#junhui au | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

gamerwoo · 1 year

Text

[SVT Imprinted] Junhui/Minghao: Ours (Part 2)

Characters: Junhui x female reader x Minghao

Genre/warnings: werewolf au, college au, poly au, angst, fluff, stuff about giving birth that i don’t really understand so idk sorry about mistakes <3

Word count: 4,355

Summary: The pack had already gone through a mate giving birth, but that doesn’t make it any easier for you when your time comes. On top of the anxiety of giving birth for the first time, you’re also terrified of how Junhui will react once the babies are born.

Previous | Next | Imprinted Masterlist

You knew the babies would be here soon, you just didn’t know how soon. Your due date came and went, and you were still uncomfortable with an alarmingly huge stomach that Minghao loved to cuddle and coo at – and Junhui when he thought both of you were asleep. You wanted to just have your babies in your arms, but you also knew what would come with that: a very sulky Jun.

Admittedly, you were worried about Junhui. Sure, he had fallen for Faye and Wonwoo’s daughter which kept him distracted, and when Bang Chan and his pack were in trouble, that helped keep his mind off of things too, but you knew things would go back to being bad when you gave birth to Minghao’s babies. Junhui would get jealous and be reminded that he wasn’t the first one to have kids with you, and you couldn’t handle dealing with that anymore. You felt awful for him, but there was nothing anybody could do.

“You look uncomfortable,” Jaehee frowned as you waddled slowly into the kitchen, one hand resting on your stomach while the other was on your side, slightly pressing into your sore back. “You should sit down; I can get you whatever you need.”

The pack was constantly looking out for you, and you more than appreciated it. With a tired huff, you sat down in one of the chairs at the kitchen table while Joshua’s mate got up to get you something to eat.

“Thank you, Jae,” you smiled softly.

“How do you feel?” she wondered.

“Uncomfortable,” you sighed, letting your head fall back and your eyes close. “On the bright side, Jun’s asleep and Minghao’s at school, so they can’t bicker with each other.”

“At least they’ve been better about, y’know...not hating each other,” she offered with a shrug.

“I know,” you sighed, “but I know it hurts Junhui, and it’s just stressful.”

“Don’t focus on stress,” Jaehee said sternly, turning to look at you. "Stress is bad and– well, you remember from Faye.”

The good thing about not being the first to have kids was that the pack already went through everything with Faye, Wonwoo, and little Sonny – and thankfully, everything went smoothly. But she also only had one child, and you were having twins.

Jaehee made you lunch and talked with you while you ate before helping you to the living room to sit down and relax. You stretched your feet out across the ottoman that she pushed over to you before she covered you with a fuzzy blanket and said she’d be in the kitchen studying if you needed anything. So with the TV remote beside you, and the soft sound of talking filling your ears, you dozed off on the couch.

You felt…wet. Not the kind of wet you were used to feeling before you were pregnant – both of your mates were terrified of doing anything like that because they didn’t want to hurt you or the babies – but a kind that felt like you not only soaked your clothes, but the couch and the blanket.

But because of Faye, you knew what this was.

“Jun!” you called, your voice slightly shaky. You felt like you were panicking, but you weren’t sure why you were panicking.

Instead, it was Jaehee who came rushing into the room, looking at you with eyebrows raised and mouth open to say something. Then she saw the wet stains on your clothes, and her brain seemed to shut down as she just stared.

“U-uh…” she stammered before yelling, “F-Faye!”

“Where’s Jun?” you asked.

“He left!” Jaehee told you, seeming to panic more than you – like, really panic.

Faye came walking down the stairs, harshly hushing the two of you. When she entered the room, she was carrying a sleeping Sonny in her arms.

“Can you not be so loud? I just got– Oh my god, _____…” she gasped when she took in what was going on with you, her scolding ceasing entirely. “We need to get you to the hospital.”

“How?” Jaehee asked through gasping breaths. “All the cars are gone, and Jun’s gone, a-and– And–”

Faye turned to the older girl, “Shh, it’s alright,” her voice was soft as she tried to console Jaehee, who was clearly about to lose it. “Just breathe, okay? _____ will be fine.”

“B-but what if we have to deliver the baby? There’s nobody here, and we don’t know if somebody can get here in time, and–”

“Don’t worry about that, I’ll take care of it,” Faye promised, cutting off Jaehee’s babbling, “Just take Sonny upstairs and try to relax, okay? I’ll call somebody and make sure everything’s okay.”

Jaehee nodded, seeming to calm down a little now that she knew somebody else was going to be in charge of you. Faye handed the infant over to Joshua’s mate before the older girl took the baby back upstairs. Meanwhile, Faye went over to you, who was trying to breathe through your first contraction.

“Do I call Jun or Hao?” she asked, sitting beside you and placing a hand over your stomach.

“J-Jun’s probably closer,” you breathed.

As Faye took her phone out of her pocket, you heard the front door close before you heard Jun’s voice calling, “Closer for what? And what’s that smell?”

“That’s your mate going into labor, you big fucking moron!” Faye called back, standing up from the couch to meet Jun as he ran right into the living room, his eyes bugging out of his head. “Why would you leave her alone when she’s this pregnant?”

“She’s– So they’re– We–”

“Stop babbling and get her things,” Faye instructed. “I’ll call Jeonghan since he’s probably closer.”

For a moment, Jun just stood there, blinking and staring at you. Faye walked up to him and shoved at his shoulders.

“Don’t just stand there!” she barked. “Go!”

As Jun finally booked it down the hall and up the stairs, Faye started to call Jeonghan.

While Jun was upstairs to get your hospital bag, the reality of what was happening was staring to slowly sink in. You and Minghao would be parents together soon, and what did that make him? He still had nothing, and you and Minghao were going to be all over each other and the new babies.

Suddenly, he wasn’t as shocked over your water breaking anymore. Now, he was back to being upset.

Faye stayed home with Jaehee and Sonny while Jeonghan and Soonyoung drove you and Jun to the hospital. Soonyoung babbled excitedly with Jeonghan nagging him to shut up in between, and Junhui sat beside you in the backseat with his hand loosely wrapped around yours. Your mate was trying to give you soft words of encouragement, but you could tell he was still upset. It started to make you really question how things would be after all of this.

Faye had also contacted Joshua, Minghao, and Aya to let them know about what was happening just so they’d be prepared. Joshua promised he’d be on his way to the hospital to meet up with Aya’s mom and prepare for you.

When you got to the hospital, it didn’t take long to get you into a room. Joshua arrived before Minghao did, already in scrubs and with a smirk on his face.

“More babies to keep us up at night,” he said, his tone deadpan. “Can’t wait.”

“The girls have no problem sleeping through it,” Jeonghan pointed out. “Well, except Aya and Faye, obviously.”

But you didn’t even care about waking up at all hours of the day and night. You were just happy to have your little bundles of joy in your arms with you. You couldn’t wait, but you also felt a pang in your heart from your excitement. Your eyes drifted over to Junhui who was trying to hide his sulking as he sat in a chair pulled up beside your bed.

Minghao showed up fifteen minutes later, running and out of breath. He smiled as soon as he saw you, and it was the brightest, most hypnotizing smile. So hypnotizing, in fact, that you almost missed how Jun got up and swiftly left the room without a word.

Almost.

Your smile fell as your eyes followed your other mate’s back until he was out of view. Minghao turned to see his brother walk away before he looked back at you with a sad smile.

“Don’t worry,” he told you softly as he walked over to take Jun’s seat. He took one of your hands in both of his large ones. “He’ll come around.”

“What if he never does?” you wondered worriedly. “What if he hates them?”

Minghao hushed you softly, letting go of your hand with one of his to smooth your hair back soothingly, “Don’t worry about that. You know he won’t hate them. He may be upset at first, but he’ll come around. Just focus on right now, okay? No stressing.”

You nodded, so Minghao smiled and leaned over to press a kiss to your forehead.

Slowly, more of the pack accumulated in the hospital -- including Jaehee, who left as soon as Wonwoo got home -- coming in to say hello and see how you were doing before going to wait either in the waiting room or in the cafeteria. Hours had gone by full of pain and labored breaths and Minghao reassuring you whenever you needed it. You were actually both surprised and touched that he never left you. Not when he was hungry, not when he was tired, and not when you squeezed his hand so hard that he was even hissing slightly in pain.

Meanwhile, Junhui never came into the room. He wanted to because his instincts told him to be with his mate, but he didn’t want to see those babies that would look and smell like you and Minghao. He didn’t want any part of that, at least not yet. He stayed in the hospital, but he didn’t go in the room.

“You’re being a big baby,” Bomi said bluntly, making Junhui grimace even more.

“No,” Juri spoke up, placing a small hand over Jun’s, “we understand why you feel this way.”

“But,” Areum cut in, “you’re totally being a big baby.”

Jun just slid down further in his chair and mumbled to himself, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Guys, c’mon. Just cut him a break,” Jaehee said with a small shrug. “It’s not easy having to share a mate.”

Bomi opened her mouth to retort, but when she remembered who she was speaking to, she quickly snapped it shut.

“I know I’d hate sharing,” Jeonghan mumbled, grouchy at the mere thought of having to let somebody else touch and love his mate like he did.

“I just can’t believe she’s having his babies,” Jun sulked, his eyes staying glued to the table they sat around in the cafeteria. “I imprinted first and I’m oldest; I should have kids first, right?”

“Well…technically, Wonwoo had kids first,” Bomi shrugged, trying to make light of the situation.

“Look, Jun,” Seungcheol began, leaning forward and resting his arms on the table, “we get that this is hard for you, but are you really going to resent these babies forever?”

“Not forever,” he said. “…Just until I get a baby...”

“Oh my god, you’re a child,” Eunmi groaned.

“I’ll show you a child…” Junhui grumbled, eyeing the shorter mate.

Eunmi raised her eyebrows, “No, but Minghao will.”

“Okay!” Juri cut in quickly, standing up and grabbing Eunmi’s hand, pulling her to her feet. “C’mon, let’s go get you some frozen yogurt, huh?”

As she walked away quickly, Jeonghan tried to tell Junhui not to listen to Eunmi’s comment because she was just trying to get to him.

He sighed and looked around at his friends still sitting at the table with him, “I don’t want to hate some infants, and I’m not saying I do or will. But I can’t control my instincts, so whatever happens, happens.”

“They’re still _____’s kids, though,” Areum cut in. “What would you do if you imprinted on her and she already had a kid from another relationship? Would you hate her kid then?”

“This is way different,” Jun insisted.

“These feelings won’t last forever,” Seungcheol promised. “Neither will the aggression. Or depression.”

“And you’ll get your turn to be a dad,” Jaehee told him with a smile. “Don’t worry about that. I bet as soon as _____ is healed, she’ll want you all over her.”

Junhui scoffed, rolling his eyes as he let himself wallow further in self-pity. He knew his friends wanted to help him, but he just wanted to be left alone – or to change the past, but that clearly wasn’t going to happen.

“Guys!” Mingyu called, running into the cafeteria. “Hey, you guys!”

Bomi groaned, hiding her face in her hands, “Can I pretend I don’t know him? People are staring.”

“Inside voice, Gyu,” Juri said as she walked back over to the table side-by-side with Eunmi who now had a cup of frozen yogurt in her hands.

“It’s _____,” he said as he stopped at the table. “She’s about to give birth; she wants Junhui up there.”

Jun stiffened in his chair, surprised at what he just heard. You wanted him there? Why?

He didn’t even bother turning to look at Mingyu as he mumbled, “She has Minghao.”

“She said she wants you, dude,” he insisted. “She’s in a lot of pain, and she’s really overwhelmed and scared.”

Junhui did his best to suppress the whimper wanting to sound out. Instead, he cleared his throat and asked, “Why can’t Minghao comfort her? I don’t want to see it.”

“I’m serious, Junhui. She’s crying for you. She needs both of you there.”

He cursed under his breath before he stood up from the chair and jogged out of the cafeteria, going straight for the stairs instead of the elevator. That was when he picked up the pace, reaching your floor in no time.

When he got close to your room, he realized Mingyu wasn’t lying. He could hear you whimpering to Minghao about how you wanted Jun and how you too scared to do this. He could hear Minghao trying to reassure you, but you ended up choking out a sob instead.

He opened the door to see you with tears streaming down your flushed face as Minghao held one of your hands with both of his own. Joshua and Dr. Moon were already there, prepared to help you deliver the twins, but only Joshua and Minghao looked up when the door opened.

“Look who it is, love,” Minghao said softly to you.

You opened your eyes and lifted your head to see Junhui staring at you with an unreadable expression. But you were still so relieved and happy that you reached out to him with your free hand and cried his name. He walked over to you without even thinking, as if there were a magnetic pull that just brought him to you. His hand found yours, holding it close to his chest.

“Why are you crying?” he asked softly, using his other hand to wipe tears from your face.

You shook your head, “I don’t think I can do this…”

Junhui chuckled and shook his head – he also wondered why you didn’t think of this about nine months ago, “What are you planning on doing? Keeping them in there?”

“I’m scared,” you confessed with a sniffle.

You were scared for a plethora of reasons, but anybody could guess them. Being a mom, the pain, the aftermath and dealing with Jun – the list went on. And your mates knew every single reason you were afraid.

“You can do this,” Junhui told you, giving your hand a reassuring squeeze. “Minghao and I will be by your side the whole time, okay?”

“Promise?”

“Of course I promise.”

“When have we ever left you when you were scared?” Minghao reminded you.

You were starting to feel a little better, up until Dr. Moon’s eyes flashed up to look at you, and she asked, “Ready or not, they’re coming.”

That sent cold fear straight through you.

Thanks to Junhui’s instincts, he was able to push aside his feelings to focus only on you. He needed to make sure you were okay and would be okay, so that was his main priority at the moment. It didn’t matter if he had to work together with Minghao, and it didn’t matter that he would be forced to see you and Minghao get all cozy together when you held your babies. All that mattered to him was you.

So, as you cried and grunted and yelled through the pain and the pushing, Junhui told you how well you were doing and how much he loved you. He sounded sincere and genuine, unlike his half-assed attempts in the car. He let you squeeze his hand while he just took it without flinching. And when he saw the first baby in the doctor’s arms after it came out, he didn’t suddenly freeze up or get a shot of anger course through him. He still focused on you.

Nothing could get his attention off of you. Not the second cry, not Dr. Moon and Joshua speaking. Not even Minghao as he kissed your forehead tenderly when you collapsed back into the bed. As he looked at you with your messy hair, sheen of sweat on your skin, and red face, all he could focus on was how much he loved you.

But that was quickly short-lived.

“We have the babies,” Joshua sang as he entered the room with Aya’s mother, each of them holding a baby. “Wanna see?”

Junhui still didn’t want to be there for it. He wanted to be anywhere but there. Just smelling two humans that were a mix of you and Minghao was a weird experience for him.

“I’m gonna…go…” Jun mumbled, letting go of your hand.

“Junhui, please stay,” Minghao begged, though you didn’t understand any of it. “They may be ours by genetics, but they’re still yours, too. They’ll still look up to you as a father, won’t they? You should still meet them.”

Jun paused while Minghao spoke, processing his words. But in the end, he carried on to the door, leaving you and Minghao with your new little family behind.

You frowned, looking up at Minghao, “What was that?”

“He just needs a little break,” Minghao explained, not wanting to make you upset – especially not now. “He’ll be back later. I promise.”

Dr. Moon walked up to you, holding a baby swaddled in a blanket with a pink hat on its head, “Congratulations on two baby girls.”

Your heart swelled with love and joy and every good feeling as she carefully put one of the babies in your arms. As soon as you held her, everything just felt right. You teared up as you looked down at her face, wondering how one little person could be so perfect.

Minghao thought the same about the baby Joshua handed over to him. She looked just like you, and it was even better because he just knew it was something you and him made together. He more than teared up when he held her. He cried as he let out soft laughs and pressed a feather-light kiss to her forehead.

“You are the most perfect thing I’ve ever seen,” he whispered as he cradled her closer.

“Have you picked out any names?” Joshua asked as he smiled at the scene before him.

You and Minghao had bounced around on names. You’d pick one, and then change your minds. But there was one that Minghao had been pretty dead set on for the last couple months. He thought it was pretty because it meant sunflower in his language.

“This one is Aili,” you announced, not looking away from her face.

“And, this one…” Minghao began, but he trailed off, a half-smile growing on his face as he looked away from the unnamed baby to you. “I think I have a great name for her.”

Jun sat just down the hall, his back up against the wall as he drowned out your talking with the hospital noises around him. So Minghao didn’t have to go far to find him.

Junhui looked up when he saw shoes standing beside him, only to see his brother smiling down at him.

“No offense, but I want to just be left alone right now,” Jun mumbled, looking back down at the floor.

“Stop being mopey and come with me,” Minghao said, ignoring Jun’s attitude – nothing could bring him down from how happy he felt, not even Junhui. “There’s somebody you really need to meet.”

“I told you, I don’t want to see your kids, okay?”

“Just trust me.”

Minghao held out a hand, offering to help Junhui up. Jun only glanced at him for a moment before sighing and pushing himself off the ground himself. He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans as he trailed behind Minghao.

When Jun entered the room, he looked anywhere but at you or the two babies – one in your arms, and the other in Joshua’s. So as Jun went to go stand in the corner, he didn’t see Minghao take the baby from Josh’s arms and walk over to him with her.

“Hold your arms up,” Minghao told him.

“Stop, you know I–”

“Junhui, come on,” Minghao said, his voice firmer than the older boy expected.

With a permanent scowl, Jun held out his arms to take the baby girl from Minghao. As soon as she touched his arms, his whole body instantly felt warm. The feeling almost made him shiver – it was like the first time he ever got to touch you.

As if they had a mind of their own, Jun’s eyes wandered down to the little baby in his hands, and suddenly, that scowl wasn’t as permanent as he thought. All his anger, resentment, and sadness completely melted away as he looked down at the infant in his arms. If he weren’t holding a baby, he would’ve let his knees give out, but he was too scared he’d drop her.

You let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding. You were so afraid that Jun would absolutely hate the babies, so when you saw only fondness in his eyes, your own started to tear up.

Minghao smiled as he watched the frown on Jun’s face melt into a look of wonder.

“This,” Minghao began, “is Meihui, inspired by my immature but very loveable brother: Junhui.”

Jun’s eyes flashed up to Minghao’s, a look of pure surprise on his face as a smile slowly started to break through onto his face, “You named her after me?”

“Of course,” he shrugged as if the gesture was nothing, even though he knew it meant a lot to his brother.

Jun couldn’t help but smile widely, his teeth completely on display as he looked back down at Meihui in his arms. Even though she seemed to be sleeping, he thought he could stare at her for hours and not get bored. He was completely wrapped around her little finger already.

“But you are much better than I am,” Jun whispered to her before he leaned down and pressed his lips softly to her forehead. “You’re absolutely perfect.”

“Do you want to hold Aili?” you offered, your voice cracking just a bit.

Jun looked up at you immediately, laughing softly, “Baby, why are you crying?”

“Nothing,” you reassured him as Minghao took Meihui, and Jun walked over to take Aili from you, “don’t worry about it.”

Jun felt just as happy and fond as he held the other girl, cradling her to his chest as he studied her face with the same bright smile on his lips. You and Minghao just watched him with happy expression, glad that the old Jun was coming back to you.

“I can’t believe two things so perfect are actually half Hao,” he teased, looking up at his brother.

Minghao rolled his eyes, “Come on, you know they’re perfect because they’re half _____.”

“Ah, you’re right,” Jun nodded before he leaned over to kiss your temple.

You opened your mouth to tell them they were both being cheesy, but all that came out was a yelp. You started feeling contractions again, and they were just as bad as the previous ones. Your hands flew to your stomach as your face contorted in pain.

“What’s happening?” Junhui asked worriedly, looking between Joshua and Aya’s mom.

“It’s just all the…afterbirth stuff,” Joshua explained, waiving a hand away.

Dr. Moon sat back down on the stool in front of your bed, moving your legs to the side, “Ah, actually… I think that ultrasound might’ve been wrong.”

“Wrong?” you burst.

“Wrong?” Joshua repeated, walking over to see what she was talking about. “Oh my god…”

“What?” Minghao asked as your two mates also moved down to your lower half to see what was happening.

“Can you two stay up here?” you whined.

“Here’s the thing...” Joshua began as he looked at you with an odd expression that you couldn’t read, “with two or more babies, ultrasounds get very hard to read. Gender and numbers kind of become more like…an educated guess.”

As the pain only got worse, you asked through clenched teeth, “What does that mean?”

“Well, I can see a head, so…” Dr. Moon said as she put on a new pair of gloves. “You’re about to have triplets.”

You swore, you almost passed out right there.

Jun looked to Minghao accusingly, “Jesus, what did you do to her?”

“No, Jun,” Joshua shook his head. “Trust me when I say that I don’t sense any Minghao from this one.”

Your eyes were squeezed shut as you gripped the sides of your bed so hard that your knuckles were completely white, so you didn’t see the way Jun’s eyes widened.

“…What?” he asked just above a whisper.

»»————-　　————-««

tag list (italics are unable to tag): @psshwa @uglyratlmao @brokenbutchocolate @shra-vasti @killcomet @brattybunfornct @henloiamaweirdobye @anissanightyoung @babyminghao @mythicalamphitrite @caratluvie @liendoesja @ahandfulofkeys @junuoyi @1-800-multistan @nizza12-blog @multiplums [if you’d like to be added to the tag list, please fill out this form!!!]

perma tag list (italics are unable to tag): @minluvly @honeyylin @miki-chi @heemingyu @noraehey @awkwardnesshabitat @floweryjessy @woozarts @anothershorthuman @shuabby1994 @vernxnsfool @ti--red @etaerealboy @plants-w0rld @futuristiccomputerkitten-blog @thepencilkorner @shmooooo @dejavernon @slut-for-dabi @pussymode @iamxelia @itbtoblikethatsometimes @wonderfulshinee @aikisbbq @ohmykwonsoonyoung @just-a-really-bored-kpop-fan @merapehlapyaaradhoorarahgaya @saythenameseventeen178 @starlight-night0 @ulavenger64king @itbtoblikethatsometimes @woo8hao

195 notes · View notes

papermatisse · 1 year

Text

False Pretenses || W.JH

♗ pairing: merchant!wen junhui x f!reader

♗ genre: angst, fluff, regency

♗ word count: 19.5k

♗ warnings: none (period piece, historical anecdotes)

♗ synopsis: Wen Junhui was the epitome of perfection. Tall, handsome, intelligent, kind, a gentleman, and the list goes on for miles on end. So it is only expected that this man of everyone's dreams was regrettably taken already, right? Betrothed to another, and so condemned from being pursued by any other? But what's to happen if he himself begins the pursuit with another?

♗ (a/n): lol surprise the reason I rewrote my regency beomgyu fic was bc I was reminded of it whilst writing this one lmao.

funny story: this was supposed to be 8k words lmao. but then I kept writing and here we are jskfjsjf. idk how or why but yeh I wrote. please enjoy!

main masterlist

The symphony of strings filled the atmosphere with their delicate and transcendent melodies. Candle lit chandeliers dangled above the attendees beneath them, the lot waltzing together as one fluid mass. Plethora of shades and hues meshed together, blurring like a Monet to form this masterpiece of motion. Mirrors lined the walls, only adding to the grandiose image before her with its decadent lights and colors. Gold trimmings adorned the area they resided in, intricate carvings swirling and writhing together like vines as they stretched up to the ceiling above, revealing this scene of the heavens opened to gaze down upon the people basking in all of the splendor and extravagance of the scene.

A sight most would envy her for, a rarity amongst others yet something so incredibly common and recurrent in her life. The music was nice, yet felt tedious after some time. The people dancing, once a spectacle so wondrous to her as a child now a bore to gaze upon. Even the venue they resided in, a tribute to the baroque era and all of its grandeur, was yet another tacky and bothersome factor upon her life.

Perhaps it was because she had been trapped in this room, standing against the wall for the past hour or so, that she was filled with such spite. Or perhaps it was merely because life was beginning to feel repetitive and empty in its whole. Perhaps she was merely tired at the moment and it would all pass after a good night's rest.

Whatever may be the case, she desperately wanted out. Yet she remained rooted where she was, because her father was elsewhere speaking with the other gentleman at the party, her mother was prancing about socializing with every living thing she could find, and her brother was heavens knows where.

Her cold exterior was enough to ward off any prospective partners seeking a dance with her, and her unladylike stance against the wall had frightened any women from mingling with her. All she had to do was wait and she'd soon return to the comfort of her home.

"(y/n), dear!" Her mother's frantic shouts carried above the orchestra's next piece, drawing some onlookers who spared her a moment's glance before continuing with their own endeavors. "(y/n), my lovely (y/n)."

"Mother, what is it?" She huffed out as her mother had finally reached her, already tugging the girl into a standing position.

"There is a fine gentleman speaking to your brother right this moment." She rambled on as her hands darted to and fro, fixing her hair, adjusting her dress, smudging away any imperfections in her makeup. "Tall, young, handsome, and perfect for my beautiful daughter."

"And his name?" (y/n) raised a brow at the daft woman before her, who merely smoothed away the wrinkles in her daughter's irate expression before glancing back in the supposed direction of said man.

"That's for you to find out on your own once you go over and talk to him." Her mother's hands grasped at her shoulders, attempting to tug her away from the safety and comfort of her corner, but before she could make it even a foot away from her spot, (y/n) raised a hand to her mouth. With one exhale, a loud whistle expelled from her, briefly garnering the attention of passersby who glared her way for a second before returning to their party. The attention span of the average noble will never cease to amaze her.

Moments later, as her mother berated her for her indecent act in public, her brother came strolling over.

"You called?"

"Joshua, mother would like to know who your new acquaintance is."

"I just want to know if he's single or not." She sighed, seeing how she wasn't getting anywhere with her children's mannerisms. Joshua chuckled, rolling his eyes at the usual dilemma of his mother playing matchmaker for the two—an occurrence the two siblings were far too accustomed with.

"His name is Wen Junhui. He's a merchant who's just recently settled here in town for the time being. We've been discussing matters of supplies for father's business, and–"

"Oh, a merchant, (y/n), how splendid!" Her mother whispered enthusiastically.

"–he has a betrothed awaiting him back home." Joshua finished, biting back a grin as his mother's shoulders immediately slackened in defeat. (y/n) nodded with a smile, thanking her brother before he left to return to Mr. Wen.

"Don't be too saddened, mother." (y/n) began. "There's plenty of fish in the sea. I'm sure with your resilience, the next one will surely be the right one." She patted her back mockingly, earning a vexed scoff from her mother who grumbled to herself indignantly. (y/n) could only hear some utterances regarding her mother only wanting the best for her daughter, as well as silent curses for birthing problem children.

The tendency of her mother to scour the premises for prospective marriage partners was a habit that (y/n) had unfortunately gotten used to. Perhaps yet another reason to loathe parties, as it merely exists as another breeding ground of men (y/n) could potentially marry. Wen Junhui was yet another victim of mother's unabashed ogling, and yet another man on the ever growing list of disappointments in the marriage spectrum.

And so she was led to believe that the ordeal was done and over with, as were most of these marital occurrences that so frequently disrupted the stability of her life. That was until the day after said ball came to greet her, or more specifically a certain Wen Junhui strolling into her family's parlor in all of his elegant glory.

As described by her mother, he was quite the fair gentleman. Tall with broad shoulders and a slim waist, long legs that seemed to extend for days. His hair was light and blonde, sort of similar to the dusty yellow shade of one of the gowns tucked away in the back of her armoire. His features matched the rest of him, that being unrivaled beauty to any man she's ever seen. And to make matters worse, his manners were impeccable, already having her mother swooning by the first minute of his entry as he introduced himself to her.

"And over here we have the last of the family, my sister (y/n)." Joshua led the man over to where she rested.

"My lady, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." He bowed his head whilst extending his hand towards her, to which she slipped her own gloved one into his as response. He leant down further, pressing his lips against her knuckles momentarily before slowly standing to full height once more.

Though still considered proper etiquette, it was a rarity in their day to greet someone as such. So whilst her mother and father simply continued on with familiarizing themselves with their guest, (y/n) had quickly tucked her hand atop her lap once more, turning her head away in embarrassment at the action. She could feel the warmth of his touch still penetrating through the cloth of her gloves, sending tingles up her arm. Such an old fashioned, traditional practice that she herself was well aware of, yet it was the act of a handsome man performing such a deed that sent this delightful warmth coursing through her veins.

"Mr. Wen, please take a seat anywhere you'd like." (y/n)'s father insisted, gesturing to the many availabilities they had scattered about the room. Her brother seated himself in the chair to her right, and instead of taking the seat beside him, Junhui had planted himself at the other end of the chaise lounge chair that (y/n) was situated on. And like nothing ever happened, the lot continued their discussion, leaving (y/n) to simply deal with her own internal panic.

'He's married, he's married,' she repeated to herself in her head, a mantra which was meant to have quelled some of the nerves alight in her body, yet it had done little of the sort. Junhui's presence alone seemed to completely affect her in such a way that she had little to no knowledge on what else to do.

As if through the blessing of sibling telepathy, Joshua leant closer to (y/n) as Junhui regaled some traveling tale to their parents.

"Is everything alright?" He asked. She nodded, leaning closer to him to continue their silent conversation.

"Yes, though I feel slightly overheated and tired." He nodded, backing away and waiting for the next opportune moment before joining the discussion.

"My apologies for interrupting, but (y/n) isn't feeling too well, may I escort her to her room for the time being?"

"Why, of course," their father insisted. "Send a maid for some water, as well."

"Yes, father."

He helped his sister up, guiding her to the entry of the parlor. Before they could make their exit, however, (y/n) found herself turning to face Junhui once more, his eyes already trained on her as if having never left in the first place.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Wen."

"The pleasure is all mine, my lady."

"I apologize for having to cut our meeting so abruptly."

"No need for apologies. Please feel well soon."

She offered one last smile before allowing Joshua to guide her up to her room, summoning a maid for some water before retreating back downstairs. Through the thin walls of their estate, she could hear the resounding echoes of the company downstairs, more distinctly that of Junhui's voice carrying through the air and into her room. This low timbre, comforting and mesmerizing even through the obscured resonance from where she lay. It had that same warmth from before blooming in her chest, seeping into her body with this tranquil feeling alongside it.

A smile soon made its way unto her face, yet she chose to ignore it for the time being, burying herself further into her pillow to disregard the incessant flutter in her stomach.

"(y/n), are you okay today?" Juliet peered over from where she walked alongside the girl, pouting when she had blinked in confusion, as if having not listened to a word she was saying at all. "You're usually so attentive. I've already said about a dozen things that would have had you cackling in the most unladylike of ways, yet you haven't spared me anything more than a hum of acknowledgement. And even that feels generous to mention since I do not even think you actually are acknowledging me."

"I'm sorry, Juliet." She sighed, stopping in the middle of the trail they walked. Her friend solemnly gazed upon her, taking pity on the person who is usually so attentive and thorough.

"May I ask what has you so distracted on our outing?"

"Well," (y/n) nervously bit her lip, eyes darting about as if making sure no one were around to hear her admit her shame aloud. "There's this boy."

"A boy?" Juliet gasped, rushing towards (y/n) until she was face to face with her, barely any space between the two as she gaped in awe. "A boy has captured your attention? I didn't even think that was possible. You're usually so reserved no matter the person you talk to. Who could be so extraordinary enough to have won over your intrigue?"

"Well, that's the thing, you see." (y/n) brought her hand up, shielding her mouth as she leant into her friend's ear. "The man who I can't stop thinking about is married."

Juliet backed away, eyes blown wide from shock, yet an amused smirk settling in place.

"You have such an interesting set of standards. Why is it that the one thing you have ever desired is something not attainable?" (y/n) rolled her eyes, continuing with their walk and leaving Juliet to follow close behind. "Is it the fact that he truly is something you're not allowed to have? Like an impudent child who sets their eye on the most expensive of toys? Or perhaps it's the satisfaction you'll receive from having snatched away another person's treasure, like a seafaring pirate."

"Please, you're beginning to vex me with your nonsensical deliberation."

"Why, you can't blame me for being curious. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to tease the almighty lady of the Hong household." Juliet finally reached (y/n)'s side, linking her arm with hers as they continued on. "Or the lady of the Hong house currently, should I say?"

"Still harboring that crush on my brother, lady Juliet?" (y/n) rolled her eyes with a grin as her friend let out a childish squeal.

"Oh, you can't hold it against me. Joshua is the most handsome man I've ever seen in my life. And he's so polite and warmhearted and everything a girl can dream of." The girl sighed, tilting her head to rest on (y/n)'s shoulder. "I'll marry him one day, I swear upon it. And we can then be sisters. Isn't that exciting?"

(y/n) hummed in thought, resting her head against Juliet's as she faux considered for a second more.

"Perhaps it could be fun to have a sister such as yourself."

"You're such a coy thing." (y/n) laughed when she felt an elbow nudge into her side, earning a chuckle from the other girl in response.

The trail stretched on for a while more, the girls whispering and giggling in secrecy as they wasted away their day together.

For the past few days, Junhui had been all (y/n) could think about. Like a fresh wound, ever so slowly healing with its immediate pain and such, yet remaining even as the days stretched on; an irreversible scar meant to forever mar her skin. At least until she grows accustomed to the constant, that being the fact that Junhui truly does reside in her mind at all times, and she is to just grow used to this new presence.

She had begun presuming that her thoughts were manifesting themselves into some sort of self deluded hallucination when at one point, she saw a head of light blonde hair some distance away. Perhaps this withdrawal was assuming itself with consequences, such as imagining the man when he is nowhere in sight. Though that idea soon proved false when a head of black hair turned around, waving his hand upon spotting his sister.

"(y/n), oh heavens, it's Joshua." Juliet muttered, standing upright and separating herself from the girl. "Who is that beside him? Have I lost the battle in winning Joshua's affections?"

"No. You haven't." (y/n) responded, eyes not straying from said man as the two made their way towards them.

"How are you so sure?" Juliet asked, waving back to Joshua when she saw (y/n) frozen in place.

"Because Joshua's current company is already a married man."

It took only a second for Juliet to put the pieces together, head turning to stare at (y/n) in shock. Though she quickly schooled her expression once more when the boys had finally met with them.

"Good afternoon, ladies." Joshua began, bowing his head in acknowledgement to them. Juliet already had her hand extended before Joshua could offer his own, earning a chuckle out of him as he briefly held hers in greeting. "What brings you two all the way out here? I thought you said you'd be having a picnic with Juliet. I presume that would entail some sort of feast at her estate."

"We wanted to take a walk beforehand." (y/n) answered him, eyes glancing to Junhui every so often, only to find him staring back at her unabashedly. The attention flustered her greatly, and she found herself nervously opening up her parasol which had been previously dangling by her wrist. She hoped the contraption would at least shield her expression somewhat from the man's gaze, as she found it hard to hide how much he affected her at this point.

"Ah, I see." Joshua nodded in understanding. "We came to discuss some business matters with Juliet's father." (y/n) smiled at this, a subtle gesture of showing familiarity when not using proper titles towards people. Something the other two most likely didn't pick up on, but (y/n) knew her brother well. It was his way of showing his closeness to Juliet's family—his way of showing his closeness to Juliet. "Though we've arrived earlier than intended. I do enjoy being ahead of schedule, but it seems too early to be acceptable for our intended rendezvous, unfortunately."

"Then perhaps would you care to join us for our picnic?" Juliet asked, eyes brimming with anticipation. "For the time being, that is."

"Thank you for the invitation, Lady Juliet. We'd be delighted to accompany you two, if you'll have us."

"We'd be nothing short of honored to have you join us. Wouldn't you agree, (y/n)?" Juliet turned towards her friend, hopeful smile unwavering as she awaited her answer.

Truthfully so, (y/n) herself was conflicted.

On the one hand, there was the budding romance between her closest friend and her own brother. It was a relationship that felt both inevitable and yet so very impossible, purely for how oblivious the two were to one another's very real emotions for the other. Something so attainable, yet seemingly exhaustive in their efforts. A slight push in the right direction couldn't hurt anyone, (y/n) supposed.

Yet there was also the one concerning factor in the midst of all this; that being (y/n)'s own sprouting affections for a married man.

There really was no alternative to this. She could either stamp out her feelings entirely, or she could ignore them. Either way, she mustn't act upon them, as just the image of his doting wife awaiting her lover's return seemed to ground (y/n) into reality, forcing her to stray from those daydreams that seemed to occupy her consciousness on the daily.

Yet it felt so very uncomfortable to pursue that latter option. To simply push aside one's feelings as such felt so inhumane. It was upsetting how a simple infatuation could feel like such a taboo thing. But with everything considered, at this point it truly was.

The wise thing would be to reject the offer. Insist that the picnic be kept between the two friends whilst the boys head over to the business meeting. Distance makes the heart grow fonder, so Juliet and Joshua would fair well. And it would allow her space from Junhui to sort out those pesky emotions that seemed to continuously provoke her. In this case, distance making the heart grow weaker. The juxtaposition made sense in her head for now, at the least.

She looked up at the company before her, taking in the expectant expressions of her brother and her friend. And then she looked to Junhui.

His eyes were so beautiful, just like the rest of him. Round with this innocent glint in them, merely observing her as he would a performance. Yet there was this indescribable quality deep in his gaze, reeling her into their warm depths whether she wanted to or not. Drowning in this dark, unending sea of ember. Perhaps that's what led her to subtly nod her head, locked in this stare down with Junhui, too preoccupied to see the pitifully concealed excitement of the two others.

"Lady Juliet, may I be your escort this afternoon?" Joshua held out his arm, to which Juliet gladly accepted, the two already making their way down the path the girls had just come from.

"My lady," (y/n) blinked away her stupor to see Junhui approaching her, lips tugged into this effortlessly attractive smile. He offered his arm to her, head tilting as his gaze softened. "May I escort you to our eating arrangements?"

"You may," She responded, tucking her free hand into the crook of his arm, her other still nervously gripping the parasol resting over her shoulder.

She hadn't been in close proximity to Junhui before, merely a brief distance away from one another during his prior visit to her abode. She was reminded of his gentle kiss on her hand, as well as the incredible display of power he held over her as she couldn't stop thinking of him since. Considering their former encounter together lasted what felt like no more than five minutes, she felt this current situation was no good for her feeble heart.

"I apologize if my question is rather frank, but Joshua and Juliet… They are courting one another?" (y/n) snorted at this before immediately gasping and covering her mouth, parasol balanced precariously between her arm and her bodice. She looked up at Junhui with a mortified expression, though this only caused him to also burst into laughter, this delightful titter that had his eyes crinkling from how wide his smile stretched. Soon, she herself bubbled into laughter, having to lean on the man beside her for support.

"Heavens, I apologize for that," She spoke between chuckles. "I did not intend to release such a discourteous sound before you."

"No, I quite enjoyed it, my lady. I hope I can hear more of it from you." Her gaze dropped to the path below them, hoping to conceal her perturbed facade from Junhui at his implication of there being more joyous moments like this between the two. Perhaps she was overthinking it. Perhaps he meant nothing more than hoping she continues feeling happy as such.

Though the thought still felt nice to explore. Of simpler times spent beside him, spending days such as this one walking together. He'd whisper sweet nothings in her ear, his breath tickling the thin skin of such an intimate area and spiraling her into another set of giggles for only him to hear. And he'd gladly accept her jovial antics with a heart full of unadulterated love for her and her alone.

What a silly fantasy. One she'd have to stow away for later in her delusional daydreams of the man.

"To answer your question, they have yet to officially court one another." They watched as the duo they spoke of strolled peacefully together, a picturesque romantic scene of two lovers enjoying themselves on such a sunny afternoon. It brought a smile to (y/n)'s face. "Though I presume it won't be long before it truly is official. They are meant to be, you see."

"I do. Indeed I agree with you, my lady." Junhui's voice had lowered, so quiet that only (y/n) could possibly hear him, creating this atmosphere of sorts where only they resided. "And on that note, wouldn't it be nice to perhaps speed up the process some."

"What do you have in mind, Mr. Wen?"

"Do you trust me?"

"Should I not?" Junhui chuckled at this, a deep rumble in his chest that (y/n) could feel on her arm pressed against his torso.

"My lady, I hold nothing but good intentions."

He slowed their pace some. It was barely detectable, though she was acutely aware of his actions at the moment, curious as to what he had in mind. Soon enough, Joshua and Juliet grew more faint in the distance, carrying on their conversation without having noticed the other two members of the party had severely lagged behind.

"As suspected." Junhui noted, turning his gaze back down to (y/n). "Now they can enjoy their picnic on their own."

"You are a schemeful man, Mr. Wen." (y/n) noted, though she couldn't even finish her sentence without a smile on her face.

"So I've been told before. Come, guide me around Lady Juliet's estate for the time being."

(y/n) found herself willingly doing just so, redirecting him off the main path and deeper into the scenery circling the manor. Lavish greenery surrounded them, a viridescent landscape which seemed to stretch on for miles. At some point, she had given up her parasol, closing it so to feel the warmth of the sun once more. Her heels dug into the earth with every step, giving her a clumsy gait as she ambled through the residence, though she didn't mind one bit. Not when Junhui was there, balancing her with a gentle hand along her back and a thunderous laugh to coincide with it.

At some point, she found the garden maze. It was quaint, serving more as a divider than any sort of complex labyrinth. It's common knowledge to her, yet should have been a cautionary sight for Junhui, yet he seemed to dive in just as eagerly as she, as if having put all of his faith into her as their navigator.

"You know, my mother would not approve of you right now." (y/n) spoke, allowing him to trail behind as she navigated through the hedges.

"I find that hard to believe." Junhui hummed in an amused tone. "I hear she's rather smitten with me." His presence suddenly grew nearer until he was only just behind her, mouth lowered to her ear. In a low voice, more breathy than anything, he continued. "Wants me to be her son-in-law."

(y/n) felt warmth surging to her face, scuttling forward quickly as she waved him off of her, earning more arrogant laughs from the man.

"Perhaps you're right. I presume Joshua and you have been talking matters outside of business?"

"A natural occurrence between friends, yes."

"Though I don't say this in regards to your character itself. You are undoubtedly a gentleman suitable for any mother-in-law."

"You flatter me, my lady."

"However," she started, glancing behind her to where Junhui watched her closely, soft gaze trained on her as (y/n) came to a halt. "Have you forgotten one of the cardinal rules of etiquette?"

"And pray tell what that could be?"

"A lady and a man should never be left alone in the same room?"

It was a simple jeer towards him. Both a means of teasing the supposed gentleman arc he carried, though also a way to test the waters. To take a gander into the mechanics behind his thought process. Catch him in a moment of weakness as he tried to explain why a married man was willingly, and in her honest opinion seemingly ambitious, to be left alone with someone like herself.

She had expected perhaps a flush to cross his features, shaky pupils attempting to find an answer somewhere in the depth of the brush they were plunged in, perhaps even a stumble in his cadence as he tried to explain himself and his intentions, yet she received nothing of the sort.

Junhui grinned, biting his lip to conceal the act, though not fully committed to such a deed. He lazily stepped closer until he stood before her once more, perhaps becoming far too comfortable in her personal space, making himself a home in the metaphorical bubble designated for her and her alone.

"Of course, you are correct, as always, my lady." He started, eyes slowly straying from her own to take in the rest of her features at the proximity they stood in. "Yet you seem to have forgotten one minor detail in such a rule." Her head tilted in curiosity, not knowing exactly where he was going with the conversation. He straightened his posture and gestured grandly about the area, as if the answer was somewhere in the air. "A man and woman should never be left alone unless they are in motion. And if I recall, we are indeed in motion as of right now."

She slapped a hand over her mouth as laughter ensued afterwards, her eyes falling shut at the sheer audacity of the man before her. Never before had she met a man with such gall. A man who strayed so far from the stereotypical gentleman trope yet at the same time clung to such an image. Most men around her showed some form of fear or arrogance, yet Junhui showed none of the above.

His arrogance wasn't rude or disrespectful, but more humorous and casual. The only fear he seemed to display in front of her was in regards to herself, the wary glint in his eye that seemed to mistakenly shine through his facade as she left prematurely upon their first meeting.

He was quick witted and audacious, yet unbearably considerate to those around him. And these were only mere observations upon first impressions within their ten minutes of alone time thus far.

"Ah, there's that lovely sound I've been yearning to hear for a second time." His hand rose to her face, brushing back a hair that had fallen from its place as her giggles had diluted some. "My lady, you should be more liberal with such glee. It looks absolutely splendid on you. I'd love to see it more often."

"I'll only show it when you've earned it." She remarked, turning around and continuing down the maze so as to hide the smile that still etched itself in her expression.

At the end of the brief maze, the hedges lowered in stature until they were merely shrubs, allowing them to look past what they once obscured from their sight. A garden with white stone paths, flowers littering the grounds in unorganized patterns. The speckles of color surrounded the marble decorations populating the scenery. A statue of a lady, the vines of the plants licking at her podium as they accepted her as one of their own. Fountains with cherubs pouring out of a pitcher, a seemingly endless supply of water that trickled down into the base of the structure, filling the air with the hypnotic murmurs of water. Dragonflies and butterflies flitted to and fro, flying past the two spectators as they pursued their next floral conquest.

And past the grandeur of the seemly garden was a river. It was narrow and shallow, allowing a person to safely wade in its waters without even getting their hair wet. (y/n) and Juliet would spend far too much time playing there when they were younger to the point that (y/n) could still remember the sensation of the cool stream numbing her skin, the feeling of the smooth rocks beneath her feet, even the exact spot where a root had plunged out of the ground and tripped Juliet, causing her to plunge her entire body into the water.

This entire place brought back fond memories, warming her heart and reminding her of simpler times. It was a place that was near sacred to her and her friend. So why did she so willingly bring Junhui here? He was practically a stranger, not a person deserving of such a nostalgic haven to her, yet she slid her hand back into the crook of his arm so easily and allowed him to guide her through the area.

It was quiet between them, this peaceful tranquility that soothed away the tensions in her heart. As if momentarily in this instance, in this little pocket of heaven away from the eyes of the world, everything was okay. That warm feeling in her chest, the way her heart beat so apparently, the undeniable comfort that came with being so close to Junhui. None of it was shameful.

She didn't flinch as his free hand rested on top of her own holding him, thumb softly brushing over her gloved fingers. Her head rested against his side, lips tugging up at the corners of her mouth as she embraced whatever fleeting contentment she could derive before the moment would eventually be revoked from her. Before she'd have to settle back into reality and accept that Junhui is not someone she should be doing any of this with.

She shouldn't be falling victim to her own fantasies, succumbing to the temptations conjured by her own psyche, betrayed by her own being as she fell for a man she was not allowed to pursue. A cruel and unfair jest on the universe's part, and one she'll forever hold a grudge against. Offering such a perfect man to her like a carrot on a stick which she'll never capture, only existing to desperately chase after.

And just like that, the day seemed to pass by as if in mere seconds, this warm orange glow settling in the sky as the sun dipped beyond the horizon. The once crystal blue river was now like molten honey as the day waned, and the only indicator she had was Junhui finally speaking.

"It seems it's gotten rather late, my lady." Surveying her surroundings, (y/n) nodded, shocked by how obvious the change had been and she hadn't been made aware at all. "Allow me to escort you home."

She held no form of protest, allowing Junhui to retrace their route and head to the carriage he and Joshua had arrived in.

"Would it not be rude to abandon Joshua here?" (y/n) asked, climbing into the body of the coach with the assistance of Junhui's hand in hers.

"We're merely granting him a viable excuse to spend even more of his time with Juliet. I'm failing to see the issue here."

Junhui was such pleasant company, silly in his mannerisms yet able to hold intelligent conversation for long periods of time. (y/n) was completely enamored by his intellect, a side she knew had to have existed with his merchant background, yet something she had failed to truly anticipate the extent of such information as he began discussing his business matters with her.

"You are well versed in this subject, my lady." He noted with a curious tilt of his head and a fond smile.

"Should I not be?" (y/n) riposted, a coy grin slipping past her facade as Junhui hummed in amusement.

"On the contrary, I find it to be refreshing." (y/n) met Junhui's genuine gaze, his intimidatingly honest eyes seemingly concentrated on (y/n) and (y/n) alone. "Many ladies are condemned from learning such proceedings. It's nice to share such discussions with someone outside of these matters; gain a perspective with no bias."

"I see." She tore her stare from him, instead opting to admire the passing surroundings as they neared her family's estate. The world was slowly growing darker, though there was just enough orange in the sky to make out minor details and simple silhouettes of the trees and buildings which they encountered. "Well as you've said, women are often condemned from learning such things. My parents have never outright forbade me from pursuing such knowledge, but I am keenly aware of the connotations of our day and age. However, I feel the library is just vague enough of a gray area that I can escape the gender restraints subjected unto us."

"So you've your library to thank for such intel?"

"Indeed. A grand library with shelves stretching to the ceiling, completely stocked with every variety of book. And what else is a lady to do in her spare time than to waste away her life reading everything she can get her hands on." Junhui smiled at this, teeth on display and his eyes crinkling as he listened to her speak.

"I'd ought to visit such a place one day." He inquired, voice lowering in volume as if sharing a secret with her. A secret of a married man insinuating a second rendezvous with a young lady he should not be affiliated with. (y/n) cleared her throat, fiddling with the embroidery of her gown as she attempted to bypass his lax mannerisms in speech.

"You must. I'm sure Joshua would be delighted to give you a tour of our home upon your next visit." The words felt as awkward as they sounded, her subtleties flying out the window as the day waned. She dare not look at Junhui for fear of his expression revealing his truth. Of yet another factor to add onto her already ever growing list of reasons to question her reality and everything she had grown to know. Though even with her futile attempts at avoiding his honest expression, she failed to take into account his equally honest intonation he used in every word he spoke.

"I'm sure he would, ever the gentleman he is." Junhui began, voice undeterred by her initial evasion. "Though I'd like someone with proven familiarity to show me about the library, wouldn't you agree? Someone who has shown their validity in this realm to me?"

Finally she met his gaze once more, flustered by how direct he has always been. And he hadn't an ounce of shame from his words, that same smile stretched across his face as if he hadn't a care in the world. As if asking his business associate's sister for a personal tour of their home was a matter that came so often and so common that there was no need for courtesies to be regarded.

But this was not what the world was like.

A man and a lady should always bear some decency in their actions. Unless they are courting one another, they should not be left in the same vicinity alone. A married man should not pursue a lady outside his matrimony in such a way that it can be mistaken for adultery. The two of them have delved into dangerous waters. They've foregone the initial area of concern and have instead been thriving in this forbidden area that they should have never passed in either of their states. And strangely enough, (y/n) felt to be the most victimized in the situation.

The misogynistic tendencies of news outlets to paint the mistress as the villain who broke a perfectly stable marriage, yet here she is thrust into the role of potential mistress with no means of escape. Every fiber of her being cried to run away, leave everything behind, abandon Junhui where he stood because he was no different from a devil tempting her in malicious ways and luring her into a sinful rapture.

Yet this idiotic part of her yearned for him. Desperately sought out his attention in any form he'd grant her. She could still feel the warmth of his body against hers when they had walked in the garden. She could hear his laugh playing repeatedly in her head, his voice serenading her as she thought about everything he's ever said to her. He was so kind and witty and funny. Everything a girl could dream of. And she soon understood the mistress in all of those articles, because she truly was on the brink of becoming one herself.

The carriage stopping was like a godsend, an answer to her prayers as she all but scrambled out, hopping down at a mind boggling speed that had Junhui leaping out of his seat to rescue her had she fallen. But instead, she merely brushed off her dress and turned back to Junhui, staring in awe at her after her sudden burst of movement.

"Thank you for today, Mr. Wen. I truly enjoyed our little walk and I appreciate what you've done in regards to my brother and my best friend's prospective marriage. I'd love to hear about how it's gone once my brother comes home, but you really must return to the estate, as I'm sure your business meeting is soon to start. Thank you again." Her words came out rushed and jumbled, sentences threading together with barely a moment's breath spared. Before Junhui could even respond, she was rushing into her home and up the stairs before anyone could question her and see how absolutely perturbed she had become in the past hour or so because of Mr. Wen Junhui.

When she had said she'd love to hear how the matters regarding the soon-to-be couple had gone once Joshua returns, she had intended it to be a sign to Junhui that rather than he tell her himself, her brother instead tells her, thereby cutting off any necessity for the two to ever speak again.

Yet Junhui in his spectacular ways of skirting around the issues of formalities and such had taken it upon himself to skew her words to his benefit.

His first letter had come quite literally the next day when her brother had gotten back, Joshua himself handing it to her before going off to do whatever he does in the day. It was a simple envelope, her name written in swirled ink at the front to show who its intended reader was meant to be. A red wax seal concealed its contents; a simple design of a cat pressed into the seal. From the looks of it alone, it seemed to be devoid of any nefarious purposes. Love letters tend to be doused in perfumes, blue seals with rose and heart imprints. Yet this one seems to lack any sense of personal touch, aside from the cat seal, which (y/n) could only assume was a mere preference on Junhui's part.

My lady,

I hope this letter gets to you swiftly. As swiftly as it takes Joshua to arrive home, as you had made clear to me.

As intended, the two seem to be smitten with one another. Joshua had almost forgotten his entire purpose for arriving at the manor had I not returned after our carriage ride. They seem closer than they originally were, and I believe we've achieved our goal! Though I expect nothing less from such a savvy and clever lady such as yourself. You truly must show me those business books of yours so I may learn from them as you've done.

Jun

Upon reading the first part of the letter, (y/n) couldn't help but to roll her eyes at Junhui's sarcasm, though slowly but surely, she ended the letter with a smile that she couldn't contain. And she made sure to note her distaste for such a letter in her reply, biting back her giggles as she wrote about how discourteous Junhui was and how he lacked in any sort of manners.

With a circular red wax seal, she handed the envelope to Joshua, asking him to deliver it to Junhui whenever he was able to. And what started out as a simple letter with a response became a full fledged exchange of letters on the daily, and perhaps the highlight of (y/n)'s day whenever Joshua would return home.

Junhui was as funny in writing as he was in person, chiding her for using a golden seal once as if he were a lady she was exchanging letters with. Though he forgave her once she changed from their usual formal red seal to a green one—an indicator of friendly relations between the two correspondents.

He also rather obviously insisted she begin referring to him as Jun, as indecent as it were. From his first letter merely ending with the name, 'Jun' slowly grew more and more apparent, from growing in size to becoming bolder compared to the other words to even taking up the entire bottom portion of the page once.

And (y/n) couldn't help but continue the exchange, as wrong as she knew it was. She reasoned it under two friends merely talking to one another, opting to forget the circumstances between them and instead revel in whatever form of Junhui her conscience would allow her to accept.

And for the most part, as stated, it truly was friendly relations. He'd ask what she'd done that day, discuss things he'd seen since his prior letter, even send doodles and newspaper clippings to her. The times he'd seemingly grow more coquettish were times she'd chastise him almost immediately, before then continuing on with where they left off. And it seemed she'd have to do the same thing now, as Junhui supposedly never learned from her admonishments.

"(y/n), dinner is being served." The family's maid announced from beyond the door.

"I'm on my way." Even though she responded, she could sense the woman still lingering in her spot.

"The madam also insists you make yourself presentable."

"For what purpose? Not like we have a guest over." Silence. (y/n) raised her brow, pushing back from her writing desk to finally open the door. The maid still stood there, offering an apologetic smile. "Who is here?"

"Supposedly a prospective marriage partner your mother has been eyeing for you."

(y/n) nodded at this, thanking and dismissing the woman before closing the door. Back in the sanctity of her room, she groaned aloud, begrudgingly making her way to her armoire.

Although (y/n) has been distracted with her internal battle revolving around Wen Junhui, her mother has seemingly long forgotten the disappointment of the failed courtship and has once more prowled for yet another eligible bachelor she could lure home in hopes of having her daughter wed. It was a common occurrence, though nevertheless uncomfortable every time she had to endure it.

Her eyes landed upon that same dusty yellow dress that Junhui's hair had reminded her of when they first met. It brought a smile to her face, at first gentle in nostalgia and remembrance, though then shifted into a sly smirk, opting to remove the gown from its hanger as her own personal gag. To wear a dress that reminds her of another whilst she rejects whoever resides downstairs.

Perhaps through spite alone, her energy came bounding forth when she made her way downstairs, excited to send home yet another man, until she entered the parlor and came face to face with none other than that same head of yellow that inspired her current look.

Junhui turned his head up to her, his grin stretching from ear to ear once she had come into view.

"My lady," he had stood up from his place, reaching for her gloved hand to place yet another kiss onto her knuckles. "You look as lovely as you did the day we met. Your beauty seems to be unwavering."

"Mr. Wen," (y/n) bowed her head, ignoring the rapid warmth seizing at her heart from where Junhui still held her hand in his. "It's a pleasure to meet you again."

"Mr. Wen? Have we not moved on from such formalities at this point in time?" Her eyes widened at his statement, glancing around in hopes that her mother wasn't around to hear of such nonsense. Though luckily it seemed the only other person in the room at this moment was Joshua, who laughed at his sister's reaction.

"Junhui, stop tormenting (y/n), you know how she is when it comes to holding proper etiquette."

This seemed to silence the imp of a man, though it hadn't stopped the mischievous glint in his eye as he continued to stare at her. Or more specifically, her dress, attempting to absorb as much as he could without blatantly gawking at her. Though still, it was enough to have her dismissing herself from the two boys, scurrying away to the kitchen where her mother was currently discussing meal plans with the chef.

"Mother," (y/n) muttered, shuffling to a closer proximity to her parent to keep her voice low, lest there be stray ears listening about.

"Oh, my dear, you look absolutely lovely." Her mother gushed, nodding to the chef one last time in confirmation before closing the distance between her and her daughter.

"I look this way because you urged me to dress as such."

"Yes, Mr. Wen is just in the other room. Go greet him, I'm sure he'd feel flattered to have such a pretty hostess."

"Mother, might I remind you that Mr. Wen is indeed a married man. Not only is he a married man, but you as well are a married woman. I suggest you cease with your blasted fawning before you manage to upset someone." Her mother sighed, eyes shifting up to the ceiling in consideration at the words spoken.

"I understand where you're coming from. However, he has not directly told me such. So I'd like to continue this potential courtship between you two until he says otherwise." (y/n) clenched her jaw. Not in anger at her mother's words, though rather also considering what she had just said.

It's true that Joshua is a reliable source, as he is their very own son and brother, but Junhui doesn't know Joshua told them. Her mother's reasons, though highly improbable and immature as they are, made some sense in the grand scheme of things, and (y/n) had nothing more to say but to nod at her mother and scamper out of the kitchen.

Luckily, the boys remained as they were in the parlor, laughing freely at whatever was being exchanged between the two. Junhui's voice always carried itself throughout the house, drifting in the air easily and reaching (y/n) where she stood. She wanted to go back in. She had grown more accustomed to Junhui through their letters, though meeting him again in person felt like an entirely different circumstance she wasn't fully prepared for.

Her mother's words remained in her head, the arrogance reminding her of the sole reason her and Junhui first exchanged letters. How the two parties both seemed to ignore implications in words and actions and instead pursued their own endeavors through sheer intended miscommunication. It was funny in a way, though still terribly irritating, especially when she sat at the table and realized how swimmingly the lot got along together.

Banter flowed easily, her mother and Junhui bonding well as they ate. Father was much more reserved, though still seemed rather taken with their guest. Joshua equally so, though as his friend, it was a given that he'd be invested in whatever Jun had to say.

And to (y/n), it felt like the obvious was just lingering in the air, dangling precariously above them all like the sword of Damocles. All it took was a mere mention of marriage for that thread to snap, to have the sword barreling down into mother's dreams of having Jun join the family through marital relations with (y/n). Yet no one dare mention it.

A topic her mother was so seemingly obsessed with was never uttered. Joshua and father likewise danced around the subject, avoiding it as if it were the plague. And funnily enough, (y/n) found herself doing the same. The words felt forbidden, like poison on the tip of her tongue. And when spoken, this entire fantasy concocted by her family would dissolve away before her eyes. For the time being, it felt alright to accept the delusions set up by them all.

Dinner soon came to an end, and by the time they had all finished eating, the sun had long set, the entire outside world blanketed in darkness with only the obscured half moon to offer some reprieve. Her parents deemed it right to invite Junhui to stay for the night, not wanting to cast out their guest on such a dark and dreary night. And as if it were a sign from the gods themselves, some time after Junhui had accepted their invitation, the heavens began releasing this dreadful onslaught of rain, heavy enough to have the roads flooded within minutes of it starting. As such, (y/n) herself couldn't even find any fault in their suggestion, thoughts of Junhui getting hurt and abandoned out in the rain keeping her from even jokingly casting him aside.

The thoughts remained long after she had retired for the night. Images of what could have happened had Junhui rejected their offer of staying for the night. Some righteous part of her brain insisted she'd take the role of some fictitious hero and brave the storm to save him herself. Another part of her brain attempted to rationalize that former statement, saying she'd have done the same had it been Juliet or Joshua out there. Yet that reasoning did nothing to quell the fact that had very well made itself known at this point—that Junhui had nestled himself comfortably in her heart right beside those who she held nearest and dearest.

Junhui was as dangerous a man as one could be. It was concerning how quickly (y/n) had grown so familiar with him in such a short span of time. It was unnerving how happy his letters made her and how she cherished every scrap of paper he sends her. She dotes upon his script as one would a lover, noting every detail of his writing and filing it away under Junhui. She brushes her fingers over his letters to the point that they seem already worn by the time she's done reading, as if she could feel that burning touch of his through the parchment he'd slave over, if his careful and intricate penmanship were any sign of the attention he puts into every message he sends her.

Eventually, it had grown rather late, to the point that she didn't even have to count the chimes of the grandfather clock, as a singular ding sounded through the house. It was futile to even attempt to continue pretending to sleep when all she could think of was everything Junhui. Whether it was one in the afternoon while she busied herself with books and household chores, or one in the morning when she was once more on her own with no other companion than that of the moon, Junhui seemed to remain a resolute entity in her thoughts. Even as she wandered outside her chambers, Junhui was still at the forefront of her mind, and she found that her feet had naturally taken her to the library.

It was indeed a grand archive of books and documents, and she must have read most of them by this point. With a candlestick in one hand, she held its light up to the shelves, browsing through the selections of novels at her disposal, all the while still with Junhui plaguing her thoughts, especially when she reached the business section, nestled in the corner right beside one of the windows of the room. It was a cozy area that offered seating on its large pane, and the angular bay window brought in the perfect amount of sunlight to read for the entire day. She was just about to sit at her usual reading area when she suddenly heard the door click open.

As quickly as she had fled the carriage beforehand, she leapt into the darkness away from the window, blowing out her candle and praying for the shadows to obscure her enough to stay hidden.

As if a cruel and sinister ploy on her part, the tall mahogany doors pushed open, unveiling the blonde newcomer as he padded into the library. His hair was tousled some, though still retaining the general shape of his usual styling. Gone was his coat and vest, instead displaying his flowy white undershirt, neckline untied and parted, revealing a rather generous portion of his collarbones to her eyes.

He looked near ethereal. The candle in his hand flickered with life, casting its warm honey glow across the planes of his face. And in the contrasting cerulean ambience of the moonlight seeping in through the window, Junhui stood there as the outlier. The eccentric oddity he has always been. And it seemed as if he were near beckoning her to emerge from her place of hiding, calling to her like a beacon to a mindless moth.

She couldn't tear her eyes from him, helplessly standing there in this futile battle with herself. He had caught her at her weakest point, after having been assaulted by thoughts of him and nothing else for what has felt like days on end, as well as with her weakened resolve at such a late hour. It was a miracle in itself that she still stood firmly where she resided and hadn't fallen victim to her own inhibitions, so desperately wanting to fall into his arms and let him embrace her. To hide away from the rest of the world, push aside those worries that had hung over her for so long, as if Junhui's hold would erase it all, protect her from the outlash she so feared.

He stood there like an angel, his mere presence enough to weaken her to the point that she shook from her restraint, though beneath this facade, he was more like a snake in her garden of Eden, tempting her into pursuing her personal transgressions.

His back was to her as he browsed the selection of books, fingers skimming the spines as he perused about. (y/n) was tentative with her steps as she mirrored him, ensuring she remained out of his sights. The closer he came to the window, the further she got. She had nearly reached the door when her foot pressed upon a weakened floorboard, the squeak which came from it near deafening in the otherwise silent room. She grimaced as Junhui had also come to a halt, too afraid to turn around and verify for herself.

"Is anyone there?" His voice was low and stoic, unflinchingly rigid, and whether it be from lack of use over the past few hours of nightfall or true hostility, she remained as is, too wary to find out for herself.

Perhaps if she stood as still as she possibly could, he'd dismiss it as the house settling and she'd be able to slip away without him ever noticing. Yet unfortunately, she underestimated Junhui and his perceptive abilities, as he had immediately rerouted to head in her direction. She had no hope from the very start.

She saw her silhouette slowly come to life as his candle grew nearer and nearer, until she was now facing a perfect outline of herself in an orange aura, and beside hers was Junhui's own shadow.

"My lady!" All initial signs of malice in his voice dissipated, replaced by that same saccharine timbre he has always used with her. It was enough to coax her into finally facing him, eyes trailing up to meet his unabashedly joyous smile upon seeing her. Who else would be as elated to see her if not Junhui, whose eyes darted to every feature of her face, cheeks warming and smile widening under the heat of the candle illuminating his expression. "My lady, what are you doing out here? It's far too late for you to be reading, and much too cold!" His free hand patted his chest, as if forgetting he came out of his room without his coat to offer her. His immediate regretful countenance brought a smile to (y/n)'s face, the tension in her body melting away the longer she gazed up at the boy in front of her.

"I'll be alright, though I thank thee for your concern nevertheless."

His expression was so unbearably tender. His soft eyes filled with mirth, dark like cocoa and ever so inviting. She was grounded in her spot, helpless under his gaze. It was as if she were staring directly into the universe held within those deep, brown orbs that seemed unwaveringly fond of no one else but her—as if she was his universe.

And it was frightening. How easily she found herself falling into this world made of only themselves. As if nothing else existed or mattered, as long as they were by one another's side. It was frightening how right it all felt.

It had taken every ounce of her being to tear her eyes from his, head turned to the door she was so close to slipping out of.

"I really must be on my way." She attempted to step away from him, but she froze. His hand wrapped around her own, gently tugging her back to him. His skin was warm against her own, and that heat seemed to slowly trail up her arm, keeping her rooted in her spot, effortlessly allowing him to reel her back to him.

"My lady, please forgive me for my indecent manners, but… Perhaps you may keep me some company?" Junhui's expression faltered some, eyes wavering as they flicked from her to the ground beneath them. "For a few minutes is all. I still have yet to see this business section we've been discussing."

How had he been reduced to such a vulnerable state in mere moments? His usual bravado, that could oftentimes be mistaken for arrogance and the like, seemingly vanished without a trace, instead leaving behind this boy who trembled under her touch, eyes glazed over with this pleading look that was near impossible to deny.

With a minute nod so subtle that it could have been missed if one had blinked, Junhui burst into that same smile that (y/n) found herself more enraptured by day after day. She shuffled ahead of him, softly towing him along behind her as his hand remained in hers, appearing to have no intention of slackening his grip any time soon.

She led him to the window sill, where adjacent to them stood the bookshelf of business and political books she had delved into the previous summer. Some were older classics with yellowed and torn pages while others were the latest edition of recently published novels. She took a seat at the window, knowing that with such a large collection, Junhui would be bound to browse the selection for some time.

Yet instead of the shelves before them, Junhui's attention remained on (y/n), sitting beside her immediately as to not disconnect their hands. At this, (y/n) looked to him, bewildered by his eagerness to remain attached to her.

A fool. There was no better word to describe the way he looked. Mouth agape in wonderment, breathing slowed and steady as if in a trance. Eyes hooded over and glassy, looking as if he were in desperate need of shut eye, yet refusing to close them for not even a second.

In any other circumstance, (y/n) would've corrected his posture and snapped him back into reality, but instead she remained as is, equally captivated by him and his close proximity. Her eyes traced along his features, greedily absorbing any and every detail she could before the moment passed. His candle sat behind him, the light long forgotten as his broad back blocked the glow from her eyes.

They sat there together, under the watchful gaze of the moonlight above them, completely and utterly and unashamedly taken by the other.

"My lady," Junhui whispered, volume dropped until he spoke in nothing more than a breath. He paused, allowing the words to stir in his mind before slipping out. "I truly do hope you aren't entirely irate upon my abrupt request. Especially since I had already questioned you as to why you were out of your chambers at such a late hour."

"You are forgiven." (y/n) responded with a smile, gaze descending to their conjoined hands resting together. It felt so right. It felt as if she were born for this very moment with how destined it seemed for them to be together. How her heart mended together in mere moments, and she hadn't even realized how fractured it had become on its own before meeting Junhui. Yet even with the stars aligning above them, nothing could prove this to be moral.

Not Junhui looking upon her as if she were his sun and his moon, with such earnest fondness pooling in his eyes the longer he's with her. Not the way his hands ceaselessly quake no matter how much restraint he believes he holds, holding her so desperately as if she'd disappear if he lets go, yet also hesitant, afraid of harming her in any way possible. Not the way her entire body seems to be betraying her code of ethics; heart pounding forlornly for him, arms itching to hold him and never let go, stomach fluttering with butterflies and flower blossoms as if spring had come early.

Because in the back of her mind, like an ink stain drenched into the rug, forever there no matter how many items you stack upon it to conceal it—Junhui has a beloved back at home, waiting patiently for his inevitable return.

"Perhaps now that you've found the books, you won't be needing me any longer." She laughed softly at her remark, hoping it would conceal the pain in her voice. The agony that she is the one that has to do what's right. She's the only one attempting to correct these wrongs that have transpired over Junhui's stay.

"Perhaps it's not the books I want." She stiffened at Junhui's words. No implications. No nuances. No underlying meanings at all. "Perhaps it's you that I want. Perhaps it's always been you." His thumb ran back and forth across her knuckles as he spoke, and she couldn't tear her eyes away from the sight, afraid of what honesty his expression held now. "Perhaps there will never be a time when I no longer need you."

Her mind was near throttling her, an internal frenzy taking place, demanding she run far away immediately. As far from him as she can. No good could come out of this. She'd be shunned as a mistress, her family would fall into disgrace because of her impulsive actions, Juliet would even be ridiculed by high society for even being associated with the likes of her. And instead of getting up and fleeing, instead of pushing back against Junhui and refusing his advances, she sat there.

She sat there, eyes glassy with unbridled emotion, lips trembling from the impending tears coming her way. Junhui had raised her hands up closer to his view, fingers interlocking almost naturally. The sight brought a smile to his face.

"I love the way your hands fit in mine. Don't you agree?" Silence on her part. Not that she could even speak if she wanted to with this lump in her throat from the cries she's holding back with all her might. Yet this didn't deter Junhui in the slightest as he continued on. "Ever since the first day we met, I've dreamt of this. Feeling your hands without any obstructions." He brought their intertwined hands to his face, pressing the back of hers to his cheek endearingly. "To feel your touch without those infernal gloves." He slowly dragged her hand down from the side of his face to his lips, shutting his eyes as he gently pressed a kiss to her knuckles. "To feel your skin against my lips." She wanted to yank her hand away, his touch so warm it practically burned into her nerves, yet it was near addicting. She was slowly becoming more and more obsessed with his touch, in any way she could get it.

He littered soft, mindless kisses all over her hand, having released his hold on her to cradle his face against her palm, lips pressing into the center in the most tender manner possible. The moment was tranquil and calm, everything she had ever dreamt of experiencing, and it was undeniable at this point how absolutely enamored she had become with Jun.

A harsh creak sounded through the library, startling the two who bounded up to their feet in moments. (y/n), who had wanted to run away like prey from a predator, was prevented from doing just so as Junhui grabbed her, spinning the two around and bringing her to his chest. His back faced the door, alert as ever as his arms kept (y/n) safely tucked away against him. And after some seconds passed and nothing came of the noise, they slowly relaxed, tension slipping away as they begrudgingly departed.

"Our house is rather old, it settles at times." (y/n) stated, eyes trained on Junhui's torso.

"Ah, makes sense. I just grew nervous. I didn't want you to be seen in your nightgown."

"Everyone in this house has seen me in my nightgown. I'm sure the only worry we had was you seeing me in my nightgown." She had chuckled at this, momentarily lowering her defenses and gazing up at Junhui. It had shocked her some to see that dazed look in his eyes still remaining. That warm, loving smile still etched into his face as he brushed back stray strands of hair from her face, his touch lingering with every stroke. And she savored every last bit of it she could, memorizing the way the pads of his fingers skimmed across her face, leaving behind undeniable heat in its wake like matches against a surface.

But eventually, it all had to end.

Junhui walked (y/n) back to her room, bidding her goodnight with a kiss to her hand and a charming smile alongside it. She closed her door, standing there for a moment more, still feeling his presence on the other side. That comfort that seemed to radiate off of Jun in waves, granting her one last reprieve of the night, because as soon as he had finally walked away, her reality quickly came back, settling upon her shoulders heavily. This burden that seemed to endlessly torment her wherever she resided.

Her chest grew tight, squeezing into her as if this insurmountable pressure was against her. Those tears she held back finally broke free, the first few drops cascading down her face before a broken sob finally caught up. And in this mind-numbing, monotonous like frenzy, she began moving about her room.

She grasped the letter that was meant to be delivered to him and tore it apart. The dress which reminded her of his golden locks was shoved under her bed, hopefully never to be seen again. The parasol from the day they walked in the garden together was tossed deep into her armoire, in hopes of it never resurfacing and bringing with it memories of him.

Though she finally collapsed in on herself as she reached her drawer of his letters, weak and numb whilst leaning against her desk for support. The beautiful words he'd write to her, the tedious flourishments in his calligraphy in a feeble attempt to impress her, his humor that translated into his writing so effortlessly.

Such minuscule sheets of paper felt like the world to her, clutching them to her chest like a remedy to her maladies.

Like the only piece of Junhui she could allow herself to keep.

The next day, she stayed in her room, long after Junhui had left. Under the guise of an illness, she was able to hide away for a few days more. Though when the doctor cleared her of any disease she could possibly have, she left the confines of her room, opting to remain within the borders of the estate.

Junhui would come occasionally, and she'd sneak off into her room before he spotted her, or she'd be at Juliet's when his visits were confirmed beforehand.

Joshua would hand her his letters. Everyday. Everyday without fail, Junhui wrote to her, neither discouraged nor put off by her lack of response. And as if routine at this point, she'd toss the unopened letter into her Junhui drawer.

It pained her to be so cruel to him. He's been nothing but caring and affectionate towards herself. Selflessly putting her before anyone else, proving she remains in his thoughts even if he's busy, pouring his heart out to her without any form of regret or denial in him. As much as she knew she loved him, she knew he loved her. But what else is she to do? Force him to divorce a lady to be with her? Commit blatant adultery in front of their friends and family as if nothing were askew? How would she feel if she were in that woman's shoes? Allowing her husband to go about traveling as a merchant, with only hopes and prayers that he'd return to her at the end of each visit.

To fall in love with Junhui truly was a divine privilege, an inevitability yet one that felt utterly sublime to delve into. He was as endearing as he was handsome, a dangerous combination to any weak-hearted imbecile out there. And to be loved back was just as much a delight as was loving him.

(y/n) couldn't ruin Mrs. Wen's marriage for her own selfish endeavors.

They say distance makes the heart grow fonder, and in her case, this proved far too correct for (y/n)'s liking as she accepted her fate.

She'd often find herself seated against her door, head leant against the wooden frame to hear Junhui's muted voice talking to her brother. She'd allow herself at times to be more vulnerable in front of Juliet, a rarity that neither of the girls expected from the likes of someone such as (y/n), yet nevertheless went along with it to allow her an outlet to freely yearn over Junhui. And at night, long after everyone had fallen asleep, (y/n) would lay beside her desk, thumbing through those letters, rereading his words, tracing his cursive, more often than not falling asleep with one cradled to her chest.

She longed for him, more than she ever had before. Her feelings hadn't waned in the slightest as she had initially believed them to do. They remained as is, with her heart tugging forward in hopes of searching for Jun and reuniting with him. Though she feared ever meeting him again. Feared what would come of her if she truly did have him once more in her grasp. She had exhausted all of her restraint in the library that day.

Twas better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all. She hoped this proved as true as the former statement. She hoped that upon Junhui's departure, she'd willingly let him go. Accept the heartache as growth, a cornerstone in her life to revisit when she was older and wiser. To perhaps laugh it off and tell it at teatime with the other ladies in town. About how smitten (y/n) had become for a married man. They'd all laugh about it, and so will (y/n). Ignore the pain that will linger in her heart for years to come and just laugh.

But how long will it take? How long does a broken heart take to recover? How many more nights of crying herself to sleep will it take for her to finally grow numb? For the wounds to cease its bleeding and begin healing? Is it more like a scar, forever residing there as a faded memory of what had once happened, or will it forever be chronic, something that will sting arbitrarily when she sees the color yellow or reads a business book?

Will Junhui think of her 10 years from now? Or will he continue on with life as is? Will he even remember the girl he had absolutely ruined with just his smile alone?

Will she be okay in the end?

Another ornate ballroom. Another orchestra entertaining the masses. Another night where (y/n) stands at the side, warding off anyone who dare approach with her usual cold stare.

She hadn't wanted to come. Her mother dragged her out, insisting she needed socialization after being in the house for so long. And just like every other party they attended, her mother disappeared to mingle, her father off to drink with the other men, and her brother gone to who knows where. Juliet was nowhere to be seen either, perhaps not even attending this banquet.

And so here she stood.

Alone.

Tired.

Dejected.

She felt an elbow suddenly nudge her arm, snapping her out of her daze.

"How can I help you, Joshua?" She asked, turning back to face the crowd after confirming the presence of her brother.

"I've come to ask you the same thing. You look absolutely miserable."

"Thank you. It is the new look I'm trying to achieve. I hear it's rather popular among the ladies of high society—"

"Will you cease with your sarcasm and be serious?" Joshua hissed, sliding into her vision to get her attention. "(y/n), do you not see how terribly worried we all are?" She didn't respond, averting her gaze so as to not feel swayed by the sincerity in his voice. "There's someone that wants to meet you. I'll go get him now."

"Oh, for the last time, Joshua, I am not interested in Soonyoung!" (y/n) huffed, the first emotion she's displayed in the night: complete and utter irritation. "He is a fine gentleman, but I feel nothing for him!"

"(y/n), that's not—"

"I am going to take a much needed breath of fresh air. Please give Soonyoung my best wishes. And with that, good day to you, Joshua. I will see you at home."

Upon finishing her speech, (y/n) stormed off, weaving through the throngs of party goers to slip out the back.

The outside was a stark contrast to whatever hell she had emerged from. The wind was cool with a gentle breeze flowing, picking up stray leaves and petals in its wake. The white stone staircase she found herself on descended into a grand garden, uniform and pristine as opposed to the more natural one she frequents at Juliet's manor. Vines were kept at bay, the grasses evened and trimmed. There wasn't a flower out of place nor a statue out of line.

It felt as miserable as she was.

Though brimming with flowers and the like, it felt lifeless. Every aspect of the garden felt staged, as if a mere facade for others instead of a reflection of its owner. She loathed it, grimacing at every gaudy decor she stumbled upon, at the statues that hadn't a sign of wear upon them, at the flowers that feared growing out of their beds lest the gardener trim those that cross the threshold.

It was perfect. The ideal garden. Not a flaw in sight. And yet she hated every aspect of it.

She collapsed onto the marble bench at the center of the garden. It resided beneath the grand fountain, the focal point of this horrid attraction. But it was the furthest resting point from the party, and it allowed her to finally drop her act of indifference.

Tears began slipping past her waterline, an occurrence which has become second nature to her. She didn't bother to wipe them away, as a fresh coat will only come to replace whatever she erases.

It had been a week since Junhui had departed. The life of a merchant was arduous, ever changing and mobile. And just as he's done for every town before them and every town after, he wrapped up his business and went on his way. The pain was constant, as if he had left town with her heart personally. She remembers sitting in her room, hearing his final goodbyes to Joshua before he left for good. While she knew it was for the better, she truly did feel regretful not saying goodbye to him. She lives with this fact, that she wasted her final chance of seeing Junhui by crying alone in her room. And yet even with the clear avoidance on her part, Junhui still never failed to think of her, as Joshua slipped Junhui's final letter to her.

One with a deep lapis blue wax seal.

Like the others, she tucked it away. Perhaps another day when she's gathered enough strength, she'll open them and read his final words to her. But she couldn't bear it in the state she was in now. She couldn't bear the reminder that she lost perhaps her one true love.

(y/n) could hear footfall nearing her. Her eyes rolled in annoyance, knowing Joshua had sent Soonyoung over anyway. Though I guess it made sense. To the others, Junhui was just another failed suitor, and it was time to move on to the next one.

Soonyoung was indeed kind and handsome, but he was incomparable to Junhui in her mind, as cruel as it may sound. Though the least she could do was amuse the boy one last time before dismissing him like the others.

She felt a coat suddenly drape across her shoulders as a presence descended unto the empty seat beside her, and she felt her heart plummet upon the realization.

"My lady, you shouldn't be out here on such a cold night."

"Junhui." (y/n) shot up onto her feet, backing away instantly as she clutched onto the coat resting along her back.

And there stood Wen Junhui in all of his glory. He looked like an angel having descended from the heavens. This image in white from head to toe with golden accents from the jewelry dangling along his body, his blonde hair gently parted at the center and framing his handsome face so immaculately. He looked as if he had just walked off his marble pedestal, standing before her like one of the many statues in this garden.

It had felt like an eternity since the last time she'd seen him, and the sight had ignited this burning sensation in her eyes. Her breaths came out in puffs of white, the condensed air obscuring her vision as it hid Junhui behind its wall of vapor. Perhaps that's why she couldn't truly take in his face until he had moved, standing in front of her with that same adoring, lovestruck gaze of his.

Her breathing was labored, heavy as if having run about the garden, and it only seemed to grow harsher once Junhui had offered her his hand.

"May I have this dance, my lady?" His voice was so soft, nothing more than a whisper into the night, but it held such unadulterated emotion. This lovingly yearning tone in his words as if on the brink of pleading. And at this point, every function of her body had shut down. That incessant turmoil in her that had resided since Junhui first entered her life suddenly silenced, this peace in her mind that she had seemed to forget was even achievable. With such a clear head, it made way for her body's natural intuition to kick in, and she found herself sliding her hand in his own, drawing nearer to him just as the orchestra's distant playing began a new song.

It was faint, drowned out by the murmur of the fountain before them, yet it was that soft tinkle of a tune that waded in the air around them that created such an alluring, tranquil atmosphere. Junhui twirled her about the area, the tap of their shoes against the stone pavement in unison as they melted into each other's embraces. Junhui's tentative touches that had traveled along her lower back, as if wanting to run his hands over as much as her as he could in their position, had given up their initial courtesy and instead dragged her against him, hands gripping her like his life depended on it. And his unwaveringly adoring stare had her entirely mesmerized by him. That sweet grin of his on display for her, eyes darting to and fro along her face, cheeks rounded from his delight at being reunited once more.

It was a perfect reunion. One she had never imagined she'd ever receive, yet felt like her wildest dream nevertheless.

"How are you, my lady?" He finally spoke, his voice just as honeyed as the rest of his presence. His brows curved in absolute intrigue, as if she were the most interesting thing he'd ever come across. He practically dragged her closer to him in anticipation, if that were even possible.

"I've been well." Her voice had cracked at the beginning of her sentence, prompting her to clear her throat as unnoticeably as she could muster to hide whatever feelings he had begun stirring in her. "And you, Mr. Wen?"

His hold on her had stiffened momentarily, but he proceeded nevertheless.

"I'm… not so well."

"Oh? I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's quite alright, my lady. It's just been a rather curious past few days. You see, I met this woman." She spared him a hopeful glance, and his eyes hadn't strayed from hers for even a moment. "A fine woman. Intelligent. Thoughtful. Humorous. Fun to banter with." His gaze flickered down to her lips as his own twitched upwards at the corner. "This gorgeous smile that knocks the wind out of you, if you're ever given the privilege of seeing it." She couldn't help but to let out a helpless chortle at this, smiling widely at his words as tears began flooding her eyes. Junhui's dancing slowed some, his hand along her waist trailing up to lay along her face, thumb swiping away the moisture collecting at her waterline. "And I had fallen so terribly in love with her."

Her heart throbbed at his confession, and her head felt light as she stared into his wholly genuine gaze. It was frightening how terribly honest he was at almost all times of the day, yet it seemed even more daunting now with not a person in sight nor any motive aside from his own true feelings for her.

"However," he continued, eyes lowering away from her face as his eyebrows knitted together in thought, "I feared I may have lost her forever." His hand had retreated back to her waist, bringing her to him once more, as if a comforting action in the midst of his momentary distress. "Perhaps it had been due to my indecency one night where my feelings had gotten the better of me." He hesitatingly met her eyes once more, breath stuttering and pupils shaky. "Perhaps I've made her uncomfortable with my presence. Perhaps there's no redeeming myself. Nevertheless, I've wanted to apologize to her. Apologize if I've ever forced her into a situation she found to be miserable, or have made her discomfited in her own home. I'd like to apologize, and hope she finds it in her heart to forgive someone like myself?"

"I…"

It was strange. His words something she had to process for another minute to herself as she sorted through these weird circumstances. He had returned to her to apologize for the night in the library. A night she cherished as her final moment with Junhui, as well as the closest she'll ever come to living out her fantasy of being by his side.

It was both something he should apologize for, for giving her such a wondrous moment that she'll never truly be allowed to claim, as if giving her a taste of her favorite dessert before revoking it from her forever. Though it was also something he shouldn't feel obligated to apologize for. Because he truly did give her this wondrous night she'll never forget. Something she can look back upon fondly and remember better times. It felt almost unfair to apologize for giving her such happiness.

Yet in the grand scheme of things, he still hasn't apologized for the largest issue between the two. So with a resolute mind, (y/n) straightened her back, tilting her chin up assuredly as she pressed on.

"Do what you wish. Do whatever you believe feels right." This brought a smile to Junhui once more, his mouth opening as he was about to spew out his many sincere apologies to her, yet she continued on before he could. "However, I feel inclined to remind you to take into consideration not only you and this person, but perhaps someone else you've seemed to fail to consider." His mouth had shut immediately, brows furrowing as she spoke, as if completely and utterly lost, and this only served to irk (y/n) who held back an exaggerated roll of her eyes. "Perhaps someone awaiting you back at home."

"Pardon me?"

Those were his final words before the orchestra had ceased its playing and (y/n) stepped away from him.

"I thank you for this final dance, Mr. Wen. I pray you'll find your way home safely." She curtsied to him as he remained frozen in place, expression contorted into this forced stoicism, yet still riddled with absolute confusion. "I'll be off then. Do not feel pressured to escort me as you always do. I highly suggest roaming about the garden! It's lovely tonight."

And so she once more and for the final time fled from him, hiking up her dress once she was out of view from him to quicken her steps before her tears could fall. She had marched up the stairs at a surprisingly fast rate, garnering shocked looks from those around her who murmured at her indecency, yet she couldn't care less. No one approached her irascible self as she stormed her way through the party, finally spotting her mother towards the back of the room, conversing with her acquaintances.

"Mother, I'd like to return home now." The woman was about to laugh off her words, which was something she frequently heard from (y/n) at these sorts of events, that is until she had finally faced her daughter and saw the despair written across her face. The way her eyes glossed over with a sheen of tears, her lip quivering as she forced it into as straight a line as possible, and just overall barely composing herself whilst in this public setting. Her maternal instincts had finally settled in as she dismissed herself from the other ladies, wrapping an arm around her daughter whilst leading her through the party.

She had passed by Joshua and Juliet, the two looking to her filled with concern, though neither approaching, merely looking to her with this sense of disquietude in their eyes.

Her father had almost immediately summoned their coachmen the moment he'd seen his daughter in such distress, instructing the man to return (y/n) to the manor right away.

It was such a quick ordeal that she supposed Junhui was perhaps still standing there stunned in that garden. And the whole way home, she reminded herself this was for the better.

Though she had laughed at some point upon the idea of just tossing it all away and becoming a mistress to Junhui, it wasn't until she was there being offered that very role that she realized she couldn't find it in herself to be so selfish. It was something she was not in the slightest bit prepared for, in both the case of becoming this person who'd ruin the lives of everyone around her, but also in just the mere act of being granted such a tempting opportunity.

It was unfair that everything had to have resulted in such a way. That she couldn't have just loved Junhui the way she desired. That she couldn't accept his affections for her which had felt so genuine and wholesome. That so many obstacles stood in their way, and it was near impossible for them to have ever gotten their own happy ending.

She thought this as she stumbled out of the carriage and into the manor, lazily dragging her feet along the wooden floorboards as she drowned in her self pity. Yet her body had strayed from its designated route to her room, instead detouring until she found herself standing in the middle of the library. The library where Junhui had showered her in such caring love which haunted her for weeks. A love she'd never experience again.

This was the way life was. A bittersweet exchange. Happiness is a rarity, some being blessed to obtain it so frequently and others merely hoping to stumble upon it as they make their way through such a journey. Life can hold its own humor, able to devastate a person with the slightest of inconveniences or unforeseen circumstances. And (y/n) was merely a victim to life's trials.

It would eventually all pass away. Her torments would soon drift away with the wind as she persevered through it all. It was temporary, she insisted. It was something everyone went through. The loss of a first love. The first person to awaken something in her heart. To brighten her world and show her the vibrancy in everything. The warmth of his hands would forever haunt her own, the love in his eyes something forever ingrained in her memory. And with his absence, he'd take away with him a part of her. Something that will never be there again. Something only he can ever bring about in her.

She mourned the loss of her first love, and she mourned the loss of that part of herself that would forever lie dormant. But this was a chapter in her book she'd have to close. And though it may take some time to do so, it'd eventually happen.

Leaving the library felt more like leaving the book open on its final page, but it was a small step she needed to take. Allow her to stew over Junhui some more, bid him goodbye from her heart, and let bygones be bygones. Because while Junhui couldn't be her last love, he was her first. A position no one else could ever take from him. And while it hurt her, she nevertheless would accept it as such.

The next day came, and she found herself absentmindedly getting dressed. Her head was still hazy from slumber, eyes shutting on their own as she tugged on articles of clothing one after the other. It was early, the morning condensation still clinging to her window as the sun streamed through the droplets, casting warped shadows across her floor as she moved about. The birds sang to her scampering, as if reminding her that a new day was here and it would be a good one.

And it was a relieving omen as she finally exited her room, gloves in hand while she descended the stairs rapidly. She was going to visit Juliet and spend time with her dearest friend, and the sooner the better. Her gloves and bonnet could wait until she was in the carriage to be put on.

"Lady (y/n)." The maid called to her just as she reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Yes?" (y/n) asked, turning around to face the woman.

"You have a guest."

A guest? This early in the morning? As the sun was still stirring awake?

Her curiosity only grew as the maid halted her in her steps.

"Not in the parlor."

"If not in the parlor, then where would this guest have requested we meet?" (y/n) laughed it off at first, taking the time to start tugging on her gloves before she suddenly paused at the next words spoken.

"He requested you meet in the library."

She stopped, glove still dangling at the tips of her fingers as her laughter was replaced by a shocked expression. Junhui? Again?

There was a small part of her that was becoming irate at his constant reappearances every time she had prepared herself for nursing her heartbreak, though a greater portion of her that had already begun rushing to the library, heart leaping at the prospect of seeing him again.

When she had arrived at the doors, she had hesitated, breath stuttering as realization soon set in. What else could he have to say to her? She's already dismissed him as is. If she had to outright reject him directly to his face, she wouldn't be able to live with herself. Perhaps he was just here for a final goodbye—hopefully he was just here for a final goodbye.

The doors had felt heavier than they ever had as she pushed them open, sliding into the room through the generous gap offered before shutting them behind herself. She hoped for a moment to herself as she faced the closing doorway, but she had forgotten who she was dealing with for a second.

"My lady!" His excited voice sounded out from across the room, and the juxtaposition from the solemnity she had expected was quite jarring, enough to shake her from her stupor as she turned to him incredulously. And there he was, practically bounding to her with wide strides and a manic smile on his face. The sight was terrifying, prompting her to press her back to the flat surface behind her as Junhui finally stopped a foot before her.

"Mr. Wen." She responded, and this time, he didn't even flinch at the usage of his last name, merely extending his hand towards her one gloved hand. She tentatively slipped her own into his, and so began the journey back to that damned window sill, Junhui beginning to ramble the entirety of the way back.

"Good morning, my lady. I hope this wasn't too early a wake up call for you. I haven't been waiting long, if you were worried for that. I just wanted to speak with you once more." He had stopped speaking as he sat them both down, his eyes as eager as a retriever of sorts whilst waiting for her response. (y/n) had to have looked petrified, but this didn't deter him in the slightest.

"Good morning to you, too, Mr. Wen…" Her voice came out as tense as her body was, eyes darting about the room as if hoping for some sort of answers to come to her soon. Answers as to why Wen Junhui sat there so enthusiastically before her as if she hadn't already declined his feelings as subtly as she could. "I was actually already awake. You see, I plan to visit Juliet today. So I was already dressed and ready."

She hoped he'd get the message. That she already had plans and that this meeting should go as quickly as humanly possible, but yet again, he chose to pick his own story.

"Oh, how delightful!" He let out a breathy laugh, eyes still trailing across her face before finally some resolution settled in his features. "I wouldn't want to disturb your set plans, so I thank you for taking out some time from your day for me."

The guilt bit at her heart at his word choice, at how grateful he was for her having just sat down for him, but nevertheless she nodded and allowed him to continue on.

"I actually came here to continue our discussion from last night. I felt it hadn't ended the way I wanted it to."

(y/n) scoffed at this, almost amused at how arrogant his words were.

"Well, I'm sorry the conversation did not fit your standards of social expectations, but I feel it ended as well as it could regarding the circumstances." He lit up almost at the end of her sentence, smile coming back into place as she sat up.

"No, that's the thing. The circumstances you speak of are gravely misinterpreted."

"What ever could you mean?" She tilted her head at this, still failing to grasp what route Junhui could possibly be taking their meeting.

"Well, I'm afraid I haven't been entirely honest. That's not to say I've lied directly to you, but perhaps the lies I've spouted to others have finally come back to bite me." He pursed his lips into a thin line, eyes wandering up in thought, as if deliberating once more on these supposed lies he's gotten himself tangled in. With a shake of his head, he returned his attention to her. "Please, allow me to explain. I know I don't deserve a moment, but please spare me a moment to try and salvage what has transpired?"

She took a deep breath, shutting her eyes before nodding at his request. He scooted closer to her, back with that enthused smile on his face as he held her hand in his, thumb softly stroking the skin beneath the glove's seam.

"So as you know, I'm rather handsome."

She snorted at this, hand slapping against her mouth as he chuckled at her reaction.

"That's how you've decided to start this conversation?"

"Yes, now allow me to continue." (y/n) nodded, granting him permission to continue speaking, though this time more lighthearted as a smile fell upon her lips.

"Go on, Adonis."

"Anyways, I am burdened by my good looks, you see? Though it is something I must live with." She bit her lip, attempting to contain the laugh wanting to burst from her, but nodding again, indicating she was paying attention. "And so when I go to places, I'm often courted by many a fair lady. I'm sure your first impression of me was something along the lines of a potential marriage partner, was it not?"

"I'm afraid so." She answered, keeping her voice as steady as she could manage. "My mother was quite smitten when she first laid her eyes upon you."

Junhui laughed, thumb slipping further into her gloves until it rested at the base of her palm.

"As most are. I am something of a mother-in-law wrangler."

This time, she couldn't help but laugh aloud, leaning on Junhui for support as he also laughed, shoulders bouncing with glee where her head rested. When things had finally settled some, he continued with his plight.

"It was around the time I had first became a merchant that I realized this. I'd go to a different town, come to know the people, get a handful of marriage requests, and I'd have to reject each and every one." He pouted, slouching against the window behind him. "I don't like hurting people. I don't like breaking hearts. But it was something that became so frequent with my job." He glanced over at her to make sure she was still listening, and when he saw he had her undivided attention, he proceeded. "So I came up with a diversion of sorts. To already be betrothed before anyone asks me. So as to not outright reject anyone anymore, but also to easily ward off future marriage prospects."

(y/n) hummed at this, realizing it truly did work that first night at the ball. Her mother had looked so defeated and downtrodden as she came to terms with Junhui already being off the market, and hadn't pressured (y/n) to talk to him at all.

But once she finally processed his words, she felt her heart skip a beat. Her eyes widened and her hand clenched around his own, jaw falling slack at the information told to her.

He's not married.

Junhui's lips twitched up into a smile when he noticed her realization at his confession.

"My lady, I am very much so single and available."

That was all she needed before she had all but launched herself at him, laughter filling the air as she tossed her arms around him. Junhui easily caught her, pulling her into a warm, tight embrace as they reveled in one another's presence.

Tears pricked at her eyes, and her arms were beginning to feel sore from how tightly she held him, but she couldn't have been happier. She hugged him just as she always imagined she would. As greedily as she had always dreamt of being. She inhaled his scent as if breathing the open air for the first time in a millennia. She hadn't realized how restrained she truly did feel until her shackles had dissipated into nothing. How liberating it was to love as freely as she so desired.

(y/n) was the first to pull away, though not by far as she sat herself atop his lap, gently carding her fingers through his hair whilst taking in his features once more. Taking in the face that, presumably, now belonged to her very own soon to be betrothed. He smiled, this cat like, sated grin with his eyes shutting under her soft touch. And she was wholly endeared by such an expression, finding herself unconsciously leaning forward and pressing a kiss to the corner of his lips.

His eyes had fluttered open upon this, though he held no surprise in them. Merely curious wonder as he watched her with his wide, observant eyes. And (y/n) watched back, just as calm as ever.

Within the next moment, Junhui had reciprocated her action, tilting his head so to press his lips against her own.

A gentle, ever so loving kiss. One which held the weeks of yearning from the two of them, yet also the passion that blazed between them. This adoration that once sparked could not be tamed in any way. And it was almost humorous to think otherwise. That a love of their caliber could have been foregone had it not been for Junhui's clarification.

Her hands cupped his face, thumbs softly brushing against his cheeks bones as his hands reached up to her wrists, holding her closer to him as he spoke every silent utterance of his love for her through his kiss, hoping that whatever superfluous words he could have possibly ever managed to profess to her in some helpless way of describing what he feels for her would be able to be conveyed in this manner; felt rather than heard.

Once more, (y/n) was the first to separate, pulling away from his warmth after some few moments later. His eyes remained shut, though his lips had absentmindedly trailed after her own, dazed from such an ordeal that she couldn't help but giggle at his antics, snapping him free from his stupor.

Serene. That was how it felt. Being wrapped in Junhui's arms, feeling the warmth of his soft lips still lingering on her own, falling deep into his sweet, dark gaze, the honey-like embers in the chocolate of his eyes enough to have her drowning in that tender stare of his. And he seemed so tranquil from beneath her, as if having no worries in the world. As long as she was there, perhaps he'd never feel another ounce of anxiety ever again.

"I love you." He spoke first, timbre smooth and delicate as he spoke such fond words. His eyes seemed glassy with emotion, prompting (y/n) to kiss him once more.

They were words she had craved to hear him utter. Something she had dreamt of happening for days to come, and something which had felt even sweeter in person. And soon, all of the turmoil she'd gone through over the past few days seemed redundant. The efforts to hide Junhui from her memories futile as she now embraced him in hopes of him never leaving again. In hopes of forever reveling in this feeling for however long she could.

"I love you, too."

"The weather is divine today, don't you agree?" Junhui spoke as he led the two through Juliet's garden once more. The vines were overgrown, the flowers plentiful and random, and the attempts at achieving perfection had been missed greatly. But it couldn't have been a more beautiful sight, especially whilst beside her love, Junhui.

Things had fallen into place rather seamlessly, as if the flow of things had been momentarily obstructed, though now was able to move about freely with no hassles. Junhui had cleared away any and all misunderstandings rather quickly once (y/n) had accepted his intentions.

Supposedly it had actually been Juliet's father whom Junhui had begun the rumor with, as he has done in every town he ventured to: planting the seed and allowing it to grow and spread to others. It was he who told Joshua, who then told (y/n). Junhui hadn't expected news to travel as quickly as it had, as silly as it sounded. But nevertheless, all was clarified, and soon everyone knew (y/n) was Junhui's betrothed.

His prior betrothed had been promptly retired, though not before having caused a momentary raucous between the two lovers.

"How long have you been doing this betrothed charade?" (y/n) had asked one night as they sat alongside each other in her library. Junhui paused from his reading, humming in thought before answering her question.

"Five years."

"Five years?" (y/n) was taken aback, jaw dropping as she drew away from him to take in all of his person. "You've been dragging this poor girl as a false betrothed for half a decade?"

"No, no," Junhui placed his book down in a panic, pivoting to face (y/n) as he sensed a new misunderstanding to arise. "I've been dragging a poor girl's corpse as a false betrothed for half a decade."

His words, as they usually tended to do, caused even more of a misunderstanding between the two, but he had swiftly explained himself, having used an unmarked grave by his hometown as a name for his betrothed, so that if anyone had dared investigate his motives, they'd come across the grave of a widow's wife, and perhaps feel an ounce of guilt for having dug into Junhui's life.

Yes, he was quite the imbecile, though it was endearing to her, especially as he scrambled over his words moments after the two had confessed their love to one another in the library that day.

She was still seated in his lap as he had begun rambling nonsense.

"(y/n), I truly am madly in love with you. My affections are entirely genuine. Everything we've experienced, every encounter we've shared, has truly been moments with which I shall cherish with my entire being. Aside from this one fib of sorts, I have not hidden anything from the likes of you, nor shall I ever. You shall always be my top priority. I'll take care of you, I'll drop everything at your beck and call. I–"

"Jun." His name sounded so lovely coming from her, as if she spoke such vibrant life into that singular syllable, and it was enough to silence Junhui who stared up at her in awe at how in love he truly was with her. "My dear, you're rambling these promises to me, yet you haven't even verified whether I've accepted them or not." He could hear the tease in her voice, feel the way her heart beat for him from her pulse where his thumb rested over her wrist. But he always enjoyed a good game, especially if no matter the outcome, he'd win. And so he gathered her hands into his own, eyes sparkling with mirth as he gazed up at her.

"My love, though this may not be the most wondrous of locales we could have chosen, nor is it the inimitable romantic moment with which I had dreamt of asking you, but I can only hope you'll forgive my inopportune choice in time and consider me nevertheless. Consider whether you'll accept my affections as they are; truly and wholly genuine in every sense of the word. Though I may lack in etiquette at times, say strange things, conjure deranged ploys that no man on earth has considered nor executed, I still find myself yearning to be by your side, if you'll have me, as your betrothed?"

And how could she say no to such an eloquent proposal? Especially from someone as undoubtedly dashing and humorous as Junhui.

He filled her days with laughter, happiness practically radiating off (y/n) whenever they were together, and he showered her in all the love he could possibly offer a person.

With the security of their now stable relationship, she had also found the strength to open those letters she had stowed away, and it was as painful an experience as she thought it would be.

The first few letters had been vaguely casual, attempting to keep the air of normalcy that had been established in their frequent letter exchanges, but had soon been abandoned upon his realization that she was no longer responding. Desperation sprawled across pages as he tried so dearly to reach out to her. Hundreds of apologies, questions as to where she'd gone, pleads of her returning to him. And that final letter on the day he left—that letter sealed with its deep blue wax—was his attempt at confessing to her before leaving, never to see her again.

"Though strenuous, it is possible for me to hide my affections for you, as I have done through the entirety of our encounters, yet hiding the tenderness I feel for you is not as viable an option for me. I cannot hide the way I naturally care for you, my fondness which reveals itself whenever I am near you. I hide my love for you, yet it seems to seep out no matter how desperately I hold it back. I only wish I could've held on a little longer, perhaps not have frightened you off. I regret my actions dearly. I am left praying for a second chance, as I fear a life without you near."

Life has been terribly cruel to them. Not only had she gone through such hardships, dealing with a love she believed to be impossible to attain, but he had gone through a love he believed to be complex and unrequited.

Yet again, life is funny that way. Life has its humorous moments that seem terribly unfair and tragic, but in the end, it all works out. Perhaps not as smoothly as one would have intended it to, but she couldn't necessarily complain. After all, here she was standing side by side with her beloved Junhui as he regaled her with stories of his latest travels.

"My love, I really must take you on one of my trips with me. What do you say? Perhaps the next one? It's only some few hours from here, I believe." He looked at her hopefully, eyes shining with hope and adoration, the latter being a rather permanent fixture in his gaze whenever she resided in his sights. He was so sappy, yet so endearing. Continuing to send letters to her no matter where he was, surprising her with gifts and displays of his affections, already searching for a manor of their own in town for once they were wed.

He was right. It was impossible to hide his tenderness for her, long before they had even gotten together. He cherished (y/n), treating her as he would his most precious, coveted object. And she splendored in the love he rained down upon her, her only complaint being that she herself seemed to falter in this little game of love of theirs as she attempted to keep up with him. She was sure he'd grow tired of the many knitwear and cross stitch she'd gift him, but he hadn't shown even the smallest signs of growing weary of them, adorning his gloves in the winter and his embroidered handkerchief at meetings.

But the greatest gift they could have ever given each other was merely themselves. In an overgrown, messy garden on a windy day with the sun beaming above them, she couldn't have asked for a better moment.

"I'll go wherever you go, my dear." (y/n) responded, resting her head along his arm and shutting her eyes peacefully. Junhui hummed in delight at this, bringing her hand up to his mouth and pressing a kiss to her wrist, right along her vein where it pulsed against his lip.

"We could even bring Joshua and Juliet along as a double date of sorts. I'm sure they'd enjoy the scenery of the shoreline."

She chuckled in delight at the reminder of her brother and her friend, the two courting one another soon after (y/n) and Junhui had themselves. Apparently they had gotten much closer when they were attempting to get them together, perhaps a much more complicated ordeal than it had been for Junhui and (y/n) to play matchmaker with them, as Junhui was believed to have been married at the time. Though it seemed to work nevertheless.

Joshua had managed to lure Junhui back and into (y/n)'s direction. He was even the one that had cornered him about his intentions with his sister whilst being married—and so enlightened Junhui of the situation at hand, as he then confronted (y/n) the very next day in the library, delighted to realize the misunderstanding occurring.

"I believe they'd like that very much." (y/n) agreed, turning her head to look up at Junhui once more. His golden hair was much longer, pulled back with a ribbon she had tied on him herself in their carriage. He was as handsome as ever, perhaps a beauty that would never fade, with soft, charming features that seemed timeless to her. Her face would heat up whenever his dark, warm eyes landed on her, and her skin would practically burn whenever he'd press his lips onto hers, reminding her of that ageless, apodictic love he held for her; a flame in the depths of his heart that seemed to never extinguish.

"I'd love to show you the ocean." He confessed, seating her alongside him on a bench under a flower archway. That gentle smile of his melted onto his face, a sigh of relief expelling from his nose as he took in his lovely (y/n) again and again. "It's indescribable. It stretches far beyond the eye can see. The waters are cool and the winds are refreshing under the sun." He brushed back a lock of hair from her face, fingers resting at the junction of her jaw where her ears resided. "I'd love to experience everything the world has to offer with you. If you'll allow me."

"That sounds wonderful to me."

Her poor heart couldn't possibly take such tenderness, such warm devotion on a daily basis. This incessant thudding in her chest whenever Junhui held her in his arms, he could quite possibly kill her one of these days from how fatal he was to her fragile heart. But she'd die happy. Knowing Junhui had become her first love, her last love, and her forever love.

289 notes · View notes

lololololchips · 4 months

Note

i would love love love a boyfriend texts for either jun or minghao if u haven’t made one yet:) have a nice day ur writing always has me laughing it’s so good💗💗

hiiiii i’m so glad my texts make you laugh 😊😊 sorry for the late reply but here it is finally LOOL

i’m going to be posting minghao in the following days but meanwhile here is jun:))

Wen Junhui || boyfriend texts with jun

genre: one shot texts, fluff, fake texts, idol!bf x non!idol gf

warnings: cursing, fem pronouns, nsfw (?), mention of cheating (nothing major)

429 notes · View notes

badalivie · 4 months

Text

when you faint on stage

warnings: unhealthy diets, cursing, and some mentions of blood

seungcheol!

“I can’t. My performance is in a couple minutes” You huffed, almost tripping over because of the lack of feeling you had in your left leg.

“slow down” Seungcheol grabbed a hold of your waist and pulled you back up on your feet “y/n please.” Just as he tried to beg you again, your group was called to perform. He could only watch as you hauled yourself onto the stage and smiled brightly, waving and making hearts at the cameras. He hated seeing his members in pain during performances and not being able to do anything to help them. So imagine how he felt watching you, the love of his life, haul yourself onto the stage like a soldier with a duty to battle.

After 3 excruciating minutes, you were able to finish the performance. Seungcheol kept his eyes on you like a hawk throughout the performance. Biting his nails, tapping his foot, peeling the skin on his lips. He felt like his heart was going to burst from worry. The way your eyes began to close and the way your foot was fighting for balance didn’t go unnoticed by him. Just as the lights shut off, you lost consciousness. Seungcheol was fast enough to catch you before you hit the ground, tearing his slacks as his knees slid across the floor. “Y/n, doll, come on” He lightly tapped your cheeks and stroked your head “Fuck.” He cursed, picking you up bridal style and running to your waiting room.

“I don’t care what you think! I’m asking you why you thought it was okay to overwork y/n like this! Extreme diets, 17 hour schedules, are you out of your mind?! You think being an idol is easy?”

The voice of your boyfriend yelling slowly woke you up. “Baby..?” You muttered. Seungcheol’s head snapped towards you when he heard your voice and he instantly kneeled down to your eye level while you lay on the couch.

“Hey, how are you feeling?” He smiled sweetly while he waved your manager and other staff away with one motion of his hand.

“Dizzy” you replied, trying to get up

“hey hey, slow down” Seungcheol placed his hands on your back and helped you sit up. “drink.” He gently held your chin as he guided you to drink from the water bottle he had bought earlier, feeding you like a baby. You drank a good amount before pushing the bottle away. “Good girl.” Seungcheol cooed, stroking the side of your head and tucking your hair behind your ear.

“what happened?”

“you passed out.” He frowned

“Oh shit not again” you face palmed. Seungcheol’s eyebrows crashed together.

“again? how many times has this happened?” He grabbed your wrist tightly and pulled it away from your face, forcing you to look at him. “Tell me.” He pressed.

“Just like… three or four times”

A serious, yet worried, expression washed over his features. “I knew it. I knew something was up with you. Why didn’t you tell me?” You sensed a hint of anger in his voice even though he tried his hardest to suppress it. You knew how careful he was with you, always making sure you never bumped into anything or strained yourself too much (which you were grateful for), so you didn’t want to trouble him when you started passing out and kept it a secret.

“because I knew you’d react like this.” You sighed.

His face scrunched up in what seemed to be annoyance before he took a breath and relaxed “of course I’m going to react like this, y/n. I’m your boyfriend, all I want is for you to be happy, and healthy. You can’t expect me to be anything less than worried.” He sighed, eventually calming down, and rested his forehead against yours.

“I’m sorry,” You said, attempting to calm his nerves knowing he was probably exploding internally. You rubbed your hands up and down his arms, which you could feel made him physically relax. “It won’t happen again.”

“It definitely won’t. I’ll make sure of that. You’re gonna be okay. I’m here now.”

He’d definitely watch over you like a hawk for the rest of the month. He’d make sure you ate 3 meals a day and had a decent amount of sleep. Your manager adjusted your schedule to make it a bit lighter. How could he not? He was too scared to find out what Seungcheol would to do him if he didn’t ease up on you.

jeonghan!

“so you think I’m weak and can’t handle it?”

“That’s not what I meant at all and you know it.” Jeonghan exasperated

“Yeah well, that’s what it sounded like to me.”

Jeonghan sighed and reached for your arm, rubbing up and down “I just worry for you... That’s all...” Before you could respond, your group was called to the stage. The heartbreak he felt when you shook his hand off was incomprehensible. It started off as a joke. He was teasing you about how pale you were, but when he noticed how weak you actually were, his mood changed. “You can’t go on stage like this y/n.” “You’re too... frail...” “Look at you! You look like you’re going to fall over any minute!” Were some of the things he said. Considering your exhaustion and all his prior teasing, you were not having any of it, which lead to a small dispute.

Jeonghan quietly returned to his seat by his members when the event continued. He kept his eyes fixated on you the whole time. Every time your balance faltered, and when your knees hit the ground too hard, he flinched in his seat. You managed to get to the end of the performance, but before you could strike the ending pose, you fell to the ground. The crowd gasped and the camera flashes went wild.

Jeonghan calmly stood up and excused himself from his members, who all understood where he was going. He heard the voices of your concerned members through the speakers, but he never sped up his pace as he made his way backstage. The pace he was walking at was driving him insane. When he got backstage, away from the cameras, his legs mindlessly began to speed up, taking him faster and faster until he was sprinting to your waiting room.

Jeonghan’s heart sank when he saw you with an oxygen mask strapped to your face. He immediately turned to your manager and lost it.

You woke up to the sound of your boyfriends voice and that irritating tone of his. You only heard it when you got in big arguments with him. It was that tone that made you think he wasn’t taking you seriously, like he was mocking you. It drove you crazy. But hearing what he was saying made your heart warm.

“So what did you expect her to do? Just take it and soldier though? Do you hear yourself right now? What do you want me to say? ‘You’re a genius!’ Pull yourself together dumbass. Look at the state she’s in! Did you not have enough brain to think this far? Do you think she’s a robot?! This is what happens to a person if you don’t let them rest!”

You gently reached your hand and grazed your fingertips over Jeonghan’s hand. A shiver crawled up his spine at the contact. “Baby…” Your boyfriend fell to his knees by your side, brushing your hair back. The staff all silently slipped outside of the room, partly because they were scared of Jeonghan, but because they also wanted to give you two privacy. “I’m sorry for earlier. I shouldn’t have been hard on you…” He immediately apologized.

“I’m sorry too. I know you care for me… I shouldn’t have let my exhaustion rub off on you.”

Jeonghan shook his head and smiled sweetly at you “It’s okay. I know I have those moments with you too, and honestly I’d rather you be open to me about how you’re feeling. Okay? Don’t hide it from me.” He grabbed some water and a snack from the coffee table next to you. “Please eat something. You know how hard it was for me to just watch you eat only fruits at home?”

You sat up slowly and debated at first, but when you saw the way Jeonghan was looking at you with his worried, begging eyes, you had to say yes. “Just a small bag of cheetos. That’s it.”

“It’s a step” He chirped, popping the bag open and feeding you pieces of the snack one by one.

He’d watch over you silently but diligently for the next few months. He’d subtly try to up your food intake without you noticing and he’d always cuddle you after eating a large meal, almost like a reward.

shua!

"you’re bleeding!”

You felt blood trickle down from your nose, the droplets landing on your stage outfit. Joshua ran to your side and wiped your nose with a tissue. “This is bad, y/n. Really bad.”

“I’m fine. This happens a lot” You said nonchalantly, stuffing some tissue up your nostril.

“a lot? y/n you need to see a doctor!”

“I’m fine, shua...” You tried to reassure him, but it obviously wasn’t working.

“y/n please.”

Just on cue, you were called to the stage to perform. Joshua grabbed your wrist, asking you to stay and take a break. He didn’t let go up until the very last second. He watched your performance from his seat anxiously. It was obvious to him that your blood was still trickling down from your nose. You kept looking up and wiping your nose when you walked to the side of the stage. You were like a ticking time bomb.

Just before the last chorus could start, you dropped your microphone and fell onto the cold wooden floor. One of your members helped you up and carried you backstage with the help of some staff while your other members continued the performance. Joshua pushed through the crowd and burst through the backstage doors, booking it towards your waiting room.

“y/n!” His heart sank at the sight of you laid out on the couch. Grabbing a blanket, he threw it over your body and fell to his knees beside you. Joshua grabbed your hand and brought it up to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss on the back. After about 15 minutes, you regained consciousness.

“Shua..?”

“you’re awake... how do you feel?”

It took you a second to answer, feeling too drowsy to even evaluate your physical state “not so good.”

Joshua sighed and brushed your hair back, whispering softly “we’re seeing a doctor tomorrow.”

“Joshua there’s no need-”

“No. You are not arguing with me on this. I should have been more stern with you.” His voice was sharp, yet his eyes were still gentle as ever, afraid of hurting or scaring you. “We’re seeing a doctor and that’s the end of the story. If there’s something wrong with you, I want to know, I want to help. I don’t want to regret not taking you to the doctor. I can’t take that risk. I can’t to lose you...”

You cupped his cheeks and planted a gentle kiss on his forehead “And you wont...” He melted upon hearing those words of reassurance, bringing his hands up to yours and pressing them closer to his face, moving his head to the side to kiss one of your palms. “What time do we have to go tomorrow?”

“After we get enough rest.”

The doctor said you were suffering from burnout and exhaustion and advised you to get lots of rest. Joshua was happy that you didn’t have any serious life threatening conditions and that helping you get better was something he had power over. He’d pamper you but also be strict with your recovery, scolding you whenever you didn’t eat enough saying “you didn’t eat a lot, you just ate more than usual.”

jun!

Jun was usually soft-spoken toward you. He always respected and trusted your decisions whatever they may be. So when you were depriving yourself of your basic needs and deteriorating your health, he had no idea how to talk to you about it. You’d never put yourself in a situation that needed his intervention before so he had no idea how to tackle it. His hesitation lasted weeks, with multiple occasions of him saying he wanted to talk to you about something that was concerning him but it ending up with him getting too nervous and changing the topic to something else.

“Love, can we talk please?”

“Of course Junnie. What is it?”

“Are you okay-“

Before Jun could finish you were called by your manager, telling you to get on stage. You told him you’d talk to him later and ran into positions. Jun bit his lip, frowning at how the outfit you were wearing brought out how much weight you’d lost.

You were out of breath and wobbly on stage, something even the audience took notice of. Mid-performance, as your verse was coming up, you fell onto the ground, landing hard on your shoulder. Jun flinched and instinctively ran to you, propping you up on his lap and cradling your face in his hands. The cameras went wild, the flashes almost blinding him. Soon after, staff came to the stage, blocking the two of you from sight and lifted you onto a stretcher. Jun followed the staff that took you to your waiting room with his heart stuck in his throat. He knew that there would be consequences to coming on stage and letting the media see him with you like that, but he didn’t care. He just needed to make sure you were okay. After all, as long as he had you by his side, he could take on the world.

It took about 20 minutes to wake up. You blinked your eyes open to see Jun sitting on a chair across from you, head in his hands. “Junhui...” You called. He jolted when he heard your voice and knelt by your side in a flash.

“y/n! I was so worried! When you fainted I- I didn’t know what to do I-... I was so scared.” You cupped his cheeks and brought his face closer to yours, pressing a gentle kiss against his lips.

“I’m sorry.”

“You can’t keep scaring me like this, y/n. I can’t keep watching you do this to yourself. I can’t take it. This is where I draw the line.”

“Junhui...”

“Listen to me, y/n” His voice was sharp and stern, a polar opposite from his usual gentle tone. After noticing the shock on your face, he took a deep breath and softened his approach “ Please... We’re seeing a doctor, and getting you a dietitian.”

“Junnie, I can handle myself. I don’t need a dietitian-”

“That wasn’t a request, y/n. I’m getting you one”

You knew by the way he was stalking to you that there was no changing his mind. Though, you did realize that if you hadn’t pushed yourself so far, he wouldn’t have been so stern with you. Deep down, you knew he cared about you.

“Okay... Thank you, Junhui...”

His eyes softened “I’ll never let anything happen to you. You know that right?”

“I know... But hey, on a side note, I like you being strict. It’s really cute~”

“stop it” He giggled, wrapping his arms around you and pulling you in for a kiss.

Jun would be very gentle and supportive in your recovery, making sure you knew he would be with you every step of the way. He’d send gentle reminders to eat the snacks he packed you with sticky notes of motivational messages and cradle you to sleep, smiling when he gradually felt your body gain a little more fat every time he held you.

wonwoo!

“stop it.” Wonwoo chided

“Leave me alone, Won.”

“Y/N!”

“JUST GO!” You shook his arm off, stumbling as you did so. “if you’re not going to support me, just leave.”

“you can’t keep doing this. Your body can’t handle it.”

“I know what I can and can’t handle, Won.” The way you seethed his name left a bitter taste in his mouth. He exhaled and gently tried to reach for you again.

“y/n, please... I don’t want to fight.”

You sighed “me too... Just-... I’ll catch you after my performance”. Wonwoo wanted to reach for you again and say something, but no words were coming out of his mouth. The two of you almost got in a really big fight, he knew the both of you needed space. Still, he never stopped worrying about you, not even for a second.

Wonwoo could barely sit still while you performed on stage. Every time you fell too hard on your knees or twisted your ankle, he winced. Before he knew it, in the blink of an eye, you were on the ground, motionless and cold. He jolted up from his seat, watching in horror as the staff carried you backstage. He felt his legs take him to your waiting room where he found you laid out on the couch.

Wonwoo took deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself, loosening his tie and grabbing a chair to sit beside you. He couldn’t stay still no matter how much he tried, so he grabbed a bucket, a towel, and some iced water. He dipped the towel in the iced water and wrung it before placing it on your forehead. “come on y/n...” He whispered, brushing his fingers through your hair.

“Won..?” You blinked your eyes open

“Oh thank God” Wonwoo exasperated “You have no idea how worried I was. I just blinked and the next thing I knew you were on the ground! I-”

“I’m sorry...”

“huh..? for what, love?”

“for earlier...” You lowered your head “You were right and I... I shouldn’t have snapped at you like that. You didn’t deserve that.”

“Oh baby, you’re tired and stressed. I get it. I’m not upset because of that, I’m upset because I don’t like seeing you get hurt.” He rubbed your now bruised knees gently with his hands. “Listen, let’s get you help. Okay? You’re having problems staying up and eating and breathing and just… You need help, y/n, and I’ll give it to you. You just need to let me in. Let me help you help yourself. How does that sound?”

You stayed silent, letting Wonwoo think you were debating it in your head when in reality you already knew the answer. Of course, you would listen to him, why wouldn’t you? What kept you silent is how long it took for you to finally let yourself get help. “Okay… Let’s go to the doctor…”

“Thank you” Wonwoo wrapped his arms around you and held you as close to him as humanly possible. The two of you would have a long, thorough conversation about how you would be handling your health and what steps you’d be taking to get back to proper health. Wonwoo was patient and respectful throughout the whole process, hearing your concerns but also making his side known.

He’d say he trusted you enough to take care of yourself but he’d always be subtly looking after you even if you didn’t notice. Lots of small gestures like putting more food on your plate or getting you juice after practice and opening bottles for you.

woozi!

“This is your fault! Look at what you’ve done to her! Are you proud of yourself?!” Your hearing was muffled but you could make our your boyfriend’s voice in the room, yelling. When you tried opening your eyes, you saw his figure facing your manager, who had a guilty expression on his face. “I told you time and time again that it was too much! You never listened! Now, look what happened! You sacrificed her health for magazine shoots! Are you out of your mind?! You watched her get worse and worse and did nothing! have you no remorse?”

“jihoon-ah...” You whispered, just loud enough for him to hear. Jihoon froze. “baby, come here” His head snapped in your direction, and when he saw you looking at him, the crease between his eyebrows immediately disappeared. His rage had disappeared into thin air, immediately replaced with worry.

“hey, you’re finally awake.” He fell to his knees by your side, smiling weakly. His voice had taken a total 180 from how he was speaking to your manager just a few seconds ago (who was now trying to leave the room without making a single noise, afraid of what Jihoon would do to him).

“what’s going on..? why am I here..?”

“You passed out on stage.”

“I did?” You tried sitting up, but you felt too tired to do so. Jihoon noticed and placed his hand on your back to help you sit up, placing pillows on your back to support you.

“yeah. everyone was worried. I was worried.” Jihoon breathed, resting his forehead against yours. That was a habit of his whenever he was stressed. You indulged him, letting him hold you for as long as he wanted, knowing how worried he must have been. The silence was broken by a small sniffle coming from your boyfriend. “Jihoon?” You asked, partially worried but also shocked. He rarely cried. “Why are you crying?”

“I can’t take this anymore. Do you have any idea how scared I was?!” He raised his voice a little, a few tears streaking down his cheeks. “You come home at 3 in the morning with barely enough energy to give yourself a bath! You barely eat, you barely sleep, and you barely call anymore. Day and night I worry if you’re okay because you’ve started getting bloody noses often and you have a hard time standing and you don’t even want to eat your favorite foods with me anymore! It’s killing me seeing you like this. The worst part is you won’t talk to me about it! I have to find out through the staff and your friends! Do you have any idea how it makes me feel to find out that my girlfriend’s health is deteriorating right before my eyes and I barely noticed?!”

“Jihoon... I’m so sorry. I didn’t know it was affecting you this much.” You cupped his cheeks and wiped his tears “I’m fine, baby. See? I’m right here. I’m going to be okay”

“You say that but you haven’t shown me anything to back it up. You’re getting worse, y/n. I know your schedule has been hectic because of your comeback but you have to take care of yourself too. If you wont do it for yourself, at least do it for me... please...”

“I will, I’m sorry. I’ll fix it. I’ll make everything right.”

“we.” he corrected “I’m with you, remember? every step of the way. I’d appreciate it if you talked to me more. Let me know when you’re in pain, when you’re tired, or sick. I want to know everything.”

“I will, I promise. I won’t hide anymore. Thank you, love. For everything”

Jihoon didn’t say anything in reply and simply kissed you. He was very patient throughout your recovery and basically nursed you back to health himself. He would often push you but you knew he only wanted what was best for you. Every time you overcame a challenge he gave you he’d reward you with cuddles on the couch or a date. You’re so incredibly lucky to have him.

myungho!

“It’s not healthy, love”

“I know but I… I need to lose weight. I don’t want to disappoint the fans”

“You don’t need to lose weight. You’re perfect. Anyway, your real fans would love you no matter how you look. Just like I do.” He stroked your cheek gently, unable to hide the concern on his face. “and you know I’m your biggest fan, right?”

After minutes of constant reassurance, Myungho finally let you join your group to prepare to go on stage. He watched the performance with his lip caught between his teeth. He doesn’t remember the last time he was this anxious. He knew your group had a difficult choreography, and he scolded you a lot at home for starving yourself to this extent. Myungho had watched your mental health spiral downwards after one particular meeting with your manager, where it all started. No words could possibly express how he felt when he noticed you getting smaller and smaller every time he hugged you. The least he could do was try to reduce your anxiety by cuddling you when you got home, cooking you your favorite snacks, making you tea, or even slow dancing with you to your favorite songs on the record player. He did everything he could, but he couldn’t help you if you didn't want to help yourself, which made it all the more difficult for him to watch.

You were a very sharp person, heck, you were the main dancer. You were a perfectionist, so when he saw you falter on one of the dance steps, he knew something was definitely wrong. You managed to finish the performance, but you were more out of breath than you should have been, and Myungho especially caught the way you couldn’t stand straight while your leader was giving a speech. “Y/n!” He whisper-yelled, which you barely managed to hear. You turned your head and looked at him dead in the eyes “come to me” He mouthed, opening his arms to you. You wanted to walk to him and just rest your weight on him, but you couldn’t seem to feel your legs. All you could do was smile before your vision turned black.

Myungho instinctively ran towards you and caught you before you hit the ground. He could hear the gasps and camera flashes from the audience but he couldn’t care less about them. “Y/n, baby, wake up.” He silently pleased, cupping your cheek in his hand. One of the staff approached him and said they had to rush you to the waiting room where the medics were waiting. Reluctantly, he let the staff take over, following closely behind.

By the time you regained consciousness you were already at home. Myungho was sitting on a chair next to the bed, holding your hand while he rested his head on a pillow. “Myungho...” You whispered, stirring him awake.

“You’re finally up” He smiled sleepily, moving his hand up to brush your hair back. “I was worried. I’m... really upset with what happened, y/n”

“What happened..?”

“You passed out on stage before I could reach you...”

“Before you could reach me..? Are you saying you went on stage?”

“Yes.”

“Myungho!” You jolted up, immediately regretting it once you felt a surge of pain through your back. Your boyfriend seemed just as surprised as you as he jumped forwards to place a pillow behind you to support your back. “So our relationship... It’s out?!”

“yeah. the public knows.”

“I’m sorry Myungho...” You sighed, letting him shift closer to plant a gentle kiss on your lips.

“You think that’s what I’m upset about?” Myungho stared at you with a mix of irritation and worry in his eyes. He took a deep breath before speaking again.

“Help yourself, y/n. Please. I can’t help you if you don’t help yourself. It hurts seeing you like this. Please let me help you.” His forehead rested against yours, he kept his eyes closed while he spoke gently.

“Okay... I’m sorry...”

“You should be... Seeing you like that broke my heart, you know?”

It would be a slow process, but Myungho stayed by your side throughout the whole thing. When you couldn’t get yourself to eat, he’d support you, when you felt guilty for eating, he comforted you. He was always there, caring for you and whispering gentle reassurances in your ear until you were healthy again.

mingyu!

"Mingyu!”

“Hyung? What’s up?” Mingyu stared at Seungcheol who was panting by the doorway of the restroom

“It’s y/n.” The older male fought to catch his breath “She passed out on stage.” Mingyu, who was in the middle of drying his hands, froze.

Everything after that was a blur. He could vaguely remember Seungcheol’s mouth moving as if he were speaking but not actually hearing anything. He could vaguely remember bumping into other idols as he sprinted his way backstage. He could vaguely remember tripping on someone’s foot and falling to the ground but immediately picking himself up and continued running to your room. Though nothing would ever make him forget the image of you lying on your waiting room couch with an oxygen mask strapped to your face.

“What happened?” Mingyu’s tone was low and dark. The only other person in the room was your manager, who placed a water bottle on the coffee table next to you.

“She fainted in the middle of her performance. The members are continuing without her but-”

“No, I meant what happened for things to reach this point? Cause I heard you put her on a 1 apple a day diet. Isn’t that right?” Mingyu towered over your manager with darkness pooling by his face as he looked down on him.

“I-I-”

“So it’s true? Now, why would you do something like that? What could you have been thinking, if you were thinking at all? Surely, you did think about the consequences, right? Of what would happen to her if you pushed her too far, and what would happen to you if she ever got hurt. Right? Do you see how skinny she is?” Your boyfriend harshly grabbed your manager’s shoulder, making him wince and groan. “Look. at. her.” Your manager turned his face to gaze at you, staring at your boney figure and feeling the remorse kick in. “Does the fact that you can see her ribs not concern you? What weight is there left to lose?”

“Gyu...” You groaned, slowly regaining consciousness. Mingyu dug his fingers into your manager’s shoulder and brought him closer.

“Leave the room, now. Y/n will take the rest of the day off to recover and she will not follow the ‘diet’ you’ve prescribed to her any longer.”

“but-”

“Did that sound like a request? You do whatever you need to do to let her have the day off. I. Don’t. Care. She will go home and you will do your job properly this time. Am I clear?” Your manager shook his head up and down frantically before Mingyu finally loosened his grip on him. Your manager practically ran out of the room, fearing to stay in the same room as your boyfriend for another second.

"gyu...” You called for him again, voice louder this time.

“I’m right here, baby. Don’t worry” He sat on the floor to match your eye level, giving you his signature sweet smile. “how are you feeling?” You felt his large hands over your own, rubbing circles at the back of your palm with his thumbs.

“Not so good... I’m a bit hungry...”

“how about this, once you feel better enough to walk, I take you to our favorite tteokbeokki place near home. what do you say?”

You smiled at the thought of going on a date with your boyfriend after stressful practice and passing out on stage, but reality hit you soon after. “I can’t... I’m on a diet... Sorry, Gyu...”

“Don’t worry about that. I had a talk with your manager and he said he’s taking you off that diet. You lost a lot of weight, it wasnt healthy.” He caressed your cheek gently and gazed at you with nothing but love and sincerity in his eyes.

“Are you sure..? Am I not too fat..?”

Mingyu seemed taken aback by the sudden question “Don’t be silly. You’re not fat, stop saying mean things about yourself. And quite frankly, I don’t care what you look like. Big or small, you’ll always be the woman I fell in love with. There’s nothing more I could want from you than to be healthy. that’s all, y/n”

“Do you really mean that?”

“of course...” He tucked stray pieces of hair behind your ear and kissed your cheeks. Mingyu began sensing your insecurity a couple of weeks ago when you didn’t want to wear one of the favorite dresses he got you because you thought your arms looked too big for it. He felt the best approach was to be gentle and supportive, making sure you knew he didn’t care about your weight. Judging by your reaction, that was the right decision.

You never found out about the small altercation between your manager and your boyfriend. That was probably for the best. He didn’t want your perception of him to change. He was still that soft, gentle, sweet boy you always knew, and he would continue to be that to you and the people around you as long as no harm came to you.

Your schedule lightened up and you spent more time at home with your boyfriend, rebuilding your confidence back up one piece at a time.

seokmin!

When Seokmin asked if you were okay, you replied with ‘sure’. He didn’t believe you. Those nights he’d find you awake in the kitchen drinking endless amounts of water, when you almost trip whenever you stand up didn’t slip by him. Still, he didn’t want to pry into what seemed your personal business until you wanted to tell him yourself. Still, he kept a careful eye on you while trying to cheer you up whenever you seemed tired.

Seokmin had many regrets. He regretted not asking what was causing you pain, and not convincing you to turn down that stupid diet. All because he knew he’d never forget how he felt when he saw you fall to the ground in the middle of your performance. He froze. His ears rung from the sound your microphone made when it hit the ground. He couldn’t understand or see anyone else but you lying on that stage while your members called for help. He didn’t care about the cameras. Seokmin got up from his seat immediately and ran backstage to your waiting room.

When you woke up you found Seokmin holding your hand in his palms close to his face with his eyes closed. “Seokmin?” His eyes burst open and he turned to look at you.

“You’re awake. How are you feeling?”

“dizzy… and hungry”

He gave you a small smile. “Here, have this.” Seokmin fed you strawberries and opened a water bottle he bought for you. “Y/n.”

“Yeah?”

“Please don’t scare me like this again.” He kept his eyes on the strawberries he was picking from the box while he said that. Seokmin felt too guilty to look into your eyes.

“I’m sorry, baby” you whispered, but he still didn’t look at you. “Hey, look at me” You placed your hand on his cheek and lifted his head. “It won’t happen again. hm? I’m sorry.”

Seokmin sighed and wrapped his arms around your waist, digging his nose into the crook of your neck. “I’m here, y/n. Please stop acting like i’m not. Tell me when you’re having a hard time. Let me take care of you sometimes. I know you view me as this cheerful and funny boyfriend but you can come to me when you need help too. okay? Im here for better and for worse.”

“Thank you, Seokmin...”

He’d (endearingly) nag you for probably the rest of your relationship. He made it a habit to text you to eat and check up on you. Whenever he was around, regardless of what either of you was doing, when his alarm went off he’d grab a banana, some milk, and walk to you and say “snack time! you need your energy.”

seungkwan!

Both you and Seungkwan were busy. With him going on multiple shows and you being in a hot new girl group, your meetings at home lessened and lessened. Seungkwan noticed you losing weight whenever he saw you, but he never really thought anything of it. That was until you fainted in the middle of your performance.

He’ll never forgive himself for not seeing the signs sooner. You two lived in the same house for god’s sake!

Seungkwan canceled all his schedules for the week and took you to the hospital. There he sat by your side, holding your hand while listening to the traffic from outside the hospital window. “I’m sorry. I should have known. I didn’t know you were getting this bad...” He sighed, placing his hand on your forehead, feeling your unusually high body temperature. You had a fever, were dehydrated, overworked, and burned out. You passed out from exhaustion and still hadn’t woken up after 13 hours.

When you finally woke up, you found Seungkwan holding your hand while his head and arms rested on your hospital bed. He was asleep. “Seungkwan... baby wake up.”

“y/n, you’re awake...”

“What am I doing here..?”

“You passed out from exhaustion... you’ve been sleeping for almost a day”

It took a few sentences to process what your boyfriend had said. “Fuck... my schedules!” You tried tgo sit up in a panic but Seungkwan placed a hand on your shoulder.

“Slow down, baby. Everything’s okay. You’re on a break right now, I took care of everything. Just focus on resting okay?”

He rubbed your arms up and down, relaxing you. When you finally settled down again, Seungkwan smiled, kissing your cheek. “Hey uh... I’m sorry for not taking care of you better... We live in the same house but I didn’t even notice something was wrong.”

“It’s not your fault... I didn’t know I had already lost control of my health... I was too busy...”

“we both were...” You held his hand and intertwined your fingers with his own. “Listen, I want you to know that even if we both get busy, you can still talk to me okay? Tell me when you don’t feel well or need me and I’ll make time for you... I always will...”

“Thank you... I hope you know I’m here for you too. I know your schedule is tiring too...”

“You know, long days at work aren’t so bad either. It just means more excitement for when I get to go home and see you again” He winked, nudging your elbow in a playful manner

“Oh stop it~” You giggled, pushing his arm

You two laughed together for the first time in weeks. “Okay so here’s what we’re gonna do. We’re taking this week off and spending it at home. I’ll be attending less interviews, and your manager will be making your schedule more flexible. We’ll get you a dietitian too. Just so you can get back to a healthy weight.”

“That all sounds.... great, baby. Thank you.”

What happened to you traumatized Seungkwan, but he was also thankful for the experience. It was a wake-up call for both of you. Ever since then, you two spent more time together at home, talking about each other’s days and ranting and taking care of each other. Seungkwan never failed to make you smile with his daily checkups on you when he called.

vernon!

Vernon, who had just returned to Korea after touring for months, was more than thrilled to see you again. He sat with his group, biting his lip in a weak attempt to hold back a smile while you were on stage performing. But as soon as he saw you walk on stage, his smile faded. When did you get so thin? and pale? Your hair looked like it’d gotten thinner too... His members all glanced at him, seeing his shocked and confused expression.

“Yah, is Y/n okay?” Seungkwan nudged Vernon's elbow

“I... I don’t know... She sounded alright over the phone but this...” He couldn’t even form words to reply to his member. You looked like a different person. All the members took notice of how much you struggled on stage. You were out of breath, tripping, and faltering at every difficult move. It was a miracle that you made it to the end of the performance.

When the lights shut off, everyone heard something drop. The gasps of your members had indicated to everyone that there was an accident. While the lights were still off, Vernon rose from his seat and quickly made his way backstage. By the time he got there you were surrounded by staffs who were fanning you, placing ice packs on your neck and making sure the oxygen mask was strapped to your face.

Vernon took a deep sigh as he gazed at your frail state. When your manager walked into the room and saw Vernon standing in the corner of the room, a shiver ran up his spine. He immediately asked the other staff to step out of the room and give you space. Before he was able to slip out of the room, Vernon grabbed his wrist tightly. “I’m having a word with you later. Don’t think you can run from me.” He growled, harshly releasing your managers wrist and letting him scurry away.

Vernon pulled a stool over and sat by your side, gently stroking your hair before resting his head in his hands. “How did i not notice?” “I should’ve asked how she was doing...” “I should’ve checked up on her more.” “i should’ve-”

“Hansol...” You weakly called for him, pulling him out of his thoughts.

“Hey baby” He weakly grinned, tucking your hair behind your ear. “You okay?” He asked. You obviously weren’t, but he didn’t know what to say with the adrenaline still pumping in his veins.

“I’m fine...” It was a weak attempt at trying to ease his nerves, because you both knew you were lying.

“bullshit.” Vernon said sternly “how long has this being going on?”

“How long has what been going on?”

“Don’t play coy with me. You know exaclty what I’m talking about.”

You took a deep breath, this was going to be tough for you. “About a week after you left for tour...” If it wasn’t for the sound of your breathing, the room would have been quiet enough for you to hear Vernon’s heart shatter. “I just lost control... I didn’t know it was this bad... I was too busy to notice and I just... I wanted to be pretty. Not just for my group’s comeback but I wanted to be prettier for you when you came back too-”

“Y/n what are you saying?” Vernon’s comment made you glance up to meet his confused gaze. His eyebrows were stitched together with his lips slightly parted in disbelief. “Do you hear what you’re saying right now? You wanted to be pretty? Pretty for when I came back? What does that even mean?” He sighed, cupping your cheeks. “You’re beautiful, y/n. You always have been. if thats not enough and you still want to take measures to help you feel more confident in your skin, the alright, I’ll support you. But never at the cost of your health.”

Tears trickled down your cheeks and Vernon was there to kiss each one away. “I love you, Hansol.”

“I know. Do you know I love you?”

He’d be very gentle yet persistent in your recovery. He’d make sure you ate enough food even if you whined and complained about it. After particularly large meals he’d spend hours cuddling you in the bedroom and kissing your arms, stomach and legs just to let you know that he loved your body no matter how it looked like.

chan!

“I’m not letting you go out there!” Chan sighed

“who are you to tell me what to do!”

“Your boyfriend, who cares about you a lot.” He tried to gently plead with you. “I can’t let you go on stage in the state that you’re in. You just threw up, you’re dizzy, dehydrated, exhausted and it shows.”

“I can’t, Chan. This is the last performance for this comeback, I can’t let everyone down.”

“Y/n-” Before he could try reasoning with you again, you were called onto stage to perform. Chan was pacing around while keeping his eyes on the screen your entire performance. Other idols approached him and asked him if he was okay, to which he just responded to with a wave of his hand and a brief nod. Even his members came out of the waiting room and tried to calm him down because he had been out for a while. He wouldn't leave. Towards the end of your performance, Chan was already waiting by the side of the main stage, waiting for you. You made a big bow, waved towards the cameras and glanced at him. His face was pale with worry and his hands couldn't seem to stay still. You weakly made your way towards him but collapsed right before you were able to completely exit the stage. The crowd saw the lower half of your body hit the ground and murmurs could he heard in the audience.

Chan cautiously kneeled down and pulled your body towards his own, out of sight from others. He cradled your head gently in his arms “Y/n, baby, wake up.” After you didn’t respond, he quickly lifted you bridal style and carried you to your waiting room. The staff tended to you as well as they could before they gave you and Chan space. He didn’t realize he was going it, but when he was sitting next to you he started to gently massage your palms. Pressing on the soft flesh with his thumbs.

“That feels nice...” You whispered as you slowly regained consciousness.

“Y/n! You’re awake!” He smiled, pressing a tender kiss to your cheek. “You worried me...”

“Did I pass out?”

Chan nodded gently “You need rest. Please, take a break. And please eat.” He tucked stray pieces of your hair behind your ear while he spoke.

“What if i gain weight?”

“So what? What matters is that you’re healthy, and happy. Let me help you, hm? Let me take care of you for once...”

He’d be very gentle and tender with you during your recovery. He’d talk to you sweetly and praise you for every achievement big or small.

authors note: to the person who requested this, im sorry this took literally forever but i hope you enjoyed it nonetheless <33

392 notes · View notes

cheolism · 8 months

Text

『 take a pic! 』

✧ svt!hyung line x reader ✧ summary: text messages of u asking ur boyfie for a pic <3 ✧ warnings: pls ignore the times!! food mention, threatening a teddy bear ✧ note: maknae line will come tomorrow!! if anyone has any ideas (but not requests, as i cannot promise i can get to it) for texts shoot it into my inbox!! <3

tag list: @coffeestay @tinkerbell460 @hyneyedfiz @wonuhour @sweet-like-caramel @immabecreepin

rest of the hyungs under the cut <3

1K notes · View notes

suhnshinehaos · 11 months

Text

' SETTING THE RECORD ' | w. junhui

synopsis : the one where yn is shipped with everyone but their boyfriend and they decide to finally set the record straight pairings : wen junhui x gn!, actor!reader genre/s : one-shot smau, pure fluff, humor

from reese, with love <3

a little something for junhui day <333 i love this man so much ,,,, i hope he had the best most wonderful day with the people he loves !! thank you for reading, i hope you enjoyed ! i'd love to know what you think. hope you're all doing well and taking care :)

#seventeen x reader #junhui x reader #seventeen imagines #seventeen fanfic #seventeen smau #seventeen sm aus #seventeen fluff #seventeen scenarios #seventeen oneshot #junhui smau #junhui fluff #junhui imagines #svt x reader #svt imagines #svt fluff #svt smau

989 notes · View notes

hcuyk · 9 months

Text

SYNOPSIS : jeonghan loves you. the happier ending to kidult

PAIRING : daycareworker!jeonghan x genderneutral!reader

GENRES : established relationship, daycare au, angst, fluff, features seventeen as children

WARNINGS : mentions of car accident and child neglect

TEASER WORD COUNT : 329

ESTIMATED WORD COUNT : 7-10k

ESTIMATED RELEASE DATE : within the next week. i lied its coming out when i get time cause why tf is my college doing sm

TAGLIST : lmk if you want to be added!

A/N : this is for kidult jeonghan reaching 1k notes. i love you all

K. COLLECTION [Y.JH] ONE | TWO

Tears began to stream down your face, unable to hold them back, and you were thankful Jeonghan missed it, but when you heard him apologize, you turned around and snapped at him.

“What the hell do you even want?”

“I want to talk to you.”

“You had two weeks to talk to me!” you yelled, fighting the loudness of the rain. The stream of tears ran faster down your cheeks as you brought a hand to your forehead, shielding the rain from getting into your eyes.

“I tried!”

“By knocking on my door for an hour straight at two in the fucking morning?! You could’ve called! You have a key!”

“Well it’s not like you tried either—”

“I got hit by a car!” you screamed, storming towards him as the sky reflected your mood. The thunder was just as loud as the pounding in your heart, and the rain poured just as much as your tears. You pushed Jeonghan, and behind him you saw a crack of lightning. Your vision started to blur as you didn’t hold back your sobs, wanting to show him the pain he’d inflicted on you ever since he left.

“I got hit by a car, Jeonghan! What about you? Were you hit by a car?! A truck? Perhaps a plane?” You forced out a manic laugh before continuing. “Wait, no, don’t tell me. Let me guess,-”

“Y/N—”

“-mauled by a bear?”

“I can explain-”

“Tell me I’m goddamn overreacting.” You took a step forward, and instead of pushing him again, you stared, making him look at the pain he created. “Tell me I’m overreacting, Hannie. Look me in my eyes and say it loud and clear.”

“I knew you’d be there for me.”

“I missed you, I needed you-”

“I know.”

“The day I lose you is the day I lose myself.”

“I don’t want you to wake up and realize I’m not the one for you. I don’t want that for us.”

hopefully the svt readers see this 😔

256 notes · View notes

wondernus · 2 years

Text

𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐦 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

✼ synopsis: flowers can speak for you when you can’t find the right words to say.

5 mini stories surrounding 5 different orders a local flower shop receives.

✼ pairing: florist!wjh x florist!reader (gn) ✼ genre: angst, drama, fluff, humor, romance ✼ series warnings: please check the individual story tags posted next to their titles. the tags will be updated as the smau progresses. you can find the individual stories under the cut!! ✼ status: ongoing (join the taglist!) ✼ started: 06.27.22

✼ a/n: I’ve recently been interested in the different types of orders a florist would receive that aren’t usually talked about, so I wanted to explore it in this fic (hence the return of the angst tag). If you’re into a medley of different genres, then this fic is for you!

wondernus main masterlist

meet our staff: 💐

✼ stories:

order request #1 - flowers for a crush ✏︎ message from sender: "hi! it's dk...again. I swear i'm not going to back out this time!" ⤷ tags: humor, feel-good, food, friends to lovers

chapter one

chapter two

chapter three

chapter four

chapter five

order request #2 - flowers for newbies ✏︎ message from sender: "Hey, it's Wonwoo. I want to treat myself to flowers, but I can barely take care of myself..." ⤷ tags: self-love, light angst, fluff, food, exes to friends

chapter one

chapter two

chapter three

chapter four

chapter five

order request #3 - flowers for myself ✏︎ message from sender: "I'm afraid of being forgotten." ⤷ tags: angst, character is preparing for his funeral, death, hospitals, sickness, soundcloud rappers, food picture, language, character almost goes to jail

chapter one

chapter two

chapter three

chapter four

chapter five

chapter six

chapter seven

chapter eight

chapter nine

chapter ten

order request #4 - flowers for chefs ✏︎ message from sender: "Y'all carry any edible flowers or nah?" ⤷ tags: food, humor, televised cooking competition, edible flowers, interactive stories

chapter one

chapter two

chapter three

chapter four

order request #5 - flowers from jun ✏︎ message from sender: "hehe" ⤷ tags: fluff, romance

[chapters to come!]

1K notes · View notes

horanghaejamjam · 1 year

Text

Vampire Kisses - {WJH}

↪ Summary: He is the head of the Wen family, the highest ranking family of vampires in the country. You are a mere human sold to them for the purpose of being his mate and bride. Jun is determined to win your heart before you wed, and perhaps a few playful kisses are the key to doing that.

↪ Pairings: Vampire lord Jun x Human female reader

↪ Rating: M 18+

↪ Genre: Vampire Au / Slight rivals to lovers / Smut / Fluff

↪ Word Count: 16.3k

↪ Warnings/Contents: Smut, Blood and blood drinking, Biting, Jun being super flirty and teasing, Arranged marriage, Virgin!reader, Unprotected sex, Body Worship, Oral (male receiving), Praise, Soft bondage (Jun ties/blindfolds reader with silk), Fingering, Talks about impregnation. Mostly just very fluffy and soft with Jun being whipped for reader.

↪ Side Notes: My first post of 2023! This also turned out way longer than I was expecting so I guess I got carried away lol. A few of the other svt members also make cameos in this story. It is implied that reader is younger than Jun.

↪ Huge thank you to the lovely @xiubaek-13 for betaing and editing this fic for me!

↪ Click here to see my other Seventeen stories

↪ Click here for other kpop masterlists

↪ Click here to join my fic taglist

Growing up, your mom always told you stories about marriage and weddings. How a woman's wedding was supposed to be the happiest day of her life, a once in a lifetime moment. Ever since the first story, you dreamed about the day you would get that moment, planning your dream wedding down to the very last detail. As a child, you imagined a royal ceremony in a grand castle, wearing the most beautiful and lavish dress you could ever imagine. Your husband would be royalty for sure, a man who would love and cherish you for as long as you both shall live. You would be happy together, have the perfect family, and live beautifully in your life of luxury. Looking back at those memories, you realized that you should have been careful about what you wished for. You were getting that wedding you always wanted, but it would not be under your terms. The other thing you learned young was that the world you lived in was not simple, in fact one may consider it the merging of two separate worlds. Two dominant races ran this world and fought for power, similar enough to coexist but different enough to segregate them to keep the world in balance.

For centuries, humans were the dominant race on Earth. The knowledge of others existed, but their numbers were far too small to be considered a challenge, so humans called the shots. Then, overtime, vampires became a much more prominent presence, easily taking over and claiming areas for themselves. Regions quickly became divided as vampires took control of certain areas, forcing humans to either fight back or surrender to the change. This caused a conflict for many years until leaders on both sides met and finally came to an agreement. They would coexist and operate together, with humans during the day and vampires at night. The agreement was sealed with a marriage of the royal families that united both sides. From that moment forward, it had become customary for the most powerful vampire families to marry one of their kin to a human as a way to honor the unity. The marriage would be sealed by the vampire claiming their spouse by taking their blood on their wedding day, and from there the human could choose if they wished to stay that way or transition to a vampire by drinking the blood of their mate.

You were born a human, raised in a lower class family who often struggled to make ends meet. You were an only child, and your parents did the best they could to make sure you had everything you needed growing up. You did your best in school and worked a part time job at a local bakery. Overall, you felt that you were pretty average but nothing special, especially not someone that any royal family would set their eyes on. Hell, you never even recalled meeting a vampire so you couldn’t imagine you would catch one's attention, but somehow you did.

Your whole world changed on the night of your 23rd birthday, being awoken to a knock at your door. Standing there, dressed in a black and red suit with a devilish smile, was one of the most ethereal beings you had ever laid your eyes on. He was tall, with piercing eyes and an almost dark aura to him, his fangs undeniably poking out against his lip as he smiled. You didn’t know what you expected vampires to look like, but it certainly was not this. He bowed and introduced himself as Mingyu, the head servant of the Wen family. He then explained that they had been observing you for quite some time and wanted to ask for your hand in marriage to their eldest son. You had been too stunned to speak, staring at Mingyu as if he had two heads while your parents argued against the idea. You had wanted to refuse also, not wanting to marry someone you had never met, let alone a vampire. However, they had promised protection and financial stability for you and your family as long as you stayed mated to him and provided an eventual heir to the bloodline. As much as you hated the idea, you knew deep down that it was what was best for your family, and so you said yes and prepared to move into the Wen family estate, where you now resided.

You had been living here for a few years now and never found adjusting any easier. Your wedding to Wen Junhui was set to take place within the next month, falling on the first full moon after your birthday. You didn’t quite understand how everything worked but you remember Mingyu explaining to you that this would be the time where the energy was highest and you were both at your prime. There was a chance for mating bonds to go wrong so this was the best chance of eliminating that risk. You had tried to ask what happened when it went wrong but all Mingyu did was pat your head and tell you not to worry about it.

That time had been spent allowing you to learn about the family and adjust to what your new life would be. Mr. and Mrs. Wen had met you almost immediately upon your arrival, giving you a once over before welcoming you with open arms. You learned a lot about the family, and about vampires in general from them, helping you to adjust more to your new life. Mr. Wen was born into the family and had been around for many hundred, if not almost a thousand years despite the fact that he didn’t even look 50. Mrs. Wen had been a human when she married into the family, making the decision to transition and stay with her husband when she was in her late 20s. Though she had also explained that she had only been turned after her 30th birthday so she was, technically, significantly younger than her husband. This made you question how age worked with vampires, especially the aging. All you were told was the brief explanation that aging was slower and it took many years for them to age the way a human would in one or two. There was also something about blood slowing down the process but you decided to tune that part out for your own sanity.

You were also informed about the family line, and how the head of the family would change every couple hundred years to keep up with the changing times, though the original head will often stick around for a while before moving on. The family had two known sons, with Jun being the oldest and only bred vampire which gave him the title by birth right. In human years, he would have just turned 26 making him a few years your senior, when in reality he was slowly nearing 300 years old which was the prime age for a vampire, if not still a bit young. He also had a younger brother, Minghao, who was a transitioned vampire. The human born son of one of the servants that Mr. Wen took in and claimed as his own child. The two brothers, despite not being blood related, were very close and did almost everything together. They had been traveling together at that time, so you hadn’t been able to meet either until a while later.

It had been during dinner (or breakfast for the family), when the two brothers finally returned. Polar opposites in style and personality, but both striking in their own way. Minghao was more delicate but striking in his features, jet black hair falling over his face in messy locks and dressed in an all black trench coat that hid most of his frame. He did not speak much around you, but when he did his voice was soft and his words were sharp and to the point, he had almost reminded you of one of your highschool professors. He acknowledged you briefly with a calm smile before excusing himself to his study, leaving you to finally turn and acknowledge your soon to be husband.

You would have been lying if you said Junhui wasn’t one of the most gorgeous men you’d ever seen. Immediately you could tell he was taller and had a larger build than his younger brother. His gaze was softer but still had an alluring touch to it, almost as if he looked bored. His hair was longer, practically touching his shoulders with a striking blonde color. Most of it was slicked back but a few strands fell in front of his eyes. He had been wearing a slick black button down with the top three buttons undone, tucked into fitted pants that suited him nicely. You were immediately attracted to, if not very intimidated by the man standing in front of you, even when he gave you a gentle smile and sat beside you. “Y/N,” he had muttered softly, taking your hand and kissing it, “I am so happy to finally meet you.” His voice was soft, and even a bit higher pitched than you had been expecting, and he seemed more than eager to get to know you.

ღ ღ ღ ღ ღ

From that moment forward, it seemed like Junhui, or Jun as he preferred you to call him, would not leave you alone. He was always following you around, attempting to talk to you or get you to acknowledge him. Whether it be genuine questions, teasing you over the smallest things, or even flirty advances, it seemed that no matter where you went Jun was there. You gave into him occasionally, but for the most part you found his presence to be quite annoying. Yeah you knew you were being forced to marry him but you hadn’t expected him to be all over you the second you met him. You figured, or more like hoped, that the two of you would stay acquaintances at most and just keep the formalities when his family was around, but it seemed like Jun had different ideas.

You tried your best to tolerate him, but as your wedding drew closer you found the whole thing weighing on you more and more. The situation became too real for your liking and suddenly you were questioning if this was really a good idea. You were marrying a complete stranger, someone who was infatuated with you but you wanted nothing to do with. You were expected to spend your life with this man and eventually have children with him and you didn’t know him, let alone love him. The thought alone made your skin crawl, trying to suppress the thoughts of what would happen on your wedding night, all for the family to stay in power. Unfortunately there was no way for you to change your mind, knowing that your family would suffer if you tried to back out was the only thing keeping you from running away. Instead you developed a new routine, sleeping through the night while they were up and taking advantage of the daytime to sneak out and enjoy the last few days of your freedom. Today was no exception, with you waking up early and pacing around your room, waiting for the day to arrive so you could sneak out and meet up with your friends.

Looking out the window, you saw the sun slowly starting to peak out over the horizon, just enough to paint the sky with a purple hue. Within the next hour or so it would be light out and, if your calculations were correct, the family would be asleep by then. Mr and Mrs Wen specifically were likely already in bed by now, the older vampires having no desire to wait for the sun. They were much more sensitive to the light as you had learned, keeping their curtains drawn hours before the sun even thought of rising. They were easy to sneak around, often following the same schedule so you knew where they would be at what time. Minghao was a bit trickier, the man not following a set schedule and often staying up way past when his peers had gone to bed. However, you also learned that he was a bit of a recluse, preferring to stay in his room or study whenever possible. Even when he did catch you, he seemed to either understand your feelings or not care enough to stop you, simply giving you a nod and a knowing look as you made your way out the door. You made a mental note to thank him one of these days for not stopping you or ratting you out to his parents.

Jun, on the other hand, was not as easy as his family. You weren’t sure if he liked the thrill of being up when it was day or he just didn’t trust you but he would be up for hours before finally resting. Sometimes you found him in his study working on who knows what and other times you had run into him chatting with one of the servants in the kitchen as if that was a normal occurrence for him. Well, technically it was, but that didn’t mean you liked it any more. Day time was the only time you ever had to yourself, enjoying the quiet and freedom before you would be forced to adapt to the nightlife. Though it seemed your soon to be husband didn’t like the idea of leaving you alone, always knowing where you were and sneaking up on you like the two of you were playing a twisted game of hide and seek.

“Enjoying the view Sweetheart?” speak of the devil, you nearly jumped out of your skin when you heard his voice behind you. You hadn’t even heard him enter your room so you had no idea how long he had been there. Jun chuckled at your obvious shock as he walked up behind you, reaching out to close the curtain before the rays of the sun could peak out and threaten him. Glancing at him over your shoulder, you saw that he had ditched his usual suit and jewels for his pajamas, a simple white shirt and baggy pants, giving you hope that this visit would be short.

“I thought you would be in bed,” you muttered as you turned to face him fully.

“Without saying goodnight?” he questioned, “I would never! You should know that by now.” He hummed in thought for a moment as he glanced down at you, bottom lip finding its way between his teeth, “Though judging by the way you’re dressed I’m assuming you’re staying up again. I don’t understand why though, it’s so lonely when everyone's asleep isn’t it?”

“I like being alone, and I’m not ready to give up my life just yet for the sake of your family,” you argued, making the male wince as if your words burned him.

“You really don’t like me do you?” he asked, or more like whined which made you roll your eyes. Surely the fact that an all powerful vampire such as himself was pouting at you like a kicked puppy was pitiful. Still, it seemed to have a bit of an effect on you as you sighed softly.

“It’s not that I don’t like you,” you started to explain, “I mean come on we’re practically strangers and I’m supposed to give myself up to you completely in a few weeks time, do you really expect me to be happy about that?” You watched Juns eyes shift around the room for a moment, clicking his tongue as he processed what you said. His slender frame leaned against the support of your bed with his arms crossed over his chest as he looked back at you.

“We wouldn’t be strangers if you gave me a chance you know?” he pointed out. You opened your mouth to argue but he cut you off with a single lift of his finger, “From the moment I came home to you I’ve been trying to get close to you and every time you push me away. I like to think I’m a patient man Y/N but your actions hurt me you know? So do tell me how am I supposed to get close to you when you constantly keep me at arm's length?” You froze, eyes widening and mouth hanging slightly open as you tried to defend yourself. Even though you knew that Jun was right, the prideful part of you didn’t want to admit that fact. Just like you didn’t want to admit that you were too scared to let him get close to you. You weren’t sure if Jun read your mind, or he was just that observant, but you were snapped out of your little daze when you heard him chuckle. “So that’s how you want to play it then? You want to keep me as a stranger despite everything?”

“Is there something so wrong with that?” you challenged, mirroring his position. Juns eyes scaled your form for a moment before sighing and glancing away.

“I am trying you know,” he argued, “I wouldn’t have chosen you to be my bride if I didn’t see something special in you and you won’t even let me prove myself to you. That’s quite cold hearted you know.” You paused for a moment at his confession, not realizing he was the one who chose you but also never seeing him this sincere before.

“What do you mean you chose me? You never even met me before that night?” you questioned, though it seemed Jun was back to his normal self as he merely clicked his tongue.

“That is a story for another time my dear, you still haven’t answered my question?” he urged. Jun adjusted slightly and hardened his gaze as he looked back at you, making you feel tiny compared to him. You bit the tip of your tongue as you tried to think of a way out of this but it was clear he wasn’t leaving without an answer.

“I guess I don’t know what I want,” you admitted sheepishly. Jun hummed in thought and you could have sworn you saw a smirk ghost across his lips before he was hardening his gaze again.

“Well, let's think about it this way then, I want to get you close to me and you are afraid of opening up and letting me do that correct?” you wanted to protest but he shook his head, “It’s a yes or no question Y/N.”

“I suppose,” you whispered, though it seemed he heard you anyway.

“Well clearly neither of us are going to get what we want with how things are now, so why don’t we try something new? If you are willing to put that hard front of yours aside for a minute I have a deal for you,” he proposed, effectively catching you off guard.

“What kind of deal exactly?”

“It’s a simple deal really,” he assured, “one that I think both of us will benefit from. How it works is you give me a chance every day to win your heart. If I succeed, I get to give you a kiss. If I fail, that's a day you get to go out.” Your eyes widened as you processed his words. It seemed like it would be easy for you given how you avoided him thus far, but you knew this also meant he would be trying harder to win your attention. “Of course,” he continued after a moment, “this means you will also have to adapt to my schedule in order to be fair, but I’m sure you’d have just as much fun in the night life.” You nodded and took a moment to think it over, having the sinking feeling that there was more to this agreement than he was letting on.

“What’s the catch?” you asked.

“There’s no catch, it’s as straightforward as I can possibly make it. Our wedding is in three weeks, yes? That gives me ample time to prove myself to you, and if I don’t that’s more free time for you before you end up stuck with me, no?” The more you thought about it, the more you realized he had a point.

“I suppose you’re right, but why are you so insistent on this deal?“ Jun let out an almost annoyed chuckle, but his expression didn’t falter.

“We are destined to be together, you know. Not only is this a chance to be close to you but it’s also a fun build up to the main event where I finally get to kiss you where I want.” His words made you internally cringe, shaking your head to regain your composure.

“This is a terrible idea!” you finally exclaimed, causing Jun to scoff.

“What’s the matter, doll? Are you afraid you’ll fall in love with me?” he raised his eyebrow in a teasing manner. You were sure if you tried to roll your eyes any harder, they would end up stuck in the back of your head.

“I highly doubt I’d ever fall in love with you,” Jun visibly deflated a bit at your words, but regained his composure before you could fully process it.

“Then there’s nothing for you to lose, might as well humor me and prove me wrong no?” It was getting increasingly harder to argue with him, and at this point you just wanted him to go to bed and leave you alone so you reluctantly gave in.

“Okay, fine, you have yourself a deal,” you muttered, “are you happy now?”

“Once you finalize the deal, yes I will be,” Jun agreed, standing up and walking over to you with his arm outstretched, offering his hand to you. You gave him a look of ‘Are you serious?’ before groaning and reaching out to shake his hand. His skin was cool at first, but quickly warmed up with your heat and you also took note of how soft his hand was. He firmly gripped your hand for a moment with a smile before letting go and slipping his hands into the pockets of his pajama pants. “Alright we have a deal, try not to have too much fun out there darling, tomorrow night is when the fun starts,” with that he turned and left your room, the door closing behind him with a gentle click. You stared at the spot he just stood for a minute before sighing and collapsing back down on your bed. Your head spun as you processed the mess you just got yourself into, suddenly no longer feeling like going out.

ღ ღ ღ ღ ღ

The first week following your agreement went by painfully slow. Most of it was you trying miserably to adjust to the nocturnal life, meaning you were way too tired to acknowledge any of Juns advances. He didn’t seem to mind too much though, giving you space and allowing you to enjoy your victory, though you only left the house maybe once the whole time. The rest of the time you were busy staring off into space or reading whatever book you could get your hands on in the study to keep from passing out. Minghao had actually been a great help during this time, giving you story suggestions and even suggesting a certain tea he drank often that could help you stay awake. He also introduced you to Wonwoo, another one of the prominent workers at the manor. Wonwoo had spent most of his life as a scholar so he showed you all the best stories both hardcover and digital. You also learned he had quite a knack for video games and showed you how to access them on one of the computers in the main study. After that, you found it very easy to stay up during the hours of the night, something Jun immediately took notice of.

“Good Morning Starlight,” you jumped at the sound of his voice as you stepped into the kitchen, turning to see Jun perched up against the counter. He wasn’t as dressed up as he normally was, wearing only a thin shirt and leather pants with the familiar family jewels adorning his fingers and ears. His hair also wasn’t slicked back like it normally was, merely brushed to keep his bangs out of his eyes. He also didn’t appear to have any makeup on, the familiar black shadow from his eyes all but gone. You hated how attractive he looked even when he didn’t seem to be trying. Though the main thing that caught your attention was his lips, stained red from the thick red liquid he was swirling in a glass. Every few moments he would sip at it as if the drink were a fine red wine, though you knew better than to try and trick yourself. “It’s cows blood, don’t worry,” he muttered when he noticed your hesitation, “we only really need to drink blood maybe once or twice a week to keep up our strength. The supply is donated to us from the local butcher and lasts quite a while. We never feed from humans, unless they offer themselves to us of course.” You blinked a bit as you processed his explanation, again watching the liquid slosh around as he spun the glass between his fingers.

“I take it you don’t get offers very often?” you questioned, not really sure you wanted to know the answer.

“You’d be surprised,” he responded, “a lot of humans get curious. They come to us asking just for just a quick bite, allowing them to know the sensation. There’s a rumor going around that a bite from a vampire can be quite pleasurable and they want to know if it’s true so they basically throw themselves at us. It’s kind of funny if you ask me.” You raised an eyebrow at him as he answered the question, addressing the topic like it was the most simple thing in the world. Though you also noticed the underlying tone in his voice when he mentioned pleasure, knowing immediately what he was implying.

“Does it taste different then?” you asked, and this time it was his turn to raise an eyebrow.

“Is this really something you’re interested in or are you just trying to make conversation?” when you shrugged he chuckled, “well in a way yes it does. I can’t really describe it to you but the different proteins and types change the flavor.” He quickly finished his drink and set the glass to the side, wiping his lips with his sleeve. “I’m flattered you’re actually taking interest in me though, it means a lot,” he teased as he walked over to you, “enough about me though, I’m guessing you’re hungry right? How about I get you breakfast and then we go through a walk around the manor.” You nodded softly and he smiled, patting your shoulder and motioning for you to take a seat. Jun hummed softly as he roamed around the kitchen, grabbing an assortment of different items and setting them down in front of you before taking a seat himself.

“Did you just grab the whole kitchen?” you asked, slowly beginning to pick at the food in front of you.

“I’m not too sure what you like so figured I’d just grab what we had. You’re also the only one who requires food to survive so we don’t have much at the moment,” he confessed.

“You mean to tell me you guys only drink blood?” you exclaimed, making him laugh.

“No of course not,” he replied with a chuckle, “we still like to drink and have meals but it’s just for the fun and taste of it. We don’t really get any sustenance from meals like this.” To prove his point he snatched a grape from one of the bowls in front of you, rolling it between his fingers before popping it delicately into his mouth. You hummed in thought as you copied his action, letting the flavors rest on your tongue for a moment before grabbing a roll. There was a silence that fell over the both of you, you focused on eating and Jun watching you intently. Normally this would make you shy away from him but something about this reaction was oddly domestic and quite comfortable. You tried not to overthink this change though, telling yourself you were just used to his presence now that you had spent a week with him.

“You said you wanted to go for a walk after this?” you remembered as you finished up your breakfast, “doesn’t that seem kind of boring though?” Jun tilted his head and raised an eyebrow at you which made you shrug, “I mean, I’ve pretty much seen everything here already so what’s the point?” This made him chuckle a bit, leaning back in his chair without taking his eyes off of you.

“I can assure you that you haven’t seen everything, so I figured I’d show you a few fun places you haven’t seen yet,” he explained.

“Places like what?” you asked.

“Well for starters, do you really expect to stay in a guest room after we’re married?” he answered your question with one of his own, “we’re going to be sharing a lot so I figured I’d show you where you’d be staying after. There are also a few special places that are technically for family only but I don’t think they will mind if I show you a bit early.” You had to admit, now you were intrigued to find out what was being hidden from you. Jun noticed and smiled at your eagerness, standing up and walking over to where you were still seated, “Once you finish eating I’d recommend grabbing a jacket, it gets a bit chilly at this time. I’ll meet you by the staircase when you’re ready.” With that he patted your shoulder softly and exited the room. You turned your head just enough to watch him leave before sighing and returning your attention to the food.

“He’s planning something, I just know it,” you mutter to yourself, finishing the roll you had been snacking on and putting everything back where you thought it belonged. With that out of the way you ran upstairs to your room and rummaged through your closet for something warm you could put on. It wasn’t that cold in the manor itself so you didn't want to wear anything too heavy, but you assumed based on what Jun said that you would end up outside at some point so you wanted to be prepared. It took a minute for you to finally just settle on a sweater that you could throw over your top, thick enough to keep you warm but not enough to make you overheat.

When you left your room you saw Jun standing by the staircase as promised, though his back was turned to you as he conversed with two individuals you had never seen before. Two other males, one dressed in all black with his hair slicked back and the other in all white with his hair down, almost as long as Juns but not quite. They dressed like polar opposites yet seemed like they belonged together as you watched them talk with your fiance. They were laughing at something, the one in all white even reaching out to hit at Juns arm. You were curious as to what they were talking about, but didn’t want to be rude and interrupt so you stayed put. The other male noticed you after a second, pointing in your direction which made Jun turn to face you.

“Ah there you are, don’t be shy come and join us,” he urged you over. You stayed put for a moment before doing as you were told, silently walking to stand beside Jun with a shy smile. “Y/N meet Joshua and Jeonghan, they have been close friends of the family since even before I was born,” he introduced you, both males bowing their heads to you.

“It’s nice to finally meet you,” Joshua greeted, “though I’m sure we’ll get to know each other very soon.”

“We work very closely with Jun and his family so we were summoned in to help with the wedding, specifically to help you,” Jeonghan explained. You shrunk a little bit in realization, nodding and forcing a smile so as to not be rude.

“Ah I see, then I guess we will get close won’t we?” you muttered.

“I hope so, it would be nice to have a friend that’s normal,” Joshua teased.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Jun whined, “I am normal!”

“Suuure you are,” Jeonghan stated with amusement. The three went back and forth for a minute which made you laugh softly, finding the interaction similar to you and your friends. It didn’t last long though as Jun quickly regained himself, clearing his throat and placing his hand on your shoulder.

“Anyways, I promised this one I’d show her around so we should probably get on that, I’ll see you too before bed though,” with that he was guiding you past the two males, pausing only long enough for you to wave goodbye.

“They seem fun,” you commented as you walked with Jun down the hall.

“They’re a pain but I love them,” Jun agreed, “everyone here is like a big family if you haven’t noticed already.” In reality you had noticed, having seen the way the family interacted with each other and their staff. Of course there was mutual respect but it never seemed like a boss and employee type situation, more like a friendship if anything.

“Is that because of how long everyone's been here?” you asked.

“Perhaps that may be part of it but I wouldn’t say that’s the reason,” Jun replied, “We may all work together but everyone here has a different story for how they got here. For certain people like Joshua and Jeonghan our families ran together so we were raised together. Then you have people like Mingyu or Wonwoo who came from lower class families and grew to bond with us. Or, on the complete opposite side you have my brother, we’re not related by blood and he was born a human but we took him in and I love him just as much as I would if he were born into the family.” Jun paused for a moment before shaking his head with a soft laugh, “I’m rambling now but my point is that it doesn’t matter where you come from or how long you’ve been around someone, it’s all about the bond you build with them.” You sighed as you processed his words, casting your gaze down to the floor. He talked about bonding with someone as if it was the easiest thing in the world and yet here you were, making things more difficult by avoiding him. You never cared about getting to know him before so why did you feel so guilty all of the sudden? If Jun noticed your shift in mood he didn’t say anything, continuing to walk a bit before stopping in front of a door.

“Enough of that though, I’m here to show you what your life will look like with me. This should be an exciting moment,” he gave your shoulder a reassuring squeeze and opened the door, gently nudging you inside. You couldn’t help but gasp as you walked in and looked around the room. Juns bedroom was nearly twice the size of yours, the walls mostly the same white color as the rest of the manor but with red accents that gave it an almost romantic glow. The wall opposite you had large window like doors that opened to a small balcony overlooking the outside of the manor, dark red curtains pulled back to let the moonlight seep into the room. The light hit his bed perfectly, centered in the middle of the room like a centerpiece. Delicately carved wooden frames accented with the same red curtains and satin sheets in the same color. The walls were decorated with a few paintings, one of Jun, another of the family, and the last you couldn’t quite make out but the rest was bare. Cautiously you stepped further into the room, feeling the soft rug tickle at your ankles as you walked to the bed, Jun stayed quiet as he watched you. His figure leaned against the doorway with an amused grin as he watched you explore, touching things so gently as if you were worried they would break.

“Don’t be shy,” he spoke up after a moment, “this will be your room soon enough so don’t be afraid to get used to it.” He closed the door and walked over to where you were, falling back onto the bed and laying with his back against the headboard so he could watch you.

“This room is amazing,” you said in awe, moving away from his bed and walking over to the balcony.

“It’s a bit old fashioned for my taste but it is nice,” Jun remarked.

“Old fashioned?” you asked, to which he nodded softly.

“This original manor was built by my great grandfather when he was elected into power,” Jun explained, “my grandfather and dad made a few changes to the decor to match the changing times but a lot of it is still the same as when it was first built.” Vampire age was still a concept you were confused by, but given how old Mr. Wen was you could only assume the manor was over a couple thousand years old, which was shocking because it looked brand new. “If you’re wondering why it’s in such good condition, it’s gradually rebuilt and redecorated whenever a new head takes over,” he added. You couldn’t help but scoff a bit at how easily he seemed to read your mind, or maybe he was just that used to these questions.

“So do you plan on renovating when you take over?” you asked, brushing your hands across the curtain.

“I have a few ideas, I won’t change much but it would be nice to modernize everything a bit,” he explained, “it would be nice to have a TV in here don’t you think? Maybe a few more computers since I’ve noticed a lot of people here like playing games.” He glanced over at you as he said this, making you smile shyly.

“There was nothing else to do and Wonwoo showed me how to play so...” he cut you off before you could finish explaining.

“It doesn’t bother me at all, I want you to be comfortable here,” he promised. You nodded and glanced back outside, having to focus to see outside through your own reflection. Your fingers brushed against the cool railing, searching for the handle to open the door when you heard footsteps behind you. You could almost feel Jun press against you as he reached up to undo the latch and swing the doors open. “It may be a bit high for you to reach,” he teased, patting your head and brushing past you to walk onto the balcony. You quickly followed, shivering a bit at the cold. The balcony wasn’t large, just big enough for the two of you to stand on it comfortably. Over the railing you could see out into the back gardens, a vast maze of different flowers and other plants illuminated by the moon. In the middle stood what appeared to be a fountain, though you couldn’t make out its shape, and in the distance you thought you spotted a greenhouse. “It’s beautiful isn’t it?”

“It is,” you agreed, looking at the vast array of flowers, “I didn’t even know we had a back garden.”

“There’s only really one way to access it and it’s kind of hidden by the study so it makes sense you didn’t know,” Jun said with a chuckle, “do you want to see it up close?” You eagerly nodded, an action he repeated with a smile, “Alright then, shall we?” He gestured for you to go back into the room, closing the door behind him before offering his arm to you. You hesitated slightly but gave in and wrapped your arm around his, allowing him to guide you out of his room and down the hall. The general study was a place you were familiar with, a large room decorated with multiple wooden desks and bookshelves. The main room branched off into two smaller studies, one that Minghao used as a personal art studio and the other that belonged to Jun, though you’d never seen the older brother use his.

Jun led you through the room to a back area that had previously been concealed by one of the large bookshelves. Had he not led you right to it, you wouldn’t have even noticed that it was there.

“Wow this is hidden,” you commented, Jun nodding and letting go of your arm to open the door.

“There’s quite a few rare plants out here with very special properties. We keep the entrance hidden from guests to keep people from abusing them,” he explained as he opened the door and nudged you through. This time you were prepared for the chill that attacked you as you stepped outside, pulling your sweater closer to your body. Almost immediately your senses picked up on the scents of the various flowers surrounding you. It was almost overpowering but you found it quite pleasurable. Jun wrapped his arm around your shoulders and led you through the rows of flowers and into the clearing. You stopped a few times to glance at certain ones that caught your eye, careful not to get too close and ruin them. Jun didn’t have the best knowledge of all the flowers, but he told you the brief information he did know, such as names or where they were from. You had to give him credit for trying, making it clear that he was trying to impress you, and perhaps it was working.

When you finally made it to the middle of the garden you gasped. You hadn’t been able to make out the full view from the balcony but now you could see everything. The area was outlined with various shrubs and trees that blocked it off from the rest of the garden, though there was an opening that allowed the moon to shine through. There were a few benches nestled into the corner, and in the middle was the fountain you saw earlier. Carved marble base leading up to the silhouette of an angel, the vase she was holding being the part of the fountain that water spilled out of in addition to small jets around the base.

“This is beautiful,” you mused, walking over to take a seat on the fountain. There were a few stray water drops that sprayed you but you paid no mind, closing your eyes and listening to the sound of the water. Jun stayed in his spot the whole time, smiling to himself as he watched you, enjoying the first peaceful moment between the two of you.

“It really is, isn’t it?” he agreed, though he wasn’t exactly talking about the fountain. He couldn’t stop his eyes from trailing across your frame, taking in every detail while you were peacefully unaware of what he was doing. Eventually he got tired of watching you though, moving to take a seat beside you. Your eyes opened as you felt his leg brush against yours, glancing over to see Jun looking up at the sky. Now it was your turn to admire him, taking note of the way his long hair framed his face, and how he seemed to glow under the moonlight. You wondered, if he hadn’t been immortal, would he still be this beautiful? “Like what you see?” he asked without looking away from his spot, making you shy away from him.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” you tried to argue, “I was just enjoying the view of the garden.”

“I take it I am part of the garden then? You’ve been staring at me for at least the past five minutes.”

“Does my staring bother you?” you questioned.

“No not at all,” he assured, finally looking down at you, “in fact I actually find it quite comforting. It means that there’s at least some part of you that’s drawn to me.” You wanted to argue but opted against it, knowing there was no winning with Jun. He smirked at you before glancing at the sky one last time, “Damn, time really does fly by fast doesn’t it. The sun should be coming up soon.”

“Wow already?” you exclaimed, glancing up but not seeing any sign of the sky getting brighter.

“You learn new tricks to tell time when you need to avoid the sun,” he said, “I’d rather go in early than be caught off guard otherwise I would take you to see the greenhouse. If you’re impressed by this I can imagine what you’ll think of it.”

“What happens if you stay out in the sun?” you asked, causing him to side eye you for a moment.

“We don’t burst into flames or anything if that’s what you’re thinking,” he said with a slight hint of amusement, “It does burn us pretty badly though, like think of the feeling you’d get if you kept your hand on a hot stove or even a flame. For purebloods like myself, if we didn’t get inside within a few hours we would likely succumb to the heat and burn. Though some half bred vampires aren’t fully developed so they can go out if they wish.” You let out a soft “oh” before looking away, not even wanting to imagine that pain. Jun gave your shoulder an assuring pat and urged you to look at him, “Don’t worry about me though, I don’t plan on letting myself get hurt anytime soon,” he smiled softly at you, squeezing your shoulder until you smiled back, “there we go I like it better when you smile. You’re more than welcome to stay out here if you wish, but I really should get inside before the sun comes up.” He squeezed your shoulder one last time and was about to get up before he stopped himself, “Oh but before I go, I do believe I get a prize for today, no?” You were confused and about to ask what he meant before remembering the deal you made with him.

“Alright I guess you do win for today,” you gave in. Jun smiled and grabbed your hand, playing with your fingers for a moment before placing a soft kiss on the back of your palm. His lips were soft and slightly cooler in texture, much like the rest of him, but you couldn’t help feeling your body heat up at the contact.

“One of hopefully many,” Jun whispered, his breath and lips tickling your skin, “until tomorrow my love.” He placed your hand back into your lap and stood up, adjusting his shirt as he walked out of the garden, slow enough for you to follow if you wished but not pressuring you. You watched him leave before returning your attention to the fountain with a sigh, glancing down at your reflection in the water. Without Jun beside you, it suddenly felt much colder, the breeze blowing the water onto you like a harsh mist. Still you didn’t move for quite a while, even as the sun rose and you felt exhaustion creep into you, you didn’t want to move. You hated how lonely it suddenly felt without Jun beside you, and you hated the way your hand still tingled where he kissed you. Though you told yourself it was just being flustered and touch starved. Jun was still a stranger to you, and there was no way you could ever see yourself falling for a vampire. You kept telling yourself that as you finally stood up and slowly made your way inside, even as you changed and tucked yourself into bed the words repeated.

You could never fall in love with Wen Junhui.

ღ ღ ღ ღ ღ

Unfortunately for you, fate seemed to have other ideas for what you wanted. Jun, encouraged by getting his first kiss, seemed to only up his game as the days went by. Meal dates, going for walks, performing a song for you, even taking you out into town to give you an idea of what the nightlife was like. You quickly learned that things didn’t operate much differently when vampires were running things and most were more than welcoming to you. Jun had taken you to all of his favorite stops, including his favorite restaurant and an arcade he went to with his friends a lot growing up. You also learned a lot more about him during that time. Jun explained to you how his family line is actually from China and they weren’t always as powerful. The Wen name grew with his great grandfather, who had moved in search of business opportunities and ended up in the right place at the right time. Because of their heritage, the family was in charge of many international affairs. You also learned that Jun was multilingual, practically begging for him to say something to you in Chinese when you heard that. Lastly you learned that Jun was a man of many talents, especially when it came to singing or dancing. It felt like you were meeting him for the first time, and every time you learned something new about him you found yourself falling for him more. No matter how hard you tried to deny it, or to distance yourself from him, he always made his way back with a kiss right before the sun rose. After your hand it was your wrist, then the top of your head, then your forehead, and, most recently, your cheek. Every kiss made you tingle and crave more of him, as if there was some type of love potion on his lips that he applied to you with each one. You supposed that wasn’t entirely out of the question but you doubted that Jun would be desperate enough to try a stunt like that.

Not everyday was a victory for Jun though, there had been a few where you weren’t in the mood for his antics or something happened that pulled his attention away from you. Those days he would sigh and tell you to enjoy your night out with a semi forced smile, making sure you knew to call him if something went wrong. You tried to enjoy going out alone those days, and to be fair you did have fun exploring the new shops that were usually closed in the day, but you always felt slightly guilty. Every time you left you saw Juns disappointed expression in your mind and you ended up dragging yourself back to the manor way earlier than you intended. Most of the time he would be busy with something work or wedding related and wouldn’t realize you were home until much later. One time, however, you caught him working in his study, smiling at your presence and inviting you to sit with him as he worked. You ended up staying there for hours talking about whatever came to mind.

Unfortunately, there was a new issue presenting itself that threatened to drive a wedge between the two of you. That issue being the fact that your wedding was now only a few days away. Meaning that not only was Jun being dragged away, but you were as well. The realization of everything happening weighed on you like a million bricks and suddenly it felt like you were back to where you started when you first moved in. You were nervous, on edge, and it seemed like all progress being made with Jun was starting to go backwards. You never saw him anymore, and when you did he was too busy to acknowledge you. The most you ever got was a hello or him telling you how gorgeous you looked before he was being dragged off again to who knows where.

You didn’t even know why the distance upset you so much when not even two weeks ago all you wanted was for him to leave you alone. You did your best to convince yourself that you were just lonely without him, occupying your time by hanging out with any servant you could find or even Minghao. The younger vampire was clearly put off by your sudden attachment to him, but he allowed you to keep him company anyways. You would read with him or sit in his study/studio with him while he worked on a new painting until Jun or a worker came to find you. Minghao definitely wasn’t one for words but you learned quickly that he was good with advice and listening. Whenever he saw that frustrated look on your face he would offer you a glass of tea or wine and listen to you as you vented your frustrations. Depending on your mood he would either then offer you advice or distract you with something else like picking out colors for the wedding. You also quickly learned the younger vampire had quite the eye for color and fashion, so much so that you swear he lit up when you asked him to help you with your wedding dress.

That was exactly what the two of you were doing now, with the assistance of Joshua and Jeonghan. You had been standing in the middle of your room modeling every style, color, and fabric known to man. Jeonghan and Joshua seemed happy with most of the designs, but Minghao still hadn’t found anything he had liked.

“This one’s too long.”

“This one's too short.”

“Neckline on this one isn’t flattering.”

“The dress shape hides your figure too much.”

“This color doesn’t match your complexion at all.”

“This color is cute but the style is all wrong.”

By what easily felt like the millionth try on, you were frustrated and about ready to throw a pillow at Minghao. The male in question was humming softly to himself as he circled around you, clicking his tongue in disapproval.

“Hao, is all of this really necessary?” you whined, struggling to stand up straight as you felt something poking your side.

“Of course it is!” he replied, “you want to look perfect for your wedding right? We should not settle for anything less than perfect.” He circled around you one more time before shaking his head, “We’re getting closer but no this one is still off, next.” You couldn’t help but groan, half tempted to slam your head into the nearest wall when Joshua spoke up.

“I think that’s the last one we have right now and I think Y/N is getting tired,” he stated softly. Minghao sighed and shook his head, muttering something under his breath as Joshua spoke again.

“How about we just sit down and discuss what we did and didn’t like about all of them, so you can narrow down the list and we can find something.” You had half the mind to run over and kiss Joshua for the idea, nodding eagerly when Minghao glanced at you.

“Very well,” he agreed, “go get changed Y/N and we can discuss this, we need to get this done soon so we can find the dress before the wedding day.” You wanted to roll your eyes at the mention of the wedding. Honestly you didn’t care for your dream wedding at this point, you felt like you weren’t getting a say in much and you were so stressed that you just wanted everything to be over.

Nonetheless, you sat down with all three boys and discussed your ideas until you had designed a dress that everyone agreed on. It would be slightly form fitting to flatter your figure, but also allow you to move around freely, with a neckline that was not modest but not too revealing either. The same red, white, and black color scheme that the rest of the family seemed to love, and a few lace accents to make it elegant. You would decide on your accessories and veil later, but Minghao seemed satisfied with the design and ran off to get working, Joshua and Jeonghan hesitantly following after apologizing to you for the younger's attitude.

Exhausted and beyond frustrated, you found yourself leaving your room and going to the one place you knew people would leave you alone, the garden. Tucking yourself away on one of the farthest benches, you sighed and buried your head in your knees. The sound of the fountain and the wind rustling the leaves brought you great comfort as you tried to clear your mind. No more stress about the wedding, no more stress about Jun, no more stress about anything. Why couldn’t your life just go back to the way it was before? Why did you have to be stuck here, getting married to a vampire to help your family? Even worse, why were you actually starting to fall in love with him? Why couldn’t you have just stayed strangers and just used the wedding for show? Part of you wished you never met Jun until your wedding day, then all of this would have been significantly easier.

“There you are,” lifting your head, you locked eyes with the one man who occupied your mind. Jun looked exhausted, his shirt messily unbuttoned under his vest which also wasn’t fastened properly. His eyeshadow was smudged, making it look like he hadn’t slept in years, and his hair was messy as if he just rolled out of bed. He was a mess, and yet you still found him unbelievably gorgeous. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” he confessed as he sat down beside you, “Jeonghan told me you were in a pretty bad mood earlier.”

“I suppose you could stay that,” you muttered, “what about you though, you look like a mess.”

“Thanks I tried my best,” he replied sarcastically, though his expression quickly softened, “I just have a lot to do, that's all. My parents have been preparing me for the wedding and taking over the family so I guess I’ve been stretched pretty thin.”

“So I’ve noticed,” you whispered to yourself, Jun heard it though as you felt his arm wrap around you.

“Awe don’t tell me my sweet girl missed me?” he teased, “I’m sorry I haven’t been giving you much attention, will you ever forgive me.”

“Shut up!” you groaned as you nudged him off of you, “who said I missed you?”

“Your actions are worth a million words, you know?” he pointed out. When you didn't respond he huffed and leaned closer as if telling you a secret, “Also you should know that word gets around quickly in this family.” It took you a second to realize what he meant, internally groaning as you realized his brother probably told him everything.

“Remind me to kill Minghao next time I see him,” you hissed which made Jun laugh.

“You can’t kill what’s already dead My Love. Also don’t be mad at him, he’s only trying to help.” You bit your bottom lip and cast your gaze down, watching the grass sway beneath your feet for a moment. Jun quickly dropped the teasing and cleared his throat, tapping your shoulder to get your attention, “Seriously though Y/N, I know I haven’t been around much recently and I’m sorry. I can’t make up for that but I am here now so talk to me, what’s bothering you?” You debated answering for a moment, gnawing at your lip and curling up more. Jun waited patiently for you to collect your thoughts, not taking his gaze off of you as you finally sat up properly and looked at him.

“It’s stupid but this isn’t what I wanted,” you confessed, “I always dreamed about having this royal and lavish wedding and now I’m getting it but not how I wanted. I don’t know anything about how vampire weddings work and I haven’t gotten a single say in anything. I didn’t get to choose who I marry, when, how, hell I barely even got a say in my own dress. It hurts even worse because I’ve been so confused about my feelings for you and now I don’t know what to do.” You took a deep breath after speaking, feeling like a huge weight had been lifted off of you. Jun stayed silent for a second, his occasional blinking the only sign that he hadn’t completely frozen. Then, before you had time to react, he was pulling you against him in a tight hug. You gasped, needing a moment to process the contact before giving in and hugging him back. Your arms wrapped tightly around his waist and your head buried into his chest, ignoring the lack of a heartbeat and instead focusing on his scent. Of course you had been close to Jun before but not like this. His scent was very floral, but there was also a hint that reminded you of herbal tea, it was refreshing and very much him.

“I’m sorry,” Jun muttered into your hair, pulling away from you just enough so that he could look at you, “this is all my fault. I’m the one that dragged you here, and I’m the one that kept you in the dark. I should have told you everything from the beginning.”

“Can you tell me now?” you asked, looking up at him.

“What do you want to know?” he answered you with his own question.

“Everything, why did you choose me? Also what is going to happen at our wedding and what happens after? I want to know so I can prepare.” Jun exhaled harshly but nodded, keeping one hand on your arm while the other moved to run through his still messy hair.

“Well to start, I chose you because I saw something special in you. Families like mine always married off their next in line to a human, that’s an agreement to keep things fair on both sides. I am the oldest son and so I knew when the time came I would need to find someone to marry, my parents knew this too so they often sent me out during the day. I was disguised of course and protected from the sun, so I think I did a good job blending in. You probably don’t even remember that you’ve met me before, I stopped by your work one day with a friend. I don’t know why but something about you was different, special, I knew that exact moment that you were the one. So I asked my friend to get to know you and everything he told me only proved to me that I made the right decision.” You tried your hardest to remember ever getting close to someone that would know Jun, or even when you saw him before but your mind was coming up blank.

“What was your friend's name?” you asked, desperate to know who it was he was talking about.

“Kwon Soonyoung, but he often had people call him Hoshi,” your eyes widened at the name, recognizing it as one of your old coworkers. He started working there about a month after you and you two became friends almost immediately, you had no idea that he had any connection to someone like Jun.

“Him, really?” you asked.

“What, didn’t expect that I could befriend a human?” he questioned.

“No no not that it’s just, how did I have no idea?” Jun smiled and patted your head playfully, laughing as it messed up your hair.

“You not knowing means he did his job well, but yeah I learned about you through him, and then when I was told it was time, I sent Mingyu to get you. The timing wasn’t the best though as Hao and I had to return back to China to deal with a few personal matters, which is why you spent the first year with just my parents,” he explained. You were both silent for a moment as you processed the information, then Jun spoke again, “as for the wedding, it will probably be a bit different than you’re expecting. Everything will still happen that does at a normal wedding, but there is also the business element and the mating ritual that goes along with it. All our friends and family will be there, but so will the main political powers on both sides to ensure that the wedding is official, so it may be a bit more crowded than you’re used to. Though it is your wedding as much as it is mine so if you would like to join me in planning things I would love to have you with me.” You nodded and smiled, glad he was giving you the chance to be involved, though your smile quickly dropped as you remembered the mating part.

“What exactly is the mating ritual?” you asked, albeit a bit hesitant. Jun sighed, almost looking like he didn’t want you to ask.

“Divorce isn’t really a thing in our life,” he started, “so vampires are known to ‘mate’ for life I guess you could say. When we marry the bond between us is shared by a blood exchange, it will keep me connected to you, allow me to know what you’re feeling and be close to you even if not physically.”

“A blood exchange, that means that...” you trailed off.

“I will have to bite you,” he answered your question for you, “but it will be quick I promise and you can choose where you want me to do it.”

“Will it hurt?”

“It shouldn’t, remember I said most people even say it’s pleasurable. You’ll feel a little prick and then after that it should just feel warm,” he explained.

“I don’t have to drink your blood though, right?” you asked.

“Not unless you want to become a vampire yourself,” he responded with a chuckle, “but you don’t have to decide that now.” You nodded softly, looking down and feeling your cheeks heat up as another question entered your mind.

“Umm, what about the wedding night?” you immediately regretted the question as you saw a mischievous glint in Juns eye.

“Why are you that excited for what’s going to happen?” when he saw you blush harder he snickered and patted your shoulder, “relax Qinqin I’m just teasing you. Eventually my parents are going to expect an heir to the Wen family, but if you’re not ready on our wedding night we can just share a drink and relax.”

“What if I am ready?” you asked yourself outloud, not really thinking about it until you saw Juns expression.

“Are you ready?” he pushed, you quickly felt shy and looked away, but he placed his fingers under your chin to make you look at him.

“Yes? No? I mean...I don’t know I don’t even know how I feel about you,” you confessed. Jun hummed in thought and you could have sworn you saw him blushing a bit himself.

“I think you do know and you’re lying to yourself,” he whispered. Your eyes widened as he drew slightly closer, barely inches away from you. His dark eyes were blown and piercing as they stared at you, your own glancing down on his lips then back at his eyes. “Just admit it Y/N,” he whispered, “I won, you’re falling for me.” Your breath hitched, wanting to turn away but feeling like you were frozen in place. Jun huffed and leaned forward, placing a kiss to the side of your lips, just enough to tease you. Your eyes fluttered for a moment at the contact before opening again and looking up at him in confusion. “That’s how I know you do feel something for me,” he pointed out, placing another kiss to your forehead before pulling away, “don’t worry my dear, you’ll get the real thing in a few days, just be patient.” You didn’t know whether you wanted to hit him at that moment or pull him close to you and kiss him. He didn’t give you the option though as he was standing up and excusing himself, letting you know that he would be in his room if you needed company. You whined to yourself as you were quickly up on your feet and rushing after him, not wanting to be alone just yet.

“I’ll get you back for that Wen Jun!”

ღ ღ ღ ღ ღ

You definitely took Jun up on his offer to join him in wedding planning, getting a say in everything from the decor to the catering. You also got a glance into the life Jun lived, watching as he handled different affairs and communicated with different workers. It was honestly endearing watching him in his element, though you did your best to stay out of his way. Whenever he wasn’t too busy though you guys were enjoying your time together, oftentimes with him having his arm around you while you looked at decor ideas for the manor or holding your hand as you organized seating for the wedding. That domestic feeling returned and this time you didn’t fight it, actually finding yourself excited for your wedding.

It felt like only a minute before the day in question came, you were woken up early when Minghao, Joshua, and Mrs. Wen burst into your room. The sun hadn’t even set completely, as you could see the rays poking out through a crack in your curtains. Minghao quickly rushed to pull them fully closed though as Mrs. Wen placed a tray with fruit and tea on your nightstand.

“Rise and shine my dear,” she urged, “it’s time to get you ready for your big day!”

“Already?” you asked, rubbing the sleep from your eyes, “it’s so early.”

“Yes but there’s a lot to do,” the older woman reminded, “we need to get you fed and dressed, do your hair and makeup, and then get the final preparations ready. Our guests will start arriving in a few hours so we need to make sure everything is done now.” You groaned softly but nodded, taking the tea from the tray and sipping at it as you woke up, Mrs. Wen fretting over your health and complexing as Minghao and Joshua focused on getting your dress. “You look a little pale my dear, do you need anything? I can go get you some medicine.”

“I’m fine I promise, just a bit nervous,” you assured.

“Mom, relax, I’m sure you remember how nervous you were when you got married,” Minghao argued, making a few last minute adjustments on your dress.

“You shouldn’t listen to everything your father says, you weren’t even there,” the woman argued, though Minghao only giggled as he focused on his work. You also laughed a bit at the family's banter before finally giving in and getting out of bed.

“Alright what do you need me to do?” you asked.

“You go wash up and then I’ll help you get dressed, just call when you’re ready for me. Then the boys and I will help make sure everything is in place and do your hair and makeup. By then it should be almost time to start so you can rest,” Mrs. Wen explained. You nodded and made your way to the bathroom, quickly showering and brushing your teeth before calling for help with your dress. It was simple enough that you were mostly able to get it on yourself, but you still needed help with the zipper and the layers. You couldn’t help but look at yourself in the mirror as the older woman helped you out, tearing up at the sight of you in the dress. You hadn’t been the most fond of the idea at first, but seeing yourself in it made you realize how gorgeous it actually was. It seemed your soon to be mother in law agreed as she stared at you in awe. “You look gorgeous Darling,” she praised, adjusting the bodice and allowing you to glance at yourself.

“Thank you, I feel gorgeous,” you agreed. She clapped in excitement before helping you back out to your room where the two males were waiting. Minghao was holding various sewing supplies and Joshua was holding your veil and a few other accessories. Behind them on the bed was a kit which you assumed was for your hair and makeup. Both males smiled as they saw you, Minghao clapping softly as he walked over to you.

“I told you this would be perfect,” he boasted, getting a gentle whack on the back of his head from his mom. He didn’t acknowledge it though as he looked over you to see if there were any needed adjustments. “I’m sorry if this is awkward to ask but,” he said nervously, “but have you decided where you want your…mating bite to be?” The room went awkwardly silent, you stiffening and looking at him which made him rub the back of his neck. “I’m only asking to know if I need to adjust the dress at all so Jun can access it, that’s all.” The room went silent again, all the attention on you as they waited for a reaction.

“It’s fine if you don’t know yet,” Mrs. Wen assured but you shook your head.

“No no it’s fine,” you promised, “I guess I haven’t really thought about it, what would you suggest?”

“Well,” she trailed off as she thought about it, “I personally chose my neck, it’s a bit more intimate than your wrist but it would be easier for him to reach and the mark is easier to hide.” You nodded, placing your finger on your pulse point as you thought about it.

“If you want to consider both options I was bitten on my wrist when I turned,” Minghao said, showing you his wrist where you could clearly see the scar, “it doesn’t hurt but it does feel tingly and if he bites your wrist it may take a bit longer.” You reached out to gently grab the male's wrist, which he allowed, tracing your thumb over the two bite marks then letting him go.

“I guess I’ll go with my neck, it seems easier,” you decided.

“Good choice,” Joshua muttered from his spot on the bed. Minghao nodded and moved to adjust your sleeve, pinning it down a bit so that your neck was exposed.

“That should stay put,” he commented, “all you have to do when it’s time is tilt your head back a bit.” He mimicked the action and you nodded in understanding, not wanting to question how he knew what to do.

“Now then,” Mrs Wen quickly spoke up, “we still have a lot to do, go ahead and have a seat and we’ll finish getting you ready.”

The next three hours were spent making sure everything was absolutely perfect, eventually Minghao had to excuse himself to help Jun and get ready himself but Joshua and Mrs. Wen stayed with you to keep you company. Apparently there was also a moment where Jun tried to sneak in and see you but he was promptly dragged away. To pass the time the two told you stories about the past, specifically stories they knew would embarrass Jun. Moments like him dancing around with his arms behind his back, failing miserably at sports, or just randomly running up to a mirror and saying how handsome he was before running away. Every story made you laugh more as you imagined the Jun you knew doing all these things. Before long you got a knock on your door, one of the female staff poking her head to let you know it was time. Joshua quickly took his leave after giving you a reassuring smile, leaving you with Mrs. Wen. The woman glanced at you to silently ask if you were ready, handing you your bouquet before linking your arms and leading you out of your room and to the stairs.

The manor was set up so that the main room was turned into a ballroom type setting, all of the guests sitting with their backs towards you. At the front of the room, stood by the now decorated front door, was Jun. He was wearing a perfectly pressed white shirt under a black vest with red accents and a matching red tie. His makeup was sharp but toned back a bit, enough to make his eyes look piercing and his lips stand out more. His shoulder length hair was also slicked back, the top layer tied up in a half ponytail. Minghao, Joshua, and Wonwoo were standing behind him, all dressed up in matching suits. At the announcement of your arrival, all the guests immediately turned to face you. Many of them were faces you didn’t recognize, but you could see your close friends and family towards the front, all smiling up at you. Mrs. Wen gave your arm a gentle squeeze before walking you down the stairs and towards the front, your eyes locking onto Juns from behind your veil. He couldn’t see you properly yet, but you swore you’d be able to see his smile from a mile away.

Mrs. Wen bowed her head to the officiant before handing you over to her son and moving to take her seat beside her husband. Jun took your flowers and handed them to Joshua behind him, lifting your veil and running a finger across your cheek.

“You look breathtaking,” he whispered.

“So do you,” you replied. He chuckled softly and grabbed your hand, both of you turning to face the officiant. The majority of the ceremony went by in a blur for you, mainly because you were more focused on the way Jun was looking at you and the way he was holding your hand. Your warmth seeped into him and warmed his skin, and you could feel his thumb rubbing on the back of your palm. You only snapped back into reality when it was time for the rings, Jun slipping a black band with his family's crest engraved on it onto your ring finger, you doing the same for him. With that the officiant closed their book with a satisfied smile.

“It is my honor to present to you Mr. and Mrs. Wen, you may claim your bride.” Jun could no longer hide the mischievous glint in his eye as he looked at you.

“Finally the moment I’ve been waiting for,” he whispered.

“Yeah, me too,” you teased, cupping his cheeks and pulling him down to kiss him. Jun gasped in shock but quickly melted into you, wrapping one arm around your waist and the other cupping your cheek. The room was silent and for a moment it was just the two of you, finally sharing every emotion that you had been hiding from yourselves and each other. Though the moment couldn’t last forever as you had to pull away from each other. Your eyes were glazed over as you looked up at Jun, the male smiling down at you as if you were the most precious thing he’d ever laid his eyes on. Though you remembered that it wasn’t over as you felt him brush your hair away from your neck. You stiffened a bit which he noticed, the hand on your waist rubbing soothing circles into your side.

“Deep breath okay, it’ll be over before you know it,” he promised, “are you ready?” You did what he said and took a deep breath, closing your eyes and leaning your head back like how Minghao had told you.

“I’m ready,” you whispered after a moment, though you didn’t dare open your eyes. Jun didn’t say another word, but you felt his fingers tracing your neck, followed by his lips. You felt him kiss your neck once, then twice, then you felt his fangs poke your skin. You gasped as you felt a sharp prick against your skin, the pain only lasting a second though before you felt a warm tingling sensation. The feeling was hard to place, but it almost felt like your body was going numb despite your senses being heightened. Jun hummed against your neck, sucking for a moment before pulling away and swiping his tongue across the bite. His hand that had been on your shoulder moved to rest against your back to support you.

“How do you feel?” he asked, keeping his grip tight on you just in case you got dizzy. It took a moment for your feelings to return to normal, you relaxing a bit in his arms before opening your eyes and looking up at him.

“I’m okay,” you assured. Jun smiled and nodded, pulling you against him for a moment to kiss the top of your head before turning to face the crowd. The proof of a successful bond had the room erupting into loud clapping and cheer, almost loud enough to be deafening. Jun chuckled a bit as you winced away from the noise, wrapping his arm around you and leading you to the kitchen where a banquet was already prepared.

You stayed beside your husband the whole time, practically hiding behind him as hundreds of people came to greet you. They all congratulated you both and would introduce themselves to you as family friends or business partners or whatever else. You didn’t care enough to remember all of their names, knowing that you likely wouldn’t see them again for a long time. Jun did all the talking for the two of you, allowing you to hide behind him as he made pleasantries with all of the guests. Though you did stray away from him long enough to greet your parents. Your mother was already in tears when she approached you, pulling you into her arms and crying about how grown up you were. It took everything in your power not to cry yourself as you embraced her, promising that you were fine and happy with Jun. You stayed holding her for a moment, letting go to hug your dad before deciding that it would be best for them to go. Every other human guest had excused themselves at this point and you knew your parents would be working again in the morning so you bid them goodnight with one last hug and a kiss from your mother. After they left you returned back to Jun, the male glancing over at you with a smile before returning his attention to his guests. It was fine at first, and you tried to interact with as many guests as possible, but after about an hour of still meeting new people you quickly got bored. Not only did you want to get away from the crowd but you were also desperate to finally be alone with your husband. It finally got to a point where you decided to take matters into your own hand, tugging at Juns arm to get his attention.

“As nice as this is, I would love to go get used to my new bedroom now,” you whispered when he finally looked at you. Jun immediately caught on to what you were implying, smirking down at you and licking his lips.

“You’re a scandalous little thing aren’t you?” he teased, but still he quickly excused the both of you for the night. He used the excuse that you were tired and still getting used to the change in schedule to anyone who asked as he escorted you out of the kitchen and up the stairs. No one even gave you a second glance as you followed Jun into his room, quietly closing and locking the door behind you.

ღ ღ ღ ღ ღ

The second the door locked you were all over Jun, gripping his vest and smashing your lips together in a desperate kiss. The male eagerly returned the kiss, removing your veil so he could tangle his hands into your hair. Your tongues battled each other, lips remaining locked as you started exploring each other's bodies. Your hands made quick work of undoing his vest while he fumbled with unzipping your dress. You pulled away once you felt him pull the zipper down, his lips attacking your neck as he pulled your dress down your body. Due to the shape of the dress you had opted not to wear a bra underneath exposing your breasts to the cool air once your dress was off. Jun took advantage of this, gripping at your breasts and pinching your nipples between his fingers. You moaned softly at the feeling, growing louder as you felt his fangs graze against your neck, kicking your dress off as he pulled you close to him.

“You have no idea how good you taste,” he muttered against your neck, “it’s almost addicting.”

“You can have another taste if you want,” you gasped out, he paused long enough to glance up at you, making sure you were serious. You smiled and ran your fingers through his hair as a silent confirmation. Jun took the hint and trailed his lips back to where he originally bit you, running his tongue across the area once before biting down again. This time you moaned at the sting, tightening your grip on his hair and throwing your head back as the same warm feeling returned. This time Jun groaned into your neck, sucking harder and pressing your bodies together. His hands gripped at your hips desperately, grinding them against his own as he continued sucking at your neck. Though he pulled away out of fear of making you dizzy. Jun placed one last kiss on your neck before lifting his head and licking his lips.

“Yep, very addicting indeed,” he groaned. You took a deep breath and chuckled softly, pulling away from him slightly so you could loosen his tie. Jun watched in amusement as you undid his tie and the first few buttons of his shirt, pushing him back until he fell back on the bed.

“I think it’s my turn to have a taste,” you cooed. Jun leaned back and watched in amusement as you climbed on the bed to straddle him. He grunted softly as you trailed kisses down his neck and chest, slowly undoing the buttons of his shirt as you went. You had known Jun was slightly muscular but you hadn’t realized how much until now as you felt the outline of his muscles.

“Like what you see?” he teased once he realized you stopped your actions.

“A lot actually,” you teased back, Jun chuckled and licked his lips as you trailed more kisses down his stomach until you reached his belt. You made quick work of undoing the belt and popping open his button. Jun lifted his hips just enough to allow you to pull his pants and boxers down, revealing his already semi hard length. You could already tell his length was more than you expected and suddenly you were frozen. In fact, you actually had no idea what you were doing so seeing him exposed for you was a lot to handle. Jun noticed this and adjusted a bit to look up at you. “Are you okay doll?” he asked, reaching a hand out to stroke your cheek.

“Yeah I just…I don’t really know what to do,” you confessed. Jun had to keep himself from chuckling at your adorableness.

“You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to,” he told you.

“No I want to!” you whined.

“Very well, want me to tell you what to do then?” he asked, to which you nodded, “okay then, grip it gently and start by stroking it.” You hesitantly did as you were told, Jun immediately gasping and falling back against the bed at your touch. You stroked him softly for a minute, feeling him twitch in your hand and rubbing at his tip for a second before gaining your confidence back and leaning down to place kitten licks along his head. Jun twitched at the contact, groaning softly and throwing his head back as you licked across his length before finally taking his tip into your mouth. “There you go, just like that,” he urged. His hand that had been on your cheek returned to grip softly at your hair, tugging it softly and brushing it out of your face so he could see you. You looked up to meet his gaze and moaned softly at the sight of him. His eyes were wide and his mouth slightly opened as he panted, his muscles were tensing from the pleasure and his hair was now out of its bond and falling messily into his face. His grip on your hair tightened more as you took him deeper, an audible groan leaving his throat, “Good girl, treating me so well.” The praise got to you and had you rubbing your thighs together, taking him as deep as you could and using your hand to stroke what wouldn’t fit in your mouth. You continued your actions for a few more minutes, enjoying the way Juns groans got louder and more desperate, but he quickly tugged on your hair to pull you away. “As good as your mouth feels baby girl, I’m getting close and I would rather finish inside you.” You felt your cheeks heat up at his comment but you nodded and allowed him to flip you both over.

Jun took a moment to rid himself of his shirt as you got comfortable on the bed. He stepped away for a moment to grab something from the dresser before returning to you, with something hidden behind his back. “You trust me right?” he asked as he crawled on the bed with you.

“Of course,” you replied with a soft smile. Jun returned the action and gently pushed you to lay down fully.

“Good, now relax and put your hands above your head,” you immediately did as you were told, feeling the smooth silk run over your wrists before tightening around them. “Is that too tight?” he asked, watching you shake your head and nodding as he carefully tied your wrists to the headboard. He tugged on the knot for a moment to make sure it was sturdy before grabbing another silk tie and draping it over your eyes. “Still doing okay?’ he asked as he tied the silk behind your head.

“Yeah I’m fine,” you assured, squirming softly at your now loss of vision.

“Good, just let me know if it gets uncomfortable,” with that his hands were back to roaming your body. His large hands kneaded your breasts before moving down to play with your hips and thighs. You continued to squirm and moan at the contact, tugging lightly on your restraints. “You are so gorgeous,” he whispered, trailing kisses from your neck down to your breasts, “I always knew you were beautiful but your body is so perfect.” He placed kisses along your breasts before taking one of your nipples into his mouth. You shivered as you felt his fangs brush against your skin, his tongue swirling around your nipple as he sucked softly. Soft moans left you as he continued, gripping into your thighs as he switched to the other nipple.

“Jun,” you whined out, making him hum against your skin.

“Yeah baby? Do you need something?” there was a teasing edge to his voice that made you whine more.

“More, please touch me,” you begged. He chuckled softly and removed himself from your breasts.

“As you wish,” he muttered, one of his hands left your thigh to run a finger across your clothed core. You shivered at the feeling, grinding your hip into his hand to get more friction. “Shit, you are so wet for me,” he groaned as he pressed his finger harder against you.

“Stop teasing me please!” you whined, desperate to feel more of his touch.

“Fine, fine, because you’re being so good to me,” he agreed, slipping your panties off and spreading your thighs so he could get access to you. His finger trailed against your slit, gathering your wetness before pressing his finger into you. You moaned and squirmed softly, not used to the intrusion. “Just relax,” Jun cooed, “it’ll feel weird at first but I promise it’ll be worth it.” You nodded and did your best to relax, squirming and gasping as you felt his finger move inside of you. Jun pressed a kiss to your thigh as he continued, curling his finger and making you whine as he hit that special spot inside of you. “Found it,” he muttered, continuing to hit that spot and watching as you squirmed and moaned at the feeling. Slowly he urged another finger into you, curling them and making a scissoring motion to help stretch you out. The sting burned a bit but that was quickly washed out by the pleasure he was bringing you, constantly hitting your G spot and his thumb moving to rub at your clit. “How are you feeling Y/N?” he asked, not slowing down his motion.

“So good, it feels so good!” you moaned out, arching your back and pulling at your restraints.

“Good,” Jun muttered as he pulled his fingers out, “are you ready for more then?” You didn’t hesitate to nod, practically shaking in anticipation as you felt him line up with your entrance. You arched your back and groaned as you felt him slowly enter you, his hands gripping your waist and soft pants leaving him. Jun stilled once he bottomed out, kissing you and muttering praises while massaging your hips to distract you from the pain. It took a moment to adjust to the stretch, but the second you felt it fade you were nodding at him to continue. His thrusts started off slow, simply letting you get used to the feeling before picking up the pace. You couldn’t hold back your moans as you felt him inside you, wrapping your legs around him to hold him closer to you. Juns grip on you tightened and he groaned as his thrusts continued. “You are so tight, you feel so good,” he grunted as his head dropped to rest against your neck. With each thrust you felt a tightening in your stomach, whining and squirming more as you realized you wouldn’t last much longer.

“Jun I’m gonna..” you couldn’t find your words as you lost your breath. Jun seemed to understand though as you felt him nod against your neck. Without slowing his thrusts, he reached up with one hand and undid your blindfold, brushing your hair out of your eyes as you blinked up at him.

“Go ahead and cum for me baby,” he groaned, that was the approval you needed to finally let go. You tightened around Jun and arched your back with a soft cry as your orgasm washed over you. Jun slowed down for a moment before continuing his movements, making you whimper from overstimulation. “Hold on for me just a little bit longer okay?” he urged, “I won’t last much longer. You’re going to be good for me though right? You’re going to let me give you my heir?” You couldn’t verbally reply, simply nodding and whining. Jun thrusted a few more times before stilling inside of you, a low groan left him as he reached his climax.

You both panted softly as you came down from your high, Jun carefully pulling out and leaving gentle kisses across your face and neck. “How are you feeling?” he asked as he untied you, massaging the soft red marks on your wrists as you sighed.

“That was amazing,” you gasped out, staring up at Jun with a tired smile, “but I’m exhausted now.” He smiled and laughed softly, kissing your head as he climbed off the bed.

“You stay here, I’m going to grab something to clean up with and then we can rest okay?” you gave him a hum of confirmation and closed your eyes. Jun disappeared into the bathroom for a moment before returning with a wet cloth. He hovered over you and gently wiped down your neck and chest before folding it and gently pressing it against your core. You sighed at the cool feeling against your sore body, letting Jun clean you with no hesitation. Once you were clean he quickly cleaned himself off before setting the rag aside and crawling into bed with you. You immediately crawled under the covers and snuggled up against Jun, with your head on his chest and his arm over you. “You’ll probably be pretty sore tomorrow, so if you want to stay in bed I’m not opposed,” he mused, chuckling when you weakly hit his chest.

“We’ll see,” you muttered, “right now though I just want to sleep.”

“As you wish,” he agreed, kissing your head as he snuggled up with you.

“I love your kisses by the way,” you whispered, placing a kiss on his heart before closing your eyes.

“I’m glad,” he hummed, “it took a lot of effort for me to get them, you know?”

“I know, and you will still need that effort,” you teased, hearing him scoff.

“We’ll see about that,” he placed one last kiss on your head before closing his eyes, “rest well my love.”

“Goodnight Qinqin.”

At this point it was safe to say, you had fallen in love with Wen Junhui.

↪ Vampire Kisses Release Taglist: @eli-ljkh @foxdaisy @honeyhuii @kpxpseoul @knucklesdeepmingi @kmoon @woohoney @kimsabinaskzlover @meowjunhui @blizzardfluffykpop @d-noona

↪ Authors Notes: Qinqin means dear one or kiss

Also I’ve been considering doing a spinoff of this story where reader ends up with Minghao instead of Jun, would anyone be interested in that?

771 notes · View notes

gamerwoo · 1 year

Text

[SVT Imprinted] Junhui: Hate Me Not (Part 3)

Anonymous asked: will there be another part to the last junhao part?

Characters: Junhui x female reader (obv a little hao x reader)

Genre/warnings: werewolf au, college au, hurt/comfort, pregnant!reader, poly relationship (jun x reader x minghao), jun is a sulky baby and reader blames herself

Word count: 4,265

Summary: Junhui knows he’s going about things the wrong way, but he just can’t stop himself from running away from his problems, ultimately distancing himself from you more and more. Minghao comes up with a plan to get Junhui back to spending more time with you, though things don’t go completely as planned.

Tag list (italics are unable to tag): @psshwa @uglyratlmao @brokenbutchocolate @shra-vasti @killcomet @brattybunfornct @henloiamaweirdobye @anissanightyoung @babyminghao @mythicalamphitrite @caratluvie @liendoesja @ahandfulofkeys @junuoyi @1-800-multistan [if you’d like to be added to the tag list, please fill out this form!!!]

Perma tag list (italics are unable to tag): @minluvly @honeyylin @miki-chi @heemingyu @noraehey @awkwardnesshabitat @floweryjessy @woozarts @anothershorthuman @shuabby1994 @vernxnsfool @ti--red @etaerealboy @plants-w0rld @futuristiccomputerkitten-blog @thepencilkorner @shmooooo @dejavernon @slut-for-dabi @pussymode @iamxelia

Previous | Next | Imprinted Masterlist

Minghao looked across the table at you, watching as you chewed lightly on the end of your pen as you scanned your notes. You were in the library on campus, trying your best to study for your own classes while Minghao was meant to focus on his classes as well. From time to time, Faye would walk by with Kira trailing behind her, helping the taller girl put away library books while they chatted in English together.

Honestly, you’d been spending a lot more time with your younger mate than you had with Junhui, but that was only because Jun was avoiding Minghao for the most part. He was still upset – though, that was an understatement – with Minghao, so he was staying away -- not so much in an angry way, but more in a way that a child would when he was upset with his parents and went to sulk in his bedroom. He even spent some nights sleeping elsewhere just to avoid Minghao and the baby talk that came with being around the two of you. You didn’t blame Jun for being upset, you just missed him. You wanted to fix things so he could be happy too, but you couldn’t.

“You’re not reading your notes,” Minghao commented, taking note on the way your brows knitted together and how tense your body was. “_____, please try to relax.”

“How can I?” you sighed, setting down your pen and propping your elbows up on the table, letting your chin rest between your hands. “This whole baby thing is causing a huge rift between me and Jun. He doesn’t want to be around us anymore.”

“It doesn’t mean he doesn’t love you anymore, _____,” Minghao frowned, reaching across the library table to hold your hand. “He still does things for you, like leave you breakfast in the morning or put that fuzzy blanket you like in the dryer so it’s warm or keep the fridge stocked with all those snacks you like.”

You gave your mate a confused look, “I thought that was you.”

He shook his head with a tiny smile, “Nope, it was all him.”

You looked back down at your notes, trying to think. Was there any way to get Jun to be normal with you and Minghao again? He clearly still cared enough to go out of his way for you – you had started to worry that maybe the imprinting bond was breaking because of how upset he was – so there had to be a way to get him to be near you again.

But Minghao already had an idea. You’d be all Jun’s this weekend, but you didn’t know that yet.

Jun sat in his class, not even trying to focus. It had been hard focusing lately, especially with you getting bigger and bigger with the two babies inside you that both belonged to Minghao. He couldn’t help but roll his eyes again as he scribbled in frustration on the margins of his paper.

He was starting to really hate Minghao. He never thought he’d hate one of his brothers, but he felt a strong distaste for the younger wolf, he resented the babies Minghao had put in you, and he was even more upset because no matter how much he wanted to be near you, it just made him think more and more about how you were pregnant because of Minghao and not him.

Junhui still went out of his way to do small things for you when you weren’t around, though. He did feel bad not sticking by your side, but you had Minghao to do that anyway. Besides, Minghao was the father and should be the one to do those things. But Jun felt bad and he missed you and he wanted you to know he still did care about you, just not anything else. But he did notice the smile on your face didn’t reach your eyes anymore, and it wasn’t as bright. Your eyes didn’t have that sparkle it used to. You didn’t seem as happy, and he knew it was all his fault, but he couldn’t help it.

In his frustration, Jun didn’t notice how tightly he was gripping his pen. The plastic thing broke in half, spewing ink all over his hand, the desk, and his papers. The few students around him, though terrified, looked at him in both curiosity and slight fear. Jun let out a sigh before he gathered his things and stormed out of the room.

“Huh?” Seungcheol asked as Wonwoo, Faye, and Minghao stood by the doorway to the living room.

“You knew I was visiting home this weekend,” Faye said with a slight look of worry on her face.

Somehow, her being pregnant reverted her back to the soft, shy girl that you had only met when she first started working at the bakery with her. It was a bit odd to have that come out again since you only saw her quiet with strangers, but she was suddenly so afraid to do anything or make anyone the slightest bit upset with her. You assumed because she was easily prone to crying because of her hormones.

You, on the other hand, had already cried so much these last few months that you didn’t care.

“No, Faye, I know,” Seungcheol nodded, reassuring the pregnant girl that she wasn’t in any trouble, “it’s Minghao that I don’t understand.”

You didn’t understand, either. Minghao had never once mentioned going on any sort of trip this weekend, let alone leaving the goddamn country. But here he was with his bags packed and waiting by the door for the next morning so he could leave bright and early with Faye and Wonwoo. You knew he loved the idea of traveling, but you thought he’d at least tell you first.

Minghao just shrugged, “I’ve never been to America.”

“So you’re going to ditch your pregnant mate to do some traveling?” Jun muttered as he sat on the complete opposite side of the room from Minghao – he claimed he was there first and was refusing to leave, but everyone except you knew he was staying there because you were there. “Didn’t even tell her... Responsible.”

Minghao didn’t seem phased by the older boy’s words, though.

“So,” Soonyoung began, cocking his head to one side, “you’re gonna third wheel Faye and Won?”

“No,” Faye said, shaking her head, “we’re gonna include him. He can meet my family! Ooh, my older brother is gonna love you!”

“He doesn’t like me,” Wonwoo frowned. “I don’t think either of your brothers do.”

“That’s probably because you’re fucking their sister,” Mingyu told him with a snort.

“He’s studying abroad in China, but he’s coming home for the weekend,” Faye nodded as she tugged excitedly on Minghao’s hand.

Wonwoo looked down at her, eyebrows furrowed, “Is Luna going to--”

“No,” she stated quickly like she didn’t want to talk about the topic. “She’s...still not... Yeah...”

“You have a sister?” Minghao questioned, though all of you were confused. Faye had only ever mentioned her older brother and her younger brother.

She looked at Minghao with a tight-lipped smile, “Don’t talk about her to my family. She’s...estranged.”

While curiosity got the best of the pack, you walked closer to Minghao, catching his eye. He could easily read the sadness on your face. Not like, sad he was ‘leaving you’ but just sad because you’d miss him a lot.

“So you’re leaving tomorrow?” you frowned.

He offered you a sad smile as he reached up to cup your cheek, “It’s only three days, _____. I promise it’ll go by quickly. Jun will take the best care of you like he always does, you know that.”

A whole weekend with just Junhui, where he’d have no reason to be away from you. That honestly made you significantly less sad. Having Jun be back to normal for a little while--

Your eyes narrowed as you quietly stated, “You planned this on purpose.”

Minghao let out a giggle, “You’re welcome.”

Minghao had left in the early hours of the morning. You just barely remembered him waking you up with a soft kiss to your forehead, promising to return soon before reminding you to only sleep on your side – you’d lost count of how many times you’d woken up to him gently rolling you onto your side before you’d immediately go back to sleep.

But remembering that Minghao had left, you were surprised when you felt hands rolling you onto your side when you landed on your back and stopped there when turning over in your sleep. You reached behind you in your half-asleep state and felt a very warm hand behind you, though it was keeping space between you and it.

You started to roll over to see who it was, but as soon as you hit your back, you fell unconscious again.

And once again, you were rolled onto your side.

When you finally woke up, whoever was beside you while you slept was gone. There were clothes laid out for you, though – your favorite grey sweater and the most comfortable leggings you owned – so you got changed quickly. After that, you put on some socks before going downstairs and following the smell of food.

On the counter with steam still drifting off of the plate, was rice and eggs, with a sticky note written in all capital letters in handwriting you easily recognized as Junhui’s.

FOR _____

Under that note was another.

I swear to god Gyu, if you eat this one, I’ll disembowel you

You just laughed softly to yourself before taking the plate with utensils already on it, and going to the living room to eat.

You enjoyed your breakfast with the pack that was in the living room. Eunmi had the day off from classes, so she was in a very long t-shirt, her hair up, and was eating a bowl of cereal while she watched Adventure Time – you thought she looked very adorable despite typically having a very tough aura. Yerin was playing a game of chess with Chan while the two of them bickered back and forth while laughing and giggling. Seungcheol and Juri were cuddled up together on the couch while Seungcheol softly sang along to the Adventure Time theme song, making Juri giggle as she cuddled closer to him. The morning was good so far.

“Hey,” a familiar voice you’d barely heard at all these last few months spoke up. You whipped your head around to the threshold to the living room, seeing Jun standing there in a sweatshirt and joggers. “So, uh, Minghao said you needed to get more clothes because you’re…getting bigger and stuff. So…”

“O-oh,” was all you could manage to say.

‘Good one, _____,’ you thought to yourself, ‘After months of hardly hearing a full sentence from him, that’s what you say to him.’

“Do you want to go now?” you asked.

He shrugged, “S’up to you.”

You nodded, eager to spend time with Junhui, “Yeah, we can go now. I was done eating, anyway. Um…thank you, by the way – for breakfast, I mean. Well, and the clothes. Oh, and–”

“You’re welcome,” he nodded, interrupting your thank yous before he turned and went down the hall, walking out the door.

The car ride was awkward, but you were just happy to be near Jun. You could tell he was deep in thought from the way his brows furrowed as he stared at the road, and you’d give anything to know what he was thinking so hard about. He clearly wasn’t angry because his grip on the wheel was relaxed, but whatever it was had him clearly a bit preoccupied.

“_____,” Jun suddenly spoke up when he stopped at a light. He turned to look at you, his face emotionless, “we should probably talk. Or, well, I should talk.”

You nodded slowly, playing with your fingers in your lap, “Okay…”

He sighed, reaching over and putting his warm hand over both of yours, “I’m–”

Your phone suddenly buzzed interrupting what Jun was going to say. He glanced at your phone resting on your thigh, letting out a groan and rolling his eyes as he removed his hand and went back to staring straight ahead.

“Never mind,” he grumbled. “Just answer it.”

The ID said it was Minghao, and the picture of you, him, and Jun together showed up to confirm it. You felt a slight pang in your heart, but answered the phone anyway. You knew fighting with Jun would get you nowhere.

“Hi, love!” Minghao chirped when you picked up. “I just wanted to let you know we’re on layover.”

“Are you all doing okay?” you asked.

“Yeah. I mean, Faye’s really sleepy and is basically passed out on me while Wonwoo’s in the bathroom. If she were awake, she’d say hi,” he chuckled. “How are things with Jun?”

You knew Jun could hear because when you glanced at him, his knuckles were white as he gripped the wheel. You didn’t want to tell Minghao how things were really going, but you didn’t want to lie, either.

But Minghao could tell just from how long you were taking to think of an answer.

“_____…” he sounded upset for you.

“We’re going clothes shopping,” you said quickly, trying to sound happy and excited. “It’ll be fun.”

Minghao sighed, “Alright, well, please be safe. I know Junhui won’t let anything happen to you, but y’know. I love you.”

“I love you, too,” you replied before hanging up.

Jun was silent once again the entire way to the store.

Buying clothes was awkward. You were already upset because you had to go up yet another size – Dr. Moon and Josh both said you’d be even bigger because of the twins – but you were even more upset because Jun was back to mumbling and sulking. He did once grab a sweater that he put in the cart, quietly saying, “I like this color on you” before he walked off again. But you still hated how distant he was being.

Despite how much you wanted to cry because of it, you kept your tears in. You would let everything out when you were alone in your room or in the shower or somewhere you wouldn’t do it in front of anybody. You were so sick and tired of crying in front of people and feeling like your emotions were an annoying burden to them.

But as soon as you walked through the door and went to pass Eunmi, she stopped you with a smirk, “So, did you two lovebirds have fun today?”

And you just broke down into sobs. You didn’t have fun, and you weren’t sure if you’d ever have fun again. Honestly, it just felt like Jun hated you now. It felt like if this went on any longer, your bond with him would break or he would die or something bad would happen where you’d lose him. He didn’t want to be around you -- hell, he didn’t even want to talk to you. What could you do?

Eunmi’s eyes widened in surprise before they narrowed, her deadly gaze on Junhui as she wrapped you up in her arms, “Hey bitch-face, what did you do to her?!”

“Nothing!” Jun said, holding up his hands in surrender.

Seungcheol had heard the commotion and came in from the living room to see what was wrong, but the three of you ignored the alpha’s presence.

“Th-that’s the pro-oblem,” you blubbered, your head dropped onto Eunmi’s shoulder.

Junhui was sure his heart almost shattered when you said that. He whined softly, but just stood in place. Seungcheol walked over, looking between the two of you – though you didn’t see him – before he gave Junhui a hard look.

Eunmi brought you down the hall toward the kitchen, but your mate just watched with sad eyes. He didn’t even make a move to go after you.

“Jesus Christ, Jun,” Seungcheol groaned, “can you put your petty fucking instincts aside for your mate? You’re acting like a literal child. Stop sulking and do better for her.”

Jun said nothing, watching as Eunmi led you away from him with Seungcheol following behind.

Eunmi sat you down in a chair before going to grab a tissue for you. Seungcheol crouched down in front of you, a warm hand placed on your knee as he looked up at you with a frown. He felt awful for you. He couldn’t believe your own mate would treat you like this. Jun had made you cry more times these last few months than the alpha could even count. He honestly wanted to hit him

“_____, I’m sorry,” Seungcheol said, his voice soft as Eunmi walked over to dab your eyes.

“He h-hates me,” you wailed, covering your nose with the tissue before it could drip. “He d-doesn’t love m-me a-anym-more.”

“Sweetheart, no, that’s not true,” Eunmi shook her head, stroking your hair back.

“Eunmi’s right,” Seungcheol agreed, “Junhui still loves you.”

You just kept shaking your head at their words, unable to accept them. Junhui wanted absolutely nothing to do with you for the last few months, and you knew that when the babies came, it would only get worse. He’d hate Minghao, he’d hate the babies because they were Minghao’s, and he’d hate you for bringing them into the world – for ruining his life, as he had said before. That statement may have been talked through and apologized for, but now it was all you could think about. You ruined his life.

“Should we call Minghao?” Eunmi suggested.

“No, he’s probably on a plane right now,” Seungcheol sighed, pulling you to his chest when your sobs got stronger.

“I can take care of her.”

Jun’s voice had the two looking toward the doorway. Eunmi’s eyes narrowed again, her glare just about burning a hole in his face, “Yeah, clearly.”

“I have to fix this,” Junhui insisted, his voice soft. “Please, let me talk to her. I promise I won’t make her cry.”

“Fine,” Seungcheol decided, letting go of you to stand up and face Junhui. “You better fix your behavior, though. She doesn’t deserve to think her own mate hates her.”

Just hearing that again – he’d heard everything already – had him whimpering softly. The fact he really made you think he hated you – and then said it out loud – hurt him more than anything. It hurt more than finding out the babies weren’t his.

As Seungcheol had to force Eunmi out of the kitchen, Jun collected you in his arms and brought you upstairs. You didn’t fight him, though you couldn’t stop crying. He shushed you the entire way up, telling you it was okay, but it didn’t feel okay. Junhui was holding you and he was saying he was going to take care of you, but things weren’t okay and you didn’t think they’d ever be okay.

You felt the mattress under you before you felt it dip beside you. Jun held you to him while he sat up against the headboard, pressing a soft kiss to the crown of your head. You sat in silence for a while, just the sound of your sobs and sniffles filling the room. Jun stayed quiet, just letting you get most of it out.

“_____,” he began quietly, but there was something about his voice that sounded…off, “d-do you really think I hate you?”

You heard the break in his voice. You pulled away just enough to look at him, seeing a few tears sliding down his cheeks. You hadn’t even noticed he’d started crying, and you weren’t sure if he was crying because he hurt you or because you thought he hated you or for a reason completely lost on you. But you didn’t know why he’d cry over you.

When all you did was look at him without saying a word, a sob escaped his lips. You’d never heard Jun cry before – you’d seen it, yes, but never heard him make any noise – and it stabbed right at your heart.

“I’m so sorry,” he whispered so his voice wouldn’t break again. “I’ve been so fucking awful to you, but I couldn’t stand being around him. I just– Fuck, _____, I wanted everything with you, and he got it first. I just have to stand by and watch! I thought sharing with my brother would be easy but it’s hard and it’s only going to get more and more difficult and–”

He stopped, taking a deep breath because his voice was raising and was starting to get shaky. He shook his head, cupping your cheek as a few tears fell from his chin and onto the sleeve of his shirt, “I need to stop isolating and sulking when I’m upset or angry. No matter what, I shouldn’t neglect you. I thought maybe just doing small gestures would at least remind you that I care, but a mate needs their wolf as much as a wolf needs their mate. I can’t tell you how sorry I am for letting my anger get in the way of my love for you.”

You sniffled, rubbing one eye with the side of your hand, “S-so you don’t hate m-me?”

“No,” he breathed, his forehead resting against yours as your noses just barely brushed. “No, I never could. I’ll love you until the day I die, and then even after that. You’ll always be my mate, _____, and that won’t ever change.”

Your arms wrapped around his neck, hugging him close. Your face nuzzled into the crook of his neck, making him laugh softly before sniffling.

“I missed you,” you told him.

You felt and hurt and purr in his chest, “I missed you more.”

The rest of the weekend was boring, but Junhui stayed with you the whole time. He brought you to and from class, he took you out to lunch, he made sure you spoke to Minghao once a day – he figured out the time zones for you – and he slept in your room again.

Even in the late hours of the night when you were half awake, feeling the bed dip on Minghao’s side, you still felt Junhui’s warm arms around you, never letting up. Even when Minghao kissed your forehead, whispering to you that he was finally back, Junhui stayed glued to your back, seemingly unbothered. He stayed, and that was an accomplishment of it’s own.

Jun got grumpy. Of course he did, you knew how he felt about the situation. You felt like he still resented the babies, too, but he still begrudgingly helped you – Minghao couldn’t help but laugh watching a grumpy Junhui frown deeply even while he massaged your swollen belly. You had to admit, there was something entertaining about seeing Jun with a semi-permanent pout even while he did nice things for you.

He loved you, he couldn’t help but help you.

“I brought you something!” Faye grinned as she held out a purple bag for you. “I hope you like it. Wonwoo and I got a matching one – well, kind of.”

You dug through the tissue paper, your hand landing on something that felt soft and plush. When you pulled the contents out, you were gripping four onesies: two were lions, and two were tigers. Minghao smirked, looking away as he presented the gift with Faye and Wonwoo. Jun raised his eyebrows before looking back at the taller mate.

“Faye, do you know what twins means?” he chuckled, though you could tell he was trying his best to not burst into little coos of how cute they looked. “Can you count?”

Faye’s cheeks turned red as they puffed out in a pout, “Y-yeah! I– I just thought…”

Wonwoo put an arm around her to keep her calm before she burst into tears at Junhui’s remark.

“She wanted to do the whole ‘lions and tigers and bears’ thing,” Minghao explained, though his gaze was mostly on you when he spoke, “but she figured twins usually wear the same thing, so she got two of each just in case you want them to match instead.”

“We got the bear one,” Wonwoo spoke up.

“I love it,” you told them honestly with a thankful smile, “thank you, Faye.”

Faye smiled shyly with a shrug, “I figured I should try to cheer you up since I kinda kidnapped Minghao. I hope you weren’t too upset.”

You nudged Jun before leaning into him, earning a kiss to the top of your head, “I had good company.”

“The best company,” Junhui corrected. “I’m a delight.”

“Oh fuck, is it opposite day already?” Soonyoung asked.

Junhui turned to glare at his brother before both took off, Jun chasing after Soonyoung with a yell while Soonyoung laughed maniacally. Wonwoo sighed deeply, stepping in to defuse the situation before it escalated.

"You did have a good weekend?” Minghao checked.

You nodded as he wrapped his arms around you and kissed your forehead, “Of course I did. Personally, I did find Jun to be a delight.”

“You seem happier,” Minghao noted.

“Yeah,” you let out a content breath, your own arms lazily resting around his hips. “I think everything will be okay. It’ll just take some time and effort.”

“Which is normal,” he assured you. "The best relationships take time and effort.”

“And we are the best.”

He chuckled, “Yes we are.”