Yoongi added. “How can her brain automatically think that’s what’s going on between us, just because we’re being good friends to her?”

“Noona really needs to tell Bang about this,” Taehyung said. “There’s no denying that she’s full on bullying her at this point.”

“I tried telling her that,” Hoseok said. “But she said she still doesn’t want to. She’s sure that she’ll leave her alone from now on, for whatever reason.”

The group was obviously frustrated when Hoseok told them that.

“One of the really wonderful traits about her is that she likes to see and hope for the best in people,” Jin said. “But that’s a fault of hers, too. With this Haewon woman, it’s severely misplaced hope. If anything, she’s showing that she’ll do anything in order to keep bullying her.”

“I know,” Hoseok said with a frown.

A ringtone sounded from Hobi’s phone, and he looked to see it was Sejin calling.

“Hello?” he answered.

“Hey, Hoseok-ah,” Sejin replied. “Sorry for asking, but Bang PD-nim is requesting if you could come to the company. He said he needs to speak with you.”

“Oh, okay.” He was surprised at the request. “I’ll be there shortly.”

“Who was that, hyung?” Jimin asked as Hoseok hung up the call.

“Sejin hyung said Bang needs to speak to me.” He got up to get ready to leave. “Maybe noona did decide to talk to him after all?”

He got ready quickly and made his way to the company, glad it was a quick walk. When he got to Bang PD’s office, he was happy to see (Y/n) there as well. She turned to him as he opened the door and gave him a small smile.

“Hello, Bang PD-nim,” Hoseok greeted as he entered.

“Hello, Hoseok,” Bang responded.

“What’s going on?” Hobi asked as he took a seat next to his noona.

“The events of what happened in the cafeteria this afternoon were brought to my attention, so I needed to speak with the two of you regarding what happened,” the CEO explained.

Hoseok processed the sentence for a moment. “Wait, so it wasn’t noona who came to you about it?” He turned to see her response, and she shook her head. He suddenly felt sick, worried what that woman could have said to try to get (Y/n) in trouble. “Noona didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Don’t worry, Hoseok,” Bang said. “I just needed to get your sides of the story. While there are cameras, there’s no audio so I didn’t know the nature of the conversation. I already got (Y/n)’s statement, so if you would please tell me about your side of the encounter, that would be appreciated.”

“Well, I had to stop by because I left something in the dance studio. On my way back, I walked past the cafeteria and heard noona’s voice,” Hoseok started. “It seemed like something was off, so I walked in to see that woman basically glaring at her and asked what was going on. I found out she was claiming that it was noona’s fault that we lost our debut date for a little while, so I defended her. After that, we walked away together.”

“There’s something else I need to ask,” Bang said. “The staff in question, other than saying that (Y/n) was harassing her, claimed something else as well.”

“Wait, it definitely wasn’t noona doing the harassing,” Hobi said. He couldn’t let her boss think for one second that she wasn’t the victim in this scenario.

“I believe you two, no need to worry. I was just stating what the original claim was. But the other thing she was sure to mention is that she believes there may be… well, she called it ‘inappropriate’ relations between (Y/n) and the members of BTS.”

“Oh my gosh, seriously?” (Y/n) frustratingly ran her hands through her hair. “I promise you, there’s absolutely nothing of that nature going on between us.”

“I also attest to that, Bang PD-nim,” Hoseok said, probably equally as frustrated at the claim as his noona. “As we were walking away, Haewon made a comment implying that she thought there was something more going on between noona and us because of how we keep defending her and helping her. I told her that we’re just being good friends and there was nothing more than that.”

Bang PD seemed to be in thought for a moment. “I believe you, of course. I didn’t believe for one second that (Y/n) would have any kind of non-platonic relationship with any of you without notifying me about it. But also, you make it sound like this wasn’t the first time something like this has happened, Hoseok.”

(Y/n) lowered her head, remaining silent. So Hobi spoke up for her. “It isn’t. She’s been bothering noona – or rather, bullying her – for a while now.”

(Y/n) looked rather uncomfortable as Hoseok admitted that for her, but he didn’t want this to remain hidden anymore. Especially now that Haewon has shown she’ll do anything to try to get her in trouble.

“(Y/n)-shi,” Bang said, turning his attention toward her, “is this true?”

Hoseok placed his hand in (Y/n)’s for support he knew she would need.

She sighed. “Yes, it is, PD-nim. I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it, and to be honest I didn’t even know her name until today.”

“What else has happened?” their boss asked.

When his noona hesitated again, Hobi decided to be her voice for her. “Back in December, Haewon had intentionally poured a hot cup of coffee on her in the hallway. She got a second-degree burn from it. Yoongi hyung was with her when it happened. And then in, I believe it was February, she tried to cause trouble when she saw noona with Taehyung in the main lobby but was unsuccessful because he defended her. And now, today happened.”

“And it’s not much,” (Y/n) started, “but my first encounter with her was when me and Sejin oppa were in a meeting and she did have a negative comment or two to say about me. She seemed to hold a grudge against me because that was when I had the idea about using social media and her idea from earlier that same meeting was rejected.”

“Has she made any comments to you about your ethnicity or anything like that?” PD-nim asked.

“Well, not directly,” she replied. “But in a way. She has mentioned my age or ethnicity as negative points when talking about me. And she did use the word ‘foreigner’ with me today, emphasizing it in a way that sounded really rude.”

Hoseok squeezed his eyes closed. They had all known that those things were a part of it, as he had stated while he was defending her today. But hearing his noona have to confirm it made his heart hurt.

“Okay, I think that’s plenty information for now,” Bang PD said. “I can’t really take action for the coffee incident since it was so long ago, but I’ll see if we still have the security footage for it to look at what happened. You’re not in trouble for anything that happened today, (Y/n), don’t worry. But I need you to promise me that if this woman does anything else, you tell me. Workplace bullying isn’t tolerated here, and I won’t let it continue. Do you understand?”

She slowly nodded. “Yes, Bang PD-nim. I understand.”

“Good,” he replied. “You two can go home now. I’m sorry for all the trouble.”

“Thank you, PD-nim,” Hoseok said with a bow. He waited for his noona to say goodbye before walking out of the room with her.

There was silence as they walked home together, but before entering their separate doors (Y/n) broke it. “I’m sorry for dragging you into this, Hobi.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry about, noona,” he replied as he gently pulled her into a hug. “You know we’re here for you whenever you need us.”

He felt her smile against his chest. “I just hope this is the last time we have to worry about her,” she said.

“I hope so too,” Hoseok replied. “I wouldn’t count on it, though. But of course you’ll have us with you. And next time, she’s not going to be getting away with it anymore.”

Series Masterlist

Chapter 15 | Chapter 16 | Chapter 17

Tags: @calling-dips-on-j-hope @misohime @netflix-batman-sleep @smallbaby-cat @leitholdwithlove @ramyagovindraj

Send me a message or ask if you want tagged!

#BTS fanfic #BTS x reader #thebtswritersclub #If I Never Met You #IINMY #Manager!reader #Idol!au #jin #seokjin #suga #yoongi #j-hope #hoseok #rm #najoon #jimin #v #taehyung #jungkook #fluff

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wocfics · 4 years

Text

Broken Record

Min Yoongi Series

Arranged Marriage Series

Masterlist

MYG x Poc Reader

Warnings: Fluff

Word Count: 1k+

An entire hour and he only looked at you once, if that’s what you could even call it. His cat shaped eyes, glanced over you, as if judging your appearance before we went back to looking down at the table with his arms crossed over his chest. Almost like he was annoyed or something. He was hard to read, so you couldn’t really tell if he was actually listening or if he just got annoyed because of your presence. Either way, it was rude as fuck. Just because he was part of the biggest boy group, he didn’t have the right to treat you this way.

Min Yoongi, Suga of BTS, was now your husband but he wasn’t putting in any effort so far and you two had been in this room for quite some time. You stayed quiet, only nodding your head when spoken to, which he didn’t see because he was too busy looking over the paperwork, like he was avoiding your very existence. After signing the few documents, you stood up, adjusting your black corduroy skirt and black turtleneck sweater and grabbed your folder before heading out of the room with the others that were present in the room with the both of you. After speaking with your lawyer privately, you waited by the elevator, tapping away at your phone with light pink manicured fingernails.

Being the owner of a record store wasn’t exactly the best decision you made but it did bring in money. Some people still used record players and even most of the young generation. You had always loved music, especially old music. A record store was always a dream of yours and although you struggled in the beginning, it was all worth it in the end. It was actually Manager Sejin that came to you with the arranged marriage offer. He was a good customer of yours, loved your store and saw how hard you worked everyday and rambled about your love for your passion. You didn’t care about fame, but you did care about at least meeting someone, especially in South Korea.

You weren’t the skinniest girl, that was for sure. You had an hourglass shape but by no means were you on the thin side, which was probably why it was hard for you to date. You lived in Korea for 5 years, always bought clothes online since most stores didn’t fit you and because of your african american background, you always did your own hair. Right now your hair was straight, medium brown with dark roots. You only had it that way because of the winter and it would last. You weren’t too heavy, a little gut that you were working on but your overall appearance seemed intimidating to most men. If you weren’t small enough for them, you either became a friend or they just never spoke to you again after having a one night stand.

Your bust was slightly bigger than average and your hips weren’t too wide but wide enough. Your medium to light brown skin always had a glow to it though, nothing bothered you and every time someone gave you a disapproving look, you would pretend that you wouldn’t see it.

Standing by the elevator, you could see Yoongi walking out of the corner of your eye, in the opposite direction of you. Raising a brow, you noticed Manager Seijin approaching with a smile. “He still has some work he wants to work on in the studio if you’re okay with that, he’ll meet you at the apartment later on tonight. He insisted he go back so..” He shrugged and you smiled with a nod. “No problem. Thank you.” You bowed and made your way down the elevator and out to the car that was to drop you off.

It wasn’t really an apartment but more like a townhome, gated but still in its own little town. You figured the other wives were living here as well and wondered how they were adjusting. Friends weren’t always a thing with you, they came and went but you wondered if the other women would become your permanent friends. All of you were in this arranged marriage anyways.

Yoongi definitely wasn’t going to ruin your mood for the rest of the day so you keep yourself occupied, setting up your record player in the bedroom and putting on something upbeat so you could dance around while putting your things away. You cleaned as you went, and even lit a few candles so it would smell less like a new apartment and more like a home. He probably was busy and just didn’t have time for you to introduce yourself, it was understandable.

Once your things were put away, you showered, wrapped up your hair and changed into a comfy two piece pajama pant set, black and yellow shorts, a tank top and long robe to match. You cooked bulgogi and even made enough for Yoongi as well. Placing his in a container and set it on the counter, you figured he’d warm it up when he got home. You ate your portion, alone, and cleaned up before sitting on the couch to watch some t.v while making sure that your new employee closed up the store properly.

It had almost been 8 hours since the meeting and it was getting dark, and there was still no Yoongi, you sighed heavily, walking over to the window and peeking out. No sign of a car or him walking around. You know you didn’t do anything wrong, yet you felt like you did. Maybe you should have spoken up and said something to him. Maybe you weren’t his type. Rolling your eyes, you shook those thoughts away and walked upstairs and into the bedroom after blowing out the candles you lit earlier.

The bed was huge, bigger than the one you had previously owned when you lived right above your record store. Everything there was in one room so having the extra space was nice. You remembered you had to exchange numbers with Yoongi so you sent him a quick text, in English, asking if he was coming home. It showed that it was delivered but not read. Tossing your phone on the nightstand, you turned over and quickly drifted off to sleep.

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You woke up rather early the next morning, glancing at your phone that read 7:45 am, and with no returned text messages or phone calls. You saw that the text was still unread and you rolled over to seeing nobody there. Sitting up, you noticed the bathroom door was opened so he had to be here.

Standing up from the bed, you put on your robe and made your way down the stairs and into the living room, seeing Yoongi’s golden locks peeking from under a blanket on the couch. WAS HE FOR REAL?! He slept on the couch, to avoid sleeping in the bed. Maybe he didn’t want to wake you? It had to be that. He probably got back late and didn’t want to disturb your sleep. Going back upstairs to get ready for the day, you dressed in an oversized black sweater, denim blue jeans and kept your black socks on while doing your makeup, something simple and brushing out your hair.

Walking back down the stairs with a jacket in your hand, you saw him sitting up, his back facing you while he rubbed his eyes and yawned. “Good morning.” You spoke in English, knowing that he knew but all he did was look at you over his shoulder, turn back around and stood up to fold the blanket he was using.

Rude. Rude as hell. Tossing your jacket on the back of the couch, you walked into the kitchen, seeing that the container was empty and in the sink. Well, at least he ate. You thought while cleaning it out and placing it on the drying rack. “I said, good morning. Yoongi.” You said his name this time and he deeply sighed before looking at you again while walking past you and up the stairs.

An hour later when he came down, fully dressed with one air pod in his ear, talking on the phone in a conference call with the boys. “She doesn’t even know Korean. She made food last night, it was pretty good though, but I’m not teaching her Korean just because we’re married...Taehyung you like your wife and so does Hobi...I don’t have to like her...no she’s not ugly but that’s besides the point. They found me some Koreaboo that probably only likes me because of BTS. This is a set up…” He rambled while you cooked, almost burning the eggs after hearing what he was saying. He didn’t know you knew Korean which meant he wasn’t listening in the first place and a Koreaboo? How insulting.

Humming to yourself, you finished the omelets and side of toast and poured both of you cups of coffee. “Breakfast.” You said slowly to him, smiling. He rolled his eyes and hung up with the guys after telling them that you think he didn’t know much English. He sat down, eating slowly and sipping his coffee. You leaned back in your seat, watching him and shook your head while giggling. His eyes darted up at you and he tilted his head to the side in confusion.

You cleared your throat, finishing your food and waited for him to finish his, cleaning the dishes once again and went over to grab your jacket. “I think we should go grocery shopping, I only bought enough for the Bulgogi last night. I’m glad you thought it was good, maybe I can try other dishes that you like and don’t worry about teaching me Korean. Clearly I already know it. Ready to go?” You said all of this while putting on your shoes and zipping up your coat, turning to face him.

His mouth was slightly agape while staring at you, as if you had just said the most horrifying thing he ever heard. His face was flushed red with embarrassment and he quickly shut his mouth, slowly putting on his coat. He didn’t say anything, just waiting for you to walk out so he could follow behind. You smiled and walked out of the door. That shut him up.

#min yoongi #suga #BTS suga #yoongi #yoongi imagine #bts imagines #bts #btsfanfic #btsfanfics #bts x reader #btspoc #bts x black reader #black reader #arranged marriage

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papadannie · 4 years

Text

*post this with anxiety*

Little and Broke [Part 1?]

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Preschool is a nightmare.

There's no truer statement than that. Having a place full of toddlers who barely just learned to walk, around more toddlers who barely just learned to walk is a fucking nightmare.

Especially if you have twins.

Such is the case for poor Jung Hoseok.

He knew that he had to start the twins in preschool himself. He didn't have anyone else to rely on with them. He had himself, his mother, and occasionally his sister. When those two were busy, Hoseok was alone with two reminders that the woman he loved is gone.

Don't get him wrong. He loves them. Every fiber in his being is absolutely in love with the way Jimin smiles or the way Tae lights up with Hoseok opens a picture book. Always saying 'Daddy, that's pretty!' or 'Daddy, can I draw like that?' Granted, it's in broken, baby babble and barely understandable. Or the way Jimin tries to follow Hoseok's dancing when he's practicing a new routine for his class. The way he trips over his feet or gets his little chubby legs tangled. He always giggles it off and tries again.

Hoseok loves his kids. But.. It's stressful. All alone.

He feels her presence a lot. Like she has her hand on his shoulder telling him it's okay, that she's here. But when he turns around, that is when reality sets in.

The funeral was something he hadn't prepared himself for. He cried. So much that his suit was stained with tears and his sons were comforting him instead of the other way around. He assumed that they didn't understand. They were only 2 when she passed. Barely walking, definitely not talking. They just knew that daddy was sad, and when daddy is sad, we give him big hugs and kisses just like mommy does.

After a year, he took off his ring. People kept telling him it was time. It was time to look for someone who could help. Someone that could love him again. But he never looked. Still hasn't. But he knows the ring isn't there right now. When he's fidgeting because it's the first day of the boy's preschool. When he's watching them color in front of him waiting for her voice to say 'Well, get them in there! They need to make friends, Hobi~' That comforts him.

"Alright boys, let's go. Don't want to be late." He felt himself brighten up out of habit. He always smiled around the boys. Never really crying or showing he's upset unless he's at his breaking point.

Gathering the twins up is a challenge in itself. Jimin is a mini Hoseok. Bouncing when putting on his shoes, when Hoseok tries to push the sweater over his head. He always puts his head into an arm sleeve because of the bouncing, but giggles and situates himself before putting on that million watt smile that matches his father. Hiding his gorgeous brown eyes. An imperfect perfection from his chubby cheeks. Whenever he laughs, giggles or smiles his eyes disappear into the cheeks. You will always know when Jimin is truly happy if you can't see his eyes.

Taehyung on the other hand is quiet like his mother. Hoseok silently resented Tae when he first started to show he was like her. His shiny brown hair, different from Jimin and Hoseok's black. His wide, brown eyes always curiously looking at things. Like music videos that Hoseok puts on the tv to try and copy the moves from to integrate into his routines. He has a beautiful, boxy smile that resembles his father and his mother. Hoseok with his heart smile and his mother with her gummy smile. Hoseok has never heard him full on laugh like Jimin, just little giggles that make his heart soar.

"Chimmy, where's your bag?" Hoseok grumbled while putting the straps over Tae's shoulders. Tae let him while he played with a sewed on patch on Hoseok's leather jacket. "Chim!"

"Right here daddy!" Jimin ran, well, waddle ran to him.

Hoseok couldn't help the smile that came to his face when Jimin bumped into his side and went into a giggle fit. Tae let out a soft giggle, which just added to Hoseok's warming heart. Maybe this won't be so bad. Seeing them make friends, seeing them laugh and smile with new people. He felt the warmth on his shoulder again, almost tearing up right there on the spot. Maybe he should call his sister. His mom, someone. So he doesn't have to do this alone.

One other person came to his mind.

Jin. He could call Jin.

Jin was married to his late wife's sister. They became friends at his wedding when him and his wife started dating. They got along pretty well, always saying they were lucky to have the two sisters. But after she passed, her sister wasn't far behind with a suicide due to grief. They had their first born, Yoongi, before she broke down and threw herself into a particularly rocky river. An apparently bloody scene. Hoseok was still in his depression at that time.

He didn't even spend much time with his own boys, much less worrying about how Jin was doing. But he was guessing it was just as bad as he was. Wailing his heart out until his voice went hoarse. Crying until dehydration. Not eating for days. Thank god for Hoseok's sister, bringing and physically forcing food down his throat. He was worried about Jin.

Last he knew, Jin had moved from the home that the couple shared. Moving into a more studio-like apartment. He never really talked to him after his wife's funeral. He had Yoongi. A handsome baby boy clinging to his father with tears in his eyes while Jin explained why mommy wasn't there. He remembers the boy's wobbling bottom lip and his small nods of understanding. But his small fist never unclenched the back of his dad's tux jacket.

Unlike Hoseok, Jin was composed and calm in front of everyone. He cried when he gave his last goodbyes, when he touched the coffin while giving it a kiss with Yoongi and then at her parent's house when Yoongi screamed so loud it popped Hoseok's ear drums - making a loud ringing in his ears for what felt like hours. He remembers seeing Jin run so fast to the boy, asking frantically what happened. But when he just said he wanted his mom, Hoseok couldn't even hold his own tears. Jin broke down then, it was the first time Hoseok had seen it.

His face turned red, tears flowing like waterfalls as he tried to comfort his son. Taking him outside into the crisp Autumn air to let himself and Yoongi breathe. He remembers them coming back, Yoongi blissfully asleep against Jin's shoulder and Jin holding him like if he let go, the boy would be gone too. But they parted ways. Two lost souls who lost the two women they cared about most in this life.

"Are we gonna see uncle Joon?" Jimin smiled big when they exited the car, bouncing on the sidewalk while Hoseok helped Tae out of his booster seat.

Namjoon had been Hoseok's roommate in College. A close friend and someone who helped take care of the boys after their mother's death and when Hoseok was in a dark place.

He loved the moon, nature and the ocean. Even once had a hermit crab as a pet in their small apartment. They named him J-Mon, standing for J-Hope which had been Hoseok's stage name and RM which was the handle that Namjoon posted music under.

He and Namjoon grew close, very close before Hoseok met his wife. Like people say, experiment in College. Party, drink and have fun. Namjoon was gay, very gay. He didn't hide it, he had no reason to. He grew up with a family who supported his loved of the ocean, supported him when he went into marine biology but never knew about how Namjoon turned into RM at night during club or party hours.

Hoseok knew, of course. He had found his mixtape under a pile of music that Namjoon had collected over the years. From American pop to J-pop, Namjoon had it all. If you said that the man hated music and wanted nothing to do with it, Hoseok had proof that, that wasn't true at all.

When he found the mixtape, he popped it in to practice to different songs. He had no idea RM had been his roommate until he heard the raspy, deep, breathy voice that told him good morning hours before. Until he listened to RM rap and sing about his life, about how the ocean is blue and sky is purple at night, how depressed he had gotten when someone did something to him.

'What are you listening to?' He remembered Namjoon's surprised face when he heard his own voice coming from their sound system and Hoseok's tears running down his face. It seemed like he had listened to every word RM had rapped. Every syllable, every hardship. Their friendship was slightly strained with Namjoon telling him he interrupted his privacy until one night they sat down and talked.

They talked about Hoseok's hardships with his pansexuality, about Namjoon's when he came out to his parents as gay. About how Hoseok wanted to dance but was forced into this medical school by his parents, how Namjoon wanted to make music but loved the ocean too much to abandon it.

They also kissed that night. Passionately. Neither pulled away, they easily fell into Namjoon's blankets and only came up for air after, what felt like hours. 'You have really soft lips, Hobi..' Hoseok laughed at him then, only pulling him down after they had caught their breaths.

For a few years, him and Namjoon had a sort of friend's with benefits relationship. One without labels. Neither wanted to hurt the other, both didn't want to date until they were out of college and could actually focus on their significant other. Until Namjoon met Jackson, a music major who fell in love with RM.

Hoseok was jealous at first, hating Jackson. The guy was cocky around Namjoon, talking about music and whining about how Namjoon never called or texted him back. It was later revealed that Namjoon had a small crush on the musician, telling Hoseok about it and that he thought he was falling in love with him. Hoseok thought it was going to break his heart when he saw Namjoon holding hands with Jackson, or seeing them at their civil union ceremony. But it didn't.

He did start hating Jackson again after the pair had adopted a cute newborn that Namjoon had decided to name Jungkook and Jackson fled. Leaving a poor, innocent infant in the arms of a fragile and cracking man. Of course, this sent Namjoon into a self-hate spiral. One that no one could get him out of. He didn't let anyone near Jungkook for his first year of life out of fear that he would get attached then they would leave.

Even Hoseok wasn't allowed to see Jungkook, only hear his little noises and giggles over the phone when he called to make sure Namjoon hadn't done anything too drastic.

'Hobi, why did he go? Did he hate Kookie? Did.. Did he fall out of love with me?'

"Maybe, Uncle Joon brings little Kookie here for his preschool too." Hoseok finally answered, fixing Jimin's little jean jacket before turning towards Tae to brush down his bedhead from sleeping in the car.

You see, Yoongi was the oldest of the four at the age of 6. Jimin and Tae behind him by two years at the ages of 4 and Jungkook behind them at the age of 3. Yoongi had moved onto kindergarten while this would be Jimin and Tae's last year in preschool. He hated that it was only 2 years ago, on the dot, that his wife had nagged him to get the boys into school to make friends and socialize.

So much can happen in 2 years.

#bts #bts imagine #bangtan sonyeondan #bts parent!au #jin is yoongi's dad #namjoon is jungkook's dad #hobi is tae's & jimin's dad #good guy!hobi #sad boy!namjoon #emotional rock!jin

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hopeworldfan · 4 years

Text

zombie is a stupid word

summary: sometimes, you wished you weren’t right about everything.

word count: 2.5K+

pairing: jungkook/reader

genre: angst, zombie!au, fluff, college!au

warning: gore, there’s zombies, parent death, depression

a/n: happy halloween!!

You were always right. It was something you prided yourself in, your ability to -almost- always see the bigger picture, make the logical conclusions, be realistic. Your friends came to you for advice, your coworkers came to you for direction, you always predicted the big plot twists that were right around the corner. You were simply, always right.

“I fucking knew it,” you whispered to yourself, finding no pleasure in the statement as you watched the mall security guard, Gerald, sink his teeth into Susan, one of your regulars. Gerald had always been so nice, he was like the designated grandpa of the mall, always having peppermints to hand out to some of the younger kids. He’d always slip one your way when he passed by though. Susan still had the stuffed chocolate chip cookie that she bought from you in her hands. She said she was just killing time before heading to her granddaughter’s dance recital.

You watched in absolute horror as Gerald tore chunks of flesh from her body, blood flying everywhere as the food court descended into complete chaos. Everyone had seen the news broadcasts, the posts on social media about the weird virus going around. Apparently, the CDC was calling it an evolved strain of the flu. You hadn’t thought twice about it, assuming it fell into the same category as West Nile and Ebola, something that people would panic about but would ultimately fade away. You had only been joking when you theorized that it would evolve into a zombie outbreak.

There were screams coming from every direction as people tried to escape, more and more people falling victim to the zombies. Fucking zombies. It was a stupid word, it sounded weird and looked weird when you read it. Whose bright idea was it to coin the term ‘zombie’ anyway? There had to be some reasoning behind it, maybe something about a Latin root, that seemed to be the case with most words-

“Y/N, why are you just standing there?! Come on!” A large hand clamped around your forearm, but it wasn’t enough to get you moving. Not when you were watching Susan slowly getting to her feet, missing an entire arm and large pieces of her torso.

“Isn’t zombie such as stupid word Kookie? Who was the power that decided that it was a good name because it’s not, it’s really not that scary of a word either.” Jungkook, your cute coworker at Great American Cookies, didn’t bother replying to your observation. Instead, he dragged you to the back of the store, manhandling you into the storage closet and locking the door. While you stood there, still in shock, he moved around the room with purpose, doing his best to barricade the door with boxes of icing. “Kookie?”

He stopped when you called out to him, turning towards you and wiping the sweat from his brow. “What?”

“I was right,” you exhaled, feeling the cold dread begin to seep in, the gravity of what you just witnessed beginning to press down on your chest.

“Yeah,” he nodded. “You were.”

You stumbled backward until your back hit the wall and you sunk to the ground, unable to support yourself. “This can’t be real, it’s not real.”

“Y/N…”

“I know I said it was possible, that with all the testing the government does that the occurrence of zombies was plausible, but I didn’t think it would actually fucking happen. I believe in aliens but I don’t expect one to fucking abduct me.” Your breaths were coming out shorter by the second, the muffled screams doing nothing to help the panic gripping you. “This is some joke, right? A viral thing that’s going to get millions of views on youtube? A Halloween event for tik tok? A scene for a movie that the director wants to look super realistic? I just know that this isn’t actually happening.”

Jungkook kneeled down in front of you and you looked up at him with wide eyes. He was attractive, so attractive it hurt because he was so far out of your league it wasn’t funny. You knew he was a year younger than you, knew he played soccer at the university that you both attended, knew he was a member of some frat, and you knew he had the absolute cutest bunny smile you had ever seen on another person. “Y/N, this is real. We both saw it, we both know there was a weird virus going around. I know you know all the reasons that this is plausible because you listed them out to me last week while you were icing that cookie cake.”

“This is crazy. Are we in a bad young adult novel or some shit? This doesn’t happen Kookie, not in real life.”

Jungkook carded a hand through his hair. He’d been growing it out lately, something you greatly appreciated. “Well, it did. There are zombies out there, and we’re in here-”

He was interrupted by his phone ringing and he didn’t hesitate before pressing it to his ear.

“Hyung,” he breathed. “Yeah, I’m okay. I managed to barricade myself in the storage closet when everything started going to shit.”

He listened intently to whatever the person on the other end was saying. “Academy is on the way there so we can pick up Hobi-hyung...Yeah, you too Hyung. I’ll see you soon.”

“What’s going on?” You asked quietly.

Jungkook took a deep breath before answering. “Alright, one of my friends, Seokjin, has a giant house, he’s super rich, and super paranoid. When the news started talking about the virus he started stockpiling and reinforcing his place. He turned it into a safe house, solar-powered and everything. Our friend, Namjoon, is already there, the rest of us are here in the mall. That was Yoongi who just called me, he made it to the parking garage with Jimin and Taehyung and they have a truck waiting for us. You know Hoseok, he works at Academy, comes by on his break sometimes, he barricaded himself in over there so we have to pick him up and then head down to the parking garage so we can get to Seokjin’s.”

You blinked, trying to process everything he said, one detail sticking out to you. “We?”

His forehead scrunched in confusion. “What?”

“You keep saying ‘we’. I can’t Kookie, I can’t do this.”

“What are you talking about? Of course you can.”

You just shook your head. “Look at me Kookie. I’m in no way, shape, or form equipped for...for this. To survive in a fucking zombie apocalypse. Haven’t you ever watched Zombieland? Fat people die first. I walked the mile in high school and have less upper body strength than a fucking baby. I’ll only slow you down.”

Jungkook placed his hands on your shoulders before fixing you with a serious look. “I’m not leaving you here. We’re going to make it out of here and to Jin’s if I have to carry you on my back the whole goddamn way, and don’t test me because I go to the gym seven days a week so I promise you I can.”

You swallowed hard. Was it wrong to feel aroused during a zombie apocalypse? Probably, but jesus christ. “I’m scared.”

His expression softened. “Well, it’s a good thing I’ve here then. I’m pretty sure I’ve inadvertently been training for this for years now. Now come on, the sooner we get out of here and to safety the better.”

You were shaking as you got to your feet and Jungkook wrapped you in a tight hug. He smelled good, he always smelled good. It centered you. “I’ll keep you safe, Y’N. I promise.”

“Let’s just get this fucking over with.”

Jungkook carefully removed the barricade and slowly cracked opened the door, peeking his head out and checking for any immediate danger. He grabbed your hand in his and gently tugged you behind him as he took a few steps outside. Your heart was in your throat as you took in what the interior of the mall looked like.

It looked like a tornado had passed through it, except it was more gruesome than that. The blood seemed to be the most prominent edition, red coating just about every surface you could see. You swallowed hard when you saw the discarded pieces of human remains littering the ground, trying hard not to throw up the granola bar you had for breakfast. Jungkook gently squeezed your hand and you took a deep breath before moving.

Everything had happened so fast. The two of you couldn’t have been in the storage closet for more than thirty minutes, but the mall was desolate. You kept your eyes trained on Jungkooks broad back, not wanting to see any more of the horror surrounding you. You’d only been walking for a few minutes when he froze in his tracks, causing you to run straight into him. “Wha-”

“Shh.” Your blood ran cold. There was only one thing that would have caused him to stop moving. Almost robotically you peeked your head around his form and hastily bit your lip to keep from screaming. There were at least five of them, crowded around a body and tearing into it like vultures. “We have to make a run for it.”

You would have to go right past them to make it to Academy. “What part of ‘i walked the mile’ did you not understand?”

“Hoseok knows we’re coming, I can see him waiting to raise the metal bars when we get close enough. We can make it.”

“What if I trip?” Because that would absolutely be your luck.

“Please do not trip Y/N,” Jungkook whispered before tightening his grip on your hand. “Now.”

He was so fucking fast. You felt like he was going to pull your shoulder right from the socket from how hard he was dragging you along. You couldn’t help the shriek that slipped out when you flew past the zombies and heard the inhuman growls they let out before abandoning their current meal in favor of chasing you. They were chasing you, zombies were fucking chasing you.

“Now, Hyung!” Jungkook bellowed when you were only a few meters away. The metal bars began to rise and when you were only a few feet away, Jungkook jerked his arm forward to propel you into the store so he could come to a hard stop and help Hoseok slam the bars back down. You fell flat on your ass, almost crashing into one of the displays from the momentum.

You screamed when the zombies slammed into the metal bars, limbs outstretched, desperately trying to reach one of you. Jungkook helped you to your feet and you all ducked behind one of the displays, out of their sight. “Are you okay?”

The concern was sweet, would have normally caused your heart to flutter, but all you wanted to do was cry. “Of course I’m not okay Jungkook, fuck. We were just chased by zombies, no one can be okay after that.”

“Yoongi didn’t mention that you had Y/N with you,” Hoseok commented. “Not that I’m not happy to see you!”

“I wasn’t going to leave her,” Jungkook defended.

“Of course you weren’t.” Hoseok grinned and you tilted your head in confusion at the teasing in his voice. He’d always been a weird one.

You took the moment of relative safety to check your phone for the first time since everything went to shit. Your stomach sank when you saw fifteen missed calls from your mom and one voicemail. You immediately tried to call her back, but there was no answer. Your hands were shaking too much to hold your phone up to your ear, so you put your phone on speaker to play the voicemail, the two boys going silent.

“Y/N, baby, I don’t, I don’t know what’s happening. I locked myself in the bathroom, but they’re pounding on the door, I,” tears immediately began to stream down your face, hearing your mom getting choked up, hearing the horrible pounding on the door. “I hope you’re safe, I pray you made it somewhere safe and you’re okay. They’re going to break down the door any minute now, I love you so much baby, don’t ever forget that. I love you, I love you, I love you-”

You pressed a hand against your mouth to muffle your sobs when you heard the sound of the zombies breaking through the door and the voicemail end. Both boys were deathly quiet as you sobbed, the pain in your chest too intense to contain. She was dead, your mom was dead, she was dead. It was one thing when it was other people, people you didn’t really know. This made it so much more real.

“We have to go,” Hoseok said softly after a few minutes. “They’re waiting for us.”

“Can you grab a few things Hyung? Things we can use as weapons, we’ll be right there.” Hoseok nodded before getting up and leaving the two of you alone.

“Y/N,” Jungkook said gently, placing a warm hand on your back as you cried. “We have to go.”

“What’s the point?” You asked, taking a deep breath and wiping the tears from your face, pushing down the pain and compartmentalizing.

“What?”

“What’s the point? Everyone I love is probably already dead, what’s the point in delaying the inevitable? I don’t want to, life was hard enough before all of this, I don’t see the point.” Jungkook didn’t say anything and you took a deep breath. You were just about to speak again, tell him to just leave you at Academy, when his large hands roughly grabbed your face and he pressed his lips to yours.

It only took a few seconds for you to reciprocate, needing something, anything to make you forget about what was happening, even for a little while. You tangled your hands in his hair, pressing your body against his. You were both panting when he finally pulled away. “You’re right, life is hard, this is hard, but that doesn’t mean you roll over and give up. Maybe we won’t make it to Jin’s, but we have to try, I need you to try. Please, for me.”

Your lips were tingling and your brain was short-circuiting due to the implications of what just happened. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yeah,” you nodded. “Okay.”

“Great, now that you kids are done making out in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, let’s get out of here.” Hoseok grinned and Jungkook rolled his eyes before getting to his feet and holding out a hand to help you up.

It wouldn’t be easy, it would probably be the hardest thing you ever had to do. However, with Jungkook by your side, a part of you actually believed that the two of you could survive a zombie apocalypse. And you were always right.

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expression-in-its-essence · 4 years

Text

The Goldfinch movie.

7 min 26 secs in : Why the fuck did they start the movie like that. Why didn't the explosion take place? Theo's mom's apartment? His anxiety? Also.. why do they keep cutting the scenes abruptly? They ain't tweets... No limit.. then??

8 min 2 sec in : Okay they went to the apartment. Audrey's sweater deserved more screen time. The lipstain on the mug in focus *chef's kiss* poetic cinema!

9 min 19 sec in : Do you see what I see? Tom Cable's face has a stark resemblance to Boris's face. Did Theo have a crush on him?

9 min 54 sec in : Mr Barbour's hand is shaking. I like that they put it in there. He was sick. Nice. (I'd imagined Audrey's apartment building entrance like they showed the Barbour's apartment building entrance. Wild.)

11 min 8 sec in : Don't shove it into his face that y'all are fancy okay? He's not used to that life style. He didn't have maids making his bed. ARE YOU GIVING HIM DRUGS, MRS BARBOUR? But you just glared at your husband for offering him the same sort of thing?? Oh God. Poor child. "it's perfectly understandable" my ass. You gave him meds just because your sleep was getting affected.

14 min 39 sec : Woah woah woah Theo wtf you're so smol how'd you do that? Also... Again. The frame of Theo and Tom standing close and Theo and Boris standing close when they kissed, Theo is wearing the same damn sweater.

16 min 58 sec in : Ayyyy Jeffery Wright!

20 min 33 sec in : "He drank a lot", Theo about his dad. Honey just wait up, you will too. (The grilled sandwich and the cute lil smile 😍 also this is the first time since the movie started that Oakes' voice isn't deep.)

23 min 54 sec in : Wizard of Oz poster, I see you!

24 min 19 sec in : I love how Oakes is expressing being caught off guard. Theo knows he did something bad and every time he's dealing with something he didn't expect to deal with, he's like OMG THEY KNOW ABOUT THE PAINTING AND IM FUCKED even if no one knows.

25 min 1 sec in : The glasses made a difference. He went from mature to cute. Angry bird to angry birb.

25 min 44 sec in : Another sweater? Or was this THE sweater of Audrey? (Off topic but Oakes is hella cute. I could murder anyone who hurts him.)

29 min 9 sec in : Pippa doesn't remember or doesn't wanna remember? There was something in her eyes that was hard to read. Also, why doesn't anyone say 'I'm sorry about your mom' to Theo? Do Americans not care? It's weird to see no response when he tells people that Audrey is dead.

31 min 17 sec in : "The Goldfinch, destroyed"? Then why is Theo upset. Good riddance. Oh yeah. I know why. It's Donna Tartt we're talking about.

32 min 39 sec in : Hobie just casually predicting the future. "It's only fake if you pass it on as an original". Theo's like, "noted, gonna do exactly that".

34 min 16 sec in : Why does Theo write like a five year old child? That's toddler handwriting! And omg all the Andy-prom-dress memes are making sense now. (Also did I mention that Mrs Barbour seems more selfish in the film than she does in the book. Like hey I'm putting up with this kid because he helps my kid. He's serving a purpose for me. What the hell.) (How old is Andy anyway? He looks younger than Theo. I think he's different. Didn't grow up like other kids. That was mentioned in the book right?)

35 min 20 sec in : Ayyy Hobie's earring!

35 min 49 sec in : He shopped for himself? Nice! Didn't know kids could shop without adult supervision in the West. (Because they can't in the East.)

35 min 50 sec in : Ayyyy Sarah Paulson! Damn she's hot. How can you dislike her? *heart eyes*

37 min 30 sec in : I can't bring myself to hate Luke Wilson since Skeleton Twins but SHUT THE FUCK UP LARRY! AUDREY DESERVED BETTER. Look at how Larry and Xandra are looking at the place like they're vultures.

39 min 34 sec : They got the airport scene right. STOP GIVING HIM DRUGS WTH IS WRONG WITH THE ADULTS IN THIS MOVIE!

41 min 12 sec in : Ayyy Popper!!!!!

43 min 27 sec in : It just dawned on Theo that he's alone. Oh god. My poor baby.

45 min 12 sec in : Let me take this moment to say that Ashleigh Cummings is pretty. And I finally get why y'all were pissed at the non linear storyline and the weird voiceovers. Guess I'd been prepared for that so it didn't really suck that much.

49 min 30 sec in : I'd imagined Boreo reunion like the Platt Theo reunion. In the day. Dang it. Also... Adult Platt Barbour was not supposed to be good looking? In the book?

55 min 34 sec in : Without context, none of it could make sense. Apologies to whoever didn't read the book beforehand. Crowley fucked this up.

58 min in : Ayyyy Finn Wolfhard! BORIS IS HERE AND IM SO EXCITED IDK WHY

1 hour in : It's such a Boris thing to leave the bag unzipped.

1 hour 3 min 20 sec in : Slumdog Millionaire's Jai Ho (2008) is playing in the background. The only song that I've recognized so far. Wow. Lets me know about the time setting. Nice.

1 hr 3 min in : Someone gif " That cost twenty dollars!" *Stare* "That would have cost twenty dollars!"

1 hr 8 min in : So Boris's room is exactly like I had imagined but Theo's room isn't. Boris just mentioned Kotku though.

1 hr 9 min 14 sec in : Isn't it hella hot in Vegas? Why are they wearing sweaters? Or does drug intake make you more vulnerable to the environment?

1 hr 10 min 15 sec in : Xandra Theo argument : gold. "Cocktail sausages that you like." I wanna laugh in Crowley's face. What was he thinking?? Omg I'm dying.

1 hr 11 min 17 sec in : The slap sound didn't work??

1 hr 13 min 53 sec in : I like serious Boris better.

1 hr 14 min in : The slum house Audrey dream thing was not in the book. That's an entirely new addition.

1 hr 18 min 26 sec in : The Welty Theo scene is awesome. The sound effects work. I feel suffocated. The ambulance noise fiasco is also nicely pulled off. (also Theo's Yellow bag was dirty af then how did it get all clean when he didn't even do anything to it?)

1 hr 20 min 57 sec in : Shhhh Potter.

1 hr 22 min in : Holy shit he got slapped twice!! Ouch! And Larry's audacity to tell Theo to stop with the crying?? Good thing he died. Asshole.

1 hr 25 min in : "You don't tell me a lot of things but that's okay". I see what you did there, Boris. Which was of course, I love you.

1 hr 26 min in : "Act normal" - Theo knows his way around drugs pretty well, doesn't he?

1 hr 30 min in : "No family No friends" line punched me in the face. (Also awww popchik's excuse was the last resort for Boris to make Theo stay.)

1 hr 31 min 17 sec in : That pause after "What do you have to tell me?". You can clearly see Boris struggling to hold something back. Which was of course, I love you.

1 hr 31 min 34 sec in : What the fuck is that music? Oh heyyyyyy they kissed!-- he fucking runs away?? Also what kind of a kangaroo runs like that? (Yes, the taxi driver watched. I don't have to wonder anymore.) (They didn't address why he took the bus instead of flying?)

1 hr 33 min in : I didn't imagine Welty's room like that at all. Also why doesn't Hobie seem happy to see Theo again?

1 hr 35 min in : Longer stretches of one storyline are kinda bearable. From drugs in storage unit to waking up beside Kitsey. We got Vegas and Young Theo. Nice. (Also, who the heck puts jewelry in shoes? Is Theo that dumb? And now I can't think of anything else than Boris piercing his ear for the emerald earring. Tumblr has fucked it up bad.)

1 hr 43 min in : They nailed the Kitsey Theo confrontation.

1 hr 44 min in : Ayyy Ozma of Oz!

1 hr 48 min in : I noticed it before but I wasn't sure... Now I am. Pippa has Welty's ring. On her finger. At all times. (also, is NYC always that noisy? Must suck to walk on the roads.)

1 hr 52 min 23 sec in : They nailed the Theo Pippa date. What's that song playing in the background? I want the name. It's almost like two hours and I still haven't seen Aneurin Barnard once. Why! (Jerome's mentioned in the movie btw.)

1 hr 52 min 51 sec in : Complained too soon. Boris is sat in the dark doing god knows what. My man Aneurin is here!

1 hr 53 min 37 sec in : BOREO REUNIONNNNNN - no don't look at me like that I only watched it thrice.

1 hr 56 min in : Boris saying "it's someone else" with a knowing look and Theo looking at him. The frickin yearning.

1 hr 57 min in : Boris is like you're unhappy, I'm here, we're both rich, let's f*ck. "We could"... What are you suggesting dude he's repressed!

1 hr 58 min in : "you unwrapped it and showed it to me." So many meanings. The heart, the love the soul... Wow. Good for you, screen play writers! ( It's kinda hilarious how Boris got mad at Theo for never quote unquote fucking opening it.)

2 hr 1 min in : I'm calling it. They're going to fuck up the Theo Hobie confrontation. They put it on the wrong time. And they also fucked up the text from the book.

2 hr 5 min 48 sec in : Even Platt is saving his sister's face. Also where did Todd go? Did he never grow up? I wish Mrs Barbour didn't use Theo like she did.

2 hr 7 min in : The frame where Boris is between Kitsey and Theo. Chef's kiss.

2 hr 10 min 54 sec in : *intense music playing* Boris put his leg up on the table and I burst into laughter THOSE ARE THE FAMOUS FUCK ME PUMPS.

2 hr 11 min in : AAAAA THE FOREHEAD TOUCH AAAAAAA (Theo just knows without looking that Boris is close enough to touch? Theo are you sure you don't feel feelings for him?)

2 hr 12 min in : Theo is so worried that I'm not sure if it's for Boris or for losing the painting again. Omg he just murdered a man. Oh god.

2 hr 14 min in : Theo is spiralling. In the movie they imply that Hobie played a part in him attempting suicide. So wrong. Poor Hobie. In the book that wasn't the case.

2 hr 15 min in : The transition of the Goldfinch into Audrey, wow. Also, is it the first time we're seeing her? The movie started so long ago that I've forgotten if I saw Theo and Audrey in the museum. Boris following right after Audrey? That's a subliminal message. Boris is here to rescue y'all.

2 hr 16 min in : No shit Boris is freaking out right now.

2 hr 17 min in : The diner scene. They're both crying. "Happy Christmas, Potter" - which was of course, I love you.

2 hr 18 min in : No don't you dare compare Audrey and Mrs Barbour. Audrey would never drug her child or use him for her benefit.

2 hr 20 min in : Poor kid bumps into his mom lol. I found it funny.

On the whole

The movie was nice if you'd read the book beforehand. The first hour was steak, The second hour was Korean BBQ and the rest of the twenty minutes were minced beef. If you get what I mean. Weird analogy. It could have been much better. But it was really very nice in some places. Most places I'd say.

I didn't like how the pop songs ruined the mood of certain moments. I didn't like how you couldn't hear the conversation over the music playing. For example in the engagement party when Platt and Theo talked. Or in the diner scene.

Both Borises killed the accent thing. They tried their best. Cut them some slack.

Oakes deserves an Oscar for holding up this movie on his smol shoulders. I was shook at how a kid could act that well.

Popchik deserved more screen time. I'm still pissed they didn't add the Popchik Boris reunion. But then they couldn't make it chronological, what were we supposed to expect anyway.

Ansel Elgort y'all. Theo sure improved his handwriting lol. Ansel's writing is nice. He was actually good in this movie. Better than he was in The Fault In Our Stars. The internet is just mean. The critics too. I will never understand the hate.

All in all, it could have been a better adaptation but it didn't suck as bad as everyone made it out to be. John Clownery should be punished nonetheless. Special shout-out to Roger Deakins for making it work.

#donna tartt #theo decker #boris pavlikovsky #finn wolfhard #oakes fegley #ansel elgort #aneurin barnard #the goldfinch #boreo

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peaches-of-1 · 4 years

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Peachtober | Day 31: Masquerade

Summary: It’s been two years since you and your love Namjoon met. Another year, another Masquerade Ball. However, this year is a bit differnt. Joon-ie is acting different. He’s still your’s, right?

Warnings: Angst, smut at the end, cheating(?), fluffy smut, breeding kink (let me know if I need to add more)

Also, the answer to all my weird questions: @hobis-baby-prince @therealredraven @dimpled-rapper-stan

You and Namjoon had been seeing each other for almost two years. The 25th Halloween Ball is what both of you called your first date even though it was by chance. It wasn’t soon after that everyone knew you as the girl probably dating Namjoon because you were in fact dating him. Four months after meeting, fans had created a ship name for you two: Squirrel and Tree because he was so tall and you were so cute and brown.

It had been your boyfriend’s idea to start a Lovestagram for all of your couple photos instead of putting your couple photos on your individual pages. Those were more for who you were as people and more about careers and friends and life outside of the partnership.

You had been performing as Eurydice in Hadestown which was literally one of the best roles you had ever gotten. It was nearly a year of you playing that part. However, the internet was calling you an unfaithful gf because of how you would kiss another man that wasn’t your boyfriend. You loved Namjoon more than you did Kim Woosung no matter how silky his voice was in comparison to Joon-ie’s natural growl.

Woosung had taken up acting with most of his group serving right now, and it just so happened he was playing Orpheus with you. Today’s show was no different. He made his lovestruck eyes at you and asked Hermes (played by Shinhwa’s Hyesung) if this was a real deal or not.

Then we walked single file on the moving platform, me trying to console him from behind, but not getting through to him.

“Orpheus, you are not alone. I am right behind you. We're all behind you, and I have been all along. We have been all along…The darkest hour Darkest hour of the darkest night Darkest night comes right before the- Right before the--”

Just as Fate had dictated, he turned around to face you, making you gasp in response. He wasn’t supposed to turn around. The thought of the audience was one.

“It's you…” He says with a smile, glad you were actually there.

You nodded, “It's me…” and sang his name one last time starting to cry. “Orpheus~…”

His eyes were so full of hope as he sang back, “Eurydice…” with all the love in his heart...before you’re taken away.

He didn’t hold up his part of the deal. You had to go back. You screamed and he reached as you were pulled back into the darkness by the workers. Then you all had two more songs to do while everyone in the audience was crying even if they had watched it a thousand times before. Hope tended to bring people more tears than tragedy. This show had both.

A moment of silence and then the crowd cheered. Flowers were tossed onto the stage as everyone finished up everything and soon enough, you were back in Namjoon’s arms. He hugged you.

“You did a great job, 공주님. As always.” His smile was hidden behind his mask, but made his eyes smaller as they were pushed up by his cheeks.

You kissed him once you were done with the stage door, “Thank you, 왕자님. Where to for dinner?”

“Our apartment. Pizza and 치맥 are waiting for us.” He said.

“Let’s go!” You said and pulled him along in your matching sweaters that you took pictures of this morning before he dropped you off at work.

There was a couple simply standing in front of your door, both in white diamond encrusted masquerade masks. The two of you instantly froze and prepared to run. Your hand was already reaching for the pepper spray when they both bowed. Rabbit and a Butterfly.

“Please don’t be afraid. We are only here to deliver this year’s invitations.” The taller one said.

Namjoon nodded, “Right. Almost forgot. Please, come in if you have the time.” and moved to open the door.

He unlocked it. You knew who the Rabbit was, but you weren’t sure about the other. Butterly was Namjoon’s Mentor, his Guide. Yet you had no clue about her identity except she was well revered in k-pop history. Your guess had been someone from SNSD. You weren’t allowed to know, however, so you would spend many years wondering.

Once inside, you jabbed Heechul’s arm, “I hate when you show up unannounced, and you know that.” no longer in awe of everything he was. You were too close of friends for that.

“Ouch. Don’t treat me like that. I’m working.” He chuckled and then pulled out a five colored envelope from his pocket.

Your name was on the back. Namjoon was handed one by his Mentor with his own stage name on it in neat hangul. You received the letters with both hands and thanked them.

“That’s not all.” She said, the Butterfly. “You have to wear this too.”

Medium sized boxes that most likely held your masks.

They then told you “Happy Halloween” before leaving. There was something strange about the look she gave your boyfriend. You weren’t the jealous type. You swear! It just stuck out for some reason. Seemed, unnecessary.

Both of you opened your invites away from each other and called the ones who had just been in there to set up an appointment for your fittings. You looked at your invitation.

Emerald. Green. It seemed as if the invitation really was made of the gem itself what with the way it sparkled and all. After about half an hour of conversation, you two snuggled up with animal night masks in matching pajamas to eat cold pizza and watch the latest episodes of Jin’s and Taehyung’s TV shows. Even Yoongi was a judge on a singing competition nowadays.

You had described your dress to Heechul saying you wanted to show off your legs. This wasn’t the Christmas Ball held by him each year, so you could be a bit less covered. Ruffles too, but not too many. You looked at your card again and what had come in the box. Your mask, yes, but also the emerald choker you’d be wearing.

Emerald. With these Masquerades, you let yourself be a bit extra and ignored the rules of fashion a bit. Today was your off day after all, so you followed the Rabbit’s tracks to the tailor’s shop on the outskirts of Seoul. You and Namjoon would find out each others’ color on Halloween Day. This cast of Hadestown had a less famous understudy, and you wondered if she was going to be invited or not. You kept a close eye on your phone to see if it’d be cancelled that day.

Heechul was in his rabbit mask the whole time you were being fitted, giving comments as you were done up and beauty was stitched around your frame. He also asked about your makeup.

“Sparkling and green, both eyes and lips.” You replied. “I might even do some green highlighter, but I feel like I’d be stepping into Elphaba territory if I do that so perhaps silver? To match the accessory?”

He nodded, “You gain a bit more fashion sense every year, a bit bolder.”

I chuckled, “Well, it’s never consistent. I always want to be talked about for being stunning.”

“And you are, even if the fans don’t know your name.”

“Absolutely. It’s a fun guessing game, and sometimes I realize that I’m wrong when I guess who’s behind the mask.” You replied before changing back into your regular clothing and heading to the museum with Namjoon.

Six days until the ball and the two of you would be leading some middle schoolers through some American Fairy Tales. You dressed up as Little Red Riding Hood while Namjoon was the wolf. The young teens loved it and saw it as a learning experience for their culture class.

Five days until Halloween arrived, and you spent time working on your outfits for the ball before you had to go in for the show. You put on your many layers and boots and then did your makeup. It was really simple makeup for everyone, so you didn’t need anyone to do it for ya. Taehyung showed up today, surprising you with a kiss on the cheek and some flowers.

“You’re so sweet~” You said. “We’ll go out to eat after the show.”

“I have stuff to film today. I’m gonna be late because I wanted to watch your show, so maybe next time.” He replied.

You smiled, “Lunch on Halloween? We can invite the others out for ice cream with us.”

Taehyung asked, “What kind of ice cream would you get?”

“Matcha probably. I love the color of it. Maybe mint.” You tapped your chin. “What about you?”

“Lemon. Something with citrus.” He smiled his boxiest smile. “Have a good show, (Y/N). I can’t wait to hear you, my Little Songbird.”

So he would be wearing yellow for the ball. You wondered what jewel that coincided with as it was 10 minutes until curtain. One look over your makeup and outfit and you got checked by the costumer. She said it was done correctly and that you had everything. The cast be recording for the Original Cast Album after tomorrow’s show.

You were the one who really pushed for this before the original Hades aka Super Junior’s Siwon officially retired from the entertainment industry to just chill with his family and show up on variety shows every once in a while.

The ball was in four days, and here you were in a binder, leather overalls, and a brown belt with holders on it while singing your solo.

What I wanted was to fall asleep Close my eyes and disappear Like a petal on a stream, a feather on the air

Lily white and poppy red I trembled when he laid me out You won't feel a thing, he said, when you go down Nothing gonna wake you now

Dreams are sweet, until they're not Men are kind, until they aren't Flowers bloom, until they rot, and fall apart

Is anybody listening? I open my mouth and nothing comes out Nothing, nothing gonna wake me now

Flowers, I remember fields of flowers Soft beneath my heels Walking in the sun, I remember someone Someone by my side, turned his face to mine And then I turned away, into the shade

You, the one I left behind If you ever walk this way Come and find me lying in the bed I made

You sniffled at the end and let out a huge breath before smiling and showing off a red carnation in your hair. It was the only one they were video recording for you today since everyone already did the wall song earlier.

Your dress was nearly finished as the spooky romantic holiday was three days away. They no longer needed you to come in since all they had to do was add the sparkle to the skirt and torso. You hugged the tailor and told him you were excited to see his finished project. His partner was there too and she’d be helping, but she didn’t like physical contact all that much. So you simply bowed and said the same thing to her.

Hadestown wasn’t performing today after yesterday’s two shows, so you all went out and helped to hand out candy and visit children at a hospital while we dressed up as our characters but in a more traditional sense. You were a glittering fairy. The kids were interested in your curly hair and some tried to grab at it, but you told them it was better to ask first if you let them touch it at all.

It was hard to say no to such cute faces, though.

Two days until the ball, and Namjoon seemed rather…secretive? He had been going out a lot lately and not telling you where. However, BTS was currently on a break so it couldn’t have been for work. If he was working while he was supposed to be relaxing, you were going to fight him.

“Doubt Comes In” played in your mind as you tried to stay strong and trust him. You did. More than most of your own family members if you’re being completely honest, but that was because he would always communicate with you. He wouldn’t usually leave while you were sleeping without leaving a text saying he had gone out. Namjoon didn’t always tell you what he was doing, but it just seemed so very uncharacteristic of your lover.

Halloween was tomorrow, and you two were doing a Vlive together as you usually did on Wednesdays. It was the two of you cooking a winning recipe with fans as they could watch from three different cameras. Today was an American Korean fusion dish of black bean alfredo pasta with some sweet cornbread as a side.

He cuddled up behind you and gave you a back hug, “You mix that cornmeal so well.” he purred and kissed your neck.

You giggled and bit your lip, “Aren’t you supposed to be boiling pasta?”

Namjoon knew your weak spot, and you knew he wanted something. He was teasing you in the most innocent of ways since you were live.

Your prince hummed, “To think, maybe one day, we’ll be doing this stream with a crying baby in the background or a hungry tike pulling on one of our aprons.”

You stopped stirring to look at him, “You gotta marry me first.”

He winked, “I’ll think about it.” and gave a shy chuckle as he went to go finish his end of things.

Then you two ate with fans watching and answered some questions. Doubt was still nagging at the back of your mind, but you smiled through it knowing he would never betray you or your heart. You loved each other more than anything in this world.

He waved his hand in front of your face, and you focused on Namjoon’s smiling face as he chewed. Then he chuckled.

“You were staring~.” He said in a sing song voice.

“I love you so much.” Was your reply and kissed his nose.

Your Joon Bug scrunched up his face with affection and then you two went back to eating. They wondered if you were having kids or getting married any time soon.

“We’ve talked about getting married.” You replied. “But not as much recently. We’ve just been so busy. Maybe on his next break, we’ll have our wedding. Who knows?” you laughed.

He started singing, “‘You take me in your arms and suddenly there's sunlight all around me. Everything bright and warm, and shining like it never did before.’”

You chuckled and blushed, “You never sing on streams.”

Namjoon shrugged, “I love you so much. Also, guys, make sure to get tickets to Hadestown and watch my wife in the lead role.”

Your fork dropped onto the table, “Wife?” you asked as he used the term 여보 which was mostly used by already married couples.

“They were just asking about marriage, so I wanted to try it out.”

You put your hand on your cheeks because you were blushing so hard, “You. I don’t. I need a minute. Ah, my heart!” you went away from the camera and did a little happy dance.

Just him saying that word and referring to you was enough to make your heart race a thousand times in a second. To actually be his wife. To be the one he wanted to spend his life with. That was a moment worth more than your weight in gold, or diamonds, or emeralds. Or amethyst. Namjoon’s invite was on the coffee table, and you were just barely able to make out the words.

Today was the day when you got to wear your dress to the Halloween ball. Your mask was in your hand while Namjoon was looking in the mirror trying to put on his Jewel, a choker matching yours but made of amethyst.

He froze the moment he saw you in the reflection, “Wow…you look. You’re stunning, Y/N, and here I thought you could never be more beautiful. You’re literally glowing.”

“You say that every year, 왕자님. Need help with your necklace?” You reached out as he nodded and handed it to me.

“Maybe I should’ve put the mask on last instead.” He chuckled.

You smiled as you could reach his neck better at this angle, “Your eyeshadow looks great.”

“Yours too. Hopefully, it won’t melt by the time we’re back at the hotel.”

“Hotel?” You asked. “What hotel?”

He smiled, “Surprise. Since we live quite far from the venue, I decided to book a hotel for the night.”

You gave him a cheeky grin, “Is that so?”

“Mmmmhmm~”

“Can’t wait.” You whispered before grabbing both of your invites and taking a moment to admire how Namjoon was only wearing a purple velvet blazer with dress pants and black Oxfords.

There was no vest or dress shirt under the blazer. Guess he must’ve heard your thoughts about showing more skin and wanted to partake in the look as well. You had your right leg out as well as your own shoulders to make sure the Jewel stood out. The two of you had matching feather and acorn earrings with a matching gem stud in opposite ears.

Your lips and eyes shone just as much as the choker. Namjoon had put on simple but still bold shadow. Both of you had decided to wear colored contacts in the other’s given color scheme. It was fun to wear purple contacts.

The two of you joined arms and went into the sapphire colored limousine that had the other guys and their dates waiting inside. Hobi had been lucky enough to also get emerald and wore a green and black Gucci suit while his boyfriend was in an ombre purple ball gown. It seemed they had been given matching brooches. Taehyung was in a golden yellow suit and waved, showing off his yellow citrine bracelet which matched his gf’s blonde hair which cascaded over a bold ruby red gown.

Yoongi and his partner were both in amethyst tuxes. Jin seemed to be whispering sweet nothings to his darling love as he was in his ruby embroidered blazer and they tucked their neon pink hair to show off their emerald earring. Both Jimin and his hunk of dark chocolate were in blues which made me happy because he looked best in that color.

Jungkook said hi as he adjusted the leaf shaped emerald brooch on his white cravat which peeked out of his silk green vest. He looked like a prince with his banana dressed gf by his side, both showing off their tattoos.

It had been a while since they had all been together like this, about a month or so because they had all gone home. Now you were all in the back of a limo and having a good time jamming to music and chilling to random music, featuring some of your vocals since the Hadestown album was coming out bit by bit.

“Ah, you’re such an angel, (Y/N)-ssi. You’ve grown so much since you were in Hamilton,” Jimin said. “We’re so proud of you.”

You blushed, “Thanks, guys. It helps that I was able to get a vocal coach after the ball that year. I had a bunch to choose from.”

Soon enough, you were at the rather large mansion where this ball was being held. All fourteen of you did makeup touchups before securing our masks on. Jungkook and Neveah were first out of the limo, followed by Tae and Imani. Jimin was helped out of the car by his boyfriend Evan who had gotten his hair lined up nice for this event. Yoongi and his boyfriend kissed each other’s cheeks after they got out, and Jin was the perfect gentleman helping his partner out of the car as well. Next were you and Namjoon who were then followed by Hobi and his bf Sara.

There. You walked the ruby red carpet and posed for the cameras. The air of mystery of who was dating who even though the world knew who you were without the masks on. You greeted the livestream, and he kissed your lips before we headed in. You would be entering from the top of the stairs into the main room.

However, both you and Namjoon were stopped before and given matching crowns. Not small ones or light ones either. Real heavy crowns that had all the jewels placed in the framing. You asked what this meant, and the woman who placed it on you simply smiled and said that was for later.

She seemed to have the same build as Namjoon’s mentor but it was a different mask. It was a relief that you didn’t have to work during the ball this year and sing for attention to boost your career.

Your friend Zuzu had come to Korea to spend it with her girlfriend Amber. There were rumours about their relationship, but nothing had been confirmed. Then again, she said that they were going to go public December 1st. They made such a cute couple. Both were were wearing red. Zuzu in a dress that matched the streak in her braided hair and Amber in a crushed velvet blazer and matching pants, large rings on their fingers. Zuzu’s dark brown skin went so well with the silken gown making her appear as a volcano of affection.

She came and hugged you tightly, “OMG, you are slaying that dress gurl. Lookin’ like an expensive ass avocado.”

“Ok, Miss Bell Pepper lookin’ goddess.” You said in response getting her to laugh. “Nice to see you again, Amber.” You smiled in her direction.

“Hey Y/N, you look great.” She said in her red suit with glitter lapels.

You asked with a playful tone, “Where’s your dress~?” not even able to finish the sentence before laughing.

“I only wear a dress for certain people when we’re doing certain things.” She pulled Zuzu back by the waist and kissed her cheek.

Sara asked who Amber was with shyly because they looked so good together. You introduced Hobi’s boyfriend to the sapphic couple and they were able to hold an easy conversation while you continued to dance with Namjoon who you knew was starting to feel a bit neglected.

“You could’ve talked to them longer.” He said.

You shook your head, “I mean, I could have, but we don’t get much time to be together. You’re the one that I love in this world.”

Namjoon blushed, “I love you too.” and he kissed your forehead before spinning you around a bit. “How many children do you want?”

“More than two. Only children usually grow up wishing they had siblings.” You replied.

“Hmmmm, if we were to get married, where would you want the wedding?” He asked.

You smiled, “Anywhere you are...as long as we go to someplace really fun for our honeymoon.”

Joonie grinned, “Note taken.”

Then you got a very pleasant surprise.

Chan’s girlfriend and one of your best friends, Jay, showed up in matching sapphire looks. The media called them Chay while all her friends called them Cray because they were crazy in love. Also, we used his English name. She hugged you and you complimented each other on your outfits.

She was in a tight fitting evening gown with a lace cape. Her Jewel was a blue monochrome brooch that was clipped onto her waist. Her hair was put into a sleek ponytail. Chan had the biggest professional crush on Namjoon, and it was so obvious especially with his red ears so close to his blue blazer and pants. His brooch was on his left side, over his heart and shaped like a dragonfly. He had a layered cravat the color of cream.

Jay talked about the book she had written. Chan bowed to his sunbaenim Namjoon and the two men talked about what the younger would be doing for their next comeback.

“I actually wanted to ask you a huge favor.” She said, her Korean having a bit of a Dutch accent to it.

“Anything for you.” You replied.

She shoved a small packet in your hands, “Learn this in like an hour and then perform it real quick. It’s to promote the musical I’m making out of my book. If you just do this one favor for me, then you can have the lead. Nay, you can have any part your heart desires. Please please please? I just finished writing it this morning or I would have gotten it to you sooner.”

“I swear to God, Jay. I better get to help design costumes.”

“Anything. I love you so much.” She said and then put her arm through yours. “We’ll be back as soon as we can.”

For about an hour and a half, you studied the lyrics she wrote along with the beautiful melody. She admitted that it was based on one of her old fanfictions before she dated her current idol bf about “an introverted young man working as a barista in a book cafe where every day the girl of his dreams drops by. But what would a girl like her, beautiful and cool, want with a nerd like him?”

It was originally about Jungkook, but she got the book deal after she changed the names away from idols and towards “regular” names. She kept the lead as a Korean male, however.

And then you were rushed on stage with the music packet in front of you on a music stand just in case you needed it. Sara and his love Hobi were in the front row with Namjoon rushing to make it to see you as he was a steady source of strength.

Jay stood up on stage and smiled at you before addressing the audience, “Hello, I am an internationally acclaimed author R.R. Valravn. Pleased to meet you. My friend Y/N is up here ready to sing a song from my book because it is being turned into a musical set to debut in 2-3 years. Until then, here is a taste of what’s to come.”

She stood off to the side and had her co-writer play piano while you sang the song she had written. *

“Day in day out soft mellow tunes / accompanied by the warm scent of coffee / and the tales of others to protect / fill the hours at a distant of a young man with a dreaming mind. / Often I wonder how the world looks / through eyes filled with fantasy / yet there is no courage to ask / for fear of waking him / for killing those dancing lights / ignorant of reality. / So I let him dream, / hoping one day the imaginations / are no longer creative ghosts / and the world is his story.”

*(Read Down the Rabbit Hole by TheRealRedRaven on Tumblr)

Everyone watched as you slowly opened your eyes to see Namjoon’s mentor whispering in his ear and then wiping her lipstick off of him. A small fire flared up inside of your stomach. She was trying to make him cheat on you. You could just feel it. You could feel there was a secret between them, and it pissed you off!

Because you didn’t want to be seen as the angry black woman, you smiled as you, Jay, and the pianist bowed together before leaving the stage.

Namjoon came over to congratulate you, “Hey, you did such a great job, Princess.”

“Don’t you princess me. Why don’t you go chat it up with your Mentor about whatever is going on between you two?” you pulled your arm away and huffed.

You found yourself in the fall tinted garden. Orange leaves were lit by amber lighting encased in black iron. False ghosts and real spider webs decorated the area. And you found yourself running into an empty gazebo that overlooked the city.

Why was he keeping secrets from you? What was so scary that he couldn’t tell you, the one he supposedly loved? You trusted him! You loved him! Did he no longer feel the same? On your two year anniversary of dating? And here you thought you were going to marry him.

“Y/N! Princess, what are you doing? What happened?” His concern sounded so truthful, making it sting even more as he tried to catch his breath.

“You tell me! I’m not blind. You’ve been sneaking out lately, when I’m sleeping. Where do you go? To see your Mentor?”

“Yes, but--”

“WHY?” You didn’t want to yell, but you did. The word reverberated off of the marble poles. “Why are you going behind my back to see that woman? I don’t even know who she is!”

“Ailee. It’s Ailee. We’ve been friends for a long time. She took me under her wing, but none of that matters.” He was so upset and confused that you couldn’t look at him.

You instead responded, “Then why are you sneaking out to see her? Without telling me when or at least why.” with your hands tightly gripping the banister. He was so good to you but it pained you to look at him.

“Because, Princess, she’s been helping me do something...for you.”

You rolled your eyes and scoff, “What do you--?”

There was a smile in his voice as he said, “Turn around and find out.”

“What the h…” The rest of the words forgotten as you turned and didn’t see Namjoon until you looked down.

He was on one knee in front of you and holding out a ring. You shook your head trying to understand…

“N-Namjoon?”

“Y/N, I’ve spent the last month trying to find the perfect ring to do this with. Ailee has been helping me because I would rather fall off this mountain than ask you to choose your own engagement ring.”

“Don’t say that; you might actually do it, you klutz.” Different tears started to build behind your eyes.

He took a deep breath, “My Princess Y/N, my love of my life, my past and my present state of being belong to you. Will you be my future, too?”

“J-Joon. Joon-ie, I…”

“Will you marry me, Y/N?” He actually said it.

You nodded and covered my mouth as tears started to cascade down my cheeks, “Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes! I’ll marry you, Namjoon. Of course I will!”

He slid the ring onto your brown hand, the orange light of the gazebo becoming softer in the moment.

Namjoon kissed you and held you tight around the waist as you hugged him still crying.

“I’m so sorry I got so suspicious. You know I didn’t--”

“Shhh, I know, Princess. I know. I just wanted it to be a surprise. I’m so sorry I made you doubt me, 여보.” He said.

You grabbed his face, “Call me that again.”

“여보?”

You kissed him, “Again.”

“여보.” Smooch. “여보.” Smooch. “My lovely wife.”

When I went back inside with the others, Jay approached me with Zuzu and Sara.

Jay was excited, “I just got like 25 different people saying they wanted to try out for my musical or saying they wanted to fund it. Thank you so much, Y/N I owe you big time, lass!”

“Where were you two?” Sara asked, fixing his necklace.

You held up your hand, “Getting proposed to.” and showed them your ring.

They all squealed and the congratulations started. Then the boys found out that you had said yes and congratulated you. Heechul took off his mask and hugged you, saying he better be invited to the wedding.

“This wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for you, asshole! Of course you’re invited!” you giggled.

And then Ailee approached after she hugged Namjoon and kissed him on the cheek. You went over to bow and apologize.

She just smiled at your offering, “I’ll forgive you on one condition.”

“Anything.” You replied.

“Be a good wife for Namjoon and a good mother for the children you two will raise. Work together with him and be happy.” She held my shoulders.

You nodded and giggled, “Done and done.”

“Then you’re forgiven.” The brown haired idol said, hugging me tightly.

So that’s what the crowns were for. You were Halloween Ball royalty having met and now being engaged at the party. They had known. Why would they not? You and your husband to be Namjoon danced in the middle of the ballroom until it was time for you all to leave.

Your car with him went to the hotel he booked. The small bags of luggage were already in the Lovers’ Suite. The two of you began to get out of the super formal clothing and into the more comfortable nudity.

“여보~” You said. “Can you help me out of this dress?” The question came out of your mouth as your arms were already out of it.

Namjoon came over after tossing his blazer on the plush chair and unzipped the gown, and you let it fall to the ground. You were still in your undergarments as you hung up the dress and set it on the other chair before swinging around the stripper pole that was in the room.

“Really, Namjoon. If you wanted me to give a show, you could’ve just asked.”

He was blushing, “I didn’t know it had one of these. I--”

“Mmmmhhmmmm~”

You faced the pole and then tried to climb it, but Namjoon didn’t want you getting hurt by any pole that didn’t belong to him. As soon as he kissed your neck, your legs nearly gave out and you let out an airy moan.

“When did you wanna get married?” he asked.

“Now.” You responded in your lacy mint colored lingerie smiling at him.

He chuckled and began to grope at your breasts, “Do you think it would be too much if we consummated before the wedding?”

You smiled and turned around, “No.”

Your lips met his and you unbuttoned his pants as he unclipped your strapless bra. The heat between you two increased as you became more and more undressed. You loved him. You loved him so much, and you made sure he knew that.

“I don’t deserve you.”

“I was about to say the same thing, and yet somehow you’re mine.” He said as he laid you down on the bed, your choker jewels clacking against each other.

You giggled, “It’s been a while since I’ve had you in a collar.”

He licked your ear and purred, “I could say the same to you.”

You moved your leg to rub up his crotch, making him gasp and whimper as you made contact, his brown eyes fluttering for a moment before they focused on you. Namjoon didn’t hesitate to kiss all over your chest. He sucked on your nipples making you mewl in pleasure and grab his head as he went lower and lower. His long fingers played with your clit and soon he sunk two digits inside your folds.

“Baby, you’re so wet.” He purred.

“Only because I love you, idiot.” You gave a breathy moan that hitched in the middle as he took your pert dark brown nipples between his teeth and tugged. “Ooooh, Joon-ie~ I can’t, oh, I can’t wait.”

Namjoon swirled his tongue around your chocolate areolas as he added another finger inside of you. His fingers still had several rings on them, making the texture even more enjoyable for you pussy which began to pulse at the added stimulation. Your fiance had a silly rule for having sex with you, one of the few he had. You had to orgasm at least once before he fucked you loopy. He was a gentle lover, sensitive and sweet and considerate until he got inside of your heated cunt. Then he lost all of his reason and just wanted to fuck you.

It was so cute when he got so needy. Even when he was domming or during simple sex, he’d ask for your permission to cum. Sometimes you were the one begging for release because it felt so good and you lowkey forgot which role you played for the night.

You blindly reached for his cock and began to rub it making Namjoon bite his lip and moan with his eyes closed. He was already very sticky from his own leaking precum as well. You turned the tables so that you were on top and lined up his cock with your hole and began to sink down.

“Babe, what, ah~ what about the condom?” He hissed and held your hips.

“Ah, ah, oh shit. Don’t need one tonight.” You said, stretching to fit his thick dick inside. “I’m gonna be your wife soon and we should get a head start on making babies.”

His eyes lit up, “We’re gonna have such beautiful kids. With a mother like you, oh fuck Y/N! How many kids?”

“As many as you can fuck into me.” You bit your lip and bounced on him. “Use your hips, you gorgeous idol you.” You giggled.

Namjoon lifted his hips to connect with yours, making you squeak. He smiled up at you and you clawed his chest as his cock reached deeper and deeper inside of your wet heat. Your moans filled up the room, but it was a waste to be in the lovers’ suite and not use any of the toys. You grabbed the scarf you were going to wear tomorrow and told Namjoon to tie your hands to the stripper pole.

He did and just watched you squirm for him as he searched for something for himself. What he found was a vibrating cock ring that kept him hard as he plunged into you again as you faced him. A connections of eyes and a shared smile led to a kiss deeper than his dick could ever go. So tender and yet so rough that both of you teared up.

“I love. I love you. I love you so much.” You said.

“Me too. I love you too. I can’t wait to be your husband, Y/N. Kim Y/N, my wife. Oh god, I’m gonna cum.” He said lifting your leg over his shoulder.

You gripped the cold metal made hot by constant friction, “Let’s see if we can get some twins out of you? Kiss me.”

“Always.” Namjoon thrusted his hips into you more and more and felt you melt on him as he painted your insides white with his cum.

A moment of hard breathing and your legs began to shiver as your third orgasm of the night washed over you no matter how dry it was. You could feel Namjoon’s cum leaking out of your pussy. He scooped it up and pushed it back inside you.

“Can’t have twins if you let them seep out of you.” He kissed your shoulder and laughed. “What the fuck did I just say?”

Both of you began to laugh and then he untied you and you used your mouth to clean off his dick before both of you hopped into the shower. Then you and your husband to be cuddled in the large bed before falling asleep in each other’s arms. You couldn’t wait to be his wife.

A note from the author:

Thanks to everyone who read along with my updates and requested reactions and moodboards! Since October is nearly over, we’re gonna start getting ready for Christmas/Kwanzaa/Hannukah! Feel free to start requesting for that even thought they will not come out until December.

Also, make sure to answer the survey that was posted right before this. Remember that all past prompts and writings can be found in my Masterlist, located in my bio.

#BTS #Bangtan #Kim Namjoon #RM #Namjoon x Reader #Reader x Namjoon #RM x Reader #Reader x RM #Black!Reader #Female!Reader #Peachtober #Inktober #Ailee

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thatmultifandomhoe · 5 years

Text

Strawberry Cream and BBQ - 9

Pairing: Hybrid Hoseok and Human Reader

Overview: Your best friend knows she can count on you for anything, so when she asks you to watch her hybrid while she’s gone for a study abroad trip for four months, you can’t say no. But when these four months are over, things have changed in a way no one expected.

Word Count: 2,597

Genre: Hybrid AU, Fluff, Future smut, Angst, Best friends to Lovers

Warning: Some light swearing.

Master List

Sneak Peak - Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7 - Part 8 - Part 9 - Part 10 - Part 11 - Part 12 - Part 13 - Part 14 - Part 15 - Part 16 - Part 17 - Part 18 - Part 19 - Part 20 - Part 21 - Part 22 - Part 23 - Part 24 - Part 25 (Final) - Move in Day: A SC&BBQ Drabble

Hoseok pressed his lips together as he stared down at your sleeping form on the couch, crossing his arms over his chest. He really shouldn’t be all that surprised, but there you were. After the two of you came home from the Dance Studio, neither of you wanted to do anything that required more than minimum effort. That was obviously code for Netflix and pass out on the couch.

It was two in the morning when his own head started to fall backwards and somehow, you were still awake and even managed to help him into bed. He must have been more exhausted than he realized because he never went to bed without making sure you went to sleep first, a habit he’s had for God knows how long. It was done with your comfort in mind, because if Hoseok was being completely honest, you slept in the weirdest positions of all time.

Like right now.

You were on your side facing the cushion, legs curled up to your chest and your left arm was resting on your stomach. So far, a normal position. But your right arm was over your head and bent at the elbow over your face, like you were protecting yourself in your sleep. It was the most uncomfortable position he had ever seen someone sleep in and with living in a shelter for year, he saw some interesting positions.

“Oh Strawberry,” Hoseok murmured, lightly shaking his head at you. With extremely careful movements, he managed to bring your arms down to your sides, allowing him to slip an arm under your knees and the other behind your back to carry you. The moment you were settled in his arms, you shifted, forcing him to hold his breath. He didn’t want you to wake up, it was early – nine in the morning – and knew you would complain about being awake before your alarm went off. Instead however, your fingers grabbed a hold of his shirt and you curled closer to him, sighing.

He smiled at the action, his tail wagging as he walked the short distance to your bedroom to deposit you under the warmth of the million blankets you tended to sleep under. His face turned into one of longing, watching as you burrowed under your blankets. There was nothing he wanted more than to get in on the other side and fall back asleep with you safely in his arms. But he held himself back. Instead, once positive you wouldn’t wake up for another hour, he tip-toed out and quietly closed the bedroom door, not relaxing until he was in the kitchen of your small apartment.

No…not small. Cozy. He liked calling it cozy because it had that homey feel to it. As you always said, one day you were gonna need a bigger space, but he liked not having to walk down an endless hallway to get to a kitchen where you could fit three ping pong tables side by side and still have more than enough room. Having everything close and nearby, was much better.

Scratching his ears, he grabbed his phone with his free hand, smiling as he opened up a message from Sue. She had taken a selfie with some of her new friends at a café from the looks of it. His thumb typed out a quick response, wishing her good luck in classes along with asking her to be safe when she went out. If anything were to happen to Sue…Hoseok shook his head, his ears flapping at the movement. He needed to stop thinking like that. He was already protective of Sue, something that Colin isn’t too fond of at all, but what was Hoseok supposed to do? He was a German Shepard hybrid. It was in his nature to be protective of those he cared about.

Speaking about caring about someone, he looked over his shoulder back at your bedroom door. If he listened closely, he could hear the even beating of your heart. Unless he managed to drop every pot and pan you owned, there was nothing waking you up before your alarm.

His heart on the other hand, good God. Was this how it was supposed to feel all those years ago? Was he supposed to feel like the most powerful hybrid when he carried you in his arms? Were you supposed to feel like home? Hoseok was fairly certain, more then certain, he was positive that you were his mate. There was always that slim chance he was wrong, that you weren’t and he was making a mistake. If that was the case, he’d be devastated.

Hoseok needed to talk to Namjoon. The wolf hybrid had gone through something similar, and if there was anyone that he could trust with a secret this deep and get advice from at the same time, it was definitely Namjoon.

With his phone still in hand, he shot a quick text to the wolf asking if he wanted to meet up for coffee at eleven thirty. He wasn’t surprised when he got a reply within a matter of five minutes.

Sounds good to me.

Hobi was surprised when his phone vibrated seconds later, signaling another message.

It’s about her isn’t it?

His thumbs hovered over the key but he wrote out a simple ‘yes,’ and, ‘I’ll tell you then,’ and left it at that. There was no point in telling the story twice. With plans made, he set his phone back down and started filling up the kettle with water to boil for coffee when you woke up.

***

Something was up.

It wasn’t just that you felt like something was off, you knew for a fact that something had, or was going to happen, but you couldn’t put your finger on it and it was annoying the crap out of you.

By the time you managed to pull yourself out of bed, thanks to your blaring alarm, it was ten forty in the morning. You had to leave your apartment by eleven to get on campus and make it to your American Literature class and Biology lecture but still, no one liked having to leave their warm blankets for the cold weather.

Thankfully, you were greeted with Hoseok handing you a mug of coffee once you left the bathroom. You had on black leggings and an old black oversized hoodie with purple fuzzy socks for warmth. An outfit that obviously reflected the mood of every college student.

“Thank you,” you softly murmured, cradling the hot mug in your hands and took a long sip. As the heavenly beverage ran through your body, a soft moan escaped and you closed your eyes, taking another drink.

Hoseok raised an eyebrow, amused but also wondering how else he could get you to make that sound again. He shook his head immediately after that thought though, it wasn’t appropriate at the moment. Maybe one day, but until then he shouldn’t think about you like that. “You fell asleep on the couch again,” he said instead, walking back into the kitchen where he had the toaster out.

You paused at his accusation, the corner of your lips twitching as you settled on the chair at the high counter, watching as he glanced over at the toaster. “There was like twenty minutes left of the movie so I finished it. I must have fallen asleep by accident.”

He scoffed, getting out a plate just as an English muffin popped up. In a matter of minutes, the plate was slid in front of you with peanut butter and butter before going back and putting in another muffin for himself. When he turned around, he automatically laughed. You were sitting there in all black and a look of shock written all over your face. Mouth dropped open and eyes wide.

“You made me breakfast?” You asked, closing your mouth as it turned into a smile. As simple as it is, it was your favorite thing to eat in the morning.

“Of course,” Hoseok answered, still chuckling as he leaned back against the island you had, having to pause from drinking his own coffee so it wouldn’t spill. “You’re letting me stay here for four months and I know how to cook. It’s the least I can do.”

Hearing his explanation, your cheeks grew sore from smiling so much. “Thank you Hoseok. I really do appreciate it.”

“Oh, I know.” He chirped, buttering up his own breakfast.

You rolled your eyes, swallowing down some food and repicked up your mug. “Any plans for today?”

Hoseok paused, the knife he was using to spread the peanut butter was pressed against the softened muffin. The gears in his head were rapidly spinning in an attempt to create some cover up. He really hated lying to you, but there was no way he was telling you about the discussion he was planning on having with Namjoon. At least, not yet. Maybe one day he could. But that would mean you accepted him as your mate. That thought was just a hopeful dream at the moment.

“Just meeting up with Namjoon for brunch,” he simply answered, forcing his hands to continue moving. He refused to look in your direction just yet, fearing the second he looked in your eyes that he’d be spilling the whole damn truth.

In the time that Hoseok was frozen, you managed to finish eating and was tossing out the paper plate. One glance at the clock and you knew you had to kick your ass into gear if you wanted to leave on time.

“Brunch?” You quickly asked in an attempt to make sure you heard him right. “What brought this on?”

Shit, Hoseok thought. Shit, shit, shit. “I suggested it.” He finally said, thinking on the fly. “I thought he might like it, he seems like the type of person who would enjoy brunch.”

But you were rushing around, throwing your laptop and charger into your backpack, and grabbing the thousand-page textbook that you had decorated throughout the texts with a dozen colorful page markers. “That sounds like fun. Wish I could go.” Setting your bag on the couch, you power walked back into your room, grabbing your keys and phone charger before going back out to the living room.

Hoseok watched in amusement as you ran back and forth between your room and the living room where you had your bag, filling and emptying it out at the same time. As grateful as he was that you weren’t asking more about his meet up with Namjoon, he wished that you would just slow down. He knew how important school and work was for you, but you tended to let both things take over your life and stress you out beyond belief.

Without even being asked, he took your unfinished coffee and dumped it into a travel mug, topping it off with some of his since you both drink it the same way. There had been many times when he caught you stealing sips from his own mug.

“Come on Strawberry,” he gently called out when you disappeared into your bedroom once more. “I am demanding a hug before you leave here and I do not want it to be half assed because you’re rushed.”

“Half assed?” You repeated, walking out of the bedroom with your head tilted to the right as you tried to slip an earring through the hole. The minute you saw his smile and the travel mug though, you relaxed. “Give me one second Hobi and I promise, I’ll give you the best hug in the world.”

“You already give the best hugs in the world,” he whined. His tail however, continued to wave back and forth.

Once the ear rings were in place, you made your way over to him. “What about Sue? I thought you loved her hugs,” you teased, wrapping him in a hug.

“Yours are still the best.” He murmured into your hair, his arms tight as he tried to hold you close. That made you giggle and to Hoseok, it was music to his ears. So much so, that he nuzzled his head against your neck, getting you to laugh even louder.

Like always, his hugs ignited a warmth that spread throughout your body. It was always a mystery to you as how he was the only one to do this. Even at the happiest moment with your exes, this feeling never happened. It was a Hoseok only thing.

“Alright,” you murmured after a while, knowing that you had spent too long in his arms. “I have to get going to make it on time.”

Hoseok released a whine, his arms tightening even more to make you stay. If you didn’t have any other commitments you’d gladly stay behind. But college was expensive as fuck, meaning that if you skipped class, you’d literally be throwing away money. Which in your book, was not an option. Unless of course, you were dying of the plague.

You held your ground though and regrettably pulled out of his hug. Grabbing your jacket from closet, your slipped it on along with the rest of your winter gear, tugging your beanie on last. With a huff you grabbed the backpack, glancing at Hoseok when he giggled. He was patiently waiting for you to take the travel mug.

“Text me when you get there?” He asked, a hopeful look on his face.

With careful hands you took the coffee. “And I’ll text you when I’m leaving,” you added. The smile that appeared on his face made the thought of staying home all that more tempting. “Okay, I really have to go now.”

He opened the door for you, leaning against it with his arms crossed over his stomach. “Have fun with classes.”

“Have fun with Namjoon.”

Waving one last time, you headed for the elevator, smiling to yourself because you knew Hoseok was watching you. It was a part of his nature to make sure you were safe, that’s what he told you at least the first time he did this. But it felt different this time. Just like how dinner last night was different.

Everything was changing, and as the elevator opened up to the ground floor and you walked out of the building, you remembered how it felt to indulge yourself in his arms the night before. It sent butterflies flying in your stomach and made your mouth dry, forcing you to take a sip of your coffee once you were in the car.

Hoseok had made your coffee perfectly.

Staring out the windshield, you focused on the patch of snow that sat on the curb. It was the last remits of the snow storm from a few weeks ago. Although you used the term, ‘storm,’ lightly. The news had broadcasted it like it was going to be the worst storm of the season. In reality, your town got maybe, four or five inches of snow. Not that you were complaining, the college had cancelled classes the night before and your boss at the bookstore said not to come in, so you had the pleasure of staying in bed where it was warm.

The longer your stared though, the easier it was for your mind to wander. To what Namjoon said, to last night at the Dance Studio with Hobi, even to just fifteen minutes ago. And each time you found yourself longing to be back in Hoseok’s arms.

“What am I doing?” You whispered. There was no answer though, because you had no idea.

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yoongi-sugaglider · 5 years

Text

Daegu Quarantine

Jungkook x reader

Gang/ zombie apocalypse au

Warnings:

Gore, violence, zombies, mention of drugs and drug dealing, weapons discharge in self defense, possible future main character death, zombies, course language, zombies, drinking, did I mention zombies?

Summary:

They were the top of their game, known throughout the city as the smartest and most dangerous crew to ever hit the Daegu streets. But what's going to happen when this group of young men encounter something right out of a horror film?

Word count: 4,004

Part 1 === Part 2

I remember the day he was initiated. Body bloody and bruised and beaten as Namjoon supported him through the front door of our tiny apartment,one arm slung over his shoulder and his free hand tightly gripped around the black bandanna that would quickly become his new status symbol.

I'd screamed and begged and cried as Namjoon lowered him into the ratty armchair of our meagerly furnished living room. But it fell on deaf ears.

“It's better this way.” Words murmured between bruise swollen lips.

Four words I grew to dread,even hate.

It's better this way.

He'd always say that when things got tough.

Gunshot wounds hastily sewn closed at our kitchen sink as sirens chased the ghost of his crimes through mute neighborhoods and empty streets.

He was a good kid, my childhood sweetheart and long time best friend. Though we’d gone through so much together it never ceased to amaze me just how close we were or how little there was that could tear us apart.

“Babe, did you see where Hobi hid the scales?” He rifled through the drawers of our now larger kitchen. We’d bought a house together, the money having been obtained through his hard work and determination to come out on top. Not to mention a few hundred thousand illegally gained dollars.

“Top right hand drawer by the stove. He was using it yesterday to weight out a couple sacks for Yoongi to put on the corner today.” I watched as Jungkook grunted in response, finding the scale in question and shuffling his way back to the office he’d set up to deal with sales and distribution.

I shook my head, returning my attention to the news article I’d been reading.

“Hey y/n. Find anything interesting yet?” Namjoon entered the kitchen from the living room, a ghost of a dimpled smile flashing towards me as he joined me by leaning casually against the kitchen island.

“Yeah actually…” My eyes continued to skim the article,trying to make heads or tails of the medical jargon being thrown at me. “There’s this big thing going on in some of the major cities. Something about people coming down with some kind of altered form of rabies. They say it’s spreading fast and they’re having a hard time finding a cure.”

Namjoon frowned, pulling the laptop towards himself and scanning the headlines. “Looks like it started somewhere in China or something. And it’s making people bite other people?”

I shook my head in wonder. “I swear sometimes I’m glad we live where we do.”

“Daegu may not be the biggest city, but we’re technically landlocked. It’d be pretty shitty if something big happened and we couldn’t get out.” He pushed the laptop back towards me and straightened up.

“Yeah but we live on the outskirts of town. If something big were to happen we could just hole up here right? Or get out into the countryside and find a place to hide out until things clear up.” I gazed up at him, worry creasing my brow as I gnawed at the skin of my lower lip with my teeth.

“Don’t worry about it too much kiddo. Even if something were to happen on a scale like that, the Americans would have it figured out in no time. Plus you’ve got us and the gang to protect you. We both know Jungkook would never let anything bad happen to you. That boy would lay down his life for you if he had to.” Namjoon reached across the counter and patted my head.

My frown darkened as I pulled out of his grasp, smoothing down my hair as he turned and walked out of the kitchen with a pleasant wave over his shoulder.

“That’s the part that scares me the most…” I muttered to no one in particular as I stared down at the article once more before shutting the laptop down.

***

Darkness descended quickly. Early winter always had this ability to put me on edge. The days shortened and temperatures dropping rapidly to leave me on edge no matter what I did or what mindset I tried to put myself in.

Jungkook and Hoseok had gone out earlier that evening to make a delivery. Big money having been put on the line in order to ensure that our suppliers didn’t go into hiding for the winter months like they liked to do when the snow set in and the streets got too cold to huddle on the corners for a quick sale.

Namjoon and I sat in the living room, eyes focused on the news from overseas as our lookouts Yoongi and Jin called in occasional reports from the police scanners.

“Looks like it’s going to be a slow night.” Yoongi grumbled from his corner of the room as he set down his headphones and stretched.

Namjoon shrugged, flipping to another news channel in order to refresh the cycle and perhaps get a new perspective on the details that were flooding in from China. “We can only hope it stays slow. Jungkook’s gonna be out with Hobi most of the night making that delivery and I’d hate for things to heat up before they can get back.”

Jin glanced over from his station, gaze dulled by boredom as he switched between the radio channels. “Fire out at the high school. Looks like multiple trucks going in, no injuries.”

Yoongi grunted, standing from his chair and heading towards the kitchen. “Anybody need anything while I’m up?” He quirked his head in my direction, seeming to have aimed the question at me more than anyone else.

I shook my head, giving him an appreciative smile which he reciprocated with a quick nod before disappearing from the room.

“Hey, I…” Namjoon stuttered before giving up at Yoongi’s disappearance. “Well never mind then hyung.” He muttered before turning his attention back to the television.

“We interrupt this broadcast to bring you new information on the developing situation in Mainland China.”

“Hey Joonie turn that up would you?” I scooted to the edge of the sofa, watching intently as Namjoon fumbled with the remote while raising the volume enough for us to hear the report.

“According to authorities the South Korean government has elected to refuse all planes and ships inbound from China and other asianic coast bound countries. There have been multiple cases of attacks in airports that seem to have stemmed from the disease along with several hundred casualties and dozens more in major cities all across South Korea that have been injured. Hospitals are filling up rapidly all across the country with people in a panic over supposed symptoms. Doctors are citing an inability to keep up with the influx of new patients.”

“Looks like people are starting to panic.” Namjoon mused over the report as he watched the ticker scrolling across the bottom of the screen.

“I don’t like this…” I said more to myself as I sat back and pulled my blanket around me. Huddling into the warmth my attention was pulled to the phone in my hand, checking once more for any messages that I may have missed from either Hobi or Jungkook.

“Have either of you heard from Jimin?” Jin’s calm voice pulled me from the phone and I looked up at him, eyes furrowed with increasing worry.

“He said he was on shift yesterday but I haven’t heard much from him since.” Namjoon worried at his lower lip as he answered, attention now drawn to his own phone as he shot the young doctor a message.

Jimin worked at a local clinic, having been sort of initiated into our group after Yoongi and Hoseok had ended up having to bring him back to our place one night when Hobi’d been shot in the shoulder after a deal gone wrong. He’d quickly become our go to doctor when injuries happened to occur and going to a mainstream hospital had been out of the question.

He didn’t ask questions the first year or so that we’d known him but eventually we’d clued him in to our business and despite his misgivings he’d been pretty much considered family ever since.

“Says he was on call late last night and spent today catching up on sleep. He’s on his way over now but that he might get called into work if the panic starts to get worse.” Namjoon sat his phone on the coffee table in front of us and returned his attention to the news reports that continued to flash across the screen.

I huffed, pulling my knees to my chest and wrapping my arms around them as my eyes stared off into nothingness.

With everything we’d gone through, from turf wars to money loss, supply runs to foreign countries and a handful of betrayals that’d almost landed half our crew in jail a few years back, I'd never been truly scared. Worried yes, but never actually scared. This though…

This new...whatever it was that seemed to be making its rounds, really had me on edge.

I didn’t even notice when Yoongi set a cup of hot coffee in my hands, despite me having told him not to worry about me. I barely acknowledged Jimin when he’d walked in the door and taken over Jin’s spot at the police scanners. My mind was too focused on the news, and the hundreds of things that could and probably would go wrong.

Namjoon and Yoongi’s phones rang at the same time, pulling them from their posts to either side of me as they got up and left the room. I looked over to Jimin who’d exchanged worried glances with Jin as he waved the elder boy over to the second scanner across from him.

“Channel's 15 and 8.”

Jin nodded that’d he’d heard, placing the headphones over his head as he spun the dials back and forth between the mentioned stations, pausing only long enough to listen with wide eyes before moving on to the next station.

“What is it, what’s wrong?” I could feel the panic begin to rise as I watched the two men begin to get increasingly agitated.

The news grabbed my attention.

“We’re coming to you live from Daegu where there has been a reported outbreak. Multiple injuries reported, many….lives are...stay...inside...danger…”

The reporter seemed to have been live on location, the camera man struggling to keep up with the running reporter. It looked to me like they were running away from something,or someone.

“That’s at the hospital!” I just about shrieked, jumping to my feet as I watched with wide eyes. The cameraman turned, aiming the shaking camera at a massive crowd of people that seemed to be running in terror from a hospital.

One person went down, being virtually trampled to death and a woman screamed as an older man jumped on her back, tearing into her neck like some starved animal.

“Jesus…” Jin muttered as he watched the news. “This is happening all over. The cops can barely keep up with all the calls that are flooding in.”

My hands trembled as I scrambled to pick up my phone, quivering fingers struggling to type in the numbers needed to reach Jungkook.

“He’s alright. I just got off the phone with him. He’s on his way back here but it sounds like Hobi got hurt when they were trying to escape.” Namjoon had reentered the room, Yoongi following close behind with his phone still to his ear.

“Taehyung’s with them. Hobi wasn’t bit just got shoved into the street. Fucking car hit him and fucked up his leg.” Yoongi hung up the phone, eyes pinning me down with a concerned look. “Jungkook is okay, just like Joon said.”

I nodded,barely hearing anything over the screaming on the television and the sound of blood rushing through my veins. My vision wavered for a moment as panic began to set in and Yoongi reacted immediately.

He stalked across the room, hands around my waist as he lowered me to the sofa. His touch was reassuring as he guided me through the panic attack.

“Just breathe. Focus on my voice.” He turned to Namjoon with a glare. “Fuck’s sake turn it down she’s freaking out.”

Namjoon compiled, lowering the volume to a quiet drone as I began to get a handle on my emotions. Yoongi crouched before me, cat like eyes boring into my own as a focus point.

“There we go little sis. Breathe, it’s okay. We’re safe here and Jungkook’s on his way back.”

I nodded, inhaling deeply through my nose and letting out the breath in a slow whistle through pursed lips.

“It’s alright. I’m okay Yoongi.”

He glanced over my face, checking for residual signs of lingering doubt. Satisfied with what he saw he shot me a nose crinkling grin as he gave my hands one last pat and came back to his feet.

Shaking out the last of my nerves I stood as well, realizing that without Jungkook there they were going to end up looking to me for direction.

“Alright. Joon get on the phone with East Side. Make sure they’re stocked up and tell them to hole up until this blows over. The last thing we need is for them to go wandering off and get caught up in the police barricades.”

Namjoon saluted, reaching into his pocket for his phone as he left the room once more.

“Yoongi, you and Jin check our ammunition and make sure all the doors and windows are secure. I want the garage ready to be locked down and bolted once Jungkook and the others get here.” The two men saluted as well, both looking grim as they checked their concealed weapons while leaving the room together.

“Jimin?” I turned to the young doctor, reading the fear in his eyes as he stared down at his ringing phone.

“I...the clinic is calling…” He seemed unsure of himself as he looked up at me with tears in his eyes.

“I kind of figured they would.” I moved over to him, hands coming to rest on his shoulders as he sat at the corner table. “Listen, I know you have a job to do. I understand trust me.”

We both glanced down at the phone as it went silent before starting up again with the urgent ring.

“Hobi’s hurt and we need you. But...if you think…”

“No no.” Jimin shook his head as he interrupted me, hands going to turn the ringing phone off.

“You guys are my family. I know they’re gonna need me at the clinic but considering what’s going on I’d much rather stay here with you guys than get stuck holed up at a clinic with a bunch of guys infected with God only knows what.” He seemed determined, despite the slight tremble in his voice and the shake to his hands as he stowed the phone back in his pocket.

“You sure?” I couldn’t help but worry, knowing that he’d always been the first to volunteer should there be an emergency that required his aid.

“Yeah. Just. Keep me busy here until Hobi’s back. I wanna stay here. I’d rather be home.”

I gave him a soft smile, pulling him into a hug before letting him go and stepping away. “That much I can do. Go to the kitchen, grab a pen and paper and head to the basement. I need a full inventory of all the emergency MRE’s that we have. After that check the mini clinic and make sure you have everything stocked up and ready to go.”

“Do...do you think it’s going to come to that?” He asked as he stood from his chair.

“Come to what?” I asked, already knowing what he meant.

“To us being stuck or trapped here for a long time?”

I shrugged, glancing over at the TV which was showing more places that’d dissolved into panic and chaos.

“I honestly don’t know but I’d rather be prepared than caught in some dumb situation where we aren’t ready for whatever this could become.” I heaved a sigh before returning my attention to him with a forced smile.

“No matter what, we’ve got this though. We’re stronger when we’re together and we’re the best this town’s ever seen.”

Jimin nodded, giving me a hesitant smile before leaving to attend to his assigned duties. After taking a moment to ground myself I made my way upstairs, passing Yoongi in the hall who gave me a quick nod.

“Upstairs rooms are secure. Gonna head to the garage and check the cache.”

“Alright,” I replied, patting his arm and giving him a strained smile. “I’m gonna work on getting the guest rooms set up for everybody. Clean sheets and all that. Shouldn’t take me too long. Let me know when Jungkook gets home okay?”

He departed with a nod and I set to work, going from room to room and making sure the hidden weapons were loaded and that all the beds were made up for my boys.

When we had them all spend the night some of them usually shared rooms. Jimin and Taehyung shared a room and Joonie and Hoseok usually shared while Jin and Yoongi opted to have their own rooms.

I paused at the door to mine and Jungkook’s room, standing just inside the door as I surveyed the interior. Jungkook’s hoodie from the day before lay discarded on the floor and the chair to his computer desk had been left pulled out. I walked over to the hoodie, grabbing it off the floor as I dropped into the rolling chair and hugged the hoodie to my chest.

Bringing it up to my nose I inhaled his scent, finding comfort in the realization that he’d stolen my peach body spray once more despite me fussing at him about it before. It always struck me as odd that he could use the same sprays as me and still come out smelling so manly and yet so much like home.

With a sigh I folded the hoodie, placing it on the computer’s keyboard. Just as I went to stand though a shout came from downstairs, followed by what sounded like a groan of pain.

I dashed quickly from the room, making my way across the landing to the stairs just in time to see Jungkook supporting an injured Hobi as they made their way to the basement door tucked beneath the main staircase.

“Kookie?” I hollered, stumbling a bit over my feet as I took the stairs down two at a time.

“I’m good babe, where’s Jimin?” Came his breathless reply.

“Should be in the clinic. Hey Tae, you okay?” I skidded to a stop as Taehyung rushed over and grabbed Hoseok’s free arm, helping Jungkook support the injured man as I opened the basement door for them.

Taehyung gave me a brief nod, motioning to the garage with his head. “Yeah, Yoongi hyung and Namjoon hyung said they needed you. Something about the bolts on the garage doors.”

I worried at my bottom lip with my teeth as I eyed the trail of blood leading from the three men out into the garage.

“Hey, angel. It’s alright. We got this.” Jungkook gave me a look, one that calmed me instantly and reminded me of my roll in the group.

“Keep them busy. Don’t let anybody panic and make sure we’re secure.” He shot me a smile, soft and sweet and filled with love and trust in me.

I returned the smile, tilting my head a bit to look at a very pale Hoseok. “Hang in there okay? Jimin’s gonna get you fixed up real quick.”

He nodded, gulping to bite down another groan of pain as he gave me a shaky grin. “I know. I’m good. Just..the blood…” His voice trailed off to a whimper as he shut his eyes.

“We gotta get him downstairs before he loses anymore blood guys.” Tae interrupted, his tone urgent as he motioned to the torn flesh of Hoseok’s left leg.

I gave Jungkook a quick kiss to his cheek before letting them go, more so as a reassurance for me that he was real and alive than as a show of affection.

***

I made my way to the garage, fingers dancing along the grip of the 9 mil 1911 that I kept strapped to my hip at all times. It’d become almost like an extra limb to me, days where I wasn’t able to carry it close leaving me feeling bare, almost naked to the public eye.

“Jin, make sure to grab the extended clips from storage.” I hollered into the expansive garage.

Yoongi and Namjoon stood by the large door, both seeming in deep conversation as Jin jogged by me with a nod of deferral in my direction. I inclined my head towards him and continued on my way, stopping before the large doors and listening to the tail end of the two elder’s conversation.

“I know it’s a pretty sturdy lock but I still feel like we should barricade it just in case.” Namjoon seemed pretty adamant on his opinion as he’d been gesturing wildly ever since I stepped into the place.

“That may be so. But think about it Joon. What if we need a quick getaway?” Yoongi frowned at his younger partner, arms folded over his chest as he spoke quietly despite the heated state of the conversation.

“Yoongi, Namjoon, you’re both right. We do need to barricade it but a quick exit needs to be an option for us.”

I glanced over the large double doors, eyeing the motor and mechanisms and taking stock of the two large SUVs parked in the large space.

“Got any suggestions then Miss Queen of the household?” There was no snark or sass in Namjoon’s voice. Quite the contrary, the title was something the boys often used when they were waiting on me to figure a way out of a shitty situation.

Yoongi hushed him as my eyes wandered back to the garage door motor. Trailing along the power cord that trailed from the motor and along the ceiling to an outlet in the corner of the room my eyes and mind lit up.

Piled in the corner of the room where a bunch of 12 foot metal beams and a handful of shorter ones. Iron left over from when Jungkook had added a railing to the back porch 2 summers ago.

“Joonie...do we still have that plasma torch in the basement?” I asked, turning to him with excitement.

He nodded, clearly not following the plan that had begun to form in my head. As I began to outline the idea to the two a sort of giddy excitement fell over our little group.

“Yeah, I think we can manage that.” Yoongi nodded as he went over to the workbench Jin had insisted on having. The bench in question was piled with tools, some put away properly while others had been abandoned in half hazard piles in the middle of whatever project the group happened to be working on.

Pulling a pen and pad of paper from the pile he began sketching out my idea, making sure that he’d gotten all the details down before turning to me with a tooth filled grin.

“This might just fucking work.” Namjoon said as he went over measurements and calculations in his head.

“Just be sure that after you’re done you line up the SUVs and unplug the motor to the door.” I gave each of them a hug, praising them for their earlier work and gaining reassurances that the two would put my plan into motion immediately.

Yoongi went to work gathering what he would need as Namjoon followed me out of the garage and down to the basement, the two of us now grim faced as we could hear Hoseok’s groans of pain from the doorway just beneath the stairs.

#bts #jungkook x reader #jungkook reader insert #jeon jungkook #bts jungguk #bts gang au #bts zombie au #bts jung hoseok #bts park jimin #bts kim taehyung #bts min yoongi #bts kim namjoon #bts kim seokjin

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