#but this i like. i think this explains her appearance as a idol party member?

[be-netz]

it’s been a whole year since the three ceos have sat in the same room. they appear one by one, emerging into a black-clothed studio space through the door centered in the camera frame. YOON JIHUN of STUDIO DELTA is first, smiling and greeting the mnet staff as he takes his seat. he’s followed closely behind by SEO RAN, the namesake of SR MEDIA with an even brighter smile. she pauses for a moment, singling out a staff member and running over to give them a hug. it’s clear she remembers this person from last season; they exchange a few short words before she’s ushered to her seat beside her fellow ceo. last but certainly not least to the party is the representative of LIME ENTERTAINMENT, YUNA. while she may not be an executive like her fellow judges, she holds a certain presence of her own even as she smiles and takes her seat on the opposite side of ran. 

“i didn’t realize how much i missed this,” yuna remarks, a smile on her lips. 

“i’m excited for this season,” ran agrees, “we were treated to some amazing talents last year and i’ve heard that the quality and caliber of the auditionees has only improved this year.”

“we’ll see.” jihun again takes the role of the antagonist, arms folded and the slightest frown on his lips as if he refuses to be impressed by anyone today.

ran hits his arm lightly, a smile still on her lips. “don’t be a grouch,” she chides him, “we’re in for a treat today.”

there is no emcee yet for the first episode, just the three judges and a series of television monitors in front of them. at first, they only display the NEXT GEN logo, though the screens change soon enough. on each monitor, there seems to be a different angle of the same room, like the studio has been turned into a massive editor’s booth. the judges look around expectantly, obviously not at all surprised by their scenery. this was all part of the plan.

“the auditionees think that we’re too busy to watch them,” ran explains directly to the camera, sitting in a room not entirely dissimilar to the interview backdrop used in the first season. it seems even the judges want to share their minds this season. “but actually, we’re watching their whole audition process. from the time they walk in the front door and check-in with the staff, we have them all live on the screens in front of us. i almost felt like a spy.”

“it really allowed us to see what they’d be like with their guards down,” yuna explains as she takes over the screen next, “auditions are nerve-wracking, especially if you want something really bad. but sitting in front of your idols? that’s a whole new level of fear and anxiety. i feel like this gave us a chance to start to get to know everyone much deeper than if we were standing in the room with them.”

a quickly edited clip of auditionees showing parts of their skills back to back to back takes over the screen for a moment, a preview of the talent that is to come. jihun’s voice plays over the image: “this gives us the opportunity to examine them from all angles. how do they conduct themselves among their competition? how do they treat the staff? appearance and skills are important to become an idol, we can’t deny that, but the intangible efforts are important to building a healthy team as well.”

“shall we begin?” jihun glances at the other judges, a rare smile on his lips. the others nod and verbalize their agreement with positive hums and all three begin staring at the screens.

a graphic plays over the screen, showing a photo of the auditionee in question as well as his name, age, and date of birth as a quick introduction to the audience. ASAKURA TOUMA, the graphic reads, before dissolving into the room where the auditions were held. the camera shakes slightly as it zooms in to focus on touma. the boy introduces himself, reciting the same information that was on the graphic moments ago, but then he continues beyond that. more names are listed, each a little nonsensical, until he reveals that those are the dogs that he walks every few days.

“cute,” ran murmurs, the scene cutting back to the judges for a moment. she smiles and rests her head on her interlocked hands. “he stands out immediately.”

“what’s he doing?” jihun frowns, brow furrowing together as he sits back in his seat with his arms crossed. the scene shifts back to the audition, to the young man rapping, singing, and flapping his arms around and jumping here and there with an apparent lack of coordination. he sends a heart to the camera, even as his own ears turn red and flustered. “at least he has the sense to be embarrassed,” jihun remarks, clearly unimpressed with the performance. yuna, silent, presses her lips together with disappointment coloring her face as well.

"if i'm being honest, i want to try everything at least once." touma tells the camera.

“that’s the problem,” yuna points out. “he’s too ambitious for his own skill level. if he’s a dancer, he should just dance at this stage. if he’s a singer, just sing. he wasted a lot of energy trying to show too much at once and made himself look worse.”

“there’s potential there,” ran points out anyway, “he’s creative and energetic. we can work with that.”

finally, the camera zooms in on his special skill, the artwork he creates on the spot. bright colors and wild shapes paint the canvas in a way that seems to fit the auditionee’s zany personality rather well.

“well, that was a bit of a disappointing start,” jihun sighs. “hopefully the next will be better.”

a new profile graphic lights up the screen, now introducing CHOI HANGYEOL. after a few seconds, it again fades into the audition setting with a young man smiling gently at an auditionee much younger than himself, hardly more than a child. "ah, your number's much smaller than mine, are you lost?" he asks gently, a warm smile on his face that could melt even the coldest heart. "i think your group is down that way. good luck! you'll do great."

“he has leadership qualities,” yuna points out, the screen splitting to show her reaction to the scene in front of them. “he’s good at talking to people and putting them at ease.” 

the man on the screen nudges the auditionees next to him. it’s impossible to know if they’re old friends or if they just met today, but the other boy on the right and the girl on the left seem to be soothed by his presence, smiling in return when he raises his fist in a small fighting! gesture.

“we’ll have to see if he’s any good,” jihun remains determined to be unimpressed, still frowning at the screens. that said, the camera picks up the slightest bit of interest across his expression as hangyeol introduces his audition as being self-choreographed.

whatever the judges had been expecting, it was apparently not beyonce. even if the argument could be made that the song and choreography was much better suited to femininity than the young man performing, there is no denying the grace and power in his movements as he seemingly takes up the whole room, turning the audition into his own personal stage. the young man even has the sense to look directly into the eye of the camera, a strong gaze capturing the viewers instantly. 

“this is what we were expecting from this season,” yuna smiles appreciatively. “he’s a talented dancer, it’s clear he’s very experienced as a performer as well. i wanted to see more by the time the performance was over.”

"i've always felt most in my element when i can be strong or sexy, or when i'm given something i can make bold choices with,” hangyeol’s face takes over the screen again, a quiet confidence coming from him even as he answers the rapid-fire interview questions. “i think as long as i get to put a little bit of me into it, i'll perform it well."

“do we need to see his special skill? i think we’re all quite smitten,” ran half-jokes with her fellow judges. regardless of her wishes, though, the television shows all anyway. again, the natural leadership of hangyeol is on display as he selects staff and fellow auditionees alike and begins teaching them what appears to be quite the difficult dance move, the death drop. from the name alone, it seems to intimidate some of the less experienced dancers. but, within minutes, hangyeol has them all looking like professionals.

“even i have to like him,” jihun finally admits. “i wish i could sign him today.”

“it wouldn’t be fair if you did,” ran chides him again, “i’m sure we all want a chance to make him an offer.”

the next contestant’s profile lights up the screen, introducing HAN YURA to the audience. 

“​​what was the first thing you thought about when you woke up this morning?” a staff member asks her, showcasing her interview first unlike the previous contestants.

“what shoes to wear and whether it would match my jacket,” yura answers.

the scene is interrupted by a snort from jihun, clearly unimpressed with the response. 

“which company would you want to receive an offer from and why?”

“delta studio,” the woman answers with confidence.

“she doesn’t even know the name of my company,” jihun laments. “and she expects me to sign her? she’ll have a lot to prove.”

“she’s angered the bear,” ran jokes with a smile. “i like her enthusiasm, though. i hope we can channel it to the right areas.”

only a short clip of her rapping is shown, the judges seemingly less than impressed other than a remark from yuna that competent female rappers are rather rare. “she has the fundamentals, at least,” the judge concedes. “and choosing to do something different from her peers makes her stand out.”

as if standing out was a problem for yura, her special skill seems to take all three judges by surprise. the screen is painted in hues of red and yellow as the woman proclaims that she’s about to heat things up. the ends of the batons catch and suddenly all three judges are on the edge of their seats, watching as the woman dances with fire in the middle of the room.

“she’s lucky the fire alarms didn’t go off,” jihun is even taken aback as he remarks on the special talent. 

“look at how precisely she throws the baton,” yuna points out as the camera catches the whirling fire stick soaring just below the ceiling of the building.

“i like her,” ran grins. the warm lights from the screens in front of them almost make her look like she’s the one playing with fire, a surprisingly sinister look for a woman known for her warmth rather than heat. “did she prove herself to you, jihun?”

“not yet,” the stubborn man frowns, “but it’s a start.”

while they may want to see more from yura, it’s time to move onto the next contestant. the profile of HAN JUEUN takes over the screen, only lasting a few moments before dissolving into a lovely girl dressed in a flashy pink outfit.

“she looks the part of an idol,” yuna points out, a smile on her lips. “didn’t another group dress like that for one of their songs? it’s familiar somehow.”

“i think you’re right,” ran agrees. “it wasn’t one of our groups, was it?”

their question is answered soon enough by jueun’s performance. for a brief moment, the screen cuts to a music show recording of kara performing the original song, then a split screen with jueun showing how she would blend seamlessly into the group in her current getup.

“she’s smart to focus on her vocals,” jihun points out. “but if she’s going to dress up like that, shouldn’t she dance? if she’s a singer, she should have chosen a song that’s a little more vocally impressive. pretty girl is a popular song, but it’s not very difficult. i would’ve liked to see something else.”

as if directly responding to the man’s critique, the response from jueun’s rapid-fire interview plays across the screen next. “i think the perky, fun and energetic style that’s similar to what i prepared today fits me the best because i’m looking to have fun! plus, i think my smile’s really pretty,” the girl laughs. and it’s true; she does have a lovely smile.

the girl continues to surprise as she initially explains that she had a ribbon rhythmic gymnastics routine prepared, but instead of batons and ribbons she pulls tangerines of all things out of her backpack. “i will now show you the fastest tangerine peeling i guarantee you have ever seen.” she announces.

“she’s a bit odd, isn’t she?” ran remarks, though the fond smile on her face betrays that she’s rather charmed by the oddity. “she’s not as flashy as the last auditionee, but she captures your attention anyway.”

in less than ten seconds, the girl has two tangerines entirely peeled. the camera cuts to a staff member trying to peel a tangerine of his own, seemingly testing how difficult the task really is. it’s clear that he’s not nearly as good as the girl.

the scene fades away into the next auditionee profile, HAN YUWOL. “that name seems familiar, somehow,” jihun remarks. he doesn’t have time to place the memory before the skills performance begins, yuwol singing in the center of the stage.

“he has a unique voice,” jihun speaks again, “unrefined, but i like that it’s different.”

“he’s good at expressing the emotions too,” ran points out.

“what is the most interesting place that you have been to wearing the shoes that you’re wearing now?” the staff leap into the interview rather quickly, never betraying their emotions about the performance they witnessed. it’s not for them to decide anyway.

“it's probably... a forest somewhere. i was trying to get myself lost." yuwol responds.

“excuse me?” jihun nearly chokes as he takes a sip of water from the bottle on the desk in front of him. “where did they find the kids who are auditioning this year? none of these people are normal.”

“i think it’s fun,” ran beams.

“they know how to stand out,” yuna laughs, seemingly baffled by the young man’s response. 

"not sure if this counts as... unique, but this is what i do to make it through my daily life. i play my violin." the young man is clearly a skilled musician from the moment he draws his bow across the strings. although only a short portion of his piece is shown on camera, it’s clearly high-level playing.

“that explains it,” jihun nods his head, “musicians are neurotic.”

“you’re one to talk,” ran laughs.

the profile of the next contestant up interrupts the banter between the judges. HWANG JINGREN’s face and basic information light up the screen before fading back into the audition, the young man standing before the staff and immediately singing a slower, poignant song. the scene flashes to the three judges, their expressions unreadable. they almost seem bored.

there’s very little commentary on jingren’s performance, for better or worse, before he’s immediately thrown into the rapid-fire interview. this one stands out, however, as being a little less rapid. perhaps it’s a strategy, or maybe the young man is just good at hearing the sound of his own voice. and yet, somehow, very little of note comes out of his lips. the editing does him no favors as it speeds up each response to the questions, making him look like he rambled on and on but also never really exposing what he actually said. 

“he’s a bit…” ran seems to struggle with the right word for a moment.

“he’s boring,” jihun finishes for her, not one to mince his words or try to soften the blow. “the fundamentals are there, but there’s no personality to this one.”

“he has potential,” yuna argues, “his vocal fundamentals are strong and he must have good stamina if he’s able to do handstands like that.”

“lime can have him, then,” jihun snorts dismissively. “though i thought your standards were higher than that.”

the show is quick to hurry away from a lackluster performance and onto the next contestant, his profile displayed in all its glory. HWANG YEJUN’s turn is now on display before the judges. those with a keen eye might notice hangyeol next to him or remember him as one of the contestants that the other man encouraged earlier in the episode. for only a moment, the cutting and scrambling of clips of an mnet show for reactions and views is betrayed.

“another musician,” jihun points out as yejun pulls out his guitar. “let’s see what this one has in store for us.”

unlike the violinist, yejun comes across as much more normal. his responses are soft-spoken, matching the way his hands move across the strings and frets almost lovingly.

“he has a nice voice,” yuna praises the short performance. “though his pronunciation could use some work. it’s a… choice to perform a song in a language you’re not proficient in at an audition like this.”

“it’s nice to hear authentic music, in a sense,” jihun remarks, “everyone else so far has sang acapella or to a pre-recorded backtrack. there’s skill in being able to play and sing at the same time as well.”

"i can't whistle,” it seems as if the young man makes the confession out of the blue, though it’s clear it’s in response to one of the interview questions. perhaps the editors wanted to continue the ‘all musicians are neurotic’ trend even with a more mild-mannered contestant. “i've tried to learn, but no sound ever comes out." he punctuates the thought with a demonstration that makes all of the judges laugh.

“he’s cute,” ran giggles, “yuna, does lime have any workshops on teaching trainees to whistle?”

“we don’t, but i’ll make that suggestion to ceo kwon,” she laughs.

the judges watch as the young man demonstrates his talent next, jihun wincing as a staff member intentionally clips one of the strings of the guitar. the young man is right when he admits that he’s not the quickest in the world at restringing a guitar, but the time passes quickly anyway. perhaps more impressive than the stringing is how quickly he tunes it.

“does he have perfect pitch?” jihun’s brows raise. “normally someone would use a pitch pipe or tuning fork, or even the low e string to get the right note. he didn’t use any other sound for reference.”

“it’s not as uncommon of a skill as you’d think,” yuna points out, “especially among musicians.”

ultimately, yejun’s time on screen comes to an end somewhat unremarkably. he’s quickly replaced by the profile of ITO SEIRA, the second foreigner to appear so far.

“she’s the second japanese trainee we’ve seen so far,” yuna points out, “this show must be gaining international interest.”

“i’m not sure we can take credit for that,” ran smiles, “it’s last year’s contestants who must have captured everyone’s hearts.”

it turns out that seira, like yura before, is another rapper. she performs a senior’s song, fairly proficiently for someone who is not yet considered a professional.

“it’s a shame that the rappers we’ve seen today haven’t written their own lyrics,” jihun sighs. “it’s a wasted opportunity.”

“i think she has more performing experience than we know,” yuna observes, “she’s a little nervous but she seems to know what she’s doing.”

very little is shown of seira’s interview, the editors apparently thinking nothing is worth showing to the audience. they only briefly show her answering the questions as ran looks down at her notes, seemingly lacking interest in the contestant before them.

the girl pulls out a bag of watermelon seeds and anyone who has seen a variety show before should know where this is going. she’s admittedly quite skilled at getting the seeds she spits into the air to land exactly where she wants them to. 

“it’s unladylike,” jihun frowns.

“it’s cute,” ran disagrees.

“she’ll do good on variety shows with skills like that,” yuna also concedes.

again the scene changes to the next contestant, bearing the profile of JANG HYUNKI. his profile photo fades into the auditionee himself, scanning down his body until reaching his bare toes, exposed for all to see.

“what?” ran laughs aloud at the foot reveal. “did he rush here and forget his shoes in the morning?”

“dancers sometimes perform barefoot,” yuna reminds her fellow judge. “though… it’s a bit brave to walk into a new place with nothing on your feet. i don’t know if i would have made that choice.”

the young man announces that he will be performing original choreography, piquing jihun’s interest again. “we’ll see how this compares to the other,” he remarks, “i’m guessing it will be an entirely different style of dance.”

as predicted, in stark contrast to the bold, captivating choreography that hangyeol had shown before, hyunki displays a far more emotional performance to a much slower, ballad-esque song. 

“some emotion seems to be missing,” yuna murmurs, seemingly still deciding exactly how to place her critique. “he choreographed it himself, he says, but some parts almost seem… robotic? like a performance of what he thinks the emotion should look like instead of actually feeling it himself.”

“i see what you mean,” ran agrees. “i think more practice with facial expressions might help… and he seems a bit rigid as well.”

“it’s a strong choreography, though,” jihun, shockingly, gives the highest praise of the trio of judges this time. “he just might not be the right dancer for it, even if he made it. i can’t tell you how many songs have been written that the writer couldn’t sing as well as the performer. it happens.”

"what can you bring to the table that we won't see in any other contestant?"

"no one else here can dance the way i do,” hyunki answers the question with confidence. “and execute all the styles i can with the same, or even close to similar, charisma and talent."

“am i the only one who would love to see hangyeol try his choreography?” jihun remarks, a sly grin on his face. a rivalry is already being established by the judges and editors. “i feel like he’d make him eat his words.”

“i agree,” yuna smiles as if imagining the showdown already. “hangyeol was much more expressive. he wouldn’t dance it the same way… i suspect he would do it better.”

the young man’s special skill is ventriloquy, and the judges seem more disturbed than impressed by this one. 

“what a strange skill… and that he uses it to torment his friends,” ran frowns.

“i don’t think i believe that he could do that perfectly on a whim without any practice,” yuna’s expression darkens as well. “maybe his real talent is storytelling.”

“that’s a nice way of saying lying,” jihun says the quiet part out loud. the mood of the judges darkens for a moment. they are not yet a fan of this contestant, as far as the editing shows.

the editors are quick to move onto the next segment, introducing KIM ARA through her profile graphic. 

“she’s pretty!” yuna remarks, cooing over the young wannabe immediately. 

“she photographs well,” ran agrees, holding back laughter at yuna’s cute reaction.

the contestant is another dancer, showing off a routine usually performed by animated video game characters. the song was very popular, but it wouldn’t be unheard of if someone hadn’t seen the choreography performed by a real human being before.

“it’s not the most impressive choreography, but it shows she has the fundamentals of dance down,” yuna observes. “i wish she had chosen something a little more challenging to show off her skills.”

“unless she doesn’t have the skills to show off,” jihun, always the pessimist, points out.

“hush, you,” ran swats him on the arm. “they’re all here to learn.”

"why do you want to become a kpop idol?" the staff questions the girl, moving onto the interview without any further preamble.

"i enjoy dancing a lot,” ara responds, “i enjoy performing on a stage, and i enjoy being in the spotlight.”

“she reminds me of me when i was younger,” yuna smiles. “it’s good to have a love of the stage. being an idol is a hard job to have if you’re not passionate about it.”

“it only gets harder,” ran nods her agreement.

ara’s special talent is juggling, perhaps made slightly more impressive by the fact that she handles three completely unrelated objects with ease instead of evenly-sized juggling clubs or balls.

“can you do that?” ran suddenly asks of jihun.

“i don’t know,” jihun admits, but somehow is willing to embarrass himself and give it a shot. he makes a weak attempt at juggling the pens and water bottles on the table in front of them, only for everything to come crashing down from his lack of experience.

“apparently not!” ran laughs.

up next is JORDAN MOON, as announced by the profile graphic displayed on the screen.

“as someone who has flown thousands of miles to be where i am today, it will be worth it in the long run.” jordan’s voice is heard as he stands in the audition room, preparing for his turn to show off his skills.

“where is he from?” jihun looks through the notes in front of him, looking for the answer.

“new york,” ran finds the answer first.

“that is quite the trip. did he really come all the way to korea just for this show?” yuna’s brows raise expectantly. 

“we did remark about the international interest,” ran points out.

jordan is a singer, and a talented one at that to be performing beyonce for the staff and judges. it’s a difficult song, certainly harder for a deeper masculine voice, and the camera cuts to yuna nodding her head appreciatively.

“is it bad if i say he’s a bit… boring?” jihun pretends to beat around the bush for a moment before going in for the kill. “as yuna would say, he has vocal fundamentals. but is that all he has?”

“let’s see,” ran refrains from passing judgment before the rest of the tasks are completed.

"what would you do if you won ₩1,000,000,000 in the lotto?" a staff member asks.

“if you spot me front row at a beyoncé show, you do not know me.” jordan’s tone is lighthearted, but his joke goes over like a lead balloon with the judges. jihun’s frown deepens.

“is there more to his personality than being a beyonce fan?” he remarks, clearly unimpressed. even ran now keeps her lips sealed, her own opinion falling low enough to refrain from commenting further.

perhaps the final nail in the coffin is a lackluster special skill, showing off a painting that he claims to have made himself.

“when we had other contestants showing their skills live to our judges, i’m not sure if we can really accept this,” jihun sighs. “we don’t even know if he really painted this himself. which, if i’m being honest, i’d expect it to be beyonce if it were really his own work, based on everything else he’s shown us.”

“he has talent, but he doesn’t stand out,” yuna agrees.

“let’s just move on,” jihun frowns.

move on they do to MOON SOOYOUNG, whose profile takes over the screen not a moment later. 

“oh,” jihun’s brows raise at the mention of this contestant’s name. “she’s auditioned for my company before… look here,” he points to something in his notes, unseen by the audience. “she’s the older sister of one of my trainees. do you remember MOON JINYOUNG?”

“he was on last season,” ran recalls, the best memory of the group or perhaps just the quickest at reading the notes provided to them. “he ended up in studio delta after all?”

jihun nods. “he’s quite the dancer. i wonder if his sister is similar.”

the young woman is also dancing to viviz’s maniac. as the music plays, the judges seem to watch her with rapt attention. 

“this choreography is much more difficult than it looks,” yuna points out, “and the fact that she makes it look just as simple as the original is a good indication of her skill. she’s a bit stiff in the waist, but she probably just needs to work on her flexibility in that area.”

“she doesn’t look happy to be here,” ran points out. “it’s probably nerves. still, i’d like to see her smile.”

her interview questions pass quickly and without any comments from the judges, seemingly uninterested in her responses. “it’s interesting that she doesn’t mention her brother,” jihun points out only once.

sooyoung only recaptures their attention as she showcases her special talent, using another unnamed auditonee as a model to show off her ability to quickly change someone’s style in a matter of seconds.

“i didn’t know that bang trick!” yuna exclaims. a brief break where both she and ran attempt to try something similar on themselves ensues, though it seems that sooyoung’s ability to style hair far exceeds the judges’.

they move on quickly to the next contestant, PARK AHYOUNG introduced to the audience with her profile on the screen.

“why do you want to become a kpop idol?” the staff asks her.

the girl shrugs, seemingly disinterested in a genuine response. “i just think it would be fun.”

“excuse me?” it’s yuna who bursts out laughing, perhaps thinking of her own early experiences as a trainee and young idol and the path that brought her here today. “that’s… a bit flippant for an audition, don’t you think?”

“she can be flippant if she has the skills to back it up,” jihun argues.

the girl seems to have some manners, though. she bows politely to the staff before beginning her performance. of all of the rappers today, ahyoung is the first to use her own unique creation rather than someone else’s songs. that said, the lyrics aren’t exactly her own either.

it’s jihun’s turn to laugh now, though lacking the incredulous tone from yuna moments ago and genuinely amused instead. “these are all lyrics from QUARTZ’s songs,” he explains to his fellow judges, who look confusedly at him. “how clever to put them all into one performance like this… i like this one.”

it’s high praise from the notoriously picky judge. even yuna begrudgingly has to acknowledge ahyoung’s skill.

the impish character returns, however, for her special skill. the girl drags a male staff member into the center of the room where she begins doing his makeup. "you have really nice skin,” she tells him, “your skincare routine must be amazing. you have better skin than half of the girls whose makeup i've done before, for real."

“i think her special skill is actually flattery,” ran half-jokes. 

“he does have nice skin,” yuna agrees.

the final results are… not terrible, but maybe a bit questionable. at least the man can leave the studio when filming wraps without attracting too much attention in public.

“ryeo ‘luciel’ jihyun,” jihun reads the next contestant’s name out as RYEO JIHYUN’s profile is displayed on screen. “it’s certainly a… unique name.”

“he must be another foreigner,” ran offers.

the young man does not command any great stage presence as he steps forward for his audition. yet there’s a charming freshness about him as he smiles and introduces himself. he wastes little time before beginning his song, perhaps much more somber and sentimental than was expected of him.

“he shows off his vocal color well,” yuna praises him. “this was a good song choice for this audition.”

“his gestures are nice,” ran observes, “there’s a lot of singers who don’t know what to do with their hands or look too rehearsed. he seems to feel the music well.”

they move quickly to the interview portion, a staff member suddenly asking the question “what style of music suits you best and why?”

“i grew up playing classical instruments and listening to them, i even used to participate in a piano competition,” luciel explains, “classical music conveys dramatic emotional stories that comes from the heart, it’s like poetry in the form of music. so i believe that kind of genre suits me.”

“he’s a classical musician but sang a rock song?” jihun looks confusedly at the notes before him as if unsure if he’s getting something mixed up or that they’re hearing the broadcast correctly. “they really all are quite strange, aren’t they?”

as if in direct response to the ceo’s comment, luciel introduces his special talent: “it wasn’t for long, but for a while i learned waacking,” the contestant reveals.

ran can’t help but let out a delighted little laugh. “he’s full of surprises, isn’t he? classical piano, rock, and now waacking… what can’t ryeo luciel jihyun do?”

“he’s very versatile! i like it,” jihun remarks.

the clip of luciel’s dancing is only a short few seconds, leaving the viewer wanting for more. it only lasts a few seconds before the editors are introducing RYU INHO with his profile taking over the screen.

“another guitarist,” jihun points out. “is that an amp?”

an amp it is indeed with inho pulling his electric guitar out for his vocal audition. it’s a different color than yejun’s had been before, as could be expected for acoustic versus electric instruments, but the judges are seen nodding along and enjoying the vibe of the song. 

“he seems confident,” ran observes. “he must have practiced this a lot.”

the staff begin questioning him shortly after the performance wraps up, launching into their tirade of questions without hesitation. "why do you want to become a kpop idol?"

"i love to sing and connect with people. if i was to become an idol, i would be able to do both of those at the same time. maybe have the power to make positive impacts on people's lives."

the scene cuts back to the judges, a rare shot of all three smiling as they listen to the wannabe explain his dreams on screen. “we’ve heard similar answers a lot,” yuna points out, “but he seems very sincere”

“i don’t know what it is. he has this aura that makes you want to root for him,” ran smiles.

"i would be fortunate and honored to receive an offer from any of the three companies but any three of them would also be very lucky to have me. i don't have a preference." inho answers the staff a second time.

jihun bursts out laughing. “he’s bold… but i suppose he’s fair. it’s wise not to choose a favorite when all three of us have to decide if he moves forward or not.”

inho’s special talent is revealed next, showing the young man quickly breaking apples in half with his bare hands.

“maybe we should be afraid of him,” yuna jokes, “he’s strong.”

“oh, he’s handsome,” ran is quick to remark on the next auditionee up, the screen showing the good looks of RYU SIWOO alongside his basic information. and indeed, even in a very amateur selfie image, the young man has remarkable good looks.

“look at that watch,” jihun points out the contestant’s outfit, “that’s cartier. he’s decked head to toe in luxury brands… either he comes from money, or he gets tricked by counterfeits easily.”

the young man before them is another rapper, performing in a rather unique style that has jihun leaning forward with interest and the two women looking rather confused.

“does he want to be an idol like that?” yuna questions, “his tone is good, but i don’t think he has a sound that will appeal to many people.”

“that’s why we shape them with further training,” jihun argues, “he’s starting from a decent foundation. you said that for other contestants, remember?”

“what is the most interesting place that you have been to wearing the shoes that you’re wearing now?”

“the windsor castle,” siwoo responds, “i went with some family friends last year, they really wanted to see the place.”

“he definitely comes from money,” jihun confirms, “i haven’t even been to windsor castle. have you?”

he glances at his co-judges, who both shake their heads in confirmation.

“i hope there’s more to his personality than luxury brands and european vacations,” yuna straightens the stack of papers in front of her. “he’s good enough that we can see what he does on the show. but i’m not so sure about him.”

the less than glowing review fades into a new contestant, now introducing SONG JAEYOUNG. little time is spent on initial observations from the judges this time, now diving right into the young man’s performance. fast-paced, intense, and…

“is that japanese?” yuna blinks in astonishment. “he’s korean, isn’t he?” she checks the information in front of her again, seemingly not believing what she’s hearing. “this is certainly a… unique choice.”

“i couldn’t tell,” jihun grumbles, “he sounds like he’s yelling more than singing. i suppose i was distracted by that.”

the trend of somewhat erratic contestants continues with jaeyoung, the judges watching bewilderedly as he somehow balances a whole stool on a single finger, tilted and wobbling just a little but upright nonetheless.

“you have to admit, that’s a little impressive,” ran points out. 

“it’s just physics,” jihun remains unimpressed.

“people say i’m horrible at shutting up,” it’s the only intelligible part of the rapid-fire interview that the audience can hear from jaeyoung. the rest is sped up to the point it’s all gibberish, the young man going on and on with his answers and proving his point.

“i suppose it’s charming in a way,” ran smiles. “we certainly have a lot of characters on this season.”

“we could do without them.” jihun’s grouchiness has yet to fade.

next up is SONG JIAYI. as her profile fades from the screen, the young woman’s audition begins immediately.

“it’s a bold choice to perform goeun’s songs in front of her ceo,” jihun remarks, glancing sideways at ran. 

“i’ll admit, i’m surprised she’s not singing,” ran muses, “goeun’s choreography is flashy, but not overly demanding since she’s such a strong vocalist. it’s… an interesting choice to focus on her dance instead of vocals when choosing one of her songs.”

“maybe she has a weak voice,” yuna suggests. it’s what they’ll have to believe until they see jiayi sing, someday.

"which company would you want to receive an offer from and why?"

"lime entertainment." the scene cuts to a small fist-pump from yuna, grinning as her company is chosen by the contestant. jiayi continues to explain: "i grew up listening to cherish, and i admire lime entertainment's strategy when it comes to business.”

“interesting she would say that but sing a song from a sr media artist,” jihun the instigator remarks. ran shoots him a sharp look.

“oh my god!” all three judges exclaim at the same time when jiayi reveals her special talent. it’s unnerving to see a human body contorted into unfamiliar, uncomfortable-looking shapes. "i'm very flexible," jiayi laughs.

“she looks like a horror movie,” jihun attempts to recover his composure after the shock.

“i wish she had picked choreography that used her flexibility better,” yuna remarks. “showcasing it like this is… a little scary.”

the next profile should be familiar to anyone who watched last season and even the judges clap their hands appreciatively when they see STEVIE PARK appear on screen.

“i’m surprised he’s back,” jihun’s brows raise. “i hope he’s matured since last season.”

a short compilation of stevie’s antics of season one plays across the screen, from him goofing off in practice rooms to chattering away with his fellow contestants while he probably should have been practicing. what will stevie do this year? the question is asked of the viewers.

“what was your favorite thing about the last season of next gen?” an off-screen staff member asks stevie the question, the cameras zoomed in on the young man’s face to study his reaction.

“i think probably…performing and working with people. i’m a social butterfly after all.” stevie laughs, and a short cut to the judges seems to say i know without anyone actually verbalizing the words. the clips from last season have already highlighted that well enough. “some might say it’s my biggest flaw, though.”

“at least he’s self-aware,” jihun sighs. “let’s hope he’s learned about the proper time and place for such things.”

“he was a dancer, if i remember,” yuna chimes in, “i wonder what he’s showing us today.”

subverting all expectations, stevie chooses to sing instead. he moves, of course, as all dancers do when they hear music, but it’s simple sways and hand movements, a clear focus on his vocals this time.

“i think it’s safe to say that the class clown is turning over a new leaf,” ran generously forgives stevie for last season’s transgressions. it’s time for a new slate, after all.

“his skillset has definitely broadened,” yuna admits.

there seems to be an uncharacteristic amount of nerves from the boy as he introduces his special skill. he rushes to grab something and the cameras catch the slightest tremor in his hands.

“he’s nervous,” ran points out. “i don’t remember him being so anxious last year.”

“i skateboard, and i skated here,” stevie stumbles over his words as he adjusts the skateboard in front of him, placing a foot on it in preparation for his trick. “so i’ll– do a trick i guess. i’ll keep it safe, though, i promise!”

the promise is good and the young man lands his trick without incident. he gives a thumbs up, smiling perhaps in relief. “safe and sound.”

“he’s changed,” ran murmurs.

“hopefully for the better,” jihun responds.

the screen changes to a new profile, introducing a new face after reminiscing over an old one. YAMAMOTO KAITO’s profile fills the screen before fading into the auditions, kaito repeating some of the same information as the basic profile already listed but then adding on a short list of the many jobs he’s currently working.

“he’s busy!” yuna exclaims. “how does he have time for this?”

“he made time for it,” jihun folds his arms and leans against the table in front of him. “i like this type of person. he works hard but makes time for the things he’s passionate about. this type usually makes for an excellent artist.”

his skills are tested soon enough, kaito showing his prowess as a rapper before the staff and the judges sitting behind the cameras. 

“look,” jihun points out to his fellow judges, “he’s making eye contact with every single person in that room, even if they’re not paying attention to him.”

“i wonder if he’s been on stage before,” yuna ponders aloud.

“if not, he just has good performing instincts.” jihun seems to be a fan of the young man already.

“i have a strong passion for rapping and dancing, so i'd love to share my own passions with more people while performing on stage someday.” kaito’s interview is condensed into a single response in the broadcast.

“i wish he had shown his dancing too,” yuna frowns and scribbles down a note. “if he’s passionate about both, he could have shown it.”

“especially since his special skill was beatboxing,” ran agrees. “that usually goes hand in hand with rapping, doesn’t it? it would have been nice to see a little more diversity in his skills.”

“still,” jihun agrees, with a twist, “what he did show he did well. i think there’s promise there.”

the show is nearing its close, but there’s one contestant left to show the viewers. YOON EUNWOL is last, and hopefully not the least of the many talented auditionees evaluated by the judges for this season. the scene fades to a rather nervous looking wannabe. eunwol greets the staff and introduces his audition piece. “i prepared a dance to a song that i created, i tried to make a pop feel with a ballad flow.”

“so he created the choreography and the track?” ran’s brows raised, impressed at the amount of work that goes into such a feat.

“don’t get excited yet,” jihun warns her, “i’ve seen something like this go badly before.”

eunwol performs, though the majority of the broadcast is dedicated to the judges’ reactions. the consensus seems to be that they remain unimpressed.

“fundamentals, this and that,” jihun sighs, “but no character or soul. even you have to admit, it was lacking.” he glances at yuna, who nods her agreement.

“attempting to show us something completely unique was a great idea. i just wish he had shown us more,” she agrees, “i feel like i didn’t learn anything about him, his style, or his personality. if you’re creating a performance from scratch, usually you put a little bit of yourself into it.”

"what two things do you consider yourself to be very bad at?" a staff member asks the young man, who answers with awkward laughter. 

“interviews seem to be one thing i think i am bad at,” he admits. the response earns a smile from the judges. at least eunwol is cute.

however, all three stare incredulously at the screens before them as the wannabe stands up and walks away as soon as the rapid-fire interview is over. “he just left?” yuna sputters, in awe at the audacity. “what about his special skill?”

“he may have thought that he already showed it during the skills part of the audition?” ran offers, trying to come up with an excuse or explanation.

“under normal circumstances, i would call for an immediate disqualification,” he shakes his head, poorly holding in his laughter. “but since the special skill was my request, i think i’ll let this pass. honestly, it’s just funny. and i want to see what this guy will do next time.”

ran and yuna look utterly unamused by jihun’s decision, but even the two of them can’t override what the studio delta ceo decides for his own challenge.

“well, i think that wraps up the auditions,” ran announces, clapping her hands together once. “we have some decisions to make, some contestants to reach out to, and a show to put on.”

the screen fades to black. then, all of a sudden, a bright flash and a new set appears with the season two theme music playing in the background. for the first time, RHEE JIAN appears on screen to reprise her role as emcee of the show. “welcome everyone,” she smiles as she gazes out across the contestants seated expectantly before her, “and congratulations on being selected to participate in season two of NEXT GEN!”

the camera pans across the contestants, revealing the auditionees who made it past the final round of auditions and onto the show.

“now that we’ve started to settle in, it’s time we revealed a secret to you,” the hostess smiles, a glint in her eye. “i know you believed that you were selected by the mnet and axis staff that hosted your auditions a few weeks ago. however, i’m sorry to say that we tricked you.”

the giant monitor behind jian changes suddenly, showing the three judges in the studio room they had observed all the auditions from. “our judges were watching you every step of the way, evaluating your character as well as the skills you showed. why don’t we give them a warm welcome as well?”

yoon jihun, seo ran, and yuna emerge from backstage to stand next to jian, waving and smiling at the contestants that they had judged not so long ago. a round of applause and cheers go up and the camera captures the most exciting reactions from the contestants who were surprised by the sudden news.

“we’re sorry for tricking you,” ran smiles as she addresses the crowd. “but we’re under a lot of pressure to make this season bigger and better than last year, and we agree that all of you can help up with that.”

“you’re here today because you’re all talented or interesting enough that we want to see more from you,” jihun explains. “over the next few weeks, you’ll be put through our training curriculums and given a series of missions to complete. the winners will be signed to a company of their choice, or we’ll choose if we want to sign you. the losers will be sent home.”

yuna speaks next: “we’re excited to see how all of you grow and develop throughout your time on NEXT GEN. we wish the best for all of you and your careers as performers and hope that this will be an exciting and informative experience for all of you.”

“that said,” jian takes over as host again, “this is a competition. based on your auditions, our judges have ranked all of you in order of most promising to least promising. those who didn’t make the top twenty-one were eliminated from the show entirely. while we’re not sending any of you home today, it’s good to know where you rank and to try to ascend to the top. you should all be working for first place.”

a pause falls over the crowd while they’re left to absorb the information.

“without further ado, let’s reveal the rankings,” jian turns to the screen behind her again, now displaying a graphic for the contestants’ initial rankings. one by one, the contestants are revealed until only the number one and last place are left. “in first place for episode one is… CHOI HANGYEOL!”

the camera catches hangyeol’s reaction, as well as eunwol’s reaction to being revealed in last place for the first episode.

“this is only based on the auditions that you prepared on your own,” jian explains, “but we want to make this fair for everyone. your first mission will be the CENTER SELECTION.”

a short clip of last year’s song and male and female centers is played before returning to the present season. “the song this year is DO BETTER. once again, you will all learn the same song and choreography to perform alone for our judges to evaluate your potential to be the center of a future group. the center is a pivotal role for any idol group and should be someone who has the stamina to sing and dance at the same time, and make both look and sound good,” jian explains.

“you’ll be working with axis staff and coaches to prepare you for this evaluation. however, we’re also bringing in some of the most qualified special coaches to help you achieve success this season. please allow me to introduce our special coaches,” jian gestures to the side of the stage, where the mystery guests file out one by one.

fans from last season will recognize the top three winners from last season, YEOM SARANG, LEE SEOJUN, and ZHOU RENYI. they’re joined by fellow trainees and former contestants LEE NAYOUNG and PARK DOHYUN, as well as a new trainee to the public LEE CHAERIN. each special coach introduces themselves briefly before jian resumes her hosting duties.

“sarang, seojun, and renyi will be assisted by nayoung, dohyun, and chaerin in preparing you all for this evaluation. listen closely to their advice as they’re familiar not only with what it takes to win NEXT GEN, but also the intricacies of each company they represent.”

“you’ll be re-ranked based on your performances. just like last year, the top female contestant and top male contestant will be selected as centers. you’ll all be performing on an episode of MCOUNTDOWN following the evaluation, so this is a great opportunity to show your best side to fans and the judges alike.”

“we’re excited to see the results of this season of NEXT GEN and all that you can accomplish,” jian smiles at the contestants again. “good luck!”

the show ends by zooming in on the logo on the screen behind the host with do better’s instrumental playing in the background.

#be:ngs2 #be:ngs2p1

[prismaticgray]

chapter 1 is finally released! it's less of a chapter 1 and more of a prelude but who's counting. also i released it a few days ago. but still. longform authors note under the cut!

dear lord this one's been brewing for a while. so to first elaborate on the choices i made in the writing process i have to first explain the basis of the au so bear with me here

no one can ever know is based on the 2021 kamen rider season kamen rider revice, and is a partial retelling while also being a slight rewrite? because i think if i had to write adhering to revice canon i'd actually cry. with that being said, here are the main character roles that each sekai character is fitting

ena shinonome -> sakura igarashi

akito shinonome -> ikki igarashi

toya aoyagi -> vice

kohane azusawa -> daiji igarashi

an shiraishi -> kagerou

mizuki akiyama -> aguilera

mafuyu asahina -> olteca

kanade yoisaki -> julio

tsukasa tenma -> hiromi kadota

this isn't like a hard rule it's just like severely basic. for example ena is seriously the protagonist in this story despite being in sakura's place! there are also smaller changes to the story (no legend rider forms because i don't need to sell toys, stamps are based on flowers rather than animals, name changes of the organizations, etc) but i'll be going over those as they appear if i have something to say about them.

ok the actual chapter 1 content starts here.

so i rewrote this chapter 3 times lmao. the first time because i, delusional, thought i'd be covering most of the setup with one chapter. however it turns out its a lot easier to jump into a kamen rider episode when you have a press conference explaining the premise of your series and also the help of being a visual medium. so this was a little difficult. the second was because i had a really hard time striking the right balance of what was happening in real time and kanade's inner monologue, especially when it came to how much backstory should be shown. anyway that doesn't really matter but if it still seems clunky that's why!

kanade is really not the most reliable narrator here. that's pretty clear from the fact she is absolutely definitely in a cult don't even worry about it. yet she's still actually the most recent member of the group! the timelines for the other two aren't quite nailed down yet but they're definitely both before kanade.

the name "nightcodes" comes from the period of time when niigo was mistranslated at "25-ji, nightcode de" rather than "nightcord".

i didn't actually have a select song in mind when describing the songs kanade composed but i did listen to samsa like nonstop while writing, so it's probably that lol

on the other hand i DID have outfits in mind for kanade and mafuyu. they're their "someday from the depths of despair" outfits!

kanade's hair is also specifically her wedding lim braid hairstyle.

mizuki does not have an exact match for their outfit but the idea was for it to pretty much be the same as aguilera's outfit in the show because that dress rules.

the idol's identity is purposefully left vague due to the fact that the corresponding main villain in revice, giff, was kind of a rock coffin and also dead i think. but if you were wondering yes i basically made hatsune miku the villain of my kamen rider story. don't worry about it.

in revice, the intro scene of the deadmans was some sort of party at their base? it was only on screen for a few minutes so it wasn't exactly elaborated on. i combined both this scene and the first main fight of the show by having sekai raid it. it's also explicitly a recruiting event / initiation here. also it can't be a proper fight in kamen rider without it being in a warehouse so that's where it is.

it'll be made clear in the next chapter but the three members of sekai i described are ena (the leader), tsukasa, and kohane.

ok i think that's it!! thank you for reading and stay tuned for the next one!!

#no one can ever know #authors note #a/n 1 #project sekai #kamen rider

[itsseohannbin]

• Like A Volcano | Part Two | •

Han Jisung Mini Series

© itshannjisung, 2024

♡ itsseohannbins masterlist ♡

Series Masterlist

Chapter Genre: Fluff 💕Angst⚡️Crack💥

-Bestfriends to Lovers Trope-

Summary: being best friends with the kings of kpop always has its ups and downs, and when you're offered a spot on the next European-American book tour to promote the publishing of your new book, there's one kpop king in particular who just doesn't want you to go.

Pairing: Idol!Han Jisung x Female Reader x Bestfriend Skz

** Includes two of my own original female characters, both whom are romantically involved with two of the members. Chan x Jo / Minho x Ash **

Warnings: angst. hurt. swearing. mentions of alcohol. mentions of marijuana use. implied intoxicated han jisung. harsh/vulgar language. yn's friends (jokingly) plot Han's death (i.e. homicide, staged accidental death, death by carbon monoxide, death by chloroform, premeditated murder). the boys do not use honorifics. best friend skz.

I think that's it. If I missed any, lmk!!

Word Count: 5.4k

**this chapter is unchanged**

Enjoy!

Walking out of Jisungs room that night was the hardest thing you’ve ever had to do. Not only were you turning your back on your one shot with the man you’ve been in love with for years, silently breaking his and your heart in the process, but you also now had to face the reality of what the hell had just happened as you returned to the living room where your friends were.

It seemed the rest of the party stragglers had all gone home and it was just your friends left, all of them now helping clean. Changbin and Jeongin were collecting empty cans and bottles and storing them back into the original boxes for easier discarding, Hyunjin, Seungmin and Ash were sweeping and mopping the floors clean of dumped food and spilled drinks, and Chan and Jo were tackling the mass amounts of red cups that littered the room. Minho was most likely cleaning his kitchen domain, as he got pretty upset any time the kitchen turned into a mess.

Felix’s spider-senses must’ve been going off because he was at the bottom of the stairs as soon as you had appeared, staring up at you in concern. You had done your best to wipe the mascara off your face as you rushed from Jisung's room, but based on the look Felix had, you knew you hadn’t done the greatest job of hiding your sadness.

“Bunny, what’s wrong?” he asked not so quietly, causing everyone to stop what they were doing and turn to look your way. You felt heat rush to your cheeks and you tried to swallow back the lump that still sat idly in your throat. 

How the hell were you supposed to explain what had just happened when you were still processing the events that had taken place in the last thirty minutes or so?

“Nothing Felix. I’m just really tired. I think I’m going to call it a night.” You settled with a tiny white lie.

Felix looked at you unconvincingly, but you paid him no mind as your eyes went searching for Jo. As soon as your eyes found hers, you sent her a look she knew all too well from the years of friendship you two had shared; one that practically screamed ‘get me the hell out of here’.

Instantly, she dropped her bag of garbage and discarded a stack of red cups onto the coffee table.

“I’ll drive you home!” She said, feigning cheerfulness. She knew something was wrong but none of the guys needed to know that. They didn’t need to know anything until the wheels of your plane left the ground the following day.

Ash, being the ever-observant friend she was, set her broom and dustpan aside and skipped over to you almost as cheerfully.

“Ou, She-Racha car ride? Count me in!”

Together, Jo and Ash gathered their things and slipped on their shoes when Minho suddenly appeared through the kitchen doorway with a half-eaten pudding cup in his hands. He glanced at his fiancée and Jo, confused as to what was going on.

“Are we going somewhere?” His gaze then landed on you and his face softened once he got a good look at you. “Y/n what’s going on? Where’s Jisung?”

Before you could open your mouth and feed Minho the same lie you told Felix, Jisung's voice echoed off the walls as he whipped his bedroom door open and shouted loudly down the hallway.

“Y/n wait!”

Upon hearing the desperation and anger in Jisung's voice, everyone’s eyes went from you to the top of the stairs where they expected Jisung to appear. You immediately hurried to the door where Jo and Ash were waiting, turning back to address Minho as you grabbed your things.

“Minho, please, do not let him come after me.”

Minho gave you a worried and confused look, but nodded nonetheless, knowing exactly what it was you needed from him. You only ever called him by his full name if it was urgent, and he picked up on that quirk of yours quickly. Ever since he and Ash had gotten together he’d become a lot more in tune with female emotions, and even though Jisung was one of his best friends, he obeyed you without hesitation.

Jisung appeared at the top of the stairs then, his hair messy as if he’d been pulling at it, his eyes angry but still drenched in tears. He saw you and immediately began descending the staircase two at a time, desperate for one last attempt to get you to stay, but Minho was quick to block his path. Without needing an explanation, Chan and Changbin instinctively jumped in and went to help as Minho struggled against Jisung's flailing figure.

Together, the three men managed to stop Jisung from reaching the bottom of the stairs while the remaining four stayed rooted in place, looking as freaked out and bewildered as anyone else in their position would’ve been.

You barely spared anyone a second glance before following Jo and Ash out of the house, slamming the door behind you.

And that was the last time you saw Jisung.

Even now, with all seven of the boys alongside Jo and Ash gathered around you at the airport to bid you one last farewell, Jisung didn’t show. You had laid awake practically all night, replaying the entire fight over and over again in your brain. A small part of you hoped against hope that he would show up despite it all and say goodbye, but he didn’t. 

You knew he wouldn’t. Not after you walked out on him the way you had.

Chan was furious at Jisung’s absence. He was currently standing a little ways away from the group, his phone pressed to his ear as he angrily left yet another voice message on Jisung's answering machine. 

According to the boys, after you and the girls left abruptly last night, and after the three older men fought Jisung's advances off, Jisung returned to his room as if he were a bull seeing red. He had quickly packed a bag of essentials and, before anyone could stop him, he left the house, swearing and cursing his members into hell for helping you escape. 

No one had seen him since, and based on the several messages each member had left on Jisung's phone, urging him to get to the airport before you had to board your plane, they hadn’t heard from him either. Felix and Hyunjin were worried about his lack of response, but the others were just pissed off at his behavior. 

“I swear to God Ji, if you don’t get to the airport in the next thirty minutes, I will personally disown you as my first child and then I’ll kick your ass. Call me back when you get this.” you heard Chan growl into his cell.

Jo was standing with you, her arms wrapped around your waist while yours slung around her shoulder in a half hug, your head resting on hers. She was smiling and laughing with Ash and the boys, but you could tell by the tension in her body that she was also listening in on Chan. No one had ever seen him this upset before, and it was unsettling for all of you.

A moment later, Chan hung up his phone again and returned to the rest of the group, scratching the back of his head in annoyance as he shoved his phone into his pocket.

“Based on the look on your face, I’m assuming he’s not coming?” Jo asked as Chan pushed his way through the circle to resume his spot behind her. He shook his head angrily, opening his mouth to begin the irate rant you all knew was coming, but Seungmin beat him to the punch, trying his best to brighten the mood with his usual level of sarcasm.

“Incredible!” he shouted as he began clapping obnoxiously, bringing everyone's attention to him. “Detective Jo has once again solved the case! The evidence was beyond us and yet, she somehow figured it out! I’m in awe.” 

You watched in amusement as Jo's eyes squinted as she glared at Seungmin with a smile on her face.

“I will fuck you up, Puppy.” Jo threatened as she detached herself from your side and stepped into Chan's embrace once more. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and rested his chin on her head, the anger in his features dissipating quickly.

Seungmin crossed his arms over his chest and flashed Jo a menacing grin. He loved being the only one brave enough to challenge Chan’s rules. Jo was off limits, but it didn’t seem to stop Seungmin from his relentless flirting. It’s like he was fueled by mischief.

“Good luck reaching me from down there, Little Miss Four-Foot Nothing.” He bantered. Jo’s eyes closed impossibly more as she tried to fight off a smirk that sat at her mouth.

“I’m 5’4, asshole.”

“Yikes. That’s still higher than your IQ, Seung.” Minho piped in, joining in on the fun. He had his arm protectively wrapped around Ash’s shoulders, but when Seungmin moved to kick him in the shin, Minho slid behind her in an attempt to hide, laughing maniacally.  

“I can’t fucking stand either of you.” Seungmin hid his laugh behind an annoyed exhale.

“Then kneel, dumbass.”

“Then kneel, dumbass.”

Both Jo and Minho spoke at the same time, resulting in everyone breaking out into laughter as the two of them high-fived each other in approval.

The stress that seemed to hang in the air at Jisung's clear absence was slowly being washed away with each chuckle, and you found yourself feeling so incredibly grateful for your friends.

“Why are you guys so mean to me?” Seungmin then fake pouted. Jo reached her hand up and ruffled his fluffy hair, pushing it out of his eyes.

“Cause I’m that much closer to hell than you are, Seung.” She responded sweetly. Everyone let out another laugh at her comment while Seungmin ducked out of her reach and playfully elbowed her in the ribs.

Ever since everyone arrived at the airport merely an hour ago, minus Jisung, you felt like your heart was just minutes away from stopping. Anxiety clawed through your insides like a feral cat trapped in a cage. Whether it was because of the obvious missing presence or simply just pre-tour jitters, you weren’t sure, but you expected the uneasiness to sink its teeth into you any second now, forcing an anxiety attack from your body. 

Thankfully, being surrounded by your friends, laughing and joking as if all was well helped ease some of the tightness in your chest, though only little by little.

That was until Minho’s phone began to ring noisily from his pocket, causing the tension to return to you in full force.

“Fucking finally,” Minho whispered once he caught a glance at the screen.

Everyone fell silent, the stress once again clouding the air like smoke.

“Is that him?” Felix questioned, a hopeful look in his eyes. Minho ignored him and swiped his thumb across the screen before shoving his phone to his ear.

“Jisung, where the fuck are you?”

Jisung could practically taste the fury that rolled off of Minho's tongue and into his ear. It made his chest tighten slightly, but he took a deep breath and willed himself to relax.

“I’m sorry Min. I’m not coming.”

“What do you mean you’re not coming?”

“I mean I’m not coming.”

An irritated breath left Minho’s mouth.

“Fuck off Jisung. I don’t know what the hell happened between you and y/n last night, and at this point, I don’t really care, but you need to get your ass here, now. Y/n’s plane leaves in no less than two hours. Put in your fucking tampon and come say goodbye.” Minho growled.

Jisung let out a sigh as he glanced around the hotel room he was staying in. His laptop sat open on the bed beside him, his anime currently paused. He made a point not to acknowledge the empty soju bottles that decorated the tabletop, or the bag of marijuana that sat half-opened on the nightstand beside him.

Why did his friends, his family, have to make this so difficult for him? 

All he wanted to do was forget.

Forget you. Forget your name. Forget your face. 

He wanted to forget the way your lips felt against his, even for that brief but magical moment you two shared; the way you whimpered and melted into his touch seconds before you ripped his heart out and stomped it into the carpet of his bedroom. 

He wanted to forget all of it. The kiss you shared, the fight that ensued, the look you gave him before you slammed the front door and left.

He wanted to forget, but more than anything else, he hoped to God that when he’d wake up from his intoxicated sleep, he’d remember.

He wanted to remember the way you smiled in awe as you listened to the song he made for you, eyes full of tears as they fluttered closed as if you could feel the emotion and love he poured into each lyric. He wanted to remember the way your body automatically responded to him when he leaned in to kiss you, as if kissing him was as natural to you as breathing. He wanted to remember how absolutely beautiful you looked as you yelled at him with mascara-stained tears.

He wanted to remember it all and he wanted to forget it all.

Jisung took a second to chug back the soju from his shot glass, setting the empty soju bottle next to the others before he responded to Minho, trying to ignore the sting of his friend's words.

“I’m sorry Min.” was all he could say. 

There was a second of silence before Ash’s calm and collected voice suddenly came through the phone. 

“Jisung, what’s going on?” she asked, her voice soft. Jisung nearly started to cry just from how warm and concerned she sounded. She always had been like an older sister to him, and her serene and tender attitude hit him like a bucket of ice-cold water. He loved the boys so much, but listening to the dozens of harsh messages they’d left him when he didn’t show up at the airport hurt him more than he cared to admit.

“I’m sorry Ash. I can’t.” Jisung didn’t think he had any tears left in him, but his eyes began to water as if he hadn’t cried in years. “I love her too much. I can’t let her go.”

Ash let out a sigh as she stepped away from the group of eyes staring expectantly at her, trying to get some privacy when she realized Jisung was crying.

“Ji, I know what happened last night.” She reassured him with a whisper. “Y/n told me everything. And I know it’s hard saying goodbye, but I don’t want you to regret this.”

“I can’t just let her run off with another man.” he scoffed.

“Ji, you know nobody wants you two together more than we do. Chan stopped trying to set her up with other guys years ago because he knows now that you two were absolutely made for each other. We all know that. Just because she’s going on tour with Seojun doesn’t mean she isn’t going to come home to you in a year and a half. You’re the one she loves, not him. You just have to let her figure it out for herself. And she will. She’ll always come home to you.”

“I don’t think so, Ash. Not this time. I fucked up.”

Ash let out a sigh at his words, running a hand through her hair.

“Come and say goodbye and you’ll see that you haven’t.” she tried.

The other end of the line was silent for a moment and she swore she got through to him. Jisung carefully absorbed her words, and for a second, he hoped she was right. But that thought was washed away just as quickly when the image of you walking out the door without a single regret flashed through his brain, causing him to let out an unexpected sob.

“I’m sorry,” Jisung whispered, his voice defeated and tired. “I can’t. Please, please don’t be mad at me.”

Another sigh left Ash's mouth and Jisung braced himself for the words he knew would come next.

“I’m not mad at you Ji. I’m disappointed. Despite everything that happened, we’re still a family, and this isn’t how we treat our family.” 

Even though he expected her answer almost word for word, it still hurt to hear her say. Being mad at him was one thing, but being disappointed in him and his actions made his heart ache impossibly more. 

He spent so much time trying to make everyone around him proud of everything he did and hearing Ash say those words did nothing but knock him down a few dozen pegs on his scale of confidence.

He pushed away another round of tears and took a deep breath before responding to her. 

“I’m sorry. I’m not coming.” 

And that was final.

Ash sensed the certainty in his tone and let out yet another heavy sigh, the disappointment more evident now than before. As much as they respected each other and understood each other, she knew better than to try and sway his decisions. He was a stubborn man, and when his heart was set on something, it was nearly impossible to change his mind.

Oh, the irony.

“Okay, I’ll let the gang know,” she whispered.

“Thank you.” Jisung breathed a sigh of relief, thankful she gave in so easily. He hated fighting against her.

“Don’t thank me,” Ash spoke up again, her voice now firm and authoritative, just like a scolding mother. “You’re not out of the woods yet Jisung. Just because I’m saying ‘okay’ doesn’t mean I’m happy about this. You still have to face Jo whenever you decide to come home.”

He wasn’t planning on coming home any time soon, but he didn’t say it, lest he let her down even more than he already seemed to have.

“I’m sorry.” he choked out one last time.

“I’m not the one you should be apologizing to.”

She was right, and he knew it, but he couldn’t bring himself to contact you. He wanted so badly to call you and say goodbye, to hear your voice one last time, but he knew it would only cause him more heartbreak if he did. Even though he swore to himself the day he met you that he would do absolutely anything for you, he couldn’t bring himself to do this.

Instead, he let Ash's words hang in the air for a few moments longer before another sob escaped his throat, causing him to say goodbye and hang up.

Ash shook her head and willed herself to breathe as the dial tone rang in her eardrums. 

“So?” Hyunjin prodded as she returned to the group. Everyone looked at her expectantly while she slid Minho’s phone back into the pocket of his jeans, but you already knew based on the way her shoulders slumped that her attempts to convince Jisung to come were helpless. “Is he on his way?”

Ash shook her head at Hyunjin and gave you a sad, guilty look.

“I’m sorry, Babe,” she whispered. 

You swallowed the lump in your throat and plastered a smile on your face, trying to mask the hurt you felt. If anyone would’ve been able to convince him, it was her. You were thankful that she at least gave it a try. “S’okay. I didn’t really expect him to come after everything that happened. Thank you though for trying.”

“I’m gonna’ fucking kill him.” Jo then growled from beside you, her sudden outburst causing you to jump. Her eyebrows furrowed in anger as she shook her head in disgust. 

“Not if I kill him first.” Changbin piped in then, his jaw clenched in disbelief at his friend's behavior. He had his phone out in front of him and he was tapping relentlessly against the screen, no doubt sending yet another message to Jisung.

“I’m gonna’ help.” I.N decided, his tongue prodding his cheeks as he tried to hold back his frustration. “Binnie and I have watched enough true crime shows to know how to get away with homicide.”

“Don't you mean homie-side” Chan laughed, earning a glare from everybody else while he chuckled at his own joke. The pause was quick before everyone began plotting again, ignoring him and his old-man puns.

“Guys,” you rubbed the bridge of your nose as Jo and the boys began organizing what you hoped was nothing more than a hypothetical crime. With Jo, there was always the possibility of it being not-so. “Can we please just forget about it? We’re supposed to be saying goodbye, not plotting a murder.”

Your friends ignored you completely.

“You’re right." Jo then continued with a nod, her eyes burning holes into the floor as you saw the wheels practically spinning wildly in her mind. "We have to make it look like an accident.”

You sent Chan a look of desperation, to which he shrugged his shoulders and gave you a helpless look in return.

“Why are you looking at me? You know I have no control over them.” He tried to hide his smile behind a pathetic cough, no doubt reveling in the fact that for once in his life, he was not at the butt end of all the jokes.

You rolled your eyes and clenched your jaw in irritation as you glared at him before attempting to calm your friends down again.

“Guys, I think we’re overreacting a bit, yeah?” you tried.

“I’m thinking Carbon Monoxide in his sleep,” Seungmin stated, nodding his head in approval. The lack of emotion on his face had the hairs on your arms standing upright.

“I’m thinking we just chloroform the little bastard,” Minho suggested, his hands up, pretending like he was holding onto someone's head while he shoved an imaginary cloth into their non-existent face.

With that, you let out another sigh, louder this time, and rubbed at your temple. You gave Chan another look and winced when you saw his amused smile growing wider.

Traitor.

Thankfully, Ash caught on to your distress and spoke up quickly on your behalf.

“Guys!”

Immediately, like little ducklings, everyone stopped talking and turned to look at her. She always stepped into the parental role when Chan couldn’t be bothered to, it was part of the platonic partnership they came up with when they were deemed as Mom and Dad of the group. The boys may not have always respected Chan, but they never failed to listen to and respect Ash.

“Can we please wait and discuss our premeditated murders until after y/n’s gone? I don’t think she wants to spend the last of her time with us being reminded of he who shall not be named.”

The boys and Jo muttered their apologies before they dove into other conversations with one another. You mouthed a ‘thank you’ Ash’s way before being roped into the conversation with them.

*****

It didn’t take long for the time to fly by. One minute you were thanking Ash for stepping in and calming the kids down, and the next, the time had come. The boys were currently held up in a heated debate about Jo and her nickname for Innie when you reluctantly glanced up at the clock.

A sigh left your mouth. 

It was time to go through security and find your gate.

“Only Jo gets to call me Daddy Toast, you know that!” 

“I know it, but I’ll never understand it.”

“What does that even mean anyway?”

“See Hyune. This is why you’re the leader of Paboracha.”

“It means she thinks I’m hot!”

“I do not, Innie!”

“Okay, I do not approve of this conversation anymore.”

You let out a giggle as Chan let out his signature disappointed dad sigh, a hand running down his face as the kids began arguing again. He turned to look at you, his face now pleading.

“Please don’t leave me with these idiots.”

“You’ll be fine,” you reassured him with a smirk. The smirk quickly turned into a sad smile as you let out a breath. “I have to go now.”

Chan nodded before he clapped his hands to grab everyone's attention. He received a little more resistance than Ash had, but everyone was quick to shut up and listen. “Alright you heathens, it’s time to say goodbye to Bunny.” 

One by one, each of your friends stepped forward to give you one last hug goodbye. Hyunjin and Felix squished you into a HyunLix sandwich while planting friendly kisses all across your face, causing you to giggle and squeeze them against you. Changbin then impatiently pulled you from their arms and literally swept you off your feet, spinning you around easily as he crushed you with his biceps.

I.N and Minho both settled for ruffling your hair and patting your head before wrapping you in a half hug and squeezing you gently to show their affection. You were surprised to find Chan tear-free as he stepped from Jo’s side, a complete one-eighty from his drunken speech the night before. He wrapped his arms around you and rested his chin on your head, smiling proudly.

“Go kick some worldwide ass,” he whispered as he rubbed his hands up your back soothingly, no doubt trying to help ease the tension he probably felt in your shoulders. The tears that were threatening to pool in your eyes suddenly appeared at the sound of his words, and you purposely wiped your tears on the fabric of his shirt. The sigh that left Chan’s mouth at your actions was funny enough to make you laugh but not enough to stop the sudden flow of water pouring from your eyes like a faucet.

“I’m going to miss you guys so much,” you whispered back as he planted a kiss on the top of your head and then let you go.

Seungmin was last, a giant pout on his lips as he stepped into your open arms.

“Please don’t forget about us, okay?” he asked dramatically, as if you weren't set to return to his side eighteen months from now. He sulked into your embrace, willing himself not to cry. You smiled through your own tears. 

“I could never forget about you, Pup.”

At that, a single tear fell down Seungmin's cheek. He quickly wiped it away with the sleeve of his oversized hoodie before flashing you a playful grin.

“I know that you’re with Seojun now and the old man gave me strict instructions not to kiss you anymore but-”

Before you could even protest, Seungmin dipped his head and kissed your cheek mischievously before folding you in his arms.

“- I don’t care what grandpa says. You know I live to break the rules, and if Seojun fucks up, I’ll break him.”

You nuzzled your face into his shoulder. Unlike Chan, Seungmin didn’t seem to mind the tears (and snot) that were staining his sweater. He just ran his hand through your messy hair and shushed you as you hiccupped.

“You’re a menace to society,” you whispered lovingly at him.

“I love you too Bunny,” Seungmin laughed before pulling away from you and holding you at arm's length. “No more crying okay? We don’t want the resident trash panda making a return before she’s due overseas.” His hands cupped your face, thumbs wiping at your cheeks softly as he bent and gave you his best smile. 

You snorted at his joke and smacked him lightly, trying to pull your face from his grasp while he laughed at your reaction. 

“I’m kidding Bunny. You are going to kill it out there. Seriously. You have all of us behind you. If you need us, call. Any time.”

You nodded and gave him one last tight bear hug in return before you took a deep breath and turned to face the two you were dreading saying goodbye to the most.

When you turned to the girls, the waterworks went into overdrive. Together, Ash and Jo came forward to hug you, their chins resting on each of your shoulders as your arms wrapped around them tightly.

“I’m so proud of you,” Jo whispered, hiccuping through her words.

“We’re so proud of you.” Ash corrected her, her hand running up and down your back. You gave both of them a gentle squeeze and willed yourself to stay like that for several moments as reality sunk in.

This was it. 

You were really doing this.

Never in a million years did you think you’d be saying goodbye to your friends and heading out on your own tour without them, yet here you were. You’d be lying if you said you weren’t nervous as hell, thinking about every possible thing that could go wrong and then some. 

Who were you going to go to when you needed someone to proofread your next chapter if you couldn’t sneak into Ash’s or Seungmin's room and bother them? Who were you going to bribe into late-night ice cream dates when your mind turned to mush after staring at the screen all day if you couldn’t ask Changbin and Jisung? Who was going to sprawl out on the couch with you on your off days and watch K-dramas if it wasn’t Felix, I.N, or Minho? Who was going to talk trash about reality television with you if it wasn’t Hyunjin, Jo, and Chan? 

Your heart felt heavy.

Jo must’ve sensed it cause her hand came up to hold the back of your head as she pulled away and looked at you, tears washing down her face.

“We’ll facetime every chance we get, okay?”

You let out an unattractive snort.

“You don’t even use Apple, Jo.”

She rolled her eyes at you.

“Binnie and I stand by what we said about Samsung being superior.”

“Superior, my ass!” Felix called out from somewhere behind her. Jo twisted her head around and gave him a glare.

“Oi. You’re lucky I love you Lixie or I’d kick you off of The Freckled Friends Baking Show and have Binnie replace your apple-loving ass.”

Felix’s lip jutted out at Jo’s threat. 

“Binnie doesn’t even have freckles! You wouldn’t dare!”

Jo flipped him off with a smirk. “Watch me, bitch.”

Another round of arguing ensued then, this one about which cell phone brand was better, and you resisted the urge to join them. As much as you loved your friends and their chaotic antics, you needed to leave, no matter how badly you didn’t want to at that moment.

“I’ll keep you updated on Ji,” Ash whispered as she pulled away from you. You thanked her and finally stepped away from the group. With your carry-on in one hand and your purse in the other, you gave your friends one last nod, one last smile, one last awkward wave before you turned your back on them and headed towards the security line.

You couldn’t help but turn your head back every couple of minutes as you waited in line patiently. Every time you glanced back at your group, they were smiling and waving and cheering you on. You were surprised the lot of you hadn’t been kicked out of the airport already for causing such a commotion. 

You waved again when you reached the front of the line, the security guard taking your ticket and I.D. and instructing you to unload your belongings into the bins to go through the machine, which you did.

It took you no less than a couple minutes to get through security unscathed and gather your belongings on the other side. 

When you retrieved your phone from the basket you saw you had a couple unread messages from Felix. You smiled widely when you opened the messages to find Felix had sent you a handful of photos. A couple were of you heading towards the security line, while the rest of them were pictures of the group waving and blowing kisses goodbye.

You grinned and ran your hand through your hair as you stopped and glanced back up through the security gate. You had your hand raised and were bidding one final farewell to your group when a familiar figure caught your eye.

Lo and behold, standing a few feet in front of your group of friends, staring at you through the line of people was the man you were waiting for. Dressed in dark sweatpants, a darker hoodie, and a white backward cap, Han Jisung frowned at you as he waved goodbye.

Part Two is here!!!!

God, I forgot how much I adored this mini-series! Re-reading now is making me so emotional and nostalgic.

Thank you all for returning for Part Two!!!

Prepare yourselves for Part Three, cause it's a sad one!!

See you all soon!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Taglist: @sungshineworld @collisvng @ihrtlix

If you want to be added to the taglist, lmk!!!

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#Like A Volcano #Like A Volcano Mini Series #Hannji's Mini Series #han jisung mini series #han jisung x reader #best friend skz #stray kids #han jisung fic #skz han #bff skz #LAV by Hannji

[moonhoures]

first love part 3

pairing: soobin (txt) + reader (fem.)

genre: non-idol!au, college!au, angst, fluff, smut [ nsfw | mdni ]

warnings: 18+, explicit smut, minors do not interact, oral (f & m receiving), facial, cum eating, light choking, overstimuation, finger sucking, soft dom!soobin, sulky & jealous!soobin, unprotected sex (but reader is on birth control so), vaginal penetration, slight mention of breeding kink?, nipple play, multiple orgasms, dirty talk, soobin calls reader “slut” like once, marking, hair pulling, aftercare in the shower, idk if it’s considered exhibitionism but they have sex in a house where other people are sleeping?, and i think that’s everything. let me know if i missed anything!

word count: ~20.9K

synopsis:

disclaimer: i completely made up the names for soobin’s family members. this is all fictional and in no way does it portray his family irl. none of this is meant to disrespect his family, so please don’t take it seriously. we’re here to have fun :)

a/n: first, thank you to everyone who read the first two parts and enjoyed them/left feedback, i appreciate you more than you know. thank you for also being so patient while i worked on this part! i know it was a super long wait. again, i’m sorry for that! second, the formatting on this is fucked up, but ‘ ― ― ― ‘ is considered a little time skip. happy holidays!!!! xoxo

posted: december 22, 2021

haven’t read the first love series? you can catch up here

“Are you sure you’re alright?”

The tiny, loose strand on the hem of your skirt fell limp as you let go of it, turning your attention to your boyfriend in the driver’s seat. He met your eyes quickly before returning them to the road, but in that small moment you could see a glimpse of worry.

“Yeah,” you repeated it again, not sure if you were trying to convince him or yourself, “Yeah, I’m fine. Why?”

“Because you’ve barely spoken since we dropped Yeonjun off,” he replied.

You wanted to rebuttal and tell him it wasn’t true, but when you took note of the time, you realized he was right. The two of you dropped your mutual friend off at the train station as it was on the way to Soobin’s parents house.

That’s right. Today was the day you would finally meet his family. After Yeonjun was left at the station, you had thirty minutes left until you would arrive at Soobin’s childhood home. The entire ride you spent the time in internal turmoil, stressing about the ‘what if’s. What if they don’t like me? What if they think I’m not good enough for Soobin? What if I don’t meet their expectations? What if they don’t like their gifts? You got so immersed in your negative thoughts that Soobin had noticed your distressed expression shortly after your extended silence.

“Did you forget anything back at your dorm? Because we can turn back,” he said. You looked at him with wide eyes, an unbelieving smile creeping on the corners of your lips. Even if you had left anything behind, there was no way on Earth you were going to let him turn around and make the forty-five-minute drive back for it.

“No, Soobin. I didn’t leave anything. I’m just nervous is all,” you explained, turning away to avoid his gaze. Instead, you watched the random town you were in whiz by you outside the window.

“Why?” he asked, a pout evident in his voice, “You said you were really excited, and they’re all looking forward to meeting you. You can’t back out on me now, _______.”

He said the last sentence in a playfully threatening tone, making a grin appear on your lips. It grew wider when you felt his hand reach over to comfortingly rub your lower thigh. Your eyes made contact with his again before he smiled and leaned over to press a kiss to your cheek. He added, “We’re almost there. Just a few more minutes.”

You nodded, taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm your nerves. You had daydreamed about this day for so long. Soobin had told stories about growing up with his siblings—his sister forcing him to have tea parties with her or fighting with his brother over video games. His eyes always lit up when he spoke about his sister’s son, often showing you pictures of him. He was a toddler now, and Soobin would gush to you about how fun it was being an uncle. Like he said, you were really excited to meet them, so why was your stomach in knots?

“We’re here!” he announced, pulling you from your wandering thoughts again. You took note of how nice the neighborhood was, and his house was no exception. It was a two story, with a nice front lawn and a spacious driveway that was currently taken up by three vehicles, leaving only space for him to park. “Looks like my brother’s already here. I guess my sister will come by for dinner.”

Soobin told you to leave the luggage in the car for now, eagerly gesturing for you to follow him inside. You had only enough time to give yourself a once-over in the car window’s reflection before he took your hand and had you following him up the driveway to the front door. He opened the door with one hand as his other one held yours, squeezing it reassuringly while he guided you inside, “Mom! Dad! We’re home~!”

An unintelligible shout came from somewhere in the house, followed by the sounds of footsteps. While the sounds made their way towards you, you admired the living room. The furniture was set up nicely, facing the middle of the room that was nice and open for a pretty rug that matched the drapes over the window. A fireplace was lit on the other side of the room between the lit-up, decorated Christmas tree and the staircase that led to the second floor. The bottom of the staircase met the doorway to the dining room where Soobin’s mother emerged, a huge grin on her face at the sight of the two of you.

Soobin closed the door behind you before turning to her and engulfing her in a big bear hug. You watched with a happy heart as she pressed kisses to his cheeks.

“Mom, you’re acting like you didn’t see me two months ago,” he joked, laughing as she pinched his cheek.

“And you’re acting like a mother can’t miss her son,” she replied with equal attitude before turning to you. For a moment you wondered how her smile could get any bigger, but it did. She reached forward and enveloped you in an equally big hug, patting your back, “It’s so nice to finally see you! You’re so much prettier in person.”

You recalled when Soobin had visited for Chuseok, he had FaceTimed you one night, and his mother had walked in. She had begged him to see you over the phone and when he showed you on the other side, she was just as happy then as she was now. She was the one to suggest making concrete plans for you to visit for winter break, and that’s how you ended up here now.

Soobin’s father followed soon after, embracing Soobin in a hug before doing the same to you, “Yes, his mother has been talking about meeting you all morning.”

His words caused your cheeks to warm up, the flattery making your heart weak but happy. Their positive words were comforting as opposed to the worries you had during the ride here. Soobin’s father asked about the ride, if there was any traffic. His mother complimented your outfit, asking where you got your pieces from. In the midst of the conversation, you noticed a man—who you concluded was Soobin’s brother—coming from the kitchen to join the four of you.

“Welcome home, Soobin,” he smiled, getting your boyfriend’s attention as he embraced him.

“Sungmin~ This is my girlfriend, _______,” Soobin stepped aside, gesturing to you. You politely greeted him, reaching out to shake his hand which he accepted.

“Mom was right, you are very beautiful in person,” he commented, “For a while I was starting to believe Soobin was making you up.”

You chuckled softly, “Nope. I’m very much real. And thank you, you’re very handsome as well.”

You had seen him in photographs before, but only the ones on Soobin’s social media. The photos weren’t updated though; his brother looked different now than he did in the pictures you saw. He just seemed more put-together and mature—given, he was probably in college in the pictures you saw. And from what you understood, he had graduated a couple years ago now. He carried himself confidently and his smile was charming. You could immediately tell that Soobin took after his mother and sister more and his brother took after his father.

“You guys must be exhausted from your trip,” his mother spoke, “Would you like drinks? Food?”

You shook your head, “I’m fine, thank you.”

“Okay, well, Soobin, why don’t you and your father go get your luggage, and I’ll give _______ a tour of the house?”

“Alright, Mom.”

― ― ―

“Uh, this- This used to be Soobin’s and his brother’s room. We turned it into an office after they moved out. This is just our coat closet, and this is the guest bedroom where you’ll be staying. It used to be his sister’s room. There’s an en-suite bathroom, so you won’t have to go downstairs to use the bathroom in the middle of the night.”

Soobin’s mother opened the room to the bedroom she was referring to, revealing a generous-sized room, a queen-sized bed in the middle with nice wooden posts. There was a door to the right that was open, showing that there was a sink, toilet, and shower inside.

“And that’s all of the house,” she wrapped up, right on time for Soobin and Sungmin to walk up with the last of the bags. “Oh honey, yours will go downstairs.”

“But I thought you said we were staying up here?” Soobin questioned.

“________ is staying up here. You two boys will be sleeping in the living room on the pull-out couch,” she explained, causing your boyfriend to groan in slight annoyance. You were a little bummed when you realized what she meant too, but you understood her reasoning. Your mother would’ve done the same.

“Mom, come on. Soobin is a good kid, and responsible. Let them share the room,” Sungmin spoke up. His mother looked conflicted, as if she wanted to keep her foot down but she also didn’t want to look like the bad guy. You were about to insist that you were fine with the arrangement when his brother spoke again, “I’m sure _______ will be more comfortable rooming with Soobin than by herself, and let’s be real. They’ve probably slept in the same bed before now anyways, right?”

Your cheeks felt aflame from his question, and you could tell Soobin was just as embarrassed by the remark, but he answered, “Yes. A few times, but we will be on our best behavior. Promise.”

His mother gave Sungmin a pointed look before turning to Soobin with the same look. After a moment, she sighed, “Fine, but no funny business.”

She directed the order at Soobin who nodded fervently. She turned to you with her familiar smile, “I trust you two. It’s just hard accepting that all my babies are adults now.”

You nodded, “I understand. My mom is the same way. Like Soobin said, we’ll be on our best behavior, Mrs. Choi.”

“Good,” she sighed again, but more from relief than defeat. She spoke out loud before turning to Soobin, “Well, I’ll let you two settle in while I finish preparing dinner. Your sister should be here soon.”

― ― ―

Soobin’s sister, Heejin, arrived right in time for dinner, with her husband and toddler in tow. She was gorgeous and did indeed share several similarities to her mother as well as your boyfriend. She greeted you with open arms and a comforting smile that made you long for a sister you never had growing up.

“_______, it’s so nice to finally meet you in person. This is my husband, Dohyun, and I’m sure Soobin’s shown you pictures of Jiwon.”

Her husband was sweet, introducing himself with a handshake. Her son, however, in his childish daze, sped past you to envelop Soobin’s legs in a tight hug, causing all of you to laugh. Your boyfriend picked him up by his armpits, swinging him up in the air before attacking his cheeks in kisses.

“He’s told me all about him,” you assured her, “And it’s nice to meet you, too. I’ve been looking forward to this for months.”

“Trust me, so have we,” she nodded, “Especially that one.”

She pointed to her mom who was now hugging and coddling her only grand baby while Soobin’s father asked him how excited he was to open presents.

Within minutes you found yourself in the kitchen, leaning against the counter in conversation with Heejin and her mother as the boys of the family occupied the living room. Soobin’s mom was checking on all of the food, making sure everything was cooking well while Heejin prepared drinks and silverware. You had offered to help, but since you were considered an honorary guest, they insisted you not do any ‘work’ for now. So, you sighed in defeat and obliged in conversation with them, and you had to admit you were really enjoying yourself.

Meanwhile, in the living room, Soobin was sitting with Jiwon on the floor, play-fighting with the young boy while his father, brother, and brother-in-law sat on the couch and recliners.

“She seems to be fitting in nicely so far,” Dohyun commented towards Soobin, the implication being that he was talking about you.

Soobin’s lips curled into a smile as he nodded, now only half paying attention to his energetic nephew by his side, “Yeah, it’s great. If everything works out, I want to bring her home for every holiday.”

“Have you visited her parents yet?” his father asked him.

“No, but she mentioned that she wanted to invite me for spring break.”

His dad nodded in understanding before his eyes looked over and settled on his eldest son, “And you, what happened with Yoona?”

Sungmin looked slightly annoyed by the question, piquing the other men’s curiosity, “I told Mom she wouldn’t be coming with me.”

Yoona was Sungmin’s girlfriend of almost a year. Soobin’s parents had met her several times and loved her, and she had made an appearance at their home for Chuseok just a few months ago. Which is why his father felt the need to ask why she didn’t join him now when she was invited.

“Did you guys break up?” Dohyun asked.

Sungmin nodded reluctantly, “She called me last week and broke things off. Said she needed to focus on finishing school and didn’t have time for our relationship.”

While his father and brother-in-law consoled him, offering words of encouragement for another opportunity, Soobin found himself thinking. Ever since his first relationship in high school, Sungmin was always the type to move quickly with girls. He wanted the most out of everything, and when things went south, he quickly picked himself up and moved on. If he was going through a breakup now, it was only a matter of time before he looked for someone new to get his hands on.

― ― ―

“Dinner’s ready!”

The sound of various chairs lightly dragging against the floor filled the dining room as the eight of you got seated. You sat at the end of one side of the table, Soobin to your right and his father to your left at the head of the table. Sungmin sat across from you while Dohyun sat between him and Heejin. Jiwon sat across from his mom, and lastly, Soobin’s mom sat at the other end of the table.

Food was passed around as discussions started among the family. Soobin’s father was speaking to Dohyun about work. Heejin and her mother were discussing daycare arrangements of Jiwon next year. Soobin was intently listening to Jiwon who was gushing about the toy train set he saw at a store earlier this week. Which left you pawing at your food with your fork, worrying if you looked as out of place as you felt.

“_______, what are you majoring in again?”

Your head lifted at the quiet mention of your name from across the table, and you made eye contact with Sungmin, “I’m a technical Music major.”

“Ah, so like music composition?”

“And production, yes,” you added, inwardly thankful that he was making an effort to befriend you, “What did you go to college for?”

He was briefly interrupted by his father asking him to pass the sweet potato noodles, but he eventually answered, “I graduated with a major in business and minor in marketing.“

Your eyebrows raised in interest, “My father works in marketing. Have you got a solid job yet? I could give you his contact information later. I’m sure he could help you get a job with him.”

The two of you continued talking about his career, and eventually you got comfortable talking about other topics such as school and hobbies and traveling. Soobin found himself growing envious of the attention you were giving his brother. Before your trip he had predicted that you and Heejin would hit it off, so it slightly annoyed him to see it wasn’t her but his brother that you clicked with.

Once everyone was full and the plates were empty, you insisted on helping Soobin’s mother with cleaning the dishes. She called on one more volunteer jokingly and before Soobin could even think of answering, Sungmin was up and playfully arguing over the silverware with you. Your boyfriend watched the two of you follow his mother into the kitchen, pouting when he could hear you laughing at a joke Sungmin must have told you. He willed himself to smile at Jiwon when he tugged on his sleeve and begged him to play with him in the living room where Heejin and Dohyun were already going with his father to watch TV. Soobin gave the kitchen one more glance before nodding and agreeing with his nephew, following him into the living room.

― ― ―

“I think that’s everything washed,” Soobin’s mother declared, drying her damp hands on a clean dish towel. Sungmin handed you the last few clean dinner plates to put back in the cupboard. “Sungmin, could you and ________ get the smaller plates out for dessert?”

“Ooh, what’s for dessert?” you asked, eyes lighting up at the idea of a good pie and some ice cream to top it off.

“Heejin brought some chocolate cake. Her friend owns a bakery and always makes us one for the holidays. It’s delicious,” Sungmin explained just as his mother pulled out a cake box and placed it on the counter. She opened the top to reveal a beautiful chocolate cake with dark icing and rosettes in white and red spaced out along the edges.

She tasked you and Sungmin with slicing the cake evenly and placing the slices on the dessert plates for everyone. Once that was done, you went to hand them out to everyone in the living room. Soobin was the last person you went to hand a plate to, but he declined, and that was the first time you noticed something was off about him. You gave him a look that said, ‘what’s wrong?’ without having to say it out loud, but he simply shook his head and gestured for you to keep the dessert for yourself. You decided to just leave it be and kept the plate, sitting beside him at the edge of the couch.

As everyone began eating their cake, you also dug into it with your fork, enjoying the taste of the fluffy, rich chocolate with the sweet icing. You were so invested in the cake as well as the story Heejin was telling her father about the new store her baker friend was building to even notice Sungmin and his mother entering the kitchen with their own cake in hands. But Soobin immediately took note of the glance his brother gave towards you as he decided on where to sit. Luckily for Soobin, there was no spot near you, so Sungmin had no other option than to take a seat on the couch across from the two of you. However, this didn’t stop him from taking what he thought were subtle glimpses in your direction. Maybe they were subtle enough not to get anyone else’s attention, but Soobin noticed every single one.

Now, Soobin never considered himself the jealous type even when the two of you started dating. He had full trust in you and never thought twice about any time you interacted with a guy—whether it be his close guy friends like Yeonjun or a random dude from one of your classes. But for some reason, seeing his brother showing special interest in you made his chest swell with a need to be proprietorial. He hated feeling like that; the last thing he wanted to do was seem controlling or possessive of you. He had seen some of his own friends do that to their partners and lose them; likewise, he had girl friends who had mentioned to him how annoying their boyfriends were when they got jealous and overbearing. If he even had the slightest chance of you feeling that way about him, he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself.

Still, in a moment of bad decision making and the need to show his brother that he was yours, he looked to you. You were listening intently to a story his father was telling–a story he wasn’t even half paying attention to–but when you saw him looking at you, you tilted your head as if to ask what was up.

“Can I have a bite?” he whispered, not wanting to interrupt his father.

You rolled your eyes jokingly at him before whispering back, “I offered you a piece and you declined. This is mine.”

You had full intentions of giving him a bite, but you wanted to tease him for a bit beforehand. It worked. His already-big puppy dog eyes slacked as his full lips formed a pout and he whined quietly, “Pleeeease~”

You sighed, shaking your head with a smile as you put a nice-sized amount of cake on your fork and brought it up to his grinning lips. They parted as you carefully set the fork in his mouth, the icing leaving a small residue over the corners of his lips. You couldn’t help but hide a giggle at how happy he seemed about you giving him a bite of your cake. After that, you went back to listening to his father’s story, trying to keep up with the events he was describing when you noticed Soobin’s eyes uncharacteristically glaring over at his brother. What you hadn’t seen before that was Sungmin watching the two of you with his own sense of envy. So, naturally, that was the second time you found Soobin’s behavior a bit odd.

― ― ―

The night went by in a blur, it seemed, but it went so much better than you could’ve hoped. You and the family spent hours talking until Jiwon finally fell asleep in Soobin’s lap on the couch after running around and playing with him and Dohyun. That’s when Heejin decided it was time to get home for the night. As Soobin carried Jiwon’s sleeping form to the car to set him in his car seat, Heejin explained to you that they had moved to Gwangju after her and Dohyun got married, but that they were renting a cabin only ten minutes away while they visited.

“We’ll be back in the morning,” she told you as Soobin shut the back door of their SUV, “Have a good night, guys.”

She hugged you, then her brothers, and finally her parents before they left. Sungmin resigned to the pull-out couch in the living room with the help of his father. You and Soobin went upstairs to your room after bidding his parents and brother a good night.

Finally, for the first time in hours, you were alone. Soobin let you take your shower first, opting to relax on the bed, scrolling on TikTok while he waited for you to finish. You showered without washing your hair since you had done so in the morning, and appeared in your pajamas, ready to relax after a long day. Soobin showered quickly after you, returning with only sweatpants on, running a towel over his wet hair. You glanced away from your Instagram feed to look at him in his post-shower glory, his freshly washed face looking smooth, cute, and pink.

Your boyfriend smiled shyly, noticing your gaze on him, “Stop looking at me like that.”

You chuckled, “Like what?”

“Like that. You’re making me blush.”

He pressed the back of his hand against his cheek, feeling the heated skin. Determining that his hair was damp enough, he slid a t-shirt over his head and onto his torso before sitting on the other side of the bed from where you were laying. With his back turned to you as he checked his emails and texts, you couldn’t help but get up onto your knees and hug him from behind. Your hands snuck over his shoulders until your chin rested on the left side of his neck.

“My family really likes you,” he spoke softly, the both of you smiling, “I can tell my mom and dad loved you. My sister had mentioned that you were really sweet.”

“Yeah, they’re all really nice and accepting,” you agreed, “I had fun today.”

He hummed in satisfaction, swiping to check his last texts from Yeonjun before he would turn off his phone. As he typed back a message, you spoke again, “Your brother is really funny. He was telling me a story about how when you were in middle school Heejin used to put make up on you and put bows and clips in your hair.”

A lump of annoyance and anger produced in Soobin’s throat. Of course, Sungmin would tell you embarrassing stories about him. Your boyfriend hummed again, acknowledging your words but not really responding. You noticed his shoulders had tensed up under you. Maybe he’s just tired, you thought, I should leave him alone so he can get some sleep. Right as those words floated through your mind, he shut his phone off and put it on his nightstand. His hands enveloped yours against his chest, holding them there as he eased into your touch.

“Let’s get some sleep,” you whispered, pressing what you thought was an innocent, chaste kiss against the side of his throat. You went to pull away, but he had other plans. Your arms had just slipped away from him when he turned in his spot to face you more, gripping your hands in his so you couldn’t move away. A small, startled noise escaped your lips as he tugged you forward carefully, his right hand reaching up to your cheek to bring you closer. His lips unexpectedly captured yours, causing the tiniest excuse of a moan to come from your mouth.

You found that you were losing yourself in the kiss, letting him take the lead easily as he continued to mould his lips against your own. After a moment you needed air, so you pulled away just enough for your skin to still brush against each other. Soobin’s breath fanned over your parted lips before he was diving back in, this time with his tongue. The warm, velvety muscle was precise and gentle in its movements, wanting you to surrender to him.

It was in the midst of your passionate make out, when his hands were finding purchase on your waist, that you took a second to consider where you were and what you were doing. With a quick and unfortunate decision, you managed to pull away again, but this time with the intention of stopping. Soobin’s lips moved forward in search of yours as you detached yourself from him, his eyes opening in confusion.

“I thought you were tired,” you chuckled, reaching up to push his half-dry hair away from his face where little droplets of water were still making their way down his face.

“Well, I’m not,” he said, his fingers on the skin of your hips urging you towards him.

Your eyebrows quirked as your hands met his, peeling his fingers off of you easily, “Soobin, we’re not doing this here. You heard your mom today.“

A pout formed on his luscious, kissed lips, but he nodded in understanding, “I’m sorry. I got excited.”

You smiled half-heartedly.

You understood all too well where he was coming from. Ever since that fateful weekend, while Yeonjun was away, and you and Soobin had your fun for the first time, the two of you didn’t have many opportunities to have sex. Being in college with roommates left you with little to no privacy on most days, but the two of you did put in some effort.

You had introduced Soobin to sexting, which he loved. You sent him naughty messages about what you wanted him to do to you when he got the chance. Soobin found himself practically drooling at the back of his classes where he would cautiously open your messages or Snapchats to reveal pictures of you in your bra or underwear. Because even if the two of you couldn’t find time to have sex together, you still had desires—wants and needs.

Soobin lost count of how many times he jerked off in the shower to the pictures you sent him shuffling through his head. When you got the dorm to yourself, while Sooyoung was in class or out with her other friends, you would read the messages between you and Soobin and let your hand do as much work as it could to satisfy you. But the one thing you two could agree on was that it wasn’t the same. Nothing compared to the feeling of each other, and you missed it. The last time the two of you had been alone was for his birthday when Yeonjun so graciously offered to sleep at Beomgyu’s for the night to give you two privacy. So, you couldn’t blame him for wanting to take advantage of this little time where the two of you were finally alone again.

“I know, baby. It’s okay. We’ll get other opportunities . . . eventually,” you said, rubbing your hand soothingly against his cheek, “But for now, you behave.”

Soobin smiled sheepishly before shaking his head, watching you try to hide your smirk as you got comfortable on your side of the bed. He followed suit, lying beside you, “You were into it, too, y’know. Practically pounced on me.”

You rolled your eyes as you reached over to turn off the lamp, “Goodnight, Soobin.”

“Goodnight, my love.”

― ― ―

The smell of fresh cooked breakfast woke you up the next morning on Christmas Eve. Your eyes slowly opened, and the first thing you noticed were the voices of Soobin’s family conversing downstairs. The second thing you noticed was how empty the bed felt behind you. You turned over to confirm that your boyfriend was missing, causing you to frown.

After checking your phone, doing your morning routine, and debating if you should change into your outfit for the day, you decided on staying in your pajamas for now before making your way to meet everyone downstairs. You were warmly greeted in the dining room by the family—including Heejin, Dohyun, and Jiwon who had arrived early. You felt slightly awkward being the last to join, so you scanned the room to find Soobin and his mother missing.

“Morning, _______, did you sleep well?” his father asked, fixing a plate for Jiwon who waited patiently for his grandpa to hand him his food.

“Yes, sorry for sleeping in so late,” you apologized, not entirely sure what time it was just yet.

“Oh, you’re fine,” Heejin gestured with her hand carelessly before picking up a glass of water, “We’re an early household, and we just got here. You didn’t miss much.”

You nodded, pausing by the table as you were trying to decipher if you should sit and wait for Soobin or go find him. Sungmin noticed your hesitance and aided you, “Soobin’s in the kitchen with Mom.”

You smiled and nodded gratefully at him, turning for the kitchen where you found your boyfriend helping his mom with the last of the food. His mom was busy flipping what looked like vegetable pancakes on the stove, and Soobin had his back turned to you, a ketchup bottle in his hand as he adorned plates of fried eggs with the condiment.

“Good morning,” you addressed them, his mother turning to you with a startled expression that quickly turned cheerful.

“Morning, _______! We’re just finishing up the breakfast, dear.”

“It smells great,” you noted, walking up beside your lovely boyfriend who was topping off a fried egg with ketchup in the shape of a smiley face. A similar, bright smile formed on your lips at the kind gesture, “Cute.”

“This one’s for Jiwon,” he said happily, his wide grin causing his dimples to appear.

“And this one-“ he took another plate with fried egg on it, his careful and lithe hands using the ketchup to create a heart outline, “-is for you.”

Your own heart skipped a beat as you looked up at him with adoration in your eyes. You thanked him as you took the plate, reaching up to place a light kiss against his dimpled cheek. His mother softened at the interaction, which she spectated quietly before asking you to help her and Soobin bring out the last of the food to the dining room. You agreed, grabbing as many plates as you could with them to the adjacent room where everyone was waiting.

Once the food was all settled and everyone had the dishes they wanted, a hush fell over the room as everyone began eating. For a moment the only noise emanating was the soft sounds of chewing and the picking up of silverware. Conversations slowly started around the table, one of them being between you and Sungmin. He asked you about what shows and movies you had been watching lately. And you, loving any chance to gush about your recent binge-watches, dove right in. It was nice having someone from the family who seemed so interested in you—or so you thought. You found his eye contact and undivided attention while you spoke to him endearing, but you had yet to realize that Soobin found it offensive, to him at least. The way his brother was able to make you laugh and smile so easily . . . it made his insides boil.

Soobin made some attempts at getting your attention, asking you random questions which you simply answered and returned back to Sungmin. The two of you were currently raving about some horror movie you had watched—one that Soobin remembered refusing to watch with you because he hated horror films. Now he wished he would’ve watched it just so he didn’t feel so left out. Or rather, so he wouldn’t feel so inferior.

Soobin sighed quietly, finding himself pouting at the edge of the table as no one noticed. His parents were too busy coddling Jiwon. Heejin and Dohyun were discussing plans of visiting his parents for New Years. And of course, his wonderful girlfriend was too wrapped up in the charm that was his older brother. Again, he started to feel that familiar envy creeping up his spine, telling him to grow one or he’d lose you. With a sudden burst of tenacity, he did something rather out of character.

You were nodding along to an opinion that Sungmin was expressing when you felt it. At first you thought it was just your leg bumping against the underside of the table, but what you thought was the table quickly started to feel like fingers, familiar ones at that. You couldn’t help but jump slightly at the touch, your own fingers covering Soobin’s before they went too far up on your thigh. Your pajama shorts only covered so much, and he was already at the hem when you stopped them.

Sungmin seemed to notice your eyes go slightly wide, asking if you were okay. Thankfully, the table covered your lap, so he was completely unaware of the situation underneath it. You assured him you were fine, choosing to ignore Soobin’s obvious attempt for your attention so that you didn’t seem rude to his brother. Your boyfriend didn’t like that one bit, so he wiggled his fingers out from yours and placed them on your thigh again, this time on the inner side. His grip on you was more adamant, so you finally gave his brother an apologetic look before turning around to face Soobin.

“What?” you whispered to him.

“You’re ignoring me,” he pouted, making sure to stay behind you where his brother couldn’t see him and mock him. If only it were that easy.

“Hey, I’m sorry, Soobs, I’ve been talking ________’s head off,” his brother joked, leaning around you to see his brother’s annoyed expression.

“I told you not to call me that when we were kids, Sungmin,” he mumbled, making your brows scrunch in confusion. Why has his behavior been so erratic and flippant since you got here? One moment he was fine, and the next he would be annoyed for seemingly no reason.

“Sorry, it’s a habit,” his brother softly laughed, getting interrupted by his mother asking to help her with the dirty dishes. You offered to help as well, finding yourself looking forward to those kind of moments with her. You started to stand when you felt Soobin gently grip your thigh again, causing you to turn to him.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize I was ignoring you. I’ll go help your mom, then I’ll give you all the attention you want when I’m done, okay?” you said putting your hand at the back of his neck so that your fingertips could graze the hair at his nape. He always found the gesture soothing, and as much as he wanted to protest, he couldn’t. He could tell how excited you were to have these interactions with his mom and help her out. He knew these moments made you feel accepted, and he didn’t want to take that away from you.

“Okay,” he agreed, smiling as you pressed a kiss to his forehead before getting up to meet his mom and brother in the kitchen. The rest of the family moved to the living room while you and Sungmin went back and forth from the kitchen and the dining room, collecting dirty dishes and silverware.

Their mother began cleaning up as the two of you found ways to help out. Soobin sat in the living room, finding himself growing more and more antsy about the idea that you were in there talking to his brother. His thoughts got the best of him, so he got up and made his way to the kitchen, hearing the three of you talking as he stopped at the doorway.

None of you noticed him standing there, and Soobin paused as he watched you. You were drying the wet dishes that his mother handed you after washing them in the sink. His brother was taking them from you and saving them in the cupboards. For the most part you weren’t even talking to Sungmin; instead, you were listening to his mother rave about how fun it was having another girl in the family. His mom mused about how she had wanted more girls in the family since it was just her and Heejin for so long. Soobin couldn’t help but replicate the smile that lit up your face. You looked so elated to be given such a compliment.

Soobin had decided to not interrupt the sweet moment, opting to stay at the threshold and watch quietly until you were finished. This is where he was mistaken, because everything was perfectly fine until Sungmin tried to go around you and his mother to the other side of the kitchen. He slipped past his mother easily, but when he got to you, his hand pressed against the small of your back, causing you to look up at him. To Soobin it looked like a scene out of a drama where the two main characters meet for the first time. It made his stomach turn.

Soobin watched with dark eyes as you moved out of Sungmin’s way, averting your eyes to help his mother grab a dry towel for her hands. He finally got the gall to speak up, taking a step up to the threshold, “Uh, ________, could you come with me upstairs? I need your help with something.”

The three of you turned at the sound of his voice, and you nodded, handing his mom the towel you were previously using before excusing yourself. You let Soobin take your hand as he led you upstairs, but despite you asking him what he needed, he refused to answer. So, before he could open the bedroom door, you stopped him and asked again what he needed help with.

The last thing you expected was for him to back you into the wall behind you and kiss you abruptly. You were taken so off guard that your body did the only thing it knew how to do which was reciprocate the action, following his lead. You succumbed for a moment before your brain quickly recovered its senses and got you to pull away with your hands on his chest.

“Soobin-” you warned him, watching his desperate eyes turn down from the rejection. Your hands moved from his chest up to his face, cradling his cheeks.

“I’m sorry, I just-,” Soobin was overwhelmed by his internal conflict, not wanting to admit that he was jealous of his brother. But on the other hand, he wasn’t sure what excuse to use, “I-“

“Look, I understand, but I told you we can’t do that here. We’ll get other opportunities, you just have to be patient,” you reminded him gently. He listened to you earnestly, wanting to tell you the real reasoning for his conduct without seeming pathetic. For now, he would have to let you believe what you wanted. He nodded solemnly, apologizing again.

You accepted his apology before taking his hand in yours again, “Come on, let’s get dressed.”

― ― ―

The rest of the day went by smoothly for the most part. Soobin’s parents arranged for them to take Jiwon to a Christmas show in the city for kids, allowing you, Soobin, Heejin, Dohyun, and Sungmin to enjoy some time to yourselves for lunch. The five of you decided to go to a nice restaurant, and you had to admit it was great hanging out with Soobin’s siblings. You felt less pressure to come off as the perfect girlfriend than you did around his parents, and he noticed it. He liked seeing you be more carefree, like a weight was lifted from your shoulders.

Soobin was whispering to you about the cute old couple sitting at a table across from you when Heejin reached over and tapped you to get your attention, “Did you see their waiter?”

You shook your head, “No, why?”

“Watch for him, he’s so handsome. You can tell he works out. His muscles were practically busting out of his sleeves,” she fawned, her husband rolling his eyes and chuckling at her statement beside her.

You then began looking for the waiter in question, not noticing him until a few minutes later. When you caught sight of him and connected the dots that he was the one she was talking about, your mouth slacked in shock. He was handsome, but that was probably an understatement. His muscles were defined and looked almost model-esque under the black polo uniform shirt he wore. Not even just his muscles were attractive though, he had a nice head of brunet hair that was styled in a trendy way that framed his face nicely. And his smile was charming, enough to make the old lady he was serving blush when he spoke to her.

“He is nice looking,” you confirmed to Heejin before looking away, not wanting to stare.

Soobin thought about making a comment about the waiter not being that attractive, but his brother beat him to it, “I don’t see what’s so special about him. He’s got muscles, but that’s about it.”

You and Heejin both looked at him with questioning eyes before she spoke, “Are you kidding me? He could easily be on a magazine cover.”

“If someone told me he was an Instagram model, I wouldn’t think twice,” you backed her statement.

Sungmin merely shrugged, making Dohyun snort, “You’re just mad because you stopped going to the gym and don’t look as good as he does.”

His brother-in-law gave him a pointed look, taking a sip of his drink before replying, “I still work out, just not as much as I used to.”

The two men then started a back and forth that had the rest of you watching in amusement. Sungmin got out his phone to show off pictures of him in the gym recently, his muscles just as defined as the waiter’s. You hadn’t been able to tell because of the loose clothes he had been wearing, but he did look really good in the progress pictures he displayed. Beside you, Soobin felt himself tensing up, getting the urge to snap at his brother to put his phone away. No one wants to see those pictures, he thought to himself.

“Oh, Soobin, I was meaning to ask you, does Yeonjun still work out? I was going to ask him if he wanted to get a membership at my gym so he could be my gym partner,” Sungmin asked his brother, getting your attention as well.

“He does sometimes,” Soobin answered dryly.

“I’ll have to reach out to him soon. That guy was a beast at weightlifting,” Sungmin mused, chuckling to himself as he reached behind you to poke Soobin’s arm, “Not like this little string bean.”

Soobin rolled his eyes, feeling his ears turn pink as he got annoyed with his brother’s teasing. What made it worse was the small laughs you and his sister let out.

“You don’t go to the gym anymore?” his brother asked him.

“No.”

“Well, how do you expect to keep _______ around with no muscles? What if you need to save her from some creep? Can’t beat them up with those noodle arms you’ve got,” his sibling egged him on. At this point Soobin’s fists were clenching in his lap. He bit back every insult that came to mind.

“Soobin’s a lover anyways, not a fighter,” Dohyun defended him, “Remember when those guys in high school kept bullying him? He just ignored them and kept his head high. They left him alone eventually, right?”

Soobin nodded, now feeling embarrassed, “Can we just drop this? I think I’m ready for our check.”

“Our? You’re paying for the table?” his sister asked with a teasing grin.

“No, I’m paying for me and my girlfriend,” Soobin spoke with a tone so full of finality that you didn’t even want to insist paying for yourself. It was obvious he was in one of his moods again.

― ― ―

The Choi family home was quiet as the five of you returned to it after your dinner. Soobin had seemed a bit better, but clingier, leaving his arm interlocked with yours the entire drive back. You didn’t mind, of course, you loved moments like this. Soobin was the type to not really care for little acts of physical affection in public unless he initiated it, so when he did it always felt like a treat for you.

Heejin excitedly invited you to the kitchen to help her bake some cookies for when her parents and Jiwon returned later, so you joined her there. Soobin didn’t want to impede on your girl time, but the thought of being stuck in the living room with Dohyun and Sungmin made him want to lock himself in his room. Well, Dohyun wasn’t really the problem, but Sungmin was.

Soobin’s relationship with his brother was always a little strained, though, so this wasn’t a new thing. Their six-year age gap made it hard for them to be close growing up, and on top of that Soobin was a mama’s boy while Sungmin was closer with their dad. Soobin enjoyed being babied by the women in the family while Sungmin preferred playing sports with the men of the family. They didn’t always see eye to eye and often got into verbal fights.

Sungmin picked on Soobin a lot especially when the latter was going through puberty. As the two of them got older and Sungmin moved out to go to college, they found it easier to get along because they didn’t see each other as often. Yet, Sungmin didn’t seem to change his ways. He was still the annoying big brother who picked on his younger sibling relentlessly. The only difference now was that Soobin didn’t want to put up with it like he did as a kid.

In the kitchen, you and Heejin made yourselves busy, following a recipe she found online to make the cookies. In the living room, the three brothers relaxed onto the couches and recliners. They started talking about their parents and the plans for tomorrow. Soobin brought up how excited Jiwon was going to be to open all his gifts, to which Dohyun agreed.

“Has Heejin been harping on you for another one?” Sungmin asked Dohyun with a sneaky grin, his brother-in-law immediately nodding.

“Yeah, she’s been keeping track of her cycle so we can align everything, but that kind of stuff takes time, y’know.”

“She always said she wanted lots of kids,” Soobin spoke up, “Even when we were younger.”

“Yeah, I know. When she got pregnant with Jiwon she had asked if I wanted to have another one eventually,” Dohyun sighed, “It’s nice though. I like being a dad.”

“And it’s an excuse to get laid multiple times a week, so why not?” Sungmin laughed.

“Come on, dude, that’s our sister,” Soobin gave his brother a disgusted glance, not wanting to discuss his sibling’s sex life.

“It’s true though,” Dohyun smirked to himself, “She wants to do it all the time, and I mean, I can’t complain.”

“Yoona was like that too,” Sungmin mused, “She didn’t want kids, but her sex drive was crazy. None of my exes were like that. She wanted to do it all the time, and she was into some crazy stuff too.”

“Like bondage and shit?” Dohyun asked.

“Yeah, and role play. I’d never done that before her, but she was really into it. Yoona loved when I would call her names and spit on her. She liked it really rough. She wasn’t into love making, it was boring for her.”

“Yeah, slow sex is nice and all, but sometimes you just need to let loose. The girlfriend I had before Heejin never wanted to do anything outside of missionary, and it got old,” Dohyun admitted.

Soobin kept quiet, finding his mind wandering to thoughts he didn’t want to have. He recalled how after the weekend when he lost his virginity, you had asked him if he had any kinks he wanted to explore the next time you two got a chance. He didn’t have any in mind except for handcuffs, but when you tried to put some on him for his birthday it made him uncomfortable. On the widest notch, they were still too tight on his wrists. You had put them on, but you weren’t a fan of being restrained. You wanted to be able to run your hands through his hair and over his body, and he wanted you to do that too. So, the handcuffs were put away to never be touched again, and you two spent the night having sex in missionary. You graciously gave him a blowjob and called it a night. Soobin enjoyed himself and he had assumed you did too, but now he was doubting himself.

Soobin knew you liked it a little rougher than he did, asking to be choked and what not, but that made him nervous. He was nervous to hurt you or do something wrong; sure, that’s what a safe word is for, but he didn’t want you to ever have to use it. But if what his brothers said held any weight, then was there a possibility of you growing bored of Soobin and leaving him? He most definitely didn’t want that.

“Soobin?”

“Hm?” the boy looked up at his brother, looking like he had obviously checked out of their conversation several minutes ago.

“Do you have anything you want to watch?” Sungmin asked, holding up the TV remote. His brother shook his head, finally realizing that they were trying to decide what to put on.

“No, whatever is fine.”

― ― ―

The night of Christmas Eve came to be, ending after a nice dinner and s’mores eaten in the backyard around a fire that Soobin’s dad and Dohyun set up together. Heejin and her family were the first to call it a night again after Jiwon’s sugar-fueled frenzy ended with him falling asleep in his grandmother’s lap, his marshmallow and chocolate-covered face snuggling into the warmth of her coat. Similarly, you were curled up on your boyfriend’s lap, your arms tucked under the flaps of his jacket to hug his waist close. Your cheek rested against his shoulder while his rested on top of your head. You could’ve easily fallen asleep right then and there had his parents not urged you both to get to bed since it was getting late.

So now you were waiting for Soobin to finish his shower. To keep yourself busy, you got ahold of all the presents the two of you brought for your visit, double checking that you had everyone’s. You set them up in the corner of the room by your suitcase, making sure Soobin’s extra gift was still hidden inside of it. Just as you were zipping up the luggage the bathroom door opened, so you tried to act natural.

“I thought you’d be passed out by now,” your boyfriend commented, wiping the dew from his shower off of his face with his towel.

“I wanted to make sure the presents were ready for tomorrow,” you explained, making your way back to the bed where you peeled back the comforter to crawl underneath it. Once you were settled in, you watched Soobin finish up his night routine. You admired his bare back as he brushed his teeth and cleaned his face. He was completely unaware of your eyes on him, so you got to see things you usually wouldn’t. Like the nose scrunch he did as he leaned close to the mirror to inspect his face for blemishes. Or the way he bared his teeth to check that they were squeaky clean after brushing them. He was so cute without even trying.

“I can’t wait for tomorrow,” Soobin’s voice startled you as you were so caught in up looking at him, you hadn’t expected him to talk so suddenly. He turned the bathroom light off before making his way into the bed beside you. His body wiggled close to yours, and his arm made itself comfortable over your waist. “I hope you like the present I got you.”

“It’s from you, so of course I’ll love it,” you smiled, pressing a light kiss to his cheekbone. His eyes closed as you did so, opening to look at you lovingly, “I know you’ll like the present I got you.”

“Oh, do you?” he mused, “You seem so confident. What if I don’t like it?”

Your mouth opened as you feigned offense, “I think I know you well enough to get you something you’ll like for Christmas.”

“I know, baby, I’m only teasing you,” he gave you a kiss on your cheek in return as a sign of apology, “So what did you get me?”

“I’m not telling you,” you snorted, “It would ruin the sentiment.”

“Ah, you’re no fun.”

“Go to sleep,” you poked his cheek gently, allowing him to rest his head against your shoulder after you shut off the bedside lamp. You shared quiet ‘goodnight’s as the room became shrouded in darkness for the night. Secretly, the both of you were thrumming with excitement for the next day, for Christmas to come. If only you two knew what the day had in store.

― ― ―

Christmas morning found the Choi family home awake and bustling at the early hour of 7:35 a.m. Heejin and her family arrived bright and early, her son practically bouncing from how happy he was to be opening presents soon. The family exchanged their usual greetings, getting breakfast ready as they waited for you and Soobin to meet them. Soobin woke up first, immediately smelling the breakfast being made downstairs.

Like the day before, he admired your sleeping form still in the bed beside him, your cheek marked faintly by the pillow it had been resting on all night. He smiled to himself and resisted the urge to snap a picture of you in such a vulnerable state before going into the bathroom to get ready.

You awoke not long after him, again noticing the empty bed with a frown. The expression didn’t stay for long, though, as you heard the flushing of the toilet in the bathroom. He must be getting ready, you thought. I guess I’ll do the same. 

Your sock-covered feet touched the floor, then you were making your way to your luggage to get your outfit for the day. The outfit was planned a week in advance, and it was your first time wearing it as you had saved it for the holiday. You wore a neutral-colored, plaid skirt that matched well with a cream-colored blouse. You were pulling on your last sock just as Soobin emerged from the bathroom, his toothbrush sticking out of the corner of his closed, frothy mouth.

“You couldn’t finish brushing your teeth?” you laughed, standing from the bed and adjusting your skirt on your hips. His eyes were making their way over your body, and you suddenly felt small under his gaze. How could you be dating him for six months and still get butterflies when he looked at you like that? “Stop looking at me like that.”

Soobin’s eyes snapped back up to yours, breaking his trance as he quickly reached up to take the toothbrush out of his mouth. Through the foam of the paste, he managed to barely speak coherently, “Like what?”

“You know what,” you gave him a pointed look, a smile teasing the corner of his lips. He finished up brushing his teeth before stepping back into the bathroom to spit out the paste and wipe his mouth. When he was done, he walked up to you and gave you a big hug. His shirt smelled of him, but the minty smell of his toothpaste wafted over you as well.

“Merry Christmas,” he said, pressing a kiss to your forehead, then your nose, and finally your lips. You enjoyed it for a moment before pulling away which earned you a pout from your boyfriend.

“I didn’t brush my teeth yet,” you defended yourself, trying to put room between the two of you so he wouldn’t smell your morning breath.

“You could at least say it back,” he rolled his eyes, making you laugh.

“Merry Christmas, Soobin.”

“Thank you,” another grin appeared on his lips before he let you go to the bathroom to freshen up. Once you were done, you came back to the room to see him finishing getting dressed. He only had khaki pants and socks on. It seemed he was having trouble picking out a shirt.

“Ah, you’re done. Help me pick out a shirt?” he asked you, looking down at the four garments that were sprawled out on the bed. There was a dark green polo shirt, a white polo shirt, an off-white sweater, and a maroon turtleneck, “I want to match you.”

Your heart swelled at his comment, and you pointed at the sweater, “That one matches.”

Soobin nodded, taking the other options and putting them back in his suitcase before picking up the sweater and pulling it over his head. You couldn’t help but take the opportunity to admire his wide shoulders, bare torso, and finally his thin waist. The bottom of the sweater fell to a stop at his hips, causing you to look back up at his beautiful face instead of his body.

“Ready?”

“Ready.”

The two of you made your way downstairs, the sounds of the family talking filling the house as well as Christmas music quietly playing from somewhere inside. Soobin took your hand, leading you into the dining room where the family was beginning to eat their breakfast. The meal went as usual with Jiwon excitedly rambling to anyone who would listen and the rest of the adults talking. Soobin was so enamored by Jiwon gushing to his grandfather about the big present Santa left at his house that he almost missed the way Sungmin examined you while you were busy talking to Heejin.

His eyes “subtly” waved over your outfit the way Soobin’s had, though his attention paused over your blouse a little longer than Soobin liked. Your boyfriend glared at his brother and inwardly thanked his mother for asking him a question that finally pulled his gaze away from you.

After breakfast was done and the dishes were being picked up, Jiwon begged and begged to open his gifts. Once the dining room was cleaned up, you and Soobin went back upstairs to grab the presents and met everyone back in the living room. Soobin took it upon himself to have you sit as close to him as possible at the edge of the sofa, leaving no room for anyone to sit beside you. You took his guidance as him merely wanting to sit with you, and you completely missed the pointed glance he gave his unaware brother from across the room.

“Alright, Jiwon, how about we all look in our stockings first?” Heejin suggested, going to the fireplace where six stockings were hung up. She pulled the first one down, handing it to her son before grabbing the next one and handing that one to her husband. The next one was hers, so she skipped it and handed the next one to Sungmin. As she went back to grab hers, Soobin stood up to grab the last two. He held out the one in his left hand to you, making you look up at him in confusion.

“Here, this one’s yours,” he said.

A mix of emotions flurried through you as you realized just how special you felt in that moment. Soobin’s family accepted you as apart of them enough to get you a stocking, and it made your heart splutter with happiness. You had never felt so loved by a family that wasn’t your own. It was endearing.

Your eyebrows went up and your eyes were comparable to a puppy, you reached out and accepted the stocking, making sure to thank his parents for including you.

“Of course, dear, you’re a part of the family now,” his mother smiled, urging everyone to look inside them. The time for stockings came to an end as Sungmin wanted to give the first gift to Jiwon.

Everyone took turns gift giving; Jiwon was so excited to play with all his new toys that he took a corner of the living room for himself to roll out the toy-car track he got from his grandparents. He spent the next hour or so playing with his dad and grandfather, laughing happily. Sungmin was appreciating the cocktail shaker set that he was gifted by his sister and brother-in-law. Soobin picked up the box with your gift in it, handing it to you to open. You did the same, offering the gift you got for him. After the exchange, you began opening them.

You peeled off the wrapping paper to reveal that the small box was black and sleek, with a familiar, swirly, silver design printed on the top. It was the logo of a jewelry brand you had seen before. With eager eyes, you opened the top and removed the protective padding. A flat, heart-shaped pendant sat in the middle with the letter ‘S’ engraved on it. It was dainty and simple, just how you liked your jewelry to be. You picked it up to get a better look at it when you noticed there was an inscription on the back of it as well. ‘Yours, always’

“Do you like it?”

You looked up to see Soobin had stopped opening his gift to watch you open yours. You nodded fervently, “I told you I’d love it.”

His eyes turned into crescents as he smiled, relieved. You urged him to keep opening his gift, so he did.

The box underneath the wrapping paper was similar in size to the one he gave you, as was the sleek design on the top. He quickly recognized it as a different jewelry company. With the top of the box out of the way he could see a bracelet nestled inside—no, two bracelets. Each one had half of a heart pendant on them that was currently together to make a full heart. When he picked up the first bracelet there was a slight pull before it disconnected from the second one, the heart breaking in half.

“I know it’s kind of cheesy, but I thought it would be cute to get a matching set . . .” you admitted sheepishly.

“It’s not cheesy,” he seemed offended that you would suggest it, his pouty lips becoming more apparent as he frowned from your comment, “I think they’re adorable.”

“Can you put my necklace on for me?” you asked him, holding it up. His face lit up before he nodded. His fingers carefully disconnected the ends of it to slip it around your neck and clasp it behind you. You took the extra bracelet out of the box, slipping it over your wrist before adjusting it to fit comfortably. Soobin mirrored your action, excitement covering his entire face as he held his wrist next to yours to watch the heart pieces magnetically connect. He looked almost as happy as Jiwon was for his presents.

― ― ―

Christmas day was drawing quickly to an end after a long day of festivities. Lunch time was full of delicious holiday foods and followed by treats that Heejin had baked. Sungmin offered to make the adults drinks with his new cocktail shaker set and whatever alcoholic beverages and mixers he could find in the house. Multiple drinks were consumed and after playing with a little one all afternoon, the grandparents decided to take naps. Jiwon was busy playing by himself, so the rest of you lounged around watching Christmas movies.

Dinner time came and went as everyone feasted on the leftovers before ending back up in the living room, seemingly in food comas.

Like clockwork, Jiwon was the first to fall asleep, curled up on his grandfather’s recliner with the stuffed bear that Soobin had gifted him tucked in his grasp. Soobin’s parents insisted that Heejin and Dohyun stay the night since they had been drinking, so sleeping arrangements were being discussed.

“They can take the pull-out couch,” Sungmin suggested, earning a confused look from his mother.

“Then where will you sleep?”

“Do you still have that futon?”

“Yes, it’s in the coat closet upstairs.”

“Then I’ll take that and sleep in the office,” he shrugged.

Heejin double-checked with him that it would be okay to take his spot on the couch, but he was persistent. With the sleep arrangements determined, everyone bid their goodnights and drifted to their parts of the house. Soobin’s parents and his sister’s family remained downstairs while Sungmin followed you and Soobin upstairs.

“I guess I’ll go unroll the futon,” he groaned, “That thing was uncomfortable ten years ago, I can’t imagine it now.”

You laughed, putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder, “You might be better off on the floor at that point.”

Soobin watched his tipsy brother’s eyes gaze over your touch and up to your eyes, a lazy grin appearing on his face as he agreed with you. It made Soobin’s jaw tighten and his fist clench. Without thinking, he reached out to grab your free hand, tugging you closer to him. The action made your hand fall away from his brother and your head turn to look at him curiously.

“It’s just one night. You’ll be fine,” Soobin said curtly, “Goodnight.”

Like Sungmin, you were dumbfounded by your boyfriend’s bluntness, but he simply responded with a ‘goodnight’ before ambling off to the office at the opposite end of the hall. You followed Soobin to your room, waiting until he let go of your hand and the door was closed behind the two of you to speak.

“Okay, what’s your problem?”

Your boyfriend didn’t look at you. Instead, he kept walking to his side of the bed, picking up his phone, “Nothing.”

“Bullshit, Soobin. You’ve been acting weird on and off since we got here,” you said, crossing your arms over your chest. As much as Soobin hated you seeing him act like this, a part of him was hoping you’d notice. You were right, he was acting weird, but for a reason. He didn’t like your attention on his brother and vice versa. If he could only get your attention by behaving differently, then so be it.

“I’m going to take a shower.”

He went around the room, picking up a change of clothes to change into before going into the bathroom and closing the door behind him. You sighed in frustration and made your way to the bed, sitting at the edge of it. The behavior Soobin was exhibiting reminded you too much of the time you found out he was a virgin, only this time it was obvious he was avoiding you, not because he was embarrassed but because he was annoyed. The thing is you weren’t sure why he would be annoyed. Did you do something wrong? Did you say something that upset him? Nothing came to mind, but you would only be able to wonder until he told you what was bothering him.

So, you waited for him to come out of the bathroom, and finally, after a good thirty minutes, the door cracked open. Your boyfriend averted eye contact with you, keeping his attention on everything but you, and you weren’t having it.

“Soobin, can you just tell me what’s wrong?”

“I told you, noth-“

“And I told you, I’m not buying it,” you cut him off, causing him to stop in his tracks at the end of the bed, “Did I do or say something that upset you?”

Oh no, he thought. She thinks I’m mad at her?

Not once did he consider that you would misunderstand him like this, but he guessed it made sense. The sudden irritation and snappy comments he made. If you acted that way towards him with seemingly no reason, then he’d be nervous, too.

No, surely she saw the way Sungmin looked at her.

“No,” he shook his head.

You got up from the bed, meeting him at the end of it, “Then can you tell me what’s bothering you? Please?”

Soobin looked into your concerned eyes and felt defeated. I guess now is the time to admit I’m jealous of my brother.

“Sungmin,” he answered, “Sungmin is my problem. Always has been, probably always will be.”

Your eyebrows furrowed, your head shaking slightly, “What did Sungmin do?”

Soobin scoffed, looking at you as if you told him some cruel joke, “Are you serious? You haven’t seen the way he’s been looking at you? You haven’t heard the way he talks about me?”

“Looking at me?” you asked, your head tilting as you pried for more information. You were so lost.

“Please,” he looked down at you with a glimpse of annoyance. He didn’t understand how you could be so oblivious, “He’s been eyeing you ever since we got here. He makes jokes about me at my expense to humiliate me in front of you. It didn’t help that the two of you hit it off so well on our first night here.“

Your shoulders slumped as he let out his exasperation, but a part of you felt the need to assure yourself. You were innocent, after all, “But you’re not mad at me, though?”

“No,” he shook his head, his eyebrows scrunching as if he were hurt by the insinuation, “Not mad, just . . . hurt. Sungmin has always tried to make me feel inferior to him in every aspect. For once, I had one thing that he didn’t. You. The one thing I was sure he couldn’t take away. Seeing the two of you getting along made me insecure, like maybe there was a chance he could take you from me.”

You took in every word he said, each one like a dagger to your heart. You had no idea he felt this way. His eyes refused to meet yours and his hands were occupied with his outfit from today in them. Your own hands reached up to grab the clothes out of his grasp, tossing them by your suitcases. One hand took his in its grip while the other caressed his cheek, “You could never lose me. Why would you even feel insecure? You’re perfect. I tell you that all the time.”

You pouted, making him smile lightly at your cute expression. He sighed before he shook his head.

“Sungmin always had girlfriends growing up, and I didn’t. I was tall and scrawny; he was big and buff. At lunch yesterday, you and Heejin were talking about how hot the waiter was and I don’t look anything like him or Sungmin. You and Sungmin seemed to share a lot of interests and got along well. I felt like maybe I wasn’t what you really wanted.”

“I’m sorry, baby. I can assure you that I never once thought about Sungmin or the waiter in an inappropriate way. You’re the only man I have eyes for. You’re the only one I love.”

Soobin didn’t realize how tense he was until your hand went from his cheek to the back of his neck. The touch instantly soothed him, making his muscles relax. He leaned forward until his forehead was against yours, a content smile on his face.

“I love you, too,” he replied, his heart racing as you kissed him. The kiss was short and sweet, but that didn’t stop his hands from resting on your waist and the small of your back. It didn’t stop his body from flushing with heat as he realized how close you were to him, or how much closer he wanted you to be.

A small noise emitted from the back of his throat as your teeth gently captured his lower lip in their grip. As you pulled away, you giggled at his glossy, yearning eyes, “I just realized our gifts to each other were perfect. They’re reminders that we belong to each other. I’m yours, and you’re mine.”

Soobin practically melted at the sentiment. His eyes bore into yours, but you were busy admiring the jewelry adorning your wrists between you. He stared at the pendant around your neck with his initial on it, reminding him that you were the love of his life.

Something inside of him was consuming him, urging him to act on his desires even though he was very much aware that this wasn’t the best place for it. Still, he found his self-control was weak in your presence, so he leaned in for another, more tender kiss. This kiss had drive and meaning to it, like he wanted to prove your words through actions.

For a moment you felt yourself slipping into his fervor, returning the kiss with just as much determination. But that responsible part of you nagged that this wasn’t the place or time. So, you regretfully started to pull away again, causing him to whine.

“Soobin-“

“I know. I know, but- Please, I need you. It’s been so long,” his chest was starting to move with bated breaths as his hands stayed put on your hips, as if he was keeping you from slipping away.

“I know, baby, but we can’t. We promised your mom we would be on our best behavior. And I would die if your parents heard us,” you admitted, the thought making your nerves go haywire. If his parents heard the two of you having sex, you were certain you would never recover from the embarrassment and shame. You wouldn’t be able to look them in the eyes ever again, “Not even just your parents, but your whole family. Your brother is literally down the hall.”

For some reason, the idea of his brother hearing him fuck the shit out of you made his hair stand on end. Maybe that’s the reminder Sungmin needed to finally get the hint and leave the two of you alone . . .

“We can be quiet,” he remarked, though it seemed he was trying to convince himself instead of you, “Besides, these walls are thick. Sungmin won’t hear us. As for my parents, their room is downstairs on the opposite side of the house, there’s no way they’ll hear anything from up here.”

You rolled your eyes, trying to stand your ground, but it was proving to be difficult. If there was one thing you hated about dating Soobin it was how weak he made you. From his pouty lips to his big, round eyes to his whiny voice, it all made it so hard to deny him. And honestly, the way your body was reacting, you didn’t want to.

“I’m serious,” he continued, “One time when we were little, we broke a lamp up here while we were looking through Heejin’s stuff and our parents never heard it. We’ll be fine.”

Your resolve was quickly slipping away, and he could see it, because a teeny tiny smirk was creeping onto the corner of his lips as he realized he got you—hook, line, and sinker.

You had to admit, as much as the idea of having sex in his family home made you nervous, it was also kind of . . . exciting. You had never done something so risky before, and it thrilled you.

“Just kiss me,” you sighed, pulling on his belt loops to bring him closer. He didn’t hesitate to obey, his full lips capturing yours easily. They moved so swiftly, mirroring his hands that were on the small of your back. His fingertips skimmed over your hips until they were at the hem of your shirt, sneaking underneath them to touch your skin. The sensation tickled, making you shiver. Soobin loved the affect he had on you.

It wasn’t until Soobin’s back bumped against the wall behind him that you realized the two of you had been moving. The bump caused a startled groan to come from his parted lips, making you giggle. His fingers dipped under the edge of your skirt, touching the cotton material of your underwear. That’s when you suddenly remembered the second gift you had been saving for him. You were waiting until you two left his parent’s, but you couldn’t think of a better time than now to give it to him.

Soobin’s wide eyes looked at you in puzzlement as you pulled away, his petulant mouth making your heart skip a beat. He watched you with curiosity as you bent down over your suitcase, unzipping it and pulling out a small gift bag. There was no brand or design indicating where it was from, so he was left wondering what could possibly be inside. You held the bag out to him, telling him to open it. He noted the glint of excitement in your eyes before he pulled the tissue paper out from the top, his fingers digging in to feel a foreign material. The gift felt rough, thin, flimsy, like a small piece of clothing. When his hand protruded from the bag, a pair of lingerie was in his large grasp, the cherry red lace hanging over his palm with the tag still attached to it.

“Should I go put it on now?” you asked, looking up at him not-so-innocently through your eyelashes. You held back a chuckle as his Adam’s apple bobbed underneath the skin of his throat and he nodded.

“Y-yes,” he basically panted, feeling as though his body was buzzing. He let you slip the garments out of his hand as you reached up to press a kiss against his lips. Then, he was left dumbfounded, watching you saunter into the bathroom and close the door behind you to change. While he tried to calm his breathing, he was becoming painfully aware of the throbbing between his legs. He looked down to see a tent forming under his khakis and his head fell back. There was no way he was lasting long with the way things were going.

Only another minute passed before the bathroom door cracked open and you were shyly walking out, fighting back the urge to cover yourself with your arms. Soobin stopped pacing to look at you, his eyes shamelessly motioning over your body. The red lace hugged you in all the right places and was just see-through enough to leave some things to the imagination while also driving him insane. His tongue darted out to coat his lips and stop any drool from escaping at the sight. For fuck’s sake, you’ve seen her naked before, why are you getting so worked up? he thought to himself.

But this was so much different. He had never seen a woman in lingerie up close like this; it was mesmerizing.

“You look . . . “ his sentence trailed off as he walked over to you, almost too afraid to touch you. You looked like something out of a magazine. Unreal, “You look gorgeous.”

Your cheeks felt like they were on fire, nearly as hot as the space between your thighs, which was practically begging to be soothed, “Thank you.”

“Of course,” he spoke without thinking, his eyes trained on the way your breasts were pushed up with the pressure of the bra holding them. If his self-control were any worse, he would’ve ripped it off of you already, but his body was almost frozen in shock. He didn’t know what to do with himself.

“Can you just touch me already?” you whimpered, your thighs pressing together under his gaze.

Your boyfriend’s lust-filled eyes met yours, but there were too many thoughts running through his mind to pinpoint one, “What do I, uh- What do you want me to do first?”

“I don’t care,” you got close to him, wetting your lips as you moved him near the bed, “Anything. Everything. I’m all yours to play with. Just use me the way you want to.”

Of all the dirty things he’s ever heard come out of your mouth, those words caused a deep, visceral reaction in him. I’m all yours to play with. Just use me the way you want to. Goosebumps erupted all over his arms as his brain turned to mush. He felt as if he could bust in his pants right then and there.

“Are you sure?” he asked, your lips ghosting against yours. His breath was warm and inviting, tasting slightly of the chocolate candies his mother had given to them shortly before they turned in for the night.

“Absolutely.”

Now, Soobin didn’t consider himself the type to take charge in your relationship, or even in general. It just wasn’t in his nature. You were the one who made plans that he went along with. For the most part, you initiated the physical affection you two shared. The kisses, the hand holding, the sex. Soobin was merely there to enjoy everything you offered him, and he liked it that way. Some would say he was submissive.

But with the way you were acting now, it’s almost like something inside of him switched. He didn’t want to lay back and receive. He wanted to be the one in command.

“Get on your knees for me,” the words rolled of his tongue before he could stop himself. He had shocked himself, so he followed with an uttered, “Please.”

You didn’t hear the second part, you were too busy sinking onto your knees, the tender flesh finding the hardwood floor uncomfortable. But you were so desperate to please him that you didn’t care. You could bare the discomfort for a few minutes if it meant the both of you could get some satisfaction from it.

“Do you want me to suck you off, baby?” you asked, looking up at him with the most sultry eyes he’d ever witnessed. It felt like a sin to see you in such a compromising position.

He couldn’t muster up the words, so he nodded eagerly, already reaching for the belt around his waist. You sat back and watched him undress his lower half, subconsciously gnawing at the skin of your lip as he unveiled his beautiful erection.

With his pants and briefs around his ankles, you sat back up on your knees and gripped the base of him in your right hand. The smallest of sighs escaped his pink, parted lips. You did what you knew he loved which was peppering sweet kisses along his length, spreading them out over his sensitive, red, veiny skin. The final kiss was placed against his tip, where you felt the tiniest dribble of precum leaking. Wanton whimpers spilled from him as your mouth suckled at his head, your hand teasingly squeezing the rest of him.

“You have to be quiet if you want me to keep going,” you warned him, though the way you looked up at him didn’t help. How could he not moan when you looked so pretty just for him and with his dick in your mouth?

Nonetheless, Soobin nodded, choking back a drawn-out whine that threatened to release when you slowly took as much of him as you could into your mouth. He had to peel his eyes away from your lips enveloping his erection until you couldn’t take it anymore. His hands shook at his side, not knowing what to do with themselves. That’s when he remembered what you had said. Just use me the way you want to. He wanted to do just that.

Your boyfriend looked back down to see you pumping the base of his erection as you bobbed your head to take the rest of it. A shiver went down his back as he put his thoughts into motion. His fingers reached up to comb your hair away from your face, letting him get a better view of the sinful things you were doing to him. With your hair pulled away and into his fist, he carefully twisted the locks and tugged on them. Your lips parted as you let out a small moan against his tip, your tongue laving the tender skin. The action caught you off guard, but you loved every second of it. You prayed he would do it again, and your prayers were answered. You took him in your mouth again until his tip hit the back of your throat, making you gag a little bit. Soobin couldn’t handle the sight of the drool and precum leaking from the corners of your lips, so he pulled gently on your hair again. You relaxed, his dick falling out of your mouth followed by the both of you whining from the loss.

“Am I doing good, Bin?” you asked innocently, pressing another kiss to his tip as you took him in your hand again.

“So good, baby,” he panted quietly, “I’m gonna c- ah . . . cum soon.”

You stifled a giggle as you continued to suckle his head before saying, “Okay, my love. Where do you want to cum?”

Soobin was so wrapped up in the euphoric pleasure that was your hands and lips that he hadn’t even considered where he wanted to finish. Your breasts were always his first thought, but he had done that the most. He wanted to try something different. He looked down at you, picturing his semen decorating your pretty face. Just the imagery in his head alone was enough to make his cock twitch in your grasp.

“Your face,” he said, his hand caressing your cheek as the other gave your hair another tug.

The opposing actions, caring and dominating, had the space between your thighs pooling with desire. You wanted his cum so bad. You didn’t care where it went.

Your hand went to work pumping him as your tongue gave the underneath of his head some love, kitty licking the area that drove him crazy. The entire time you kept eye contact with him, his eyes getting more and more droopy the closer he got. Anytime now . . .

Soobin had to catch his lip in between the grit of his teeth to keep himself from moaning out your beautiful name. Rope after rope of his silky white seed spewed from him, falling onto your face. Your cheek and lips were the main victims, but as he twitched some landed just below your eye. You closed your eyes and relished in the warmth decorating your skin. Soobin’s knees nearly buckled at the obscenity before him, and he was almost convinced he would cum again from looking at it. When your tongue ran along the seams of your lips to collect as much as you could, he tried not to have a heart attack.

Your hand went from his dick to your face, scraping up the liquid to feed it between your lips where you wanted it. Soobin abruptly left to the bathroom, leaving you confused on your knees. You heard the faucet turn on and then off and he returned with a wet hand towel. Without a word, he stood in front of you again, leaning down to wipe the residue of him off of your skin. He concentrated on cleaning you, completely unaware of the way you were making heart eyes at him. You were falling deeper in love with him by the second.

When he caught your eyes observing him, he remembered all the other things that he wanted to do to you. He pressed a loving kiss to your lips, pulling away all too soon to keep the both of you from getting carried away, “Lay down on the bed for me.”

You moved into action, taking his helping hand as you got up from the floor and onto the bed. Soobin went to the bathroom to toss the towel on the counter before returning to you, still recovering a bit from his orgasm. Now it was your turn, and he had no plans of being gentle with you.

You lied on your back naively, looking over the red imprints on your knees from sitting on them. Soobin’s large hands covered them, massaging the aching skin before leaning down and pressing kisses to each one. A smile made its way to your lips only to immediately be replaced with a gasp. Soobin’s hands had run down your legs from your knees to your ankles, pulling them so that you were at the edge of the bed with him standing between your legs. He looked down at you with a smirk that was hiding laughter behind it as he reached up and captured your face in his hands.

His lips and tongue felt like heaven against your own, but it was his hands caressing your body that made your nerves buzz with electricity. It was the way his hands paused to cup his favorite part of you—your breasts. You were almost certain you heard a mewl get caught in the back of his throat as his fingers skimmed over your nipples through the lace of your bra.

You expected his hands to keep moving south, to the place you wanted him the most, but his hand went back up your chest only stopping when he got to your throat. His fingers fell into that familiar position right below your jaw, the pads of his fingertips barely pressing into the divots of your skin. He knew your weaknesses like the back of his big, strong, veiny hand.

“Please fuck me, Soobin,” you begged him, your hands gripping at the material of his sweater which you were now wondering why it was still on him.

“I will, baby, be patient,” he cooed against your cheek before pressing a sweet kiss to it. He let you pull his sweater over his head for him and toss it to the side.

Soobin got onto his own knees in front of you, taking a moment to admire the way you looked at him while his hands massaged your thighs. The skin seemed to get softer the higher he went, and your legs moved on their own, spreading for him. The thin, red lace was the only thing stopping him from going down on you. His fingers extended out to the hem and tugging on them. With your eager assistance he managed to slip them down your thighs and eventually off of you.

With you bare in front of him, he couldn’t contain the pathetic moan that left his lips and made you chuckle. His hands maneuvered themselves under your thighs so that he could open them more and place himself in the middle. His cheeks tickled the inside of your thighs as he leaned in, not yet touching or kissing you the way you wanted him to. No, he simply enjoyed the smell of you, waiting for him to do anything and everything. Your thighs shifted in his hold restlessly, the feeling of his warm breath against you making you fidgety.

“You’re so impatient,” he remarked, his dark eyes looking up at your desperate ones as he finally moved forward and licked between your slippery folds. Before you could stop yourself, the loudest moan you had made until then fumbled over your lips. Your hand flew to your mouth, covering it as a reminder to be quiet. Soobin laughed lightly at your reaction.

“It’s not funny,” you mumbled, now lying completely on your back.

“That’s it, baby, just lie down,” his words were quiet and way too gentle for the way he began to devour you. His supple, pouty lips were moving so fluidly against you, kissing you and collecting your juices as they went. His tongue covered any piece of you it could, but mostly paid attention to your clit which had your thighs tensing and your toes curling. His lips curled into a smile when he realized you were getting close, and he put as much focus as possible into sending you over the edge.

“Oh my god, you’re so good at this,” you whispered, but really wanting to scream it at the top of your lungs. Soobin could feel himself getting hard again just from the noises you made and the words you spoke. If only you knew what you do to him.

Your orgasm snuck up on you faster than you expected, making your leg jump from the impact of it. Soobin’s hand held it tight, keeping it in place as he continued to lick you through your high. The sweet taste of your cum dripped onto his tongue, and he welcomed it. In fact, he dove in for more. His hands around your thighs continued to grip you.

The threshold from your orgasm to overstimulation was a little thicker than Soobin’s but it hit you just as hard. Heat flashed across your body and your thighs began vibrating.

“Soobin, it-“ you panted like a dog, your back arching off of the sheets. Your hands reached down to his head, your fingers threading into his black hair. You gave the tresses a gentle tug in an effort to back him off, but he was determined. His suckling lips were holding onto your clit with purpose, and that was to give you the best two orgasms he could, “Soobin, it’s t-too much.”

“Do you want me to stop, baby?”

Yes. No.

“I-“

Another loud moan began in your throat, and his hand made its way up to your chin. The next thing you knew, long, slender fingers were being stuffed between your lips as they stifled your noises. This was new, and you loved it.

Your tongue laved around his digits like they were candy, your plush lips vibrating against his knuckles as you moaned quietly this time. Your second orgasm washed over you much more gently than the first one. But it was way more exhilarating.

Soobin grunted as he watched you suck on his fingers, the sight so erotic he thought he might cum from it, “You’re so fucking hot.”

His lips pressed a chaste kiss against your apex before he stood up, carefully pulling you into a sitting position again. He then found comfort in kissing you until he couldn’t breathe. It wasn’t until his wet fingers were skimming over your shoulder that he realized your bra was still on. His hands moved from your shoulders to the top of the garment, dipping under the edges to free your nipples.

Your breasts. Sigh. He would admire them for forever and a day if you let him. But for now, kissing and touching them would suffice. You quickly reached behind your back to unhook the clasp and let the garment fall away from you. Once it was off, you tossed it to meet his discarded clothes and your matching underwear.

Your boyfriend shook his head, “Maybe I should teach you to be more patient. You could use a lesson in that.”

Neither of you were used to him speaking like this when you had sex, but you both respectively decided that you liked it. In fact, you could get used to it.

A pout puckered your lips together in response, making him shake his head again with a small laugh, “Don’t act all innocent now. You do need to be more patient. And who would be better to teach you than me? Huh?”

Your doe eyes looked up at him like he was a dream.

“Answer me, baby.”

His tone wasn’t demanding or harsh in any way, but the way he said it made you not want to defy him regardless. He was clearly trying out this new, dominant side of him, and you were enjoying it.

“You, Soobin.”

“And why am I the best teacher for you?” he asked, his voice softer than before, like he was genuinely curious. His hand reached up and grasped your chin delicately, his thumb stroking your face.

“Because you’re the only one for me,” you answered honestly, “I’m all yours.”

Melting. That’s what it felt like. Like Soobin’s heart was melting. But elsewhere, his loins were on fire.

An animalistic growl emitted from deep in his chest as he guided your face to his again. Lips locked in a passionate kiss.

“That’s right,” he muttered into the skin under your ear, the urge to mark you there growing by the second, “You’re mine, _______.”

“Always.”

Even though it wasn’t a question, you nodded. Maybe it was to reassure him or just to agree, you weren’t sure. You couldn’t think straight. The only thing you could think about was how badly you wanted him to fuck you. Little did you know he was thinking the exact same thing.

I’m all yours to play with.

Your words echoed in his head like a mantra. A startled noise spilled from your lips as Soobin gripped your naked hips, “I want you to ride me.”

You were so horny you would agree to almost anything he wanted. You nodded, scooting back on the bed to give him room to lay down, his ebony hair resting against the pillows underneath him. Cowgirl was his favorite position; that you were fully aware of. Yet you still found it so attractive the way he looked up at you through half-lidded eyes as you climbed onto his lap. His now fully re-erect length was tucked underneath you, your heat making his hips want to buck up into it.

Your knees pressed into the sheets on either side of Soobin’s waist and your hands rested against the faint outline of abs he displayed. His dick felt amazing against your folds as you slowly drug your hips back and forth. The pure arousal between your legs coated him, causing him to become wet and precum to start leaking from him once again.

“Wait,” you stopped your movements completely, looking at Soobin who stared back at you with concern and puzzlement in his eyes, “We don’t have any condoms.”

For a moment you felt your chest deflate of hope, but you quickly recovered. After all, you have been on birth control . . .

“I don’t mind if you don’t,” you shrugged, the tension between you growing thicker.

You swore you saw his eyes gloss over for a second at the idea of him fucking you raw, and honestly it was so hot, “Ar-are you sure?”

“Yes,” you had never nodded so quickly in your life, “Who knows, maybe having your kids wouldn’t be such a bad thing.”

You made the comment as a joke, and even though Soobin laughed along with you, his dick twitched at the idea of you pregnant with his child. What has gotten into me? he thought to himself.

After too much teasing and just the right amount of self-control that kept you from begging him to continue—you really were practicing being patient—he finally reached between the two of you. He took his bare dick, waiting as you sat up fully before feeding it between your lips. It had been over two weeks since the last time you two had sex, and you always got butterflies during this part. Soobin wasn’t huge, but he was definitely bigger than most. You sucked in a sharp breath as you slowly sunk down onto him.

You mumbled under your breath, “Oh my god.”

“Holy fu- . . .” he exhaled.

All of those people were right, Soobin thought. It’s one hundred percent better without a condom. He could feel every ridge of your warm insides, and it felt like the closest thing to what he imagined heaven being.

You leaned forward, bracing your hands on his shoulders as you started to rock your hips back and forth. His cock pulled almost all the way out, until his tip was the only thing inside of you, before you moved back and enveloped him again. A steady and gratifying rhythm began with your hips meeting his and pretty soon you were losing yourself to the pleasurable feeling. Your lower lip was virtually caged between your teeth, biting back any loud noises that threatened to escape.

Below you, Soobin couldn’t keep his eyes off of you. The way your eyebrows furrowed in pleasure. The way your lip twitched when he filled you up just right. The way your necklace shifted around your neck. The way your boobs vaguely shook with each movement. Which reminded him . . . You wanted him to play with you, right? Say less.

His large hands captured your breasts, moulding them as if they were his own personal stress toys. He gently squeezed and massaged the flesh, stopping only to tweak your nipples between his fingertips. A tiny squeak of pain mixed with pleasure got stuck in your throat, making Soobin smirk.

“Does that hurt, baby?”

You shook your head, your pace quickening as you felt that familiar twisting feeling in your gut coming on, “No. No, it feels amazing.”

“Mm,” he hummed, his lips parting as he did it again, this time a little harder. His fingers took your nipples in their grip and twisted, making a whimper fall off your tongue even louder than before, “Shh, baby. If you keep making noise we’ll have to stop, remember?”

Your head nodded, but your mind was elsewhere, only half-listening to him. You were getting too close to your release to give him your full attention.

Soobin’s tongue slid over his lower lip, watching you lose yourself. As much as he wanted to cum in you like this, he didn’t want the moment to end quite yet.

“Please tell me you’re close,” you whined in a hushed tone.

“Almost.”

Your head lolled back in agony. Your thighs were starting to burn and the aches lingering from your two previous orgasms didn’t help. Soobin could tell you were getting weaker, so he decided to help you speed up the process. He put his thumb between his lips, letting enough saliva bubble up between the puffy pink skin to wet his finger. He then put it between your bodies, finding your clit after a few seconds of searching for it. Your body shivered from his touch, and your knees shifted as you began to ride him with more vigor than before.

“Soobin, I’m not gonna last much longer. Are you almost there?” you asked again, stabilizing your hands on his knees behind you. At this pace you were bound to explode at any second.

“Don’t worry about me, baby. Just cum.”

And you did just that.

Soobin’s lips were frozen in an open position, somehow still shocked by how hot you were when you orgasmed despite experiencing this a handful of times before. Your eyes were screwed together, and a quiet moan squeaked through your lips. Your fingers gripped the flesh of his knees behind you, making Soobin’s legs shake from the pain.

“R-red.”

Soobin hadn’t realized his thumb was still rubbing your clit until you were stuttering the safe word, one of your hands flying between your legs to pull it away. Your boyfriend apologized, moving the thumb back to your hip where he stroked the skin tenderly. Your hand rested against his happy trail, feeling his stomach shift with each ragged breath he took.

“You didn’t finish,” you mumbled, your eyes still closed.

“I know,” his eyes twinkled up at your beautiful face as your eyes opened and your gaze finally met his, “You’ve still got one more in you, don’t you?”

He chuckled when he noticed your subtle gulp of indecision.

“Come on, just one more,” he used the one thing he knew you couldn’t resist. His pout. Your eyes drifted to his uniquely pointed, supple lips, and he could’ve sworn he felt you clench around him, “I’ll take good care of you after, okay? Promise.”

“Okay,” you nodded, redistributing your weight as he sat up with you still on his lap. With him still seated inside of you, you wound your arms around his shoulders, pulling him in for a passionate kiss that had your head spinning—then again, it could have just been the multiple orgasms he just gave you. His own arms encircled your waist, pulling you as close to him as possible.

You didn’t know what you were expecting, but it wasn’t Soobin picking you up off his lap and spinning the two of you so that you were under him on the mattress. A gasp left you as your head hit the pillows and Soobin got himself comfortable between your hips again, having been removed during the shift. You suddenly felt so empty, and you hated it.

“Just one more, and then we’re done,” he whispered against your neck before suckling the skin, intending to leave a nice hickey.

“I know you want me to be patient, Soobin, but I need you to fuck me,” you sighed, your fingers threading through his silky hair.

Your boyfriend softly laughed in your ear as his lips pressed a kiss against the shell of it, “I will. I’ll fuck you so good you won’t remember anyone’s name but mine.”

You clenched around nothing, your thighs shifting around his hips. You ached for him, and he knew it.

Soobin distracted you with kisses all over your face and neck that when his erection was entering you, you were taken completely off guard. A loud whimper left you before you could stop it, and Soobin shook his head, “Shhh. Be quiet or I’ll have to make you be quiet. You don’t want that, do you, baby?”

He expected you to shake your head, but instead he got your hazy eyes looking back at him as if his suggestion were a treat. He especially didn’t expect your walls to tighten around him after he said it.

“You want me to shut you up?” he asked with a smirk tugging at his lips, “You want me to shove my fingers back in your filthy mouth? Huh?”

You were practically on cloud nine at this point as you nodded, “Yes, please.”

“And you used your manners,” he marveled as he started thrusting shallowly into you. You bit back every noise you wanted to make. You were doing so good for him, and you didn’t want to fuck up now, “Good girl.”

Another moan almost escaped you, but you swallowed it back before it could erupt. This couldn’t get any better, you thought. But it did.

Soobin’s right hand secured his position over you, gripping the bed beside you for security. The other reached up to your face, his thumb rubbing over your messy, slightly swollen lips. You immediately parted them for him to put his fingers in, and he smiled at your impatience. I’ll let it slide, since you look so hot right now.

His index and middle finger slipped past your lips, sliding over your tongue with ease. You closed your mouth around him, humming in satisfaction at the feeling of being full in two places. He started to match the pace of his fingers to his cock, sliding both slowly but with purpose. You felt his fingertips kiss the back of your throat just as you felt his tip kiss your cervix. You were in paradise.

“You’re doing so good, _______,” he kissed your ear, his breath tickling it, “You look so pretty, all for me. My pretty little slut. Isn’t that right, baby?”

Slut? Your head was spinning again. You’ve been waiting for this for so long.

You nodded in agreement, muttering against his fingers, “Mhmm.”

“Who does this mouth belong to?” he whispered, making your heart skip a beat.

He took his fingers out of your mouth just enough for you to speak, “You, Soobin.”

“And who does this pussy belong to?”

It felt like he was speaking a foreign language. Your boyfriend was far from innocent, but you had never heard him speak like this before. Your boyfriend wasn’t possessive in his day-to-day life, and you didn’t want him to be. But in the bedroom? Him being possessive and talking dirty to you like this caused a tsunami between your legs. You weren’t sure why but seeing your cute and harmless Soobin become so jealous and domineering was bewitching you.

“You. You. It’s all for you,” you repeated, the familiarity of another impending orgasm creeping in your muscles.

Soobin smirked again, marking your collarbones with his lips and ambition, “That’s right, baby. I’m all yours, and you’re all mine. No one else’s.”

You shook your head, your breaths becoming more and more bated as he continued to roughly thrust into you, “No one.”

He stuffed his fingers back into your mouth gently, hiding a smile when you immediately moaned around his knuckles. The fingernails of your right hand dug into the skin of his lower back as your left hand found comfort in his hair. Your hips began bucking up to meet his thrusts. You were getting so close again.

“Gonna cum one last time for me, my love?”

You nodded lazily, your energy dissipating. Soobin’s thumb caressed your face before he leaned down to press a kiss to the corner of your lips which were still occupied. His thrusts became more driven and erratic as he felt himself also getting close to his orgasm. He edged himself one too many times, so this time was going to be big. It was then that he remembered he was fucking you raw. When I cum, it will fill her up, he thought. It’s going to seep out of her. This is a fucking dream.

“Are you sure I can cum inside?” he asked once more, right as he was on the verge of blowing. He didn’t want to do it if you changed your mind.

You nodded again, fighting the urge to whine when his fingers slipped out of your lips again.

“Are you posit-“

“Yes, fuck- Please fill me up!” your eyes shut again as you buried your face into his neck to stifle your noises. You held onto him for dear life, continuing to buck your hips against his until your fourth orgasm of the night washed over you. Your walls pulsing around him on top of your fingers tugging at his hair was the last straw; he couldn’t hold back anymore, even if he tried.

“Shit,” his voice cracked. His hips stuttered, and the arm he was using to hold himself up was losing strength. His warm cum filled you, covering your insides. Once he was empty and his cock finished twitching, he slowly pulled out of you and paused to gain composure.

You closed your eyes, letting yourself fully relax, and for a moment it felt like you were sinking into the mattress. As your breathing started to return to normal, you felt the sensation of Soobin’s cum beginning to leak from you.

A small gasp left your lips, getting your boyfriend’s attention, “I can’t get cum on these sheets, Soobin.”

In his post-orgasm haze, he somehow forgot about the fact that he just came inside of you for the first time. He was so used to using condoms that he didn’t think about the mess after.

Without a word, his fingers skimmed over your torso and down between your legs, scooping up the liquid that was starting to leak. You assumed he was going to wipe it on his body or even yours, but apparently, he wasn’t done surprising you tonight. He carefully slipped his two fingers back into your folds, shoving them inside to gather more of his cum on the digits. Your head dug back into the pillows as you groaned, and Soobin chuckled at your response.

“Do you want it?” he asked as he withdrew the cum-coated fingers from you, holding them up in front of your face so you could see the liquid dripping over his hand.

Even though you had just experienced four overwhelming orgasms and fatigue was slowly settling in your bones, you couldn’t deny his offer. Something inside of you just couldn’t resist him. Though, it’s not like you wanted to.

You nodded, pornographic moans reverberating around his finger as you sucked your mixed semen off of his skin and the palm of his hand. As you licked the residue clean, he leaned forward and replaced his hands with his lips, capturing you in a kiss that was so full of love you thought your heart might implode.

You regretfully pulled away first, making Soobin hmph in dissatisfaction, “I’m sorry, I love you, but I need to take a bath or shower or something soon. I feel dirty.”

Soobin laughed, pressing a sweet kiss to your temple, “After all of that, I do too. I’ll go run the water for us.”

“That sounds perfect.”

The water felt like an orgasm in itself. The way the warm water hit the tense muscles of your bare back. Soobin carefully stepped in behind you, facing the running water while you faced him. He smiled down at you, admiring your oblivious self. Your eyes were closed as you enjoyed the stream, a lazy grin on your lips that only got wider when he leaned down to press a kiss against them.

“_______, my love, would you like me to wash your hair for you?” he asked, his large hands resting on your waist.

“I would love that.”

Your boyfriend picked up the bottle of shampoo, lathering some in his hand before putting the bottle back. He instructed you to close your eyes and tip your head back as he began gently massaging your scalp. A satisfied hum involuntarily left your lips, making him giggle. You poked his side playfully, and he apologized. He then got the conditioner and repeated the same actions, sliding his fingers through your hair as the water washed away any dirt and oil from the day—but mainly from the last thirty minutes.

He wasn’t sure what to do when he finished, but your eyes were still closed, and you seemed to just be enjoying the water again. So, he took it upon himself to get a washcloth and douse it with enough soap. He slid the cloth first over your shoulders in circular motions, going down your arms, then your back. He reluctantly passed them over your neck and chest, inspecting the faint purple-red marks that were bound to become darker overnight.

“I’m sorry,” he confessed, making you open your eyes in confusion.

“About what, baby?”

“For leaving so many marks,” he said, caressing the spots with his thumb gingerly, “I’m sorry if I went a little too far earlier by the way . . . Calling you a slut and all that. Thinking about it now, it seems a little excessive.”

You shook your head, subtly biting your lip, “Don’t be, I liked it. All of it. Y’know, I really love how soft and sweet you are, but sometimes it’s nice to let go and be a little . . . wild, I guess? I know you would never intentionally hurt me, so it’s fine. And as for the hickeys, don’t worry. I can cover them up with make up in the morning.“

Soobin nodded, his hands still running the sudsy washcloth over your stomach and waist, “And I’m sorry for getting so jealous. I trust you in every sense of the word, but my pride gets the best of me sometimes.”

“We have plenty of time to work on it, but it really wasn’t that bad. Honestly, if I knew you being jealous would lead to this, I would’ve gotten you riled up ages ago.”

“Don’t say that,” he shook his head, scoffing. You laughed, pulling him into another kiss as you assured him you were joking. His kisses were peppered from your lips to your cheeks, jaw, neck, chest, until he got to your sternum.

He lowered to his knees, washing your legs starting from your feet and calves. His hands so gently circled over your knees and up your thighs. His eyes found yours as he pressed a kiss to your tummy, making a shiver run down your spine. If you weren’t so tired, you could have gone another round right then and there.

Soobin let you cleanse the rest yourself as he quickly washed himself up. Once the both of you were done, he shut the water off and toweled himself off before draping you in your own towel. He pulled on a pair of boxer briefs, sweatpants, and a t-shirt and went back into the room to check his phone while you got dressed.

The both of you brushed your teeth together at the sink—you laughing through the froth of your toothpaste as Soobin made faces at you in the mirror. After you wiped your mouth clean, you followed him into the bedroom, ready to relax under the covers and go to sleep.

“I’m gonna go get a glass of water,” Soobin said, going towards the door as you laid back against the pillows, “Don’t fall asleep before I give you your goodnight kiss.”

You scoffed with a smile, “Yes sir.”

Soobin was sure to be quiet in every move he made—closing the bedroom door and walking down the stairs. He peeked over the stair railing to see his sister and Dohyun sleeping on the pull-out couch, and Jiwon was still curled up peacefully on the recliner. His feet padded softly against the lower steps before he touched the floor. He made his way to the kitchen but was shocked to see the dim glow of the oven light already on. Mom always turns that off, he thought. 

He approached the doorway to see his brother already looking through the fridge.

“What are you doing up?” he whispered, causing Sungmin to stand at attention.

“Oh,” his brother relaxed once he realized it was him, “Came down to get a drink. You?”

“Same.”

His brother gave him a pointed look, with a smirk wiggling the corner of his lips, “Thirsty?”

Soobin’s eyebrows furrowed at his brother’s odd demeanor, “Yeah?”

“I bet. I would be too if I just had the sex you did.”

Your boyfriend froze, not sure if he should be nervous or embarrassed.

“Don’t worry,” Sungmin laughed quietly, “You guys weren’t loud or anything. I just heard when I went to the bathroom earlier. Sounded like _______ was having fun.”

Soobin’s fists tensed up at his side as he debated on holding his tongue or giving his brother a piece of his mind. Today was his unlucky day.

“Y’know what, Sungmin? She was,” Soobin remarked, secretly loving the way his brother’s expression switched from arrogance to bewilderment, “And I’m sorry that you and Yoona didn’t work out, but I’d appreciate it if you quit looking at my girlfriend every chance you get.”

Sungmin looked confused, but his brother cut him off before he could speak again, “Yeah, don’t think I didn’t notice. You were never that great at being subtle. Like the comments about me you keep making? Trying to humiliate me in front of her? It didn’t work. So, you can drop it.“

“Soobin, I- I’m sorry if it seemed like I was trying to-“

“I don’t want to hear it, Sungmin. I brought _______ here to spend a nice holiday with our family. Not for you to take every chance you could to steal her from me.“

Sungmin was too stunned to speak. Soobin felt better thinking it was because his older brother was finally embarrassed by his actions. He busied himself fixing two glasses of water, and before he could walk out of the kitchen, his brother spoke again.

“Soobin, I really am sorry.”

The younger brother turned, nodding to his sibling nonchalantly, “Merry Christmas, Sungmin.”

The family of three were still sound asleep as he passed them on his way back upstairs. With careful steps, he carried himself to the bedroom, opening and closing the door softly. He smiled as he looked over at the bed to see your phone haphazardly leaning against the pillow beside you, your grip on it loosening. Your eyes slowly blinked with sleep tugging at them.

“You didn’t fall asleep without your kiss, did you?”

“Mm?” you hummed, opening your eyes and picking your phone up so it wouldn’t fall, “No.”

Your boyfriend laughed at your half-awake form, handing you the second glass of water from his side of the bed. You sat up a bit to take the cup and drink from it. Soobin slid in beside you on the bed, drinking from his own glass.

“You didn’t wake anybody, right?” you asked, placing your cup and phone on the nightstand.

Soobin paused, and before he could speak, you were already looking at him with a stern look, “I didn’t wake anyone . . . but I ran into Sungmin in the kitchen.”

“Okay?” you were wondering why he brought it up, until- “He didn’t hear us, did he? Oh my God, this is so embarrassing. Soobin, what if your parents heard?”

Soobin shook his head as he placed his cup down, “________, they didn’t hear us. The others were fast asleep in the living room. Sungmin only heard because he got up to use the bathroom.”

Your heart was pounding against your chest as you sighed, “What did he say? Actually, I probably don’t wanna know.”

Your boyfriend shrugged, “He made a comment about you sounding like you were having fun-“

Your cheeks bloomed with heat. This couldn’t get any worse—well, it could, but this was embarrassing enough as it is, “And?”

“-and I kind of snapped on him. I wasn’t going to, but I’m just so sick of him. I told him to quit looking at you and trying to humiliate me.”

Your eyes softened as you watched his nose crinkle with anger while he talked. It was rare to see Soobin annoyed much less angry, “What happened after that?”

“He tried to apologize, but I didn’t wanna hear it,” he shrugged, then chuckled, “I finished by telling him Merry Christmas.”

You poked his arm before wrapping your hands around it, “Well, I’m glad you finally got it off your chest, at least. I’m proud of you.”

Soobin half-smiled, leaning into your lips as they reached up and kissed his dimple. He turned to press your lips against his, his hand extending to stroke your cheek lovingly. You were practically melting into him.

You finally convinced him to lie down and shut off the lamps. He curled up to you, resting his head on your chest as his long legs intertwined with yours. He noticed your hand resting by your side with your bracelet on it, so he reached out and moved it to sit atop your tummy. He held your hand there, giggling as the charms clicked together magnetically and formed a full heart that mimicked his own. You smiled, feeling more loved in this moment than ever before. Just as your eyes were closing and a content sigh was leaving your lips, he asked:

“Did you have a good Christmas?”

“Absolutely. Did you?”

“Yeah, I did,” he hummed, “I love you, _______.”

“I love you more, Soobin.”

#soobin smut #txt smut #soobin fluff #txt fluff #choi soobin smut #txt soobin #txt imagines #txt scenarios #txt hard hours #choi soobin #soobin x reader #txt x reader #soobin scenarios #soobin imagines #📎: first love

[jaehyunfirstlove]

Pairing: idol!jaehyun x idol!f. reader

Special appearances: members of Itzy, members of 127

Genre: smut (18+ only)

Warnings: angry sex (jaehyun is a bit of an ass, sorry), unprotected sex, rough sex, oral sex (f. receiving), multiple positions, overstimulation, spanking, choking

Word count: 3k

Taglist: @jaehyunnie77 @mrg-jjh @keeach @the-universe-in-you-jjh @nootnoot-yoonoh @winniet @jaejoongiewifey-blog @iknowyuno​ @10chitaphrr @tamakikaname​ @ellethereal00 @michplusb​ (send me a message/ask if you want to be tagged in future fics)

A/N: this was a request sent by a lovely anon, i’m so sorry that i got carried away with this lol (and i hope it was what you wanted! apologies to members of itzy :)

“Jaehyun, could you take a picture of us?”

You handed your phone to him, smiling sweetly as you took up position with your members in front of the heritage building. Both of your groups were on tour together, which you were elated about because you and Jaehyun were secretly dating, only that Jaehyun insisted on pretending to be mortal enemies whenever a camera was around. It was a good ploy, he had explained to you, it would throw people off and make them think that you hated each other.

Except that sometimes it worked too well.

He took your phone from you, smirking the entire time, an evil glint in his eye. You knew that look, but you could only smile woodenly as cameras were filming all around you. He took a few steps back, raised your phone up, and you and your members posed as you waited for him to take a picture.

“Smile!” he said, clicking away, but you noticed that two of his members had joined him, standing beside him and making funny faces. When he was done he showed the phone to them and they all laughed hysterically, before walking away to join the rest of the group. Jaehyun handed your phone back to you, a wide grin on his face, a camera trailing him.

“Hope you like them,” he shrugged, “they’re not my best work.”

You took your phone from him, scrolling through the pictures, your members crowding around you to see.

“Hey, those aren’t of us!” Lia pouted, as you scrolled through picture after picture of Jaehyun, Mark, and Winwin. He’d obviously taken selfies while pretending to take pictures of you and your members. You looked up at Jaehyun, his eyes practically dancing with mischief.

“Jaehyun,” you sighed exasperatedly, and it wasn’t for show. “I asked you to take pictures of us.”

“Come on, Y/N,” he jabbed you lightly in the shoulder, “it was just a joke.”

“Well it’s not funny! I wanted pictures with my friends!” you fought to keep your tone level, keenly aware of the staff holding up cameras to your faces.

“What’s the big deal, it’s just a picture,” he said lazily, “I’m sure you have a billion pictures of yourselves.”

“That’s not the point!” you shot back, and you could feel Yeji tugging at your arm. “I wanted a picture in front of this building!”

“Fine! Give me your phone back and I’ll take it!” he yelled back.

“I don’t trust you anymore! You’ll probably take more selfies of your pompous ass!”

Ryujin suddenly jumped in front of the cameras. “Okay, cut!” she yelled, waving her hands in front of the cameras nervously. The staff just chuckled, and as they walked away you could hear them saying the footage was perfect. Jaehyun smiled.

“Good job,” he leaned in and whispered to you, before he walked away to find his members.

You were left seething, your anger very real. Yeji patted you on the shoulder.

“Don’t let him get to you,�� she said soothingly, “he’s obviously doing it to rile you up, and it’s working. Either that, or he has a crush on you.”

She winked at you and walked away, and suddenly you had a pang of guilt that you were keeping your relationship a secret from her. Lia was the only one who knew, as your roommate she had to keep your secrets.

“That worked well,” she said, coming up to you and putting an arm around your shoulder.

“Too well,” you grumbled.

---

“And this is where we get ready for the concert.”

You were filming with a staff member, showing them around the concert hall backstage. As you walked by a doorway, you saw Jaehyun standing in the room, talking to another member. But as soon as he noticed you, a camera trailing behind you, he suddenly grabbed a towel that was draped over a nearby chair and pulled it in front of him.

“What are you doing, Y/N?!” he feigned shock, “some of us aren’t decent!”

You panicked for a second, but you saw that he was fully clothed behind the towel. “Very funny, Jaehyun.” You rolled your eyes at him.

He just snickered, and you were about to walk away but the staff member lingered in the doorway, pointing the camera at Jaehyun, hinting to you to continue your conversation. You sighed and entered the room.

“So are you ready for the concert tonight?” you asked Jaehyun, putting on your best interviewer voice.

“I’m always ready, Y/N,” he said with ease, smiling sweetly at the camera so that his dimples came out. “How about you, hm? I heard an awful lot of noise coming from your hotel rooms last night, hope you weren’t up too late partying.” He furrowed his brows at you, feigning concern.

You felt the blood rising to your face. “We were not partying.” Again you tried to control your tone, remembering Yeji’s words, but he was really pushing your buttons.

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell,” he said, putting a finger to his lips and winking at the camera.

“Jaehyun, I told you, we were not partying!” you knew you were raising your voice, but you really couldn’t help it. Behind the camera, you saw the staff member smiling.

“Whatever you were doing, I just hope it doesn’t compromise your performance, that’s all.” He shrugged, putting his in-ears in and adjusting his mic, as the staff signaled for his group to head up to the stage.

You wanted to scream but he just walked by you, saying some last words to the camera before he headed up to the stage.

---

You hadn’t had a lot of time to spend together as you had wanted, most of your time spent in practice and preparation for the concerts. Your free time never seemed to match up with his, and whenever you could see him there always seemed to be cameras around filming everything. It made you annoyed and frustrated, and by the time the tour was winding down your mood was downright foul.

It was the last night of the tour and you were in your room resting, when Lia burst in.

“I just saw Jaehyun downstairs in the cafe, and he was alone!” she pulled you by the arm, and you barely had a moment to put your shoes on. “Go!” she yelled, pushing you out the door.

You made your way down to the cafe, excited that you would be able to have some alone time with him, but then you wondered why he hadn’t told you he had some free time, so you could spend it together. You figured he must’ve had a good reason, and just shrugged it off. When you caught sight of him, sitting alone in a corner of the cafe, your heart did a flip. Excitedly you ran up to him and slipped into the seat opposite him. He looked up in surprise.

“Y/N?”

“Why didn’t you tell me you were here?” you scolded him playfully, reaching to grab a piece of the croissant on his plate. He slapped your hand away.

“Because then you’d steal my food like that!” He looked at you with a stern face, and you thought he was joking, but his face didn’t change. 

You rubbed your hand where he’d slapped it. “Jaehyun?”

“I didn’t invite you here, Y/N, don’t you have some partying to do or something?”

You were blindsided. Tears sprang to your eyes, your face feeling hot. “What- what are you talking about?”

He suddenly started motioning with eyes, looking to his right side repeatedly, and when you finally got the hint you looked over. There was a staff member at the next table, a camera pointed at the two of you. You had completely missed them when you first walked into the room.

“Oh for fuck’s sake!” You slammed your hands down on the table. Jaehyun’s eyes widened, looking at the staff member out of the corner of his eye. You didn’t care, you’d had it.

“You can’t keep acting like a shithead just because there are cameras around!”

He looked affronted. “Me? Are you calling me a shithead?”

“You’re rude, and you’re mean, and you’re full of yourself!”

“Oh yeah? Well you’re a goddamn princess, and you need to learn how to take a joke!”

“I can take a joke, if it’s funny! And you’re not funny!”

“Well you’re not as hot as you think you are!”

You suddenly stood, your face burning up. “Why you-”

Jaehyun stood up too, signaling to the staff member to cut the camera. He grabbed you by the arm and dragged you out of the cafe. “Come with me.”

---

The ride up the elevator was silent, Jaehyun never letting go of your arm. You were still seething, and once you got to your floor you tried to wrench your arm out of his grasp, but he held fast.

“Stop fighting,” he snarled, gripping your arm harder. You winced at the tightness of his grip, but could barely do anything about it with the way he was pulling you along.

“Let go of me!” you seethed, but you could barely catch your breath keeping up with his long strides. He didn’t answer you, just swiped his card to open the door to his room, dragging you in. Once the door closed behind you, you finally succeeded in pulling your arm free, giving him a hard shove.

“How dare you!” you started, your voice dripping with anger, “I’ve had it with you embarrassing me in front of the cameras!”

He towered over you, getting in your face, his eyes hard. “You need to get a sense of humor, sweetheart.”

“Don’t call me that!” you were furious, unable to think straight, “Don’t ever call me that again!”

“Or what?” he suddenly got closer, his nose almost touching yours, the faint scent of coffee on his breath. His body was almost right against yours so you involuntarily took a step back, right into the wall. He had you trapped, his arms coming up to cage you in. “What are you going to do about it?”

You wanted to shove him, kick him in the groin, run out of there, but instead you fisted your hands in his shirt and crashed your lips against his.

He kissed you hard, his lips unrelenting, your tongues and teeth clashing. You kissed him just as hard, channeling all of your anger and making him feel it. You pulled and grabbed at his shirt, and he pressed his body harder against you, shoving his knee between your legs.

“You’re such a fucking brat,” he said, breaking the kiss to suck harshly on your neck.

“Fuck you,” was all you were able to get out, because he was rubbing his knee against your core, your panties getting wetter the more he moved.

“You’d fucking like that, wouldn’t you,” he growled, his hands going to your hips, fingers digging in.

“You wish,” you responded sarcastically, tugging at his shirt to get him to take it off. Once he pulled it off you rubbed your hands all over his chest and abs, but he suddenly grabbed your wrists, pinning your arms to the wall.

“Uh-uh,” he said, shaking his head at you, “I don’t think so, sweetheart. You need to take your punishment.” He leaned forward to kiss you but you turned your head, anger bubbling up inside of you at the pet name. He just attacked your neck instead, sucking so hard on your skin it took your breath away, and you were instantly glad you didn’t have any more concerts because the make-up artists would have had a hell of a time trying to cover up the marks he was giving you.

“I told you to stop calling me that,” you said, trying not to moan but he’d gone back to rubbing your crotch with his knee. You bit your lip as he kept at it, but then he suddenly picked you up and carried you to the bed, dropping you on it before he stepped back and started taking off his pants.

“Take off your clothes,” his voice was low, commanding, leaving no room for debate. You decided not to make it easy for him.

“Fuck you.”

His eyes narrowed, his upper lip twitching. You smiled, but it was the wrong thing to do. Suddenly he was on top of you, his full weight pushing you down onto the bed. His hands seemed to be everywhere, under your shirt, over your bra, down your pants. The rough way he was handling you was so arousing that your breath was coming in short gasps, heat rising through your body.

“We can do this the hard way, or the easy way,” he growled, leaving a trail of marks down your chest as he rubbed a nipple over the fabric of your bra. You were panting so hard you could barely breathe, but you knew exactly how you wanted this to go.

“Hard.”

He barely reacted to your answer, but you thought you could see a hint of a smirk on his face. He paused only briefly, catching your eye as if to say you could still stop this if you wanted to, but you didn’t move, just stared him down. In a flurry your clothes were practically being ripped off your body, and when he got to your panties, he actually did rip them, taking a hold of them and tearing them at the seam. When you were finally naked on the bed he pushed your knees apart and settled his face between your legs.

You couldn’t help but cry out, because he didn’t start off gentle, not that you were expecting him to. You were expecting him to be rough, but you got a lot more than you bargained for. He’d never eaten you out like this, like a crazed man, his tongue harsh against your folds, sucking and licking until you were a thrashing mess. You tugged at his hair but he still wouldn’t let up, adding his fingers and ramming them deep inside you while sucking your clit into his mouth.

“Oh god, oh Jae,” you moaned, delirious with arousal, your body tensing as your orgasm hit. He didn’t stop, overstimulating you until tears pricked your eyes and your knees wanted to close around him.

“Jae,” you whined, “fuck…” you didn’t know whether to beg him to stop or keep going, your fingers still entangled in his hair. Finally he pulled back, lips flushed, chin shiny with your juices. His eyes were hooded, hair mussed, and he was so unbelievably sexy in that moment you would’ve let him do anything he wanted with you. Yet you still didn’t want to make it easy for him.

“You enjoyed that, didn’t you?” he asked, a smirk forming on his lips.

“I’ve had better,” you replied in a bored tone. It was a lie, but it produced the desired effect. The look on his face darkened and he leaned over you menacingly.

“On your hands and knees.”

When you didn’t comply, just stared at him defiantly, he flipped you over onto your stomach, pulling your ass up until you were on your hands and knees. He entered you without warning, but you were already so wet that he slid in easily. You whimpered at the stretch, your body still getting used to his size.

“I know you like this, sweetheart,” he leaned forward to whisper in your ear, “I can hear it in your voice.”

Indeed you hadn’t stopped moaning since he’d started pounding into you, this position one of your favorites since he could hit so much deeper in it.

“Fuck…. you….” you could barely breathe, only managing to get out the words between his harsh thrusts.

Suddenly his hand landed on your ass with a resounding smack, and the impact of it went straight to your core, making your pussy clench.

“Hmm, you like that too I see,” he commented, and you could hear the astonished delight in his voice.

“Not at all,” you replied, fighting for a nonchalant tone, which was almost impossible with the way he was drilling his cock so deep and so hard into you. Another slap landed on your ass, followed by another, and another, and soon you were moaning so loud he had to stop for fear of getting a noise complaint.

“You’re a really bad liar, sweetheart,” he said, and you could hear the sly grin in his tone.

“I told you to stop calling me that!” you panted, but suddenly he grabbed your arms and pulled you up to him. Impossibly he quickened his pace, slamming into you so hard the room was filled with the obscene sound of skin slapping on skin.

“Don’t fucking test me,” he growled into your ear, and then he slid one hand up to your throat, the other one down to your clit.

You came with a scream stuck in your throat, as he constricted his hand around your neck, his fingers rubbing furiously at your clit. He fucked you through your orgasm, letting you go so that your upper body flopped back onto the bed. He pulled out, flipping you onto your back and throwing your legs over his shoulders as he entered you again. You bit your lip to stop yourself from crying out, not wanting to give him the satisfaction, seeing as he already had a smug look on his face. All you wanted was to wipe that self-satisfied look off his face so you pulled him down and kissed him, sticking your tongue down his throat until he was moaning into your mouth.

He came with a deep, guttural groan, the sound of it reverberating through you, triggering your own orgasm as he thrust deeply inside you one last time before his hips finally stilled. His lips never left yours, but the kiss softened, turned less heated, more tender, until he finally pulled away. He rested his forehead against yours, as you trailed your fingers up and down his back.

“Now that wasn’t so bad, was it?” he said, running his finger along your jaw.

“Fuck you,” you said, smiling.

The corners of his lips tugged up into a smile. “Watch it, sweetheart.”

#jaehyun imagines #jaehyun x reader #jaehyun smut #nct imagines #nct smut

[aeempress]

Apritello Express Evidences, part 1

Greetings, Apritello enthusiasts and attention! Here comes a loong post is written by totally nerd. You've been warned. Here we go.

The thing is that Apritello is a double-edged sword. The series shows us established friendship of these two, give us a lot of content with them. We can see development of relationship through interaction between the characters, their reaction about the situations they are put in. We can sense their synergy and bound through the show.

Donnie and April have incredible chemistry, and both options, brotp and otp seems fine to me.

But let me tell you why I ship them.

Apritello is the kind of pairings, which consists of small details, hints, that's hidden, but if you're sharp and attentive one, you will notice that. Apritello has a strong foundation: the best friends trope.

And from the very beginning, it works as planned.

When I start watching show, I could say that April and Donnie are best friends. It is worth noting that April is like an older sister to the other brothers, more of a sisterly figure than a friend, but with Donnie she behaves somewhat differently, namely, as best friend. Obviously, she sets him apart from his brothers, although girl tries to pay attention to all of them equally. And Donnie behaves as well.

Dee's battle shell designs for April needs as well as his. His shell transform into comfy spot for taking ride for April. Special and only for her. Because his bros are not supposed to use it (at least, he carries no one on his back), Donnie carries them by his techno-bó or his limbs.

This tiny detail shows his special treatment to her. April is a very, very special occasion to D. Don does care about her comfort, he accept the way she is. Donatello does not try to prevent her from participating in their affairs because he respects her decisions and is pleased that April can be shoulder to shoulder with him.

D is glad to be at her service.

Yeah, Dee's still playing cool, he has image to perform as tough and coolheaded guy. So Don doesn't show his intentions, interest and feeling to other people (he's tryin', but fails). Because his actions matter. They are always small, hidden, but meaningful.

April, in return, trusts Dee and depends on his tech, even knowing what his inventions are the opposite of success (usually).

Go on. Look at Donnie's facial expressions and body language when April is near.

Donnie seems more relaxed when she's around, happier. His emotional response is always different from his brothers ones.

Oh, and look, he wanted to be first to give her a high three.

They worry about each other. Look at Don. He does worry about her way more than his brothers. Yeah, they all want to protect her, but Donnie is more expressive.

Mayham has no particular sympathy for the brothers: he is afraid of Raph and behaves aggressively, he is indifferent to Leo and Mikey. Mayham immediately takes a liking to April. And then the details come back: he let Donnie touch his neck. The most vulnerable place for any living creation, for a second. Let him to study an important vial without any hesitation. Mayham depends on April trust for Donnie. When everything goes wrong for Don, the little doggie comes to his rescue, just as April would have done. Is the hint transparent enough?

We can see links with "A mystic library", wherе Donnie begins to look for solutions to save April's pet. Yes, this may seem like his next leap, "sit down, I'm smart, and now I'll solve all the problems, watch and learn," but Don says one phrase that opens up the veil of the second plan, what happens behind the scenes. "My illiteral colleagues and I was conducting a mustic research, with a life of the beloved pet, hanging in a bounce".

Strange wording, Donatello. Beloved pet? Not yours, as we can see. I can say, that everything in this sentence is true, but Donnie and Mayham has something more.

Continue. Next episode "Origami tsunami". Interactions are kept to a minimum, as April herself appears for a maximum of 5 minutes in the series itself. But devil is always in the details, dear friends.

When April was attacked and hung up, the only one who excitedly called out to her was Donny. Raph is furious that the thieves have escaped, Leo is frustrated that their plan has failed, and Mikey is worried about the salami.

Yeah, we didn't see his worries about her when she fell, because Donnie is on the mission and must be coolheaded turtle, and second, he's calm because now April life is safe and sound, out of the danger.

Dear passangers, Apritello Express arrives to the next station - episode "War and Pizza".

Bare facts:

1. April has Donnie's number on an emergency call.

2. "Anything for you"

3. Donnie is the reason why Alberto knows April's name.

No one calles April by her name (except for Donnie, while phone call, but Alberto wasn't nearby) it was "Captain O'Neil" by her chief, her badge seems blank. And yeah, you can say, that's just economy of budget, but I assure you: in the first episode we were shown the name of the delivery guy. The animators were not lazy bones and wrore "Stewart" on his badge. So if something isn't there, then it either shouldn't be there, or it really isn't, that's how this show works.

So, the reason explained in the episode. When Al has short circuit, parts of its new code flashed through its mind.

Info about April was in its memory, in its code. Alberto was a lame animatronic, and it seems somewhat outdated. I do really doubt about Alberto is being something smartass machine with complicated AI like Freddy's Pizza's ones. Quite questionable. Donatello fix Al's brain and wrote code, synchronize with his remote control. He put information about Cap O'Neil into animatronic's head. All this pictures are kind of massage: "You was created for birthday celebrations. You are machine, and there concepts of "life" and "birth". Do great party for this birthday kid and April won't be like this". Or, something like that.

So Alberto did - do a memorable party. And he do what his creator programmed him to do, but in his way.

4. In other words, Alberto was a tool to impress April. Don flaunts himself in front of her, stating how he did the upgrade while doing the upgrade, even though April is fully aware of his tech wizard. And his abilities supposed to help Cap O'Neil to finish the birthday party, so she will stay at her job, not fired. All thanks to Donnie and his upgrade Alberto. (Or not)

By the way, Donnie was the last to leave April in ruined "Alberto's". And it's not an isolated case, it is a pattern.

5. They understand each other without words.

First, Donny came at her at the speed of light. Second, she hadn't even finished speaking before Dee was taking Al apart. Third, their chaotic, well-coordinated work? Donnie was a distraction (although he wanted to just take a break from the battle or let Alberto's guard down, while April just knocked him out). Donnie and April are great team, and sometimes the DonniexApril team is much more precise, coordinated, and interdependent than the DonniexBrothers one.

D&A feel each other and anticipate each other's actions, their skills complement each other, creating an incredible synergy of their interaction. They act as a whole, while it's not always possible with his brothers, even though they're family and know each other the way more Donnie know April. And Dee hasn't trained with cap O'Neil.

Donatello didn't show his crush for April. No puppy, loving eyes, no lovey-dovey speeches, no planning schemes (at least, the audience don't see one) . He just want her attention, but stays cool and hidden. D is already her BFF, but still.

The same thing is claimed in 5B episode - Mascot Melee. Donnie has no problems with interaction with idol of his childhood - Atomic Lass. She'd put Leo in a stupor, but Donnie? He playfully challenges her to a dance duel. Yes, he adores this character, who may have become his measure of the attractiveness of others to Donatello, determined his type. But still, he's playing all cool and confident guy, he's really smooth with girls, so you will never see a puppy loving eyes from him. Only two things can betray him at this point: his voice and his body language. Remember, how's soft his voice became for Atomic Lass? Now I want you to remember the scene before, in turtle tank, when April sent guys a meme.

D is the first to respond to the message, despite the fact that Mikey is sitting closest to the screen. And the responding is a little too emotional for this situation, don't you think?

And this face of his. And he comments it. He likes her sense of humour.

The only difference between April and Atomic Lass is that the first one is a real girl who is a friend of their family, practically a member of it; and the other one is just a fictional character. It is easier to say about love for a fictional character, because it brings less problems for a teenager, especially when he is living with three brothers and a father who likes to tease as well. Donatello needs to be careful and outline the area of emotions he could show, so that he does not get hurt.

Now, dear passangers, we are returning to the previous episode, shall we?

Donnie presents to his brothers his precious Turtle tank, but she's gone, and it's really necessary to find out, who has taken her. And the first person to suspect is April.

Something is odd, don't you think? Yeah, Raphael has taken tyre for their "Midnight special", Leo claimed that Donnie's stuff is common, but they are D's beothers. It's natural for family to borrow(stole) stuff of each other. But this trend was not observed in April. She would never steal anything from Donnie, much less steal anything from him.

Actually, there is a good, logical and solid explanation here. April was number 1 in Donatello' suspect list, because he simply told her about Turtle tank. His brothers didn't know he were working at Moon buggy, except Mikey (Orange helps Dee get the vehicle from Repomantis), but they didn't know what exactly Donnie was working for. They didn't know he build the Turtle tank, he kept it a secret, to surprise his brothers. But April knew.

- Alright you! Where's our turtle tank?

- Hi, DONNIE. You have 9 seconds to say, why are you just broke my door.

- Someone's stole Donnie's turtle tank.

- Haha-ow, I see. As your best friend, you naturally suspect me.

- She gets it!

- Oh-ho, don't give me that! You're the only one could taken it!

The only one, because she knew about it.

As Splints said in this episode - "April is not a snitch"

Donatello does trust April and share with her both, sorrows and joys. But we are not shown this directly. We do not see the action itself, we do not see their calls and conversations on the phone late at night, we only see the consequence. We have no choice and take it as a given.

And the way she cooled him down? Fast, efficient, and Donnie seems to used to it. Moreover, she slapped everyone, but still, she throw Don out of window the last. However, why such a large time delay between him, being slapped and him, was throwing out of the window?

And my favourite scene. It was obvious that Donnie had taken the hardest hit (judging by his scream and the way he was putting his knuckles back in place). Don then claims that their inner circle is secure, Mikey tries to make amends for everyone, and April agrees, blowing them a kiss and closing the window. Cute and mean, isn't it? (You're cute! but mean! why do I always go for your type?! - ep. War and Pizza)

Nota bene: Donnie wouldn't apologize to April. Tough, not caring badass boy image, remember? Even to best friends. It's hard to him to express his feelings by using words, he cannot do it in proper way. But he has Mikey, who is so alike inner him. Michelangelo apologizes not only for himself, but for D mostly, because D starts suspected April.

Let's continue: the episode 8B: Hypno Part Deux

• Donnie put "Donnie's blocker" at April's phone to protect her.

It's common thing that your friend install some programs or apps on your device. But you will always ask your friend to do such a favour, and you will always know about what, when and where were installed on your phone.

And April didn't know Donnie had done something with her phone. It was a real surprise for her, to see blocker with "Donnie says no-no-no".

And you know, the interface of his app. The way he tell this current phrase. Donnie could put a huge banner "THE APP YOU WANT DOWNLOAD TO IS A REAL PIECE OF GARBAGE", as usual antiviruses do. But no, voice interface. It makes the app more personal and thoughtful. Because when Don made gifts for his brother, the program was voiced by a computer-generated female voice. Yes, the tank's interface is voiced by Donatello himself, but his voice sounds more like Google than the real Don. And, we talking about HIS BABEY, for a second. Bit still, the point remains.

• Also, Dale.

Dale is nerdy boy in purple, wow, how convenient for making a parallel with certain purple turtle.

But thing is, April doesn't like Dale. He's clingy, remora guy, who has a little obsession with April, even he's not harmful, still, such behaviour freaks girls (and not them only) out. Her classmate is usually tell her what April O'Neil is "his favourite person" and he loves her. There is little that is attractive about this behavior.

So, there is nothing new and unpredictable here that Dale was rejected. Because April didn't, doesn't and won't like him because of his lame personality and strange behaviour. Our girl in yellow do right thing: she clearly sets personal boundaries and does not allow any dubious personalities to invade them. So that's the reason she refuses to go on a date with him at the end. He's weird, obsessed, and she doesn't like him.

Donatello, as far as I concerned from different versions of TMNT, was always a little obsessive with some things. And, you know, putting a blocker inside your best friend's phone seems a little weird, because it's, in simple words, violation of privacy and personal space. And there are people who may regard this as stalking or sorta.

Yeah, for the most part, he gets away with it, not only because April's focus is in a different area, but also because their bond is stronger than April's with anyone else at school.

She has known him for years. Donnie is her best friend. I can't say that it's fine to her when Dee violates her personal space - her phone, but April can accept Donatello's personality in general.

And he does really have good intentions. Donnie installed this blocker, developed by himself only for one reason: to protect personal space April from fishy apps from nowhere, from being hacked and etc. Don knew her too well, how much she depends on stupid apps that will distract her. He also knew well, that he can't be with her 24/7 to fix problems with April's phone, so Dee put a part of himself to prevent any harm in the future.

And again, "Donnie's gifts"'s vibes. Donatello genuinely cared about April, because he wrote, coded, developed, designed, and dubbed it, turned on the database, and installed it all on April's phone. 'cause, you know, writing programs in general is a bit of a hassle, but writing an antivirus is much more difficult, because viruses are changing, and questionable applications are finding ways to bypass. Do you feel how much effort Dee put in for her?

But Donatello didn't mean to fix April, as he tried to do with his brothers. Purple turtle accepts this girl the way she is, and tries his best to play smoothly with April, by adjusting, not being passive aggressive jerk. It's his outstanding way to show his caring nature, soft side.

Remember, small but meaningful actions.

Maybe, Donnie also can foresee that April may be forced to download some suspicious program, but still, it work: he managed to prevent April being hypnotized, even if couldn't be physically with April at the this moment - Dee was working for Repo Mantis, building dog's paradise for Todd. That's why, by the way, Leo and Raph were dragged into this whole situation. Mayham would teleported literally anyone to help his hostess. Donnie just wasn't at the Lair at the moment.

And on this note, we'll take a break for now. Stay tuned, expect parsing of the series, there's a lot to discuss.

Part 2

Part 3

#rottmnt #rise of tmnt #rise of the teenage mutant ninja #rise donnie #rise donatello #rottmnt donatello #hamato donatello #april o'neil #rise april #rottmnt april #aprilxdonnie #rottmnt apritello #apritello #lonnnnnnnng post #sorry not sorry #zero regrets #apritello express

[jeogiyall]

Two To Tango; C.SN

❥𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 𝟷𝟾.𝟺𝑘

❥𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: 𝕒𝕟𝕘𝕤𝕥 (𝗂𝗍'𝗌 𝗃𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝗌𝖾𝗑𝗎𝖺𝗅 𝗍𝖾𝗇𝗌𝗂𝗈𝗇), 𝖿𝗅𝗎𝖿𝖿, 𝗅𝗈𝗍𝗌 𝗈𝖿 𝗋𝗈𝗆𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾, 𝘴𝘢𝘯'𝘴 𝘥𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝗂𝗌 𝖽𝖾𝖿𝗂𝗇𝗂𝗍𝖾𝗅𝗒 𝖺 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀; 𝕚𝕕𝕠𝕝𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕖, 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑚𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑠 (𝙖𝙧𝙞’𝙨 𝙛𝙖𝙫𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚!)

❥𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝗌𝖺𝗇 𝕩 𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳! 𝗒/𝗇 (ʏ/ɴ ɪs ɪɴ ᴀ ɢɪʀʟ ɢʀᴏᴜᴘ)

❥𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨: 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗂𝗌 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝖺 𝗌𝗆𝗎𝗍 (𝗐𝖾 𝖽𝗈𝗇'𝗍 𝗐𝗋𝗂𝗍𝖾 𝗌𝗆𝗎𝗍!); 𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳, 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖿𝗂𝖼 𝗋𝖾𝗏𝗈𝗅𝗏𝖾𝗌 𝖺𝗋𝗈𝗎𝗇𝖽 𝗌𝖾𝗇𝗌𝗎𝖺𝗅/𝕤𝕡𝕚𝕔𝕪 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗆𝖾𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗂𝗇𝖼𝗅𝗎𝖽𝖾𝗌 𝗌𝗂𝗆𝗂𝗅𝖺𝗋𝗅𝗒 𝖽𝖾𝗌𝖼𝗋𝗂𝗉𝗍𝗂𝗏𝖾 𝗐𝗋𝗂𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀. 𝗂'𝖽 𝗋𝖺𝗍𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖺𝗌 𝐩𝐠𝟷𝟹 𝗃𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝗍𝗈 𝖻𝖾 𝗌𝖺𝖿𝖾- 𝖺𝗀𝖺𝗂𝗇, 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗂𝗌 𝐧𝗼𝐭 𝐬𝗺𝐮𝐭!!

❥𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬: 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖿𝗂𝖼 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗅𝗅𝖾𝗇𝗀𝗂𝗇𝗀, 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗋𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝗉𝗋𝖾𝗍𝗍𝗒 𝖿𝗎𝗇 𝗍𝗈 𝗐𝗋𝗂𝗍𝖾! 𝗂 𝗁𝗈𝗉𝖾 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖾𝗇𝗃𝗈𝗒 𝗂𝗍 𝖺𝗌 𝗆𝗎𝖼𝗁 𝖺𝗌 𝗂 𝖽𝗈 ☺︎☻ -𝕒𝕣𝕚

“What do you think, Y/N?”

You had never seen choreo anything like this before.

Which was a fairly bold statement on your part, seeing as you'd had plenty of exposure to all kinds of dances. Being the lead dancer of your group, you'd trained in almost every category out there during your years in the academy, mastering each technique and style one by one.

But sensual?

You'd never been trained to dance to sensual choreography.

This was likely the reason you appeared so floored when Mimi, your company's head of collaborative marketing (and your personal manager) shared her latest idea with you, something about a duet dance with another idol; she said that bringing such a foreign concept into a collaboration stage would give your group the increase of attention that you so desperately needed.

You couldn't disagree with her logic. It was much harder than it seemed for a group to stay afloat in the idol industry.

"Y/N," Mimi was explaining to you, "I know I speak on behalf of the entire company when I tell you that you are the most talented dancer to walk through these doors. If anyone can pull off this stage, it's you."

You felt your cheeks flush from the professional compliment, but you were still trying to wrap your mind around the brief choreography video you'd just been shown.

You absolutely loved to dance; you always have, ever since you were old enough to walk.

From ballet classes when you were four years old to jazz and tap in your tweens, then modern hip hop and interpretive in your adolescent years, and then from a dance major onwards to learning choreography with your group after debuting a year ago- you were always dancing. It was a piece of your life that held so much meaning, so much joy, that you don't think you'd ever be able to live without it.

So maybe this is why you decide to ditch your initial disbelief at the proposal, your mind opening up a little to the idea. After all, the worst thing that could happen would be a failed stage, and you're sure that the company wouldn't have too much trouble sweeping things under the rug if that happened. How bad could it be, right?

You eventually give in to Mimi's attempts at persuading you, your face breaking out into a grin. You're sure that if you say yes, you'll wonder for the next two weeks who your partner will be from the group you're collaborating with; but you also know that it'll kill you inside to say no.

You nod firmly once Mimi asks you again if you're okay with this. You've made up your mind that you definitely are; you push off any lingering doubts about the sensual stage, and the feelings left behind are ones of excitement and anticipation.

Mimi is visibly pleased, and her happiness is infectious as she claps her hands together joyfully. "It's settled then! I'll let the team from KQ know that both parties are in agreement." She announces with a broad smile.

When you leave the conference room, you feel butterflies in your stomach instead of dread, and a sudden eagerness arises at the prospect of learning a brand-new type of dance.

You can't wait to see what will happen in two weeks.

Day One- 8:53 A.M

You step into your new joint studio building two weeks later, a bright smile on your face and your first-day jitters pushed to the back of your mind.

You're beyond curious to see which member of Ateez you'll be paired with for the collaboration; you secretly hoped it would be Song Mingi, as he was alluring to you both through dance and through his abnormally deep voice. (Okay, so maybe you had a bias already. There was surely no harm in that though, right?)

Mimi was now urging you to make your way up the three flights of stairs as fast as possible, having ditched the building's elevator in favor of a quicker route. There had been a mixup at your company that morning with transportation, which made you more than twenty minutes late- you were supposed to arrive at 8:30.

You could only pray that the hired choreographer wouldn't hold it against you, and that they'd still give you time to properly warm up.

Your nerves are starting to resurface when you push open the doors to your practice room. Both of the occupants have their backs to you, bending over a stereo system along the wall without a mirror. Your manager bids you a hasty goodbye and exits the same way you just came, and you're struggling to catch your breath, standing in the middle of the room gripping the strap of your dance bag for dear life.

The choreographer leaves the stereo to greet you, giving you a warm smile as he introduces himself.

You've looked forward to meeting your instructor for a while now, and you bow to the man respectfully while doing your best to repress the childish glee bubbling up within you, not wanting to seem unprofessional.

Your thoughts are so consumed with greeting the choreographer that you fail to notice the other figure in the room turning to face you.

"Hello, Y/N, it's a pleasure to finally meet you!" The choreographer says. "My name is Jung Deojun, and I look forward to working with you for this stage." You set your bag down and grab an elastic for your hair, still focused on Deojun. "The pleasure is all mine," you respond, "I truly admire your work."

Jung Deojun is happy to hear the compliment, and you're opening your mouth to ask him about his most popular moves when you finally, finally come face-to-face with your new partner.

To say he was handsome would be the understatement of the year.

While you obviously hadn't been paired with who you'd hoped for, (Mingi, the tall rapper) you weren't upset in the slightest. The dancer was standing to the side with his arms crossed over his chest, and the sight was enough to make you want to wipe your hand along your chin just to check if you were drooling.

Any words you'd been preparing to say died on the tip of your tongue as you surveyed your partner. Tall, lean, and stupidly gorgeous, he radiated an aura of confidence and striking intensity that both scared you and intrigued you. His shirt dipped low enough to make your heart skip a beat, and it looked too good on him for him to be standing there in the studio.

His eyes were dark and seemed to pierce straight into your soul- though you had to wonder just how well he was able to see you from behind his long black hair.

He was, without question, the most beautiful man you'd ever seen. But why the hell did he look so pissed?

You gulp down your wave of apprehension and stick out your hand towards him, waiting for him to take it (seeing as that would be the polite thing to do).

"Hello, I'm Y/N of Star Entertainment." You manage to stumble through your self-introduction despite his less than encouraging reaction. He makes no move to shake your outstretched hand, so you awkwardly pull it back and continue talking, "I look forward to dancing with y-"

"You're late."

You hope you don't look as much like a fish as you feel; his monotonous interruption has your mouth opening and closing repeatedly as you try to remember what you'd been about to say.

"I'm sorry," you eventually gather your thoughts long enough to respond. "There was a mixup with transportation from my company, and my manager ended up having to take me herself-"

"I don't care what happened, just don't be late again. It's rude." The guy cuts you off again, visibly impatient. You hold back a scoff at his words; he's definitely one to be talking about rude.

"The name's Choi San." He adds, but he sounds almost bored, as if he'd rather be anywhere else but with you at this very moment.

You don't deem any answer necessary. You hardly trust yourself not to make a jab back at him, but can you be blamed?

You're more than a little peeved that your partner, the man you've been wanting to meet for two very long weeks, seems to have a giant stick up his ass; but you reason out that it's got something to do with the first-day nerves you're sure must be racing through him, too.

At least, that's what you tell yourself as you begin warming up, walking away from the entrance and hoping to escape the rising tension.

Meanwhile San is cursing every dance god out there for sticking him with you. Not because he despises dancing with other people or because he doesn't want to dance with you- but because he's the exact opposite.

He loves dancing with his entire being, and he expected his new partner to love it just as much as he did.

So it was fairly annoying for him to arrive thirty minutes early that morning, excited and eager to get to dancing, and then have to wait nearly another half an hour after the first day was scheduled to begin just for you to get there.

That being said, San almost regrets snapping at you- it wasn't your fault you weren't on time.

But when he catches a glimpse of your pinched, offended expression through the mirror while you take your sweet time warming up, the idea of apologizing immediately flees his head.

He couldn't believe how many prissy dancers there were in the kpop industry- and he was certain that you would just be one more he'd have to work with.

So far, things were not off to a very promising start.

Day Four- 10:15 A.M

"Guys, I think you need to take a quick break." Jung Deojun says as he presses pause on the stereo.

You're more than happy to do so, jumping out of San's grasp so quickly you're concerned you may have pulled a muscle. San has no complaints about the break either; he springs away from you as if you have a contagious disease, and he's intent on not catching whatever disease that may be.

The first day hadn't gone nearly as well as you'd hoped it would. After the initial shock and irritation upon meeting him, you gave San as little attention as you could, and he did the same to you.

Or he tried to do the same.

You both seemed to have forgotten the key concept of the entire dance: sensuality.

And although it was only the first day, the cold and tense atmosphere between the two of you did nothing but increase throughout your time together in the studio- a factor that didn't settle well with your choreographer when you were meant to be dancing as if you were madly in love.

By the end of the second day, you were positive you and San were only ever meant to be enemies. It was like every move he made was done specifically to annoy you, and you had to admit that if that was the case, then it was working like a charm.

The way he spoke to you- when he bothered to speak at all- was so insensitive and cocky that you wanted to clock him in the face. He never cheered you on when you got another step down; all he'd said to you during the past forty-eight hours was backhanded comments on the technique you should have, or how you should move to accommodate him better.

This wasn't how dance was supposed to be.

Two people were supposed to move in sync, in the same fluid motion when they danced together; but with him, it was all give and no take.

Of course, it didn't help that you went rigid as a board every time he so much as shifted towards you.

He wanted to get along with you at first, he really did. But you were making it so difficult to be friendly when you made zero effort to put any feeling into the dance moves that required him to touch you, that any hope he had of being your friend went flying out of the window.

He'd been ready to quit right then and there during your third day in the studio, when you outright refused to let him do the first truly sensual move of the choreography about forty seconds in. San would barely even be able to graze your sides with his fingertips before you jumped away, giving him a steely look that made him all the more eager to push your buttons.

He reasoned that if you were going to be such a priss about things, then there was no danger in him getting you all riled up while you practiced.

And as if you weren't already stressed out by his antics, you were also highly aware of the pressure that was on you guys to learn the dance by the end of the month- you had only five weeks to completely master the choreography for the collaboration stage and for the performance video.

You wished the song wasn't so long- there were six and a half total minutes of choreography, and you'd only gone through about two minutes of it all.

To make things worse, the steps you'd learned so far didn't look good by any means. Jung Deojun knew it would most likely take another week or two just to get to the halfway point, at the rate things were going now.

You knew that the clock was ticking; this morning marked your fourth day at the studio.

Deojun's goal was for you and San to get a feel for each move you learned as you learned it, which was why it had taken so long to memorize such a small chunk of the song.

His philosophy was that people can learn two ways: they can learn it all and perfect it later, or they can learn it all perfectly the first time with a little more effort. (It was very clear which way of learning you and your partner were going through based on how many times you'd pressed 'restart' on the stereo.)

You made sure you arrived on time each morning after that first day, not wanting another reason for San to pick on you. Currently, the two of you were tackling the first moderately sized snippet of the song, the buildup to the chorus. You'd been at it for around two hours today, and you didn't seem to be making any real progress.

There's a move where you and San need to glide across the floor and into each other's personal space, and he's supposed to trail his hands slowly up along your sides to cradle your head. Your step is to push San away from you and then grab him by the collar to bring him right back until you were practically breathing the same air; and while the pushing away part was the easiest thing you'd learned so far, tugging him towards you again was proving to be difficult to do without scowling.

That same scowl threatens to appear after another hour of practice when San tosses you a Snickers bar from his bag, and you look down at it accusingly without picking it up from the floor.

"This isn't exactly part of my company's diet regulations, San." You huff, knowing you'd like nothing more than to eat the candy bar right this very second but remembering you can't eat anything if it isn't on your meal plan.

San just raises an eyebrow and motions for you to pick it up anyways. "I thought you'd want it. I mean, you're not you when you're hungry, so maybe if you had a Snickers bar then you'd be more fun to work with."

You don't bother hiding your lethal expression from him.

"Choi San," you hiss, "I swear once we finish doing this dance I'm actually going to strangle you."

Your choreographer chooses to break up the conversation at this moment, not hearing the whispered reply of 'kinky' that makes your blood boil.

"Alright you two, that's enough," Jung Deojun cuts in. "You don't seem to be comfortable with each other yet, so why don't we all sit down and take some time to eat lunch? You've worked hard anyways, so you deserve to rest." He offers.

While the idea of actually sitting down to eat your salad, instead of inhaling it between sessions, sounds incredibly tempting, you know you'll be too busy fuming to really enjoy a lunch break.

You kick the Snickers bar back towards San and put on a bright smile for Deojun.

"No, thank you, I'd rather get back to practicing. We've got a long way to go." You give your partner another nasty look with your last statement, implying that he's most of the problem.

This implication doesn't go unnoticed by him, and he actually has the nerve to wink at you. To wink- as if he isn't the legitimate most infuriating human being on the planet. You ball your hands into fists to refrain from pulling at your hair in frustration.

San watches on in dry amusement; he never saw it coming, but he's quickly discovered that he loves to get a rise out of you. He chalks it up to the simple fact that you interact the most with him when you're angry.

Sensing the tension in the room, Deojun shakes his head and insists on taking a real break for lunch. He doesn't miss the exchange of killer glares between you and San, and it brings a frown to his face as you begin to argue with your partner over the offending Snickers bar.

Jung Deojun has taught many choreographies in his time as a dancer. He's quite honestly lost track of the number of pairs he's worked with who had no chemistry together, or the countless dancer duos who simply didn't warm up to the other person.

He has also seen his fair share of enemies on the dance floor- the exes, the competitors, and even one couple who broke up in the middle of a rehearsal.

And yet, despite all of this, he has never seen anyone who fights quite as passionately as you and San.

But rather than getting annoyed at your nearly constant bickering, he finds himself feeling curious about it; he wants to know why your animosity towards each other seems to run so deep when you'd only met three days ago.

And frankly, he wants to see just how thin the line is between love and hate.

Your instructor sighs loudly once your voice raises in volume, wanting to roll his eyes at the childish feud taking place over a piece of candy- though it seems the argument has gotten to the point of being ridiculously useless, and Deojun is sure that one of you is bound to give it up in the next few seconds.

Your accusations of San being a total jerk continue to fall on deaf ears as he quickly proves the choreographer correct, checking out of the argument altogether by pulling his phone out and playing on it.

San's rude behavior makes you want to stomp your foot angrily like a petulant toddler, but you don't.

You instead go silent, biting your lip and getting yourself together because you are a mature and professional dancer- unlike someone- and you're already very embarrassed that Deojun has seen how worked up you get over your partner.

So in an attempt to save face, you take a deep breath, count to ten, and walk to the mini refrigerator in the corner of the studio to grab your lunch.

Deojun seems relieved that the Snickers spat is over, and immediately invites you into a less irritating conversation as you take a seat on the floor beside him.

"So, Y/N, what do you do for fun besides dance?" He asks you. You have to think for a moment about that.

What do you do when you're not rehearsing or promoting?

"Well, I spend most of my time dancing, but I guess I like to hang out with my group between promotions." You eventually come up with an answer.

"What do you do with your friends when you're hanging out?" Your instructor prompts. You shrug and finish eating the forkful of salad before you reply, "We normally go out to the city together to walk around, listening to live music and visiting cute cafés or restaurants."

San nearly snorts at how typical your response is until you add as an afterthought, "But we never have time for those things anymore."

Jung Deojun asks you "why not?" and you tell him, "We practice nearly sixteen hours a day together, and when we aren't in our studio, we're in our dorms perfecting every dance movement or every song for our company. We can't afford to slip up with so much at stake, so we just kind of... I don't know, stopped going out."

San acts like he isn't listening; but in reality he's paying close attention to your words, and he tells himself it's only because he needs more ammunition to use in order to tease you later.

You continue to elaborate on your struggles as an idol to Deojun, and it feels good to be able to talk about the pressure being put on your shoulders with someone other than your managers.

"When I first started training to become an idol, I was always content to just dance for the sake of dancing. I wasn't used to the expectation that I had to be better than someone else; I honestly never thought the competition would happen off of the stage. It caught me off guard when I realized I'd have to fight for every chance to do what I love, and even after making it into an agency and debuting in a group, we're still always fighting to be on top, to be the best."

"And to me dance was never about being the best. It's about expressing something you feel, something so deep words can't explain it well enough." You shrug, and you miss the fond smile of your instructor as he remembers the days where he was in your shoes.

San lost interest in his phone a while ago; instead he now holds his lunchbag in his hands.

And when you turn your head to steal a glance at him, you find that he's giving you the first non-irritating look you've seen on his face since the day you met.

Well then.

You certainly hadn't expected to see that reaction- nor had San intended for you to catch it.

If he's being honest with himself, he never really thought he'd connect with you, especially after the disastrous first day together. But your words resonate deeply within him, to a point where he thinks that maybe, you might not be quite as uptight as you appear.

He finds himself hoping that that's the case; hoping that there's more to you than just a prissy lead dancer who refuses to loosen up.

It makes your stomach twist to see him look at you with anything other than annoyance or spite. If you didn't know any better, you would say that it almost seems like he's... impressed? Like he might not hate your guts after all?

But you'd be stupid to forget how intently you despised each other just a few minutes ago, how you bickered over that candy bar; and the sudden change in his demeanor has left your head spinning.

Whatever it is, you're not sure why it affects you as much as it does, so you ignore it and keep talking to Deojun so that you don't have to engage with San until you're done eating.

To make things even more confusing, once your lunch break is over and you begin to go through the choreo again, he isn't throwing his usual insults and criticisms your way like he had done every afternoon for the past week.

You're not sure what to make of the unspoken truce- and you're not sure why it unnerves you as much as it does. But San is acting totally opposite of how he's been acting so far, and it lasts through the remainder of your fourth day.

He doesn't even bother to give you a half-assed "you're too stiff" the way he normally would.

You have to force yourself not to think about how easily the routine flows when you aren't arguing; and you can't help but wonder whether this random, unofficial friendship will last- and if it does, then what changed?

But when the fourth day ends and you walk into the studio the following morning, he's back to wearing his cocky little smirk and teases you for the Starbucks frappuccino in your hand, telling you that it's fake coffee and reminding you of how against your meal plan the drink is.

You nearly cringe at yourself for thinking things would ever change between the two of you in such a short amount of time. But, if you're really being upfront, you can't pretend as though you don't look forward to pushing his buttons each day, getting immense satisfaction from knowing you get on his nerves just as much as he gets on yours.

Jung Deojun, on the other hand, is simply looking forward to the day you guys get through learning the steps so that he can sit back and watch the sparks flying through his studio.

Day Twelve- 4:55 P.M

Deojun is out using the restroom down the hallway at the end of your twelfth day, and it's just you and your partner standing together in the mirror while he's gone. You're intentionally avoiding San's piercing gaze as you stretch out your sore limbs, choosing to move towards the stereo so you can play the music one more time before the end of today's session.

He had been driving you crazy throughout this entire past week. It was the usual stuff at first: pointless arguing, name-calling, bickering, and insults flung at each other for no good reason.

And then, something shifted.

On the sixth day of choreo, you waltzed through the studio doors with a bright smile and your hair down out of your ponytail, looking a bit windblown. You'd woken up late that day but you were still determined not to be late to practice, so you didn't have time to put your hair up or grab your coffee.

It was the day when San noticed just how hard it had become for him to take his eyes off of you; but how could he not stare when you come twirling into the room like you've been dancing with the wind and looking as if you've just been kissed by the sun?

You'd caught him staring more times than you could count on that sixth day, and while it unnerved you a little, you couldn't deny the pleasurable rush you got from knowing he was looking.

But it did make things a little more tense when you had your pointless arguments; you weren't sure how to curse him out when he looked at you with that strange glint in his eye- the glint that made you question if you even really hated him in the first place.

The tension only skyrocketed after that. By the tenth day, the pressure between you and San was so strong that it was bound to explode any time now. A new side of your (already strained) relationship had developed- in addition to his irritating habits and your stinging insults, you now shared burning glances, soft touches, and the feeling of wanting just a little bit more.

The change wasn't entirely unwelcome, much to your dismay. You hadn't expected him to affect you the way that he did; but when you find that your skin sears instead of crawls when his hand brushes against you, you know that you can no longer ignore the magnetic pull between your bodies, the one you're secretly begging yourself to cave into each time he holds you close during the dance.

But just because you aren't able to ignore the pull towards San doesn't mean that you won't try.

You keep your back to him as you approach the equipment; but you can hear his footsteps right behind you when you walk to the other side of the studio, and you have a hunch that he won't go away without bothering you.

San follows you until you reach the sound system and you huff in annoyance before you turn around to face him.

"Shouldn't you be stretching right now, Fireboy?" You ask tiredly, hoping he'll get the point and stop closing in on your personal space.

You didn't intend to call him that- you've referred to him as Fireboy in your mind for a while now, the title fitting his disposition perfectly; one minute he was smoky as embers, and the next he was blazing with heat. Like an unpredictable wildfire.

He shakes his head and answers ironically, "Nope, I'm already all cooled down for the day, Miss Priss."

You go back to the stereo, thinking that the discussion is through, and you practically jump three feet in the air when he spins you around again, the hand gripping your waist not making you nearly as mad as you'd wanted it to.

You can't move backwards at all with the stereo poking into your spine, but you've got nowhere to run once San places his free hand on the wall next to you, successfully trapping you. You wish the action pissed you off enough to push him away- but your hands fall weakly against his chest, and the sudden contact makes your pulse race.

"San, what the hell are you doing?" You ask him, exasperation evident in your voice.

San flashes his stupid smirk and leans closer to your body, making your cheeks flush at the proximity. "I thought maybe we should try to get rid of some of the tension Deojun keeps talking about, since it's interfering with the dance. Don't you agree, Y/N?"

You sneer at him and shove his chest harder.

"I don't know what you're talking about." You reply sharply, "The dance is perfectly fine San, you're being ridiculous. We aren't even done learning the choreo yet, so have some patience." San's smirk only grows, along with your annoyance.

You eye him distastefully and give him a once-over before looking to the doorway, continuing to insult him despite the way his sleeveless shirt makes your heart flutter. "But something tells me that patience isn't really in your vocabulary, is it?"

And just like that, you find yourself holding back a noise of surprise when his hand grips your chin like a silken vice, forcing you to keep your gaze trained on him. You're helpless to his strong hold and the feeling of his body heat radiating against your skin is messing with your head, further supporting your idea that this man is a scorching ball of fire; even his touch is hot enough to burn.

You fight off a shudder when he refuses to break eye contact. The cocky grin is gone, replaced with some foreign expression that you don't think you want to put a label on just yet.

He dips his head down next to your ear. His next words, mixed with the way his hair tickles your face, manage to send sparks through your veins as he murmurs, "You know, princess, I wasn't expecting you to be so damn bratty."

You have to remind yourself that the sentence is, in fact, offensive- and that you should be getting mad at him for it right about now.

Thankfully that part always comes easy to you.

"Oh, so I'm the brat?" You retort sarcastically. You poke a finger into his chest and question him further, "I'm the bratty one for showing up late one time and getting shit about it from you before you even told me your name?"

San's grip tightens as you speak, but you're so focused on chewing him out that you hardly even register it.

"Please enlighten me as to how I'm the brat when it's always you who has a problem with something." At this point you've forgotten that you're only venting about him to distract yourself from his touch, and now you're just plain pissed off.

"Honestly, I thought you were at least a little bit brighter than this, Fireboy. Anyone with a brain would be able to tell that the only brat here is you, but you're so set on being 'holier-than-thou' every second of the day that you don't even bother to see it. You're such a child." Your words are positively scathing.

San has had enough of your sassy remarks and cuts your rant short, "Oh come on Y/N, you don't seriously believe I'm the only one to blame. You're not as innocent as you try to appear, Miss Priss; don't think I've forgotten the names you call me when you think Deojun isn't listening. You're as much at fault here as I am. As a matter of fact, I'd go as far as to say that the 'childish' one is you."

"And this is coming from the one who called me 'more useless than an appendix' not even twenty minutes ago, right?" You scoff.

He rolls his eyes at your quotation of his most recent insult and says, "Cut the crap and just admit it already."

But between the compromising position, the bite in his voice, and the sheer irritation coursing through your body, you're getting sick and tired of your partner's little mind games.

"What do you mean?" You ask, "Admit what? What're you playing at?"

"Admit that you're no different than any other self-absorbed, uptight lead dancer I've worked with, and you only hate me because you wanted to be paired with another idol." He answers, every syllable causing you to see red. "You're just a classic prissy princess who won't cooperate when you don't get your way, and you're refusing to do the dance right because I'm not the one you wanted to dance with. It's stereotypical lead dancer behavior, and you know it."

Oh.

Oh hell no.

Did he really just call you self-absorbed and prissy?

If you weren't already mad enough, then now you're practically seething. San knows purely by the look on your face that he's fucked up, that he's taken things a little too far- but both of you are too wound up right now for him to try and make amends.

It's all he can do to stay impassive when you shove his hand away from your chin and grab fistfuls of his shirt, roughly bringing him down to your level.

"Choi fucking San," You curse, "you take that back this minute, you piece of shit."

His eyes drop to your mouth- a mistake that has enough meaning to turn the tables in your favor in an instant.

It's a mistake, one simple mistake. Just one small moment of indulgence as he memorizes the curve of your lips; yet all sanity immediately vanishes from his mind at the sudden urge he has to kiss you senseless, to shut you up in the most romantic way possible.

He's fighting the urge so hard that he doesn't even think about the next four words out of his mouth- Mistake Number 2.

"And if I don't?"

Your knuckles are turning white from the grip on his collar; you come to the realization that maybe your heart is beating a bit too fast for someone who's arguing with a mere dance partner.

You end up making Mistake Number Three- you don't release your hold on his shirt, and you don't push him away when his head drifts closer down to yours.

Three strikes and you're out.

"Then I'm walking out of this room and never dancing with you again." You pray your voice sounds at least half as spiteful as it did at the beginning of all this, but you aren't sure.

San finally tears his gaze away from your lips and is back to giving you a blazing glare. Part of him hopes you can see the passion and desire burning behind his expression so that you'll understand he doesn't really mean it when he snaps, "Fine with me, princess."

It's the same part of him that secretly thrives off of the electric tension and the lingering hands; the side of him that wants to hold you just a little longer when the music stops.

He really hopes he isn't going crazy when he thinks he sees that side in you, too.

"Fine," You snap back halfheartedly as the fight goes out of you all at once, "have it your way."

You both know your words are empty.

Unlike San, you have been intentionally unaware of how your body reacts to your partner, constantly choosing to ignore the tugging in your gut when you go through the choreo with him.

You always did your best to diffuse the tension that crackles between you two every time you dance; but the more choreography you learn, the harder it is to keep acting as though you aren't drawn to San like a moth to a flame.

You can whine and argue and call him names all day (you already do). But under the loathsome looks and sharp words, you can't deny the underlying attraction you feel to him.

You try with all your might to remind yourself of how insufferable he can be, but it's no use; the anger drains out of you the second you notice how close San still is to you. Your hands are still attached to his shirt, his face is an inch from yours, and his arms are on either side of you, with the stereo still poking into your spine.

Even the thick atmosphere around the room seems to be holding its breath as you both stay put in this position, wondering who would make the first move.

You think you should probably get going; after all, you've just given him the dance ultimatum. Shouldn't you be hightailing it out of the studio and never looking back...

...but you never get to finish that thought.

Because the second that the thought crosses your mind, San is reaching up to take your face in his hand, his heated touch softer than you would've ever guessed it to be.

His fingers skim your cheek delicately, with all the grace of a musician playing his instrument; your eyes begin to flutter closed in expectation for what is about to happen, and you unknowingly lean into the palm of his hand, not putting up a fight.

But you wouldn't dare fight against what's surely happening now- not after having the image of it plague your nights for weeks on end.

He's closer than he's ever been. He doesn't stop; he comes closer, and closer, and closer...

And then, your rotten luck seems to remember it's purpose in your life.

Jumping back in to ruin the moment, it causes your elbow to bump against the stereo and the music comes on at top volume, shattering your eardrums. It's all that the moment needed to come to a screeching halt before disappearing completely.

You wince at the sudden noise and release your grasp on San's shirt, pushing him away from you to tend to the sound system. You quickly turn the music off and put a hand over your racing heart.

San feels like he's rooted in his place, and he can't erase the image in his head of what was about to happen.

He can't shake the way you so easily leaned into his touch; the way he knew he was definitely going to kiss you, and how you were definitely going to let him. He nearly shouts when you break contact to shut the stereo up, leaving him high and dry, waiting for a fire that is no longer burning.

The clock on the wall snaps both of you back into reality, chiming to signal the end of your twelfth day- and for the first time since all of this began, you're reluctant to leave the studio.

What now?

You give San an uneasy look, an awkward smile tugging at your lips. "I, um, I guess I'll be going now." You tell him.

You're expecting him to shoo you off, to comment about how you insisted you weren't coming back once you left today; but he can't bring himself to tease you when he's still feeling so vulnerable.

The idea of insulting you is suddenly unappealing when he realizes that he would much rather be kissing you.

"Yeah, me too." He replies simply; and that's all there is to it. There's no more bickering, no more teasing or conversation once he bids you goodbye.

You stumble over your words like a runner over a hurdle. "See you tomorrow, Fireboy."

You're the first to leave the room, grabbing your bag and making a beeline for the exit. You have no idea what just went down, but you have a sneaking suspicion that things will be much, much different by this time tomorrow.

Meanwhile San is still glued to where he stood next to the stereo, cursing himself for letting you leave without doing what he's wanted to do since the day you argued over the Snickers.

Day Sixteen- 8:35 AM

On the morning of your thirteenth day of practice, Jung Deojun thinks the world must've flipped on its axis in the middle of the night.

It's the only scenario he can come up with to explain why you and San no longer act like you want to slit each other's throats when you walk into the building together, the tension pulsing between you and him having shifted without any notice or warning.

He doesn't expect the truce to last long; but you prove him wrong when three days pass in relative peace, and when you and your partner enter the studio on the sixteenth day, Deojun knows something must have happened.

However, the choreographer thinks it would be too unprofessional to pry, so he decides to pretend that his pupils have been friends all along.

"Good morning you two, did you sleep well?" Deojun greets you both with a wary grin. You nod wordlessly, and he says, "I hope so, because we're finishing up the last few moves of the choreo today. I grabbed some extra waters and snacks to carry us through, but I've informed your managers that we might stay late at the studio tonight. Are you guys opposed to that at all?"

He intentionally leaves out the fact that your manager, Mimi, had chewed him out about working you too hard for almost an hour over the phone when he asked.

You and San share an apprehensive look, but you shake your heads anyways, knowing you'd both rather stay late and finish the choreography as soon as possible.

"Great. Let's get started."

*

By the time you walk through the very last step of the dance, the clock on the wall reads 7:15 in the evening.

It was the longest day you'd had; though it seemed to you as if the hours passed at lightning speed- and you were pretty confident you knew why.

It was because you'd finally stopped holding yourself back when you danced, and neither you nor San could get enough of the new passion that was rapidly igniting at each little motion. It was like a dam had been broken; all you'd needed to open those gates was a push, just one hard shove in the right direction, for everything to fall into place.

You simply hadn't expected the shove to push yourself into San's waiting arms.

If your choreographer noticed the ease with which you and he now practiced the sensual movements, he didn't say anything about it; but you were both aware that sparks were blazing to life with every dip and sway- but neither of you wanted to be the first to put out the fire.

Rather, you found yourselves doing all you could to keep fanning the flames; it especially helped that you no longer needed to yell at each other in order to communicate. You'd been finding much more civil ways to talk since your twelfth day of dancing.

You and San reluctantly move away from each other once the dance is done and the music stops, spinning to face your instructor as he packs up. You refrain from coughing to cover up the way your insides feel like they're turning to mush.

"Awesome job guys!" Deojun claps and walks over to the stereo, a proud smile on his face. "That's it for the choreography, so if you two are ready to leave for the night then you're fine to do so. I'm finished for today, but if either of you stay longer, make sure you lock up after you're done."

You nod and gesture towards the door. "I'm starving, so I'm gonna leave, too." You look at San with a smile that is no longer lethal, and your gaze shines with something other than anger and irritation- a sweet combination that's almost too much for him to handle. "You coming?"

San licks his lips and shrugs, eyes trained on you. "Sure, but I can stay back and lock up while I grab my things, so I'll meet you out front."

You sling your bag over your shoulder and follow Deojun out of the studio, willing your brain to quit focusing on how flustered San's stare makes you.

You stop by the restroom to change out of your dance gear into a pair of light jeans and a loose shirt, trading out your dance shoes for comfy slip-ons, and you hope that the dazzled look on your face disappears soon when you head out.

You never imagined that the same guy who's been driving you insane for two weeks would ever cause you to blush; but here you were, hands pressed to your cheeks in an attempt to chase away the pink flush before you step outside, the image of your almost-kiss playing on repeat in the back of your mind like it usually did these days.

You weren't sure how it happened, but somewhere along the line, you realized that you never really hated San.

You reacted to his insults and his accusations, sure, but a part of you knew that the words were always empty; and even with as many times as you'd said it since meeting him, you honestly didn't hate San.

You just hated that you hadn't kissed him yet.

Jung Deojun has already left the building when you hear the entry door open and close, San approaching where you're standing alone outside of the studio and preoccupied with taking down your ponytail. The hand you were running through your hair halts when you feel his palm hover over your lower back, and his mere presence is enough to give you chills.

You gulp and drop your arm, spinning around.

The breath is practically knocked out of San when you turn to face him. He registers that the hand he's placed on your back now serves to pull you closer, but that's the last thing on his mind when he notices how your head cranes up to look him in the eyes, your almost hopeful expression being the cutest thing he's ever seen as your mouth forms a slight smile.

He's decided that he definitely prefers this look on you over the pissed-off ones he used to earn himself.

"Hey," He says simply, "you ready to go eat?"

You raise an eyebrow. "We're eating together? What about our managers, don't we both have places to be?"

San subconsciously guides your body closer to his, and you force yourself to ignore how droolworthy he looks in his skinny jeans and the black long-sleeved shirt he's tucked into them, keeping your eyes trained on anything that isn't the thick belt around his waist.

The outfit only does more to affirm how San is practically the e-boy of your dreams, posing a stark contrast to your light clothes and soft cardigan; your pulse quickens just from seeing the chain he's looped through his jeans. He looks dark and dangerous, and you love it.

The thought of grabbing that chain to close the gap between you is too tempting to entertain- so you banish it immediately.

"I contacted my company and they said we're free to do whatever we want until ten, as long as we stay out of trouble." San eventually responds to your question.

Your smile widens at the information, and you don't even feel yourself leaning into his arms, peering up at him happily. "In that case, I'm good to go wherever, because Mimi is always trying to get us out to eat more. As long as I get some food I don't really care what we eat." You say.

San so desperately wants to tighten his arms around you when you melt into his hold; but he isn't sure how well you'll respond if you aren't aware of what you're doing now, so he settles for keeping both of his hands placed on your hips, pushing away his desire to trace his fingers over the sliver of skin exposed by your shirt.

"Mimi is your personal manager, right?" San asks to keep up conversation.

"Yeah, but she's more like a friend than a manager," You tell him with a fond look in your eye, "she's always had my back, ever since day one. We're really close."

San has to supress a sigh at how irresistably cute you are; he doesn't know what to do with himself, aside from trying not to melt into putty at your touch. This is a far cry from the rigid stance you normally have around him, and he can't believe how much things have changed in the last four days.

If this had been happening a week ago, you would've laughed in San's face at the offer to go eat together, and he would go back to his dorm at KQ and tell his seven friends about how insufferable you'd been that day.

But now?

Now you're voluntarily spending time with him outside of the studio, and he's wondering why you guys didn't do this sooner.

"I'm feeling partial to pizza, how about you?" He suggests.

You nod quickly at the idea, "That sounds great, but I haven't had pizza in so long; we'll have to Google directions."

"I know a good place down the street, about two blocks away. It's close enough that we can walk from here." San offers. He points to your left, towards the downtown area, and you hoist your bag higher up on your shoulder.

"Then by all means, lead the way." You tease.

You don't exactly hold hands as the two of you walk towards the closest pizza place side-by-side; but you're not at all the sworn enemies you'd been at this time four days ago.

And by the end of the night, you go to bed with a full stomach and a voice in your head that says, maybe Choi San isn't as bad as you thought he was.

Day 19 - 7:50 PM

"Oh my god, you're kidding!" You hide your laughs behind your hand, elbows resting on the table.

Deojun shakes his head rapidly, affirming the truth to the wild story he's been sharing with you and San over your meal at the diner three doors down from the studio (which your other managers barely even agreed to let you go to after taking one look at the menu; thankfully, Mimi was able to convince them that you deserved a treat).

"No, I'm serious! They walked into the studio in full clown suits and told me they were ready to dance!"

You snort so hard you're afraid your milkshake might go up your nose. You couldn't believe all of the crazy stuff he'd seen as a mentor, and some of the things his students had done while dancing were amusing enough to bring tears to your eyes. But the day had been long enough- and exhausting enough- that maybe you were just feeling giddy out of tiredness.

San is currently clutching his sides and shaking with laughter across from you in the booth, and he doesn't seem to be too far from tears himself. "Then it's no wonder we seem so normal to you after you taught a group like that. That one couple makes mine and Y/N's silly fights look mature, don't you think?"

Deojun waggles his eyebrows suggestively, making you laugh even harder. "I wouldn't exactly say normal. You two were about as difficult as any other students I've ever had when you first started. I'm actually kind of surprised we're all sitting pleasantly here right now, given the circumstances up until recently..." He trails off, the playful expression slipping from his face when the three of you realize what's being implied.

It was so strange to think that you'd gone from hating your partner's guts a couple of days ago to where you were now, eating dinner together with Deojun after a long day of rehearsal.

You and San had definitely become friends at this point, much to your relief; but the passion with which you danced together always left you wondering if there was something more.

After all, friends don't dance like that- even if your managers instructed you to act like lovers.

"I know you'll need to get back to your managers soon or else Mimi might bite my head off, so I'll go on up and get our bill." Deojun announces, pulling you from your train of thought as the choreographer nudges you urgently, gesturing for you to move so he can get out of the booth.

You let him out and slide back in when he leaves for the front counter, an uncalled-for nervous rush zipping down your body when you catch San's eye.

The dancer stares you down from across the table and twirls his tongue around the straw in his milkshake, immediately taking note of the way your eyes follow his movement. He chooses not to tease you about it but smirks nonetheless, fully aware of the effect he has on you.

You stay silent; and despite the newfound friendship that has made talking much less difficult for the both of you, you can't form a coherent sentence to save your life when he looks at you like you're a ten-thousand-piece puzzle that he can't wait to solve. You know you won't last long under his intense gaze before you start blushing.

The air in the booth is practically humming with tension- it seems to do that quite often when he's in the same room as you.

"You know, I'm kind of with Deojun on what he said. I never thought we'd end up here." He admits suddenly.

You look up, wondering if he's talking about eating here at the diner or if he's talking about something else entirely. You think it's the former, but your heart flutters at the subtle double meaning.

"Me neither." You respond softly, wrapping your hands around your cold glass. Your milkshake is now nothing but a puddle of leftover whipped cream at the bottom of the cup, but your lack of words makes you wish you hadn't finished it quite so fast.

He leans forward to put his weight on his elbows, coming closer across the table, and the inexplicable gleam in his eye is back; with the intimacy of it all, you feel as though he's about to let you in on a big secret.

You gulp nervously.

"After the first week with you, I expected to just go through the motions and then move on," San says in a voice so low it's nearly a murmur, "but you proved me wrong. As a matter of fact, you proved me wrong about a lot of things when it comes to you, and this is probably the first time I've ever been glad I wasn't right."

You're taken aback by his words, and it's a little too vague for you to understand.

You hope your voice doesn't sound as wobbly to him as it does to you when you ask him, "What things were you wrong about?"

He shrugs, taking another long sip of his shake, before he regards you with a stare so intense it seems to almost pin you to your seat.

"You're not the selfish prissy princess I thought you were." He eventually says.

Your eyes narrow at this, your suspicions about his confession rising even though he's not insulted you at all since the twelfth day in the studio.

San sees the way your guard goes up and laughs, shaking his hair out of his face. "Relax Y/N, there's no need to go on the defensive." He reassures you, "I'm just saying that I assumed too much about you when we met, and I should've said sorry sooner for not giving you a chance to show me that you were different."

You feel the tips of your ears burn at the unexpected apology.

You want to tear your gaze away from him so you can stare intently at your shoes; but some invisible force is keeping it glued on him, where there's a softness you've not yet seen glimmering in his eyes.

You know that you should say something in return, that you need to accept his apology and keep the conversation going- but your thoughts are spinning and racing and wild; and they're so full of him that you're afraid of what you'd say if you opened your mouth.

You never really let yourself cave into the way he makes you feel before. After all, you were way too annoyed by him in the beginning for you to register the other feelings he stirred up inside you.

But now that you've given up on trying to hate San, the ache to know him, to really know him- his touch, his kiss, his smile and his story- is almost overwhelming.

"Alrighty, everything's paid for." Your choreographer chooses that exact moment to arrive back at the booth, effectively slicing through the thick tension. "You're both free to go, and I'll see you tomorrow bright and early!"

You and San follow him out of the booth without any more discussion, but neither of you need to speak to know that another shift has occurred between you.

He can tell you sense the rising pressure when you leave that night, walking you to where your company's car is waiting.

San is quick to open the door for you like a gentleman; but when he raises the back of your hand to his lips in a move that would normally be just as gentlemanly, the depth of his expression when he makes eye contact is more than enough to put fire in your veins.

The encounter makes you wish you were bold enough to do more than just curl your fingers loosely around his hand.

You give yourself away with the breathy tone of your voice as you tell him good night, for once letting the tingling sensation on your hand have some meaning, and his lips pull into a soft grin at the sight of your pink cheeks.

As you close your door and the car pulls away from where San stands, your heart starts pounding in anticipation of seeing him tomorrow.

You wonder if you'll finally have the courage to show him the effect he's had on you.

Day 22 - 8:15 PM

The days continue to fly by in a whirlwind of teasing touches and sensual stares, until only three more remain before the night of the collaboration stage.

You read the time on your phone as you pull off your dance shoes, the screen showing that it was currently 8:15 in the evening.

Earlier today, you and San had shot the official performance video for the song, a three-minute-long clip that you hope had captured all of your hard work and effort. It had been done in a newer section of the studio building, on a floor you'd not been to before; but you were sufficiently elated at the gorgeous floor-to-ceiling windows that lined the walls of the dance room, and the lighting they provided was perfect for the video.

But despite the pretty setup, you felt like the dressing rooms in the back were somewhat... lacking. It was too small, poorly separated, and alarmingly unsupervised- the perfect recipe for disaster.

You see San's shadow moving around behind the flimsy screen that divides the empty room, and you rush to change out of the costume into normal clothes. You shimmy your jeans up quickly and tug your favorite sweater on over your head, hurrying because you know that if you can see him, then he can probably see you, too.

You try not to yank on your hair as you pull it out of its elaborate bun. Running a hand through it, you suppress a snort when you're met with a crunchy, knotty mess; between the uppity stylist and the mega-hold hairspray, your hair is practically standing up on its own, the strands feeling more like hay than hair.

You grab your brush and get to work, carefully detangling the knots and working from the bottom upwards. Mimi wouldn't be too pleased if you gave yourself split ends.

"Is it safe for me to come in?" San's voice startles you, and you jump with the hairbrush still in your hand, catching violently on a clump of stubborn hairspray. You yelp at the pain in your scalp and shoot him a burning look, but your anger is more directed towards your brush than at your partner.

San raises his eyebrows and clicks his tongue, his footsteps sure as he approaches you. "Here, let me help you." He offers. You don't think twice before handing him the hairbrush and sitting on the cosmetics table, your cheeks flaming as you whisper a thank you.

You don't expect him to be very gentle, but you're surprised at the feather-light touch when he begins to work out the remaining knots, and it sends pleasant sensations to your scalp that make your eyelids slide shut.

He moves your hair to the side and combs through the crown of your head. You almost shudder when you realize you can feel every time he exhales, warm breath fanning over the back of your neck. You don't even notice the way you crane your head slightly back, your spine pressed against his chest, the proximity keeping your cheeks stained pink.

But oh, does San notice.

He also notices another reaction that you've failed to see- your reflection in the mirror across the room.

His grip tightens on the handle of the brush at your blissful expression, eyes closed and lips subconsciously pouted. San nearly wishes you'd stayed in your bland dance clothes, because with the way your jeans hug your hips and the tantalizing dip of your sweater's neckline, he's struggling to keep his cool.

As a matter of fact, nothing in the room was cool anymore- his hands, your face, and the atmosphere surrounding you both had all become maddeningly hot.

Your eyes flutter open when San stops moving.

"San, I can take care of the rest, you don't have to do this for me-" You begin to say, but your words abandon you when San puts the brush down and trails a finger in lazy circles on your neck. You do shudder this time, unable to conceal the way your body responds to him; and it brings a smirk to San's lips as he watches your defenses start to chip away.

He's determined to finish what you'd both started- and he doesn't plan on leaving this room until he's felt your mouth on his and his hands on your skin.

"But I want to, princess." He says smoothly, the hidden meaning of the word want driving you nuts, while the pet name makes your heart leap like it always does.

You brace your palms on the surface of the table, hoping for some sort of stability because God knows your mind is far from it.

You summon up all the courage you have and finally, finally ask the question that's been tossed around in your head for the last two or three weeks.

"Is that... is that all you want?"

You're surprised at the strength of your own voice- though now that you've said it, you want to curl into a ball and hide away forever.

San knows exactly what you mean. He knows you're not talking about hair or dancing, and he knows the answer he would give you if he were man enough not to twirl around the truth.

He knows he wants to be yours; what he doesn't know, however, is how much you'd be willing to risk to be his.

But he'll be damned if he lets anything stop him from finding out.

"I think you know by now what I want." He tests the waters hesitantly, afraid you may take it the wrong way. Because although he can't deny his attraction to you physically, San is drawn to you more by your fire and your passion than he is by your body.

You can sense it, the uncharacteristic doubt and uncertainty in his words, and it puts a lump in your throat when you realize how vulnerable you both are at this point.

You swallow hard. "I do." It's simple, short, and barely above a whisper, but it's out there now; you've placed the ball back in his court, so it's up to him to make the shot.

You never were much good at basketball, anyways.

San rounds the table to stand in front of you, eyes searing with that familiar intensity that always leaves your knees weak, and his arms reach out on either side of where you sit to balance his weight on the table. He hovers over you- but he's just far away enough to keep himself from touching you.

His voice is gruff when he speaks next. "You've known for a while now that we aren't just partners." It's self explanatory, and you don't interrupt when he tilts his head to give you a sweltering gaze. "And you're not too good at hiding how you feel, so I know it's probably a safe bet to say you feel exactly the same as I do."

His black hair falls into his face, and your hand itches to brush it away; so you let it. You're slow to comb through it and you raise yourself up a little to get closer to him as you rake through the dark strands, letting them twist and twirl around your fingers. "And what is it that you think I'm feeling right now?" You ask, meeting his stare straight on.

San flashes his killer smirk. "Attraction." He says confidently. He wedges his way into your personal space, his hands now resting on either of your thighs with his body between your legs. "Desire, maybe." He continues with a squeeze.

You know where this is heading- and you don't plan on stopping it anytime soon. Hell, you want it to go full steam ahead, because you've been waiting for this for four weeks too long.

San laces his fingers through yours and leans in to place a teasing kiss on your cheek, close to your ear. "Y/N, tell me something." He murmurs lowly, "Do you want this, too? Because if you still hate me as much as you did four weeks ago, I'll stop right now and walk out of the room."

You spring to life at his offer, throwing one arm around his neck and successfully trapping him into his position. Your faces are only a few inches apart now, the air between you radiating with electricity; you wrap your other arm around his shoulders and eliminate almost all of the space.

You have no idea where this bravery is coming from, but hey, you're not complaining.

"Don't you dare walk out on this." You say darkly, the words stealing away the last of San's sanity. "We're in too deep now, so if you're gonna kiss me, you better kiss me like you mean it." You threaten.

It's all the encouragement he needs to bring your lips to his- and the result is more incredible than anything either of you had imagined.

You don't melt together the way that you've heard others describe themselves doing. No, you and San are too passionate, too full of sparks- this kiss isn't melting.

It's blazing.

There's no uncertainty or gentle hesitancy in it; not even a little bit. From the moment his mouth is on yours, you kiss with an unmatched fervor and passion, feeling more like an explosion than like fireworks.

You're fighting fire with fire, and nothing has ever felt so good before.

You push and pull and meet right back in the middle in an exchange of powerful sparks, the kiss seeming to last for hours as you both fight to outdo the other in true 'fake enemies' fashion. San's fingers are digging into your hips and your hands are tugging on his shirt for some semblance of balance; everything is on fire, and yet everything is positively and passionately perfect.

You sigh against his lips in sheer bliss, your legs hooking themselves around his torso and bringing him impossibly closer. His fingertips skim across the hem of your sweater before slipping under it, and you nearly moan when he runs them up and down the curve of your back.

You've never felt this connected to a person before; almost as if from the moment you met, an invisible thread was strung between you and San, winding tighter and tighter over time until you were much too entangled to stop this.

You didn't ever want to stop this, anyways.

This kiss, this moment, and the last few whirlwind weeks with this man who's made of sweetness and pure sin- it all seems to be stitched together to create an emotion so strong that it rolls off of both of you in waves; an earth shattering romance that must be written in the stars themselves.

San mentally sends a thousand thanks to those lucky stars as he ends the kiss, regretfully pulling back to see what a mess he's made out of you.

He isn't disappointed either; your puffy pink lips and pretty glazed eyes make his already-tight pants feel three sizes too small, and he has to refrain from diving right back in for another soul-searing kiss.

He does his best to contain himself and leans his forehead against yours in a move he's cringed at every time it happens in the movies, though he finds it to be a lot less cliché with you.

In the aftermath of your passionate makeout, your eyes are gazing headlong into his own, and San swears he's never seen a more beautiful sight than this. He feels close, so close; his hands are pressed securely on the small of your back, though you sure as hell aren't thinking about that.

You're too busy thinking about how you finally have a name for that special look he's been giving you.

Adoration.

Sure, it's obviously mixed with a dash of unbridled lust and a bucketload of his signature sizzling attraction, but the adoring expression on his face says it all. Whether or not anyone knew things would happen this way, San has always adored you; you and your fiery temper, sweet smile, and ridiculous, incredible passion.

You feel yourself going shy again as he continues to stare at you, your blush already as deep as it can get, and you have half a mind to bury your face in his chest to escape the knowledge that your moment is beginning to fade away.

You don't want anything about the moment to fade, ever.

"Y/N," San's voice is soothing as he softly traces shapes into the skin beneath your sweater, "I hope you haven't changed your mind about wanting me to walk out."

You smile sheepishly, shaking your head. "No, nothing's changed." You manage to murmur around the tightness in your chest. It's not a bad tightness though; it's just the coil of raw emotion that's settling into your heart at the pure vulnerability of the last ten minutes.

"So does that mean we're still going to just keep doing what we've been doing this whole time?" He asks, tilting his head, "Or can I finally call you mine?"

Your lungs stutter briefly at his question, the word "mine" sounding so perfect to you when it falls from his mouth.

You don't answer immediately despite your inner self screaming at you to say yes. You have plenty of realistic things to consider, and anyone with a brain would say no in your position; but all of it is overshadowed by what you feel for San.

Both of your contracts, your fames and fanbases, and even your careers as idols are on the line, but you know with every beat of your heart that you'd risk all of that for this boy.

You'd risk anything to be his, you're sure of it.

"Yes." You agree quietly. "But only if it means that you're mine, too."

The smirk is back, and it turns the butterflies in your stomach into fucking pterodactyls at how effortlessly he can do that. It should be illegal for someone to switch the way San does, going from being a swoonworthy sweetheart to looking like a sexual fantasy on legs in the blink of an eye.

"I thought that was a given, babe." His tone has returned to its usual cockiness, but instead of getting on your nerves, now it just sounds plain hot. He gives you a mischievous wink as he says, "After all, it takes two to tango."

You don't bother hiding your laugh while you slide off of the cosmetics table; and you're still laughing at him when you walk out of the unsupervised dressing rooms hand in hand, feeling like it was meant to be this way all along.

In the back of your mind, you wonder if a mere twenty-three days is too soon to call it love.

You don't think so.

Day of Collaboration Stage - 4:30 PM

You hadn't seen San all day.

Today was the end of your promotions, and in three short hours, you'd be dancing together on a stage in front of the whole world, doing the moves you'd spent more time rehearsing than you'd spent sleeping throughout the last month.

You were on edge, to say the very least.

Currently, you were sitting in your designated room at the site of the event, staying as still as possible while being attacked with makeup brushes from all angles.

You would normally have a conversation with the group of people pampering you; but the desire to see San was making it hard to focus on talking about the weather or finding out the latest gossip.

You and San had shared three more kisses since the other night. Two of them were in the studio during rehearsal when Deojun left the room, and the third had been in the doorway of the building last night, when you and he had said goodbye after your final practice.

Your body was aching to see him. It wasn't that you just wanted to kiss him again (though you won't object to a kiss either); but you longed for some reassurance, for the steadiness you felt from a hug or even just the simple look he gave you that made all of the doubts and worries disappear in its wake.

"Mimi," You call to your most trusted manager, "has anyone heard from KQ since lunch?"

Your team giggles at your request, and Mimi gives you a fond smile as she shakes her head. "No dear, I'm sorry. We'll be sure to tell you as soon as they contact us though."

You nod quickly and try to relax a little bit, willing your hands to loosen their grip on the arms of your chair. If your stylists can sense how jittery you are, they don't let on; they continue to chatter mindlessly as they get you ready for tonight's much-anticipated performance.

*

On the other end of the building, San is only one brain cell away from calling your company and asking them if he can finish getting ready with you- because the seven lively boys crowded around in his room are becoming very, very distracting.

"Mingi, for the last time, please don't mess with my costume." The dancer chides his tall friend, who ducks his head and mumbles an apology.

The redheaded leader, Hongjoong, is trying to help San keep peace in the chaos that began when Yunho decided to twerk in the hallway- but reigning in the band of childish idols proves to be a challenge when his best friend Wooyoung steals his phone and tries to guess his password so he can text you, the mystery girl.

"Sannie!" Wooyoung pouts, "Won't you at least give me a little hint? I promise I won't text her anything too embarrassing."

Before he can answer, the oldest boy, Seonghwa, snatches the phone from Wooyoung and hands it back to its owner. "Woo, don't be a burden. Let San finish getting ready." He scolds. Wooyoung sighs dramatically and skips over to the lone couch in the dressing room to bother its occupants, Yeosang and Jongho; San's arguably more level-headed friends.

San's manager pays no mind to the loud group wreaking havoc and continues with prep, swiping on the finishing touches to the stage makeup and doing a final fluff of his hair.

The manager steps back to survey her work and smiles, already gathering up her things and packing away the tools. "You're all set San, try to keep your hands away from your face and hair. Good luck tonight." She says, promptly retreating from the noisy group and closing the door behind her.

The moment the manager leaves, Kim Hongjoong is standing behind San's chair and crossing his arms, staring him down in the mirror. The question leaves his mouth before anyone can stop him.

"San," His tone is demanding, "no more vague answers. I wanna know straight up if you're into this girl or not, and don't you dare try to beat around the bush."

San gulps heavily, not expecting to get drilled about you so soon today. He should've known better though- after all, he's always been horrible at keeping secrets from his team.

He takes a deep breath before finally confessing to his leader, "Yes, I'm into her. More than I've ever been into anyone." He admits, still trying not to make it obvious how deep his feeling for you run.

But he can't help the foolish grin that crosses his face as he continues to say, "She dances with more passion than any girl I've ever worked with, and you should see the way she looks at me when she doesn't think I'll notice. You'd never pick on me again if you danced with her like I do."

He shuts his mouth before any more mushy words can make it past his lips; but the damage is already done. Choi San has completely blown his cover, letting everyone know exactly how often you've been on his mind- or rather, his heart.

Wooyoung and Mingi both stop what they're doing at the outburst and stare at San, jaws dropping. Park Seonghwa seems frozen in his seat, Yunho and Jongho's heads both snap up at the same time, and even cool, unbothered Yeosang turns off his phone and raises one eyebrow.

"Somebody's majorly fuckin' whipped." Yunho mutters under his breath. Seonghwa only halfheartedly nudges him for the comment, and San feels his ears burn from the intense scrutiny of his seven best friends, all eyes turned to him.

It's too late to backtrack now.

"Shut up, Yunho." San whines, shoulders slumping with defeat. Wooyoung's triumphant smirk goes unnoticed in the mirror as San exposes his humongous crush on you, not even trying to deny it anymore, and Mingi sighs loudly knowing he'll have to cough up $15 to Wooyoung once the night is over.

"So it's true then?" Seonghwa voices what everyone must be thinking, "You and the mystery girl? Are you... are you dating her?" His voice lowers on the word dating, and Hongjoong holds his breath, suddenly not quite as playful as he was before.

He knows Choi San is a wonderful person, and that the last thing he'd ever do would be something that intentionally hurts the group. But he also knows that the boy tends to let his heart run away with his passion; and if he's in a secret relationship behind their backs, then there's more at stake than just the dating ban contract.

Thankfully, San's eyes widen and he shakes his head side-to-side. "No, I'm not! It's not like that! I swear, we really aren't together. I'd never hide something like that from you guys." He states honestly.

It's not a lie, either. Despite the kisses and touches that he's shared with you lately, and the heated confrontation after the dress rehearsals, he truly isn't in any official relationship at the moment.

But that doesn't mean he has no desire to be in one with you.

He knows what's at risk, of course he does; but even so, he knows that once the dust settles and the cameras are no longer pointed at him, he wants to be by your side long after the collaboration is finished.

He wants to be yours just as badly as you want to be his. And tonight, he's determined to prove it.

Yeosang sees the confidence flickering in San's expression and nods his head, hiding a small smile of pride. "Go get her, San. We'll all be rooting for you."

And with those words of encouragement, San is dashing out of the room like a man on a mission- a mission to see you.

*

It takes an hour of discreet texting while you're being pampered to death for San to come up with a valid excuse to see you.

You eventually agree that he'll interrupt your prep to do one more walkthrough of your ending scene; but you both know that it's just an excuse to have a little more time together before the stage, and that knowledge makes you giggle like a schoolgirl when San messages you.

Fireboy: wish me luck getting past ur managers !!

Your grip relaxes on your chair when you finally hear a knock at your door. Mimi shoots right up to answer it, and her polite smile grows mischievous when she sees who's on the other side.

"Hello there, Mr. Choi," Mimi greets, "how can I help you?"

San blinks and clears his throat. "I, uh, I'm here to go over a few steps with Y/N." He doesn't sound overly convincing, and you hide a chuckle with the palm of your hand. "Just to make sure we've got everything right before the performance, you know?"

Your lead manager shares a look with the other girls on your prep team, opens the door wider, and beckons for everyone else to leave.

"We'll give you some space to rehearse. Come find me if you need anything, Mr. Choi." Mimi tells him with that same smirk painted on her face as she practically tugs San the rest of the way into the room. They all go at once, leaving you sitting alone in your snazzy chair when they close the door behind them.

You glance at him with a shy smile, peering beneath your newly mascara-coated lashes at the handsome sight in front of you.

San is styled in a costume very similar to the one he wore for the performance video- black pants, a red harness belt, and a billowy long-sleeved white shirt with three buttons undone at the top. It takes everything in you to keep your jaw from dropping; though you don't really need to worry about it since San is having no problem openly staring at your legs.

But you can't blame him for looking, because you think your legs are a hundred percent worth staring at in the pretty red swing dress that you'll be wearing tonight.

"My eyes are up here, buddy." You snap your fingers playfully, and he meets your gaze with a boyish grin.

"Sorry, Y/N." He's not sorry in the slightest.

You push yourself up from your chair and cross the floor to where he stands, his back resting against your dressing room door. "What do you really need?" You ask him, stopping when he's an arm's length away.

He doesn't hesitate to pull you the rest of the way into his embrace and loops his arms around your middle, all but sweeping you off of your feet.

"This." He says, tone leaving no room for debate.

He kisses you swiftly, not even giving you a moment to breathe before his lips are on yours and he's softly tracing patterns on the fabric of your shirt. It's a sweet kiss; slow and languid, as if you have all the time in the world, but still heavy with meaning and want.

"San," You mumble, "I don't really think-"

"I'm not gonna ruin your hair, Miss Priss." He instantly answers your halfhearted concern and is back to kissing you, tongue sliding hastily along your bottom lip. It's enough to give you just a taste of what you want; but you remember that your entire prep team is probably listening outside of your room, and you have more to worry about than a messed up hairdo.

You move away to save your makeup- an action that ends up taking every ounce of your willpower to do- and press a lingering peck to his cheek. "You're cute, San. Was that all you came here to do though?"

He stops an embarrassing blush from rising onto his cheeks and clears his throat again, face turning serious.

"I actually did come to talk to you about something," He admits, taking your hands in his. "I wanted to check in with you to see how you're feeling about tonight's stage. Are there any fears of crowds or cameras that I should know about?"

Your smile droops slightly and his grip tightens, his hands warm on yours and giving you the courage to voice your concerns.

"I, um..." You manage to get out, "I've never performed a dance like this before and... well, I'm really nervous and worried. I don't know if I'll be able to pull it off well enough."

You purse your lips as you add, "And as ironic as it is to say this, even though I'm a dancer, I've never been too fond of big audiences."

"Y/N," San whispers softly, "Don't think about the crowds tonight. If we're gonna do this, then I'll need to you keep your eyes on mine, baby. Don't look away from me while we're dancing, okay?"

Your hands cling onto his the way your heart clings onto his words, hoping that they might chase away your nerves.

"I'll try." You tell him plainly. It's the truth- you don't know if you'll be able to ignore the countless eyes watching you or the cameras that will capture every move; but you're going to try. If not for yourself, then at least for him.

His face breaks into a gorgeous smile, making your heart flutter with something other than nervous panic. "Good." He says with finality, giving you one more intoxicating kiss while he makes sure he hasn't messed up your hair. "We're gonna do great, Y/N. I can feel it."

You hear your team gossiping and giggling out in the hallway, making you shake your head. He winks playfully at you and blows you a kiss before backing away.

"See you out there, Miss Priss." He teases when he opens the door. The nickname makes the edges of your lips turn upwards, and you smile against your will.

You roll your eyes but catch the kiss nonetheless. "Famous last words, Fireboy." You say as you shoo him off, and Mimi swoops back into the room, steering you back to your chair to sit you down. You're not able to summon enough words to describe your encounter when your prep crew asks; though you think the dreamy look on your face says it all.

You still aren't totally sure if you can pull the performance off tonight.

But you know that if your handsome partner is half as talented on stage as he is in rehearsals, then there's no reason for you to worry.

"Y/N, are you ready to go?" Mimi asks, "We need to meet up with KQ in the next twenty seconds if you want to be backstage on time."

You nod against your better judgment, allowing her to take your arm and gently guide you out of your dressing room and down the corridor. Your heartbeat is drumming a quick rhythm in your ears, your mind buzzing with last-minute what if's and oh no's.

Your heeled shoes alert the group of stagehands that's already begun to gather behind the sound booth to your presence, all heads turned towards you; and almost as if he could hear your internal doubts, Choi San sends you a thumbs up and winks, causing you to laugh.

"Are you ready to knock about three hundred socks off?" He asks as soon as you're in range, walking up to you. He unashamedly loops an arm around you, not seeming to care if the pose is a little too close for coworkers.

"It depends; are you ready to become the country's ultimate bias for the next month?" You tease back. He laughs playfully pokes your side before letting you go.

"Absolutely." He says without hesitating. You roll your eyes, mouth opening to crack another joke, but the stagehands start calling out directions before you can think of a good one.

It's almost showtime.

The realization is jolting, and scares the ever-living shit out of you more than any spider could.

Your heart immediately plummets to your stomach and your nerves return with full force. You all of a sudden don't feel quite as confident in your heels as you did, your ankles threatening to wobble and give away your weakness.

But as always, San swoops in to rescue your thoughts before you get too lost in them; strong fingers lace together with your trembling ones when he raises an eyebrow as if to say, get it together, y/n.

"Oh no you don't, princess. You don't get to chicken out on me now. We can't have you collapsing on stage, can we?" He taunts. You give him a familiar glare in return.

The simple question is enough to get your blood rushing as you recall all the times he's said things like that to you and meant it, all of the heated- yet pointless- fights you'd had during your first few weeks together. You remember how annoying he used to be with you; though looking back on it now, you suppose he was just doing it on purpose.

There was certainly blame to share for the childish spats you had during those twelve maddening days where you couldn't decide if you were enemies or lovers. But you think that, if given the chance, you wouldn't actually want to go back and redo it- you don't want it any other way.

You always secretly kind of liked the tension you had together.

A smile is pulling at your lips when the stage lights dim and the velvet curtain begins to rustle, San's hand still fully engulfing yours. He notices your change in demeanor and squeezes lightly, your attention turning to him and his stupidly handsome face.

"What's that look for?" He presses.

You shrug and squeeze his hand back, "Just thinking about how much I used to hate you, that's all."

You expect San's mouth to fall open in shock, for him to whine and say something like "you're not very nice!", but instead you get a dark chuckle and a meaningful stare.

"Come on, baby. You never really hated me, did you?"

You pretend to think about it, ignoring the burning blush on your cheeks. "I guess not," You sigh wistfully, "but I definitely couldn't stand you when we were starting out. You used to get on my nerves like no tomorrow, Fireboy."

The sounds from the crowd in the arena are floating backstage, but you don't even register the noise as you relive your memories with San.

He nods his head, "It's been an interesting few weeks with you too, Y/N. I don't know how I missed what was really there for so long; I must've been such an ass to you. At least now we're making up for lost time..." He trails off with a suggestive smile, detaching his hand from yours when a manager pops up out of the blue.

You nearly curse- because now you really want to make up for lost time and kiss him until you're breathless- but the manager grabs both you and your partner by the arm and drags you to stand over two red x's in the middle of the stage, and you sense the panic rising up in spite of your handsome distraction.

"Two minutes until your cue, you two. Are you both fully prepared?" The manager interrupts to check on you, and your mind boggles as soon as you hear how much time is left.

Two minutes?

How could there only be two minutes left? And weren't you kissing San in your dressing room just a moment ago? It feels like the seconds are flying by, the hours and minutes blending together in your nervous haze.

San's eyes dart to you and his tongue comes out to sweep over his lower lip; something you'd find desperately attractive if not for your frantic inner dialogue. "Yes, thank you." He bows slightly and the manager scurries off, allowing San one more moment to have you all to himself.

He can detect every ounce of anxiety in your eyes when they meet his, and he cups your face in his palms, the sweet gesture not allowing you to duck away from him.

"Y/N, what did we talk about earlier?" He prompts you with a tone that's uncharacteristically soft. Your lips form an adorable pout when you try to find an answer, testing San's ability to resist you.

"Umm... we talked about not getting nervous?" You attempt. He shakes his head, placing a single chaste kiss on your lips while no one can see you.

"No, not quite. I told you that when you get nervous, you'll need to focus on me. Right?" He tilts your chin up with one finger, "Didn't I say to keep your eyes on me when we dance?"

You're taken aback by the authoritative edge to his voice, but whatever the cause for it is... it works.

You blink and respond, "Yes. I will, San, I'll try."

He breaks into a grin that sends butterflies to your tummy for an entirely different reason. "That's all there is to it, then. Any time you aren't confident, just look straight at me and I'll take the lead."

You aren't sure why the phrase is so comforting, but you're nodding your head anyways, reassured just enough to keep your anxious doubts at bay.

"Okay." You whisper.

And before you have time to fully process what's happening, the directors and operators are flying to their booths around the two of you and the curtains rustle one last time, the din of the workers backstage going completely quiet when the lights go out and San takes you into his arms.

"Cue!" You hear Mimi say from the wings, along with what sounds like "Knock 'em dead, Y/N!"

You feel like your nerves are going to get the best of you when the curtain starts to lift, positive that they'll overtake your body and freeze your limbs solid.

But they never do, and you know exactly why.

It's because when the spotlight lands on you and San, you're already in position, and his eyes are staring confidently back into your own.

Almost like he's daring you to break away.

"Game on, Fireboy." You say under your breath.

The beginning notes float through the speakers, and the spotlight flares to life, trained on you and your partner as the music fills your bodies.

One, two, three... concentrate. You hear Jung Deojun's voice in your head when you spring upwards, officially beginning your dance. Feel the heartbeat of the music like it's your own.

Your hands grasp at San's shirt, your legs carrying out each move with perfect poise, and you're absolutely, 100% sure that every member of this audience can blatantly see the desire that burns in his eyes as he spins you into your mark.

A spark of pure confidence makes its way into your system, giving your arms the strength to wrap around your partner and let go of his collar, and the complete trust you have in him is the only thing that makes the next move remotely possible.

Your mind flashes back briefly to day thirteen, when you'd first successfully done the lift. You'd jumped into San's waiting arms with more trust than anyone would've guessed you had for him, surprising even yourself.

You remember how hot his hands had been on your sides when he picked you up gracefully, how flustered his touch had made you back then- but you also remember how proud you'd been of finally letting go and giving him the reins.

You feel just as proud now as you were then when he lifts you; you're weightless, flying like a fiery phoenix in the air with San twirling you around, and you can almost hear the collective gasp when he lays you down, sinking effortlessly into the one move that's always turned your mind into putty.

It's the move that took you two entire days of rehearsal to conquer, and holy fuck was it worth it.

San's got a shit-eating smirk on his face as he controls his hips while balancing above you, doing that roll with his lower body while keeping his legs in the air, and you get so lost in his burning stare that you almost forget to do the floor work you've practiced so often.

"You're doing so well for me, Y/N." He whispers for just you to hear, the words hot against the skin of your neck, and your eyes fall shut momentarily at the sensation.

Then he rolls up in one fluid motion while tugging you with him, and you surge straight into the next step: something Deojun had described as taking a classic foxtrot and adding a pinch of 'spice' to it. It'd be scandalous if it wasn't choreographed.

You sway to the pulsing rhythm as you glide across the stage hand-in-hand, and the dazzling lights are no match for the fire that's crackling to life between you and him. You never expected the flames to make it to the stage- but you're glad it did, because right now, it's helping you to dance with more passion than you were even sure you possessed.

His arms circle your torso sensually and you rock together like starstruck lovers, one hand trailing a path down the side of your face; and the longer you dance, the less aware you are of the eyes watching your performance.

"How's it going, princess?" He murmurs hotly, doing a flawless tango with your body pressed firmly against his.

You rake one nail across the exposed skin from his shirt, making a mark just below his collarbone, and a feeling of satisfaction bubbles in your chest when he tightens his arms around you.

"Pretty damn good, if I do say so myself." You don't know where this courage is coming from, but you shoot him a teasing smile anyways, "What about you, Fireboy?"

He runs the palm of his hand all the way from the base of your spine to the back of your neck and bends you beneath his touch, your red lips parting when he moves into a perfect dip.

Your arm is slung around his shoulder, and it takes a lot of self-restraint for you not to kiss him senseless when he raises an eyebrow and responds, "It couldn't get any fucking better than this, baby."

San has always known exactly what words to say to set you ablaze.

There's a simmering fire in his touch as he pulls you out of the dip and the tempo quickens, leading you into what you can't believe is already the last chorus of the song.

Have you really been dancing for almost six minutes now?

"Are you ready for the finale?" You ask lowly, unable to hear if he says anything once you're sent spiraling across the floor.

But when you meet back up like lovers who can't bear to be apart, he leans in to tell you cockily, "I was born ready, Y/N." You suppress an eye roll at the statement, your heart fluttering nonetheless as he puts his hands on your hips and swings in step with you.

San's hands grip you tightly as he pulls you against him, your mouths hovering tantalizingly close together when he guides your arm up to skim the curve of his neck. The sensual music drifts through the arena in time with your movements, each step flowing smoothly and each touch driving you wild as you perform your finale with your hearts on your sleeves.

You've never felt this before Choi San; you've never experienced such an intense desire for someone the way you're desperate for every brush of his skin against yours.

You slide slowly out of his arms and make your way down, down his body and to the floor, taking your sweet time walking your fingers down his chest as you sink to your knees on stage; the sight of you in such a compromising stance earns you an earful of traumatized murmurs from the crowd, but you pay them no mind.

Nothing else matters when San's knees hit the stage floor three beats later, hands tangling in your hair and pulling you close enough to give the cameraman a run for his money.

All that matters in that instant is San- his touch, his gaze, and the dance that feels like it was made just for you and him.

"That... was amazing." You comment breathlessly, careful not to give any wandering eyes a chance to read your lips. He nods and says nothing, letting his fiery eyes do all the talking for the both of you.

The moment feels incredibly intimate as the music fades out, and you're breathing the same air as your partner, only separated by an inch at the most; you want nothing more than to grab him by his too-damn-sexy shirt and make out until your lips are swollen.

But you can't do that, because you're still somehow on stage with him, crouching in a sensual pose in front of hundreds of people.

The last notes float away and you're immediately met with deafening cheers, roses and carnations already beginning to litter the platform. You're shocked by how much your performance seemed to affect the audience; but it makes you smile wide, your cheeks aching when a group of girls start chanting your name, and you feel like you're on cloud nine.

The MC's voice booms over the speakers as the crowd whistles and yells, "What an incredible performance from Choi San of Ateez and Y/N of Indigo! Let's have another round of applause for the stars of tonight's show, everyone!"

The clapping continues, following you and San off of the stage and back behind the wings as you're rushed into a hug from Mimi. She shakes your shoulders wildly, eyes shining with what looks like happy tears; she congratulates you over and over, all but crushing your lungs with her excited hug.

"You did it Y/N!" She squeals, "We're all so proud of you, honey!"

When you turn to face San, a group of boys approaching the wings from behind him catches your eye, looking more like a blur than a band. One blonde boy in particular zips ahead of the others and catapults himself into San, arms latching onto him like a leech.

"Woo, what the hell?" Your unsuspecting partner exclaims, hugging him back nonetheless.

"You fuckin' killed it, man!" The blonde screams. The rest of the group engulfs San into a huddle and say the same thing, not paying any attention to the manager trying to remind them that idols shouldn't curse.

You recognize the seven rowdy men to be San's group, Ateez; you watch on with a fond smile as they praise his performance, slapping him on the back and ruffling his hair.

He fights his way out of their embrace and rolls his eyes, brushing himself off as if he didn't enjoy their congratulations.

The blonde boy notices you standing to the side and a sly grin crosses his face, head tilting to the side.

"And who might this beautiful lady be, Sannie?" He questions mischievously. You feel yourself blush beneath his curious stare, fiddling with the material of your dress, but San walks over to you in a few short strides and wastes no time in using two fingers to lift your chin upwards.

"This is Y/N," He says with a voice that reminds you of spiced cider, "the one I've been telling you guys about."

Your eyes widen. "You never said you talked about me..." You trail off at the flicker of want in his expression, mind blanking out.

He smirks back at you like he knows something you don't. "You never asked, princess."

You don't feel the seven pairs of clueless eyes on you when San brings your face closer to his; you don't even bother to remember that Mimi is still right behind you, nor do you care that the collaboration team is probably just around the corner.

All you can feel is San- his presence overpowering your senses and blocking out anything that isn't him.

"Choi San," You murmur dangerously, "if you don't kiss me right now, I think I might go insane."

He ignores the chorus of annoying ooh's from his friends and rests his other hand on the small of your back, tethering you to him. Your eyelids start to lower in expectation, hands finding their way into his hair; and you can feel his smirk long before your lips even touch.

"That won't be necessary, darling." He mutters as you finally, finally collide, every nerve ending on fire as he kisses you like a man starved. Wooyoung's wolf whistle falls on deaf ears as you kiss with more meaning than any romance movie couple you've seen on screen; your lips clash and melt and push and pull with a spark that only true dancers possess, the world around you disappearing instantly.

Even Mimi, your dedicated manager, has nothing to say to you when you eventually break apart, San's heated gaze keeping you trapped in his arms, and he can tell you've got tunnel vision too when your eyes never leave his.

Your heart thumps rapidly in your chest- but the pace is steady and sure, as if you've been kissing this man in front of your superiors all of your life. You're utterly entranced by the look of love and adoration that dances- pun intended- in his dark eyes; and in the split second it takes to realize the weight behind this kiss, you decide that you want this to last forever.

You're ready to be his.

"Y/N," San says softly, "I know we've got a lot to talk about if we want to make this work... but I can't walk away from you tonight without asking you one thing."

You raise an eyebrow, "What would that be?"

He traces your jawline with the tip of his finger, leaving sparks in its wake.

"Miss Priss," He says teasingly, the nickname stirring up your insides, "will you officially be mine?"

You reach up to press a swift, firm kiss to his lips, sealing your decision better than words ever could. You pull away with a grin that matches his own, and he thinks he's died and gone to heaven when you answer him, "I thought you'd never ask."

The seven boys watching the ordeal clap obnoxiously, cheering just as loud as the audience had been a few minutes ago, and San pulls you in to rest his forehead on your own.

"After all, you said it best yourself, Fireboy," You meet his stare confidently, "it takes two to tango."

And after twenty-five days of wanting and waiting, playing this game of cat and mouse- you finally get what you've truly desired since the moment you met Choi San.

You get to call him yours.

the end.

#san fluff #san angst #san smut #ik it isn't smut but damn imma tag it anyways #choi san #ateez san #san fanfic #two to tango #admin ari #kpop fanfiction #ateez au #the writing tag #choi san fanfiction #choi san fluff #choi san angst #ateez fluff #ateez angst #san x reader #choi san x reader #ateez x reader #ateez fanfiction #ignore the fact that i used way too many tags pls #ateez drabbles #ateez fanfic #ateez smut #san drabbles #this is not a drabble don't be fooled by the tags pls #i am incapable of writing short fics hence why i haven't posted a real fic in two years

[its-chelisey-stuff]

I watched “Imitation” and it was surprising (... okay, I loved it!)

Full disclosure: If you haven’t the slightest interest in kpop, not even in the drama or juicy gossip that produces, this won’t be your thing. I know it’s not a drama for everyone. Stop reading. Just know that OTP (and most characters) had a happy ending but there was a bunch of drama to achieve it. Typical. And a death may or may not have been in the mix.  

Well well well... I'm pleasantly surprised, that's the perfect three word review for this drama. It would seem that when those little projects that come out of nowhere and you have no expectations about, turn out to be even a little big good, they made the strongest impression. And this drama is up there in my top 3 of favorite dramas of the year, it has my heart.

Yes, it was about kpop idols and 90% of the cast was made of idols (even one from the very first kpop gen hahaha), yet the acting was decent (and from some, truly great), yes sometimes it got a bit cheesy and silly and yes, there was a ton of drama concerning fans, reporters, dating scandals and bad and greedy CEOs of entertainment agencies BUT it was also sweet, really romantic, funny, lively, full of music (I'm OBSESSED with the last OST which was sung by the whole cast, it makes me FEEL things) and dancing, it had lots friendship and found family AND at times, it was heartbreakingly tragic.

I think this drama tried to tell the audience two important lessons, worthy of mention: the first, work hard for your dreams, don't give up on them but also, you never know what opportunities might come your way that could end up changing your direction and perhaps make you chase something that you never thought you would, so persevere, breathe and hang in there just a bit more; the second, one that we all know if you have a little bit of sense and even if you are mildly informed about the k entertainment which is that idols are just people(most of them teens when they debut some not even 18) who want to and deserve to have a pretty f-ing normal life, so f-ing let them! the consequences of putting these youngsters over a pedestal are catastrophic and there are real life, heartbreaking, examples of this.

Main characters

Ryok: the Golden Boy of kpop, from the most popular boy group, also a an actor (a decent one? Idk they never said). Perfect in every single aspect, except when he is nice to girls who aren't his fans, then they will crucify him. SUPER clumsy whenever his crush is nearby and does something he finds cute, otherwise super cool and chill. Also great at pining for his crush. A romantic, which means he chose the worst career path. My favorite character.

Maha: A bright and optimistic girl with a strong might of perseverance in going after her dreams. Loves dancing. Very sweet and very tiny. Despite appearances, she's not a pushover or weak FL. And that's why I loved her.

Yujin: Second ML by the book. Became an idol because he was pursuing FL (who in turn was pursuing ML). The only reason why I never hated him is because he was a great friend, knew he wasn't doing anything healthy and decided to end his one sided love and opened his eyes. Two words: Character development *chef's kiss*

LaRiMa: A soloist. A Queen. At the start, it looked like she was the typical and mean second FL. But she wasn't, and I adored her for that. She had a heart of gold. She deserved the world, and she knew that so she made decisions accordingly (a Queen chases no one, least of all a man!) lol best character in the drama and my second favorite character (sorry Maha!)

Also starring: The members of SHAX (the leader, SF9′s Hwiyoung, the maknae from Ateez and the funny guy who spoke random english) the group of Golden Boy. Tea Party members (bffs with FL, Riah and HyunJi), Maha’s group. Sparkling members (the very angry and frustrated leader and two members of Ateez whose names I don’t know), second ML group. AND in the longest and most important cameo (ala Go Kyung Pyo in My roommate is a Gumiho) SF9′s Chani, a former member of SHAX, who disappeared into thin air one day.

The story

On paper it doesn't sound like anything groundbreaking (and tbh it really wasn't lol): a story about idols who willingly chose their career path, trained for years while underage, got treated like products by ugly men in suits and realized it kinda sucked, especially when you don't become a hit group and have to protect your personal life like it's a dirty secret that could damage your image and maybe end your career this is why I said it’s not a show for everyone. But this drama is what Dream High 2 (2012) wanted to be and never could in the aspect of actually making you feel something for these idols and the situations they were facing while loving the musical side of the show and making it all believable.

Even if it's not exactly about teens in high school sort of thing, it does give you the same hopeful and uplifting feeling of a coming of age story, especially because the characters are still youngsters trying to be happy and realize their dreams for the future.

You can just stop reading here if you want to go watch the drama with no spoilers. And if I haven’t convinced you despite not being appalled by kpop themed dramas, then I guess you should keep reading lol or trust in my taste and judgement when I say the story is worth it (but to be fair the first two eps are a bit slow).

The romance (super spoilery!)

At the core, this show was a love story. What started the plot is the fact that main couple reunite in the same work field as idols, and they actually met and befriended each other years ago; so being older and able to spent more time together brings them closer to finally accept and give into their feelings, but soon enough their relationship becomes a ticking bomb threatening their careers and then this big mystery of how and why SF9' Chani disappeared and abandoned the group becomes really important in the last third of the drama

Because once upon a time, Chani had a gf but she was still a trainee so once their love was exposed (the truth of who exposed him is devastating) and their respective companies threatened them, it all becomes too much too fast and with seemingly no other way out, the girl makes a terrible decision, that ends up changing the lives of most of the characters.

I’m sure this is from a bts but their chemistry was really good and sweet. Also, height difference to die for!!

Yet, there is a happy ending for main couple but it's only achieved after certain people learn from their mistakes and support Ryok and Maha, which makes it clear that no matter how in love and willing you are to face adversities for and with your loved one, you still need a support system (and maybe the right people in a position of power) because sometimes two against the world isn't as romantic as it sounds, but sad and lonely.

And the main reason why I loved this is because of the way the show drew a parallel between the two most important couples in the story and tells the audience “had it been even a year before, under different circumstances and less luck, had they had no friends and no people to support them, main couple would’ve ended in the same tragic way” and I think that is a haunting realization. That also makes you appreciate things.

*cries* they were adorable

The bad (spoilers!)

I do wish this drama would’ve elaborated on some bits that were really worth diving into, or that it would’ve shown how some things came intro fruition instead of just skipping it and showing rigth away the outcome of conversations that were never had or reunions never shown. It is clear to me that they wanted to make the drama longer and could have told a better story had it been a 16 ep show. 

Basically yes, the main story, main romance and side couples' arcs got resolved but ugh a list of plot holes:

Why was LaRiMa so obsessed with Ryok for half the drama? The minute the girl knew he was dating someone he truly liked, she gave up right away, so I gotta believe the only reason she didn’t quit on him before, is because he did gave her a reason to hold onto him. Perphaps they dated before? Or maybe they like each other at one point? I can only do fanfiction in my head to explain this.

Why was the angry leader of Sparkling such a bitter bitch? How did he end up in another company?

I wanted to see SF9′s Chani reunion with his ex-members from SHAX.  It NEEDED to happen. At least they showed Chani with Ryok (which was really emotional) but arrgh.

Also, Chani deserved a kneeling apology from SHAX leader, I mean, come on!!

If everyone knew about Maha and Ryeok at some point, they needed to use that. You can’t just have a bomb like that in your drama and not use it. Is a principle of storytelling. You can’t just have the thing that your main characters fear the most, in your hands, and do nothing about it. But I guess it was not done because of lack of time.

Also, they never showed how they announced their relationship. Instagram post? Company statement? An exclusive to Dispatch? And how did the fans took it?? Answers, drama! Damn it!!

Final thoughts

Despite its many flaws, I loved it. It had heart. It seemed low budget and even more so due to the fact that it was done in the middle of the pandemic and a big part of kpop are the fans and concerts, you know what makes it all the more big and shinier. But the drama people and the actors put effort into it, and you could tell (and the fact that there were also original songs and choreographies made for this drama amazes me, and that they chose to promote the drama by having some of these fake groups perform on actual music shows). So there you go, I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Before I finish, let me just say that the actor who played Ryok is a REVELATION in my eyes.This boy needs to stay in dramaland and get more main roles (and after some research I’m happy to say that he is thriving!!). Also, he has great timing for comedy. The actress who played Maha elevated the quality of every scene she was in. (Not for nothing she was God in DAYS). Jiyeon (LaRiMa) was excellent. It really showed at times that she’s not only an experienced idol but also an experienced actress. The contrast with most of the cast was noticeable, sadly. The drama wouldn’t have been the same without these three.

Also, watch AND listen to the last OST sung by the whole cast here. Beautiful song that just makes you cry if you’ve seen the drama.

#imitation #lee jun young #jung jiso #jiyeon #jeong yunho #kbs imitation #kdrama #kdrama review #i wanted to tag all actors but omg that's a nightmare #they're too many

[jeongyunhoed]

The 100-Day Relationship

alternatively titled: 10 Months Love

Member: Seonghwa Pairing: Seonghwa/OC Group: ATEEZ

Genre: Fluff, romance, comedy, tiny bit of angst (if you squint), fake dating

Summary: When wealthy socialite Juhyun is facing pressure to bring a date to the biggest wedding of the year and the beginning of the social season among the elite, she hurriedly asks an old college schoolmate, Park Seonghwa to be her boyfriend for the entire season. The longer they put up appearances, the more they realize that they never want the arrangement to end.

Things to note: Art curator!Seonghwa, a lot of expensive-ness going on. Other idols are mentioned as well (if you’ve read my fics, you know there will be). Tag list is forever open if you want to keep tabs on this fic, hehet! 

Warnings: Some cussing, we’ll be feeling poor and broke with what’s in here.

Tag list: @closer-stars , @masterninjacow , @kunrengui

Masterlist

Chapter 2

“So who is he?” Kibum asked the next day over breakfast. 

Kim Kibum was the son of the Kims that owned a chain of hotels and condominiums. The very building Juhyun lived in was owned by his family. The youngest son, he was a dedicated bachelor while his older siblings did all the corporate work. Kibum was also Juhyun’s best friend and constant date if she needed someone for an event, but she thought it would definitely change this time. 

“Who is who?” Juhyun raised a brow. 

“The guy you were with yesterday, grocery bags and all, I told you to call me after that meeting you had but you didn’t,” Kibum grinned. “So, who was he?” 

“Park Seonghwa, he’s an old schoolmate of mine, and the guy,” Juhyun paused. “The guy I have arranged to be my boyfriend for this entire social season…?” She looked at him, a little wary about what she revealed. 

Kibum gaped at her, unable to hide the surprise as he tried to understand what she did for a few seconds. “Juhyun….really? Are you that desperate?” 

Juhyun rolled her eyes at him. “No, well, maybe, but seeing as Jihan practically humiliated me when he cheated, I’m taking any chance I get. Seonghwa knows and understands what we’re going to get ourselves into anyway.” 

“Does Jinri know about this? You ought to tell the bride you’re bringing a plus one, given that she’s been bridezilla these past few weeks,” Kibum joked while taking a sip of his mimosa. 

“I didn’t need to. Jinri just assumed I’d be bringing someone, she always says it’s in case I finally move on from Jihan,” She sighed. “Well, any day now, I’d have to meet Seonghwa again to go dress shopping.” 

“Dress shopping? You mean no designer’s dressing you yet?” Kibum raised a brow. 

“No, because they’re all occupied with the other people attending this wedding and their parents,” Juhyun shook her head. “I figured I’d reuse the blue Elie Saab gown I only wore once and it was during a magazine’s anniversary party. I was only there for 20 minutes anyway.” 

Kibum sat up. “Either way, I’m looking forward to meeting Seonghwa, probably make him squirm about your relationship-” 

Juhyun slapped his arm. “You will not. Now that you know that Seonghwa and I are pretending to be dating, I won’t let him be subject to your foolishness,” She blew a raspberry at him, making him laugh out loud. 

“Alright fine. Anyway, you’re coming with me to Macau, right? I promised Elise I would be meeting her there.”

 Juhyun raised a brow at the name. “Elise? Your new pursuit?” 

“We’ve only been seeing each other for a month, Juhyun, I doubt it would last, but maybe I could still see her long enough until after the wedding.” 

“I’m still keeping my fingers crossed for the two of you, and yes I’ll be going.” 

That gave him an idea. “Ah, why don’t you bring Seonghwa along? We could have it like a double date,” He suggested. 

It was Juhyun’s turn to look surprised. “...What?” 

“Bring Seonghwa along. We’re taking my jet anyway, and it’s likely that Elise and I won’t be leaving our hotel room so I might not have time to take you around while we’re there,” Kibum winked, making her cringe. 

“I-I guess I’ll try and see if he’s free,” Juhyun shrugged. “I can’t promise you that he’ll agree to come, we haven’t even set the date for when I’ll go dress shopping yet either, much less Jinri announcing when the wedding shower is.” 

“You’ll never know if you don’t ask,” Kibum pointed out. “Tell him I asked, I really did ask you to bring him along after all.” 

They sat up when they heard the elevator doors open in the hall. “Unnie,” They heard the voice of her sister Jihyun, sounding even more chipper than the last time she came to visit. Juhyun’s sister Jihyun, was known among society circles for her fashion sense. She was also dating Moon Bin, a celebrity choreographer, the two of them having been together for 4 years, one year more than when she and Jihan dated. 

Juhyun and Kibum got up to see her. “Yeah?” She asked. 

“I was- Oh hi Kibum,” Jihyun waved at him before handing Juhyun a lavender envelope. “That’s for the upcoming epilepsy benefit. It’s next week.” 

Juhyun looked through the contents of the envelope. “Jihyun, did you know, your sister’s bringing a date,” Kibum suddenly said, making her nudge him hard. He laughed out loud, amused at her reaction. 

Jihyun’s ears perked up. “...Who is it? It’s you, isn’t it?” 

“Believe it or not, it’s not me,” Kibum thought to egg her on. “Juhyun’s got a boyfriend, the two of them have been seeing each other for a while now too.” 

“Kibum!” Juhyun nudged him hard again, and he laughed even more. 

Jihyun stared at her. “Well? Who is he? What’s his name? And more importantly, why haven’t you said anything?” 

“Park Seonghwa, an old schoolmate of mine, he owns the Mars Art Gallery,” Juhyun replied. “And I didn’t want to jinx it. Things have been going very well,” She added, Kibum trying his hardest to stifle his laughter. 

“What does he look like?” She could tell Jihyun was trying not to squeal with how unusually calm she sounded. 

Juhyun took her phone out, showing her the selca they took together, leaning away when, as she expected, Jihyun squealed. “Oh my god, unnie … He’s gorgeous! Okay now I have to meet him when you bring him to the benefit, okay?” Jihyun brought out her own phone, tapping furiously that Juhyun knew she was telling their parents. “I have to go, I just came by to give you that invitation and now I’m glad I did! See you at the benefit, unnie! Bye Kibum!” She rushed back to the hall where the elevator was. 

As soon as they heard the doors close again, Juhyun nudged Kibum again. “You really had to tell her, didn’t you?” She narrowed her eyes at him. 

Kibum laughed. “Come on, Juhyun, think of that as a trial run before the wedding. Seonghwa will be better prepared by the big day once you bring him along to Macau, and at that benefit we now have to go to.” 

“Alright, but because you’re insisting I bring him along, you are now sworn to secrecy,” Juhyun beamed. “If you tell, I’ll tell everyone you’re marrying Elise.” 

Kibum feigned surprise then nodded. “Alright, you drive a hard bargain. This whole thing is safe with me.” 

~

Hongjoong gaped at his friend. Seonghwa invited him over to eat lunch at the gallery, along with both their longtime friends who also worked for him, Kang Yeosang and Jeong Yunho, when he told all of them what was going on. Hongjoong worked as a producer for A Entertainment, but he also had a side gig as a street fashion designer, having launched capsule collections that were regular fixtures at Seoul Fashion Week. Seonghwa could argue that Hongjoong was also one of the few that actually succeeded in pursuing their major, and in Hongjoong’s case, it was music production. “...Are you joking?” Yunho managed to ask, and Seonghwa shook his head. 

“Really? Was that why she was talking to you?” Hongjoong chimed in. 

“Yes. It-It’s just for this whole social season she’s got going on and she said after all of that we won’t have to have anything to do with each other anymore,” Seonghwa explained. 

“And you’re okay with this? “ Hongjoong raised a brow, wanting to be sure. “People of her kind of crowd aren’t exactly the nicest.” 

“I know, I know, but I can hold my own, you’re making it sound as if I don’t deal with those types on an almost regular basis, rich stiffs tend to buy paintings from the gallery,” Seonghwa pointed out. “But I know Juhyun, I know she isn’t like that. She’s the opposite of a rich stiff. I mean, she’s rich, but she’s no stiff.” 

“I do know that, we all know that, we’ve all gone to school with her,” Yunho spoke. “It’s the people in her circle that we know are those rich stiffs you’re talking about.” 

“Well, I won’t say I’m not concerned, but who knows, maybe you’ll blend right in,” Yeosang commented. “Looks like the gallery’s going to get a ton of publicity once Seonghwa makes his society debut.” 

The art curator frowned as they tucked back into their food. He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and he paused eating to take it out. It was a message from Juhyun. 

Epilepsy benefit next week. My sister’s dying to meet you already. Think we can meet tomorrow?

An amused smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, and it didn’t go unnoticed by his three friends. “That was her, wasn’t it?” Hongjoong eyed him. 

“As a matter of fact, it is,” Seonghwa replied coolly before typing his reply. 

Sure. We can meet at that cafe again for lunch? 

Seconds later, he saw a response. 

It’s a deal. 

“What did she say this time?” Yunho asked, wiping his mouth with a tissue. 

“We’ve got our first event to go to next week. It’s an epilepsy benefit and we’re meeting tomorrow to go over the details, I guess,” He said. “And her sister wants to meet me.” 

“Her sister? Choi Jihyun?!” Hongjoong’s eyes widened. 

“Yeah, the same Choi Jihyun who is already dating that choreographer from F Entertainment,” Seonghwa remembered, making the shorter male frown and Yeosang and Yunho snicker. “I don’t think she’s willing to leave that guy for you either.” 

Yunho and Yeosang burst into fits of laughter. 

~ 

Seonghwa arrived at the cafe the next day, quickly taking the table close to the counter so he could look at the menu while he waited. He wondered what they were planning to do today while also thinking of what his friends had said. It was Juhyun’s friends that they were wary of, and he should be wary of them too. He still wanted to make a good impression. There was the publicity his art gallery was going to have once they go public. 

“Hey.” 

He snapped out of his thoughts when he saw Juhyun, looking a little embarrassed yet for some odd reason she looked different. It was then he realized that they seemed to be wearing the same pattern on their clothes; blue polo stripes against white, her blouse with his dress shirt under his blue blazer. If anything, they looked like a couple attending a gala on a yacht. “Hi,” He got up to greet her. 

“Did you wait long? I’m sorry,” Juhyun said. “And what a coincidence too,” She gestured to their clothes, making the two of them chuckle. Seonghwa gestured for her to sit down and she sat across from him. 

“I came just a little before you did so you weren’t late at all,” He assured her. “Do you want anything to drink?” 

“Just the raspberry iced tea?” Juhyun replied. 

“Got it, I’ll be back,” He smiled, padding towards the counter. 

Juhyun watched him, thinking about what Kibum told her. One of those social events would definitely have her parents in attendance, and the fact that her sister was aware of her so-called “relationship” with Seonghwa, it wouldn’t be surprising if they and their friends already knew and were trying to find out more about him. She just hoped he was prepared for it. 

He returned a moment later, holding the tray with their drinks and set it down. “So what’s going to happen at this benefit? Other than your sister wanting to meet me?” He sounded eager. 

“Well, my sister is an understatement, pretty much everyone who knows me will want to know who you are and how we met and what family you’re from, what business you own or specialize in, all of that stuff,” Juhyun swirled her straw in her drink. 

“Oh, right, well, at least we have that covered. What time should I pick you up?” Seonghwa took a sip of his tea, looking at the invitation Juhyun slid towards him. “...Wow, this benefit seems huge,” He read the rest of the details. “It’s hard to book a function room in this hotel. Everything had to be made six months in advance,” It made him think of one high-profile exhibit he ended up hosting and the headache it caused him trying to book a venue months in advance. 

“8:30, how about that? Cocktails are at seven, but I’d rather not go in for the small talk,” Juhyun frowned at the thought. The last thing she wanted to do at an event like that was to pretend to be friendly with everyone, including Jihan. 

“It’s okay with me,” He nodded. “What time should we leave?” 

“Because I don’t plan on staying there very long, 8:45?” Juhyun asked. Seonghwa stared at her incredulously. “I know it seems like a waste of effort, but really, events like that are incredibly boring.” 

“So why do you even go in the first place?” Seonghwa was confused. He never understood why people of her stature would only afford to be at a black-tie event for a few minutes at a time. 

“They’re also expecting I shell out some money to the cause, and it’s a good cause, I just don’t like who I have to mingle with for the sake of that cause,” Juhyun looked down as she took a sip of her drink. “And, for the sake of being petty, I plan on showing up on Jihan and Eunbi, which is why I asked you to meet me, because today’s a day we have to prepare for those events.” 

“Prepare?” 

“Yeah,” Juhyun nodded. “We’re going to go shopping for your suits.” 

Seonghwa froze. “...Today?” 

“Yeah, I have to look for a dress too because I only have one dress to recycle, and Jinri is going to demand to see what I plan to wear now before she freaks out later, yeah, you’ll meet her in the events too,” Juhyun added. 

“Alright then, so where do we go first?” 

“Department store, for your suits. I know just the place, well, it’s the only acceptable place to get fitted for suits in my opinion, I’ve never seen guys walk out of that place not looking good,” Juhyun said with a knowing look. 

Seonghwa raised a brow. “...where is it?” 

Juhyun smiled. “It’s an old place, but it’s great.” 

They were standing in front of a Huntsman boutique at the topmost floor of the department store a while later. “This is what I was talking about…” Juhyun said quietly, glancing at him to see his reaction. 

“...Here?” Seonghwa couldn’t hide how surprised he was. 

“Yeah, what do you think? If you don’t want to, it’s okay, we can always go to where you usually get your suits…” Juhyun said, hoping she didn’t overstep any lines with him. 

“No, no, it’s- I just only thought this was like the Kingsman movie for some reason,” Seonghwa assured her.

“You’ll need a few more suits for every event, and this is usually my father’s go-to shop whenever he has events, and these suits are made to last too,” Juhyun recalled what her father would always tell her mother. She took his hand. “Let’s go inside, we’re catching them on a quiet day.” 

She led him inside the store, and Seonghwa looked at everything in awe. “Ah, Ms. Choi, hello,” He heard a man greet her, making him snap out of his momentary daze. 

“Hello Basil, this is my boyfriend, Seonghwa,” She introduced them, Seonghwa immediately bowing. “He needs a few suits for this season.” 

“Ah yes, busy time of year,” Basil replied, looking him up and down. “He has the built for a suit like ours, I’ll get your measurements and you could pick the fabric,” He gestured to the large rolls of fabric on the shelves behind the desk. 

“Send me the total and I’ll make some calls,” Juhyun said. “Sorry, I know, I know what you’re already thinking,” She flashed Seonghwa a sheepish grin. “I promise everything else is on you to spend on me.” 

“Now I’m getting nervous on how much I have to spend on you,” He teased. 

“I swear I’m not as fancy as I probably seem right now, I don’t even go in here a lot,” She pointed out with a chuckle. “I buy my clothes where everyone buys their clothes.” 

“I know, and I don’t doubt that at all,” Seonghwa kissed her cheek, the two of them freezing for a moment at the sudden display of affection. Juhyun felt her cheeks heat up, partly in embarrassment as it happened in front of Basil. 

She watched Seonghwa get measured, eyes traveling to the fabrics as she tried to compose herself. She was initially worried about insisting on everything so far, but she was relieved that he was okay with whatever she showed him. “All the men in my family come to this tailor for their suits. Basil worked in the actual Savile Row shop,” She eyed the tailor, who just smiled. 

Seonghwa looked impressed, lifting his arms when the tailor went to run a measuring tape along them. “Oh yes, Ms. Choi’s family have been loyal patrons at the Savile Row boutique. I remember having to measure your grandfather,” He replied. “I would personally recommend a navy blue velvet tuxedo jacket for one, bespoke of course.” 

Juhyun nodded, giving Seonghwa an assuring look as well, sensing that he was still trying to get used to getting fitted. “Sure, h-how long until it’s done?” He spoke this time. 

“For Ms. Choi’s date? Six weeks at the most, both of you won’t need to worry,” Basil assured them. 

“Oh, now I see why we had to go here early,” Seonghwa’s eyes widened. 

~ 

The two of them were walking along the dress boutiques a while later, stopping every now and then to look at the designs displayed on the mannequins. “There’s something else I have to talk to you about,” She said, as they stopped in front of a slightly more colorful dress shop. “My friend Kibum, he owns the building I live in, he’s inviting us to go with him to Macau.” 

“Macau?” Seonghwa asked curiously. 

“Macau,” Juhyun nodded. “He’s inviting you too to come with me, keep me company or something like that because he’s meeting his girlfriend there.” 

He couldn’t help but chuckle. “Really?” 

“Yeah. He also wants to meet you. He’s one of my best friends. We’re taking his jet so you don’t have to worry about tickets or anything.” 

“Alright then, I think I can leave for a week or something,” Seonghwa nodded. He hadn’t traveled in a while. Neither did Juhyun, who seemed especially surprised at his answer. The two of them figured they still had some getting to know each other to do. He noticed the green and black dress behind the mannequin. “That dress seems like it would look good on you,” He gestured to the display, making her turn around. 

“You think so?” Juhyun nodded, looking at the details. “Let’s ask inside then.” 

They quietly entered the shop, seeing all the mannequins dressed in long ball gowns and tuxedos. There were photos of celebrities on the walls having worn some of the dresses that were proudly on display, including the dress they were looking at. Juhyun rang the little bell on the desk, and her expression fell when out from the backroom was none other than Kim Eunbi herself, who looked just as disappointed to see her. 

“Oh, well, well, well, if it isn’t Choi Juhyun and,” She tilted her head. “Park Seonghwa, right? Jihan told me about your new...squeeze.” 

“Hello Eunbi,” Juhyun replied. “I was going to inquire about the dress on that display at the window-” 

“Nice, isn’t it? I was inspired by The Devil Wears Prada, Seo Yeji went head over heels for that number, but you’re no Seo Yeji,” Eunbi pointed out. 

“Of course I’m not Seo Yeji, I have a different name,” Juhyun quipped back. 

Eunbi’s expression stiffened. “Well, if you think I’m going to sell you that dress, you’re probably kidding yourself. Off you go, chop chop,” She gestured them to go away. 

“...Excuse me?” Seonghwa blurted out. He could feel his blood boil at the rudeness that was in front of him. 

Eunbi laughed a mocking laugh. “Go on, chop chop, before I close this shop out of an abundance of caution. As if I would give any of you the pleasure of wearing my creations.” 

Juhyun calmly nodded and turned on her heel. “Come, there are other places to shop,” She muttered to him, and he followed, his free hand curling into a fist as they closed the door, walking down the other direction to the other boutiques. 

“If I didn’t care enough, I would’ve lost it at the way she treated you,” Seonghwa frowned as they walked. 

“I kind of expected it anyway the moment I realized she owned that shop,” Juhyun said. 

“If she knows who you are, she should’ve honestly feared you, you might have her kicked out of this place or something,” Seonghwa said. 

“Maybe, since my family owns this department store.” 

Seonghwa gaped at her. “Then all the more you should’ve done something, have her kicked out for being rude to you, she doesn’t deserve to be here, she doesn’t deserve to run her own line at all if she’s going to be like that.” 

“I know, but it’s not worth my time, I’ve got other things to worry about, like what we’re going to do in Macau or something,” Juhyun chuckled, linking her arm with his. “Why would I waste my time trying to ruin her when I know I’m better off where I am anyway?” 

That seemed to make him feel better, but he figured he’d say something if Eunbi tried to do anything again if they were going to see each other at the events. Seonghwa placed his hand over hers. “...Since we’re going to be a couple for this social season, we’d better get comfortable like this, wouldn’t we?” 

“Yeah, for a second I was worried that this might come off too strong or something,” Juhyun chuckled, squeezing his arm, feeling the muscle tense under her fingers. 

“If we’re going to be believable, coming off too strong on each other is probably what’s needed,” Seonghwa agreed with a knowing look. “We’re going crazy like Jackson Pollock on his canvas.”

“Are you going to make art puns this whole time?” She laughed at the comparison. 

“Maybe, hey, you’re supposedly dating an art curator, and I know my art,” Seonghwa grinned. “Want to get some ice cream before we go back to shopping?” 

“Just the ice cream. I think after today, I’ll just figure out what I’ll be wearing for the next few months.”  

#kdiner #ateez #ateez scenarios #ateez fluff #ateez timestamps #seonghwa #park seonghwa #ateez seonghwa #hongjoong #kim hongjoong #ateez hongjoong #yunho #jeong yunho #ateez yunho #yeosang #kang yeosang #ateez yeosang #san #choi san #ateez san #mingi #song mingi #ateez mingi #wooyoung #jung wooyoung #ateez wooyoung #jongho #choi jongho #ateez jongho

[shannendoherty-fans]

People, November 9, 1992

Nobody's Pussycat

By Tom Gliatto. Photos by Neal Preston.

Ever Outspoken, Shannen Doherty Defends Family Values, Her Turf on Beverly Hills, 90210—and Her Rowdy Reputation in Hollywood.

THERE ARE TWO ISSUES TO BE CLEARED UP HERE. Both of them are dear to the heart of Shannen Doherty, 21-year-old star of Fox's Beverly Hills, 90210, the Aaron Spelling high school hit that is now in its third season, one in which Doherty's character, Brenda Walsh—who might be described as Gidget with attitude—will break up with that lean-hipped rebel, Dylan (Luke Perry). First issue: Why has Doherty—alone among 90210 costars and teen idols Perry, Jason Priestley, Jennie Garth, Tori Spelling, Ian Ziering, Gabrielle Carteris and Brian Austin Green—come to be regarded as "difficult"? Like, is she, in contrast to the feisty but fairly civilized Brenda, one of those women who rhyme with rich? Is she, as the tabloids have gleefully reported, impossible on the set? Is she a prima donna? Also: After hours, does she party too much? And where was she being driven, in those recent tabloid photos, by rapper Marky Mark?

Second issue: What has become of the youngest of her dogs, a rottweiler named Jake? Doherty has arrived home, at her three-bedroom house in Beverly Hills, expecting to find golden retriever Sally gone (her dad was going to slop by to take her to the vet's), but now only black Lab Penelope is here to greet her. And why is there blood around the hack patio? Unnerved, Doherty phones her parents. No luck. She calls the vet. Gets the machine. Perhaps this is not the ideal moment for Doherty to sit down with a visitor and size up that delicate first issue. She chooses an armless chair in the living room and takes out a cigarette. She smiles, but it is not a happy smile, and her fingers shake as the match reaches the cigarette. "Yeah," she says, exhaling smoke with her sigh, "you've really caught me on a good day."

"People think I'm a bitch," she says with a shrug. "There was a group of four girls at Torrance High, when; we film the show, and they walked by and said, 'Oh, what a bitch!' You can walk away from that, but you really want to turn around and say, 'Why?' " She can give you a couple of whys, actually. "The tabloids make up stuff," she says. "Somebody will call [the tabs] up and say, They're yelling at each other on the [90210] set,' and they will turn around and make it 10 times worse," Doherty says. And maybe, she reasons, the tabloids pick on her. specifically, because "I'm a strong woman. There are still some people out there who can't deal with that."

Aaron Spelling, whose company produces 90210, describes her as "the best young actress I've seen in a long time," and has no problem with Doherty or her manner. "She is a very honest person who wears her emotions on her sleeve," he says. "If you ask her a direct question, she'll give you a direct answer." For instance, Doherty isn't afraid to tell friend, costar and daughter-of-the-boss Tori Spelling if she's wearing the wrong blouse. "Of all my friends, Shannen is the really honest one," says Tori, one of the few 90210ers who talked about her. Doherty's comments are "all meant in the best way," she adds. "But I can see [her reputation] hurts her feelings a bit." If so, Doherty is not about to expose her wounded heart in public. And why should she? Her image hasn't hurt her endorsement power (she does ads for Gitano jeans). "I'm not saying I don't have my moments of bitchiness," Doherty says, not defensively at all, "because everybody has them. But it's never for no reason. I think that life is short, you should live it and be happy. I've always been a ballsy kid," she adds. "I know it pisses some people off, but isn't the end result much better?"

In fact, Doherty, who won her first series role when she was 11 (she played Jenny Wilder on Little House: A New Beginning), thinks her "bitch" reputation started with 1989's cull black-comedy movie Heathers (in which she was one of the three nasty title teens). Doherty says she let a behind-the-cameras player on that film know, in no uncertain terms, that she didn't approve of an extramarital affair he was conducting with an extra. "It was the first time I actually saw somebody take advantage of the extras," she says. "He knew I disliked him, and he was the first person to call me a bitch." In the past year, though, she also earned the enmity of prince of sarcasm Dennis Miller when she appeared on his short-lived talk show and embarrassed him by teasing him for not being at ease. (Her photo, tacked up backstage, was subsequently defaced with a devil's horn and goatee.) And would Peter Duchow, who produced her recent TV movie Obsessed, like to work with Doherty again? "How much are you going to pay me?" he asks. He notes that she was late to the set several times ("Professionals," he says, "make an absolute effort to be on time") but then clarifies: "Like a lot of talented people, she has mood swings. Hers are perhaps a lot more exaggerated than others. And any 21-year-old is difficult to work with. She has to learn some lessons that everybody has to learn." Then there was the headline-grabbing flap at this year's Emmys show. The day before the ceremony, Doherty dropped out of presenting an award with John Stamos of Full House and 90210 costar Jennie Garth. "She was a colossal pain in the ass," says Walter Miller, who produced and directed the program. There have been numerous explanations of that pain. Initially a spokesperson said that she was suffering from bronchitis. Miller, who refers to Doherty as "a barracuda," thinks she was unhappy that Garth was given the opening line of Emmy dialogue—even though Doherty would have announced the winning name. But Doherty says she was upset that the entire 90210 cast was not given tickets to the ceremonies. "I just said, "This is ridiculous, our cast can't go,' " she explains. " 'I just don't understand that.' " Doherty's manager, Mike Gursey, says he yanked her from the telecast because "tiny" promises about her role, including what category she would present in, went unfulfilled.

Having offended the gods of Hollywood, though, the young "barracuda" arrived in tears al a luncheon the day of the Emmys, reports Aaron Spelling, "afraid even one would be mad at her." If so, it was a rare display of public insecurity from a young woman who, says her father, Tom, 48, "has always been self-assured." Shannen was born in Memphis, the younger of two children (her brother, Sean, 25, is a USC law student) and, on her mother Rosa's side, the latest in a long line of Southern Baptists. Shannen's conservative upbringing may have something to do with her public displeasure over 90210's Brenda's losing her virginity last year ("We have a whole cast that is sexually active," she complained in one interview); her disgust with that unnamed. womanizing Heathers crew member; and her August appearance at that feast of family values, the Republican National Convention, at which she led the Pledge of Allegiance. ("I don't think Clinton would be any different than Bush," says Doherty, a Jack Kemp supporter, "except maybe he'd do a hell of a lot worse.") Growing up in the male-dominated South, though, had its drawbacks. "I saw how women were treated," she says, "and I wasn't going to be treated like that." In fact, she seems to have a Scarlett O'Hara, I'll-never-go-hungry-again tenacity, developed after her family moved to the comfortable Palos Verdes neighborhood of Los Angeles when she was 6. Her father had bought a trucking firm, but within a few years the business collapsed. "Shannen has seen both sides of the coin," says her dad, now a mortgage consultant. "We lived in a prestigious area, with an ocean view. Then we had the rug pulled out from under us. There was a time when the doorbell would ring and it might be the utility man there to cut off the power." The experience seared Doherty. "People think, 'She's sitting up there in a nice house and has money,' " Shannen says of herself, suddenly irritated. "Somebody said that to me last night, and I got really pissed off. My parents went from having money to having nothing, to eating rice every single day."

As Tom Doherty's company was sinking, his daughter was getting into another business—acting. Initially, Shannen tagged along when Sean tried out for a church production. In short order, she went on to play Sneezy the dwarf in Snow White, also at church ("I hammed it up"), and by age 10 she was doing commercials for Pepsi. Her big break came in 1982, when she did a voice for the animated feature The Secret of NIMH. Then Michael Landon hired her for Little House. "That show changed my life," says Doherty. "Michael Landon was the one who said to me, 'Always slick up for yourself. Never let anybody walk all over you. Be a strong woman.' " The principal of the Baptist school she attended after her stint on Little House paid the price for Landon's advice. "I hated that school," says Doherty, her voice turning sharp again. "It was very repressed. They thought that dancing was evil, and I disagreed. I organized a big dance, and the principal called me in. He wasn't pleased. He had his Bible out there on his desk and told me how God would punish me. I flipped through his Bible and found references to people dancing and rejoicing. I said to him, 'It clearly shows they danced and rejoiced. Just what the f—is wrong with you?' " Her father had reservations about Shannen and show business, but he supported her in her fight at the school, which she left alter a year. She finished her studies at the Lycée Français, a private school in L.A. (by then, the family was back on its feet financially). "Shannen believed in something," says her dad, who didn't know beforehand about the prohibition on happy feet. "She did nothing wrong." The family was less approving when she left home at 18 and moved in with a 31-year-old boyfriend (who had told her he was 28). "I wanted so much to be on my own," she says now. "I wanted to prove I could do things myself". But the boy friend turned out to be involved with drugs. "And I tried drugs and drinking," says Doherty softly. "I was drinking up a storm. Cocaine was something that I tried and didn't really like. It was more the lifestyle I was into. Every single night I was out clubbing and drinking. It was a bad scene." This went on, she estimates, for six months and ended—with a shock—the night her boy-friend struck her. "I just remember one slap across the lace." she says, "and I was out of there." She went across the street to a convenience store, phoned her parents and went home. She has since bought and moved into her own place, but remains close lo her parents. She was there for her father in 1983 and again in 1990 when he suffered strokes (his right side is now slightly paralyzed). "She has done the single most important thing lo help my recovery," he says. "She makes me laugh." It was in 1986. while playing Kris Witherspoon on her second NBC series, Our House, that Doherty first caught the attention of an influential member of the viewing audience named Tori Spelling. Tori also liked Doherty in Heathers and recommended her to her father. Doherty got the 90210 job on a Wednesday, started work on a Monday, and now she's so famous she needs a dog to protect her when she goes jogging.

(The dogs! What about those dogs? Every time the phone rings, Doherty hops up and runs off to answer, only to return with a look of dejection—no news.) Doherty doesn't deny that she may have earned her reputation for being tough in the early days of 90210. "I always stood up for the right causes, but I don't think I was always diplomatic," she says. "But recently I have learned lo be diplomatic." That hasn't prevented the occasional on-set misunderstanding—like the time recently when the day's shoot ran past midnight and Doherty announced (with the producers' permission, she says) that it was time to go home. She suspects Jennie Garth may have resented that show of authority. "I don't think Jennie was very happy," she says. At any rate, she adds, their friendship has suffered—and the Emmy business didn't help. "There's some weird tension there," she says. "We haven't really talked about what happened. But Jennie is a great girl, and this is something that can be worked on." There are no complaints from Jason Priestley, who plays Doherty's brother, Brandon. "All of the stories about Shannen are so blown out of proportion," he says. "She's a very intelligent young woman who isn't afraid to speak her mind. I really enjoy working with her. We have a good relationship on-and offscreen."

For the past year, Doherty's primary offscreen relationship has been with Chris Foufas, 25, a Chicago-based real estate manager. They met through a friend of Foufas's (in fact, she was dating the friend at the time). They announced their engagement earlier this year, but now it has been called off. "He is a wonderful man whom I love very much," says Doherty, "but I'm 21, and it's not exactly the right time to gel married. Friendship has taken over the romance.' " Marriage hasn't been completely ruled out, she says. And "if he goes out with another girl, it's [only] because he's bored." Now as to the famous night on the town with Marky Mark. Doherty maintains that they were not on a date—it was just a friendly foursome that included 90210 costars Green and Spelling. Someday, Doherty may have her own rock-and-roll groupies to distract her. A big fan of U2, Guns N' Roses and Pearl Jam (she would love to meet lead singer Eddie Vedder), she enjoys toying with the idea of having her own band. The basic career plan, of course, is to land some movie roles alter 90210, but Doherty says, "I gel into these modes of sitting in my house writing poetry that could be converted into songs."

She pauses to light another cigarette and inhales, turning her head toward the sound of a car door slamming and the scuttle of approaching paws. Sally comes bounding in, and Tom Doherty enters carrying Jake, the dog's back paws wrapped in bandages. Shannen's father explains that when he arrived to take Sally to the vet, he found Jake in the pool. The pup had fallen in and was frantically clawing the pool trying to get out. "He looks so funny," Shannen says. "I'm so relieved!" She pats him on the head, and he regards her contentedly. You will never hear a bad word from Jake about Shannen Doherty.

*** 💜♀️International Women's Day♀️💜

#Shannen Doherty #Article #People magazine #People 1992 #1992 article #1992 magazine #1992 #1992 magazine cover #People November 9 1992 #1992 Quotes #Neal Preston #1992 Neal Preston #International Women's Day #Tom Doherty #Beverly Hills 90210 #Aaron Spelling #Michael Landon #Chris Foufas #Tori Spelling #Jason Priestley #Jennie Garth

[ddaenghoney]

my masterlist is in my blog description

Prompt: Kisses on the corner of the lips (thank you for requesting!)

Pairing: Veil!JiminxY/N (pre-Veil, my fic which you can find here xx)

Genre(s)/warning(s): Fluff, friends with benefits(though there’s nothing smutty in this lmao), mentions of alcohol/intoxication, y/n is a bit jealous and so is jimin lmao

wc: 3037

You recall what Jimin said at the beginning, “This way we don’t have to be obligated to each other.”

At that time you nodded immediately, completely accepting of his words because they gave sense to everything. You are both friends, but sometimes went beyond that in random, sultry rendezvous. After meeting at SoundWave, the two of you found yourselves getting along well, and with Jimin’s debut a project you were deeply involved with, it was only natural to grow closer. Though you never anticipated the connection to become physical, you didn’t want to change it.

Or rather, you do not want to stop, but something about your current predicament of watching him interact so closely with another coworker makes your throat uneasy. She smiles at whatever he says to her while Jimin talks casually to all of those around him at the table. He doesn’t go out of his way to give the girl particular attention, but the way that she bumped passed you as you all arrived in order to secure a guiding hand on his shoulder so that they would sit together told you enough about her intentions with him.

Jimin is not your boyfriend, and no one at the company recognizes either of you as anything more than close coworkers. He’s not allowed to date anyone, so of course everything is under wraps. There’s no reason to say anything about you and him to begin with-- there’s no reason for you to keep glancing from the table you sit at. No reason you should bite your tongue every time she puts a flirtatious hand on his arm.

“Y/N, I heard you’re going to help make our next title track.” A cheerful voice across from you breeches your ears, causing your shoulders to twitch you back to the conversation. You manage a smile easily enough, finding the male appearing quite happy with what he said, as the other member of his group who sits next to him, “You are, right? I want to learn from you about the writing process.”

“I don’t know if I’m good enough to be a teacher.” You take a sip of your soda, ignoring the nudge from Jihyo beside you whose eyes combat your dismissive attitude.

“As if. You could probably teach everyone at this table something.” She presses, earning a roll of your eyes. Grinning at your reaction, she turns back to the two across, “I’d even bet the song you make with her will end up charting for weeks.”

“I’ll do anything to help you then.” The male across you persists with a jovial curl of his lips. “You’re like the company’s golden songwriter.”  A loud affirmative from the member beside him causes a ripple with Jihyo and other people at the table to agree senselessly, even though some of them you’re sure are too intoxicated to know what the conversation is. “Cheers to our golden songwriter!”

You giggle at the dramatization of the whole thing, but reciprocate the energy by clinking your glass to his as those around do the same to each other and drink happily. You go ahead and down the rest of your mostly club soda beverage, setting it back down on the table with a small clunk and release a breath.

In the corner of your eyes, you catch Jimin’s head again and don’t stop yourself from angling your face to look. The return of his gaze startles you, making your hand squeeze your glass. The girl beside him remains, but she chats for the moment with someone else. Jimin’s focus forces the air in your chest to remain there as you sit somewhat transfixed and in wonder of what he wants. His lip quirks-- you think it does anyways; it’s difficult to discern from the distance. You wish he were across from you.

No; you shake your head at your thoughts, and return your eyes to your table. You take hold of some of the snacks on the table, tossing them into your mouth swiftly. It isn’t a good idea to dwell in those thoughts too long. In the first place, it should not matter to you where he is in the room, and you should be much less bothered by the lack of his attention on your person.

It’s not like either of you want to let even the smallest detail of your affairs into this place amongst all of your coworkers.

Your phone buzzes in your pocket. When you go to glance back at Jimin, you see him back conversing with those around him. You scoff softly and pull out your phone, smiling a bit wider when you see how ridiculous you are acting for assuming a particular name to appear in the pixels.

Seokjin, 12:10AM: You’re going to regret skipping out on watching the latest episode with us-- the show is getting crazy.

Y/N, 12:11AM: You better not spoil anything.

“Hey, I’m going to head out.” You say to Jihyo, as you reach for your bag hanging from your seat.

“Aw, already?” She pouts, eyes following you as you stand. “You barely drank at all with us though.”

“I have to go to work in the morning.” You explain, laughing as she clings her arms on your waist.

“Want me to help you catch a cab, Y/N?” The guy across the table asks before sipping further at his beer. You shake your head, while you work to gently tug off Jihyo.

“Thanks, but I’ll be fine-”

“You heading out too?” Jimin’s voice feels like it pops a bubble. You turn your head to him, as he walks with his jacket in hand, smiling casual as the inquiry remains in the air.

“You too, man?” The younger member across you asks him.

“Yeah, my manager would kill me if I couldn’t wake up on time tomorrow.” He answers with a smile lazily on his features, then he glances back to you. “I’ll give you a ride to your apartment.”

“You sure-”

“Yes, you need to! She uses too many taxi rides-- it makes me nervous.” Jihyo exclaims into the mix as she finally releases her hold on you. “You better make sure she gets home safe, though, Jimin.”

“Deal.” He’s still looking at you while he speaks, his eyes gentle. If you think about it, you’re sure you could misinterpret his expression, so you don’t. You just nod your head, and follow his lead outside of the restaurant.

—

“To think we’d leave at the same time.” You buckle your seatbelt with ease, as Jimin turns on the ignition. Relaxing your head on the seat, you barely arch your neck, eyeing him coyly. “Almost like we intended to.”

“Well, I did.” Jimin chuckles, wrapping a hand on the gear shift. Then he looks at you, and speaks just as easily, “I only went because you did.”

You try not to acknowledge the way your rib cage constricts for a moment at his words. Like it tries to lock them close to your heart. You half-smile at Jimin, helping the sentence to trickle away into nothing. “Smooth.”

“I think so.” He nods his head as he begins to drive away. The expression of his is nothing bashful or satisfied; nothing in particular at all. It’s just words. You relax back into the familiar seat and stare at the road as it comes, settled in your understanding of everything. You smother the confusion, putting it away before you are able to ponder it and get your flimsy feelings hurt. The last thing you would need is a relationship with an idol at SoundWave.

You can’t even imagine the complications that could entail.

“Are you very tired?”

You perk your eyebrows at the inquiry. Incidentally, his words brought you out of a stupor that was melded with the exhaustion from the day, but your curiosity wins over your response.

“Not very. Why?”

Jimin’s index finger taps the steering wheel as a red light forces a stop. His eyes fixate ahead as casual as ever, but the hesitation in his sentence reveals itself when his lips barely part without answering your question. More curiosity swirls in your expression, maybe too much, but Jimin is not looking at you so you let it slide, and merely hum to press for an answer.

“Do you care if I stay over tonight?” You should immediately throw away that nagging thought in your brain that tells you Jimin really did only go to the dinner because of you. You should cast it away, because this request is not dressed in sweetness. It’s implications are just a testament to the relationship between you: the friends and something more but nothing too much. Not ever to be more. It’s already settled, unlike him and that girl who could still take a relationship in any direction they want.

Your hand curls on your lap in recollection.

“To be honest, I’m not really feeling sex tonight.”

The car continues down the road, smoothly trailing closer to your apartment less than minutes away. The air conditioning’s breeze does more than it needs to as your legs garner goosebumps that you notice with the silence. Only a second passes then another, but it feels slow and you cannot stop your thumbs rubbing against each other.

“That’s fine. I’m not very interested in that either right now.” You glance towards Jimin, but it’s noticeable as your hair shifts and your eyes gleam from the passing street lights. Pondering the implications of his words should be at the forefront of your mind, but they are shoved aside by satisfaction. Satisfaction that he doesn’t just think of you for sex-- logically you never did consider that to be the case, but the words are reassuring. There’s still the friendship; a connection you care about more. “But I understand if you don’t want me to-”

“You can.”

You catch the corner of his lip curling upwards, but he stares ahead at the road. Resting his head against his knuckles as he eases the car around the last corner with a single hand, Jimin hums softly, and your hands close atop your lap with his reaction. You don’t bother smothering the small smile of your own, and can’t stop a tiny, playful scoff as he finally speaks up, “Slumber party it is then.”

---

“Hey,” You begin as the television streams a movie long forgotten about. Though opposite sides of the couch were occupied originally, Jimin mentioned simply through a soft mumble that his chest is comfier than the awkward positioning of your head on the stiff armrest, so the current arrangement of your body loosely entangled atop of his came to be. For a moment before being coaxed by his offer, you tried to play it off, giving a little hum and a small glance from him to the television then back again when he poked your thigh with his toe. His lips were a bit pursed, but he smiled like he knew you were trying to play it coy. Who were you to feign resisting further? “I thought you said earlier that you had to go home so your manager wouldn’t kill you in the morning?”

Jimin chuckles, fingertips easing in a slow trail along your back, before going up then back down like a leisurely gondola ride. You don’t believe you care about whatever reason he gives you for tagging along. You think you just wanted to talk and take your focus away from the embrace that you don’t know how to categorize.

“Like I said earlier too: I just went to begin with because you did.”

“You didn’t even sit with me.” The words come out in a mumble with a tone that sounds too whiny, and you wish they hadn’t slipped out so easily. Jimin shifts beneath you, adjusting your frame with his hands that find your waist and his neck cranes to look at you,

“What was that?” His grin teases you, clearly amused by your little admission. You huff, trying to avoid his gaze as a blush of embarrassment threatens to creep to the surface. “And this whole time I was wondering why you kept looking over at me, baby.”

“Jimin,” You bite your lip, now trying to count the amount of times you may have glanced over at him, and wondering how in the world he ever caught sight of a lot of them. You open your mouth to continue, but find nothing to say further in your flustered state. Jimin’s eyebrows raise as though he awaits for whatever you want to say as a rebuttal. You put your hand to his cheek and gently attempt pushing his stare back to the television.

“No-” He laughs, resisting your lackluster strength and simply takes hold of your forearm with one of his hands. “Go on, baby, tell me what you wanted to.”

You don’t know what you wanted to say, and really there’s nothing for you to complain about in the first place. How was he supposed to know, and given the way things were between them, who are you to ask for a specific seating arrangement out in public? Especially with all of the other employees, and especially when that girl went out of the way to monopolize him herself.

“Well, I wasn’t going to interrupt you and that other girl.” Your lips clamp shut. Thankful you’re not looking him in the eyes as yet another uncontrolled thought escaped, you merely breathe in through your nostrils, briefly considering that you stepped beyond a line you should not have.

“What girl?” He asks you like nothing else in the statement could concern him. Slowly, hesitantly, your eyes find him once more. Jimin’s focus is calm, yet something about his expression tells you that beyond confusion he wants to settle any worries. Whether obligated or not.

“The one who grabbed your arm on the way in,” You say, captured by his eyes that feel more intimate than you’re used to. “She’s clearly in to you.”

Jimin’s head tilts to the side, lips remain in a straight line and there’s nothing to say the idea interests him. “Didn’t notice.”

“Yeah, right.” You press without knowing why. If it bothers you, it would make sense for you to leave the subject untouched further, not to try and peek at his own interest in the subject. “It was clear to me.”

“Yeah?” One corner of his mouth rises. A strong beat in your chest ricochets within your ribcage, and your hand begins to curl a grip onto his shirt as he inches closer. “Couldn’t care less about her.”

The moment Jimin intends to press his lips to yours, you shift your head, causing a collision with his kiss landing on your cheek. Your hand remains tightened on the fabric of his shirt, certainly able to give it wrinkles as time passes. Jimin’s eyes blink as he pulls back, now appearing to be concerned he may have done something wrong, and he nearly verbalizes his worries, but you beat him to it.

“You’re not allowed to kiss my lips tonight.” The matter-of-fact tone stops Jimin’s mind in his tracks. His head tilts again, and a single breathy chuckle leaves his lips in a baffled confusion,

“Am I being punished?”

“Maybe.” Jimin’s head falls back against the couch with laughter at your words. A small fit, but nonetheless finding himself amused and from the appearance of his cheerful eyes when he looks at you again, you think he may even be endeared.

“Just your lips, baby?” He questions with a bright voice, causing your eyebrows to furrow in confusion at his question. Answering the curiosity towards his words, Jimin leans towards you, lips brushing along the bridge of your nose, testing. Your lips tighten into a line, not dissatisfied but instead trying not to show any of the flowers growing meadows in your hearts from his action. Like he graces you with sunlight, Jimin slowly moves his lips to the apples of your cheek, kissing softly.

“Can I confess something too?” He utters the molten words as another peck lands on your forehead, following along a path of his own to continue in tiny ministrations. You hum, feeling your hand relax its grip on his shirt, and your body nearly growing limp from his tender actions. “I didn’t have a great time watching that guy flirt with you all night, baby.”

Your eyes open as you tug your head away looking down at Jimin in surprise. He smiles at your stupor, reaching a hand to cup your cheek and guiding his thumb to ghost over the skin just beside your mouth. “Who was flirting with me?”

“You’re adorable-”

“The guy across from me? I don’t think so-- he’s just hoping I make a good song for their group’s next comeback.”

“It’s pretty common knowledge among the artists that he has a soft spot for you, actually.” Jimin elaborates simply, eyes gazing from yours to your lips. You watch his jaw tighten and can’t help your chest tighten from his reaction to the whole thing. You wonder if he’s ever said anything to the guy in regards to you, but you’re sure not. “Can’t say I blame him, though.”

“You’re pouting.” You smile then grin as Jimin groans softly and stretches his neck to avoid your assessment. “Adorable.”

Your copycat compliment makes Jimin chuckle with a roll of his eyes. His hand on your back tugs you back to him, and you do nothing but giggle as his lips find the space beside your own, kissing in a gentle frenzy. Mindlessly your fingers tangle in his hair, once again content as he follows your silly rule and leaves his lips kissing just next to your lips, warming the skin and making your heart flutter.

“Jimin,” You murmur, listening to his blissful hum as he breaks from your skin only to reposition a kiss on the tip of your nose so that his eyes can find yours when you speak again in a bashful voice, “Punishment’s over.”

Jimin smiles, not even sparing a second of teasing as he mumbles his words against your lips, “Say less.”

#sorry for the delay had a tough week and a half but at least this is pretty lengthy hehe #jimin fanfiction #jimin prompt #jimin fluff #jimin imagines #bts imagines #bts fanfiction #bts prompt #bts fluff #series veil #all

[writer-k-pop]

Hello Counselor

지극히 정상이다. Absolutely normal.

Description: When on an episode featuring couples, you and Minghao get the opportunity to explain some of your thoughts on relationships. [Note: Hello Counselor was a Korean talk show that let viewers bring some concerns and problems and then those concerns/problems were discussed by a panel of set celebrities and guest idols/celebs. I don't 100% agree with the way this show was aired because it allowed for personal problems to be broadcasted on national TV but for this story I kind of needed it as a setting so.] Warnings: None Genre: Slight Angst, Celebrity!MinghaoxCelebrity!Reader Word Count: 1.3k

Seventeen Masterlist | Masterlists

We were about two-thirds of the way done with the taping of "Hello Counselor" and all was going smooth. Minghao and I were one of two couples asked to appear for this episode. The other couple being Luna and Jaehoon. Contrary to what the public believed, they were only together as a publicity stunt.

Think me awful to say that but they won't even share a dressing room when there's a shortage of rooms AND Luna and Jaehoon are flirting with anyone but each other as if their life depended on it. So it's pretty obvious in the celebrity circles that they aren't together for real. But they're high publicity so they're everywhere.

"Let's hear our next concern." MC Arin stated with a hand raised towards the screen behind her.

A video began playing and a female in her later teens introduced herself and her concern.

"Hello. My name is Song Jisoo." She said with a bow. "I have a boyfriend and we sometimes fight. Not a lot, just every once in a while. But whenever I try to talk to my parents about what goes on, they are constantly tell me to break up with him, that he doesn't love me cause we always fight, and that if we really loved each other, we wouldn't be fighting at all."

My lips pursed at the thought that a parent would really say those things to their daughter. Minghao noticed my slight upsetness and grabbed one of my hands in comfort.

"I don't think that's fair to say and I don't think they're exactly correct. I would just like some input on who's correct." She finished and the video blinked back to the logo screen.

"Wow, interesting topic, isn't it?" MC Dawon nodded and stroked his chin slightly.

"Very interesting." MC Seohyun agreed and then looked out into the audience, "Is Jisoo here today?"

From the right side of the audience, Jisoo raised a hand and a mic in the other, "I'm right here."

"First question," MC Arin said, "Are you still dating that boyfriend?"

Jisoo nodded, "I am."

"Ah, and how long have you been together?" MC Youngmin asked.

"We've been together for about a year." Jisoo answered which garnered a round of coos.

"And your parents are here too?" MC Youngmin questioned.

Jisoo nodded and gestured towards the older couple sitting two seats to Jisoo's right.

"Do you really believe that couples shouldn't fight if they really love each other?" MC Seohyun questioned the parents.

The father nodded quickly, "Of course, my wife and I have been married for 30 years and we have never fought once."

I gasped slightly. 30 years and not one fight? That seems a little impossible.

"I don't believe you." I commented before I could process what I was saying. "That's just not possible."

"That's what I think too." MC Arin agreed with me.

"It's true." The mother stated, "We haven't ever had a single fight."

"What about when you were dating, not married? Did you ever fight then?" I pressed.

The mother and father shared a glance and shook their heads.

"Nope." The father answered.

Leaning back in my chair, I stared dumbfounded at the parents. I had never met a couple who never fought.

"Okay, then let me ask the two couples we have here." MC Youngmin turns his attention to us. "Do you guys fight?"

Not thirty seconds had passed before Luna shook her head vigorously and Jaehoon responded with a strong "no."

I had to fight my facial expression at their terrible couple acting. Looking at Minghao, I found him looking back at me with a "why not?" expression. We had always been pretty open with the public about certain events or happenings in our relationship so there was no question to not answer honestly.

I turned back towards the MCs, hand intertwined with Minghao's.

"If we said we never fought, it'd be lie." I stated. "Sometimes we do fight, but we always make sure to talk later about what we were fighting about so we can work through the problem together."

"When we first started dating we definitely fought a lot more than we do now but that is just the process of getting to know each other and all that good stuff." Minghao continued.

"And you guys have been dating for a while, right?" MC Arin clarified.

Minghao and I both nodded, "We're coming up on a year and half soon." Minghao proudly smiles.

"How times do you think you've fought in that time?" MC Seohyun questioned.

"Mmm," I tilted my head to look up at the ceiling as I attempted to count our fights. "I'd say like 2 big fights and a few more bickerings."

Minghao nodded in agreement.

"Then can you really say that you belong together?" The father abruptly asked, shocking everyone in the studio.

"Excuse me?" Minghao was the first to speak before the MCs could collect themselves.

"That's quite a lot of fights." The father said in a tone bordering scolding.

I looked towards the daughter who was shaking her head in complete embarrassment. I knew then why she decided to sit a few chairs away from her parents.

"Actually, I think it's a healthy amount of fights." Minghao argued. I hadn't expected him to say anything so all I could do was watch and listen as he defended him and I. "Every couple is bound to fight because even though they may be your soulmate, their life style is bound to be different from yours. Which means adjusting needs to occur. And sometimes that adjusting creates a little too much friction which then leads to a fight. But the most important thing in any relationship," He turned to make eye contact with Jisoo, indicating that she needed to listen to these words, "is to make sure you resolve and talk about the fight. To make sure both parties are in an understanding and agreement."

Listening to him, I felt my heart bust so many coos that I was sure there was a visual representation, it'd be a puppy with the biggest puppy eyes known to man.

"And you should grow with each resolved issue." Minghao continues, "It's all about growing with your partner and that is a goal the both of you should strive for."

"Well, I didn't know Minghao was so philosophical." MC Arin threw out a light joke to disperse the tension radiating from the parents in the audience.

I quickly recollected myself from my state of awe, "He always has been, but usually only at home."

From my left, I heard Luna scoff every so silently under her breath. I ignored her and also turned towards JIsoo.

"I think you and your boyfriend are doing just fine." I told her, "Just remember that too many big fights is not good and that if the fights become about changing just one person and not compromising together, then it's not good."

Jisoo nodded with her lips tucked into an appreciative smile.  

I then addressed the parents who seemed to be sinking in their chairs at the seconds pass. "Though I also believe there are couples who don't fight. And that's fine. But it is not the only way to have a good relationship. So you shouldn't dictate your daughter's relationships just because she's trying to figure it out."

"And it's completely normal for couples to fight." MC Seohyeon emphasized again which I agreed with a nod.

"Absolutely normal." Minghao and I said at the same time, causing us to laugh at ourselves.

"Thank you." Jisoo said before giving the mic back to the staff member waiting in the aisle.

"You guys are really informative about this." MC Youngmin observed.

I nodded, "Minghao and I are pretty open about normalizing certain aspects of relationships."

"That's a great thing to hear." MC Arin nodded happily, "Shall we meet our next concern?" She moved onto the next segment with the ease of an experienced MC.

#seventeen #seventeen imagine #minghao imagine #xu minghao imagine #xu minghao #the8 imagine #seventeen the8 imagine #seventeen minghao imagine

[itsuki-minamy]

“SIX IDOLS”

CHAPTER 4: “THE PROBLEM OF KUSANAGI IZUMO WITH WOMEN” (Complete)

* K - Six Idols (List of Chapters) * Projects & Chapters

Translation: Naru-kun Raws: Ridia

At that time, Izumo Kusanagi had just returned from shopping for the bar HOMRA.

Bar HOMRA is like an idol lounge in "Homura Entertainment Office". It is a place of relaxation for the idols belonging to the group with strong horizontal connections and at the same time it is also a place for the staff to enjoy the drink. In particular, Kusanagi's skill as a bartender was highlighted and there were many enthusiasts in the industry.

A hideaway-like resting place for the same liquor lovers Kusanagi meets at the bar HOMRA.

Then, the moment he entered the bar, Kusanagi noticed the atmosphere.

"Guys, what's wrong with you?"

It seemed that several idols were near the couch seats in a corner of the bar and were discussing something. They looked at Kusanagi when he entered the bar, then they looked back and started secretly talking about something.

Kusanagi frowned.

In the world of entertainment, the hierarchical relationship between seniors and juniors is absolute, and it is impossible to make eye contact but not say hello. No matter how long they are in the office, tolerating their current attitude is even worse for them. He had to make things clear here.

Kusanagi put the shopping bag on the counter and shrugged angrily and approached them. When he clenched his fist, Misaki Yata, one of the idols, suddenly stood up and looked at Kusanagi.

"Kusanagi-san, I have something I want to ask."

Kusanagi was embarrassed by the angry voice. Yata is a loyal and sincere person. He had never seen him get so mad at himself.

Looking closely, the idols behind him, Rikio Kamamoto, Eric Surt, and Yo Chitose, looked at Kusanagi with guilty eyes.

"What?"

"This that is written, is it true?"

Taking the magazine spread out on the table, Yata placed it in front of Kusanagi.

In the magazine he says:

"Homura Performing Arts Office" staff. Izumo Kusanagi midnight orgy! Sexual harassment is insanity against underage idols!"

Kusanagi's mouth fell open.

Meanwhile, Yata approaches the magazine with an indignant expression.

"What are you doing? Is that true? If so, I can't stand it! I knew Kusanagi-san loved women, but more than anything, you're an idol! I never thought you were that kind of person?!"

After hitting Yata's head with his fist, Kusanagi took the magazine. It was a weekly magazine with a reputation for scandal articles from animators. He turned the pages as he felt cold sweat running down his cheeks.

That day…

About a month ago, the day the movie where Kusanagi appeared was released. At the commemorative party that brought the people involved together, Kusanagi had a drink, sexually harassed all the actresses and female staff in line, then took an underage idol he liked and went to the bar next to the stairs, and he finally disappeared into a city hotel with the girl.

"It is a hoax!"

Kusanagi threw the weekly magazine on the ground.

As he rubs his beaten head, Yata looked at Kusanagi.

"Are you sure?"

"Obviously! Do you think I'm such a person?"

"You are a lover of women."

"You are a healthy person."

"You are kind to everyone."

Kamamoto, Eric, and Chitose responded.

"You guys…"

Kusanagi spoke desperately. Yata took the magazine and hit him. He couldn't find the color of the joke in his eyes.

"At first, we thought that Kusanagi-san couldn't do this, but when I thought about it, it was true that Kusanagi-san was drunk and he came back like that about a month ago."

"Kusanagi-san, you are normally calm, but when you get drunk, I think you can become a conqueror. So I wondered if it was something like that."

The eyes of the youths pierced Kusanagi. Kusanagi was full of words and looked at each of them.

"Please remember. Do you really remember?"

"Well, wait. Let's remember for a moment."

Kusanagi opened his PDA and active the calendar application.

One month ago. Certainly, there was a record of attendance at the commemorative kick-off party. That said, he had gone to parties three times that week alone. In the current situation where President Suoh is not, Kusanagi is the actual leader of "Homura Entertainment Office" and also plays the role of manager of his idols. There were more relationships within the natural industry and more opportunities to drink.

That's right, if you get drunk, you'll be in a good mood. Not that he has never lost his memory. There is no doubt that he likes women who value themselves and others, and if he sees a beautiful woman at a party, he is the type to speak positively. However, no matter how drunk he is, sexual harassment is serious business.

"Kusanagi-san? Did you?"

Yata proclaimed holding the magazine looking like a prosecutor. Kusanagi had been exhibiting for a while, but when he opened his eyes, he seemed to be ready.

"If it's just a light body touch, maybe..."

"After all, you did!"

"It's the worst! Kusanagi-san, you are the worst!"

"It's the name 'Homura'! Clear your head now and hold an apology press conference."

Kusanagi was quick to contain the young people who denounce him.

"Okay, wait! Guys, listen to the story to the end! It's true, I made friends with a grown actress, but I would never date a minor idol!"

"I cannot believe it!"

"You are a liar, Kusanagi-san!"

"Womanizer!"

"Sex stalker!"

He hits Yata's head again. Kusanagi yelled, ignoring the protest "Why am I the only one?"

"I'm not lying! I have that kind of sense! Anyway, if you're an actress, you shake hands with idols! Have they never done that?"

"I don't know about Kusanagi-san's female itinerary!"

"Really! Trust me! We are friends!"

The words were sucked into the air of the bar with an eerie sound.

Yata muttered as he clenched his fist.

"That's right. We are friends. If you can't believe what your friends say, you're done."

"Sorry, Kusanagi-san. We only have blood on our heads."

"I want to get close to a beautiful woman, and any man can do it."

"No, I think it's just Chitose and Kusanagi-san."

Through Eric's calm plunge, Kusanagi shuddered.

"Did you get it?"

"However, if so, this magazine is joking. It wrote a rumor that has no roots or foundations like this! Kusanagi-san, let's go to the editorial department to complain!"

Yata was outraged and threw the magazine on the table. Kusanagi had to stop him this time.

"So you want them to say what they want?"

Kusanagi shakes his head at Kamamoto's words.

"Of course, I will protest. But it will take the form of an official announcement from the office. The pen is mightier than the sword."

"Well, if Kusanagi-san says so, it can't be helped."

Yata appeared to be dissatisfied. Injustice cannot be forgiven. Kusanagi laughed as if he was impressive, as his righteousness was like Yata's.

"But why did this article appear?"

Kusanagi shook his head as he took the magazine.

It is an exaggeration to say that there are no roots or foundations, but it is true that he does not remember it. If so, is it someone's conspiracy? The first thing that came to mind was the face of the "Green Idol King", but he immediately denied it. That guy would be a little more elaborate and aim for "Blue" or "Gold" first.

No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't come to a conclusion. Kusanagi stopped shaking his head and tried to put the magazine back on the table.

It was then that the bar bell rang.

"Oh, Totsuka-san! Anna!"

Yata greeted happily. At the entrance to the bar, he saw all the faces he knew.

Totsuka Tatara and Anna Kushina.

Like Kusanagi, Totsuka is the oldest member of "Homura Entertainment Office". A light-skinned boy who always smiles, but was born into extreme poverty to the level of eating wild grass, and was shot with a pistol by an avid fan and wandered between life and death.

Anna is the only girl idol in "Homura". Although she is only 12 years old, her singing ability is outstanding and she is in charge of the voice of the group "No Blood".

For some reason, she has been in the position of president since the former president, Mikoto Suoh, moved to the United States, but of course, Kusanagi is doing most of the work because it parallels her studies.

When they saw Kusanagi, they made the strongest faces for some reason.

"Izumo."

Anna spoke to him. She had something to say, but she didn't know how to say it. Anna, who usually does not express her emotions, was looking at him sadly somewhere.

"Don't do it, Anna."

"Anna. I'll ask him around here, so go over there, okay?"

Totsuka ignored Kusanagi and made a soft voice. Anna had been comparing the two to a funny face for a while, but she finally ran off to the bar.

Totsuka approached Kusanagi. His kind face unusually was not laughing. When he reached Kusanagi's eyes, he muttered with eyes lowered in pain.

"Oh, Kusanagi-san, I knew you love girls, but I never thought you would get close to minors."

"You too?"

Kusanagi involuntarily pushed him away. Totsuka was orderly. Kamamoto explained with a bitter smile.

"Well, we get it wrong. It's an entertainment magazine scandal, right? But Kusanagi-san's mouth tells me it's a complete hoax."

"Hey, are you making noise in the entertainment magazines?"

Totsuka said anxiously, but Kusanagi felt a hundred times more anxious.

"But…" What was wrong?

"Are you making noise elsewhere?"

Chitose spoke for everyone's ideas. When Totsuka looked at the others in turn, he made a small face and took the PDA out of his pocket.

"Yes. You are doing it right now."

Then, Totsuka projected the image of the PDA.

It was a video of a press conference. In a place like a hotel lobby, people who appear to be related are swaying in a row. In the center is a female idol who, of course, is underage and looks embarrassed.

"So when did you start dating Izumo Kusanagi?"

A sharp question flew out of the reporter.

The female idol was silent for a moment, but when she blushed and turned her eyes slightly, she made a good voice.

"Oh, yeah, I've been dating him since last month."

So is.

Kusanagi felt that the sensitive temperature of the bar had dropped below freezing.

++++++++++

He really doesn't hate being seen by women with cold eyes.

Of course he has always liked to be seen with hot eyes, but cold eyes are not so bad. It is often said that the opposite of love is indifference, and cold disgust and contempt are a type of "interest." You can repaint it with a different color. It is better than indifference.

However, that also has limits.

That day, Seri Awashima turned to Kusanagi, piercing him with the cold and staring at him at absolute zero.

"Good morning, Seri-chan."

At the regular theater studio, Awashima had a meeting with the staff. Until then, she should have responded calmly, but the moment she saw Kusanagi, all of her emotions were lost from Awashima.

"Good morning, Kusanagi-san."

As if drawing a sword, Awashima averted her eyes from Kusanagi. The expression on her profile is like ice, but Kusanagi, who has seen many women, read the phrase "Don't ever talk to me again, lolicon." hidden under the thin skin.

There was a crack in his heart.

However, Kusanagi swallowed it and went one step further. If she throws him away with that degree of rejection (although it's terrible), a loving woman's name will be broken.

Above all, this problem cannot be solved by pulling him here.

"Oh, can't I have some time? There's something I want to talk about."

"I'm sorry, but I'm about to record, so I'm sorry."

It was a line that flowed unhindered. Although somewhere in his heart he was impressed that she was the actress of the current generation, the relentless one that she does not stop treading.

"Isn't filming finished? I checked. It's just a little while."

"Did you check it?"

Awashima made an expression as if he had touched the kitchen waste. His heart was about to shatter with a screech.

However, Kusanagi was forced to smile.

"Oh, I looked it up. After all, Seri-chan is the right person to solve my problem now."

It was a lithe smile, but Awashima only frowned. Or it may have been a manifestation of anger against the background of cold contempt.

"Problem? No way, it's not the scandal with that girl, is it?"

He had to answer carefully. If he gave a bad answer, Awashima would get rid of Kusanagi and never turn around again.

After thinking about it for a second, Kusanagi replied.

"Trust me, Seri-chan. They framed me."

Awashima looked at Kusanagi.

Kusanagi stares into his eyes. The smile has already disappeared. Now is the time to show the "real blow".

If he gets rid of it, even for a moment, Awashima will instantly see him.

Finally, Awashima turned her back on Kusanagi and started walking.

"……"

Kusanagi closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. As long as he couldn't get Awashima's cooperation, he thought there was no way he could.

"What are you doing?"

"Eh?"

When he looked up, Awashima looked back a few steps away. From the terrible facial expression, the aforementioned contempt faded and the expression that seemed astonished returned.

"I don't want to get caught up in the scandal. Let's go somewhere hidden."

For the first time in a few days, Kusanagi's expression glowed again.

++++++++++

"Hanazono Kaon, 16 years old. A female idol belonging to "Alaha Productions". At first, she seems like she was an underground idol, but she made her big debut a year ago and she seems to be very active."

As she manipulated her PDA, Awashima said that clearly.

In terms of information processing capacity, there is no office that exceeds "Promotion Center 4". Perhaps it is the intention of the president, Reisi Munakata, to take over every corner of the entertainment world like a labyrinth. Kusatsu is also familiar with the situation, but if he wants information about the "enemy", it is natural for him to be more precise.

Kusanagi repeated Awashima's words.

"Alaha Productions."

"Needless to say, it is unofficial. Currently, there are only four government-approved offices in the industry."

As she cleaned the PDA, Awashima looked at Kusanagi.

"The unofficial offices are cobbled. Of course, there are many idol offices that may be small, but 'Alaha' is more like a stone. People come and go, and some financial problems happen. It's an office I don't want to have too close."

"Well, that's correct."

"Kusanagi-kun? Once again, you have nothing to do with this office, do you?"

Kusanagi shook his head slowly at Awashima's serious gaze.

"I remember hearing the name 'Alaha Productions'. I certainly knew this girl."

Kusanagi quickly excused himself when he saw Awashima's expression turn steep.

"No, no, don't get me wrong. But surely, I was greeted by this girl and the manager of 'Alaha Productions'."

A month ago, at a commemorative movie party.

The film in which Kusanagi appeared is a series that enjoys a considerable degree of popularity among Japanese films, and naturally many people from the industry gathered at the commemorative party.

Kusanagi played a central role in the party. Originally a sociable person with many connections. He brought the actors the producer was watching, spoke peacefully with the presidents of the investment companies, and discussed the work with the director.

"Did you meet this girl?"

"Oh. I was with the manager, and a newcomer who just debuted, so he told me to cheer her up."

"Well, from your point of view, there are a lot of people like that."

Kusanagi vaguely occupies the image of a famous idol with many connections. There are many people who are willing to participate in the title and they are swept away. Hanazono Kaon and "Alaha Productions", he didn't remember them and when he tried to do it, his head hurt.

Awashima crossed her arms to think.

"So it's easy to talk about it. A publicity stunt scandal is something a bad agency might think of. You can think of many ways to deal with it."

"That's correct, but…"

"Homura Entertainment Office" is one of only four official offices in this country. Its status, honor and power distinguish it from unauthorized offices (so it can be involved in such disasters). Regardless of what's wrong with this, there is no gamble on wielding its power to dispel the falling sparks.

Still, something was trapped in Kusanagi's heart.

Awashima saw it precisely. Mysteriously she looked at him and said.

"What are you wondering? If you are the usual person, you will act immediately."

"……"

Kusanagi closed his eyes and tried to remember.

About a girl named Hanazono Kaon who came to see him with her manager at the party venue.

"That girl couldn't speak at all."

"What?"

"Even in front of me, she was nervous and she made her face bright red. It was just what the manager said and she couldn't say much of anything. All she could say was a greeting."

"I don't think so, but you…"

Awashima said that, in a tone that made him wonder from the bottom of his heart.

"Isn't it said that you caught the attention of Hanazono Kaon?"

Instead of answering, Kusanagi scratched his cheek and looked away from her.

Awashima sighed deeply.

"Do you know who the other person is? Someone tries to take advantage of you, either with a scandal or a fire. If you give affection to such a person, you will be unilaterally hurt."

Awashima's words are correct. Kusanagi knows better than anyone that he can be eaten by showing a breach in the devilish world of the entertainment world.

But still…

"Idols are what light people's hearts."

Kusanagi said that in a low voice.

"I'm not saying there should be a norm for people, but in front of Kokujoji. For us, a simple story, it makes someone smile. It makes someone brilliant. I think, if I could do that, I would be older."

"……"

"I'm sure she wanted to be like that too. I want to be an idol, and I want to become an idol and give energy to all the fans. I think I thought so."

"But now Hanazono Kaon is betraying her fans. Anyone who wants to lie and lift her name is not qualified to be an idol."

Awashima was always calm. Kusanagi also has no intention of putting it there.

"That's why I want to know. Hanazono Kaon, the true heart of that girl."

Awashima opened her eyes slightly and looked at Kusanagi.

She then she shook her head as it was hopeless.

"I thought you were a bit more rational, but apparently you were just pretending."

"I'm also a "Homura Entertainment Office" idol."

Kusanagi jokingly saying that, Awashima shrugged and returned the gesture.

"Well, it's your problem, so you can do whatever you want. At best, behave however you want. But don't fly here."

"Of course. Thank you, Seri-chan."

Instead of answering, Awashima shook his hand and left.

"Well, now…"

Kusanagi looked at the PDA, handled it lightly, and requested her contact information.

++++++++++

"No! I'm glad you had a press conference, Kaon-chan."

Hanazono Kaon felt a reflection of disgust for the manager who was smiling on the room couch.

On the one hand, she was grateful to him. She uploaded song and dance videos on the internet, and she was so happy and excited with the number of views and the number of people registered, that she made her big debut. She has never doubted that skill or policy.

Up to now.

"That's why you have been interviewed by several performing arts magazines, but can I accept all of them? I also posted information that I had not published before, so I'm sure it will be a great promotion."

"That…"

Intercepting the manager's words that he is good at it, Hanazono Kaon squeezed her skirt tightly.

"Yes?" Hanazono Kaon caught the manager's gaze. She was not good at seeing someone's eyes and speaking. She can sing and dance in front of a lot of people, but when she goes out in front of people, she hangs out. Hanazono Kaon was such a girl.

Finally, as usual, the manager read what the phrase meant and shrugged as if he was in awe.

"What? Maybe you still feel bad? Kusanagi Izumo asked for it."

"Okay."

Hanazono Kaon barely replied, the manager giggled. He took the cigarette out of his pocket and lit it.

"Kaon-chan, you're also a professional, so let's be a little more illustrious. It's fine, but since he's a celebrity there, he's used to this scandal."

"So is."

"Isn't that the case? So what? Betrayal of the fans?"

Kaon's voice was violently dominated. Like using Kusanagi, what hurts the most is that some fans feel hurt by her love reports.

But even at that, the manager laughed.

"Ahahahahaha! Do you care about that? Okay, because if you become famous, they will follow you! Rather, the fans so far are just a burden to Kaon-chan who will be great in the future. I'm thankful that you were."

It wasn't from the cigarette smoke that she suddenly felt congested, it was from anger.

He laughed at the fans who have supported her so far and cut off her efforts to do so without fear. She felt angry at her manager as if she had been stomped on the back of her chest.

The more the muscles in her hands stretched, the tighter she held her skirt with a noise. When he realized that, the smile on the manager's face faded.

"What is that face? I'll tell you."

The manager stood up. That only made him sound terrifying and she backed away. The adults were scary and the men were even more scary. The manager sighed as he approached Kaon with her back against the wall.

"Kaon-chan, you are also an accomplice, right?"

With just that word, she felt her entire body weaken.

"No, I can say that I am the main culprit. You read the script that I wrote on my own initiative. Whether I betray the fans or use Izumo Kusanagi, Kaon-chan said, "I want to do that.", do you blame everything on me?"

"Ah, uh..."

"What's the difference? You said you wanted to be more famous and shine more, right, Kaon-chan. I just set it up to be able to do that."

The manager laughed deeply, putting his hands on both of Kaon's shoulders that she couldn't say anything.

"It's natural, isn't it? Because I'm Kaon-chan's manager. That's why."

His eyes narrowed and housed a beast light.

"You just have to listen to me."

The sound slipped into place. She looked ​down with a scared look, the manager said to Kaon.

"So, I'll take all the interviews. Read the script correctly. If you can act well, it can be treated like a drama, and it will be a hit."

After that, the manager left the room.

The manager's points are all correct from one to ten.

She wanted to be famous. It's been a year since she made her debut, and she has done jobs like singles and mini-lives, but she couldn't get any results. If the title of "Rookie Idol" disappears, it will become even more severe. When the manager said that, she felt impatient as if she was on fire. What was far scarier than losing a job or going unsold was losing the dream that had been shining within her.

But was that dream only possible in this way?

Was the shine she wanted so dirty?

Kaon no longer knew what was right. She killed her voice and began to cry, burying her face between her knees.

At that moment, the PDA sounded a dial tone.

She could answer later, and now she didn't want to talk. The moment she saw the name of the caller with a blurry vision, that idea disappeared.

It was shown as "Izumo Kusanagi".

++++++++++

Seating on the balcony of a cafe facing the main street.

He was reading a paperback in a shady seat where the breeze was nice, and he giggled when he noticed Kaon had arrived.

"Hello, sorry to call suddenly."

Kaon remained in place and couldn't even make a voice.

Kusanagi Izumo, that person. Even if he is in disguise, it is not just about being aware that there is an idol as famous as him. Also, Kusanagi is in the middle of a scandal, yes, the scandal created by Kaon.

The moment she thought about it, Kaon was fragile and she wanted to apologize.

She barely stopped because she thought she would hurt him even more. She hardly notice it now, but if she attracts attention, Izumo Kusanagi will be here. If Hanazono Kaon was there with him, her scandal would be difficult to handle.

Kusanagi smiles as if to calm Kaon who is not moving, he said...

"Sit down for now. If you stay standing, we won't be able to speak calmly."

"Ok."

Kaon sat on the seat, guided by a soft voice.

Still, Kaon couldn't see Kusanagi's face properly. She lowered her head like a defendant brought out in front of a judge, or in a weak voice.

"Sorry." Kaon said.

She could only say that. She didn't expect him to forgive her. But unless she apologized, she couldn't be in front of Kusanagi again.

After a moment of silence, Kusanagi said in a low voice.

"Raise your face."

Kaon trembled as if struck and raised her face.

The form of anger she had imagined was not there.

Kusanagi had a serious expression. He looked at Kaon with a direct gaze that has never been seen in any drama in which he has appeared.

"It doesn't matter if the idol is down. The idol must always be facing forward."

Kaon forgot to breathe and looked back at Kusanagi's face.

Kusanagi smiled to ease her feelings.

"Idols cheer on their fans with their own brilliance. It's a shame that I can only cloud the brilliance of myself."

Kaon gritted her teeth and held back the tears she was about to shed.

Don't shed tears. She was not qualified to do such a thing.

Kusanagi said what an idol is. He is a person who encourages people with his own brilliance.

So she can't afford to break. No matter how boring or dirty she is, Kaon is still an idol. She couldn't have shed tears of self-pity for an apology.

With her eyes closed and the signs of suppressed tears, Kaon opened her mouth.

"I'll tell you everything."

She wanted to be an idol. She didn't want to lose the dream that she finally had. She then tried to use Kusanagi while she was impatient. She spills a scandal without foundation, and even neglecting the fans, she was the shallow girl trying to climb.

After hearing everything, Kusanagi calmly said.

"You told me all that. Thank you, Hanazono-san."

Kaon shook her head. She has done nothing to make him grateful. She was just doing something harmful to Kusanagi. She cannot complain even if she has no questions and she is excluded.

She thought a lot and suddenly it hit her.

Why did Kusanagi do that?

"Um. Why did you listen to me?"

"Eh?"

"Kusanagi-san, you must have a scandal that you don't remember. I think you should have taken a 'countermeasure' without asking about my circumstances."

Kaon looked around at the audience.

There are many customers on the open terrace. Why did he listen to her even at the risk of meeting her alone in public?

When she asked him, Kusanagi laughed lightly and...

"Well, I'm sorry. I don't want to pay for the sparks that fall on me. I will do it in formal protests with this in mind."

With that said, he stared at Kaon.

"Hanazono-san, at the party, my fans told me."

"I didn't talk much about it, maybe it's lip service. It's against my belief to eliminate fans without asking questions. Be it an idol or Izumo Kusanagi."

Kaon clenched her fist in her lap and murmured that.

"Belief…"

"Wow. My 'Homura Entertainment Office' colleagues and I, we move based on our beliefs. Of course, risk management is important. Still, there is a trade-off."

Kusanagi's gaze, looking into her heart, did not take his gaze away from Kaon. After swallowing just once, she opened her mouth.

"Even me, can I do that?"

"You can."

There was no hesitation in Kusanagi's answer.

"If you are an idol, you can always do it. You can fight for what you think is right because of your beliefs. That is the brilliance of idols."

Kusanagi said that was his belief.

Kaon saw the glow of the idol named Izumo Kusanagi there. He trusts idols and Kaon. Even though she used Kusanagi, she still hasn't lost the brilliance of the Hanazono Kaon idol, and says it based on his belief.

When she realized it, Kaon blinked.

There was no longer a trace of tears. A clear sight spread out in front of him. Izumo Kusanagi glowing, seemed to indicate to Kaon what he should do from now on.

Kaon stood up and thanked Kusanagi deeply.

"Thank you, Kusanagi-san. I already know what to do."

"You are going to do it?"

"I will speak to my manager. I will act for what I think is correct."

After resolutely stretching her back and saying it, Hanazono Kaon smiled for the first time in a long time.

"Because I am an idol."

Seeing that, Kusanagi also smiled and took control.

"Oh, yeah. Go ahead."

"Yes. Thank you. And I'm sorry for the inconvenience!"

After saying that and bowing again, Kaon left.

She no longer turned around to Kusanagi.

++++++++++

One month after Kusanagi Izumo's lover scandal.

The usual routine has returned to the bar HOMRA.

"Oh, Kusanagi-san, hello!"

Kusanagi casually replies "Hello." while he cleans a glass, Yata and Kamamoto ring the bell and enter. Joining Akagi and Bando, who were lounging on the couch, he began spreading the manga and entertainment magazines that he bought from the store while he came. Kusanagi knocked on the refrigerator door in an attempt to prepare the ingredients as he glanced at the everyday scenes.

At that moment, Yata made a strong voice.

"Oh! Kusanagi-san, there is an article about that girl!"

Kusanagi raised his face, and approached the juniors who were making noise around the couch. Akagi and Bando looked at each other and made a mysterious voice.

"Who is this girl?"

"She is Hanazono Kaon-chan."

"Hanazono...? I remember hearing somewhere..."

"A girl who became a scandal with me."

Yata handed the entertainment magazine to Kusanagi, who looked down at the table. It's a small black and white page with no photos, but it had her name on it.

"The first mini-live after breaking free from her idol office, the idol called Hanazono Kaon."

"Is she a fiery idol? This is another tough headline."

Kusanagi says with a bitter smile. Kamamoto crossed his arms with a difficult expression

"Well, it can't be helped. After that, there was a lot of noise."

Hanazono Kaon conspired with the office and invented a love scandal for the purpose of selling.

The public already knew that. None other than Hanazono Kaon herself confessed everything in the interview she received.

Thanks to that, the stigma of Kusanagi dissipated, but the wrath of the world turned to "Alaha Productions". Hanazono Kaon has announced that she will be leaving the office and continuing her activities as an independent underground idol. Criticism focused on her, but she never said that she would stop being an idol.

Then a week later, and two weeks later, new news broke out in the entertainment world and her name was no longer remembered.

"But, I'm not convinced. According to Kusanagi-san, that girl isn't bad, right?"

"No, that's not true. Even if the office told her, it doesn't change the fact that that girl used Kusanagi-san for her own convenience. It's her own business."

"Yata-san, you're too strict! She couldn't help herself, if the office told her."

"Huh?! So, if your office tells you to die, will you die?"

"Please stop, that way of speaking is like that of an elementary school student!"

"Who is an elementary school student?"

Yata puts a key on Kamamoto's head. Akagi and Bando rush to stop him. Kusanagi thinks as he reads the article with such fuss.

Could she act on his own beliefs?

Kusanagi has not been in contact with Hanazono Kaon since they met at the cafe. So he doesn't know exactly what kind of interaction she had with the manager or the office. At least from what he saw in the interview article, Hanazono Kaon clearly acknowledged her responsibility. She said that she used Kusanagi of her own free will, rather than blaming the manager or the office.

Idols inspire their fans with their brilliance. What Hanazono Kaon did was, in that sense, betray the fans.

But at the same time, the idol is a human being. She may get lost or discouraged. Kusanagi thinks that how to act in those moments determines the value of the idol.

Hopefully she's lucky, Kusanagi thought.

So that she doesn't regret her actions.

The doorbell rang again. When he looked back at the door, he was about to see Totsuka enter.

He had an envelope in one hand. Totsuka shook him while he laughed softly.

"Kusanagi-san. The letter has arrived."

When he received it and turned it over, he couldn't find the signature.

Anonymous letters, etc. should not be opened. However, he had a premonition at the time. When he opened the inside, it was written with a fine brush.

Izumo Kusanagi:

Please forgive me for the sudden letter. I thought that I shouldn't talk to Kusanagi-san because I had done such a thing in some way, so I refrained from contacting you, but now that my personal situation has calmed down, I would like to apologize and report back, so I am thanking you in writing.

After telling the truth and leaving the office, I disappointed many fans. Most of the fans have abandoned me. Looking at the disappointed faces of the fans, I once wondered if I could stay as an idol or if I should retire.

Still, some fans said that they still wanted to see me as an idol. They told me not to stop as an idol because they would keep supporting me no matter what.

Kusanagi-san said that idols can fight for what they think is right, and that belief makes them shine.

Now I think the right thing for me is to do everything possible for the fans. As long as there is at least one person who supports me, I will not stop being an idol.

Then I will continue to be an idol. I want to reach as many people as possible with my previously dull brilliance. Like Kusanagi-san said, never look down, look ahead.

Thanks for telling me that. And I am very sorry for the inconvenience.

Hanazono Kaon.

"Hey, I'm not a good boy."

Totsuka, who was watching from the side, said such a thing. Kusanagi put the letter in his pocket and poked his head out.

"Letters from people, you are stealing."

"Ah, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Kusanagi-san, so I wonder what happened."

Kusanagi smiles bitterly when Totsuka's fluffy smile catches him. Totsuka took the entertainment magazine and said as a soliloquy.

"Is it a mini-live? I'm a bit worried too. Let's see it."

"Oh, go ahead. Better to have as many clients as possible."

"Won't you go, Kusanagi-san?"

Kusanagi laughs a little and shakes his head.

"When I went, I made her worry more. I'll do it without being stingy at first."

Kusanagi remembered the text of the letter, shrugged slightly and said.

"I already know the brilliance of that girl."

#K #k project #k fan clan #k six idols #six idols #izumo kusanagi #k

[placebogirl7]

Why Jodie is so hated in DC fandom? - Analysis of an underestimated character and clarification about wrong assumptions

Preliminary remark: this post is just a personal opinion. No intention to start wars of any kind, I respect everyone’s opionion so I want my opinion to be respected too. If you don’t share it, it’s totally ok as it’s totally ok if I don’t share yours.

During these last 5 years I’ve been back into DC fandom, I notice all around the web many people spreading hate towards Jodie (not only here on Tumblr but everywhere, especially in forums and social media pages). It’s ok to not like a character, but you need valid reasons to hate it. If you hate it for bullshit, then it’s only hate based on nothing. And this is what I see everytime I read a bad comment about Jodie’s character. This is really annoying for a fan, to be honest. Now I want to point out some of the most popular reason why Jodie is hated and analyze them (maybe I have already explained my point of view about them in some other posts in the last years, but I will clarify them again).

1) “Jodie has become useless, she’s no more interesting and mysterious as she was at the beginning” You (Jodie haters) really notice this change only in Jodie’s character? Because I can mention at least other 10 characters who, at their first appearance, were described as mysterious and cool and whatever else, but now are “lying on the shelf” for Gosho’s choise. Jodie has been introduced in a mysterious way becase she was suspected to be Vermouth, so Gosho created the suspance around her character and made her act in a shifty way to make the readers believe that she could be one of the BO members. Once it has been revealed that she wasn’t bad, there were no more need to make her act in a shifty way. Many other character who were suspected to be Bo members but in the end were not have shared the same fate. But it’s Gosho’s decision, not Jodie’s fault. It’s not something related to her way of being, it’s a choise of the author.  She has become usless? Ok, let’s face the reality: who is useful among the characters? A very few. Let’s take all the FBI Team: Gosho has painted them as a bunch of idiots that without Akai can’t do nothing. To make Akai “shine” he has denigrated Jodie, James and Camel. Camel doesn’t do nothing of his own, he always wait for Akai’s orders; James is supposed to be the chief but actually he does what Akai says; Jodie seems to make mistakes everytime she did something, even if she’s doing it in the right way. But again, it’s not their fault because we have seen them doing even very good things and being brilliant, so they have potential: it’s Gosho who decided to treat them like dumbs so Akai can be like a God who will save all of us. Don’t get me wrong, I love Akai, but I hate what Gosho is doing to put him in the spotligh. Again, it’s Gosho’s fault, not the characters who suddenly became usless and not interesting. The hate should be towards Gosho, not Jodie.

2) “After Akai’s death Jodie has become so annoying, she’s weak and she’s always crying” Ok...question for you Jodie haters: if you suddenly lose someone you love, what will be your reaction? Will you laugh as you were watching a sitcom, will you organize a big party with your friends or will you start throwing confetti in the air? Because if you do one if these 3 things, then...congratulations, you have won the highest award for the most cool /stone-harted/ heartless person in this world! You have no rivals, not even Shuichi Akai who is now jealous of you!  Seriously...if the man you love so much dies suddenly, it’s LEGITIMATE to cry, to be desperate, to lose yourself. It’s like losing a part of you. But despite feeling lost, Jodie has been the only one among the FBI who never believed to Akai’s death since the beginning and she fought long and hard to find out the truth behind his death. Since when on the TV they show the incident at Rahia Pass and they say a man was dead burned in his car, she immediately thought that it wasn’t Shuichi and that he had surely used a trick to escape. Guess what? She was right! Do you still think she’s stupid?  Jodie isn’t weak, she just faced an emotional breakdown due to the loss of a person she loved. This is being human, not being weak. Jodie isn’t always crying, she cried when everything and everyone around her was making her believe that Shuichi was really dead. At a certain point she stopped crying, when she saw hope, a hint that Shu was still alive. She isn’t a crybaby, she just needed hope. 

3) “Since Akai’s death, Jodie hasn’t done anything interesting or exciting, she has become boring” If you didn’t notice by yourself, then I will reveal you the biggest secret of all: after Akai’s death, or better to say after the end of Scarlet Arc when Jodie and Camel discovered about Shuichi being alive and hiding behind Subaru’s identity...FBI hasn’t appeared anymore in the manga for ages, since the last files which came our recently! How are they (included Jodie) supposed to do something exciting or interesting if they don’t even appear? Gosho put them in the closet with the naphthalene and he concentrated his attention on other characters (first of all Amuro, which in my opinion deserves more hate than Jodie because of his behaviour but somehow is adored as a God in the fandom).Then one day he get up and he had the big flash of genius: “FBI still exist in my story, so better take them out of the closet and make them do something”. But in the end, as always, only Akai did something relevant. Camel has been a puppet in the hand of Akai and Jodie made a mistake. So, again, it’s not Jodie who have changed and become a worst character, it’s how Gosho is painting her and the other FBI agents which makes them appear less interesting or capable at the eyes of the readers.

4) “Jodie has become stupid” About this I made a “funny” post long time ago, so I will put the link below. I think it’s enough to explain all:

https://placebogirl7.tumblr.com/post/156414088650/jodie-has-become-more-and-more-stupid  

I will also add something that surely will unleash the wrath of somebody and maybe they will start complain, but I honestly don’t care because it’s nothing against someone in particular but just something I noticed. This is absolutely not an attempt to start a ship war nor a free criticism end in itself, because I reaspect everyone ship and opinion even if I don’t agree with that. The fact is that I noticed that often (not always of course, but often) these criticism about Jodie are moved by ShuKemi fans, and considering what I said above it seems that their hate for Jodie is just because Jodie was Akai’s girlfriend before Akemi and she has the possibility (if Gosho wants) to be his girlfriend again the future, not really because they analyzed Jodie’s character before spreading shit about it.  So I would like to point out to these ShuKemi fans who idolize Akemi’s character so much and tell shits about Jodie that Akemi sentenced herself to death with her own hands after making the worst and wrong choise she could have ever done in her life. I’ve seen many times Akemi being called “a hero” but chosing to death without obtaining nothing in return isn’t being a hero, it’s just being stupid in my opinion. Being a hero is another thing. You’re an hero if you sacrifice yourself with the goal to obtain something that worth your sacrifice, but if you sacrifice yourself knowing that you won’t obtain nothing apart from your death...well, that’s not being a hero at all. And before someone will say “You talk like this because you’re a ShuJodie fan”, please be aware that Akemi’s death has been shown before Jodie appearance and before knowing that Jodie had a relationship with Shu before he started dating Akemi, so I would have no reason to say these things just because of such trivial matters. The reason why I’ve never been touched by Akemi’s death since the beginning is because I think she has consciously chosen to die since the beginning of her “masterplan”. C’mon, how can you really think to make a deal with criminals? There’s a reason if they are criminals... She really thought that Gin would have kept his promise? If the answer is yes, then I’m sorry to say that but she’s stupid twice. So before saying that Jodie is the stupid one, at least analyze the things deeply and objectively. 

Now I know that this will make someone mad but I’m sorry, it’s what I think. And not because I see Akemi as a “threat” for Jodie’s relationship with Shuichi, as I always said I don’t need to spread shit on some character to covince myself and the other that my couple is better, I really don’t need this. I love my couple and stop, the rest doesn’t matter. If I don’t like a character, there’s always a deeper motivation behind, which has nothing to do with OTPs and trivial matters like that. But before saying I don’t like a character and draw up charges on it, I always analyze the character. I’m sorry that nobody do it with Jodie. 

Please also note that I used Akemi as example of character being idolized for no real reason because, as I said, I noticed that who talk shits about Jodie are often ShuKemi fans, but there are also other characters of course who are idolized when they actually have nothing to be idolized for. Another example is Amuro, I recently made a post about what I think of him.  Now if you don’t like what I think and what I said you are free to unfollow me, I’m sorry but I really needed to make this post because it has become more and more annoying to see nonsense unkindness things about Jodie.

Peace, love and Jodie Starling ♥

#jodie starling #detective conan analysis #jodie starling analysis #I'm tired of non sense hate #possible light spoilers but not so much #detective conan #jodie #personal opinion #akemi #comparison #analysis #tired of this shit

[soundofseventeen]

Waffles (Vernon Chwe)

Hello!! Look at our new set up!! It’s so cute and warm!! Way to go Bee!! It’s wonderful!! Have a wonderful night bbs!! 

Requested by @laughinglikenialler​

53: “Who cares about what they think?”

79: “I don’t care what anyone else thinks.”

Vernon sat in the diner, picking at his plate of food. He wasn’t really hungry at the moment, but he knew he should probably eat something. He just… God he felt like he was at his lowest point. 

He had texted you that morning to break things off with you. 

He really didn’t want to break up with you, but he just… He couldn’t do this to you anymore. 

He knew you constantly got crap from people from dating him, whether it was because of something about him or just the simple fact that he was an idol. He always felt bad when your friends would make comments about him not being able to show up at some party or gathering because he was working. Vernon knew you were a tough cookie and you always said it didn’t bother you when they mentioned him, but he couldn’t help but feel like it was affecting you negatively. 

So, he ended it. He knew that your friends would probably give you the whole ‘he wasn’t good enough for you, you’re better off without him’ speech, and a part of him really hoped you would listen to them. He hadn’t even told him members yet, them thinking that he was out with you all day today. 

Instead, he found himself sitting in a diner, alone, with a plate of breakfast food that looked like the least appetizing thing in the entire world. He wasn’t even sure why he ordered waffles. He really didn’t want them right now. Right now he wanted one thing in particular. Or rather, one person. 

“You have some explaining to do, Chwe.” He turned around, seeing you standing behind him. He stared at you for a second as you moved forward and took a seat across from him. 

“How did you…” He started, you rolling your eyes. 

“Listen, if you really want to avoid someone, you probably shouldn’t go hang out at the place you took them for the first date.” You said, asking the waitress for some coffee as she came past. “Or order what you ordered that day.” 

“Y/N, I…” He started, eyes going to his waffles. 

“You also shouldn’t break up with someone over text, and then not respond ever again.” You sighed, looking out the window. “Which, by the way, Seungkwan is going to fight you when you get back. So you should prepare for that.” Vernon looked up at you. 

“You called Seungkwan?” 

“I wanted to see if he knew what was going on in your head.” You said, looking at him. “So what happened.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“Why did you suddenly decide to end things with me? I thought things were going well, great even!” You said as the waitress brought you your coffee, you quickly thanking her. “So what did I do?” 

“You didn’t do anything.” Vernon said, shaking his head. 

“Then what is it?” You looked at him, Vernon looking at his plate. “I think I deserve to know that.” 

“I wanted you to stop getting teased for being with me.” He admitted, you furrowing your eyebrow. 

“When do I get teased for dating you? If anything, I’m more worried about what people will say about you dating me.” You said, Vernon sighing. 

“Your friends always say that-” 

“My friends? Vernon, they’re just joking. Besides,” You reached forward and put your hand on his. “Who cares about what they think? They know I love you and you love me.” 

“But you always have to go to things alone.” 

“So? Vernon, listen to me.” Vernon looked at you. “You may not always be able to be there for these things, but you are still the absolute best boyfriend in the world. The fact that you feel this bad about missing those things shows that! You do everything you can to make me happy, and I wouldn’t trade you for anyone.” Vernon let out a sigh, putting his hand to his forehead. 

“Wouldn’t it be easier for you if we weren’t together?” 

“I don’t care if would be, which it wouldn’t, by the way.” You looked at him, softening your expression. “I don’t care what anyone else thinks. I want to be with you, end of story.” You said, smiling a bit as a small smile appeared on Vernon’s face. 

“Really?” He asked, glancing at you. 

“Yes, you dummy.” You said, pushing his hand away, leaning back in the booth. 

“So…” He said, leaning back himself. “Is it too late or do I have a chance here?” He asked, you raising an eyebrow. 

“Hm. I’m going to need some convincing here.” You teased, looking around the diner. 

“...I”ll give you half my waffle.” He offered, you looking at the plate. 

“Deal.” You said, sitting forward and taking his fork. “But don’t think this makes me an easy date. Or that if you do this again, half a waffle is going to do it.” You pointed a piece of waffle at him, causing Vernon to laugh. 

“Never. I’m so sorry Y/N.” He sighed, you eating the waffle. 

“Just talk to me next time, okay?” He nodded, taking the fork from you. Suddenly the waffle seemed a lot more appetizing. “Also, uh, you really should call Seungkwan. He’s seriously going to fight you.” 

“Oh shit.” Vernon said, digging in his pocket for his phone, causing you to laugh. You took advantage of the situation to steal the fork again, Vernon softly glaring at you as he called Seungkwan, a smile on his face.

#seventeen #seventeen au #seventeen fluff #seventeen imagine #seventeen x reader #seventeen oneshot #seventeen fic #seventeen drabbles #vernon chwe #vernon #hansol au #vernon au #hansol fluff #vernon fluff #hansol imagine #vernon imagine #hansol x reader #vernon x reader #hansol oneshot #vernon oneshot #hansol fic #vernon fic #hansol drabbles #vernon drabbles #kpop au #kpop fluff #kpop imagine #kpop x reader #kpop oneshot #kpop fic

[chimswae]

BTS Caretaker CH27

Summary: She may think she has Bangtan Sonyeondan wrapped around her fingers. She may think it is easy to love the members equally without hurting any soul. She may think the boys wont fall head over heels for her. She assumes it is okay to show a little love and affection towards the boys, what if she gets it all wrong? What if it only brings more complication to her already complicated life? Can she survive their charms? Will she be able to resist them? What if they just wont let her go?

- Pairing: BTS x Oc ( Yoongi x OC, Jungkook x OC)

- Genre: Fluff, Slight Angst, Romance, Idol!au

- Word Count: 4,798

- Author Note: Did u watch MAMA last night? Last week was so crazy i spent my 6 hours just like that for an award show. it is killing my back istg :< anyways, this chapter little emo, because look at our taetae expressing his worries on the group dyamic and friendship :(

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Chapter 27

That night the boys went straight back to their hotel rooms after attending the after party. They stayed for thirty minutes as a courtesy. It was awkward to stay longer since they were pretty much a newcomer in this award. Though Ansel Elgort and The Chainsmoker presence at the party helped to ease the awkwardness. Yet, it was evident they were not comfortable to be around the big names.  The number of the connections that they made were not enough to make them stay for the rest of the night. They agreed to attend the after party because of the food after all and of course to show their respect.

Nothing could beat their eagerness to do the usual Vlive. Billboard Awards was possible due to the unending supports from Armys. Something that they would cherish for the rest of their life. As soon as they ended their short Vlive, they celebrated their victory together with Bang PD and the rest of the staffs.

Even though everyone insisted Seul’s presence there, but she knew her place. She did nothing to contribute to their winning, so she rejected their offer politely and chose to stay in her room instead. She was not tempted to be in the same room as them tonight, as Seul respected their privacy.

It was way past midnight, yet she didn’t see any sign of Semmy returning to the room. Tired of waiting, she called it a day and getting ready to hit the sack.  She tied her hair into ponytail after pampering her skin.

The sound of bell brought her attention to the door and she strutted to open it “Unnie-“her smile was replaced with a baffle look “What are you doing here?” she sent the latter a questionable look.

Yoongi hummed softly, holding the plastic bag up “I brought drinks, care to have some with me?” Seul was weirded out by his randomness.

“Don’t you have enough drinks today? I thought you guys were celebrating in your room” she held onto the door, showing no sign of letting the rapper inside. Not to be rude, Seul was being careful with her surrounding and the fact that she shared her room with Semmy feared her. What if someone caught them together? It would spark an unnecessary gossip among the staffs.

He ran his tongue over his lips, slipping one of his hand against the door “We have called it a night. I didn’t drink. I am saving it for you” his sinful lips twisted into a smirk. What a sore to her eyes.

“I..don’t drink alcohol though, I have zero tolerance on it. So, care to find someone else to drink those with you? I am sorry” she was about to shut the door, but he held it back chuckling softly.

“Who told you that I brought alcohol? I bring cokes and chips. You have been avoiding me these past few days, lets have a decent talk. Shall we?” Yoongi’s eyes sparked in the sexiest way. Seul could not say no to that though her mind was having a fit for letting the guy inside. The second she realized, Min Yoongi had made himself comfortable on the queen bed, with his legs crossed.

Seul emitted a soft sigh, closing the door behind her “Min Yoongi, why are you here? If there is one person that I shouldn’t trust in this world, then it would be you” she stood in front of him looking all defensive. To be frank, Min Yoongi did nothing that could harm her. It was her personal issues with her own feeling, to be exact her raging hormones. She couldn’t trust herself around him at all.

Her mind seemed to have the mind of its own. It reacted against her consciences even though she was aware of its consequences on her, she would still do it nonetheless. Ironically, only Min Yoongi had that effect on her.

He looked calm and oddly serious today. Did the winning affect his wrecked brain? Yoongi patted the empty seat beside him, motioning Seul to fill it. The girl’s response made him to roll his eyes in his seat, with that he pulled the overreacting girl beside him.

Seul let out a small gasp, shifting uncomfortably “What are you planning to say? Don’t….do something funny…” she said nervously while making a small space between them.  

He frowned “I will only do something funny after I make sure I talk this out with you first” teasing the flustered girl, he held back his chuckle upon witnessing her distressed face. Seul might appear all sassy on the outside but her demeanour could be unpredictable from time to time. Where’s the consistency, Ji Seul.

“Okay speak” Seul pressed her lips together while fiddling with the hem of her shirt. She’s honestly afraid of what might come from Yoongi. Serious Yoongi was not her thing, so she had no idea what to expect from the older guy.

Yoongi passed the cold can to her which she gladly took it. Their fingers brush against each other jolting Seul in her seat. She coughed away the awkwardness, quickly open the drinks and took a long sip from it.

Amused, he studied Seul closely “Why are you so jumpy Seul?” he bit his lower lips with a hidden smile. It made him feel superior to know he’s the reason why she had been acting this way. There was a hope in this relationship after all.

He took a small sip from his drink and expelled a long endearing sigh. It caught Seul’s attention right away and she gathered her courage to say something “Are… you alright? Something is bothering you?” her soft voice was oh-so-soothing in his ears.

“Yes. It is you who has been bothering me” Yoongi played with the sheets beneath him.

“Yoongs..I have no idea what you are about to say but I think I kinda know where this conversation will lead us” she set the drink down on the other side and collected her knees to her chest. Seul was about to prepare her heart just in case this conversation might be the cause of her misery or happiness, whichever it was, Seul had to face it.

Yoongi smiled meekly, “Will you listen to me until I am done?” his voice was soft and husky travel through the ice-cold air. He seemed to be steeling so Seul nodded in assurance. She didn’t want him to think she’s being selfless, so she responded quickly “I want to hear all of it. Tell me” she whispered under her calm breathing.

“I apologize for acting rashly around you. I feel deeply bad. I didn’t mean to disrespect you as a woman. In fact, I do see you as a woman. I want to keep you safe and not to be the cause of your misery. It is crazy how it is hard for me to finally be truthful to myself. I am not good with words. I have no idea how to act around you, to treat you like the way you deserve. I always thought giving into my feelings will weaken me. I end up treating you like some kind of pushover” Seul listened to every word attentively. Sometimes she would be in daze trying to digest Yoongi’s real intention and sincerity.

He took a long pause before continue “ There are a lot of people walking around feeling not the slightest bit of guilty for how they treat others. I thought if I acted the same way it would free me from the problem occur surround me. Some people convinced themselves that they are not responsible for someone else’s feelings. All these years, I learned how to endure it and pretend everything is okay when it is not. I thought when it came to myself, I only had to be selfish. I never consider your feelings and let my emotion cloud my judgement” Seul squeezed her eyes feeling her head pounded over Yoongi’s complicated way of explaining things. It was not her first time to hear such flowery and complicated stuffs coming from him.

“Yoongi, I am sorry.. What is your point? I am a little lost here” her nose scrunched up in confusion.

“Ugh, fuck. Sorry, I really am bad in this. What I am trying to say is..this thing between us is not a joke. I mean when I treated you badly, I meant to make you understand something. FUCK! WHY IS THIS SO HARD” he facepalmed, rubbing his hair roughly with a small grunt.

She reached out to his arm, giving it a soft pat “Calm down, you really need to get to the point. Or I am kicking you out from my room.” she joked only to annoy the wretched man even more. Yoongi shot her a disbelief look while she kept her face straight playing innocent.

“You are impossible” he flashed his dissatisfied smile earning a soft giggle from the playful Seul. She had never acted this comfortable around him, so that was first. Yoongi then returned to compose himself forcing words out from his cold lips.

He almost lost his grip on the can as he noticed the girl’s attention was on him. She was looking at his away adoring his every action as if she’s the girlfriend. Her cheek was rested at the top of her knees, while her lips pursed cutely into a pout. Yoongi cussed in his head loathing this image in front of him. Why must this girl make things harder for him?

“Are you going to make me wait Min?” said Seul in annoyance.

“Alright, listen here. I have a romantic feeling for you! Don’t ask me when it starts, because I can’t really recall. Remember the kisses that I stole from you! It was my way to confirm my feelings for you until you confront me that day. I wasn’t prepared, so I had no answers with me. I REALLY TRIED TO RESTRAIN MYSELF FROM HAVING SOME ROMANTIC THOUGHTS WHEN IT COMES TO YOU! Ugh, hell I tried hard, but it failed me. You are the cause to my sleepless night” Yoongi let out all the frustration bottled up inside him at once leaving the poor girl speechless.

Seul’s brows furrowed, her eyes still soft as she scrutinized Yoongi’s expression seeking for truthfulness and she found it. His eyes flickered in an unexplainable glint and sincerity. “That sounds really awful” she cringed with her chin still resting on her knees.

His eyes instantly enlarged upon hearing Seul’s response “WHICH ONE SOUNDS AWFUL?” he looked disturbed considering he had poured all his heart to this so-called confession only to be look down by the girl that he loved was rather appalling. Bad sign.

“That part where you blame me for your sleepless night. I didn’t ask you think of me before you sleep Min Yoongi!” she let out a soft huff, looking straight into his eyes. “You are cute” she complimented before the guy could reply her earlier protest.

Yoongi shifted shyly in his seat, coughing the heavy lump on his throat “So…am I answering your questions? The kisses were genuine. I did it because I wanted to. I..have feelings for you” he hesitated to indicate he likes her openly so he decided to hint something in hope the girl got the message.

“A romantic one!” he added with a soft blush crept on his pale skin.

He heard the girl expelled a deep sigh “Is it hard for you to say that you like me Yoongi. You really sass till the end. I am impressed” she shook her head in amusement.

“I don’t say romantic thing”

“But you did give me a long ass explanation that had nothing to do with your actual agenda of meeting me tonight. You.. are annoying” she cringed once again.

Yoongi turned to face Seul, taking her cheeks in his large hands causing the girl to squeal softly at the contact “I. LIKE. YOU” he confessed.

Seul stared at him without blinking, seemingly without breathing for another long moment. Shock rushed through her. The whole system in her body had momentarily paused working. She had gone past the pale stage and she looked grey.

“Seul…” he squeezed her cheeks giving a little life to that pale cheeks.

“I said.. I like you” his deep voice and his soft touch brought her back to the world. She looked daggers at him whilst he had the gleam in his eyes. “Yoongi..you only drink cokes. Are you drunk?” the confident Seul was long gone. If earlier she teased him for his incoherent words, now when Yoongi had make everything clear to her face, she was losing it.

Was it this thing that she hoped from him all this time?

She had no idea what to feel or how to reach at the moment. The images of Jungkook and Jimin face came flashed in her mind’s eye. Her face contorted in pure confusion.

Chuckling lowly, he stroked her bangs aside “Where is the confident Seul? I thought you wanted to hear me say it clearly” her shoulder slumped, and her eyes fill with tears. Screw her unstable emotion.

“Why are you making it hard for me? Jungkook, Jimin and now you are saying the same thing. It is not like I am living the happiest life on planet. Why…Yoongi. Not you too” she leaned his head against his shoulder, battling with her own tears.

It was too overwhelming for her weak heart. She didn’t want to appear in front of others. Not when Yoongi was the one who in front of her. Why her life got to be complicated? She got the signal from Yoongi all this time, yet she tried to shrug it off and played it cool until Yoongi decided to make a move tonight.

This was a real mess. She’s in the middle of figuring her own feelings for Jimin and Jungkook. Hence, to add Yoongi into the picture was a little overbearing.

“Seul-ya..I am sorry if..this is too much for you. Fuck, this was a mistake. I shouldn’t have said it at first place. I will just go.. Just forget about this” he mumbled in guilt, lifting the girl head up getting ready to leave the room.

Seul’s heart clenched in pain, grabbing his arm holding him back “Yoongi..Thank you” she threw her arms around his neck, pulling him into a tight embrace. “But-“ she silenced the man with a soft peck on his lips.

“That is for liking me”

 -------------------------

Everything changed ever since Yoongi decided to embrace his feelings for Seul. He told no one about his feelings knowing the youngest members in the group had explicitly told them about their healthy fight in winning Seul’s heart. Yoongi on the other hand will do it his own way.

No one should know how he felt for Seul. He didn’t want things to get even complicated than they already were. Therefore, he chose to seal his mouth. Yoongi treated Seul like he usually did, bickering with her when he had the chance or spouting some nonsense just to irk the girl.

The things with Hoseok after his panic attack incident, the sunshine ball played it cool. He tried not to think about it too much afraid that he ended up like Jimin and Jungkook. Fighting for the same girl with his best friend was definitely not in his dictionary. Taehyung who had been oblivious over Yoongi’s action around Seul knew something was off between the two. Sometimes he would catch them exchanged a playful glance like they were secretly dating.

Taehyung believed the older guy had a feeling for Seul and for some reason it upset him. Seul caused no harms to the boys’ career however it ticked him off when the members started to see her more than just a friend, one by one. Not to poke his nose into someone else business, yet he felt threatened by her presence. It seemed like sooner or later Seul would hurt the band as whole.

That careless mistake that she committed by allowing the members to like her in such way was not a good idea. He loathed it to the core. With Jungkook and Jimin chasing after her, god knows what else could happen if the boys had enough and decided to fight each other.

This issue circulated around them made him feel sick in the stomach. He used to have a little crush on Seul now only anger took over the flowery feelings. Taehyung wondered if he hated the fact that Seul’s presence might risk their friendship or was it due to his failure to be in Seul’s side?

“Tae…Did you hear me?” Seul called out once again hoping to get his attention.

He turned to Seul with a stern look “What do you want now?” he snapped.

Seul blinked feeling offended by his action but quick to shrug it off “I am asking for your dirty laundry because I wanted to clean along with others” she said timidly. Ever since they came back from Las Vegas three weeks ago, Taehyung had been given her a cold shoulder. He didn’t even dare to look her into the eyes and every time she tried to spark a conversation with him, he would either snap at her right way or just give a silent treatment.

It would be a lie if the change of his demeanour didn’t hurt her even a bit. She always finds Taehyung is the most comfortable one to talk with after Jin.

“I told you I will do it by myself. Leave me alone” he returned his attention back to his phone feeling slightly guilty to treat the innocent girl this way.

Seul didn’t budge and mustered her courage to inquire him “Tae did I do something to annoy you?” Taehyung was infuriated by the questions.

He scoffed in disbelief “Playing innocent, aren’t we? Why do you think I am acting this way?” he asked back with a sharp glare. She felt small under his scrutiny “You tell me” she murmured silently.

“Can’t you just fuck off?” Kim Taehyung who never ever used harsh words around others especially her was asking her to fuck off and it pained her. “Seeing your face makes me sick, just fuck off Seul. I am not in the mood to entertain you” once again he snarled making Seul’s eyes watered in process.

Taehyung glanced at the flustered girl and the guilt eating him up.

He didn’t know why was he acting bratty and rude towards her lately but it was just him feeling a little off about the idea of Jimin and Jungkook liking Seul. Some more, his friends willing to sacrifice their feelings for the sake of Seul. They had never let anything go in between their friendship. Seul’s existence in their life seemed to bring more negativity.

First, Jungkook and Jimin friendship was at stake. What would happen if Seul make a choice in the future? Yes, they could live their present now acting like nothing happened. The happiness didn’t last long. The more they let themselves fall for Seul, the more painful for them. One of them had to suffer in the end.  He pondered upon this and as much as he hated to see the bad things in Seul, yet it couldn’t stop him. Taehyung barely knew Seul, looking after her feelings was not in his priority list. He cared for Jungkook and Jimin wellbeing after all this over.

Secondly, Yoongi, the older man that never let anything came in between his work and BTS slowly wavered because of Seul. He looked a bit distorted when he first came to know Seul. Yoongi was ten times grumpier than usual and everything surround him seemed to tick him off most of the time. The older guy would never show his true self let alone express himself aloud, but with Seul’s presence he’s willing to risk BTS and his loyalty towards the member to be with this girl. Despicable, indeed.

Blinking her tears away, she expelled a soft sigh with a quick apologize before leaving the room. She shrugged off the bad thought in her assuming Taehyung was stressing out due to their hectic schedule. That must be it, Seul assured herself.

 ----------------

Jin offered to cook for dinner and insisted Seul to stay since it was her off day. She was still bitter over Taehyung’s behaviour earlier, but she stayed for Jin anyways. The older guy would not let her return with empty stomach.

Everyone had gathered at the round table for dinner including the grumpy Taehyung after much effort in persuading him to eat, he finally showed up. He took a seat across Seul with a gloomy face, sending a quick glance at her way. The look that only Seul could understand. The tense in the room was driving her nuts.

Seul felt extremely uncomfortable and anxious throughout the dinner though she was trying to blend with their jokes but every time she felt Taehyung’s hard gaze on her, her body tensed. Jungkook who sat at the end of the table noticed her discomfort and he kept his eyes on her for the rest of the dinner.

“ Seul are you available this Tuesday?” Namjoon smiled.

Seul shook her head “I am not sure about that why?” Taehyung was eyeing their leader deeply. He knew what he’s planning to do. This upcoming Tuesday would be BTS 4th Year Anniversary and they would hold a home party with Armys.

“Since you haven’t gotten the chance to attend our concert, attend BTS Home Party this Tuesday then. We will be holding our anniversary party with Armys. It will be fun!” he said gleefully while others nodding in agreement exclude Taehyung.

She was burdened by the request, so she didn’t know how to respond to that “I will see if I can go. I have a lot to cover at work”

“She is not a fan, why are we celebrating it with her?” Taehyung statement caused everyone to snap their head towards him in bafflement. Her breath hitched at Taehyung’s remark as she forced a smile on her face “I don’t think I deserve to be in that party. I am nowhere near to be called as your fans. I barely supported you guys through all those years. Tae is right though” she rubbed her sweaty palms against her jeans.

Taehyung smug sarcastically “Right. She is nowhere close to be called as our fans. We celebrate our anniversary with people who are worth to be called fans and those who have become our backbones throughout those rough years. Seul isn’t one of them. She is here when we already make name for ourselves” he exclaimed without caring the daggers being thrown at him from every corner.

“Taehyung, I think you are a little rude to-“

“I don’t think any such thing, because I don’t let my feelings cloud my judgement. I am stating the fact. She is nobody, so she doesn’t deserve to be in those important occasion.” Taehyung cut Jimin’s words before the guy could even finish his words.

Brimming with tears, Seul clenched her fist under the table holding back the pain in her heart. That was by far the most hurtful thing that people ever said to her after the disappearance of her father. A gush of impossible memories that she long forgotten came into her mind again.

 “Why are you doing this to me…”

“Because you are nobody”

“You are our father”

“I am Hoon’s father not yours. You are a child born out of wedlock. For years, I was fooled by your slut mother. I am raising someone’s else child and she turned me into a fucking clown. You are nothing but trouble. You are nobody Seul. You are not my daughter.”

 She opened her eyes, shocked to find her cheeks wet with tears. The horrible memories of her past were very vague, something she couldn’t quite place. All she knew, it was vey messy that day. She never wished to discover the truth, yet it happened anyways. Just like that she had to live with the horrible truth haunting her every night.

“Taehyung watch your word” Yoongi hissed, glowering at the younger guy.

“Oh, now everyone is defending her. I wonder how she screwed up your brain, when thing isn’t this way before she comes into the picture. You guys are being blinded by her gracefulness and fake affection” Taehyung continued to stir the already tense atmosphere in the room.

Namjoon palmed the table with a soft thud “Enough Tae! What the hell is wrong with you? Why are you attacking her?” he breathed calming down his anger. He didn’t to start any fight in the room knowing Taehyung would not act this bratty without a reason. Hell, Taehyung had never acted this way with them before.

“Don’t ask me. Ask her. She is the problem. We need to get rid of her before things get out of hand. We don’t need a bitch in our life. We were doing just fine without her before now why are we acting as if our life depended on her. Pathetic isn’t it?” suddenly a pair of hands grabbing his collar and yanking him around.

He pinned the boy against the wall harshly, glaring furiously “SAY THAT AGAIN KIM TAEHYUNG OR I WILL FUCKING PUNCH YOUR PRETTY FACE” Taehyung chuckled coldly, meeting the older guy’s intense eyes.

Gasps could be heard across the room as everyone stood on their feet witnessing the horrible scene in front of them. Seul was weeping openly now, her bottom lips quivered as tears cascaded down wetting her cheeks

“I knew it. I knew it since start that one-day Seul will jeopardize our friendship. Look at you hyung, you are willing to kill your own bandmates that you’ve known for years to defend a bitch whom you barely knew” clenching his teeth together, Yoongi curled up his fist into a ball. As he about to throw a punch, a small hand put a halt to his action.

Yoongi grunted under his sharp breath, yanking his arm but Seul used all the strength that she had left to stop him “Stop.. He is your brother, Yoongi” his eyes met her red eyes. Seeing Seul in that mess pained him, and with a loud groan he released Taehyung.

Taehyung flicked his tongue out of annoyance, averting Seul’s gaze “I am sorry Tae. You are right, I am nobody. This was a mistake. I am sorry that I am hurting your friendship. I was being too comfortable when I should have known my place..” she choked back her own tears. There were a lot of things she planned to say but the words were stuck in her throat “I can’t do this..” she grabbed her belongings from the living room and made her way to the entrance.

“Fuck great” Jin rubbed his back hair in frustration. He called after Seul after watching her leaving hurriedly but only to be ignored completely by her.

Jungkook and Jimin who stood frozen now were making their move upon realizing her absence in the room. The younger guy grabbed her wrist to stop her from moving “Seul-ah..dont leave.. let’s talk about this” he looked at her sadly.

She could not stop the tears from flowing looking all pathetic in front of them “I..am..s-orry Jungkook.. I cant do this anymore..Stay with Tae, he needs you guys” she pulled her hand from his strong grasp, exiting the house without looking back.

Taehyung ran fingers in his hair, slumped down on the couch with deep a sigh. He was torn in between his own insecurity and worries and ended up hurting Seul in process. What did he do to himself and Seul?

Jimin confronted his best friend with a deep frown “Taehyung.. what happen to you? What was that for? Why are you saying those hurtful things to Seul?” he tried to reason and sat down on the coffee table facing him.

“So will know her place. She doesn’t belong here. Not beside us” he murmured lowly.

Hoseok shook his head showing his disapproval “This is not you Tae. We are friends for years. You won’t be acting this way without a reason. What is bothering you?” even the cheerful Hoseok looked miserable from the fight that just broke between Taehyung and Yoongi.

Namjoon and Yoongi were long gone inside the room, probably the leader trying to reason with the hot-tempered man and talk it out with him without hurting the group in process. That was the best they could do until Taehyung decided to open his mouth to speak the truth.

 This work belongs to  Chimswae © 2020. All Rights Reserved

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