#justasparkmaster | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

justasparkwritings · 2 years

Text

August {III} Are You Sure?

Previous: August II

Pairing: Kim Taehyung x Reader

Genre: Fluff, Smut

Rating: NC17

Warnings: Kissing, Making Out, Oral Sex, Consensual Safe Sex between 2, 18 Year Olds (it’s very clear), Talking About Sex, Birth Control, Swearing, Losing Virginities (antiquated I know)

Word Count: 6.7K

Summary: Two summers pass and each one gets steamier and steamier.

Notes: ARE WE FINALLY DONE WITH TEENAGE THEM? ALMOST.

Listen: August, Taylor Swift; The Last Great American Dynasty, Taylor Swift; I Think He Knows, Taylor Swift; Cinema, Harry Styles; Crush, Gavin Degraw

Tag List: @4ksj, @jagiya, @ot7nem, @knjkitten, @teamtardis-notdead

Tag List

Master List

7 Summers Ago

You waited in the Adirondack chairs as the sun went down and the stars began to show. Your moms were at some dinner with both Kim’s at Bar Harbor, leaving you, EJ, Taehyung and both his siblings and yours to roam the beach. The younger Kim’s had been tucked in bed at 10PM, but left to play quietly on their ipads until their parents came home. EJ was too busy hooking up with Yoongi, who her parents somehow allowed to stay with them, and unsupervised, because EJ was most definitely not having sex. Which, wasn’t a total lie. She most definitely was having sex with Yoongi, oral sex, digit sex… all the sex that comes as foreplay before penetration. And she most definitely knew what it felt like to climax, a fleeting sensation you hadn’t yet explored.

It wasn’t for lack of trying, but lack of time. Too many activities, too much homework, too much to prepare for senior year. Your preliminary SAT and ACT scores were good, strong but could be better. They needed to be better if you wanted a shot at an Ivy. Extracurriculars and letters of rec would do a lot for you, plus the whole two-moms and being biracial was definitely going to help as well… but that was no guarantee an Ivy would care. You spent the first part of summer organizing the lists of schools to apply to, some state schools and public institutions, then listed the six Ivy’s you wanted to try and get into: Columbia, Brown, Yale, Princeton, Cornell and Dartmouth. And Stanford, the almost Ivy. In total you had twelve schools to apply to, twelve schools to impress, twelve schools to prove your worth.

“Hey,” a voice said behind you, and you knew without looking that Taehyung had finally cleaned up the kitchen from dinner and was coming to join you. “I stole this from my parents stash back home.”

You took the can of beer and stared at it.

“Underage drinking? Taehyung Kim who are you?” You asked.

“I thought it might be fun, drink it together then bury it in the recycling bin before my parents come home.”

“Okay,” you said and cracked the top. The first sip made you wince, why was beer so gross?

“Do you hate it?” He asked as he sipped. In his letters to you, he’d alluded to the fact that he’d gone to a party or two or five where drinking was happening. He made it clear that it was a means to an end, a way to prove he was cool and worthy of being at the party, but he usually filled a solo cup with water and pretended he’d snuck a pour of vodka from the freezer or liquor cabinet or wherever the parents of his peers hid their hard booze.

“Yeah, it’s nasty.” You looked at the label, not recognizing it and handed him the can again. He sipped and winced, too.

“So beer isn’t our drink.”

“It most certainly is not.”

“Good to know now so that next year we’re ready.”

“God, can we not talk about next year for like, ten minutes?” You begged.

“Of course. What are you taking this year?”

“AP Physics, AP Lit, APUSH, AP Studio Art. You?”

“AP Lit, APUSH, AP Chem and AP Calc.”

“Are we going to survive?”

“I doubt it.”

“Hey – you never wrote to me about Junior Prom. Did you ask that girl?”

“Girl?”

“Yeah, in your letters you made comments about having a crush with wide dark eyes and a smile that when it expands, reminds you of wings. You were totally crushing. Did you go to prom with them?”

“I uh – no. I didn’t go to prom with him.”

“Him?”

“Yeah, I think I’m bi, or pansexual… I’m not sure yet.”

“Oh, cool,” you shrugged. This was in fact not totally new information. “That’s why when I talked about how hot Seokjin’s become you agreed, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, it is.”

“He’s gotten hotter. I don’t know how that happened but it’s really fucking getting to me.”

“Whoa – swearing too? Has one sip let you loose?”

“Shut up!” You said swatting his arm.

“He is looking hot, so is Namjoon.”

“Yeah, they’re coming up for a week and bringing Hoseok and Yoongi which, seems unfair.”

“That they have a lot of hot friends?”

“Yeah, but I have you, and you’re like…. Hotter than all of them combined so it’s fine.”

“Shut up,” Taehyung said blushing.

“You’re a model, Kim.”

“So are you, Y/N.”

“Don’t,”

“What?”

“Lie. I’m no you,”

“You don’t have to be,” He said and leaned over the arm of his chair. “You’re perfectly you.”

You turned your head and leaned across to meet his lips. They were soft and patient, reminding you what it was like to kiss him like you had summers before.

“Did your prom date ask you to be his girlfriend?” Taehyung asked as he pulled away.

“No, we’re not a couple. I don’t really want to date him.”

“Why not? I thought he was interesting and considerate?”

“Yeah, he is, but you know,” you shrugged, allowing your sentence to hang. “I did get asked out by the captain of the varsity basketball team.”

“Oh? Did you say yes?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“He’s an idiot and his parents are republicans. You really think my moms would allow that?”

“That’s true. What if you fall in love at college?”

“That wasn’t even ten minutes!”

“Sorry, sorry!”

“It’s a moot point anyway, I’m kind of pining over someone. I guess I like the feeling of unrequited love a little too much to date.”

“You’re wise beyond your years, but don’t let that unrequited love dictate your future.”

“It’s not totally unrequited,” You said, knowing full well he understood you meant him.

“No, it’s not,” he leaned in again, this time kissing you with fervor and heat. “Can we go to yours?”

“Yeah,” you stood and took his hand, walking side by side into your cabin and to your bedroom. You shut the door, grateful that Max was crashing at Taehyung’s house with his siblings.

Taehyung kissed you as you turned around, lips moving in tandem with yours as his hands cupped your cheek. You’d both had practice since last summer, kissing other people. Taehyung had gone out with some girl his parents had set him up with, and you had gone on a few dates with a guy named Mark who was totally fine and it more fizzled than burned out.

“Can I,” Taehyung started, then sat back and looked at you.

“Take my shirt off?” You filled in his unasked question, because you had the same one.

“Yeah?”

“Yes.”

It seemed like a natural progression, moving from kissing occasionally the summer before, okay and completely making out on more than one occasion, to this… to topless kissing and hands exploring. It was safe and it was comfortable, he was looking out for you and you were looking out for him. And, of course, it was Taehyung. Taehyung who you’d crushed on since you were fifteen… Your best friend, and you his.

It was all going, rather well, until you heard the front door open and footsteps getting louder and louder as they approached your door.

“Shit,” you muttered as you reached for your shirt and tossed it on. Taehyung did the same and sat on the floor, hoping his swollen lips and mussed hair wouldn’t give anything away.

“Y/N?” Your mama asked as she opened the door, her eyes widening as she saw Taehyung on your rug, legs crossed, and you sitting on your bed. “You know the rules.”

“I’m sorry,” you said quickly.

“I should go,” he said standing quickly. “Have a good night.”

“You too, and you, living room.”

Your mama didn’t need anytime going from cool and collected to angered parent. She did it so quickly it could give someone who was unfamiliar with her reactions whiplash.

“Jackie!” she called.

“Yes? Y/N, why are you up?”

“It’s 10pm, it’s not that late.” You countered.

“Don’t you have work in the morning?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“Taehyung was here,” mama said. “In her room, with the door closed.”

“Y/N!” Mom said.

Your hands shot up, defending yourself. “I’m sorry!”

“I thought we had an understanding, no closed doors, no boys in the house when we’re not here,” your mom said.

“I know,” you said.

“Do we need to buy condoms?” She asked.

“Oh my god!” You exclaimed, blushing furiously.

“Well, you’re not on birth control, and you’re having a boy in your room with the door closed. Do we need to buy protection for you?” Mama asked, clearly and with a hint of fear that you, her precious daughter was becoming sexually active.

“I don’t think so.”

“But you might need them this summer?”

“I – I don’t know,” you answered sheepishly.

“We wanted to get you on birth control before college,” Mom said.

“You do?”

“Yes, you never know what could happen. The world isn’t a safe place and it’s better to be protected than to be vulnerable. But we didn’t expect, I guess we should’ve,” mama sat down, exhaling loudly.

“You know the risks, of sex before you’re on the pill or have an IUD?”

You nodded.

“Verbal confirmation please,” Mama requested.

“Yes,” you said clearly.

“Even with condoms, they are not –

“I know.”

“I can’t believe we’re having this conversation,” Mom muttered.

“Yeah, I had health. Remember I got an A?” You replied, regretting the snark you’d chosen for that question. You watched as your mom rolled her eyes and your mama shook her head.

“Of course, you did, but taking a class and having it be your reality are very different things.” Mom said.

“I’m sorry I broke the rules.” You apologized.

“Is EJ having sex?” Mama asked.

“Mama!”

“It’s a valid question, dating that older boy,” Mom said.

“No, she’s really scared that because he’s older, if something happens her parents will like totally wig out.”

“Makes sense.”

“I would be worried.”

“Well luckily Taehyung turns eighteen a few months after I do,” you said. They knew, how could they not? You scrambled from the day your birthday was over all the way until his trying to find the perfect gift and mail it on time. They’d been watching you, and taking you to the post office, for years now.

“Right, but now you’re seventeen, so can you please promise us, you won’t do anything drastic until you’re eighteen?”

You thought about it, what was a few months? But in a few weeks Taehyung would be back in his home and you would be in yours, and you couldn’t… you didn’t want to take that next step with some guy from school. Ew. No, if you were going to do it before college it would have to wait until next summer. Then you’d be protected, right?

“Okay,” You grumbled.

“I would like that in writing,” Mama said.

“Oh Teresa, stop,” mom chuckled. “I’ll draft it in the morning.”

“You know this is how teens end up pregnant, celibacy pacts,” you reminded them.

“We could take her to the urgent care and get it,” Mama offered.

“She could have side effects, what if she starts the wrong one and has a bad reaction? I’d rather take her to her pediatrician and go over options and make an educated decision instead of just shoving the pill on her.”

“Hello?” You asked. “Can I be a part of this conversation?”

“Of course, honey,” mom said.

“I want an IUD. I’ve done the research, and yes they hurt and are more expensive, but they offer the best protection from unwanted pregnancy for the longest time. I want, I want that.”

“She is our daughter after all,” mama commented.

“Okay, when we get back we’ll take you to your doctor,” mom decided. “And you’re grounded for the week, no seeing Taehyung except at work.”

You arrived to the mall and sat at the empty picnic table that awaited weary workers before and after their shifts. But you weren’t alone for long, because EJ, having the day off, came to support you on your first day back.

“Yo,” she said sitting down. “You will not believe what I heard.”

“So, I think I’m going to start birth control,” you whispered, pulling EJ closer to you.

“What?” she yelled, directly into your ear.

“Yeah, my parents walked in on me and Taehyung last night and they wanted me to start before college but they’re gonna start it now.”

“Is that what you want?”

“Yeah, I think so? I mean, I only want to have sex with Tae, but we can’t this summer because my moms will ground me every day if I do.”

“Oh my god did they make you sign a virgin pact?”

“Yeah, and they asked if you’re having sex with Yoongi.”

“I’m assuming you lied.”

“Of course.”

“Good, my mom doesn’t need to know anything. So you’re grounded this week?”

“Yeah, because he was in my room with the door shut.”

“Oh my god, ladies!” Clara exclaimed as she came up to the table, smile on her face, new summer clipboard in her hand.

“Hi Clara,” EJ and you grumbled.

“EJ, aren’t you supposed to be at Pirate’s Treasure Chest?”

“I have today off.”

“Oh, well you’ll both be excited to hear that you, Y/N, are officially moved to the candy section and out of ice cream!”

You stared at her, unsure why that was exciting news. Ice cream was difficult, sure, but to deal with all those customers? No thank you.

“Why?”

“It’s because she got hot, isn’t it?” EJ asked Clara.

“Oh my god,” you slapped her arm. The sound echoed in the near empty strip behind the stores. “This isn’t a YA summer romance, I didn’t just get hot over the school year and no one noticed.”

“You sure?” EJ asked. “I know someone who has been thinking about you.”

“Who?” Clara asked, then realized she wasn’t part of the conversation. “Anyway, your shift starts in five. Have you seen your boyfriend?”

“Boyfriend?” You asked in confusion.

“Taehyung, duh,” she said.

“Oh, he’s probably out front, waiting for you to let him in.”

“He wasn’t when I walked in but I’ll go double check. I’m sure he’ll be happy to have you as his work wife again.”

Clara turned and used her key to get into the back room of the candy store, ponytail swaying and bopping as she walked. She clearly hadn’t changed in the year since you saw her.

“She’s gonna be prom queen, isn’t she?”

“Then marry a republican senator and eventually stand by him when his sex scandal breaks.”

“Yikes,” you sighed. “So who has been talking about me?”

“I’m sworn to secrecy,” EJ teased.

“You’re the worst.”

“Hey, EJ!” Taehyung appeared from the door Clara just entered, big smile on his lips.

“Hi,” she said – they had been spending plenty of time together this summer before you arrived. A fact that made you insanely jealous. But you got EJ all school year, and you got Taehyung… well in ways EJ never would.

“Y/N we gotta wash up and then I’m training you on candy,” he informed you.

“Great, you gonna be a drill sergeant?” You asked.

“That’s are you going to be a drill sergeant, sir, to you,” Taehyung winked, waved to EJ and disappeared back into the shop.

“He likes you,” EJ said.

“Considering we were topless making out on my couch, I’d say yes, he does like me.”

“And you like him,”

“He’s fine.”

“Oh come on, don’t act like you don’t pine after him all school year, hoping he’ll make some long distance move and you’ll be together.”

“I like the hope of him, never quite turning into anything real. It’s, fun. It’s breezy.”

“It stops you from going out with other people,” EJ reminded you.

“Who wants to date me back home anyway? No one.”

“That’s not true.”

“Whatever. When do Seokjin and Namjoon get here?”

“Tomorrow night. They said they wanted to give us one night together until they steal you away and ruin your summer.”

“I hate that they enjoy college but not enough to stay there all summer,” you said as you stood and collected your items.

“Same. I don’t miss them at all,” EJ lied. “I’ll come by at one and we’ll bike home?”

“I’m grounded remember?”

“Yeah, from Taehyung, not me.”

She was right, your moms had no problem when you rode up to the house with EJ next to you, or when she came in, gave them a hug and collapsed on the couch, ready to watch TV or play games.

“Go swimming,” Mama said as she came out of the kitchen to stare at you and EJ. “Please, not in the house.”

“Fine,” you groaned and changed quickly into your swimsuit.

EJ was already outside, at the end of the dock, applying sunscreen to her arms and legs. You walked out and let her slather your back in the white concoction before doing the same to hers.

“Are your moms really that mad?”

“I don’t know, but I know they’re going to regret grounding me.”

“Why?”

“I’m so much more annoying when I can’t see Taehyung than when I can.”

“That’s true, I can confirm that,” EJ laughed. She took the first jump, spinning and plummeting into the water. You followed suit, jumping in after her and laughing as you came up for air.

“I think he dates other people during the school year,” you confided, your suspicion more an idea and a thought than an actual reality.

“You do? Wouldn’t he mention it in your letters?”

“I don’t know that he would. It took him until I asked yesterday to find out about prom. He’s allusive.”

“In like, a hot way.”

“Yeah, I mean he’s the hottest man I’ve ever se –

Something wrapped around your ankle and in a swift motion pulled you under. As water filled your nose you began to fling your arms wildly, trying to hit whatever it was that had gotten to you. It’s a lake, there isn’t anything more than fish, ducks and microscopic living organisms. Nothing with a grip that could take you down. You kicked your legs, almost making contact with whatever it was as the grip released you, sending you up to the top of the water gasping for air.

“What the fuck?” You yelled, eyes wild as you tried to land on whoever or whatever it was that had gotten you.

You heard the laughter before you saw the face, popping out a few yards away from you, broad shoulders and symmetrical face, his windshield wiper laugh was like no ones you’d heard, besides coming from him. He was in hysterics, laughing heartily as he watched your panic turn into blind rage. EJ laughed too, because of course she had been in on it.

“She hates you,” another voice came from the dock across from yours, and you glared at Namjoon.

“She’s in shock, leave her alone,” Yoongi, decked out in full sun shirt and leggings, said as he sat down and dipped his pale feet into the cool water.

“I fucking hate you, Seokjin Kim.” You yelled before climbing up the ladder on your dock. “None of you fucking talk to me.”

As you stomped back into your house, you could hear Seokjin calling your name.

“It was a joke! I’m sorry!” Seokjin called.

“I told you it was a dick move,” Namjoon said before he jumped into the water, splashing Yoongi.

“I thought Hoseok was coming with you?” EJ asked them.

“He’s changing still,” Yoongi answered.

“He didn’t want to be a part of this,” Namjoon told his sister.

“Of course not, you guys are assholes.”

“You helped!”

“All I did was get her in the water, I thought you were just going to be floating, not try and drown her.”

“Whatever, it was a great prank,” Seokjin said.

“You are going to really have to apologize to her,” Namjoon told his twin.

“I know,” Seokjin regretted the prank almost immediately after he saw your face. He had expected you to be surprised, but he thought maybe you’d be happy he was there, happy he’d come up a day early to hang out with you and his sister. That he took some time in his busy summer, he’s working as an undergrad researcher at Northwestern all summer, to come up to the lake and be with his family. But no, you’re pissed at him, and he knows you, it’s going to last a while if he doesn’t apologize correctly.

Seokjin hops out of the lake, having used his large wingspan and strength to pull himself up and out of the water. He stalks down your dock before turning on the sand and going to the one person’s house who will know what to do: Taehyung.

“Why did you think that was a good idea?” Taehyung asked, sitting in his living room with a can of sugar free root beer in his hand.

“I thought she’d be more excited to see me than she would be mad.”

“Why would she be excited to see you?”

“I don’t know! I haven’t seen her since Christmas. I didn’t come home for spring break, I thought maybe she’d be –

“Excited,”

“Yeah, to see me.”

“And not Namjoon?”

“Who is excited to see Namjoon except his professors?” Jin asked.

“I’d guess you, I mean he’s in Boston and you’re in Chicago for the year, don’t you miss him?”

“That’s not the point of this. How do I apologize?”

“Write her a letter.”

Seokjin wasn’t convinced. “A letter?”

“A letter. And get her favorite chocolates and candies. Be sincere, but not patronizing.”

“I can do those things.”

“Write it in your best handwriting, she cares about penmanship even though hers looks like she’s nine years old.”

“Okay, anything else?”

“Don’t like to her, or make up something about why you did it. Be honest,” Taehyung said.

“Did EJ say something to you?” He asked.

“Uh, no? Should she have?” It was Taehyung’s turn to be confused about the conversation transpiring between them.

"No, no, she just talks a lot for someone who knows so little. Anyway,” Jin said standing. “Thanks.”

“Why do you care so much?” Yoongi asked that evening over dinner, where Mr. & Mrs. Kim were less than impressed with their eldest son’s prank.

“She’s like my second sister, I shouldn’t have done it.”

“Told you,” Namjoon muttered.

“You shouldn’t have, what if she hurt you? Or you hurt her?”

“She was only under for maybe ten seconds,” Jin said. “I had a loose grip on her and let her go quickly.”

“Ten seconds is still enough to do damage to an unsuspecting person,” Mrs. Kim scolded. “Honestly Jin, you know better.”

“I’m working on my apology!” He said defensively.

“We ought to ground you for your foolery but you’re an adult, and that would be embarrassing for both of us.” Mr. Kim said.

“Sorry for being a disappointment.”

“You are not a disappointment,” Mrs. Kim told him. “You just behaved like you’re fifteen, which frankly is an age we are glad to be past.”

“Nothing was as bad as Namjoon at thirteen,” EJ piped in. “Do you remember?”

“The time he kicked the hole in the wall? How could we forget,” Mr. Kim laughed.

“You did what?” Hoseok asked, turning to stare at his friend.

“It was an accident.”

“An accident was EJ putting stickers on her bedroom door. No, you knew what you were doing,” Mrs. Kim said.

“I hate this family,” Namjoon groaned.

“Honestly, same,” Seokjin said, meeting his twin’s gaze.

He didn’t tell Taehyung that he had missed his brother during their time apart for college. He always missed him when they were apart. They’re twins, it’s part of their dna and make up to be completely locked into the other. It was terrible, freshman year, being separated for the first time, and for a long time. Neither came home for Thanksgiving, but thankfully Namjoon went to Chicago to stay with Jin. They both went home for Christmas and at Spring Break the entire family, even EJ who wasn’t on break yet, went to France. But there were still long and lonely hours. Seokjin didn’t take to making friends quite as easily as his brother, and he missed having a guaranteed companion. Not to mention Yoongi was still in state, and Hoseok was in New York and could see Joon more frequently. Phone calls and texting did little to fill the void, and Jin really regretted, at least the first few months, that he’d turned down the option of going to Northeastern with his brother.

“I think we’re great,” EJ said as she finished the last of her grilled asparagus, and smiled at Yoongi who happily grinned back.

“You have to talk to him,” Mama said the next day as you avoided spending time with EJ or listening to Seokjin.

“I do not. He made a dick move and I don’t have to forgive him yet.”

“Doesn’t she have consequences for swearing?” Max asked as he ate his cereal. Finally old enough to work, he’d scored a job at Gunner’s Golf Pros caddying and working the snack shack.

“She’s already grounded,” mom reminded him.

“Yeah, but she still gets to hang out with EJ and Taehyung at work. How is that even a punishment?”

“Because she really wants to spend time with Taehyung, who she only sees for a month out of the year. Imagine you had a friend like that and mom and I said you couldn’t see them? How would you feel?”

“Max doesn’t have friends,” you commented.

“Why are you so mean to me?”

“I love you, that’s why.”

“Okay, love and being mean do not equal each other,” Mama said.

“We know,” Max and you said in unison.

“Please, Seokjin has been texting for weeks asking when we’re having a family bbq and now you won’t speak to him. Maybe he’s trying to say he’s sorry the only way he knows how.”

“By being obnoxious?” You asked.

“By being genuine and authentic.” Mom said.

You shrugged, staring at the last remaining pieces of your cereal, floating helplessly in the oat milk of your bowl. “I don’t know why he’s being either.”

“He’s a sweet boy, well, young man.” Mama said.

“He’s fine.”

“Have you noticed how handsome he’s gotten?” Mom asked.

“Can we please not discuss Seokjin has attractive?” Max requested.

“Yeah, that’s gross,” you agreed.

A knock hit your front door and Max ran off to get it. You could hear him a little, and recognized the deeper voice speaking to him as Seokjin’s. You rolled your eyes because of course that asshole would show up at your door, unannounced and want to speak with you. Wasn’t he supposed to be sleeping in?

“Here,” Max said, handing you an envelope with your name written in pretty hand lettering, most likely done by EJ.

“What?”

“It’s from Jin. He wants you to read it.”

“Why?” You asked him.

“I don’t know, he just said to give it to you, and this,” Max passed you a large bag of candy, which made no sense, how had he gotten into The Confectioners Corner before it was open? Let alone known to buy your favorites?

“He’s doing this on purpose,” you declared.

“What is he doing, honey?” Mama asked.

“He’s trying to get me to think about him all day. Either I read this letter now and think about it all day, or I don’t read it and think about what it could say until my double shift is over and I can come home and read it.”

“Which one is worse?”

“Not knowing,” you answered quickly.

“So go read it and then get on that bike and go to work,” mom said.

You raced to your bedroom and carefuly opened the letter. Inside was a piece of stationary that was clearly EJ’s.

Dear Y/N,

I’m so sorry I scared you yesterday in the water. I wanted to have a bit of fun with you, remind you of the fun we had before I went to college. I think I was feeling insecure about how you’d feel, seeing Namjoon and me after we’d been away for so long. You’re like another sister to me, and I missed you. God that sounds pathetic, but you’re a family member so it’s true. I’m sorry I scared you… I was feeling nostalgic for the times we used to – well I guess the times Joonie and I would tease you or chase you around probably were hell for you… sorry for those too.

Forgive me? Please?

XX,

Jin

You laughed as you read the letter again and again. What a little dork. You took your cellphone out of your pocket and texted Seokjin.

You: you loser

Jin: did you read it?

You: yeah, I did. Thanks for the candy.

Jin: do you forgive me?

You: I’ll think about it while I’m at work

Jin: that works for me

You: for what it’s worth, I missed you too. but if you tell anyone I said that I will deny it and say Max got to my phone and texted you

Jin: glad to know you only admit you care about me under threat

You: Well you only said you missed me because you embarrassed your parents

Jin: how’d you know?

You: You’re sister has been my best friend since birth, idiot

Jin: why are you so mean to me?

You: I am not

Jin: you’d never call Joon an idiot

You: he’s smarter

Jin: I did better on my SATs

You: whatever

Jin: don’t you have a job to get to?

You: Yeah – I’ll see you later

Jin: and you’ll forgive me, too?

You: we’ll see

6 Summers Ago

“Are you sure?” Taehyung asked the following year on July 31st, as he lay next to you on your bed.

“Yeah, are you?”

“I am if you are…. I wanted it to be with you.”

“Yeah? Me too,” you whispered, then kissed him quickly as your shaking hands moved down to unbutton his shorts. You could feel him against your hand, hardening as your body somehow moved with his.

“Do you have –

“Yeah and I got an IUD so we’re like, super safe.”

The idea of losing your virginities to each other had come from well…. Both of you. In letters traded over the school year, you’d discussed how far you’d gone in your hook ups with each other. The wandering hands, the temptation to go farther, the burning want that took over both your bodies whenever you were together. Taehyung wanted you, all of you, and you wanted him too. But you’d promised you wouldn’t do anything, not just with Taehyung, but with any boy until you were 18. A weird pact your moms wanted you to agree to in case you somehow slipped up last summer. You hadn’t, and during the year your want to explore sex with someone you trusted grew and grew and finally, you mentioned sex to Taehyung. He too was growing in curiosity, but had more access to porn and dirty magazines than you did. He was curious, but only if he could be curious with you.

Your theory of him dating people during the school year was squashed, he wasn’t dating anyone, just quietly pining over someone he couldn’t ever really have… and of course you knew that to be you.

“Can I, can I touch you?” You whispered.

Your moms had let you come up a day early to get ready before starting work, with a double shift, tomorrow, August 1st. Taehyung had been up at Lake Augusta for a while, like always, and waited for you outside your cabin when you drove up.

What started as a hug hello soon became a heavy make out on your bed, which led to shirts (and a bra) being tugged off as his hands, consensually, worked to explore you.

“Yeah,” he said, nodding. You watched him carefully as you slid your hand down his exposed torso, unintentionally teasing him as you caught the bearings of his body. How soft his skin was, how toned his stomach felt and yet still remained soft. You’d seen him shirtless before, but this was totally different. Your hand continued down, dipping into the hem of his shorts and finding purchase on his hardening cock, a sensation you had never experienced before. Slowly, like EJ had taught you, you began to stroke him up and down, eyes not leaving his face as he fluttered his shut. His little moans were encouraging, as was the precum dripping from his tip. You wanted him. Your body was telling you how deeply you wanted him, and his was pleading with you for more. You picked up your speed, and Taehyung thought he could see stars.

“Wait,” He said, taking your hand from him and holding it to his chest.

“What? Did I do something wrong?” You asked.

“No, I just… I think I’m going to come if you keep doing that and I’d really like to you know, come inside you,” he muttered the end of his sentence, embarrassed by his own desire.

“Oh! Okay, I don’t know, I think I’m ready?” You asked, assessing how your body was feeling.

“Lay back,” he said. “Can I take these off?”

Taehyung trailed his fingers across the hem of your underwear, waiting for you to give him permission.

“Yeah,” you said and held your breath. He was the first boy to see you…. naked. And exposed.

His hands were delicate as they pulled the cotton down and tossed them into a pile with your sun dress. He parted your legs with his hands and knelt in front of your cunt. Fingers lithe and gentle, he stroked between your lips, feeling the soft warmness of them, and admiring the liquid wetness that coated his fingers.

“Yeah, but like, I can maybe put a finger in, or two before?” He asked. You nodded, having read about fingering and heard about it from EJ. She was so excited for you to finally have sex, as she and Yoongi had started immediately after she turned 18. Taehyung nodded and using his other hand, held your legs open. He gently eased a finger into you, listening as you gasped and adjusted to it. Slowly pumping in and out, your body adjusted quickly to the sensation.

“More,” you muttered, a moan leaving behind it.

“Okay,” he nodded, eyes fascinated by how your body was moving. He inserted his middle finger too.

“Gentle,” you said, feeling more of a stretch with his two fingers than you had before.

“Do you want me to stop?”

“No,” the firmness of your voice surprised you both, but your eyes told him the truth, you were really enjoying this.

He continued to pump in and out of you until he felt like he might explode from the sounds you were making and the sight of you before him. He carefully pulled his fingers out and did, what you thought could possibly be the most insane act, he licked them.

“Oh my god, why did you do that? We’re on a towel!” You scolded.

“I was curious. You know a lot of people like to eat –

“Don’t say the p- word.”

“Fine, a lot of people do oral sex before they have penetrative sex. We haven’t done that, so I was curious what you tasted like.”

He was so matter of fact about everything.

“What do I taste like?” You asked, dreading the answer.

“I don’t know how to describe it, but you taste like you.”

“Not like pineapple, or sweet or gross?”

“No, just like you. I don’t know how else to describe it. Do you want to –

“No thank you.”

“Condom?” He asked, and watched as you reached into your bag, which had been lugged up because it contained contraband, and pulled out a fresh pack.

“Moms said I’d probably need it this summer so,” you shrugged nervously and watched as Taehyung opened the box, pulled out a foil and tore it open. He stood to take off his pants and while he stood, fully naked and unashamed, slipped the condom over himself.

“How’d you?”

“Health class, lots of cucumbers and bananas, lots of practice.”

“Oh,” you said, shocked a school was that comprehensive. He crawled back over you, and separated your legs to slate between them.

“Are you sure?” He asked again.

“I am. Yes. Are you?”

“Yeah, fuck yeah I am,” he said, blushing at his use of profanity.

“Go slow,” you instructed, and watched as he lined himself up with your entrance. You figured it was probably good he had fingered you, that way he knew where he was meant to be.

It burned, gently, as he slowly inched himself further and further into you. You winced, eyes closed, face screwed up into a pained expression as he fully sheathed himself in you. He didn’t move, he barely breathed, as Taehyung waited for you to say something, anything.

“Move, slowly please,” You said, and he did so, gently pumping himself in and out of you.

“Oh my god,” Taehyung said into your ear. He finally got it, why every guy viewed sex as this godly experience he was just waiting to have. He imagined they felt that way because it was sex, and from the thirty seconds of it he’d had, he was feeling that way too. But maybe all his friends, or people in magazines, had had their first time with someone they deeply loved and cared about, like he was.

“Oh my god,” you muttered as the pain eased and pleasure took over. He felt, good? That’s what sex is supposed to feel, good?

“Yeah?” He asked, unsure what your oh my god meant.

“Yeah, it feels good.”

“I’m not - I’m not going to last much,” he said as his breath became more panicked and sputtered.

“That’s okay,” you said, having done your homework on the male experience.

“Okay, because I’m going to –

Taehyung didn’t have much time to finish his sentence as he gave one final thrust and came. You laid, with him on top of you, for a moment while he collected himself.

“Shit,” he said, and as he pulled out of you, he took off the condom and tied it before dropping it in your garbage can. “Keep your legs open.”

“Why?” You wondered, staring up at his glorious form.

“I’m going to go down on you. Why should I be the only one that comes?”

“Do you feel like, changed?” Taehyung asked as you sat on the Adirondack chairs, sipping a homemade vanilla milkshake.

“Uh, ask me tomorrow when I’ve had time to process,” you said.

“That’s fair.”

“Are you nervous?” You asked, glancing sideways at him.

“For college?”

“Yeah, for USC, big shot.”

“Completely. Are you?” He asked.

“For Columbia? Yeah, New York is scary and big and so far away. Why am I doing this? I ask myself that every day.” You shared.

“You’re going to be incredible,” Taehyung assured.

“I don’t know about that, but I’ll figure it out.”

“You will, I guess I will too?”

“You have to, we both have to. We’re the oldest, we can’t fuck up.” You remind him.

“That’s true.”

“At least we have one thing checked off our lists.”

“Are there more?” He asked.

“Yeah, I think we’ve got a few more to complete before summer ends.”

“More repeats of tonight though, right?” He smirked.

“Oh definitely, we definitely need more practice.” You blushed as you finished your milkshake. “I’m glad it was with you.”

“You’re the only one,” Taehyung said, like above all else, no matter what happened the next year at college, you were bound by bodily fluid and something like love, to this moment, and to each other.

Next: August IV

#justasparkwritings #justasparkmaster #clubzerooclock #bangtanarmynet #networkbangtan #purplearmynet #kpopccc #Kim taehyung x reader #Kim taehyung x you #august #folklore #folklore saga #taehyung fluff #taehyung smut #taehyung angst #end of summer #lost in the memory

35 notes · View notes

justasparkwritings · 2 years

Text

The Littlest Dumpling {1}

Pairing: Min Yoongi x OFC

Genre: Non Idol AU / Author AU

Rating: PG 13

Warnings: Swearing!

Word Count: 4.7K

Summary: Yoongi’s ready to shop his newest book idea, what he isn’t ready for is you.

Master List

Tag List: @4ksj, @jagiya, @ot7nem, @knjkitten, @teamtardis-notdead

Tag List

A dark sky streaks with lightening, thunder rumbles throughout the land.

Boulders quake, but our hero stays strong. He pushes his sweatband up and adjusts his hanbok. The sweat still drips down his brow, his scar, long perpendicular to his eye shines in the flash of lightning.

“I am not my brother,” Lil King Yoongi said, his sword unsheathing itself from underneath his garment. “I am not my father, either.”

“Then who are you?” The hooded figure asked. His sword was drawn too, ready to strike in attack.

“I am King Yoongi.”

Lil King Yoongi Volume 1

April

“Damn it,” Yoongi throws his pen across his desk, watching as it nails the framed picture of him and his parents, holding his first ever published piece of writing from when he was a teenager. It was small, a local newspaper that held an essay contest. He had written stunning prose about why he loves books, and the local library. His essay had won, beating out all the competition from his 1000 person high school and surrounding areas. The prize was having his essay turned into a column, and getting to shadow the local newspaper staff for a month. He was allowed to create a column and run 4 articles. Naturally, he chose to read and review books.

Yoongi’s Reading Review became a hit, and after the success of it’s limited run, he was offered a junior staff position. He submitted 1 article a month, full of up to 5 book reviews. He reviewed everything, novels to essay collections, to biographies and new comic book editions. In Summer months, when his classmates were off from school, hanging out at the local pool and the mall, making out on the empty football field and gearing up for football season in the fall, he worked. In the summer they upped his count from one per month to two, and as a rising Junior they upped it again to three. Every dollar he saved went to buying more books, despite what his parents wanted (saving all the money), he couldn’t help but reach for that hardcover fantasy novel. He couldn’t stop himself from indulging in a reissue of a comic he just discovered. Yoongi loved it, exploring new lands and times, sharing what he’d discovered with other people his age. It hadn’t made him popular, perse, but it had ignited a fire within him.

A degree in creative writing, and MFA and a series that has garnered him a Newberry honor, and he’s sitting at his desk. The desk he started writing on as a boy, refinished and brought to his apartment from his parents house, still had indents from when he would write so hard on loose leaf paper that he permanently changed the make up of the desk. Now he has glass resting on top of it, protecting those early scribbles.

With his favorite pen now lost behind a table, the words in front of him look like utter shit.

“Fuck.” He mutters. “Fuck!”

Yoongi has a meeting with a new publisher, someone his agent set him up with so he could make his first foray into official childrens books. He had the idea, and the concept and what he wanted to say, but he couldn’t well, say it. Nothing came when he thought about his newest project. And what did was complete and utter shit.

Why had he thought he could do this?

Easy, he had to. Just like breathing, he had to write.

The Littlest Dumpling, is a story about a little boy who looks, much like he did and does, like a boiled dumpling. He becomes brave as he goes through school and out into the world. His mom calls him Little Dumpling, affectionately, his brother teasingly, and his father prefers more traditional nicknames for his youngest son.

It’s meant to be both hopeful and easily identifiable as a story any kid can cling to. But he can’t get started. And that is terrifying.

Lil King Yoongi had flown out of him. He had written four volumes of it before he got a publishing deal. He knew it inside and out, every aspect of it. His agent had wanted him to make a spin off when the last book came out last year, but he wouldn’t do that. That felt so disingenuous to the characters. There was no prequel, there was no sequel. Lil King Yoongi was complete.

So he took five years off. Went to Korea with his parents, saw his friends, rested and did a few guest review spots for new books and his local paper that still asked him to. All in the hopes that he could, when he was ready, put pen to paper and write his next great work: The Littlest Dumpling.

Then the deadline came - his agent, Marc, set up a meeting with a new publisher. And he tried. He really really tried. But now, sitting in the waiting room, bouncing his leg and trying not to crack his knuckles, he’s going into this meeting with an idea and no pages to show.

“Mr. Min?” Alexis, the assistant asks. “She’s ready for you now.”

Alexis guides him to the office, through a hallway of framed book covers, pictures with authors holding their books and quotes pulled from said books. It’s a gallery wall to end all gallery walls, and Yoongi kind of wishes he was a part of.

Inside the office, which seems more like a fort than a functioning structure, you are standing behind a desk, waiting.

“Mr. Min, welcome to Serendipity Publishing, where we believe every book we create is meant to be. Have a seat. Alexis will you bring some coffee?” You rattle off in quick succession, no hint of annoyance in your voice, but a little sparkle of fire in your eyes.

“Sure thing,” Alexis smiles.

“I’m Y/N,” You extend your hand to him, and he takes it cautiously. ”And I get paid to say that phrase, though I’d much rather not.”

“Oh,” Yoongi’s taken aback. “Okay, then please call me Yoongi.”

“Okay Yoongi. Welcome. I’m so excited to meet you and discuss your work.”

“That won’t last long,” Yoongi mutters.

“What?”

“Nothing - just, don’t get your hopes up. I don’t know if I have anything, good.”

You’re caught off guard by his deprivation, tipping your head to the side and staring at him quizzically. “That seems unlikely given the success with your graphic novels. But note taken. I am ready to be pleasantly disappointed.”

“So, I have this idea -

“Wait,” You hold up a hand and stare at Alexis who has just entered the room. “Do you want cream or sugar?”

“Black, just black,” Yoongi says.

“Great.”

Alexis, hot pink curls bouncing, sets two cups of coffee down and walks out, shutting your office door behind her. Yoongi takes the opportunity to glance around. It’s an office carved out of book shelves. There’s a window, a window seat and your desk in the middle. Every single wall is covered in what appears to be clear floating shelves filled with books.

“Have you edited or published all of these?” He asks.

“The company has, but if you keep looking you’ll find a few that aren’t our label. I snuck them in,” You say.

“Aren’t you going to get caught?”

“And what, fired? I’d love to see them try.”

He nods approvingly. “So you’ve been here long?”

“Yeah, straight out of college, started reading the reject pile, found a few gems, got moved up and eventually here I sit: Head of New Acquisitions, Young Adult and Children’s Lit.”

“That’s a fancy title,” He says.

“Better be, Vassar wasn’t cheap,” You crack a smile, and his shoulders relax.

“Ah you’re a Vassar grad?”

You shrug. “That’s what my diploma says.”

“Interesting,”

“Not up to snuff?”

“I expected a Sarah Lawrence or like, Whitman.”

“Small college in Eastern Washington. Wow!” You laugh. “That’s not where you went, is it?”

“Nope,”

“Berkeley?” You already know.

“Yep.”

“How’d you like the rain?”

He shakes his head and offers a gentle smile. “About as much as you want to drink black coffee.”

“Ah, you noticed?”

“Yeah, I assume you brought yours from home?”

“Of course.”

Yoongi reaches for his mug, with the company logo in gold and rainbow across the front, and takes a sip.

“It’s hot!” You say quickly, watching as he winces.

“Fucking fuck,” Yoongi mutters. “Thanks for the warning.”

“Who takes a sip of coffee like it’s ice water?” You ask, your mind racing to decide if a lawsuit is possible from too hot coffee. How embarrassing, going down for serving an author coffee that was scalding.

“Valid,” He accepts your sympathy easily.

You let the moment pass, then start again. “So you wrote a book.”

“The new one, or the old ones?”

“The new one, and your agent wants you to what, shop it around? We’re willing to make you a deal today, Yoongi.”

“What if my idea is shit?” Yoongi’s earnest gaze is a little concerned, vulnerability and weakness showing through.

“You wrote a five part saga about a lil king that has sold millions. It’s one of the most popular graphic novels in the history of graphic novels. You could go anywhere, do anything,” You lean forward, your voice just above a whisper. “But you’re here.”

“How serendipitous,” he jokes.

“Precisely. So tell me, Mr. Min, Yoongi, what is this new project?”

He takes a deep breath, wishing he had water instead of this coffee.

“Our parents all give us nicknames as kids, whether or not we want them. We either grow into them, or out of them. My new project takes shape with a little boy who affectionately is called, Little Dumpling.”

“Oh my god,” You mutter. “I’m already hooked.”

“The Littlest Dumpling is about this boy. I want the first book to be about his nickname, how he got it, what it means. Then the next to be about adventures he has as his alter ego, Littlest Dumpling, and as himself.”

“Let me guess,” Your elbows prop, chin resting in hands. “You can’t fucking write, can you?”

Yoongi stares at you, unsure how you could possibly know he’s had writers block for a year.

“I - I currently have writers block. But, at present, I have outlined the first three installments.”

“What’s book 1?”

“His classmates find out his nickname.”

You take out a piece of paper that has his name written across the top in very curvy lettering. “And two?”

“His bully picks on him for the lunches he eats.”

“Traditional Korean?”

“Yes,” He agrees.

“I’m in. I love it.”

“But, I don’t have anything written.”

You wave your hand through the air, dismissing his objection. “That’s okay, I’ve signed deals with people who had far less than you do.”

Yoongi isn’t sure if this is comforting or concerning.

“I see that look - but think about it, look at where I am. I know what I’m talking about.”

“I don’t doubt that you do, but I’ve never gone to a publisher with an idea and no pages. It’s like streaking across the football field at halftime.”

“I get it, and i know we’ve only been talking for twenty minutes, but trust me, Yoongi. You can do this.”

He inhales through his teeth, sucking in air loudly before exhaling and doing it again.

“I’m going to be incredibly difficult about the illustration, it has to be perfect.”

“Understood, and editing too, I’m assuming?” You ask, jotting his answers down.

“Yes.”

“I have an editor and illustrator in mind for you, both have done work with our authors before to great success. I’ll get the contract sent to your agent and legal team today for them to go over and discuss. What we’re paying you will be included and competitive.” You switch to your computer, drafting an email to legal. That’s what it looks like to Yoongi, but really you’re typing send the contract ASAP.

“That’s fast.”

“Look, you’re Yoongi Min. I can tell you right now there’s at least five other agencies and publishing houses who want you to sign with them. Your current agencies is shitting themselves over losing you and your future projects. The sheer fact that you’re leaving your primary publishing house is, the most exciting get anyone could imagine right now. I know that’s pressure, I know that that means that you are having writers block. But Yoongi, I’m telling you, and I will keep telling you, we are your best option. You can pick who you want. You can go anywhere, truly, but we are dedicated to children’s literature. We are dedicated to the highest quality illustrations and collaboration amongst all our artists. We aren’t some big magnate, or conglomerate. We aren’t going to license your work without you knowing, and we aren’t going to publish something you aren’t 100% proud of. I promise you that.”

“Okay.”

“So, once I send the deal over, please take your time to look it over and understand it all. I will give you a list of editors with a single name starred for who I think you should work with, same for illustrators. But it’s up to you. Serendipity is a fabulous publishing house, and I can guarantee you will not regret signing with us or working with me.”

“You’re incredibly convincing.” He says.

“Like I said, Vassar. Business and creative writing degrees.”

Why are you so hellbent on impressing him?

“Double major, damn.”

“I’m incredibly impressive, Yoongi. And I won’t hide it.”

Yoongi wants to smirk, to keep calm, to remain somewhat nonplussed. But he can’t, not when you are looking at him like he’s the hope diamond and you haven’t yet realized he’s cursed.

He can’t look away, so he whispers instead. “You shouldn’t.”

“So, like I said. I’ll send it over and we can meet next week to sign or you can come by for more hot coffee and turn me down. Either way, we should talk again.”

“Yes, okay, sounds good.” He agrees.

“Great. Do you have any questions for me?”

Yoongi does. “What’s your favorite children’s book?”

You smile, not waiting a moment to respond. “Harriet the Spy for classic literature. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library for contemporary. Oh and The Westing Game.”

Yoongi beams, he hadn’t been expecting that. Not one book, but four?

“Okay, okay, I haven’t read three of those.”

“You should. You can borrow my copies,” You stand and move to a specific corner of your book shelves, taking down all four and handing them to Yoongi. “Then you have to come back and see me.”

“Okay, sounds like a deal.”

“If you bend pages or damage them in any way I will take it out of my offer.” You warn him, finger pointing accusingly at the middle of his chest. He’s standing a little too close, he realizes that as he backs away.

He picks up his coat and mutters, much louder than he intended. “You’re feisty.”

“Thank you. It’s one of my winning qualities.”

Yoongi has met with a few publishers in his day, and at the behest of Hoseok’s girlfriend, sat through many episodes of Younger starring Sutton Foster and Hilary Duff. But his meetings were never quite like the TV shows, or films, that glamorized publishing houses. No one was itching to sleep with each other, or fuck him while editing his books. But then again, he was in children’s publishing. Perhaps if he wrote a book geared towards adults, he’d have a similar sexy experience. But he hasn’t. Instead he’s just… Yoongi.

The littlest dumpling that ever lived, slinking into his agent’s office to discuss the deal. Or, if his agent has anything to say about it, you.

“She’s the hottest new publisher in the game, Yoongi’s,” Jane Huang says. Her quaffed hair is the color of flames, reds and yellows blurring into orange and curled atop her head. The sides are delicately shaved and bleached blonde. He always gets distracted by the ancient Chinese symbols dancing up her forearm, giving way to rich greens and emeralds that make up the bonsai she has stained into her skin. Jane, or Janie as Yoongi calls her, stares at him from her place behind her desk. Her office far less occupied than yours. “She’s promising you the world. Or at least, what sliver of it she can.”

“It’s all great - but how does the contract look?” Yoongi asks.

“She’s offering more than the others.”

Ah yes, the others. All the notable publishing houses, the few that still cared about his work after his brief hiatus. All offering far less than Serendipity, with a publisher far less enthused than you.

�� “The contract is clear, you aren’t going to get a better deal for the amount of work you’ve put in,” Jane says.

“I’ve put in a lot of work! There’s a concept, I have outlines!”

“But you haven’t written shit, don’t try to bullshit me, Yoongi.” Her tone is reminiscent of a scolding from his mother - which he knows if he points out, she will absolutely ream him for it.

“Noona, I know. But there will be,” Yoongi waits for her to erupt, hoping for sparks ready to ignite.

Instead she gently rolls her eyes. “I hate it when you call me noona. I’m not even that much older than you, and you have known me for long enough to know that.”

“Sorry, Janie.”

“Thank you. I’m glad you’re feeling confident. I was beginning to think you lost your nerve, and how embarrassing would that be for either of us? Humiliating.”

He scoffs. “I haven’t lost my confidence, mostly. I mean a little. Most of it is totally gone and tied up with my writing ability which, now that it’s lost and probably never coming back, seems like a great time to sign a new contract with a new publisher who -

“Yoongi!” Jane interrupts. “Stop spiraling. You’re fucking fine.”

“Sorry,” He says sinking deeper into his chair.

“She wants to meet with you again?” Jane asks. She finishes putting stickie notes where Yoongi needs to sign the elaborate and thorough contract.

“Yes, to officially sign the contract.”

“Isn’t that why Doc-U-Sign was invented?”

“Yes, she also lent me a few books so i have to give those back too.”

“I’m sorry, she did what?” Jane asks. She keens at him, elbows on her desk, body moving towards him as if she’s about to pounce. “She did what?”

“She lent me a few books -

“Books she’s published?”

“No,” He’s desperately trying not to blush.

“So, social books? Books about writing children’s books?”

“No,” Deeper red, the colors of hell.

“Yoongi,” Jane’s voice rises an octave, screeching in his ears.

“Well if you’d let me get out more than a word I’d tell you that i asked her what her favorite children’s books are, and she let me borrow the ones I hadn’t read.”

“And have you read them?” She asks.

“Of course,” He rolls his eyes.

“She’s flirting.”

“She is not.”

“Yoongi, you’re dense but not stupid.”

“She lent them to me, I read them. I’ll give them back when I sign the contract. That’s it.”

Jane is still smiling, more like smirking and only a little green with envy. “Good, because no matter how hot and talented she is, you can’t fuck your publisher.”

“Who says I want to?” Yoongi feigns ignorance, of course he wants to. He has eyes and ears that heard you spill genius to him.

“The glimmer in your eyes, Yoongi. That’s who.”

“Come on, you’re fucking some younger guy, why can’t I do something a little reckless?”

“And jeopardize your career?”

“I wouldn’t, she wouldn’t.” Though Yoongi has no idea what you would and wouldn’t do, with him. Or anyone that works for you.

“You’re an idiot if you think sleeping with your publisher won’t absolutely tank your reputation and career,” Jane says.

“It’s a hypothetical. I didn’t even know she was flirting with me until two minutes ago!”

“You definitely knew she was flirting, because you were flirting too,” Jane teases. “Of course you were. Have you seen her?”

“Have you seen the guy you’re sleeping with?” He tries desperately to pivot.

“Uh, yes?”

“Great because I haven’t, so tell me who he is.”

“Yoongi!” Jane tips her head back in exasperation.

“And not that we’re coworkers not friends shit, because you have been my agent for five years and we are more than just coworkers.”

“Work friends is better than coworkers,” Jane reminds him.

“You’ve told me about every exploit you’ve had over the last five years, and yet for some unknown reason you won’t tell me about this new person. Is it someone I know?”

Yoongi and Jane met when he won a collegiate award for an initial draft of, what would become the first draft of Lil King Yoongi. He had busied himself turning his Yoongi’s Reading Review into a city wide column, and then in college leading his collegiate paper and winning writing scholarships. She’d been following his career as they both experienced tangential success. Jane had won some of the same prizes years before him. That’s how she got her start, and how she stumbled upon him. Reading his work in a contest for a 5K scholarship.

To say in the last few years they’d become best friends would be a stretch, but Yoongi is right. They’re more than coworkers.

“You know they’re younger than me, what more do you want?” She asks.

“You’re being shady,” Yoongi accuses.

“You’re being nosy.”

”Ms. Huang, I believe I am just trying to be your friend,” Yoongi says.

“He isn’t in publishing if that helps,” Jane concedes. “And he’s around your age. And incredibly hot.”

“That’s more information than I had… so I’ll take it.”

Jane lets a beat pass. “But he isn’t as hot as Y/N.”

“I didn’t even -

“You have eyes, idiot. You know she’s a stunner.”

”Fine - she’s beautiful,” It’s his turn to concede.

“Thank you!”

“But I’m not, she isn’t interested in me. She wants my book, she wants my story. That’s it. That’s all.” He says.

Jane shakes her head. “You don’t really believe that, do you?”

“I do.”

“No, you don’t Yoongs,” She leans forward again, staring intently at him.

He’s uncomfortable under her gaze. “How do you know?”

“Your eyes, Yoongi. Your eyes.”

“You’re back!” You say, smiling widely at Yoongi as Alexis brings him into your office. “Oo with presents?”

“Just your books,” Yoongi hands the bag to you. “I liked them. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon was my favorite.”

“I’m glad! So, tell me, good news or bad news?”

“Uh, depends?”

“On?”

“I’m ready to sign my contract.”

“Oh shit! Yes! Great news!”

“What would’ve been bad?”

“If you didn’t want to sign it, if you decided you didn’t want to write The Littlest Dumpling. If your old publishing house offered you more money to write more Lil King Yoongi’s. There are a lot of possibilities, Yoongi.”

“Clearly you’ve thought of all of them.”

“Isn’t that my job?”

“That’s fair.”

“Well, while the contract is printed, let me show you the list of illustrators and editors. I’ve already starred the ones that I think would be great for this project.”

You open a folder with his name neatly printed and take out a piece of paper with two columns. Passing it over to him, Yoongi doesn’t take long to skim it and choke on his own spit.

“You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me,” He says, looking across the top of paper to you.

“What?”

He’s quick on his feet. “I will sign the contract, but I have one stipulation.”

“Oh?” You ask, surprised he doesn’t have more. A lot more. He could ask for almost anything and you’d oblige. You need this win.

“Yes, I will not, under any circumstance, work with him,” Yoongi hands over the list and watches as your eyes linger on the name you had starred.

“Okay, why not?” You ask.

“He’s an asshole.”

“Okay, but what about his work?”

“Who cares?” Yoongi snaps.

You clear your throat, trying a different approach. “Did he wrong you in your past? Is that what it is?”

“Maybe.”

You nod, understanding. “So you won’t work with him because he was a dick in college?”

“High school. And we were childhood friends before that. Our parents are still best friends,” Yoongi rushes through it. A sordid past told in a quick breath.

“Oh my god! Yoongi! That’s even more pathetic.”

“Is it?”

“Yes, it is. Your parents like him, why can’t you?”

Yoongi shakes his head, because really it’s more complicated than a petty disagreement or squabble in high school. It goes back years, decades really, and has hurt Yoongi the entire time. It’s so much more than his parents liking Seokjin, actually his parents liking Seokjin is part of the problem.

“I will never, ever work with that man,” Yoongi says softly, his eyes hard and his jaw set.

“So you’re telling me you won’t sign the contract if I make you work with him?”

“Correct.”

“Okay,” You nod and lean back in your chair, watching him. “So you have two options: One, walk away from Serendipity. Or, two, which I definitely think you should consider: get over it and push your feelings aside to create a great piece of work. Jin would be a perfect editor. He is incredible and has edited several best sellers. He is the best, and it would shock you to know how much we pay him to keep him here instead of going to Penguin or Random House or another boutique publishing house. Insane.”

“I - that’s it?”

“What, I’m not entertaining your teenage angst? Nah, I’m not doing that. I run a business, and if your ego is so fragile you can’t grow up, fine. But that’s who you’re going to work with.” You tell him.

Yoongi exhales. His agent had prepared him for this, well not the Jin of it all, but the potential that his pettiness would be overruled and ignored. He would have to work with people he didn’t like, or who didn’t like him, no matter what field he was in. But this?

Maybe he should grow up and move on. Though Seokjin is the last person he wants touching whatever masterpiece you think he’s capable of writing. But- again - maybe you’re right. Maybe Jin is the best option, and he is finally ready to move past it.

Yoongi inhales deeply through his teeth. “Fine.”

“Fine?” You ask.

“Fine - I’ll,” He exhales sharply, “I’ll bitch about it the entire time.”

“I don’t care.”

“You’re going to be the one who hears about it.”

You smile, already looking forward to it.

“That’s my job. Now tell me, what did you think of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library?”

Having signed his contract and returned home with another two books that Serendipity had in fact published, Yoongi felt ready to finally put pen to paper. Though the physical demand of crawling on the floor to dig his pen out from behind the table seemed beyond reproach. But, he finally, truly wants to start writing this new piece.

That is, until his phone buzzes, and a new email has arrived.

Subject: Untitled YM Project: Editing

From: Seokjin Kim

Yoongi -

Wow! It’s been a long time. What a weird coincidence you’d stumble into Serendipity Publishing. I am excited to work with you on this next project, Dumpling.

Let’s get coffee and discuss your plans soon. I am eager to figure out a schedule and start working!

Seokjin

PS - I know you’re probably going to request I be taken off this project, and I’d love to tell you there’s a solution besides sucking it up and dealing with me… but unlucky for you, there isn’t. Lucky for me, I get to helm the latest project from Yoongi Min. What a partnership we will be.

Yoongi throws his phone at the wall.

Fucking pompous asshole who thinks he’s god’s gift to literature. What an asshat. Who emails like that? Who says that shit? Who flaunts their status and power in front of someone they have to work with?

Fuck.

Seokjin.

Fucking.

Kim.

Yoongi’s fucked - because of course Seokjin is right. You were right when you said it earlier. There is no one better than Seokjin Kim. And Yoongi, despite his protesting and frustration and youthful hatred, absolutely has to work with him.

Next: The Littlest Dumpling {2}

#justasparkwritings #justasparkmaster #the littlest dumpling #min yoongi #houseofddaeng #purplearmynet #bangtanarmynet #networkbangtan #kpopccc #OT7 series #BTS series #Min yoongi x reader #Min Yoongi x you #lil king yoongi

48 notes · View notes

justasparkwritings · 2 years

Text

The Littlest Dumpling {7}

Previous: The Littlest Dumpling {6}

Pairing: Min Yoongi x OFC

Genre: Non Idol AU / Author AU

Rating: NC17

Warnings: Swearing! Talking About Sex! Kissing! Making Out! SEX! P-In-V-Consensual-Sex

Word Count: 4.7k

Summary: Yoongi decides to be an adult and face multiple fears. And the history of a long standing feud comes to light.

Master List

Tag List: @4ksj, @jagiya, @ot7nem, @knjkitten, @teamtardis-notdead

Tag List

“Your highness, what do you want to do?” Hyun-Woo asked.

“Fight.”

“Fight?”

“I will fight for my kingdom. I will fight for our freedom. I will fight to keep our land safe and welcome to everyone. We will fight for what is dear to us. That is this land, and that is our kingdom. Ready the troops,” The Lil King instructed.

“But sir,” Chin-Hae tried to stop him. “Sir, we aren’t ready for battle. The armor isn’t made, the weapons –

“Call on every person in the land, offer them grain for a year and clothing for winter. Every person that can help should help.”

“Okay,” Chin-Hae said, satisfied by the King’s answer.

“And call on my grandmother. We will need her magic.”

The Lil King disappeared into his chamber, shutting the door and sitting at his desk. He stared at the papers in front of him, spells and projections that were being written for this occasion. But they’re untested, how will they work when the forces are surrounding his kingdom, threatening his people? How will he fight?

Lil King Yoongi Vol. 3

October

“Are you sure?” Yoongi whispers, lips against your collarbone, hands toying with the hem of your underwear.

“Yoongi,” You mewl, raising your hips lightly to grind against him. His hardened cock presses into you, pushing all reason and judgment from your mind.

“What?” He asks, pulling away to stare at you, lust in his blown irises.

“We’ve been doing this, dating, for months…. Haven’t we waited long enough?” You ask.

His chest is still pressed to yours, breasts marking him in invisible lust that’s potency is building, drawing him deeper and deeper into your orbit.

“You aren’t officially my girlfriend, I didn’t know if you wanted to wait until we talked to HR.”

“Yoongi, you fingered me last week.”

“I – okay yeah so that’s a form of sex but it’s different.”

“You know how I taste, Yoongi,” You remind him, nails scraping down his neck.

“Yeah, and I’d like another to drink you in, but I want us to be on the same page,” Yoongi says.

“I want to have sex with you, right now.”

“Okay.”

“That’s my enthusiastic consent. Do you want to have sex with me right now?”

“More than you realize,” Yoongi answers.

“Great, there’s condoms in the drawer,” You point towards your nightstand and watch as he rolls off of you and slips his boxers off. His tears the condom open and sheaths himself before turning back to you.

“Oh shit,” You mutter, staring at a completely naked Yoongi.

“Is my body weird?” Is his first thought, and first thought is best thought.

“No! God, sorry! You’re really sexy, and I’m even hornier for you now that you’re naked on my bed than I was when you were pressed against me.”

�� “Okay that’s a good ego boost,” He says and slips back to his position between your thighs. His lips find yours, passion and heat building as his lips toy with yours. He’s the best kisser you’ve experienced, or maybe you care about him so much that it makes every ministration feel like fireworks. “Are you okay like this?”

“Missionary?” You ask.

“Yeah,”

“Yeah, I kind of like that for our first time we’re keeping it classic.”

“I just want to feel you, every part of you,” Yoongi says and kisses you again.

Your legs wrap around his waist, opening yourself up to him whenever he’s ready to take that step. It’s hard to resist, when he can feel your wetness against him, creating a smooth glide as your hips buck into his.

“Yoongi, you’re killing me,” You moan, tilting your head to the side to catch your breath.

“Okay, okay,” He laughs and slips a hand between you. His deft fingers swirl your clit as he lowers himself to your entrance. “You good?”

“Please just fuck me,” You groan.

Yoongi kisses you again as his hand glides his hardened cock to your entrance.

There’s something thrilling about having sex with someone for the first time, particularly someone you care about. It’s both exciting, promising, and terrifying. This is what Yoongi was scared of, the intimacy that comes with sex, the vulnerability of bearing yourself completely to another person. Of your bodies joining and being unable to hide that birthmark or the scar from when you fell off your bike. The pressure to perform, to be present and there for your partner and bring them relief and bliss as they try to do the same for you. And then, it’s all consuming. The scents, the sensations across every one of your senses in all parts of your body. The way it takes over your mind and all you can think of is their name, over and over again. A prayer. A wish. A command.

“Oh my god,” You mutter as he bottoms out, cock fully inside you, hips stilling to let you adjust to him. “Yoongi.”

“What?” He asks, panicked.

“I have a very good feeling about this,” You say, and use one of your hands to tilt his jaw to you. You lean up to kiss him, and Yoongi begins to set a pace. He pulls out gently at first, slowly stretching you as he begins to rock back and forth.

“Tell me if it’s too much.”

“It’s not, I want more,” you moan.

Yoongi takes your direction and begins to move his hips faster, snapping harder with every thrust. It’s powerful and potent, the way his body conforms to fit into yours, his gentle touch on your face, his lips still pillows of comfort and wanting on your burning skin.

This is sex, Yoongi thinks. This, this is good sex.

Yoongi lays next to you, breath finally returning to nowhere as he pushes hair off his sweaty forehead. Crawling into bed next to him, you snuggle onto his sticky chest, draping a leg across his body.

“So that was,” You start.

“Yeah, that was,” Yoongi laughs.

“I’m glad we waited,” You say.

“You are?”

“Yeah, that way we could spend too much time talking about it and figuring out how we feel about each other.”

“Me too, time’s made me like you even more,” Yoongi says.

“Me too.”

Yoongi kisses your forehead tenderly and hugs you close.

“Can I ask you something?” You ask.

“Yes.”

“What exactly happened with you and Seokjin?”

“I – that’s a long story.”

“Will you tell me?” You ask. It’s more than that. It isn’t a simple request, tell me about this past hurt. It’s a deep sign of connection. Do you trust me enough to tell me? Can you be vulnerable enough to share with me? Give me a piece of yourself?

“Okay.” Yoongi says. “But first, we need water.”

The Kim household was strict, fair but hard on the two boys that were raised within it. Bedtime was the rule, honoring their father and mother was not simply biblical, but expected. Disobeying would result in grounding and punishment so severe they didn’t speak about it at school. Both Kim sons, Seok-Joong and Seokjin, grew steadfast in their parents’ guidance. They were patient and measured like their mother, genial and charming like their father. They dabbled in so many clubs and athletics it was a wonder they had time for homework, let alone Korean school on the weekends. The brothers Kim became well rounded and thus, well respected.

Except for the problem with the Mins.

Yoongi Min and his older brother, Geum-jae, grew in almost parallel lives to the Kim’s. They obeyed their parents, were in many clubs and sports and were respected. Well the eldest was. Yoongi was too busy with art classes and creative writing workshops to play sports. But that didn’t stop him from excelling at everything he tried.

The problem with the Mins, was also the problem with the Kim’s.

Mrs. Kim and Mrs. Min had met when they were pregnant with their first sons and created a sisterhood of the traveling pants type friendship. Their pregnancies, both with sons, created a deep bond between them. One they maintained when they both became pregnant with their second sons as well. They felt like the other could see them, could understand their plights and the pressures of being a mom and provider. They discussed, in hushed voices, their marital problems and shared recipes for traditional Korean dishes and laughed over soju when the kids were asleep or at sleep away camp.

For Mrs. Kim, there was no one more elegant and commanding of respect as Mrs. min.

For Mrs. min, there was no one more poised and put together as Mrs. Kim.

And thus, without ever saying so, they raised their boys in direct competition with each other.

“Yoongi-ah got straight As this semester, how can you explain your B in world history, Seokjin-ah?”

“Seokjin-ah you’re in the same classes as Yoongi-ah, why is he getting 100% and you aren’t making a solid A? Maybe he should tutor you.”

Both phrases were used, edited, and reused so many times Jin knew when his mother was going to say them. He knew the exact score that would elicit a comparison, the exact comment from a teacher that would provoke a comment on how smart or incompetent he was.

At the Min household, the other side of the coin was: “You did better than Seokjin-ah this semester, good job Yoongi-ah.”

These interactions naturally created a resentment and frustration between the two once very close friends. So close Seokjin and Yoongi had called each other brother for years, though in the presence of their parents Yoongi was expected to address Seokjin with the honorific, hyung. They had been inseparable. Fast friends, best friends who at one time knew everything about the other, despite the constant competition their mothers refused to acknowledge they put them through. Their older brothers got off fairly easily, they were the first borns and more in tandem with each other than Yoongi and Seokjin.

Like all friendships, there comes a point where friendship and hormones meet… often to disastrous consequences.

In high school, Yoongi was known throughout their school as the quiet, studious artist. He didn’t make waves; he rode them casually and with ease. Internally, he was a duck paddling under water. That was Yoongi, calm on the outside, panicking on the outside.

Yoongi’s saving grace was how funny he was, hilarious even. Jokes for days that flowed quietly out of his lips and fell on the only person who ever actively sat next to him, Seokjin.

Now, it wasn’t so much that Seokjin hadn’t discovered his humor and comedy yet… well, frankly he hadn’t. He wasn’t sure how to be funny, or what he could say that would make the popular kids he hung out with find him more interesting than just his pretty face. Which is how his habit taking whatever it was Yoongi said and repeating it to a larger, more willing audience began.

Seokjin was popular. Very. Very. Popular. Walk down the halls having multiple people try to high five him, popular. Girls calling his name and waving like a 90s romcom popular. And thus, the comments and jokes Yoongi made circulated to a wider audience. A much wider audience. He didn’t mind, the first or second time. But my junior year, he began to pull away from Jin. Why talk to a friend when they have such loose lips? Didn’t Seokjin know that’s what sunk ships? And would, inevitably sink their friendship? He didn’t seem to realize it, or care that much that he was stealing the comments and intellectual property right out of Yoongi’s mouth to fan the flames of his high school stardom.

The incident occurred in the middle of senior year. Yoongi was walking through the halls, headphones half in, playing nothing of consequence. He rounded the corner, and there was Seokjin with his usual set of fawners. They stared at him, bewildered and beguiled by his handsome face and hilarious retelling of what happened in AP lit. It wasn’t anything exciting, presentations on whatever topic they’d picked for their main thesis essay of the year. It was American lit, so naturally Yoongi was exploring the difference in narrative from a Japanese American and a white American during the internment. He’d found two novels set in the same time period, in the same city that he could compare. Seokjin wanted to know the American fascination with Steinbeck, weren’t there female authors of the same time doing the same thing but better?

But the way Jin told it, it sounded more like a farce a La On the Way to the Forum.

Regardless, as Yoongi rounded the corner, they gawkers started whispering, his name he caught, then from Seokjin

“He hasn’t even kissed a girl. Did you know he steals my jokes? Copies them for his well, parents I guess. He doesn’t have friends. Probably because they know he’s a fucking loser.”

Yoongi was shocked, weren’t they once best friends?

“Did you know he wet the bed until he was 10?” Jin said, telling Yoongi’s secret to these random people. “Apparently, he slept in his brother’s bed too. Until he was twelve.”

Yoongi went home, slammed the door, and never spoke to Jin again. He didn’t answer his parents’ questions about the Kim’s, he didn’t sit near him in class. He didn’t do anything that would involve spending time with Seokjin.

That was a decade ago. He still hasn’t forgiven him.

“Yoongi,” You whisper, feeling all kinds of guilt wash over you.

“Y/N,” He says. “I don’t want your pity.”

“No, I’m not pitying you. I’m sorry.”

“Sorry?”

“When you first started the editing, you didn’t want to work with Jin and I forced you to. I was cold and unsympathetic. I didn’t give it the time or space you needed, I forced it. I’m sorry.”

Yoongi wasn’t expecting an apology, truthfully, he’d forgotten about the conversation almost completely. You were pretty firm with him, but it was nothing out of the ordinary for a publisher dealing with a stubborn author.

“Thank you,” Yoongi says.

“I, he completely destroyed your trust. I flitted about like it was nothing but that’s not fair, it was something. Something major.”

“Yeah, it was traumatizing. Took me a while to even talk about it.”

“I’m so sorry honey,” You say, stroking his face.

“It’s okay, it’s not your fault.”

“I know, but I could’ve been nicer, kinder to you.”

“I appreciate that.”

“You know,” You say. “I kind of want you to stay.”

“You want me to stay?”

“I want you to stay the night.”

“Oh,” Yoongi’s surprised. “You do?”

“Fuck, you don’t have to. It’s just an idea.”

“I don’t have a toothbrush,” He says. That’s his first thought, his greatest fear. Like he can’t run home and get clothes and come back.

“I have an idea,”

“Okay?”

“Why don’t you go home and get clothes, and your toothbrush, and I’ll change the sheets?”

“Did you just read my mind?” He laughs.

“I did,” You answer, kissing his cheek.

Waking up next to Yoongi is an experience. His hair a little mussed, eyes closed and lips gently parted, he’s so beautiful and soft.

“Stop staring,” He mutters.

“Why?”

“It’s weird.”

“I’ve only been doing it for maybe thirty seconds.”

“Is that a way of saying we haven’t crossed into the weird territory yet?”

“Yes.”

“Mm,” Yoongi reaches for you and you scoot towards him. His arm around your waist, you’re drifting back to sleep to the sound of his heartbeat and the breath inflating his lungs.

“Brunch?” You mutter.

“Yeah, in like two hours.”

The Ruby Poppy doesn’t have brunch, however its sister restaurant, Sunflowers & Daffodils does. They don’t have a cozy corner booth for you to snuggle into, but instead offer cute tables exploding with flowers.

Yoongi pulls your chair out and you sit, hand leaving his as he moves to his own chair.

“I really want French toast,” You declare.

“Wanna split French toast and an omelette?” Yoongi asks.

“Oo, best of both worlds. Yes.”

“I think going to The Ruby Poppy weekly has helped me figure out your food preferences.”

“That and you’ve cooked me dinner multiple times a week for at least two months, so that probably helps too.”

“I like cooking for you.”

“I like it when you cook for me.”

“Yoongi?” A voice calls, and it stops Yoongi as he’s about to take your hand.

“God fucking damnit,” Yoongi mutters and stares up at the ceiling. “Fuck me.”

“Y/N?” The voice says as it approaches, a woman following close behind.

“Seokjin!” You say and stand. “Wow.”

He hugs you gently and stares at Yoongi. “Mr. Min.”

“Mr. Kim,” Yoongi rolls his eyes.

You’re not quite sure what to do, their relationship is strained and stunted at the moment Jin decided to betray Yoongi and never apologize. Now that you know, do you still view Jin the same?

“This is my girlfriend, Violette,” Jin introduces the woman with him.

“I didn’t know you were seeing someone,” You say. “Hi Violette, I’m Y/N, Jin’s boss. And this grump is Yoongi, an author at –

“You’re Lil King Yoongi!”

“I – yeah.”

“The kids I work with, at my gallery love your books. There’s one kid who draws a little king in all his pieces at art camp. You’re a legend,” Violette smiles.

It occurs to Yoongi that Violette has no idea how vile Seokjin can be. It also occurs to him, more potently than before, that Seokjin exists in a world where his decision to betray Yoongi doesn’t weigh heavily on his life at all. He probably forgot about it, moved on so quickly it would’ve given Yoongi whiplash. How fucking unfair.

“Oh, thank you,” Yoongi says, voice stiff and posture equally as rigid.

“What are you two doing here?” Jin asks. His eyes drift from Yoongi’s hand, awkwardly resting on the table, to the relaxed nature he walked up on.

“Having brunch,” You answer.

“A working brunch? On a Saturday? Wow Y/N, really burning the candle at both ends,” Jin laughs.

“We’re discussing what I need to do to get you fired from books two and three,” Yoongi answers. “Apparently, it’s a lot of sabotage and telling of secrets.”

“Ah, yes, probably would require blackmail of some sort. Would you really do that Yoongi, and disappoint our mothers?” Seokjin asks.

“My mother would understand.”

After the incident, Mrs. Min and Mr. Min sat down to discuss what to do. They hadn’t realized the contempt brewing between Yoongi and Seokjin, though they realized they should’ve seen it coming. Mrs. Min began to separate herself from Mrs. Kim, which broke her heart. But Yoongi wasn’t speaking to them, after his initial breakdown, and how could she continue a friendship when her friend’s son, wounded hers?

“Surely she wouldn’t,” Seokjin argues.

“How long have you two known each other?” Violette asks.

“Birth,” Yoongi answers.

“Oh wow,”

“Our brothers are friends, our moms met when they were pregnant with them.” Seokjin tells her.

“But you two?”

“Used to be friends, now we’re enemies,” Yoongi answers.

“Enemies is a bit strong,” Seokjin says, pacifying Yoongi’s attitude. “I’m your editor, you’re my author. We’re coworkers if anything.”

“Unfortunately.”

“Their working on Yoongi’s next project, and shockingly, it’s going well,” You step in to course correct the conversation, which is failing dismally.

“Well, we don’t need to talk shop on a Saturday. It was fun running into you,” Jin says.

“Yes, I’ll see you this week.”

“It was nice to meet you, Violette,” Yoongi says. He doesn’t acknowledge Seokjin.

The couple walks away, leaving you with a disgruntled and frustrated Yoongi.

“Can’t you let it go, just for brunch?” You ask.

“No.”

“So we’re going to eat in silence?”

“No, we can talk.”

“Okay –

“Do you think Violette knows?”

“About his youthful indiscretion?”

“It’s not an indiscretion, he publicly humiliated me.”

“Right.”

“I wonder if she knows he’s a monster.”

“Could it be possible that he’s grown up?”

“He’s never apologized, he’s never told his parents what happened. My mother lost her best friend because he hasn’t owned up to it.”

“At what point do you leave it in the past?”

“I – if I knew the answer to that I probably wouldn’t be so uptight about it.”

“Maybe it’s something you need to explore.”

Yoongi can take the hint, and quiets himself over his cup of coffee. He can see it, the chasm this fight with Seokjin is beginning to create between them, a rift that if he doesn’t get it under control, will doom them.

He reaches his hand for yours. “I’ll talk to Seokjin, okay?”

“You will?”

“I will.”

“Okay, I’m proud of you.”

“I haven’t done it yet. Odds are I chicken out and never speak to him outside of the office again.”

“Yoongi,” You sigh.

“No, I’ll figure it out, promise.”

“You don’t have to do it for me.”

“I know, but, I don’t want my dislike and distrust of him, on a personal level, to affect us.” Yoongi says.

“Us?” You ask.

“Don’t do that,” Yoongi blushes.

You smile. “Do what?”

“Act like we’re separate people, and not a couple.”

“Are we, a couple?”

“You’re my secret girlfriend, aren’t you?”

“I, yes.” It’s your turn to blush.

“Then we’re a couple.”

Yoongi and Hoseok sit on Namjoon’s couch, watching as he paces back and forth, back and forth. Yoongi can’t believe it’s taken him over a month from when he found out to fess up to Hoseok, it seems ridiculous to wait that long over information that could easily be sent in a text. But Namjoon insisted on telling him in person, so now Yoongi is impatiently waiting for this conversation to start.

“What is wrong with you?” Hoseok asks.

“I have to tell you something, and it’s not a big deal,” Namjoon says.

“Is this about your secret girlfriend?” Hoseok asks.

“Yes.”

“It’s Jane, isn’t it?”

“How’d you know?” Namjoon asks, stopping in his tracks.

Hoseok shrugs. “I’m psychic.”

“You are not,” Yoongi laughs.

“I just knew, how could you not? You talk about her constantly, and it’s exhausting. You wouldn’t be talking about her that much if you haven’t seen her naked,” He explains.

“Shit,” Yoongi says.

“Yeah, damn. How long have you known?”

“Six months at least,” Hoseok says.

“And you didn’t tell me?” Yoongi asks, outraged.

“I thought you knew!”

“You thought dense little Yoongi knew?” Namjoon laughs.

“I caught them, that’s how I found out,” Yoongi says.

“Oh shit, naked?” Hoseok asks.

“Post,” Yoongi clarifies.

“Oh, so kind of like if I showed up at your apartment any evening after 8pm?” Hoseok teases.

“And Y/N was there, naked in his bed?” Namjoon adds.

“Fuck you both,” Yoongi says.

“Very protective over your non-HR sanctioned secret girlfriend,” Hoseok teases.

“Of course, he is, he’s got love in his eyes, can’t you tell?” Namjoon says.

“I hate you both.”

“Joon – who said I love you first, you or Jane?” Hoseok asks.

“Jane,” Namjoon answers. “She knew, not before me, but she said it before I did.”

“Let’s really think about it,” Yoongi starts. “If Namjoon said it first, would Janie have accepted it, or just made fun of him?”

“Made fun of him for sure,” Hoseok says.

“So maybe it worked out that you let her take the lead.”

“Did you kiss her first?”

“Yes, I did. She sat next to me, but I kissed her first.”

“Good, with consent I’m assuming.”

“Yes, dad, with consent.”

“Good,” Hoseok nods. Jane would’ve castrated him if he made an unwarranted advance. Rightfully so, he would’ve deserved it.

“And your anniversary?”

“October 3rd.”

The silence is brief, because Yoongi needs to talk to his friends about what happened at brunch.

“I told Y/N I’d talk to Seokjin,” He says.

“About high school?” Namjoon asks.

“Yeah.”

Hoseok is surprised. “What are you going to say to him?”

“I’m going to ask if he remembers it and ask if it ever crossed his mind how that day affected me and my life. Which I know it didn’t, because he’s a narcissistic asshole.”

“He could’ve evolved,” Namjoon suggests.

“That’s what Y/N said too. He could’ve evolved. But how does he get to be in love and have a successful relationship after how awful he was?” Yoongi asks.

“The same way that you get to, Yoongi.”

“But, I was the victim. He bullied me. He stole my jokes and comments for his own popularity, he took from me.”

“Yeah, and you’ve made it very difficult for him to show you that he’s changed,” Hoseok says.

“I don’t believe he has.”

“How would you know?” Namjoon asks.

“That’s fair.”

“Maybe Seokjin has totally changed and is an evolved person. But he also might not remember that incident in high school.”

Yoongi sighs, this is a new low he hadn’t quite examined. “How pathetic does that make me if he doesn’t remember it?”

“Seems like it’d make him the insane one. He can’t remember being a bully? That’s sociopathic,” Hoseok says. He rises from his spot on the couch and retreats to the bathroom to grab more water for himself and Yoongi.

“I don’t want this to ruin what Y/N and I have,” Yoongi tells them. “I can feel it, this fucking thunder just off the horizon. I can see her giving me an ultimatum, a fix it or we’re over… I don’t want that.”

“If your relationship ends, you want it to be because you’re a neurotic mess, right?” Namjoon asks.

“Yes.”

“Well, you’re making the real step towards not letting it,” Hoseok says.

“Unrelated – did you find the answer you were looking for?” Namjoon asks Yoongi, smirking mischievously.

“What question?” Hoseok asks.

“What is good sex?” Namjoon asks.

“Oh, that’s a good question,” Hoseok says.

“Thank you!” Yoongi cheers. “Vindicated!”

“It’s a good question that I’m not sure has an answer,” Hoseok says. “More of a nebulous idea.”

“Aren’t you sex negative?”

“Yes, but this is a universal question anyone having sex is asking. What does it mean to have good sex, or mind-blowing sex, or insane sex?” He asks.

“Namjoon said insane sex first!” Yoongi cheers, so glad he’s not the only one who thinks it’s worth asking.

“Yeah, what qualifies it? Namjoon, how was your anniversary sex?” Hoseok asks.

“It was,” Namjoon pauses. “I understand the error of my ways.”

“The error?” Yoongi howls, laughing hysterically.

“It wasn’t an error! Good sex is… My anniversary sex was really good. It wasn’t like, Pam and Tommy sex. It was tender and romantic, which can fall into the category of good sex.”

“So, it’s an umbrella with lots of little facets?” Hoseok asks.

“That makes so much more sense,” Yoongi says. “See, syntax matters.”

Namjoon and Hoseok roll their eyes.

“No one said it didn’t.”

“Good sex can’t just be about orgasms, because some people, a lot of women, don’t reach climax during sex. So whatever good sex is has to be measured by individual people,” Hoseok explains.

“Sex negative but sex knowledgeable,” Yoongi says.

“Yeah. Think about sex with Jimin, that was good sex, but wasn’t sex with Y/N also good?”

Yoongi blushes, bright pink and red across his cheeks and neck. “Yeah.”

“They both can exist, different experiences, with different aspects, all good sex.”

“Hoseokie is a genius,” Namjoon laughs.

“That, gentlemen, is a fact you should already know.”

You: I miss you

Yoongi: I miss you too

You: How was your boys night?

Yoongi: It was fun, not as fun as making out with you, but fun

You: Things can be different kinds of fun

Yoongi: Can I ask you something?

You: Anything

Yoongi: What’s good sex?

You: Do you mean do we have good sex, or are you asking what good sex is in the broader sense?

Yoongi: I guess both, if my embarrassment can take the answer to the former

You: I think we have good sex… I think we might be headed towards great sex

Yoongi: Oh thank god

You: For me, good sex depends on my mood. Lately, with you, it’s so good because I feel connected to you, engrossed in you… but it’s also good because you make me feel like … it’s indescribable. We’ll have moments where good sex is defined by a quickie in the bathroom while we’re at dinner… it just depends

Yoongi: I want to have sex with you, right fucking now

Yoongi: (I can’t believe I just typed that)

You: What’s stopping you?

Next: The Littlest Dumpling {8}

29 notes · View notes

justasparkwritings · 2 years

Text

Master List: August

Salt air, whispers while gazing at the stars in matching Adirondack chairs, memories that last a lifetime... All experienced in August. The end of summer, the beginning of new adventures and challenges, it's always been sacred and magical for you and Taehyung. Days spent on the beach, swimming in the salt water, working at the ice cream parlor and staring longingly at each other have filled the 31 days you share each year. And through it all, summer after summer, the bond between you and Taehyung, sacred and secretive, builds. It's shifted from a shy early crush to budding romance, squashed by years apart and distance that never seems to get smaller. But when everything keeps changing, and life is never quite as you left it the last time you were together, you have to wonder if the hope of what you shared isn't better left slipped away, lost in your memories.

Genre: Fluff, Angst, Non-Idol AU

Rating: R-NC17

Warnings: Swearing! Making Out!

Word Count:

Listen: August, Taylor Swift

Tag List

Notes: I will only take tag list requests from the tag list form

Posting: Saturdays

I. Salt Air Pt. 1

II. Salt Air Pt. 2

III. Are You Sure?

IV. Twisted in Bed Sheets Pt. 1

V. Twisted in Bed Sheets Pt. 2

VI. Never Mine

VII. Behind the Mall

VIII. Cancelled My Plans

IX. Moment in Time

X. Lost in the Memory {Epilogue}

31 notes · View notes

justasparkwritings · 2 years

Text

The Littlest Dumpling {4}

Previous: The Littlest Dumpling {3}

Pairing: Min Yoongi x OFC

Genre: Non Idol AU / Author AU

Rating: PG-13

Warnings: Swearing! Legal Alcohol Consumption!

Word Count: 4.6k

Summary: Drinks and discussions of work … Is this something more?

Master List

Tag List: @4ksj, @jagiya, @ot7nem, @knjkitten, @teamtardis-notdead

Tag List

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Lil King asked his mother.

“Why didn’t I tell you?”

“Yes.”

“Of the prophecy?”

“Yes.”

“You’re a child, children don’t know of prophecies and their potential. Your head was too full of dreams. You needed to stay grounded. A prophecy was only going to make your daydreams worse… like turning them into reality.” She said with ice in her voice.

“But I’m a King, I’m the King to rule them all. Slayer of dragons, harmonizer or lands! I am the King!”

“And what good has knowing your fate done for you?” She asked.

Lil King Yoongi Volume 1

August Pt. 1

Yoongi exhales and adjusts his shirt sleeves before breathing out a pointed, “Fuck you.”

“Aye, fuck you,” Seokjin responds.

“Oh fuck you,” he says back.

“Fuck you!”

“Oh come off it,” Jin says.

“Fuck off,”

“I mean it, fuck you.”

They stare in silence, unsure what else to say that hasn’t already spoken between them. Jin glances at Yoongi, confused and annoyed by the interaction they’d just shared. Hadn’t they been polite and friendly when Alexis had brought them to your office? Hadn’t they just shared pleasantries and light conversation? Yes, they had. They absolutely had. So where did this sudden hostility and venom come from?

“Stop looking at me,” Yoongi barks.

“Then stop staring at me”

“Fuck -

“Oh my god! Stop it! You two are acting like babies when you need to fucking apologize and get over your egos.”

They exchange a glance before turning to the voice.

“Oh, Y/N,” Jin says and stands. Alexis is next to her, holding a try with iced waters and coffee.

“I cannot believe you two children,” You comment, sitting down at your desk.

“We are grown men,” Yoongi says.

“Who act like children.”

“That is true,” Jin agrees.

“We’re here because you two can’t seem to work together. So, let’s go over the notes. Yoongi, what was the comment that set you off?”

“All of them. Particularly the fact that pages are lacking sparkle,” Yoongi snarls.

“I didn’t mean sparkle like, razzle dazzle or jazz hands.”

“Why so many Chicago references?” Yoongi asks.

“I meant that pages 5-10 are missing something, something the other pages have,” Jin corrects.

“I have an idea,” You offer. You’ve read all of Yoongi’s pages and all of Seokjin’s notes multiple times. Jin’s notes are great, but you’ve got an idea that will both most likely piss Yoongi off but give Jin new ideas.

“Okay, but if it has anything to do with –

“Open mind,” You repeat your new catchphrase for Yoongi.

“Fine, what is it?”

"What if you wrote it in rhyme?" You suggest.

"That's offensive." Is Yoongi’s first comment, and first thought.

"Offensive?" Jin asks.

"Yes,"

You roll your eyes. "To who?"

"Me, the author. I'm offended."

"Have you actually read research on rhyme schemes and how they help with students RAP?" Seokjin asks.

"Rap? Spitting bars?"

"No, rate, accuracy, prosody," You answer.

"Oh,"

"You have no idea what those are, do you?" You ask.

"Nope." He says.

"Yoongi, how are you going to publish a set of children's books if you don't understand the fundamentals of children reading?" Seokjin asks, a little softer and kinder than one would expect in this situation.

Yoongi glances from Jin to you, and he sees it in both your eyes. You’re both right, and he has homework to do.

"I - I don't know,” He answers.

"I’m going to lend you a few books to read, which I want you to read ASAP. Then, I want you to do an entire third edit of this book all in rhyme."

"Do you always assign homework?" Yoongi asks.

"Only to people who need it."

"Why can't my book -

“Because Yoongi. You're not writing for adults, or teenagers. Your content has to be skewed so it’s appropriate, and so does your language. Your sentences are a fifth grade reading level. A 7-year-old isn't going to pick this up and finish it."

"Why not?" He asks.

"It's too hard!" Jin says.

“Can’t it elevate their vocabulary?” Yoongi asks.

“Not if they can’t sound it out. You can do it, Yoongi. Just read the books and take time with it.”

“There’s a reason that racist Dr. Seuss is so popular, rhyme,” Jin says.

“That’s so, not me. At all. Me as an author or me as a human person. Not me at all.”

“Maybe it’ll be the growth you need.” You suggest.

“Or it’ll kill this book before it ever takes flight,” Yoongi mutters.

“There’s only one way to find out,” Seokjin says.

Yoongi: Did you know that rhyming dictionaries are organized by end sounds?

You: I did

Yoongi: How?

You: I have a copy of one and have used it before

Yoongi: Oh… Is that like common for publishers?

You: Only if they write books for themselves on the side, or where editors before

Yoongi: You edited children’s books too? Not just Two Affairs to Remember?

You: Lets not talk about that title

Yoongi: It’s the funniest book title I’ve ever read

You: It’s honestly the worst book title in the history of books

Yoongi: It’s iconic. The fact it didn’t win awards and isn’t talked about more is wild

You: It wasn’t my choice, or Tae’s for that matter. The publisher loved the symmetry and its connection to the film.

Yoongi: Tae?

You: Old habits die hard

Yoongi: Are you two still close?

You: We’re friendly, but that’s about it.

Yoongi: To be fair, he’s a great writer

You: He is

Yoongi: Very talented, and he doesn’t even write in a rhyme scheme

You: You’re not going to get out of it

Yoongi: I know, but wouldn’t it be fun if I did?

You: I guess, your book might suffer

Yoongi: How do you just know?

You: Know what?

Yoongi: When something will work

You: Experience

Yoongi: But what if it fails

You: Yoongi, you’re not going to fail. We haven’t even put out cover art and I’m fielding dozens of emails a day about press appearances

Yoongi: Oh god, don’t tell me that. It’s going to send me into a spiral

You: Well it’s your reality. You’re highly sought after

Yoongi: By you, too?

You: Yoongi…

Yoongi: Y/N…

You: Anyway, keep exploring that dictionary. It’ll be helpful I promise

Yoongi: I read the first two chapters of that book, Know Better, Do Better and shit… I didn’t realize teaching reading was so complicated

You: Yes, but isn’t it fascinating? How we learn, why certain systems work better than others… the importance of early reading intervention

Yoongi: I’m learning a lot. There’s going to be at least 10 more edits of this book until I get it perfect

You: Good, I love that

To: Seokjin

From: Yoongi

Subject: Rhyming

The littlest dumpling didn’t have many friends

It wasn’t because he couldn’t make amends

In fact he was great at saying sorry

But people would forget like Finding Dory

His best friend was named ____ (something that rhymes with Jin)

Together they always winned (can I make up words?)

Except for their bully, Seokjin

Who made sure their lives were a living hell

And bullied them until the very last bell

Because Jin always, always, had to win

But Dumpling stayed strong

He knew all along

That his mom was waiting for him at home

With a hug, a kiss and something that rhymes with home

Look – I’m trying okay?

Yoongi

To: Yoongi

From: Seokjin

Subject: RE: Rhyming

Yoongi –

Maybe rhyming is a bad idea for you. I thought you were good at everything? This is just… sad.

Seokjin

To: Seokjin

From: Yoongi

Subject: ReRe: Rhyming

I fucking told you I didn’t want to do this. I can write books with a pattern in the words, but rhyming is not my forte nor is it a skill I ever want to harness. Fuck you, you pretentious prick.

Yoongi

To: Yoongi

From: Seokjin

Subject: ReReRe: Rhyming

Was I not being polite and helpful? Jesus, Yoongi. Finish a draft in rhyme so we can compare it to the original. Y/N will want to see it, even if it’s shit or you hate it.

Jin

To: Seokjin

From: Yoongi

Subject: ReReReRe: Rhyming

Fine.

YGM

“I hear you got in trouble,” Jane says. She’s called Yoongi into her office for their semi regular meetings. Which over the years have become more and more frequent, and after his years of hiatus, are much needed.

“I did,” Yoongi agrees.

“But you’re working on it?”

“Yeah, can I ask you something?” Yoongi asks.

“Of course, you never hesitate to.”

“How come you didn’t tell me about Y/N and Taehyung Kim?”

Jane swallows and stares at him with wide eyes and a guilty smile. “Oh.”

“Yeah, oh. Seems kind of important for me to know.”

“You were off the grid for almost five years, Yoongi. You didn’t know because you didn’t know, I wasn’t hiding it from you.”

“You sure? Because she seemed to think I did know.”

“Well, you could’ve. Didn’t you google her?”

“Absolutely not, why would I google her before meeting her?”

“Like a normal fucking person, anyone would.”

“I didn’t.”

Jane drinks from her mug and stares at him, the little amount of steam drifting up to fog her glasses. “Clearly, you should’ve. Then you would’ve seen the last remnants of the drama.”

“The last remnants?”

“Yep, the movie rights that were bought, the trailer to the film that’s dropping soon, the teaser photos of the cast. Henry Golding as the lead,” Jane rattles on.

“Oh shit, Y/N must be feeling like shit. I mean, wow. To have an accidental indiscretion rule her career?”

“It wasn’t just an accidental indiscretion; they were falling in love,” Jane says.

“Did you know Taehyung?”

“I knew Y/N, professionally. But I’m sure she’s told you we’ve started hanging out socially.”

“So have we,” Yoongi regrets it immediately.

“Oh?”

“I mean, we did once. For work drinks that turned social, but we might do it again.”

“Have sex?” Jane’s excited, how desperately she wants her favorite client to get laid by the hottest person in publishing: you.

“We haven’t even, we’ve hugged once! One time! One hug!” Yoongi says, cheeks turning red.

“Oh? How was it?”

He shudders. “Shut up.”

“Tell me about it!”

“What is there to tell? We hugged, probably longer than a standard hug, but we did.” He says.

“And?”

“And what? She’s, my boss. There’s been texting, too.” Again, he regrets the fact that his mouth is moving faster than his brain and he wishes so desperately he could stop it.

“Shut up!” Jane claps her hands together in elation. “You two are texting?”

“Yes,” He slumps further in his chair. Unlike the chairs in your office, these are meant for moody artists to burrow deep in and hide from the world.

“I can’t believe you are starting to date your publisher! What a baller move, Yoongi.”

“I am not dating her, we’re friends,” He corrects.

“Oh?” Jane says, eyebrows rising. “Friends?”

“Yes. And she’s my boss, so that out ways whatever feelings I may or may not have for her.”

“Does it now?” Jane asks. She can’t believe this, when was the last time Yoongi was like this over anyone? So cute with his obvious crush, the little hearts in his vision unmissable.

“It’s supposed to,” He shrugs.

“Wow, when are you going to fuck her?” Jane laughs.

“Oh my god!” Yoongi exclaims. “I’m never telling you anything, ever. Ever again.”

“I’ll tell you who I’m sleeping with.”

“No – no. This isn’t a quid pro quo; I’m not sleeping with her in exchange for you telling me who you’re fucking. No, that’s horrible Janie. I won’t do it.”

Jane’s caught off guard by how serious Yoongi is taking her joke. She would never encourage him to sleep with anyone just to trade information. She’ll tell him who she’s bedding… eventually.

“We can’t have backroom deals?” She smiles gently, letting him know she’s kidding.

“Not about this.”

“You like her.”

He rolls his eyes. “She’s special, that’s all I’ve got.”

“That’s how I feel about the guy I’m dating.”

“Oh my god, a window into your super-secret relationship! Is he an employee? You know Y/N thinks he’s a friend of mine, but I told her you’d never stoop so low as to date a friend of mine. They’re not good enough for you,” Yoongi sits up a little straighter.

“What does that even mean? Being good enough for someone?” Jane asks.

“You’ve earned someone better, maybe, than my friends. Someone who has the means and desires to treat you like a queen, if that’s what you want.”

Yoongi treads lightly whenever they discuss Jane’s relationships, never wanting to put something on her she wouldn’t say about herself, but also struggles to find ways to describe her that… fit. An enigma, Jane will argue anything he says to a fault, and while Yoongi usually loves the banter, when it comes to romantic relationships, it’s too easy to get wrapped up and fuck it all up.

“Maybe, but how do you know that my secret lover doesn’t do all those things?” She asks him.

“He could,” Yoongi agrees.

“He does.”

“That’s all I get to know today, isn’t it?” He asks her.

“Yep,” Jane smiles. “Now, you have a shit ton of press lined up for the release and pre-orders of The Littlest Dumpling. I mean a shit show. Do you want to go over talking points today or do you want to save it?”

“How can we have talking points – the book isn’t done. I just sent in a fucking rhyming edit that’s actually garbage.”

“How close are you to finishing it?”

“Well, if I keep it in rhyme, at least five more edits, if not maybe five but probably closer to ten.”

“Yoongi,” Jane groans.

“How many edits did Lil King Yoongi Volumes 1-4 go through before they were ready to print? At least ten each, with large-and-small-scale changes. I took out chapters from book 4 and put it in book 2, it was work! This is work! I also have fucking homework,” He explains.

“Homework? Do tell,” Jane says.

“I have to read all these books on how children learn to read, and how phonics and teaching reading work. All to make the text of this series palatable for children.”

“Oh damn, Jin’s got you doing homework?” She asks.

“Seokjin doesn’t have me doing anything. Y/N does.”

“Because you now have to have meetings with her, too?”

“The three of us meet, at the request of me after being told that I am one of her worst authors ever,” He tells her.

“Please tell me you don’t take fucking pride in that?”

“No, it’s embarrassing! All I can hear is my mother, why can’t you be nice to everyone like Seokjin-ah? Why can’t you treat people with respect like Seokjin-ah does? Yoongi-ah, he’s your elder, show him respect. All. I. Hear.”

“He’s –

“Please don’t finish that sentence.”

“Why not?”

“Whatever it is, it’s going to make me so mad, I can already feel it. He’s an asshole.”

“Okay, but, the faster you finish book one, the sooner you can write books two and three and hopefully be done with him,” Jane reminds him.

“I know.”

“Have you picked an illustrator?”

“Y/N wants me to meet with some guy named Jungkook, who does really beautiful traditional Korean illustrations.”

“Are you gonna ask –

“My ex?”

“Yes.”

“Yeah, I kind of want to see if the two of them can somehow work together. I think the American traditionalist illustration mixed with Korean would lend itself to the metaphors of being an immigrant and second generation.”

“So many layers for a book about a dumpling.”

Yoongi arrives to The Ruby Poppy first and finds his way to a little corner both where, if he isn’t mistaken, both parties have to sit almost side by side. It’s the only place outside that’s available, and the temperature today is far more moderate than it has been, making for a perfect summer evening. He sits, his jeans ripped and loose on his legs, his t-shirt tucked in haphazardly. He’s never been one for a uniform, but this summer he’s definitely leaning into it.

He scours the drink menu on his phone. Last time he just got a whiskey, but this time he wanted to try something a little less…. Toxic masculine. If that’s even what drinking a whiskey neat is. It can’t possibly be, but regardless he’s wanting to try one of their themed, and half off, happy hour cocktails.

“Interesting table,” He hears you say as you approach him.

“Yeah, it’s the only place outside,” Yoongi stands to greet you. “Hug?”

“Depends, are we discussing work?”

“I don’t know, we can.”

“Let’s not and say we did,” You smile and reach for him. He takes a step towards you and meets your embrace. He holds you a little tighter than last time, nose pressed into your hair, he breathes in the scent of your conditioner, and whatever you put on your hair after you straightened it. The softness of your body envelopes him, and he wants to hold on just a moment longer.

“So,” You say, pulling away and scooting into the booth. “What are we drinking?”

“I was thinking one of their mules, they’ve got a ginger-hibiscus that looks interesting.”

“Oh, that sounds delicious.”

“Should we order two of them?”

“Yes, and an appetizer. Or the whole menu. I’m starving,” You comment and take a sip of your water. You can see clear across the patio of The Ruby Poppy. It’s quite pretty with the lights all strung up and illuminated. It brings warmth as the sun slowly descends. You’re also noticing how close you are to Yoongi, legs touching, shoulders practically bumping. This will do nothing positive for the crush you are trying to suppress.

“How’s work going?” He asks.

“What? I thought we said no work!”

“We said no work, but I figured that means my work. How my book is going, that idiot editor, et cetera. Not your work. I don’t know what else you do day to day.”

“I manage everyone and everything.”

“Besides Sadie’s team?”

You smile, of course he remembered. “Yes, but I check in with her. I read from the reject pile, I try to scope out promising new authors and illustrators and designers. I meet with the board and department heads almost daily. I’m sort of in all the places at once, and of course I meet with new authors, or established ones, as often as is needed.”

“Yet you somehow find time to sit here with me.”

“I did.”

“Why?” Yoongi asks.

“I wanted to.”

It’s so simple, you wanted to see him, him alone and not with Seokjin or Alexis poking her head in. Just you and Yoongi, a moment of reprieve to get to know him a little better. To share a drink and laugh and maybe see if the chemistry you have isn’t just lightning in a bottle, but a sustainable, stable enlightenment.

“How was your day though, difficult?”

“No, it was alright actually. Someone just finished the draft of the third book in a proposed series of ten, so that was very exciting. It’ll be more exciting when we hit the halfway point though.”

“Can you tell me who?”

“Legally, no.”

“Fine, don’t break the rules for me,” He teases.

“Aren’t I already?” You ask.

The waiter comes back with your drinks and takes your food order. You decide to order three entrees to split: classic British pub food staples in Shepherds Pie, a perfect roast dinner and Fish & Chips.

Yoongi, feeling confident and embolden by a few sips of booze, slips his hand down to his thigh, then drifts it to yours. You stare at him, confusion at first, then a flirty smile.

“Bold move, Yoongi,” You say.

“Is it too much?”

“No, I don’t think so.” He says.

You smile softly. “I’m glad we’re doing this again.”

“Are you now?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Why?” You ask.

“Because I wanted to see you.”

You blush momentarily, not lingering on it at all. Not in the way you desperately want to. There’s time for over analyzing when he’s not staring at you looking so fucking cute it hurts your insides. “How was your day? Did you accomplish whatever you wanted to?”

“I did, edited a draft of the rhyming edition with Jin’s notes, and then jotted down more concrete plot points for books two and three. Altogether, productive.”

“I’m so glad.”

“Because I’m listening and taking direction?”

“Yes, and that you feel a sense of accomplishment.”

“Oh, don’t worry, it won’t last long. I’ll be back to feeling unstable and like I have no talent very, very soon.”

“Don’t,”

“I can’t help it, it’s all in my head I know. But I’m sure the spiral will start. Maybe once I finish a draft I don’t totally hate.”

“What do you hate about your work?”

“I think it’s all contrived and stupid, that’s largely my problem.”

“You think your work is derivative?” You ask.

“I think it can be. We’re all just telling the same stories in different words, but that doesn’t mean mine is better than someone else’s.”

“It kind of does, Yoongi. You’re a great writer.”

“I know you say that, and there’s hard evidence of it, but it doesn’t negate how I feel about my writing.”

“Which is that it’s contrived.”

“Yes.”

“I don’t know…”

“It feels like I’m rewriting The Brave Little Toaster.”

“Oh my god, I hadn’t even thought of it. Don’t worry, legal will comb through it to ensure there’s no parallels or copying.”

“I know there isn’t, all I remember is that the toaster gets lost and almost smashed. So I can’t possibly have copied it. But what if I am just taking The Little Engine that Could but making it you know, blatantly Asian?”

“I don’t think so, the Littlest Dumpling isn’t trying to do anything other than exist within a world where his bully is a huge asshole. That’s it. I don’t think you’re copying it in any way. If you were, I wouldn’t have bought it for so much fucking money.”

“It was an obscene amount for the work I put in,” He says.

“Where have I heard that before?” You tease.

“I’m just an anxious author. Insufferable is what my friend Hoseok has called me, and Janie agrees.”

“We all have those things that we just can’t let go, no matter what. Your fear, particularly when it comes to writing and publishing, is that for you.” You tell him.

“You’re very go with the flow – where does that come from? Weed?”

“No, I don’t do drugs. I’m just practiced in the art of authors freaking out.”

“And I’m freaking out?”

“Constantly.”

“I do think it’s my primary state of being, anxious and always spiraling.”

“Have you always been this way?”

“Oh, yeah. I was an anxious child, but my parents put a lot of pressure on me and my brother to be the best, or better than the Kim’s.”

“Is that where the problem stems?” You ask.

“Yeah, sort of. That’s part of it.”

“My parents were very hands off, to a fault, to the point where I had to fend for myself completely and totally. It wasn’t fun, and I don’t recommend it at all.”

“You grew up with no parental pressure?”

“I, yeah. No pressure to be anything, but because of that I had to put the pressure on myself to succeed and to do well. I had to fight for myself, which is terrifying to be thirteen and stressing about perfect grades.”

“How did you maintain that?”

“I just ran myself to the bone until I got to college, then I coasted because I realized it wasn’t sustainable. Well, I collapsed one day and then had to go to the hospital for extreme dehydration and sleep deprivation. Then I learned.”

College had been… tough. Finding friends, finding your niche had been more difficult than it was in high school where you had fit in with the highly academic students. College was full of social quandaries, drinking, no curfew and no parents. Not that it was much different from your upbringing, but it felt totally insane, and unhinged. You spent freshman year trying not to drown while gaining weight rapidly, finding your footing and your voice…. Then declaring English as your major, with all sights on becoming an editor and maybe publisher one day. You could do it. You had to do it. No one believed in you but you, could you let yourself down? No, absolutely not.

“Shit, Y/N,” Yoongi’s hand squeezes your thigh gently.

“I know, but I’m okay and I drink plenty of water and sleep a ton. So, I’m fine now.”

“Good,” He says earnestly, eyes watching the placid expression on your face.

“Tell me something,” You request, turning your body more towards him.

“Okay, what?”

“Mm, your first crush.”

“My first crush?”

“Yes, then the book that made you want to be an author.”

“My first crush was this girl named Mai, she lived down the street and we went to elementary school together. She moved after third grade and I never saw her again. The book that made me love reading, and pushed me to become an author was honestly, when I sat down and read Charlotte’s Web.”

“No way,” Your smile falters, not because he can’t love Charlotte’s Web, it’s just not the book you thought he’d pick. Who loves Charlotte’s Web? Not you, that’s for certain.

“Yes way, I hated it so much, I thought that I could write something better, that I could read something better. But there weren’t books about little Asian boys living their best lives or achieving anything. I set out to find them, and when I couldn’t, I started writing them.”

“I get so tired of hearing the phrase representation matters, but time and time again, it’s proven that it does.”

“You don’t want representation?”

“No – I just hate hearing the phrase. We should just be doing it, but instead we have this stupid phrase that gets used to placate audiences and reminding them we have value. I just want us to be seen and heard equally.”

“Is that why you focus on minorities and POC’s at Serendipity?”

“Yes. I’ve got the power, I better fucking use it.”

Yoongi wants to tell you you’re so sexy, that in this moment, you’re the hottest person he’s ever seen, and he wants desperately to kiss you. But he won’t, he’ll just reach the hand that was once on your thigh towards your open palm, and he’ll hold your hand tight, because right now, that’s all he can do.

Exiting the restaurant, Yoongi walks you to your car. He pauses, unsure what the move is. You stare up at him, though the height difference isn’t much, it does create a shift in the dynamics. Yoongi reaches up first, to place his hand on your cheek. You lean into his soft touch. He brings his lips to your forehead.

“Text me when you get home,” Yoongi asks, eyes staring into yours.

“Okay, same to you.”

“Yeah, and I’ll see you at our next meeting?” He asks.

“We have illustrators coming in, it’ll be quite exciting!” You remind him.

“Can I kiss you again?”

“On my lips or on my forehead?”

“Either.”

“Yes.”

Yoongi leans in, his lips finding the exact spot they were just in, and he plants a kiss on your forehead, lingering as he makes contact with your skin.

Next: The Littlest Dumpling {5}

28 notes · View notes

justasparkwritings · 2 years

Text

{Lie} II. I Had This Right

Previous: Lie I

Pairing: Jeon Jungkook x Kim Taehyung

Genre: Angst

Rating: R

Warnings: Swearing, Kissing

Word Count: 1.6K

Summary: A break up comes to light and Jungkook pleads that his ex will lie to him.

Notes: They won’t all be so sad I swear!

Listen: Lie to Me, 5 Seconds of Summer

Tag List: @4ksj, @jagiya, @ot7nem, @knjkitten, @teamtardis-notdead

Tag List

Master List

The only sound that echoed in the near empty practice room was that of gentle sobs leaving the golden maknae’s vocal cords. He couldn’t hold them back, and frankly he wanted to blame Jimin for it. Though if he was honest, all Jimin had done was stare at him with a knowing look and the tears and anger had fallen. Jungkook wasn’t used to failing at something, on the contrary he was used to practicing enough that he could nearly perfect any task or have the natural gifts and skill to succeed anyway. That’s what he was used to, that’s what he always did. But this? He’d never failed at something he so desperately wanted to succeed at.

“I thought I had this right,” Jungkook said, fist hitting the wall of the practice room as the tears dripped down his cheeks. “I thought, I had it.”

“Jungkookie,” Jimin said, hand resting on his friend’s back. “Come on, talk to me.”

“I don’t know what there is to say,” Jungkook answered, peeling his forehead from the wall as his tears kept flowing. “We broke up.”

“I know,” Jimin said, but it wasn’t Jimin’s reaction that worried him most. It was Namjoon’s, who was standing not too far away listening and watching the interaction.

“Just say it, hyung,” Jungkook said directly to him.

“I wasn’t going to say anything,” Namjoon said from his post on the floor.

“You’re thinking it.”

“What am I thinking?” Namjoon asked.

“I told you so, that’s what you’re thinking,” Jungkook spat.

“I didn’t. I wasn’t. I hate seeing you hurting.”

“But you were right, weren’t you?”

“I don’t know that I was,” Namjoon said.

“You said this was dangerous, and that this could tear us apart,” Jungkook reminded him.

It was something he thought about often, the day Namjoon had first voiced the fear they felt in their gut.

They were in New York, and Namjoon had just witnessed a private moment between Jungkook and Taehyung. It was tender, Jungkook tucking Taehyung’s hair behind his ear, his gentle giggle before he tipped his head and met Taehyung’s lip with quiet passion. There was a fire, small but stoked, that had always been between them, and when they kissed it appeared to burst into a flame. Namjoon had cleared his throat and watched as the two youngest men sprang apart, the heat dying quickly as their cheeks burned. This wasn’t how they wanted Namjoon to find out, how they wanted any of the members to find out that they were together. It was meant to be a secret for a little while longer, and that had meant lying and sneaking around.

“How long?” Namjoon had asked.

“A few months,” Taehyung said quickly, not wanting to lie or prolong the situation.

“Months?” Namjoon asked.

“Yes, but it’s been building for years,” Jungkook said.

“You two… this is a bad idea.”

“Bad how?” Jungkook asked.

“You could ruin us.”

“We’re going on hiatus in a few months, we’ll be fine.” Jungkook argued.

“No, you won’t. You two, you can’t do this.”

“Yes, we can,” Taehyung said defiantly. “Hyung, please, we can.”

It all started making sense to him, the thirsty pics Taehyung was posting on Instagram, the dancing and jazz music. He was happy, he was falling in love, of course he wanted to share that with the world. But to Jungkook? They couldn’t possibly think this was a good idea. It wasn’t that they hadn’t thought it could happen. There’s 7 of them, statistically there should be a gay one or two in the group, but were they dense enough to think a relationship between them wouldn’t potentially ruin the band?

It wasn’t for Namjoon to decide.

“Jungkook, you’re heartbroken,” Namjoon strode over to him and Jimin, offering the maknae a tissue.

“I know!”

“How cruel would I be to pour salt in your wound? Far crueler than I am.”

“You’re not cruel at all,” Jimin said.

Namjoon smiled kindly at Jimin before turning back to Jungkook. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“I,” Jungkook inhaled slowly, steading his breath. “I thought I had it right. I was trying to make it work.”

His voice cracked as the door to the practice room opened and Taehyung, flanked by Yoongi and Hoseok, walked in. Taehyung looked perfect, his pressed suit pants and no collar button down matched his loafers. His hair, fluffy and soft, demanded that his fingers run through it. It pained Jungkook even more to see his ex, looking so… effortlessly beautiful. Of course, he did, it’s Taehyung. He always does, always has. It hurt more to see him flanked by Yoongi and Hoseok, as if the two of them had already picked a side in a breakup they maybe didn’t know had happened.

“Jungkook-ah, you okay?” Hoseok asked, confirming Jungkook’s suspicion that they did in fact not know.

“He’s feeling really sick, I think we should send him home,” Namjoon said, and Hoseok listened intently before offering a compromise.

“Can you stay and watch, or stand in your spot so we can mark it? the Busan concert isn’t that far away,” Hoseok said.

“Yeah, hyung, I can, just give me a minute,” Jungkook said and left the practice room. He walked quickly to the bathroom, where he splashed cool water on his face. He heard the door open, but didn’t dare glance at who was coming in. He tried to steady his breathing as the cold water hit his face and waited patiently for the other person to leave.

“Jungkookie,” Taehyung said. Jungkook snapped to attention, staring through blurry vision at Taehyung.

“What?”

“I – are you okay?”

“Am I okay?” Jungkook asked. “No, Tae, I’m not.”

“I’m sorry,” Taehyung said, crack in his voice loud and clear.

“You’re too hard to forget, you know that right?”

“I, I’m sorry.”

“Particularly when I have to see you almost every fucking day.”

“Jungkook -

“I was trying so hard. I was making plans work; I was changing my flights so I could be with you. I was going to go to Paris with you, and to New York. But it didn’t matter at all, did it?”

“It did matter.” Taehyung said, his voice pleading.

“Then why do I wish you still loved me?” Jungkook asked.

“Jungkook –

“No, please don’t answer that.”

“But –

“No, if you ever feel like it, just lie to me. Okay? Just fucking lie because I can’t take anything but that.”

Jungkook stared at him through the mirror, watching as Taehyung’s resolve broke as he too began to cry.

This break up was Taehyung’s decision. After telling Jungkook not to go to fashion week with him, Taehyung had flirted too much with some guy in Paris, going so far as to take suggestive photos together. One was leaked and Hybe squashed it before it went anywhere, but not before it got to Jungkook. He felt angry, betrayed and mystified that his boyfriend would do something like that. He was distraught too, how long had Tae been stepping out on him, or at least giving the suggestion of it? Taehyung was livid, he hadn’t meant anything by the photos and the fact that Jungkook didn’t trust him sent him over the edge. He couldn’t lie and say that breaking up with Jungkook wasn’t an impulsive decision, he couldn’t lie and say he didn’t regret it. But he couldn’t take it back. Jungkook had tried, they’d both tried to figure out their first real relationship, but they didn’t know how to find their way back to each other.

Taehyung reached a hand towards him. “Jungkookie –

Jungkook shook his head and took off, out of the restroom and towards the practice room where everyone waited.

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me,” Seokjin said the minute Jungkook stepped in.

“Hyung, give him a break he’s devastated,” Namjoon said.

“Ya! And I’m upset I just found out! This has been going on for months?”

“A year,” Jungkook said.

“A year?” Yoongi reacted, standing up and staring at Jungkook in shock. “A year?”

“This is the first I’m hearing about it,” Hoseok said, catching Yoongi’s expression in the mirror.

“Well, it doesn’t matter,” Jungkook said. “It’s over.”

“Over?” Seokjin said, again in surprise.

“Yes, he dumped me.” Jungkook wiped his nose on the sleeve of his shirt. “Can we practice?”

“I dumped you?” Taehyung said, coming back into the room.

“Yeah, you did. You behaved poorly and then you dumped me.”

“I’m sorry Jungkook! I’ve been trying to talk to you, but you won’t –

“Why would I? You broke my heart, Taehyung. You shattered it. I loved you. And now what?” Jungkook asked.

“Were they not warned about this?” Yoongi said to anyone that would listen.

“Yoongi-ah,” Jimin scolded, eyes narrowing at him.

“What? It’s a valid question.”

“Hyung, I can’t believe you just said that. Of course, they know!” Jimin said.

“Okay sorry!” Yoongi said apologetically.

“Can we dance and fight later?” Hoseok asked, itching to move from this tumultuous moment to something they could all control.

“Fine.” They all agreed.

As they took their places and the music was queued, Jungkook caught Taehyung’s longing glance. Taehyung looked devastated, and now Jungkook could see the bags under his eyes much clearer. He was hurting too. They’d both hoped hiatus would give them time to heal before they performed in Busan, but it was clear from the tears Taehyung wiped from his eyes that it hadn’t done anything at all. Jungkook said a brief prayer, knowing that if it ever came down to it, if he ever got drunk, he would ask Taehyung if he loved him again. He would ask that they try again. He would ask if they could have a do-over. But he also prayed that if he did, that Taehyung would take his plea and lie to him.

Next: Lie III

#justasparkwritings #justasparkmaster #bangtanarmynet #networkbangtan #purplearmynet #kpopccc #BTS fic #justaspark anthology #clubzerooclock #BTS OT7 #OT7 x reader #OT7 x you #BTS smut #BTS angst #BTS fluff #taekook #Kim taehyung x jeon jungkook

13 notes · View notes

justasparkwritings · 2 years

Text

Master List: Lie

Summary: Emotional, physical... We all lie at some point in every single relationship. Seven men. Seven ways to lie.

Genre: Angst/Fluff/Non-Idol AU

Rating: PG13-R

Word Count:

Warnings: Swearing

I. So Sweet (KSJ)

II. I Had This Right (JJK)

III. Loved Me Better (JHS)

IV. Hard to be Jealous (KNJ)

V. I Remember (MYG)

VI. Gotta Be Great (PJM)

VII. I Don’t Like You (KTH)

#justasparkwritings #justasparkmaster #bangtanarmynet #networkbangtan #purplearmynet #kpopccc #BTS fic #justaspark anthology #BTS OT7 #OT7 x reader #OT7 x you #BTS smut #BTS angst #BTS fluff

12 notes · View notes

justasparkwritings · 2 years

Text

August {I} Salt Air

Pairing: Kim Taehyung x Reader

Genre: Fluff

Rating: PG13

Warnings: None

Word Count: 5.6K

Summary: Your family has gone to Lake Augusta every August since before you were born. 10 summers ago, the arrival of a new Kim family shook up your existence, and future.

Notes: Look, I love a summer romp starring Kim Taehyung. Sue me.

Listen: August, Taylor Swift; Long Hot Summer, Keith Urban; Slide, Calvin Harris feat. Frank Ocean & Migos; This Must Be the Place, Sure Sure (Talking Heads Cover);

Tag List: @4ksj, @jagiya, @ot7nem, @knjkitten, @teamtardis-notdead

Tag List

Master List

August, 10 Summers Ago

There’s a stillness on Lake Augusta, before the hordes of people begin jet skiing, boating and tubing crash through it. It’s glassy smooth, deep blue and murky with seaweed and an invasive species of lake weeds. It expands for miles, the largest lake in the state, home to numerous resorts, personal and time-shared cabins, a coastline that stretches around almost all of the lake and home to a quaint, small town full of charm. Every year it waits for summer to breathe life back into it, to expand its holdings to be full of happiness, sunscreen and a few heartbreaks. It’s home away from home for many people. Not just a summer getaway, but a place to find oneself once again.

The town stretches on for maybe five blocks, with little shops selling nearly identical goods flush to each other. Each is painted its own pastel or neon shade, bright and calling in the friendly customers and new faces. The dirt road seeps into your shoes no matter how hard you try to avoid the dust, making certain shoes impossible to wear anywhere but at the lake. Everyone shop owner knows every shop owner, and they call to each other as they open their stores each morning. Shops shift every summer, the few boutiques selling overpriced goods often go under before the following year, the summer town desolate in the fall and winter. The few snowbirds come through town but want nothing to do with summer fair, and thus shops change management and names but rarely change the goods they sell.

It’s all cute and quaint, with the only relative drama coming from said shops switching management.

That is, the adult world is hardly any drama.

It’s the teenagers, and young adults that wreak havoc on the whole town, turning the peaceful pirate themed mini golf into the perfect place for clandestine meetings of exes, joint trading and conspicuous pictures being taken. They run town, and in turn their drama seeps into everyone’s summer jobs. The people running mini golf have always had suspiciously loose lips, trading secrets with the golf caddies at Gunner’s, who tell their girlfriends that work in Twix, Madras Plaid, and the sweet shop The Confectioners Corner. They then spread it to their friends who work at the resorts, Draven’s and Coral Mist (more on them later), who text and call and soon everyone, even the dockers who are only 13, know.

It’s an incestuous gossip hole, where secrets are hard to keep, and secret relationships rarely remain that way by summers end.

But it’s here, in August, that everything somehow coalesces and finds both you, and both Kim families, at the lake.

You have come to this cottage since before you were born. A property your moms bought when they had just gotten married, they’ve fixed it up year after year until it was absolutely perfect, AC included. It’s winterized, though you rarely make the four-hour drive from your house to the cabin when there’s a threat of snow. But some Christmases, and New Year’s, have been spent inside the walls. It’s a modest, two and a half bedrooms, two bath single story cottage with a stretch of sand and a lengthy dock. All the swimming gear stays locked in the wooden shed just adjacent to the house, and the pontoon sits readily waiting for rides around the lake, to dinners at Arnie’s and Bar Harbor.

This is your home, and so is the cottage next door, the home of the Kim’s.

Seokjin and his twin Namjoon, and your best friend and coconspirator, Eun-Ji (everyone calls her EJ), their parents bought the cottage the same time as your moms and raised you almost in tandem. Seokjin and Namjoon, a few years older, have never once looked at you or your brother, except the one time they were told to babysit and naturally didn’t. They’ve always been lost in their own lives, even as kids, they have a bond that’s unbreakable largely due to their shared womb experience. But EJ, now EJ has done nothing but pay attention to you. A friendship forged over having brothers, you’ve spent every summer together. The worst is always June and July, when the Kim’s are up at the cabin and due to your moms’ jobs, are stuck in the city without EJ.

This summer will be different. You both of scored summer jobs. Yours at The Confectioner’s Corner, EJ’s at Pirate’s Treasure Chest. You’ll both be working odd times, evenings and weekends, but somehow, you’re going to make this the best summer. You’re about to turn 15, ready to start high school…. This would be your summer. You’re sure of it.

“If you don’t hurry up and take the cooler in, all the food will be spoiled,” your mom scolded from the porch of the cottage. She stood with her foot in the door and a hand on her him, watching with scrutinizing eyes as you and your brother struggled to carry the large cooler up the walkway.

“We’re coming, it’s really heavy,” your brother, Alex, complained.

“Yeah, did you put an entire pig in here?” You asked.

“Stop complaining, you want to eat, don’t you?” She asked rolling her eyes.

“Of course, we do,” your mama called from the car, sticker her head out to meet her wife’s gaze. “Stop giving them hell because you’re hungry. Eat a snack, Jackie.”

Your mom rolled her eyes and took the few steps to come and help you and Alex.

“Can I go –

“YOU’RE HERE!” A voice bellows from somewhere between the trees. Thankfully your mom picked up the handle of the cooler because you dropped your side swiftly and took off running towards the voice.

“I AM!” You screamed, arms wrapping around EJ.

“I thought you were never going to get here!” EJ said, hugging you tight. “I’ve been stuck with my brothers for too long and I have needed you.”

“You have a cellphone,” You reminded her.

“You know my house is a total dead zone.”

It was a well-known fact that the Kim’s cottage, ten times larger than your family’s, has the worst internet and wifi connection on the whole lake. Well maybe not the whole lake, but at least this stretch of beach. You’ve texted and called EJ only to have them bounce back or not go through at all. It’s a nightmare.

“I know, but still. You don’t have to suffer any longer because I am here.”

“Y/N,” your mama called. “Help unpack or you’re grounded for two days.”

You stared at your mama in disbelief, two days? The beginning of August meant the small fair and carnival was happening, and with work not starting until Tuesday, you had all weekend and Monday to play, eat cotton candy and try to win cheap stuffed animals.

“Mama!” You groaned and stomped over to the car to help unpack.

“I’ll help too!” EJ declared as she took a bag of groceries from the trunk. The cooler was full, and being in the middle of nowhere, your moms had stocked up on the essential city items: almond milk, oat milk, gluten free waffles, bagels and bread, the good wine they loved, and Costco sized containers of meat. It wasn’t just that your parents and the Kim’s had become adults in tandem, it was that they raised you in tandem. Seokjin and Namjoon came over to eat at your house, talking to your mom and harassing Alex, almost every night. You too went to theirs. And thus, your moms had to buy Costco sized packages of meat to feed not one growing boy, but three.

EJ stops dead in her steps as she enters the kitchen, because of course Seokjin has already beaten her to it.

“Ugh, you,” she commented.

“Ew, you,” Jin said back. He was busy unpacking groceries into the fridge, your mom filling the pantry and cabinets with fresh food.

“Did you come in the back way?” EJ asked, snark in her tone.

“I did, smarter huh?” Jin teased.

“You’re the worst.”

“No fighting,” Your mom said. “We’ve been here for twenty minutes and I’m not starting my vacation with the two Kim’s bickering. My own kids –

“We are your kids too!” Namjoon said, poking his head in from the living room where he was setting up the router and powering up all the electronics.

“My biological kids have already been fighting. I don’t need additional bickering. Got it?”

“You need a drink,” Mama said coming in with the last of the carload. “Kids, go unpack.”

“Okay!” You agreed happily and tugged EJ’s hand along to your bedroom, where someone (probably Seokjin) had already placed your suitcase. Your room at the cottage was desperately smaller than your room at home, a single bed instead of a double, it’s soft white walls welcomed you every time you stepped into it. EJ had no trouble plopping on your bed.

“So, wanna hear the gossip?” She asked, eyebrows raising.

“Yes! I’ve missed out on two months of it. What has been going on?”

“Well, the big news is, the house two doors down from you,” EJ pointed, albeit in the wrong direction, to where the house was.

“The one that got demoed and rebuilt?”

It was hot gossip – who had torn down and built up a brand-new cottage? Who had threatened to change the landscape of the shore by creating a modern home? Who were these mysterious people?

“Yeah, duh them. They move in this week and get this, they have a son that’s also going to be a freshman in high school and, the craziest part,” EJ paused, leaning closer to you. “Their last name is Kim!”

“Whoa, another Asian family?” You sat down, staring shocked at her.

It was enough that you and Alex, biracial and clearly brown, with your two moms, was more than enough diversity for the small town. Then of course, there was the Kim’s and their three, very Korean children. And now, another Asian family was moving in. Never had there been this many non-white people living here.

“Isn’t it crazy?”

“Yeah, we have to like, be friends with them, don’t we?” You asked.

“Yes, because Jin and Joon are already annoyed someone else named Kim is moving in. They think everyone is going to be confused and think we’re related.”

“Wouldn’t that make people think you’re related, more?”

“That’s what my dad argued before he said that not wanting to be friends with them was anti-American, which sent Joon into a total spiral and mom sent him to his room.”

Ah, yes. The three Kim children have their own rooms in the lake house.

“It’s crazy that a Korean family is moving in, like that doesn’t happen. Not here.” You said, carefully taking the folded shirts out of your suitcase and placing them in their designated drawer, the second from the top.

“No, but maybe more people are buying houses out here? My mom said things are changing.”

“How would your mom know?” You asked.

“She’s on the board of the town beautification project or whatever and working on dealing with the invasive species that are in the lake,” EJ said.

“They’re not like, dangerous to humans, are they?”

“Relax, if they were Seokjin would’ve turned into a red puss ball by now.”

You laughed. “Can you imagine?”

“I can, it happens when he eats too much garlic. It’s very funny and apparently can kill him.”

“What’s the other gossip?” You wanted to keep the conversation moving. EJ, much like Namjoon, can get stuck on a subject and circle around it for hours.

“According to sources I cannot confirm –

That was lake code for “someone told me something they weren’t supposed to and now I’m telling you though I’m not supposed to”.

“Uh-huh,” you said.

“Maia is planning on losing her kissing virginity to Eric by end of summer.” EJ whispered, voice nearly rising loud enough to be heard outside your bedroom.

“Whoa,” you said, sitting back and staring at her. “She likes him like that?”

“I guess.”

“I thought she was into Matty,” you said.

“I did too, but then she came in this summer with boobs and straight hair, and I don’t know. They play mini golf at least once a week.”

“Whoa.”

EJ leaned in again, voice even quieter than before. “Apparently, Matty and Katherine have done under the shirt stuff too.”

“Whoa!” You said, making sure your door was closed so your moms didn’t hear anything. You sat down next to her, legs crossed, staring. “You’re joking.”

“Cross my heart on Fearless, I am not.”

“Oh my god,” you said. That was a serious vow, EJ loved Taylor Swift.

“Yeah. And apparently some of the older kids are throwing a rager next weekend when Roman’s parents are out of town. Like a real party, with beer.” She was so glad you were finally here to tell this information to because the bad reception and likelihood her parents would look at her texts meant that she couldn’t send you a message. But this was huge. Parents never go out of town, and kids who throw parties while they are away, always get caught. Always. There isn’t a parent in this section of shore that wouldn’t go over immediately and shut it down, or worse, call the sheriff with noise complaints.

“How do you know that?” You asked.

“I have my ways,” EJ said. Which was really a code for, I eavesdrop on my brothers.

“How could I have missed so much?” You asked, laying back on your bed.

“I don’t know, but once you start work, I’m sure you’ll hear so much gossip you’ll be filling me in.” She confided.

“I hope so. I just hope –

“None of it is about you, I know. Your deepest fear.”

“Exactly.”

“Are we going to the fair tomorrow?” EJ asked, standing to look through the new clothes you’d brought with you.

“Yeah, but not until like two because we don’t want to seem, like, eager.”

“We’re high school freshman,” EJ said, like it carried weight or magnitude in your current situation.

“That means we’re at the bottom of the totem pole, again.” You reminded her.

EJ scoffed. “We’re always going to be at the bottom with that attitude.”

“At least while your brothers are around, we will be.”

“So true, I can’t wait until they go to college.”

“A few more years,” you said, resigned to experiencing the summer in the shadow of EJ’s hulking older brothers.

Seokjin and Namjoon, fraternal twins born five minutes apart, are like night and day. Seokjin has always been the sun, willing to help, kind to everyone but introverted to a fault. He’s the favorite caddy of all the summer hires, requested by the high-profile club members, he’s kind and welcoming, always known for sharing an uproariously funny joke or two. But outside of Gunner’s, Jin stays to himself, doing his schoolwork, studying in the summer for his upcoming standardized tests, reading college required reading and making sure EJ stays in line. He might be the sun, but he carries no social clout and thus tries not to be outshone by Namjoon, something he fails at at the lake.

Namjoon, student body president and assistant summer manager at Draven’s Resort, he works in mysterious ways. Clumsy and prone to accidents (he’s definitely broken a bone sitting on the dock), he knows what’s happening at every single business and clique of friends in town. How? No one really knows, but his penchant for being found both behind all the stores (the area they call the mall), and somehow never being seen anywhere but work and his parents’ house, has led the towns youth to create so many rumors about him he can’t keep straight what’s true and what isn’t. He isn’t above it all, in any sort of way. In fact, he’s always been a little lost in who he is when he’s up here. At home he’s totally fine, self-assured and aware of who he is and what he does. But here? He’s both Namjoon Kim, second son of the Kim’s, and Namjoon Kim, mysterious perpetually single yet dashing intellectual who is always injured. Neither identity feels true. If it was up to him, he’d be a bit more like Seokjin, who is the same at the lake as he is at home. Or EJ, who doesn’t ever seem to doubt who she is becoming.

The Lake Augusta Country Fair comes through once a summer, in August always, and brings with it a host of outsiders and new job opportunities. The businesses around town hire extra teens, and you’re considered lucky if you don’t have to work the weekend of the big fair. Seokjin and Namjoon always work it, their personalities and penchant for big tips always makes the guests spend more money, so they only get to go in the evenings. EJ is too new to be kept on at Mini Golf for the weekend, and thus she and you are on your way with Alex in tow.

The fair is like any state fair, carnivals rides, a Ferris wheel, elephant ears, are all a part of the excitement. No one in town sells shoestring fries quite like the carts available that weekend. And, the thrilling part of the entire fair, the water park. The water park is the best part of the fair. A small wave pool, five large water slides that all pour into the same pool, and a surf simulator are the most popular of the attractions. But the lazy river, which extends the entire perimeter of the water park is truly the best place to be. Not only do the non-working teenagers gossip there, it's where first dates are held, college students get drunk, and pre-teens get to experience freedom away from their parents.

It’s there that you see him – soft eyes, one mono-lid, big and brown and staring at you. He smiles shyly, staring at you before looking away quickly.

“Hey,” you said to EJ. “Who is that?”

“Who?” she asked, looking to the spot where you were gesturing.

“That guy, black hair, he looks about our age,” you said.

“I don’t see him.”

“Oh,” you shook your head, maybe you imagined it.

“It’s our turn, come one,” EJ said and grabbed your hand, pulling you and your tube towards the entrance of the lazy river.

Dinner at the fair is a cornucopia of fried foods and grease covered side dishes. Mac & Cheese balls, corn dogs, fries, topped off with ice cold coke and a root beer float, or fried ice cream with a fried Oreo on top, are the best of the options you and EJ can pick.

It’s in picking up your root beer floats that you spot him again, honeyed skin, boxy grin, staring at what looks like his younger sister. He glanced up and you glanced away, unsure what the moment was, if anything. But you couldn’t forget the way your heart raced, how you wanted to talk to him, know him, wave and say hello to him. But you didn’t. You grabbed your treats and went back to EJ.

“I saw that kid again.” You told her.

“Really?” She asked. It was unusual to see the same person again, the fair brought in thousands of locals.

“Yes really, I think he has a little sister.”

“Okay, stalker much.”

“I’m not stalking, I just happened to see him again.” You said.

“Did you say something?” She asked.

“No.”

“Well how are you going to give him your kissing virginity if you don’t talk to him?”

“Oh my god EJ!” You said hitting her arm. “I’m not doing that.”

“And why not?” She asked.

“I don’t even know him. He could live a town over and never come back after today, I’m not going to give my kissing virginity to someone I don’t even know.”

“Whatever you say,” EJ teased.

The thing is, what you didn’t realize and refused to acknowledge even now, is that EJ was completely right. And you absolutely would.

The saccharine smell of sugar, homemade fudge and fresh waffle cones waft through the doorway of The Confectioners Corner, the towns only sweet shop. It’s painted sky blue with yellow, pink and white polka dots. The branding is very Dylan’s Candy Bar if Dylan’s went rural summer destination. It’s owned by Greg and Donna, two lifers who spend their fall and winters in the city running some clothing boutique, which apparently does well enough that they built a million-dollar lake getaway. They hire a group of teens every summer to run their candy store while they’re busy making the candy. Fresh fudge nearly every day, decadent malted milk balls and designer gummies from top notch suppliers fill the shelves. It’s heaven for kids, and the most coveted place to work outside of Pirate’s Treasure Chest Mini Golf.

The only reason you’re working there that summer was because Alexis had to go home early to prepare for college, she’s going to UC San Diego and has to pack up her entire life to move. Which meant Greg and Donna had one single opening for the month of August, and with the recommendations from Seokjin and Namjoon, the spot was yours.

Stepping into the shop on your first day, you maneuvered through the crowd of people buying gummy worms and cookies and cream fudge to the back where you’re meant to sign in. It’s busy, as to be expected for noon on a Tuesday when the temperature is over 80 degrees. In the back is Shannon, the manager, waiting patiently for you to show up.

“There you are Y/N!” She said with a smile. “Finally, here’s your apron. Toss it on and wash your hands, then the three of us will get started.”

“Three?” You asked, looking around for a third person to join in your training.

“Three,” a voice said behind you, causing you to turn and stare.

Of course, in the perfect rom-com moment that could only happen at Confectioners Corner, it was him. The boy from the fair. He was much taller when he was standing two feet from you, and his eyes somehow gentler than you realized when squinting in the hot sun. he was… cute. Too cute to be back here working in the ice cream section. He should be working on the golf course or at the resort being a lifeguard. Not relegated to the back section of the candy shop.

“Y/N, this is Taehyung. He’s new, too,” Shannon said and tossed the blonde hair dripping down her back into a messy top knot.

Shannon had worked summers at the candy shop every year of high school, and somehow came back the first two summers in college too. She was 20, lean from playing club volleyball and tan from sunning on the shore in her off hours. Two years ago, she nearly ruined her reputation over a relationship with the lead caddy over at Gunner’s. It had been the hottest gossip of the whole summer. Craig had been a year older, and after taking Shannon to prom his senior year, they started dating. That is until he broke up with her over a game of mini-golf and nearly ruined her life with the scandal. Craig’s family sold their property and bought a home on a lake twenty miles away, and no one’s heard from them since.

Shannon is beloved by Greg and Donna, who view her as their fourth child and entrust the business to her every summer without fail.

“I saw you, at the fair,” you said, staring at Taehyung.

“Yes, I saw you too.”

“Taehyung, are you the new Kim family that moved into Pebble Beach Road?”

“How’d you know that?” He asked.

“I live next door, the little navy cottage.”

“Next to that huge house with the loud boys, right?”

“Yeah, next to them.”

“We haven’t been here long enough to know anyone, but I think I’ve seen you.”

The idea that he had seen you before you saw him made you dizzy. Had he known when you locked eyes at the fair that you were neighbors? Did he already know you’d be working together for the rest of summer?

“You should come over sometime, meet everyone,” you were unsure where this bravery came from.

“Oh yeah?” He asked, surprised.

“Yeah, you should. The guys are idiots, but EJ and I are fun, and my brother Alex is always looking for someone to go tubing or swimming with.”

“I’ve got a sister and a brother, they’d probably like all that too.”

“Cool,” you said.

“Yeah, cool.”

“Okay, now that you two know each other, let’s get started,” Shannon said.

It turns out scooping ice cream is harder than it looks, particularly because The Confectioner’s Corner keeps the ice cream a little past freezing, making it almost rock solid. Taehyung already has natural muscles, some from dancing and whatever sports he plays during the school year. You on the other hand, are fairly strong from swim team and volleyball. But by weeks end you’re both exhausted, barely peddling home on your bikes.

It’s routine, whenever you work together and are heading off at the same time, you ride together. Your moms and Taehyung’s parents are happy that each of you has a buddy, and it does make the often-sweltering ride so much nicer. Taehyung is sweet, and funny, and a little off kilter in a way that makes him exciting to be with.

“You wanna come for a swim?” You asked at the end of your morning shifts. 8AM-12PM is a sweet time to work because you hardly get a rush but then get the rest of the afternoon to swim, play and be nearly 15 years old.

“Oh, sure!”

“EJ has the day off, so she’ll be around, and of course Alex too. I think one of EJ’s brother’s is off too… I hope it isn’t Seokjin.”

“You don’t like him?” Taehyung asked as he hung his apron up.

“Everyone likes Seokjin. Everyone.”

“Not you?”

“He’s so… obnoxious. He teases me all the time and just, he sucks. Namjoon is much more likable.”

That was in no way true, in fact the crush you had on Seokjin was so buried deep within you that not even EJ knew. You didn’t really know, either, keeping it all locked up inside you… burying it because what would happen? Seokjin was seventeen! What did a seventeen-year-old want with a barely fifteen-year-old? And it wouldn’t be romantic like in The Princess Diaries, it would be weird and creepy because he’s almost an adult and you…. well, you hadn’t even started high school.

“Oh, I get that.”

“I’m gonna head home to eat lunch and then go out – wanna meet in an hour?”

“Uh, yeah, sure.”

“Okay, you can just cross the beach to mine, I’ll be outside,” you smiled at him, excited for EJ to finally meet him.

“Sounds perfect.”

“I gotta stop by the store on my way home, otherwise I’d ride with you,” you told him. Taehyung nodded and took off through town and turned right at the stop light.

You hadn’t given yourself enough time. The store was a ten-minute bike ride from work, and then a twenty-minute ride to your house from the store. And of course, it took longer at the store to get the tomatoes and lettuce and whatever alternative to mayo your mama wanted for BLTs that night, and then cobb salads the next day. By the time you were meant to be on the beach, you were barely getting into your swimsuit let alone eating. You ran out the door to the beach with your turkey sandwich in hand, and stood slightly breathlessly as EJ and Taehyung made their respective ways to you.

“Why haven’t you eaten?” EJ demanded, staring at you with confusion in her eyes. “Weren’t you done like an hour ago?”

“I had to stop at the store to get dinner stuff.”

“Couldn’t your moms do that?” She asked.

“Moms?” Taehyung repeated as he finally made his way to you.

“I have two moms. They’re chill,” you explained.

“Oh,” Taehyung said.

“Taehyung, this is EJ.”

“Hi, nice to me-

“Aish! What are you doing?” Namjoon’s voice came booming from the dock across from yours. Wasn’t he supposed to be working today?

“Ya, why are you touching our sister?” Came Seokjin’s voice from the porch of their house. He met Namjoon halfway and came walking together towards the trio you had formed.

“Calm down jerks,” you said. “This is Taehyung, he lives next door, and we work together. I invited him, and his siblings to come and swim this afternoon. Chill,” you said.

“No, we won’t chill,” Namjoon said as he laughed and elbowed his twin. “So, you’re Taehyung.”

“Uh, yes?”

“The newest Kims,” Seokjin said taking in the sight of Taehyung.

“I guess? Are you guys’ Kim’s too?”

“We are, the original Kim’s on Lake Augusta,” Namjoon answered.

“Oh, well that’s super cool!” Taehyung said with a shy smile.

“So where do you live?”

“Yeah, you local?”

“No, we came here because my mom used to as a kid, and she wanted us to experience it.”

“Why weren’t you here all summer?” Jin wanted to know.

“My mom saves her PTO and some sick days to take most of a month off and it’s always August,” Taehyung explained.

“That’s fair,” Namjoon and Seokjin agreed.

“What are your thoughts on Glee?” Jin asked.

“Or P!nk?”

“Why?” Taehyung asked.

“Enough go away!” EJ declared pushing her brothers away. “You can do your weird protective spying from the dock. Leave us alone.”

“Just one last question,” they said, stopping and maneuvering out of EJ’s weak grasp.

“What?” You groaned.

“What are your intentions with our sister and sister from another mister?” Namjoon asked. Seokjin laughed, high pitched and squeaky before EJ charged at them and they ran back to their posts on the dock.

“Those are?” Taehyung started.

“My older brothers. Sorry they’re incompetent jerks.”

“Why were they asking about P!nk?”

“We’re really obsessed with her.”

“Oh,”

“Did you siblings want to come and join us?” You asked Taehyung.

“They’re eating and then they got in trouble, so they have chores to do. My parents are not happy.”

“You don’t live around here, do you?” EJ asked him as she led you guys towards the dock. She sat dangling her feet off the edge while you finished your rushed sandwich.

“No, we flew in and then drove.”

“How old are your siblings?”

“My sister is twelve and my brother is nine,” Taehyung said, then he did what he knew you and EJ weren’t expecting: he slid right off the dock and into the water, disappearing completely before his head came bobbing to the surface.

“Oh my god!” EJ laughed. “You scared me!”

You just stared at him, smiling, because somewhere you knew… this was going to be the first of many times Taehyung Kim surprised you.

The rest of summer passed in a haze of swims in the lake, mini golf tournaments that Taehyung always won, and enough ice cream scooping to turn you and Taehyung into pros. It was a perfect summer, your very own The Summer I Turned Pretty which is all you and EJ had wished and prayed for.

Your final evening, you sat out on your dock, the Adirondack chairs your moms bought perfectly placed on the edge just so your legs dangled barely above the water, Taehyung in the chair next to you. You'd spent a lot of days, and nights, sitting with bug repellent on and Taehyung by your side, EJ on the other Adirondack. But she’d gone home yesterday because her brothers had clubs and coursework to begin for their senior years, not to mention SATs to finish studying for and college applications to perfect. Your moms sat in the screened in, air-conditioned porch, watching your and Taehyung’s shadows as you gazed up at the stars, totally unaware of what you talked about.

“I’m kind of scared,” you said, gazing up at the big dipper.

“I am too.”

“What if I can’t find my classes? Or am late?”

“I think everyone has those concerns,” Taehyung said.

“I hope so. Orientation is going to be so weird. But I’m kind of, excited?”

“I am too. I don’t know if I’ll know anyone, though.” He said.

“Really? Because you moved?” You asked.

“Yeah, and whatever my friends were before we moved to Seoul and then back have probably all moved on and don’t care about me anymore.” Taehyung explained.

“Can we promise something?” You hoped, eyes pulling from the stars to look at his profile.

“Yeah,” Taehyung said, mimicking your posture.

A crush was what he had on you, little and quiet, something brewing in his chest. You’d spent nearly every day working together at The Confectioners Corner, and afternoons and evenings together too. He’d become your second-best friend after EJ, and somehow… he’d started finding your company a little dizzying. His heart racing whenever you smiled at him, excitement when you started listening to a song he recommended. It was exciting, and he… he was going to miss you and EJ when you left for home.

“Can we promise that on August 1st, next summer, we’ll meet here at 9PM?”

“So specific,” Taehyung teased.

“Well, I’m not getting a phone until my birthday, and neither are you, so it’s not like we can text. You’ll just have to promise.”

“Pinky promise?” Taehyung said.

“Yes,” you stuck your thumb towards him.

“Okay, Y/N, I promise.”

Next: August {2}

13 notes · View notes

justasparkwritings · 2 years

Text

Master List: Once

Summary: Seven break ups. Seven break up letters.

Genre: Angst

Rating: PG13-R

Word Count: ~2,000

Warnings: Swearing

Listening: Once by Maren Morris

I. Dear Yoongi

II. Dear Seokjin

III. Dear Jimin

IV. Dear Namjoon

V. Dear Taehyung

VI. Dear Hoseok

VII. Dear Jungkook

#justasparkmaster #justasparkwritings #OT7 series #anthology #justasparkanthology #break up #BTS angst

12 notes · View notes

justasparkwritings · 2 years

Text

The Littlest Dumpling {6}

Previous: The Littlest Dumpling {5}

Pairing: Min Yoongi x OFC

Genre: Non Idol AU / Author AU

Rating: R

Warnings: Swearing! Talking About Sex! Kissing! Making Out!

Word Count: 4.8k

Summary: August and September roll through with two breakdowns, a relationship unveiling and bonds forging stronger than before.

Master List

Tag List: @4ksj, @jagiya, @ot7nem, @knjkitten, @teamtardis-notdead

Tag List

“It was good to offer them grain,” Sir Hyun Woo said. He stood next to Lil King, dutifully watching as the other soldiers gave grain and rice to the people.

“It was the decision that’s best for the people. My feelings on the matter don’t mean anything.” Yoongi said.

“Sometimes, as a leader –

“You’ve never been the leader of a kingdom, how could you possibly have advice for me?”

“I know you are angry, but taking it out on me and the people of your kingdom is not the answer, your highness,” Hyun Wood said.

“Perhaps I should take it out on you, and you alone.”

“I am honored to serve you, your highness. But is that wise?”

Lil King Yoongi stared up at the man, who had been his father’s second in command, his go-to, his confidante. Yoongi glared at him, angered by his defiance and correct assumptions.

“I hate you.” Lil King spat on the snow-covered ground and retreated into the castle.

Lil King Yoongi Vol. 2

August Pt. 3

Yoongi arrives at your house with a few minutes to spare, and naturally spends them checking his reflection in his mirror and wondering if he has anything to say, other than, we’ll go at your speed… but if we do that we can’t keep kissing or spending evenings cuddled in a restaurant booth. That’s too much for his heart, it will be too much for his heart if you keep it up, too.

He gets out of his car right on time and rings your doorbell. Your house isn’t huge, a modest first home you purchased a few years prior when the money from Two Affairs to Remember came in, and your signing bonus from this new job. He stares at it admiringly, he’s still in an apartment. A spacious apartment with lots of windows that does cost him a fair penny every month.

You answer quickly, and he groans internally for how cute and cuddly you look.

“Hi,” You smile softly, and Yoongi returns it.

“Hi,” He says.

“Come in, shoes off please.”

Yoongi steps inside and does as you asked, slipping his shoes off his feet and following you towards your kitchen. He’d make a quip about a hello hug but doesn’t want to push it. Though the closeness, the intimacy of a hug might just be enough to remind both of you that you’re in this, whatever this is, together.

“Can I get you something to drink?” You ask.

“Uh, water’s fine.”

“Flat or sparkling?” You ask.

“Flat.”

You fill a glass for him and set it next to where he’s perched himself on a bar stool.

“So,” You start.

“So,” He repeats.

“I’m sorry.”

This catches Yoongi by surprise. “Sorry for what?”

“I feel like I’ve been really wishy washy, and not clear or firm in what I’m feeling or what I want,” You explain.

“Oh,” Yoongi says. “I guess I have been too.”

“No, you’ve been pretty clear, Yoongi. I’m the one that’s been jerking you around.”

“You had a really traumatic experience dating someone you work with, I think that warrants a little fear,” Yoongi says, the empathy in his eyes tugging at your heart.

“I know, I know it does, but that doesn’t mean I can and should be carrying on the way I have been. It isn’t fair to you.”

“Okay?” He asks.

“I – god Yoongi why do you look at me like that?” You ask, frustrated by his mere existence.

“Like what? He asks.

“Like you have so much compassion for me it’s oozing out of your pores, and like you just want to hold me and make it all better!”

He sighs heavily, the little tension he’d been carrying dissipating. “I do, to both of them. I’d like to kiss you again, too, but that seems to be off the table.”

“I,” You pause, exhaling. “I want that. I do. But I’m so fucking scared, Yoongi. I’m scared that this is going to fail, that I’ll lose my job, that –

“Hey,” Yoongi stands from his stool and walks to you. He places his hands on your shoulders. “Take a breath.”

“Okay,” You say, a ragged breath in through your nose and out through your mouth made difficult by the tears that had started to fall. “Everyone thinks I’m a slut Yoongi, everyone thinks I got my job by fucking my way to the top. They think I’m too dirty to work in childrens lit, but that’s always been my passion.”

“Honey,” He cooes, not thinking about what it implied as he wipes your tears with his thumbs.

“It’s all they think about when my name gets brought up. I hide behind my work but if you and I – and Yoongi I want to. I want to be with you. God I’m a fucking mess.”

You take a step out of his grasp and disappear to the powder bath where you blow your nose and wipe your tears. Yoongi, having watched you with great attention to detail, opens the cabinet and fills a glass with water for you.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. I’m usually the neurotic mess, so you having a moment is truly okay. You’ve listened to me seethe at Seokjin for far too long for two grown men.” He says.

“That’s true.”

“Let me take care of you,” Yoongi requests, and it causes you to stop. Not since Taehyung have you let someone take care of you. Or have you wanted to let someone, anyone, care for you in any romantic capacity. Taehyung had done a number on your heart, and your ability to trust. Which sounds cliché and basic, but it’s true. The revelation that Taehyung had an entire other life, a different girlfriend that he was lying to, too, shook every part of you to your core. How did it go unnoticed? How did you mistake his busy schedule for work when it was really, her? And, once it came out, how had you concocted a solution that sure saved your career but broke your heart further? Only now to want to jump into a similar relationship again?

Yoongi could be different.

Yoongi is different.

Maybe … maybe there’s hope.

“Okay.” You whisper.

“What do you need?” Yoongi asks.

“Can we just sit on the couch?” You ask, vulnerability wearing so potently in your voice.

“Yeah, we can.”

You take Yoongi’s hand and guide him to the couch, where he lies down and you rest your head on his chest, his arms snaking around your waist.

“I can’t believe I had a full meltdown.”

“Why?”

“That’s a level of vulnerability we haven’t gotten to, and yet here I am, laying on your chest with tears drying on my cheeks. Totally exposed,” You explain.

“Why don’t you think we’ve gotten to that point?” He asks.

“You just, we just… I don’t know. We just kissed.”

“We’ve been texting constantly, going on weekly if not twice a week dates to The Ruby Poppy for over a month… this might be casual but it isn’t nothing,” Yoongi says.

“And you admitted to your colossal crush on me,” You tease.

“And you admitted you fantasize about me.”

“God, we’re a match aren’t we?” You laugh. You sit up softly, to get a better look at Yoongi’s face.

“Hm?” He asks, staring at you.

“You didn’t kiss me when you got here.”

“I didn’t.”

“You owe me one,” You say.

“You owe me two.”

“Two?”

“Yeah, if you get one, I want two.”

“That seems fair.”

Yoongi adjusts, placing himself at a better position for kissing you. Which he does, slowly and methodically, leaning his lips down until they grace yours. It’s gentle and calm for all of five seconds before his hands are slipping under the hem of your shirt to rest on your waist, and your hands are in his black locks. It’s calm, but then his tongue breaches your mouth and what was once gentle and soft is heated and passionate. This isn’t just kissing; this is making out. This is all the sexual frustration that’s been brewing between you for weeks, months at this point. All coming out in the gentle mewls that escape Yoongi’s lips, the moans leaving yours, both swallowed and gulped down as fuel.

This is a fire.

But maybe neither of you will burn.

Sitting in your office, a week later, you glance at the clock. Your patience, which you have mastered, is wearing thin. Why? Oh you’re waiting for a certain author to show up for his meeting. He’s late, which is unusual, for him to be late at all is unheard of, but five minutes?

“Sorry, fuck, sorry,” Yoongi says as he rushes into your office.

“What the fuck Yoongi? Where have you been?” You demand as he finally sits down in his chair.

“I know, I got caught up with edits and looking at a draft of a sketch from Jimin that I lost track of time.”

You stare at him, watching as Alexis leaves and Yoongi sits. He catches your expression but isn’t quite sure what your distaste is directed at.

“What are you wearing?” You ask.

Yoongi glances down at his wardrobe, a white long sleeve t-shirt and navy and white linen overalls. “What about it?”

“Why are you dressed like a train conductor?”

“I - I am not!” He argues.

“You are. Are Thomas and friends waiting outside for you?”

“Shut up!”

“Did you forget to say your morning mantra? I think I can. I think I can, I think I can pull these off?” You laugh hysterically.

Yoongi scowls. “That was terrible.”

“If the train you’re conducting leaves at 9am, and the train the cool people are on is actually a Range Rover hybrid, how long will it take you to realize your friends don’t want to hang out with you?” You ask.

“Why are you being so mean?” He asks.

You stare at him; he hasn’t called you out before. “Honest answer?”

“Yeah, honest answer.”

“You look so fucking cute, and we’re in my office,” You drop your voice to a low whisper. “And I really want to kiss you - but I can’t. So, I’m being a bitch. Sorry.”

“You want to kiss me?” Yoongi repeats in an equally quiet decibel.

“Yeah, badly.”

“You think I look cute?” He asks.

“So cute.”

“You wanna take my overalls off me?”

“That’s harassment,” You scold in mock horror.

“Oh, so it’s a joke when you say it but when I do it’s a problem?”

You stare at him, unwavering in the bit you’ve started. “I’m gonna need to speak to your union rep about this behavior.”

“Come on!” He laughs.

“The United Transportation Union, or I’m sorry, who heads the Hogwarts Express?”

“You’re not funny.”

“I just need to know if the undercut will display prominently with the curve of your hog head hat?” You ask.

“Shouldn’t you be embarrassed to know this much about trains?” Yoongi counters.

“Oh honey, baby, sweetie, darling. I’m an editor. Do you know how many books I’ve read about trains?”

“Planes, and automobiles too, right?”

“Speaking of,” You say.

“Great transition,” He comments.

“You got lost in an edit?”

“Yeah, I don’t know, seeing those illustrations has really pushed me into a new creative space.”

“You didn’t have to leave it to meet me, we could’ve rescheduled.”

“And miss a chance to see you?” Yoongi asks in mock horror. “I would never.”

“Yoongi,” You blush.

“What? Too much?”

“Just enough.”

September

Namjoon stills, his hips no longer moving methodically to the pace he had set, his eyes still screwed shut as the last remnants of bliss from his orgasm recede. He rolls over, lying flat on his back and exhales. His heart still pounds in his ears, body finding a new pace now that he’s no longer actively fucking his girlfriend. He runs a hand through his hair, pushing it off his forehead.

“Fuck,” He mutters. “Do we keep getting better?”

“Of course, we do,” She says, sitting up and running a hand through her once beautifully quaffed hair. She reaches for her glasses and slips them on before crawling out of bed. Grabbing the few lingering pieces of clothing off the floor, she retreats into his bathroom to clean up. Once somewhat ready, her dress and jewelry are strewn somewhere between the front door and the bedroom, she leans on the door frame and watches her boyfriend. His shoulders expand as he inhales and stretches, an expanse of tan skin she could easily sink her teeth into again, and again, and again. Just like she did moments ago and has been doing for nearly a year.

“Staring? Wasn’t I just inside you?” Namjoon asks, laughter in his voice as he slips his boxers on.

“Yes, and yes,” She agrees.

“Can’t get enough Noona?” He teases.

“Correct,” She agrees.

Picking up the rest of her clothing, she’s quick to slip them on.

“Thanks for this quickie, I know it’s not ideal but you’ve been driving me crazy,” She tells him.

“What did I do?”

“Breathe, you breathe and respond to texts and it goes straight to my clit, okay?” She saunters over to him, hands resting on his chest as he dips to capture her lips. At this rate they could easily tumble back to bed and she could miss her next two meetings.

“Well, I’m glad we could make this happen,” He says. “I couldn’t wait until tonight, either.”

“Yeah, that too.”

“Text me when you get to work so I know you made it okay, yeah?” Namjoon asks.

“Yeah, I’ll do that.”

She turns and starts to head out of the apartment, picking up discarded pieces of her outfit as she goes. Necklace here, earrings there, her actual dress and leather jacket before slipping her shoes finally by the door.

“I’ll see you after work?” She asks.

“Of course, babe. Decide what you want for dinner and I’ll cook. Or we can order out.” Namjoon says from his new post in the kitchen, making himself lunch.

“Sounds good. Love you,” She says as she steps through the door and into the hallway, smack into the one person she didn’t want to see.

“Jane?” Yoongi asks.

“Yoongi!” Jane says.

An awkward silence befalls them, Yoongi staring at Jane, Jane staring at Yoongi. Silence filling with all the words they refuse to speak to each other. He takes in her appearance, some semblance of just gotten dressed but not totally polished. She takes in how he’s scrutinizing her, noticing the dress that’s not totally on right, the earrings still in her palm. Jane’s cheeks are flushed and rosy, make up smudged.

“I fucking knew it,” Yoongi whispers.

“Yoongi,” Jane says.

“Namjoon!” Yoongi barrels past her and into the apartment, where he’s overwhelmed with the scent of the sex they just had. “I fucking knew it!”

“Knew – Yoongi!” Namjoon says, whishing he had put a shirt on. The shock is in his eyes as he glances quickly to Jane, trying to decide if they should just lie or come clean.

“You two – you two are fucking,” Yoongi is positively giddy at this news.

“I – it’s more than that,” Namjoon says, awkwardly scratching his neck and deciding that no, in fact he can’t lie about this.

“I’m going to be late,” Jane says looking to Namjoon to clarify that she can leave.

“Yeah, honey, go ahead.”

“Oh, but we will be discussing this,” Yoongi says.

“Fine,” Jane turns and leaves quicker than she came, completely embarrassed.

She had wanted to tell Yoongi about her relationship with Namjoon… just… when she was ready. And not after being caught post afternoon delight. And not when she has a meeting with a different client who thankfully has zero stake in her personal life.

“You have explaining to do,” Yoongi tells Namjoon as he kicks off his shoes and jacket. Wasn’t Namjoon the one who had asked him to come over?

“What do you want to know?” Namjoon asks.

“How long?”

“Almost a year.”

“Are you in love?”

Namjoon nods. “Yes.”

“Shit, man,” Yoongi says. He sits down on the couch and watches as Namjoon flits about the kitchen, bringing waters for them both.

“I know.”

“How did it start?” Yoongi asks.

“Remember my birthday, last year, when we had that dinner and Noona crashed it?”

“I do,” Yoongi agrees.

“Well, after you went home, everyone else went home too. Except Jane. She stayed and we had a drink, then two, and she came home with me.” Namjoon tells him.

“That’s what started it? Me leaving early from your birthday party?”

“Not everything is about you, but yes that’s what started it.”

“That’s the first time you fucked?” Yoongi asks.

“Yep.”

“And now, your birthday is next week and that marks a year?”

“No, we made it official in October, so we’ve got a little time left to plan whatever it is she wants to do for it,” Namjoon explains.

“What will she want to do?”

“I’m thinking a really nice dinner, like hundreds of dollars, and insane sex,” Namjoon explains.

“What is insane sex?” Yoongi asks.

“Anniversary sex, special sex, good sex,” Namjoon’s answer is truly not helpful.

“How do you measure how good sex is?” Yoongi asks.

“Oh honey, if you have to ask clearly you don’t know.”

“No – that’s not it. I’m sex neutral,” Yoongi says.

“Right, but you still asked. So spill, what new milestone have you and Y/N gotten to?”

“Y/N kissed. A lot. A lot of making out. Maybe some hands in places… but I’m terrified to have sex with her, and she’s terrified to date me.”

“Why?” Namjoon asks.

“To which thing?”

“She’s scared because of her ex, makes sense. Why are you scared to have sex? It’s not like you’ve never had it before,” Namjoon laughs.

“What if I’m bad at it? Or my body is weird or I’m so horrible in bed she’s offended?”

“Has anyone ever complained after having sex with you?” Namjoon asks, stifling his laugh in his glass of water.

“The last person I had sex with was Jimin,” Yoongi reminds him.

“Did he complain?”

“No – never. It’s just very different situation, anatomically.”

“And emotionally,” Namjoon agrees.

“I don’t know about that.”

“Oh, so you think you’re falling in love?”

“I don’t know, but this doesn’t feel like nothing,” Yoongi shrugs.

“Interesting,” Namjoon says. “Have you told her you’re scared?”

“That would be so fucking pathetic, admitting to her that I’m scared to have sex with her? She’s, her. Shouldn’t she already know?”

“How would she already know, Yoongi? She can’t read your mind and while I gather she knows you fairly well at this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if she has no idea you’re this stressed about sex.”

“I – I don’t want to tell her!”

“Can’t you talk to Jimin about it? You dated for like three years, ask him.”

“Call my ex and ask about my strongest traits in bed? That’s a level of pathetic only Seokjin has reached,” Yoongi says.

“Why are you so anxious about it? One night of potentially bad sex isn’t going to ruin whatever it is you two are building, Yoongi. That’s not how love and attraction work.”

“But couldn’t a bad fuck result in losing attraction?” Yoongi asks.

“Not if she’s really into you, and also really understands how neurotic you are.”

“She does, she gets it I think.”

Namjoon finishes his water. “Then maybe you’re worrying about nothing.”

“Maybe… Maybe we need to get drunk like you and Jane did.”

“It made for a slightly fuzzy experience,” Namjoon says.

“Okay, fine, maybe not.”

“Yeah, our second time was very nerve-wracking, but Noona is, well, her. So she… dominated.”

“I don’t want to know,” Yoongi covers his ears with his hands.

“That’s all I’ll say.”

“Does Hoseok know?”

“Nope, and we weren’t even going to tell you yet.”

“Well, honored you invited me over when you knew your girlfriend was going to be here too.”

“Yeah, poor planning. I thought I had more time between her leaving and you showing up to clean up.”

“You love Janie?” Yoongi asks.

“I do, very much.”

“How much shit can I give her for not telling me?”

Namjoon laughs. “Oh, as much as you want. She’s got it coming, that’s for sure.”

“Good, I plan to.”

To: Seokjin

From: Yoongi

Subject: Draft 4

Here’s draft four.

YGM

To: Yoongi

From: Seokjin

Subject: Re: Draft 4

Yoongi,

You’re gonna hate me for saying this – I think this is the version of the book. There are a few parts where you can simplify your vocabulary, but other than that…. It’s nearly perfect, like my handsome face.

My mother would like me to tell you that she’s very impressed with your career. So good on you, Yoongi-ah.

Seokjin

To: Seokjin

From: Yoongi

Subject: Re: Draft 4

How dare you say that just to send me into a panic spiral.

Fuck you.

The illustrations aren’t even near finished.

Tell your mom thanks, and that her son is barely better than a common tick.

YGM

To: Yoongi

From: Seokjin

Subject: Re: Draft 4

I’m presenting it to Y/N as the penultimate edit.

Do you talk to your mother with that mouth?

Seokjin

“I am so excited to discuss the penultimate edit!” You say, staring at a haggard looking Yoongi and a placid Seokjin. What has happened in the last week that Yoongi looks less like a person and more like the shell of himself?

Seokjin agrees. “I am too. It’s clear, it’s funny, it has a cadence that’s fun to read. It’s great, Yoongi.”

“Thank you,” Yoongi mutters. “The illustrations aren’t done though.”

“No, and they won’t be for another few months, but since you’re so close to finishing this draft, it’s a perfect time to start working on book number two,” You remind him.

“The sooner you write them the sooner we don’t have to work together, mi amigo,” Jin nudges Yoongi, who simply recoils from his touch and glares.

“Super.”

“Yoongi, are you okay?” You ask, eyeing him suspiciously. You can tell he isn’t, his eyes are red, he’s got bags under them and he looks like he just rolled out of a not restorative sleep.

“Fine,” he shrugs.

“I don’t believe you,” You tell him.

“I don’t either,” Seokjin says.

“You don’t have to. Are we done here?” Yoongi asks.

“I,” You’re stunned. “We can be.”

“Great, I’ll see you two later,” Yoongi stands and exits quickly, leaving you and Seokjin absolutely perplexed.

“What the fuck was that?” You ask him.

“Oh, you know Yoongi. Nothing like a depressive episode and questioning his self-worth to really wrap up a project.”

“He gets like this?”

“Not frequently, but semi-regularly.”

“Oh.”

“Don’t be too worried, he’ll figure it out.”

“Okay, but are you worried?”

“As his editor? No, he might need to take a few months off writing before he does book number two, but we’re on track to be done early,” Jin shrugs.

“Okay, if you’re not worried, I won’t be.”

It’s a lie, you absolutely are worried. But you don’t have long after Seokjin leaves before you have some form of an answer.

Yoongi: I’m doing that radical bravery thing where you ask for help when you need it

Yoongi: So …. Will you come over?

You: Absolutely, right now?

Yoongi: Yes

You: I’m on my way – do you want me to bring anything?

Yoongi: No – just you, please

Yoongi’s apartment complex is nice. Doorman knows everyone by name, nice. And his doorman is confused, if not a little surprised that Yoongi of all people has a female guest at 2PM in the afternoon. Regardless, he lets you up and the elevator attendant presses the button to Yoongi’s floor, six.

You knock on the heavy wooden door, and Yoongi, puffy red eyes and tear-stained t-shirt opens the door.

“Hey,” He mutters and steps aside so you can come in. He shuts the door softly and takes your hand, dragging you towards his bedroom. It seems like an odd start, but soon he’s under his blankets and so are you. He wraps his arms around your waist and rests his head on your chest. Yoongi inhales slowly, and exhales at equal speed. He adjusts to make sure you’re comfortable, before breathing you in again.

You don’t know what to say, and instead of empty words you begin to rub his back and kiss his hair.

“I’m sorry I was a prick in the meeting. I’m sorry,” He whispers.

“It’s okay, I’m just worried about you.”

“I didn’t need to be an asshole though,” He says.

You continue the soft circles. “It’s okay, really. I just needed to know you’re okay, and you’re very clearly not.”

“I know.”

You kiss his forehead. “I don’t care about the meeting. I care about this, right now.”

“Yeah?” He asks.

“Yes. You can tell me what’s on your mind, or we can just cuddle. Up to you.”

“I think the draft Seokjin loves is shit,” He confides.

“Yoongi, that’s not true.”

“It is!”

“It’s a great draft, but it doesn’t have to be the penultimate one. Seokjin will keep giving notes and feedback until you’re satisfied. Or we hint the printing deadline. Either way, you have final say Yoongi.” Your voice is so soft, comforting him in a tight hug that begins melting away all his stress.

“You’re not going to judge me if I keep working at it?” He asks.

“No, Yoongi. Never.”

Yoongi exhales, relaxing a miniscule amount.

“As long as you meet your deadline… It doesn’t matter how many edits you want to do. But I have a feeling that’s not the entire reason why you’ve been unable to get out of bed,” You say.

“Before Lil King Yoongi Volume 1 came out, I stayed in bed for two months. One afternoon is hardly in the record books,” He tells you.

“Why?” You ask.

“Because Y/N. I’m not good enough. The success of Lil King was a fluke. I’m not clever or intelligent. My work is contrived and basic. Anyone can fucking publish children’s books.”

You shake your head. “Yeah, anyone can. But not everyone can create a modern classic, Yoongi. But you are.”

“I can’t.”

“You’re already three edits into it.”

“You’re just saying that,” He mutters.

“So, you don’t believe me, either?” You ask.

“No, logically my brain does believe you. My feelings think you’re lying.”

“I’m not lying, I wouldn’t lie to you.” You kiss his forehead again.

“Or you want me to think you won’t.”

“You really think that?”

“No,” He whispers.

“As your publisher, I won’t lie to you.”

“As my, whatever you are to me?” He asks.

“I’ll do my best to be honest with you, always. If you’ll do the same,” You say.

“I will,” Yoongi sticks his pinky up, and you intertwine yours with his.

“Your work isn’t contrived.”

He lets out a sigh. “You know, I don’t let a lot of people see me like this.”

“Falling apart?”

“In pieces, yeah.”

“Why are you letting me?” You ask.

Yoongi pulls away and sits up, so he can look at you fully. His eyes trail down from your eyes to your lips, tracing the shape of them and back up.

“You let me in, about Taehyung, about your fears of us dating… You were vulnerable and trusting with me. That’s what I’m trying to be with you,” He explains.

“I really like you,” You whisper.

“Yeah? What about me having a massive panic and depressive episode and staying in my bed for the foreseeable future is super sexy?” He genuinely wants to know, because if he was you, he might’ve never let you see him like this.

“Your honesty,” You tease. “And how soft your eyes are.”

“Yeah?” He asks.

“Yeah, I like them a lot.”

“I was born with them,” He laughs.

“Yoongi?” You ask.

“Yes?”

“Can I kiss you? I mean, would that, would that be okay with how you’re feeling?”

“All I want is for you to kiss me,” Yoongi slinks back down the bed and lays on his side, mirroring your posture. His arm drapes over your hips, hand resting on the small of your back and creeping slowly towards your ass. It pulls you closer, and the hand not propping your head up pulls at the fabric of his t-shirt.

His lips are soft, just like the other day when he held you close on your couch. But tonight his touch is lighter, a feather on your skin as he delicately kisses you. Why is kissing him the most romantic and sensual experience? Hairs on your arm standing, toes curling, heart completely turning into goo over his touch. He deepens the kiss, tongue tracing the seam of your lips, gently prying them open for your tongue to come out and tease him.

A soft mewl leaves his lips, and you pull away to stare at his soft eyes and flushed skin.

“Be my girlfriend?” Yoongi asks.

You stare at him, then nod.

“I really want to,” You whisper, and he kisses you again.

Next: The Littlest Dumpling {7}

12 notes · View notes

justasparkwritings · 2 years

Text

August {IV} Twisted in Bed Sheets Pt. 1

Previous: August III

Pairing: Kim Taehyung x Reader, Kim Taehyung x Jeon Jungkook, Kim Seokjin x Reader

Genre: Smut, Fluff, Non Idol AU

Rating: NC17

Warnings: Kissing, Swearing, SEX, MxM SEX

Word Count: 5.1K

Summary: Your first summer apart brings new romances to both Taehyung and your adventures.

Notes: Do we even like this story??? Also the playlist for this story is a banger.

Listen: dips, Daisy The Great; Meet Me At Our Spot, Willow, The Anxiety & Tyler Cole ; I Think He Knows, Taylor Swift; Kissing Other People, Lennon Stella

Tag List: @4ksj, @jagiya, @ot7nem, @knjkitten, @teamtardis-notdead

Tag List

Master List

To: [email protected]

From: Y/[email protected]

Subject: Internship!

OH MY GOD! I got the internship.

Which… I know means we’ll be apart this summer. Oh my god, we haven’t spent a summer apart in half a decade. What am I going to do without you?

Love,

Y/N

To: Y/[email protected]

From: [email protected]

Subject: Re: Internship!

Congrats! This is huge! I can totally believe you got the internship. You deserve it. Your work is beautiful and you’re exactly where you need to be.

I will miss you this summer, and I will miss that you won’t get to spend time with my friend Jungkook who is coming up for the entire summer. He’s… special, and I think you’d really like him. I hope you’ll be able to come to the lake for a week, or weekend though that seems difficult since you’re staying in New York.

I can’t believe I’m working at The Confectioner’s Corner without you… What will that be like?

I’m so proud of you.

Yours,

Tae

To: [email protected]

From: Y/[email protected]

Subject: Re: Internship!

I haven’t heard about Jungkook. Who is he? What makes him special? That guy – the finance guy – asked me out. I said no, but he also got the internship so I’ll be spending time with him. I’m not sure what he expects … we’re not friends. Seokjin is coming to the city for a writing internship at Late Night with Seth Meyers, so that’ll be cool. I guess I’ll be showing him around the city, like you’ll be showing Jungkook around Lake Augusta. I don’t know if I’ll be able to get out there this summer. The idea of missing an August with you and EJ is devastating. But what am I to do? I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to get out the last week of August, will you still be there?

I miss you, more than I have in our year across the country from each other. Maybe it’s because we couldn’t make New Year’s work like we have in the past, or that our spring breaks didn’t align either…. I feel further from you than I have before, and that scares me.

Yours too,

Y/N

Manhattan

“The fact that you’re not willing to argue that you didn’t follow me out here is ridiculous,” you laughed, staring at Seokjin over your burger and fries. He’d come into town two days ago and this was the first time he was free for long enough to see you. He’d texted, frequently, asking questions about the subway and where he was living, finding that you were subletting pretty near to where NBC was putting him up.

“I did not! Where else was I supposed to go?”

“LA!” You suggested.

“Too much sun.”

“And New York in the summer isn’t too much sun?”

“Okay, that may be true, but New York is known for its comedy and late night. That’s what I want to do.”

“Which is wild because you’re not that funny,” you teased, and watched as he blushed and rolled his eyes.

“You’re not that funny either.”

“How would you know?”

“What do you mean? We’ve known each other since you were born.”

“Yeah, but you know the version of me that hangs out with your sister and is somewhat contained when I’m around my moms’. You don’t know college me.”

“And who is college you?” Seokjin asked, eating the last of his fries.

“You’ll have to find out,” you teased. Why you were flirting with Seokjin was beyond you. Not once in the last two years had you made a conscious effort to flirt with him, but something about being in the city, alone together, made you desperately want to make him flush.

College had done right by him, making him more mature and fill out his lanky frame. His shoulders somehow broadened, while his hips remained narrow and tight. Seokjin had experimented with dying his hair, and was letting the light brown he’d chosen fade into his natural black. It looked more high brow than he intended, but fit in with the summer he wanted to have. He’d also figured out his skin care routine, and most of his juvenile acne had disappeared with the advent of face wash and nice moisturizer, which he did use regularly. He was looking…. And you hated to say it…. nearly as good as Taehyung.

And that was cause for alarm.

“Alright, then you’ll have to hang out with me.”

“Like either of us will have time. My internship has wild hours, and so does yours.”

“We’ll find time,” Seokjin assured.

“How was your school year?”

“Nice transition,” he commented. “It was good, wrote for the Flipside, made editor for next year.”

“Editor in chief?”

“Yeah, I’ve been working towards it for the last few years and the vote was unanimous,” Jin said.

“How come that wasn’t in your parents Christmas letter?” You asked.

The Kim’s, like your moms, sent out a lengthy Christmas letter every December documenting the successes of their families. It was easy for the Kim’s, who wouldn’t brag about the success of Namjoon and Seokjin, rising seniors at their respective universities, internships at the biggest companies and programs for their majors (English: creative writing & chemistry for Seokjin, civil & environmental engineering for Namjoon). Seokjin was asked to return this summer to his post as research assistant but declined in order to go to New York. He was only studying chemistry to assuage his parents fears for his writing career, and did genuinely enjoy it. Namjoon was on his own journey and already planning to get his masters or PhD at MIT or Harvard, he wasn’t sure which track he was going to apply for. Regardless, their parents could do nothing but brag about their sons. EJ always received a lengthy report as well, often detailing her sports journey but also bragging about her success at Stanford both in terms of swimming and her journey as an English major. She and Seokjin loved to compare notes, which really meant argue, about their curriculums and very different takes on classic literature.

Your moms on the other hand, had dramatically less to say. Not because Max and you weren’t succeeding, but when you looked at the plethora of activities the Kim children were involved in, it was hard to compare or compete. You were doing great, majoring in accounting and looking to transfer into the 5 year bachelors-masters program, which you could do in the fall since you’d taken over load courses freshman year, and a minor in American Studies which fueled your curiosity. They could write about how Max took his knowledge bowl team to the championships, and they did. But it was always a much briefer letter than the Kim’s.

“It wasn’t announced until end of term,” Seokjin explained.

“Oh, makes sense.”

“What are you looking forward to this summer?” he asked you.

“Everything, apparently summer in New York is it’s own special time of year, and I’m excited to explore it.”

“With me, you forgot that.”

“Why would I be excited to spend time with you?”

“I’m your favorite Kim.”

“You know that’s Taehyung, right?”

“Of my Kim family, I’m your favorite. I know you pretend it’s EJ and you tolerate Joon, but really, when it’s all said and done, I’m the one you’d pick.”

“Pick?” You raised an eyebrow.

“Yep, for anything, anytime.”

You weren’t dreaming, he was flirting with you too, right?

“I don’t think that’s true, at all,” you laughed.

“I think it is.”

“Just because you think something is true doesn’t mean it is, Jinnie. Your reality and mine are totally different.”

“So who was that guy I saw bothering you?” He asked, refering to the finance guy you had written Taehyung about.

“Ethan? He’s in my program. He’s deeply obnoxious and I can’t stand him, but he also got the internship so we’re stuck together.”

“If he gives you any trouble you tell me, and I’ll talk to him.”

“Are you my protector?” You laughed.

“Always,” Jin said, no humor in his voice.

“Fine.”

“How does it feel to be away from the lake for the first time?”

“I usually spend June and July away from Lake Augusta. So it doesn’t really feel that weird to me… ask me in August though, then I’ll be really homesick.”

“My first summer away was brutal. We worked long hours, Chicago summers are so humid… I missed the lake, I missed my family.”

“You missed me the most.”

“You were fine,” he said.

“You missed me so much you pranked me, remember? I have it in writing that you missed me.”

“I do remember, how could I forget?”

You wanted to ask if he was flirting but didn’t dare. That felt like a line that shouldn’t be crossed.

“Come on, I’ll walk you home.”

Seokjin, having used his family credit card to pay the bill, stood and followed you out of the restaurant.

“Shouldn’t I walk you home?” He asked.

“You just got here, you don’t know the city like I do, or even the borough like I do. Let me walk you home and next month, when you’ve figured it out, you can return the favor.”

“Fair is fair,” he said.

“Yeah, I guess,” you shrugged and led him to the subway.

Lake Augusta

“I can’t believe your siblings didn’t come this summer,” Jungkook said as he laid on a floaty in the water, eyes closed and covered by his sunglasses. The lake was shockingly still for the early afternoon. The neighbors and their loud kids and animals weren’t running amuck, slashing and screaming. Instead it was the quiet music Taehyung had playing from the dock, drifting over them with the slow motion of the water.

“They wanted to go to sleep away camp,” Taehyung answered, adjusting himself on his own floatie to allow water to rush under his back before suctioning to his skin. He pulled Jungkook closer so they could talk in softer tones, less likely to carry their secrets across the water or drift towards the other Kim residence which felt and was shockingly empty.

“And miss this?”

“They’ll be here in August,” Taehyung reminded Jungkook. “And then we’ll have zero moments of calm or privacy.”

“What do we need privacy for?” Jungkook asked, staring at Taehyung curiously. He knew why he wanted privacy with Taehyung, the stolen glances at parties, the lingering touches during study sessions… there was something there, and he hoped to explore it, if Taehyung wanted too as well.

“I don’t know,” Taehyung didn’t change his expression, staring absently past Jungkook to see if EJ was off work and coming to join them.

“When’s Jimin coming?” Jungkook asked.

“End of July.”

“Are they going to lose their mind that I’m taking Y/N’s job?”

“I think Clara will try to sleep with you, and Alicia will too.”

“I’d love to see them try,” Jungkook laughed.

“They’ll probably spend the first two months trying to pronounce your name and at every opportunity ask you to say it really slowly.”

“They’re hypersexual?” Jungkook said piecing it together.

“When it comes to you and me? Yeah. Last summer Clara had a boyfriend, I think they’re still together but it’s hard to keep track of her relationships. Everyone here dates incessantly.”

“So, they fetishize you and you don’t say anything?”

“I –

Taehyung hadn’t processed it enough to get to that conclusion but fuck if Jungkook wasn’t right.

“I guess, yeah. They do and I didn’t realize.”

“Do they do that to the other Kim’s?”

“Probably more so, they’re much more social than I am, and have been here forever. I should ask when they come up.”

“You think they’d tell you?”

“Of course, EJ’s my best friend.”

“Is she?”

“Kim! Kim Taehyung!” A voice came yelling from across the water. Opening his eyes and turning to it, a grin crawled its way onto Taehyung’s face.

He glanced at Jungkook and winked, a quieter way of say “I told you so”.

“Swim over!” He yelled back to EJ, who stood on the dock in her swimsuit, hair carefully threaded into a French braid. Despite the ache in her shoulders, she nodded her head before speaking.

“You gonna time me?”

“No, but I can if you’re really desperate for competition,” Taehyung remarked.

“Fuck off,” EJ said before covering her mouth, hating that she swore so loudly and so publicly.

“Come on, Jungkook’s dying to meet you.”

EJ didn’t need any more encouragement and slipped into the water. Swimming competitively left very little time for her to do other things. Even now, she was working at Pirate’s Treasure Chest, and swimming for two hours a day along with weightlifting and general cardio. She’s spent, exhausted and yet won’t hesitate to hop in the lake and swim the arguably small distance between her dock and Taehyung’s. She does it quickly, popping up at Jungkook’s chest and laughing.

“EJ,” she said, extending her hand.

“Jungkook.”

EJ stared at them, trying to understand if she was seeing what she thought, because the way Taehyung looked at Jungkook was the exact way he looked at you, and she knew no one else had garnered that kind of a response from Taehyung, ever.

“I’m glad you’re here,” she offered. “We’re much better as a trio than duo.”

“That’s because you have so many wrong opinions, it can be hard to do anything,” Taehyung teased.

“Shut up, you’re just sad that Y/N isn’t here to ogle at and have sex with.”

“Shut up!” Taehyung splashed her, hard.

“You’re an ass,” EJ said dipping back into the water. She disappeared for a millisecond before pulling Taehyung’s floatation device out from under him, allowing him to fall straight into the lake.

“So rude!” he yelled, coming up for air and making sure his sunglasses hadn’t floated away. He swam to the dock and set them down.

“I’m rude?” EJ asked, astonished.

“I see why you guys need a third person,” Jungkook laughed.

“Yeah, Y/N usually keeps the peace.”

“We can try to be peaceful, it probably won’t work, but we can try,” she said.

“A compromise? I didn’t know that was possible with you.”

“Jungkook is he like this at school?”

“Impossible?” Jungkook asked.

“Yes, difficult to a fault. Insolent.”

“Wow, that’s a big word.”

EJ splashed him again. “I go to Stanford, dumb ass.”

“You’re a swimmer, right?” Jungkook said, trying to segue the conversation into something more productive than the insults he knew Taehyung could hurl at EJ.

“I am.”

“What’s it like being a collegiate athlete?” Jungkook asked her.

EJ stared at him, not expecting him to ask a thoughtful question while she tread lake water. It wasn’t that she thought Jungkook was an idiot, Taehyung made the habit of hanging out around intelligent people, it just wasn’t a question anyone had asked her before. They’d asked if she liked swimming, if she liked Palo Alto, or Stanford in general, but no one, besides you, had asked her what her actual experience was like.

“It’s really fucking hard,” she answered.

“Is it?” Taehyung was surprised. Hadn’t they texted nearly every day, done group facetimes and calls? Why didn’t he know this?

“Yeah, it’s so much physical work, and on top of the mental exercises of college, I’m burned out all the time. My mind and body are drained.”

“Are other athletes experiencing that too?” Jungkook questioned.

“Yes, I think so. I could pick a different major, but you don’t go to Stanford to study something easy… you go to learn and get an excellent education. Plus, my parents would kill me if I didn’t amount to whatever the twins are doing.”

“Twins?”

“My brothers, Seokjin and Namjoon. They’re accomplished in their own right, which is simply obnoxious.”

“Where do they go?”

“Northwestern and shockingly, Northeastern.”

“And they’re twins?” Jungkook laughed.

“Yep, can’t ever be too far apart so they went to universities with nearly identical names,” EJ said.

“Seokjin’s in New York with Y/N this summer,” Taehyung explained. “He’s got some late-night internship.”

“Yeah, and Joon is in Boston working on some engineering project. Honestly, he talks and it goes in one ear, out the other.”

“Are they identical?”

“No, fraternal. Jin is like…. KPop beautiful. And Namjoon is too but he’s like,”

“Taylor Lautner, Eclipse hot,” Taehyung said. “I’ll show you pics later.”

“They’re both really intelligent, and bold personalities. I’m sure you’ll hear gossip behind the mall.”

“The mall?” Jungkook asked.

“The mall is what we call all the shops in town, and you meet behind it before work to talk or gossip. Sometimes people hook up, or fool around before closing time. It’s the second-best place for gossip,” EJ explained.

“First is Pirate’s Treasure Chest, the put-put course EJ works at. Third is Gunner’s, the golf course.”

“If you’re lucky, you get friends that work at all three. The Confectioner’s Corner has some gossip, especially in ice cream, but it lucks out because the picnic tables where the gossiping happens is right behind it. So it ranks as number four.”

“The fifth best place for gossip,” Taehyung glanced at EJ to confirm. “Is Coral Mist.”

“Coral Mist?”

“The resort. The owners are huge gossips, so everything that goes down there is full of drama.”

“Before they went to college, Seokjin and Namjoon worked at Gunner’s, which meant we had three of the best gossip places covered. Now we’ve only got two,” EJ said.

“Oh, so you’ve gone from a triangle to a line?” Jungkook summarized.

“Exactly,” Taehyung said and winked at him quickly.

“When are your parents showing up?” EJ asked turning to Taehyung.

“Day after tomorrow, just my dad,” Taehyung said, though he was pretty certain he’d told her that time and time again. His siblings were going to sleep away camp, and sleep away camp was closer to the house than the cabin so his parents were alternating weeks that they were staying up with him. Why they needed to stay with him, he didn’t know. He’s in college, he’s technically an adult…. So why the oversight? He didn’t know, but he didn’t mind 1-1 time with his parents. He missed them so much at college. He missed his sister and brother, too, but they were old enough to pursue their own interests outside of Lake Augusta. If he was honest, he didn’t like the prospect of them getting caught up in the cesspool of drama that befell the town every summer.

“Better make the most of it,” she said, glancing not too covertly between the two men. Jungkook, with eyes covered by his sunglasses, was unreadable. But Taehyung? EJ’s known him long enough to know that he was mad blushing.

Taehyung wasn’t sure how to answer her, so he turned to stare at the boats speeding past and causing a disruption to the water they were swimming in.

“I’m hungry,” Jungkook declared.

“Same,” Taehyung agreed.

“Okay losers, go eat,” EJ turned around and began to swim back to her dock. “But text me later, we can watch a movie and make smores.”

Manhattan

To: Y/[email protected]

From: [email protected]

Subject: August

Tae –

I don’t know that I’ll be able to get away for August…. Things are picking up here, and I’m busier than ever. I want to, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to make it home and to the lake before I have to be back for my job and the new quarter…. I want to, you know I do… but we might just miss each other this summer. Even writing it has me crying, and Seokjin will definitely make fun of me for having puffy eyes. He’s been hanging out with me…. A lot. An overwhelmingly large amount of time. I don’t know what it means, but I can’t tell EJ. I think… I think I might … like it?

Oh my god this is why I shouldn’t have ever learned about ellipses. I over use them. Fuck.

Okay sorry if that was a bombshell… but I don’t know what to do?

Yours,

Y/N

To: [email protected]

From: Y/[email protected]

Subject: Re: August

Y/N,

Don’t say you won’t come home… please don’t. Don’t do that to me… that’s torturous. I can’t…. a summer apart? I wasn’t ready for that.

I don’t think it’s weird that Seokjin is expressing himself, he’s clearly had a crush on you for years. Isn’t that what happens in The Summer I Turned Pretty? Or have you moved on past that fantasy? If you like him… like him… and if it becomes something, tell EJ. I brought a friend to the lake and… I don’t think it’s casual. But I haven’t made a move, and he hasn’t either. Is it weird to have something with someone at the lake that isn’t you? This has always been our place…

Yours,

Taehyung

To: Y/[email protected]

From: [email protected]

Subject: Re: August

Tae –

I know it’s fucking Jungkook you already told me you were bringing him. You want to be more than friends? Will you make a move?

Yours,

To: Y/[email protected]

From: [email protected]

Subject: Re: August

Y/N,

Sometimes I forget that we write each other almost daily… yes Jungkook. And you’re about three weeks too late… we’ve kissed… and maybe more.

Lake Augusta

Taehyung rolled over and found the bare back of Jungkook staring back at him. His mom had gone home the night before, and now that his parents were gone Jungkook could go back to sleeping in Taehyung’s full sized bed with him. He smiled at the expanse of skin, and wrapped his arm around Jungkook’s waist.

“Go back to sleep,” Jungkook murmured as he pushed back into Taehyung’s embrace.

“Okay.”

“Wait,” Jungkook turned around, eyes blinking slowly.

“Hm?” Taehyung’s voice was still coated in sleep.

“Kiss,” Jungkook said, and he leaned his lips down to meet Taehyung’s. It started as brief, a gentle kiss before falling back to sleep… but the path to hell is paved with good intentions, and soon Taehyung’s bottom lip was pulled between Jungkook’s teeth, and his hands were tugging Jungkook’s pajama pants down.

“Are you sure?” Jungkook asked as his hips involuntarily bucked into Taehyung’s hand.

“Yeah, are you?”

“I want to feel you,” Jungkook growled. “Want to be with you.”

Taehyung had discovered, this summer really, that he loved morning sex. He loved morning sex when it was with Jungkook, or frankly you if you’d ever gotten that far. But morning sex with Jungkook was becoming special. It never felt the same, not because they were young and adventurous (they were), but every morning they engaged in such activities, it always felt new. Every time Jungkook plunged himself into Taehyung, or Taehyung into Jungkook, it was like they’d never experienced each other before. At first it had been fumbling and awkward, the typical pitfalls of losing virginity with someone you really didn’t want to mess up with. It was messy too, which made a lot of sense for two boys, turned men, who had only read things online and not from experience. It got better, oh it got so much better, the third time, and the time after that…. They learned that Jungkook loved having his hair tugged and his nipples toyed with, while Taehyung enjoyed being mercilessly teased and edged, brought to the brink and not allowed to climax. He liked when Jungkook pulled his bottom lip between his teeth, how Jungkook could easily change the pace of his thrusts to bring out different desires from Taehyung. Unlike when he had slept with you last summer, the handful of times it had happened, he and Jungkook had more time to explore one another. More time to be together without parents or siblings potentially walking in… and they used that time to their advantage.

Jungkook spread his legs and waited patiently for Taehyung to slip a condom on over his hard cock, his own desire growing as he stared at his naked … boyfriend? Friend with benefits? He ran a hand through his hair before stroking his own hardened member to keep the thought of labels out of his mind.

“You’re staring,” Taehyung said as he lowered himself onto his elbows, lips finding purchase just under Jungkook’s ear.

“Am I?”

“Yeah, aggressively.”

“I like looking at you,” Jungkook groaned as Taehyung’s free hand traced ghostly shapes across his chest. He moaned loudly as he felt lips tracing down the column of his throat, teeth nipping at the skin as two fingers pinched his left nipple. “Tae.”

“What?” Taehyung had a cheshire smirk on his lips.

“Tease me more and I’ll flip you over and -

“And?” Taehyung said, hand slipping down Jungkook’s body to gently stroke his throbbing dick. “God you’re hard.”

“Tae,” Jungkook whined.

“What?”

“I want you.”

“How do you want me?” Taehyung asked.

“Slow, want to feel every part of you,” Jungkook answered, a whine leaving his lips as Taehyung continued to stroke him.

“Okay baby,” Taehyung slipped between Jungkook’s thighs, lips finding his lovers greedily. Finding his spot within Jungkook wasn’t too difficult, and he slipped in as slowly as he possibly could, desperate to bury himself to the hilt in Jungkook.

“Just like this?” Taehyung muttered, torturously thrusting in and out, savoring the tight embrace of Jungkook.

“Fuck,” Jungkook said through a slew of moans. His hands reached into Taehyung’s hair, pulling his lips down in a heated kiss. His moans got lost, so did Taehyung’s pace as they continued making love. Is it love when it’s two guys who are clearly into each other, but haven’t defined their relationship yet? It’s certainly more than sex… but love? Sure Taehyung loved Jungkook as a friend, but as more? Wasn’t love an emotion he had saved for you, and you alone?

“Tae,” Jungkook moaned loudly, pulling Taehyung back to the moment at hand.

“Hm?”

“You feel so good,” Jungkook said, and he smiled before dipping his head and licking Taehyung’s collarbones.

“Do that again,” Taehyung requested as his own hips stuttered, the joy and ecstasy of the simple gesture not lost on him. He loved how Jungkook’s tongue felt on his skin, across any expanse of flesh really. Whether it was trailing up his thigh, teasing his tip or drawing abstract shapes down his torso… the feeling of Jungkook’s tongue was titillating and gave him an insatiable want. All he wanted was Jungkook, all the time.

“So I was thinking,” Taehyung said the following day as he and Jungkook sat behind the mall, eating candies they’d purchased before their shift started.

“Yeah?” Jungkook asked sucking down a sour gummy worm. Taehyung watched the way his lips puckered over the candy, the want brewing in his gut as he stared.

“Are you my boyfriend?”

“Am I your, boyfriend?” Jungkook asked, repeating the question.

“Yes, are you.”

Jungkook tied the bag of candy. “Do you want me to be?”

“That’s why I’m asking,” Taehyung said. He glanced up and saw Clara walking towards them, having finished her shift and wanting to either hear their gossip or spread her own.

“Can we talk about this when the queen of town isn’t walking towards us?” Jungkook asked.

“Yes, think about it.”

Taehyung stood from the picnic table and after saying hello to Clara, disappeared inside The Confectioners Corner.

“You know you’d be super-hot with tattoos, or like a lip ring,” Clara said as she sat across from Jungkook.

“I would?” He asked.

“Yeah, and like, blonde hair would be super startling with your features. You should think about it.”

“Okay,” Jungkook laughed. “What about you, getting inked any time soon?”

“Oh my god, I would never. Some people look good with tattoos, some people don’t. I don’t think I would.”

“I think you could rock it if you got the right one,” he told her.

�� “What would be the wrong one?”

“A Harry Potter symbol on your wrist, for sure.”

“I’m a Hufflepuff,” she declared.

Jungkook wanted to laugh again but knew it would be rude. “Or like, a butterfly on your lower back. Pick something classy, not something tacky.”

“An infinity symbol on the inside of my finger!”

“Sure,” Jungkook smiled, realizing this was as deep as a conversation with Clara would ever go. “If that will make you happy.”

Manhattan

Sitting on the fire escape, Seokjin couldn’t help but notice the way the summer evening light cast a beautiful glow across your features. He didn’t mean to stare, but he couldn’t help it. You’d been spending a lot of time together, time that you would never be able to replicate. 1-1, no interruptions, and it had begun further fucking with his head. He knew you were his sister’s best friend, and practically his second sister, but the way you’d started looking at him over the last few weeks… the fact that he was leaving for Lake Augusta so soon and you were staying here for another two before going home briefly before school… it was toying with his heart so much more than he thought it would, or should.

“You’re staring,” you said, turning your head to catch him in the act. The light hit his features beautifully too, casting a sun soaked glow across them, he looked angelic and god-like in the setting sun of 9pm on a summer eve.

“Sorry,” he said, not wavering.

“Why?” You asked.

“Why?”

“Why are you staring at me?” You clarified.

“You’re beautiful,” Seokjin answered.

“Oh,” you weren’t sure how to take the compliment, because he’d been hinting at feelings for most of the summer, and you too, had done your equal share of flirting back. Taehyung was making out and probably sleeping with Jungkook, you were allowed to not have your heart tied to his. He wasn’t your boyfriend; he was just your first.

“Can I, can I kiss you?” Seokjin asked, barely above a whisper.

Your eyes went wide as you stared at him, not suspecting that he was going to ask such a bold fucking question, but also surprised that you weren’t repulsed by the idea. On the countrary, it excited you.

“I – yeah?” You said, unsure of your own answer.

Seokjin took your response and cupped your cheek within his palm before lowering his lips to yours. His kiss was soft, delicate as he waited for you to decide if you were going to participate in the act as well. It took your brain a moment to catch up, but when it did you kissed him back, hard. You could tell it caught him by surprise by how his posture changed, reacting to your decisiveness. He kissed back and pulled away when his lungs began to burn.

“Oh shit,” you muttered, realizing the gravity of what you’d just done.

“Yeah, fuck.”

Next: August V

8 notes · View notes

justasparkwritings · 2 years

Text

The Littlest Dumpling {2}

Previous: The Littlest Dumpling {1}

Pairing: Min Yoongi x OFC

Genre: Non Idol AU / Author AU

Rating: PG-13

Warnings: Swearing!

Word Count: 4.7k

Summary: Yoongi’s back from a writing retreat and ready to flirt – er share what he’s written.

Master List

Tag List: @4ksj, @jagiya, @ot7nem, @knjkitten, @teamtardis-notdead

Tag List

“The sword will not save you,” Hyunki said, unsheathing the weapon and handing it to the Lil King.

“Why not?” Lil King Yoongi asked.

“A sword is just metal, it’s the person who wields it who holds its power.”

“I am its power?” Lil King asked.

“Yes, you are.”

He tried to examin the sword, but the weight was far too heavy for him. “What if I’m not strong enough?”

“Have you tried?”

“No,” He muttered, staring at the engraving on the handle. His name in Korean, branded into the hilt. It had been made for him, and only him.

“Then you’ll never know,” Hyunki told him.

Lil King Yoongi Volume 1

June

“Mr. Min, she’s ready for you now,” Alexis stands in front of him, waiting for him to glance up at her through his lashes. He hates coming back to a place after a long time away, the weird sense of familiarity mixed with dread. Like going back to school after summer break, something he had dreaded in his later teen years. Alexis guides him to your office with the clear ease of someone who comes to this place every single day, and does this action over and over and over again.

“Great,” Yoongi mutters as he shuffles his feet, one after the other towards your office. It looks exactly the same as it did the last time he was here, two months ago, the last time he saw you. He immediately had a freak out over Seokjin, and Janie sent him on a writing retreat for four weeks. Big Sur, was a little too… outdoors for him, but the alternative option was Ojai and what would he do there? Look at grapes shrivel before being barreled and turned into wine? No thank you. The fresh air and the mountains… had worked and he had what he considered the first draft and a shit ton of notes for book one of The Littlest Dumpling.

“Yoongi!” You say cheerily. You smile broadly at him. “Welcome back.”

“Yeah, thanks.”

“Have a seat. Alexis, can you bring us some water and lemonade?”

“Sure thing,” She says and disappears.

“So, how was your writing retreat?”

“If I said unsuccessful, would I be released from my contract?”

You exhale cautiously. “Yoongi, did you write something?”

“Yeah, but I think it’s total shit.”

“Have you sent it to Seokjin?” You ask.

“No, he’s going to tell me it’s utter shit.” Yoongi crosses his arms, an action Jane would tell him closes him off to opportunity and good energy.

“Maybe, but he’s your editor, and that’s his job.”

“I wrote a lot, probably too much for a picture book. This isn’t The Berenstein Bears,” He hoped you’d like his little joke, but you didn’t seem to care for it as you moved quickly past it.

“It could be. Who’s to say it isn’t?” You say.

“I - that would be insane.”

“No it wouldn’t. Your books could be geared towards 1st and 2nd graders, but we all know kids up until 5th grade love to read picture books. We want to get them hooked so after they devour all The Littlest Dumpling, they go for Lil King Yoongi, and whatever your next project is. It’s all a part of it, Yoongi. The worlds you’re creating.”

“That’s horrifying.”

“It’s deeply overwhelming, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“My request is that you send your draft to Seokjin. Just ask him if there’s anything worth keeping, or if he thinks you’re on the right track.”

“Seokjin wouldn’t know what track I was on if he was setting the pace.”

“You don’t know that. Besides, whatever happened between you is in the past.”

“Is it though?” Yoongi asks.

“I hope so, I asked him to stop by today.”

“What?” Yoongi is both blindsided and enraged.

“Yep, ah, Alexis will you bring a third glass and extra chair for Mr. Kim?”

“Certainly, and then I’ll bring him back,” Alexis has dyed her hair platinum blonde, gone are the pinks in favor of this striking look.

“Why?” Yoongi asks turning to face you. You feel kind of bad, misleading him like this.

“You aren’t going to email him unless you see him and talk to him. Yoongi, this is such an important relationship. You have to rebuild your trust with him.”

“I do not!”

“You do, and it’s crucial to your success here at Serendipity to work with your editor. Plus he’s emailed you twice a week for two months and you have sent him the same automated message, which is incredibly unprofessional.”

Yoongi’s about to protest when Alexis walks in with another chair, then another glass and finally, Seokjin Kim.

“Y/N! It’s been too long,” Jin says hugging you.

“It’s been two days,” You say smiling at him. “Jin, you know Yoongi.”

“Yoongi Min, Min Yoongi, my, my, my, good to see you,” Jin says. He extends his oversized hand and shakes Yoongi’s.

“Yeah, sure,” Yoongi responds.

“My mom is looking forward to dinner at your parents house this weekend,” Jin sits and pulls a notepad out of his bag and clicks his pen before glancing at Yoongi.

Yoongi rolls his eyes. “Do you make it a point of pride to know what your parents are doing every day?”

“I speak to them regularly, if that’s what you’re asking,” Jin replies.

�� “You’re a kiss ass.”

“Oh, have I already made you jealous with my healthy relationship with my parents?” Jin laughs.

“Fuck off.”

“Gentlemen!” You interject, silencing them. “Shut up, and listen.”

Yoongi, already seated, crosses and uncrosses his legs. Seokjin sits up

“I’m not privy to whatever anger and grade school pettiness you’re both still harboring. But, I need you two to work together. You both signed contracts, you both agreed. The fact that I’m getting complaints from HR already, is absolutely unacceptable,” Your voice was clear and commanding, striking both of them in their chairs.

“Sorry,” Jin mutters.

“I’m sorry - that’s so embarrassing,” Yoongi’s apology is felt deeper within you, his soft eyes torn with hatred and sorrow. He hadn’t meant to fuck up enough that you had to scold them, they’re not children. But here he was, pissing you off. Jane was going to be even more mad. She’d rant about him jeopardizing his career by acting like an asshole. All he really wanted to do was piss Seokjin off a little… not get complaints from HR.

“Yoongi’s just come back from a writing retreat and has pages for you to look over Seokjin,” You continue.

“Oh, so there are pages?” Jin glances sideways at Yoongi.

“Fuck. Off.”

“Yoongi,” You scold.

“Yeah, Yoongs. Be nicer.”

“The point is, Yoongi has pages, first draft pages that he is ready to share. Jin, are you ready to edit them?” Your glance makes it clear, it isn’t a question.

“Absolutely,” Jin says recovering his composure and professionalism. “I look forward to reading them.”

“How long will it take?” Yoongi asks, refusing to look at the face he’s had memorized since childhood.

“My initial notes? Or me to read them?” Jin chuckles.

“Both.”

“It’s Tuesday? Give me until Friday. Then you can let my comments ruin your weekend,” Jin teases.

“You’re the actual worst,” Yoongi mutters.

“I trust that your comments will be helpful and not in fact ruin Yoongi’s weekend.” You tell them both. “And if I have to referee another one of these conversations you both will owe me royalties under the table.”

“Fine,” Yoongi grumbles.

“That’s fair,” Seokjin says. “And with that, I am off to put in my last notes for another project. Yoongi, I look forward to reading your first draft. I’m sure there is greatness in there.”

Yoongi doesn’t say anything but stares ahead at the bookshelves. He notices a Morrison, a Rowling, a Steinbeck. Classics between old Judy Moody’s and the entirety of the Junie B Jones series. Numerous copies of The Chronicles of Narnia, but not one copy of book 7.

“Thanks, Jin,” You smile warmly at him and watch as he exits your office. “So, you gonna tell me what that was about?”

“I told you, I don’t trust him and I don’t like him.”

You sip your lemonade slowly, thinking through it. “Tell me, how did you two meet?”

“Seokjin and me?”

“No, you and Alexis.”

Yoongi rolls his eyes, an expression of his annoyance but one you’re beginning to find kind of cute and charming. Like his scowl, or the strained look his irises get when he’s pained.

“Our parents are friends, our moms got pregnant around the same time with us. We’re both the youngest of two sons, and our brothers played in similar sports leagues. We went to regular school together, and then Korean school on the weekends. We became best friends.”

“Can I guess what happened?” You ask.

“Sure.”

“He wanted to be popular and cool, which meant dropping you,” You guess.

“Something like that,” Yoongi agrees.

“I’m sorry Yoongi,” You tell him. “I know that doesn’t mean much, but I am.”

“Yeah, I wish he was.”

In your years working with Seokjin, him apologizing for being a pompous asshole had never happened because, frankly, you’d never seen him behave the way he just did. He was beloved by his coworkers, adored by his bosses. Seokjin radiated positivity and was the funniest guy in the office. He was a delight to work with, and the need to scold and reprimand him came from whatever Yoongi brought out in him. Clearly their mutual hatred, or the effect they have on each other goes both ways.

“If it makes you feel better, he might be the least liked person in the office.”

“Because he’s an asshole?” Yoongi asks hopefully.

“He’s charming, and has that face, and is kind to everyone. Not to mention his work.” You really wanted to lie for him. “I’m sorry, he’s really great.”

Yoongi sinks, crestfallen. “So he continues to be perfect while I exist to be a failure.”

“You’re not a failure.”

“You hardly know me, who’s to say I won’t disappoint you next?” Yoongi asks.

“Is that what you really think?” You wonder, eyes hardening as your chest tightens. He keeps leaving these little crumbs, crumbs of these hurtful beliefs and ideas he has about himself.

“I become insufferable when I write. Just ask Janie.”

”You call her Janie?”

“Yeah?”

Your smile grows. “That’s sweet.”

“I guess.”

“She’s a great agent, everyone I know who works with her loves her.” You say.

“She is. She’s always believed in me.”

“Good, now believe in yourself.”

“You say that like I have the key to enlightenment and self love within me. I do not, Y/N, possess such skills.”

“How would you know? You don’t seem to have tried.”

“That’s fair,” Yoongi agrees. “You know, Janie always tells me she’s kept me around for my unwavering disposition and penchant for snark and self doubt.”

“You make it sound like she likes you because you’re fragile.”

“Isn’t that a Sara Bareilles lyric?”

“It is! I didn’t even realize I did that. I must be off my game.”

“It’s okay, I’m sure we all quote lyrics without realizing where they’re from,” Yoongi says.

“The point is,” You say remembering where you were trying to steer the conversation. “Your self doubt has pushed your work to be better. Maybe you need to learn to trust yourself like you’re learning to trust Seokjin.”

“Did you just - call back while getting me to be introspective?” Yoongi’s surprise is disarming.

“Um, yes?”

“Wow, you’re good.”

“Thank you. That’s why they pay me so much,” You say.

“Is it?”

“And I’m really fucking good at the other aspects of my job.”

“Such as?”

“Making money, getting our authors and editors to work together successfully. Bringing in big gets and new projects that go the distance. Plus I have extremely high executive functioning skills.” You tell him.

“You’ve got it all.”

“And if you asked my aunts, it would be all those things that have prohibited me from having a significant other. But that’s an after work conversation,” You are quick to cover your error. You do not know Yoongi like that, not in the way you know Seokjin, or Jungkook and Jimin.

“Oh, I’ve got stories for days about my disappointing love life,” Yoongi offers. A little vulnerability, to be shared with you.

“I would love to hear about those. Maybe we’ll take one of these meetings at 5 o’clock.”

“That would be, fun?” Yoongi’s voice tilts upwards at the end of hi sentence.

“Say it like it’s not a root canal please.”

“That would be fun!” Yoongi allowed his hands to shoot in the air, shimmying a little.

“Okay, too much. How about our next meeting, next month?”

“You want to meet with me monthly?” Yoongi asks.

“I trust Jin to keep you in line.”

“It’s because he’s three months older than me, isn’t it?”

You tilt your head to the side, curiously. “Is he?”

“Yes, he is. Made me call him hyung all of Korean school.”

“Ah, a lovely honorific.”

“It’s three fucking months!”

“It’s a lot of time Yoongi! It’s an entire year shift.”

“So?”

“So, he’s your hyung and frankly, you are mine.” You tell him.

“No way!”

“You think I’m old?”

“No, aren’t we, are we not like the same age?”

“You are older than me by what, five months?”

“Wow, your hyung,” Yoongi says, wide eyed. “That’s super weird.”

“Why? Wanted to call me noona?” You laugh.

“Janie hates when I call her that.”

“So naturally you do it all the time?”

He nods. “Only when she’s particularly prickly, then I love to just turn the screw a little tighter.”

“Oh, so kind of you.”

“It really is, shows her how much I care,” His smile is broad and warm, so inviting. And cute.

“The restraint alone. She’s lucky to have you.”

“She is.”

A knock befalls the door, and Alexis’s platinum blonde head pokes through. “Your next meeting is here. And um, a certain someone has called and left you a message.”

Yoongi glances from Alexis to you, and watches in real time how quickly your face falls. He hates it, the sadness in your eyes.

“Great, we’re just wrapping up.”

“Okay, after Mr. Min leaves, I’ll give you five minutes before I bring them back.” Alexis doesn’t wait for a response but turns on her heels and leaves.

“I’ve been here far too long,” Yoongi stands and slips his jacket on.

“No, it was all good. We were productive.”

“Were we?”

“We were. Swear.”

“I’ll see you, next month?”

“Yeah, I’ll send you a calendar invite, and we’ll pick a bar?” You ask.

“Have you been to the Ruby Poppy?” Yoongi asks. It’s one of two bars he knows around here, the other is more of a dive and doesn’t seem to be your type of place. Though he doesn’t really know what your type of place is.

“I do, they have a great tequila and blackberry cocktail that’s always available during happy hour.”

“Sounds like we’ve picked a place,” Yoongi pauses at your door. “I’ll see you soon.”

“Yeah, looking forward to it.”

Sitting down at his computer, Yoongi begins to type and transcribe his notes. He hand wrote everything in Big Sur, like he always did, in a new notebook he’d picked out specifically for this project. His notes, and the first draft, aren’t totally shit. He’s sure there’s a narrative in here, but where? He doesn’t know.

Maybe Jin will be the answer.

Subject: The Littlest Dumpling Draft 1 and Notes

From: Yoongi Min

Jin -

Here’s the first draft and my notes. I know there’s something here, but I can’t tell where. Or what. Or if it actually is there at all.

Thanks,

Yoongi

He sends it off and groans loudly as his phone rings.

“Hey,” Namjoon says.

“Hey,” Yoongi responds.

“Why are you so miserable?” He asks.

“I just sent my shitty first draft and notes to Seokjin to edit and review.”

“Oh fuck, you’re nervous?”

“Terrified.”

“I’m sure it’s fine - hey do you want to come over and have drinks with me and Hoseok?”

“Yeah, lots and lots of alcohol.”

“I don’t understand why you have to work with him,” Hoseok says, sipping his chardonnay and bouncing his foot up and down.

“He’s the best of the best, apparently. According to both Janie and Y/N, my publisher.”

“Janie?” Namjoon asks. “What about Jane?”

“Do you always have to ask after her?” Yoongi asks.

“It’s like he’s a dog, every time her name is said he reacts.”

“Pavlov, it was Pavlov’s dog,” Namjoon informs.

“Yes, a Pavlovian response. Every single time, Jane, where?” Hoseok acts out Namjoon’s dog like reaction and Yoongi laughs, because it’s true.

“You have a crush, just ask her out,” Yoongi instructs.

“I hear your new publisher is quite –

“Intelligent?” Hoseok offers.

“Charismatic?” Yoongi says.

“Beautiful,” Namjoon tells them. “At least that’s the rumor.”

“Why are you asking if you already know or have an opinion on it?” Yoongi wonders.

“Do you have a crush on her?” Hoseok asks.

“Thank you,” Namjoon says. “I didn’t want to come right out and ask, but fuck I want to know. Are you into her?”

“You heard Hoseok describe her, she’s pretty fucking cool. She’s lent me a few books to read too,” Yoongi answers. It isn’t the tea Namjoon was hoping for, but it is better.

“So, she’s flirting with you?” Hoseok asks. “Are you serious?”

“Oh my god, Yoongi! It’s all you’ve ever dreamed of!” Namjoon cheers.

“How so?” He asks Namjoon.

“She’s gorgeous, she’s intelligent, and she is into you.”

“Or, she’s gorgeous, she’s intelligent, and she wants me to feel at home at a new publishing house and is supporting me through the transition.”

“I think Namjoon’s right,” Hoseok says.

“Thank you!”

Yoongi rolls his eyes and tucks a stray hair behind his ear. His mini mullet is growing in swimmingly. “I can’t believe you two.”

“Yes, you can, Namjoon is thirsty as hell, and I’m well, sex negative,” Hoseok shrugs.

“Sex negative?” Namjoon asks.

Hoseok takes another swig of wine. “Yes, I’m not opposed to sex, but I’m not interested in talking about it or actively seeking it out.”

“Why not?”

“Yeah, tell me more. Am I sex negative?” Yoongi wonders.

“I can have sex whenever I want, but I’m not thinking about it constantly or looking at people wondering how good they are in bed, like Joon is with Jane.”

“I don’t want to fuck Jane!” Namjoon exclaims.

“Yes, you do,” Yoongi says. “You have for years and you’re too chicken shit to do anything about it.”

“I’m not chicken shit! I’m respectful of her.”

“Because she’s older?” Yoongi asks.

“She’s your manager Yoongi! She can break any of our careers.”

Hoseok is worried. “You think she’ll come for me?”

“Hoseok, she knows everyone and can ruin anyone she wants.”

“It’s why she’s so hot,” Namjoon adds.

“That’s why we think you want to fuck her,” Yoongi points out.

“I’m a data scientist, how could she ruin that?” Hoseok asks, still stuck on the idea that his career could be decimated by merely associating with Yoongi and Namjoon.

“Do you really want to know?”

“No, I don’t.”

“So you’re sex negative, but aren’t you seeing somebody?”

“I’m not asexual, or aromantic. I just don’t need to talk about it.” Hoseok reiterates.

“Which is fair, I might be sex negative too,” Yoongi says.

“I’m definitely sex positive,” Namjoon boasts.

“We know,” Hoseok and Yoongi say.

“Yoongi, what are you going to do about Y/N?” Namjoon asks.

“I don’t know, keep my head down. My bigger issue is dealing with Seokjin.”

“I don’t understand why he’s such an asshole.”

“That’s the thing!” Yoongi feels himself heating up. “He apparently is just an asshole to me, and according to Y/N, she’s never seen him behave like he did in our meeting before.”

“You bring out the worst in him.”

“He brings out the worst in me.”

“She only knows him as nice? Do you think there’s a possibility –

“Don’t,” Hoseok asks, eyes wide and pleading with Namjoon not to take Yoongi down the rabbit hole.

“Don’t what?” Yoongi sips his wine and glances between them. “Oh, just say it.”

“Do you think they dated?” Namjoon asks.

“Oh fuck off,” Yoongi says, slumping back across the couch. “Fuck. Off. No way! There’s no way!”

“I don’t know, if she’s only seen the nice side of him…. Maybe they’ve knocked boots,” Namjoon says.

“I hate you,” Yoongi tells him.

“I don’t think they’ve had sex,” Hoseok says. “I think they’re coworkers and Y/N happens to be a gracious and kind boss.”

“You say that like you know her,” Namjoon teases.

“I don’t, no idea what she looks like. But that’s what it sounds like. She’s doing the most to make Yoongi comfortable, but you’re putting her in a tough position. She has to be your boss, but you don’t have to be a monster.”

“I’m not a monster, just when Jin’s around.”

“Right, but he’s never not going to be around if you stay at that publishing house, he’s always going to be there. You’re going to be working with him, what can you do to not turn into a little shit whenever he’s around?” Hoseok asks.

Yoongi’s often wondered what he’d do if he was in this position, forced to work with Seokjin after all they’ve gone through. He’s never found a solution, or an answer to it. He doesn’t know what he’s supposed to do or how he’s supposed to act. Because years later, Seokjin has never apologized. He’s never fessed up to what he did, how he betrayed Yoongi, how he abandoned him for popularity and sex. Okay, Yoongi just assumes there was sex being had in high school. But he’s never said he was sorry and asked for forgiveness, he’s just existed without a second thought to how he behaved hurt Yoongi.

“I don’t know,” Yoongi says.

“Well,” Namjoon sighs. “You should figure it out.”

“Jane!” You say, standing from your table at DanBam Coffee & Roastery to hug the familiar face.

“Y/N!” Jane says in response. She takes the hug and sits across from you, pleasant smile on her lips.

“How are you?”

“Oh you know, people need extensions on their contracts, writers get writers block, some need to be sent away to figure their shit out…”

“Are you just talking about Mr. Min or?” You ask.

“Oh, no, not him. Besides sending him away on a retreat, that was necessary.”

“I didn’t know the whole Seokjin thing would push him that far.”

“He just… Yoongi still feels the effect of whatever happened between them, and he’s got to grow up and move on.”

“What if he can’t?”

“Let me worry about that,” Jane says. “How has it been, working with him?”

“He’s,” You pause, thinking about how to appropriately describe Yoongi. “Prickly, but also so very soft. An anemone in human form.”

“That’s a far nicer description of him than I’d offer,” Jane comments.

“Really? Why?”

“Yoongi is great, a basket case, but one of the best children’s authors around. He’s cynical and sharp, and don’t tell him, but he’s my favorite fucking client.”

“Is he really?”

“He is. He always has been. If only he’d believe it just a little bit.”

“He really doesn’t see how great he is, does he?”

“Absolutely not. Has no sense that he’s incredible.”

“How do we get him there?”

“If I knew the answer, I would’ve done it during his first edits. I’ve got to say,” Jane hesitates. “Putting him with Seokjin is the biggest clusterfuck he’s gone through.”

“Really? He’s only alluded to their past, but I don’t have a great sense of what happened.”

“It’s, pretty bad. Jin’s never apologized, never said anything close to sorry.”

“They’re childhood friends, right?”

“They are,”

“Interesting.”

“You like him,” Jane guesses.

“I do?”

“Yeah, you let him borrow your books.”

You laugh. “Is that how publishers show their affection? Did I miss it?”

“I don’t know if others do, but that’s how you show it. Didn’t you let Taehyung borrow books?”

“After his tongue had been in my mouth,” You answer.

“Okay, fair.”

“Taehyung is totally different, he and I were, not a mistake, but a weird detour that was damaging to both of our careers,” You say.

“You came out on top though, so did he.”

“Yes, but that doesn’t mean what we did was right.”

Jane nods and offers a counter point. “It was right for you at the time.”

“That’s true. But Yoongi is,” You begin.

“Different.”

“I’m not naive enough to start something with one of my author’s, at least not when they’re still working on a draft and are contractually obligated to submit work to me. I would never, again. I would never do it again,” You clarify.

The relationship between you and Taehyung had begun as a secret affair during the editing of his first book. It had been a mutual attraction, and a sworn secret you both vowed to keep. But, office romances are rarely kept hidden and you were discovered kissing at the work holiday party under the mistletoe, mistletoe that Taehyung had put up specifically to kiss you under. That had sparked the gossip, and soon everyone knew that you and Taehyung were an item. Which was unethical as you were his editor, but what made it worse was the very public relationship it ended between Taehyung and his other girlfriend, whom you didn’t know existed. That is, until it was splashed across Page Six, and it became clear you were the other woman. It sparked Taehyung’s next novel, which was about the psychological warfare of dating and loving two different women and trying to discern who would be the best mother to his future hypothetical children. It was a best seller and stayed at number 1 for ten weeks. You, having worked with him on his previous book, were given first editing rights of this book. Which you took, and thanks to it, was offered a position at Serendipity.

Jane was right, you had come out of an impossible situation totally on top… but at what cost? Your relationship, which you thought was leading you towards love, had crumbled, and your career nearly went with it. The snickers and back handed comments hadn’t fully stopped, either, which made certain public outings unbearable. You wanted it to be in the past, particularly as you were finding yourself staring into Yoongi’s eyes more and more frequently… but it also begs the question, does Yoongi know? Does he know about your past indiscretion, and if he does, does he care? He isn’t just another author, if he was you wouldn’t have fought so hard to have his newest project as a part of your publishing house.

“But you like Yoongi.” Jane says.

“He’s special and I can see it so clearly.”

“Good, I think you two would be so fucking cute together, and it would take the heat off of me.” Jane sips her tea and remains coy.

“Heat? What heat Is he putting on you?” You ask curiously.

“I’m seeing someone –

“Congrats.”

“Thanks? I’m seeing someone, but I won’t tell Yoongi who it is, and it’s driving him absolutely insane.”

“Why won’t you tell him?” You ask.

Jane tries to dismiss it. “Because it’ll just be messy, and the last thing I want is for my relationship with this new guy to deter my working relationship, and friendship with Yoongi.”

“Will it?”

“It might.”

“So, you’re keeping a secret that he knows exists, from him?” You question.

“Yes.”

“Huh, doesn’t that get tiring?”

“It does, particularly when he’s so fucking persistent about knowing.”

“But you won’t tell him?”

“Not yet,” Jane answers.

“Hasn’t he known about your other relationships?”

“Do you mean the one with women and non-binary people? Of course, he’s met several of them. But this is different and that’s why I won’t tell him.”

“Either you’re in love or it’s someone he’ll be shocked to know you’re with,” You decide, deciphering her vague language.

“Correct.”

“Are you dating Seokjin?” You ask, eyebrows raising. “That would put him over the edge.”

“No, no, I’m not dating Seokjin. Could you imagine? I’d devour him whole.”

“I’d love to see you try,” You laugh. “He could use a strong woman in his romantic life.”

“I do fear that Yoongi will wonder, based on your interactions, if you and Seokjin have dated.”

“If Jin and me? Oh, absolutely not. He’s an editor and also, if dating Taehyung was bad, dating Jin would be worse.”

“Where would Yoongi fall?”

“Oh, that could be career ruining if it’s not handled properly. Decimating, and there would be no positive spin or way out of it like with Taehyung.” You answer.

“So, what will you do?”

“Keep my distance, for as long as I can.”

“What if you can’t?”

You laugh. “Jane, the question isn’t what will happen if I can’t keep it to myself. The question is, what if I can?”

Next: The Littlest Dumpling {3}

18 notes · View notes

justasparkwritings · 2 years

Text

{Lie} I. So Sweet

Pairing: Kim Seokjin x Reader

Genre: Angst, Arranged Marriage AU

Rating: R

Warnings: Swearing, Mentions of Sex

Word Count: 1.7K

Summary: Kim Seokjin asks his daily question but receives an answer he never expected. Why couldn’t you just lie?

Listen: Lie Again, Giveon

Tag List: @4ksj, @jagiya, @ot7nem, @knjkitten, @teamtardis-notdead

Tag List

Master List

Kim Seokjin was not a particularly romantic man. He wasn’t a particularly emotional man, either. He’d always been a rather dull boy, who turned into a leaden man in private. It wasn’t that he didn’t have charm, or energy to bedazzle and bewitch a group of people. He did, and he did it often, but when he was left alone or in the quiet stillness of his home, he preferred to keep to himself and exist in his own quiet bubble. Jin had always been this way, choosing solitary hobbies and ways to spend his time outside of school or dinners and events his parents dragged him to. In those instances that he was surrounded by other people, Seokjin was charming and full of life, which made his marriage to you… complicated.

Your marriage had been planned and thoroughly detailed from the time you both turned 13. Seokjin had dreaded marriage since he knew what it was. It wasn’t because there was something wrong with you, or that you had the potential to be a horrible, insufferable wife. On the contrary, you had been raised to take good care of your home, to tend to the plants Seokjin always seemed to be bringing home and support him in his work. You went with him to all his business dinners and were always the talk of the party, making everyone jealous that he was the one with whom you spent your free time. Everyone adored you, but you knew in your heart the one person that mattered didn’t.

There was nothing wrong with you – that should be clear. Seokjin never thought there was a problem with you, or that you weren’t a good wife. He dreaded the marriage because… well, Seokjin wasn’t sure he was cut out for marriage or intimate relationships with anyone. He enjoyed his isolated life, and was quite fulfilled by aiding his father and brother in running their company. Because you were engaged from 13, he didn’t date, not seeing the point when he was already betrothed. He didn’t have one-night stands or hook ups… again it seemed useless to him when he was going to be married to you. Not only did it seem redundant and useless, he felt like wetting his whistle with other women would only cheapened whatever stiff and unloving relationship you two were destined to have. He knew it wasn’t going to be a loving, doting relationship like either of your parents had because he felt in his bones, he was incapable of that. Sure he adored you, but love? That seemed like a stretch.

The hallmark of your marriage, besides the weekly flowers that Seokjin had delivered to your office and home was the same question he asked you every day over dinner. Seokjin, though placid and even tempered at home, did all the right things to make everyone believe your marriage was passionate and loving. He sent the flowers, he bought the jewelry, he took you on surprise trips and gave you more than you could ever dream. But he was predictable, and the cornerstone of your marriage was in the nightly dinners you somehow managed to cook for him, and the same stale conversation you had every day.

“How was your day?” Seokjin asked one Tuesday night, lifting chopsticks full of noodles to his lips.

“Fine. How was yours?” You’d responded.

Every day it was the same, at least for your first year of marriage.

By year two, Seokjin had noticed you were changing. You were out more nights than in, wore more striking make up to work each day than you once had, and began to dress…. Differently. He felt it in the air, in the tension that didn’t used to exist in his home. Your home. The home you’d picked out together. Your answer to his daily question began to falter, too. Your typical “fine” drifted to “good” and further to “it was alright”.

It wasn’t just that you were answering him in increasingly casual manners, but that it was bleeding into all aspects of your relationship. Even in bed, though your sex was procedural and predictable, when he’d ask if you were alright, you’d begun to lie. Your tone was shorter, your patience thinner, and he knew, unlike at the beginning of your sexual relationship when he truly was oblivious, Jin could tell you were lying to him about what you wanted and how you felt.

Seokjin wasn’t naïve enough to think you hadn’t been with others, that you hadn’t been touched better than he touched you, that you had felt more than what he could give you… there was heat and passion that you experienced outside of your relationship with him, and he couldn’t blame you for wanting more of it. But he didn’t know how to ask or how to give it to you. He wanted to, but it didn’t matter when he tried, you were so uninterested in him that it twinged his insides whenever you lay together.

“How was your day?” He asked sometime during your third year of marriage.

“Seokjin, for fucks sake. My day was fucking fine. Do you ever want to know anything else about me? Or is the basic fact that my day was fine enough for you?” You snapped, slamming your chopsticks down and staring at him with fire in your eyes.

He sat back and watched you, unsure what to do or say.

“Okay,” he said. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you wanted to talk to me. You’ve been distant lately.”

You scoffed. “Distant? Seokjin if I’m distant you’re on the fucking moon.”

“I – why are you swearing so much?” He asked.

“This is passion, Seokjin! This is heat! This is anger! This is me angry Jin!”

“I know that, but –

“But what?”

“But why are you yelling at me? You don’t talk to me either. I can’t read your mind!” He felt his temper prick and rise, responding deftly to your emotions.

“You could fucking ask!”

“I ask every day, is it my fault you never answer honestly?” He wondered, curiosity outweighing his anger.

“How dare you.”

“How dare me? You’re yelling at me over dinner. I ask every day how you are, and you never say anything other than fine. Why am I being yelled at when you don’t disclose how you feel?”

“I hate this marriage.”

“Oh, is this why you’ve been wearing more make up, not saying anything about the weekly flowers and staying out until one or two in the morning multiple nights a week?”

You seethed, staring at him in disbelief and anger.

You thought this marriage would be what you wanted. While Seokjin existed in a world where marriage was arranged and forced, you existed in a little bubble where it resulted in love. But marrying Kim Seokjin, tech billionaire, stunning features and personality that could dazzle anyone… wasn’t what you expected. He was the epitome of everything you’d ever wanted, and yet being married to him was like being married to a cardboard box. The connections were useful, but the rest? You were miserable. Miserable in your marriage, and miserable at work until your newest boss had stepped foot in the office and proven to be a perfect distraction. He was young and suave, brilliant Kim Namjoon, no relation. All you wanted was to do well for him, to show him your acumen and ability to succeed in spite of your husband’s clear success. It worked, and he took notice of you… what started with accidentally staying late a few nights to chat ended up with dinner in clandestine restaurants and private rooms. No one could see that the wife of Kim Seokjin was cheating with another man, specifically a man who was nearly as successful and well-loved as Seokjin.

The sex? Seokjin couldn’t compare, and that was largely because Seokjin had only ever slept with one person, and only did so to procreate with you. Procreation was expected in an arranged marriage, but that didn’t stop you from fulfilling your needs outside of your relationship with Seokjin. Namjoon could fill you in ways Seokjin couldn’t, pleasure you in ways you’d dreamed of in your three-year loveless marriage. It was intellectually, emotionally and sexually fulfilling. Everything you had hoped your marriage would be, and it invigorated you. You looked forward to work, and the reality of coming home became a dark cloud over your days. Namjoon wanted you to leave Seokjin, to leave your marriage for him… but could you trust him? You saw the pale lines on his ring finger, you heard the gossip. He was no better than you were… stepping out on someone who easily could love him, unlike how Jin felt about you.

“I –

“You have nothing to say!” Seokjin yelled. “You’re cheating on me and acting like you aren’t. I know you are. I’m not stupid.”

At some point you had stood, hands gripping the table until the color drained from your knuckles. You stared at the table and the food in front of you. Why you insisted on cooking when you had a maid and servants was beyond reasoning at this point. It was traditional, it was unexpected. No woman of your status cooked for her husband anymore, and that’s why you had wanted to. You had thought, in the beginning stages of your marriage, that Seokjin would love this, a meal waiting for him whenever he came home, to be eaten with you… but now it was a chore.

Seokjin let the moment hang, watching you with a curious and precise eye. He watched as your breathing regulated, and the anger in your eyes diminished.

“My day was fine. How was yours?” You asked sitting down and resuming eating your dinner.

Seokjin didn’t know what he wanted more, the truth behind the exchange you just had, or for you to continue lying to him. Did he want you to tell him what he wanted to hear? To detail that he was the only one? To weave together poetry about how no one had touched you like he did? To deny the double life you’ve been leading, ridding him of the thoughts that you’d been stepping out with someone new?

As he stared at you, preparing his answer and adjusting to your rapid shift in mood, Jin was unsure what would be worse: another lie or the truth. He wasn’t coward enough to know that the largest part of him, the most decisive and desperate part of him, already knew what he wanted. So he answered your question with a, “My day was excellent. We fixed a bug in the production line that has been driving us mad for weeks. We have a dinner Thursday with the partners,”and waited patiently for you to lie, again.

Next: Lie II

7 notes · View notes

justasparkwritings · 2 years

Text

The Littlest Dumpling {9}

Previous: The Littlest Dumpling {8}

Pairing: Min Yoongi x OFC

Genre: Non Idol AU / Author AU

Rating: R

Warnings: Swearing! Talking About Sex! Kissing! Making Out!

Word Count: 4.7k

Summary: A meeting with HR decides the fate of your relationship and an unexpected visitor sends Yoongi into a panic spiral.

Master List

Tag List: @4ksj, @jagiya, @ot7nem, @knjkitten, @teamtardis-notdead, @canarystwin

Tag List

Lil King Yoongi seethed, smoke coming out of his ears as he stared at Hee-Young.

“You betrayed me!”

“I did not!” She yelled.

“You went against my orders!”

“Your orders were going to destroy the kingdom! There didn’t need to be such -

“How dare you speak to your King that way!” Yoongi shouted.

“My king? Your highness I thought you were a friend,” Hee-Young said, tears in her eyes.

“I’m not friends with traitors.”

Lil King Yoongi Vol. 4

December

“So that you’re telling me is that you hate Christmas?” Seokjin asks Yoongi over mulled wine and hot toddies at Moonbeam, a new restaurant near the office.

It’s atmosphere is more upscale than The Ruby Poppy, with intricate vines and greenery shrouding tables from each other, wrought iron work throughout the restaurant with small black and white hexagon tiled floors. The dull candle centerpieces illuminating the marble tabletop, the light from the fading sun gleaming through the glass ceiling, rays bouncing and bounding off the golden support beams. This season, winter, it’s decorated for the holidays with twinkling lights doubled in the greenery and holiday themed beverages being served by Colin, the bartender extraordinaire.

“I don’t hate Christmas,” Yoongi corrects.

“He hates the capitalization of Christmas,” You answer for Yoongi.

“Exactly.”

“Isn’t that your problem with all holidays?” Jin asks.

“The capitalization and commodification? Of course.”

“Wouldn’t Lil King Yoongi look so cute in a Santa hat? Instead of his beloved crown?” You suggest.

“Bite your tongue, he would not,” Yoongi argues.

“He would, if Jimin drew him,” Jungkook says sitting down. Jimin joins him, and they wait patiently for the waiter to return to add their drinks to the long list this group is having.

“Jin, isn’t your girl coming too?” Jimin asks. “And I do think the Lil King would look darling in a Santa hat, probably a red suit too if we could get the author to agree.”

“She’s on her way,” Jin answers.

“I will not write a Christmas book!” Yoongi declares. “Why is no one listening?”

“We are honey,” you say, placing a hand on his thigh.

“Honey?” Jimin teases.”

“Honey?” Jin laughs.

“Fuck you both.”

“I believe for one of us, that was once true,” Jin teases.

“I refuse to work with him on any other project, I never want to work with him again,” Yoongi tells you.

“I know; it’s already written down that post The Littlest Dumpling, you will never have to work with Seokjin again should you stay at Serendipity.”

“Great.”

“Do you do that for other authors?” Jimin asks you.

“Yes, but no one’s ever asked as persistently as Yoongi. And to keep Yoongi’s books, we’ll make the agreement.” You tell them.

“Not because he’s your man?” Jungkook asks.

“No, not because of that at all,” You say.

“It’s because my charm is so great he can’t fathom standing in its shadow for long periods of time,” Seokjin says.

“It’s often beneficial for authors to work with different editors on different projects to create a new vibe or really build a totally new world. The separation helps some authors create new authentic existences. For some it doesn’t, and they like working with the same person over and over again,” you explain to them.

“Makes sense,” Jungkook agrees. “Yoongi what happened to your old editor?”

“He left the company and moved to Manhattan.”

“So you were searching for a new editor, and got Seokjin?” Jungkook asks.

“Unfortunately,” Yoongi says.

“Please, you’re looking at a best seller. Don’t hate me because I’m good at my job,” Jin teases, then stands as Violette enters the restaurant and heads for them.

Yoongi turns to you, concern in his eyes.

“Did you set the meeting with HR?” He whispers to you.

“Yes, for tomorrow at 9AM. I sent you a calendar invite.”

“Oh, I saw it, but forgot,” He says apologetically.

“That’s okay, just show up,” You lean in and kiss his cheek.

“Has everyone met Violette?” Jin asks, standing next to his girlfriend.

“I think so,” She says.

“Great!”

“Violette,” You start, turning to the only other female in your group. “Tell us, what do you do?”

“And why are you in love with him?” Yoongi adds, genuine curiosity coming through instead of his impossibly stubborn and asshole demeanor.

“Why are you in love with Y/N?” She asks instead, cocking her head to the side. She enjoys watching Yoongi squirm.

“I – uh,”

“I loved Yoongi too,” Jimin interrupts. “What’s not to love?”

“I can think of about a dozen things,” Jin laughs.

“No one asked you,” Yoongi says.

“The point is, it’s nice to meet you Violette, and I apologize for the buffoonery of these men, well not Jungkook. He’s a gentleman,” You say, course correcting the conversation.

“Thanks, it’s nice to meet you. I’ve heard only good things.”

“That’s because Y/N is the best,” Jimin says with a wink.

“I try,” you answer.

“Well whatever you’re doing is working. I wish I had a strong female boss to shadow or look up to,” Violette comments.

“Oh?”

“I work for a gallery and my boss is a bit flighty but also very…. White man.”

“Ah,” You say, fully knowing what she means. Everyone at the table knows exactly what she means.

“Do you like the gallery?” Jungkook asks. “There are so many art galleries, you could go somewhere else?”

“I want to, but you know it’s scary, starting somewhere new. Doing something different from what you’ve been breathing for the last few years.”

Yoongi understands that fear. “Luckily, you have someone you can rely on if it doesn’t go well.”

“Are you saying something nice about me?” Seokjin asks.

“Yeah,” Yoongi says, not adding any additional snark or commentary.

Jin nods, maybe their relationship can be repaired.

The head of HR for Serendipity Publishing is named Olivia, and she’s well… difficult. It’s well known that HR represents the best interest of the business but should have some form of a poker face when dealing with company workers. Olivia does not. She works in fear and intimidation, making it almost impossible to come to her with any quandaries about the company. In a way, she does her job very well, she protects the company and its assets. The other way, or other side of the coin, she doesn’t leave room for the company to grow because she is so tough. Which is why most people report their complaints to their higher ups, so that the small group of leaders can handle Olivia and not the other workers.

Today she stares at you, hardened brown eyes watching as you shift in your chair. You’ve squared off against her before, she knows you’re equally as tough as she is, and that you hide it with a kind smile. But today you might be in the wrong, and that gives Olivia the upper hand.

“So, what did you want to talk about today?” Olivia asks.

“I am dating someone within the company, and I would like it to be on record that we are together,” You say.

“Is it someone that works below you?”

“Tangentially to me, more like.”

“An author?” She guesses.

“Yes.”

“I see,” Olivia begins typing on her computer, filling out paperwork that will need to be printed and kept both in a physical file and digital.

“We began seeing each other a number of months ago, and while I did preliminary research into the companies’ policies, it seems that the best way to handle this is to talk to you openly and figure out what to do or if this relationship cannot move forward.”

“Authors are tricky because they are tangentially related to what you do, you don’t supervise authors, you supervise their editors and the artistic department. If you were dating an editor, it would pose a larger problem.”

“Yes.”

She sets her jaw in discontent. “How long is this author’s contract, and what is their name?”

“Yoongi Min,” you say.

“Ah, my 10AM meeting. You two must’ve had fun colluding on that.”

“It made the most sense, I meet with you, then you meet with him,” you answer. It had been planned, what could the two of you do to make this go smoother? To not ruffle any of Olivia’s feathers? Certainly back to back meetings would make her life easier, and you were right.

“Yes, it will make this much easier,” Olivia won’t come out and say thank you, but this is pretty close.

“So, what do I need to do, to make this legitimate in company eyes?” You ask.

“Answer a series of questions that may seem deeply personal but are the company’s way to gage that nothing illicit happened on company property or non-consensually.” She answers, a glint of impending torture in her voice. She wants to make this difficult, to make you suffer, to ask invasive question after invasive question so that she can crush your dream of falling in love with Yoongi.

“Okay,” You say, adjusting in your chair.

“Where did you and Mr. Min meet?” Olivia asks.

“In my office. He came in to discuss his next book idea, and I wanted him to sign with us.”

“Did you have romantic feelings for him, then?” She questions.

“No.”

“When did romantic feelings, a crush, begin?”

You don’t have to think about it, having written down an outline of your relationship with Yoongi last night. “When he came back from his writing retreat, and we started talking more.”

“Texting?”

“At that point, no. Strictly when he came into my office to discuss his book.” You inform her.

“At what point did you begin texting?”

“July,” You answer definitively.

“Were the nature of your texts flirtatious?” Olivia asks.

“We agreed to meet for working happy hour.”

“Working happy hour?” Her brow raises, certainly people didn’t drink and talk about work? Maybe her friends, if she has any, didn’t.

“Yes, I had to discuss his relationship with Mr. Kim and drinks seemed like a better place to tell him to fall in line than the office,” you answer.

“Why did it seem like a better place?” She inquires, fingers momentarily stilling above her keyboard.

“It was going to be a tough conversation, and from my experience working with Yoon- Mr. Min, it seemed like a more relaxed environment would be more beneficial than scolding him in my office.”

“So he was in trouble?” Olivia smirks.

“He was being difficult.”

She stops typing momentarily. “Is he still?”

“He’s gotten better under the promise that if he stays with Serendipity after his three book deal, he does not have to work with Mr. Kim again.”

“Is that a fair deal?”

“Yes.”

“Is that common?”

“Are you asking if I give him preferential treatment because we’re dating?” You ask, searching for your own clarity in her murky question.

“Yes.”

“No, it is not preferential. I have a few other authors and editors that work under similar guidelines. Sometimes, for whatever reason, an editor and an author don’t work out. We want them to have a strong working relationship, so we make exceptions and pair people up in different ways.”

“And Mr. Kim and Mr. Min do not?” Olivia asks again.

“They have preexisting history that precludes them from being friendly let alone friends. Getting Mr. Min to see Mr. Kim’s work as valid is a daily struggle.”

“Did you put them together because you knew it would be difficult?” She inquires.

“I had no idea they knew each other prior to Mr. Min telling me he didn’t want to work with Mr. Kim.”

“Yet you forced them to,” she says.

“Mr. Kim is our most successful editor of children’s books. I want Mr. Min’s project to be a best seller, one for the record books. For that to happen, he needs the best editor in the company. That is Mr. Kim,” You explain to her, then reach towards the floor for the water bottle you had smartly brought with you.

“When the two of you went for drinks, did you kiss, hold hands or sleep together on that date?”

“Wow, way to go from first to fourth base without warning a girl!” You laugh.

“Answer the question please,” Olivia doesn’t show any signs of finding your joke funny.

“No, there might’ve been light flirting, but no physical contact that was sexual or could be interpreted as such. We sat on opposite sides of the booth; we didn’t kiss goodbye.” You answer.

“When did your relationship become sexual?” She asks, reading off her computer screen.

You blush. “In August we went out again, and his hand rested on my thigh.”

“Did it move past that?”

“No, there was a hug goodbye but that was it.”

“Again, when did things become explicitly sexual?” She presses on.

“What is the point of that question? In all this time, he had already signed with us. I told him dating would be risky, for myself and him. I told him of my past, of my fears.”

“Yet you kept seeing each other.”

“I think they call it falling in love,” You mutter.

“Have you or Mr. Min had any physical contact on work property that would be deemed sexual in nature?”

“No. The most we’ve done is shake hands.”

Olivia keeps typing, then begins scrolling through your answers. Frankly you thought there’d be more. More questions, more details she wanted to pull from you. It seemed it was heading that way, how many questions could she ask about your sex life before it breached not only the level of decorum her job required, but became gauche? She could ask about your first kiss, or if you ever discussed your relationship on company property. You had, twice that you can remember, but that’s been it. Strictly above board. It’s not like Yoongi comes into the office all that much anymore, now that he’s settled into working with Seokjin and The Littlest Dumpling book 1 has been submitted. He’s been focused on book 2, and working diligently to not fall into his depression hole, which frankly, he’s struggling with. There’s no time or opportunity to engage in any behavior that isn’t above board at work.

“It seems to me that you two, have not broken any rules of Serendipity Publishing.” Olivia says, breaking her silence.

“Really?” You ask.

“It’s shady that you waited this long to talk to me, but not illegal or against company policy. As you are not his direct superior, you are not, from what I can tell, using your power to coerce him into this relationship. If anything, he pursued you. I will give an official report once I speak with Mr. Min.”

You sit back, surprised. Surprised it was that easy, that she didn’t ask any more about your physical relationship or when it started, that she didn’t drill into you about the power dynamic in your relationship. What had happened to the Olivia that tore people apart just to watch their careers crumble? Hadn’t she looked down upon you after your relationship with Taehyung became public, called you a cheap trick after you edited his book? Wasn’t she one the main people vying for you to not get the job here?

What softened her?

Taehyung Kim sits in the lobby of Serendipity Publishing, smirking devilishly at Alexis as he taps his foot softly on the area rug. He’s been waiting to see you for ten minutes, though to be fair, he isn’t on your calendar. No, Taehyung showed up ten minutes ago, and through his charm willed Alexis to see if you could spare some time to chat with him. She’d found a little time, if you came back from HR early.

“How long have you worked for Y/N?” He asks. As the only person in the waiting room, he’s allowing himself to speak at near full volume. He pitches his voice lower, so Alexis really has to lean forward, over the desk, to catch everything he’s saying.

“Um, almost a year,” she says nervously giggling.

“Do you like it?”

Alexis, for what it’s worth, has every idea who this man is. How could she not? She did her due diligence and googled her boss the minute she got the job, and what she found was scathing and polarizing. Either person viewed what happened between Y/N and Taehyung as her fault, blaming her for ruining a relationship that seemed far more established than the one she was creating. Or, the opposite side, condemned Taehyung for his behavior but was skeptical that Y/N really deserved her promotions. Neither side seemed to like Y/N very much, which is exactly the opposite of Serendipity Publishing, where every person can’t stop singing your praises.

“I love it,” Alexis says and glances to the elevator as it dings and you step off, a satisfied smile on your face.

“What are you doing here?” You ask, stopping at Alexis’s desk and squaring your shoulders to Taehyung, effectively blocking her behind you.

“I wanted to talk to you, and hello.”

“Hi. I don’t have time to talk today, can you schedule an appointment and come back?”

“I could, but I wanted to present an idea to you first before I meet with my agent and talk to him about it,” Taehyung says, smug smile on his lips. He knows that’s the magic phrase to get you to talk to him, bringing his agent into the mix.

“Fine, come on,” You say and guide him back through the hallway and to your office. He sits readily on the open chair and starts talking.

“I have an idea for a new book,” Taehyung says. “It centers on the fall out after Two Affairs to Remember and is about the destruction that comes to both women once they’re outed. They then start getting to know each other, a little First Wives Club homage, but eventually fall in love.”

“You want to take two women who were wronged by a man, and turn them gay?” You ask, staring at him firmly.

“I do.”

“That’s horrible.”

“Why?”

“You really think readers want to read a story about women that were so scorned by a man that they only have one choice, turn to lesbianism?”

“That’s not what it’s about though. It’s about discovering these parts of yourself that you didn’t know existed, seeing who you are on your own, and how surprising that journey can be,” He explains.

“No one wants to read that from a cis-hetero man unless that man is discovering he’s gay or poly or queer in general,” You tell him. “No one.”

“I –

“What is making you want to write this? What is creating this desire in you? Are you going through some shit?” You ask.

“No, I’m just, the moment is over, but I want it to continue.”

“You want to keep capitalizing on it. Aren’t you working on the script for the series?”

“Yes.”

“So?”

“I think there’s more story here!” Taehyung declares, a flourish of his hand and raised voice accompanying the statement. “I want to tell more about the lives these people lead, the relationships they hold what happens not that their lives are shattered.”

“Tae, I can’t stop you from writing it. But please do not include me in the process.” You request.

“You’re the only person I trust to edit it.”

“That can’t possibly be true.”

“It is! You edited the first one so beautifully, I need you on this project.” He pleads.

“Tae,”

“At least consider it?”

You think about it. What’s the harm? So much harm, and of course Yoongi to consider. But this could be good, after all Taehyung is a beautiful writer. “I’ll consider it when you have pages for me to actually read and consider.”

“Okay, that’s fair. Proof,” He agrees.

“Yeah, I want proof that this isn’t just some last stitch grab at fame, but something real and tangible from you.”

“Give me a month, I’ll have pages for you,” Taehyung says.

“Great.”

“So, what had you smiling so much?” He asks, leaning back in his chair.

“What do you mean?” You ask him.

“Coming off the elevator, you were smiling like you had a secret. What is it?”

“That is none of your business.”

“You seeing someone?”

“Again, none of your business.”

“Okay, okay,” He says holding his hands up. “But if you want to talk about it, I’m always around.”

“We’re not friends, Taehyung.”

“But we could be, Y/N.” He smiles, and damn if it isn’t the most beautiful smile you’ve ever seen.

“Your next appointment is here,” Alexis says, stepping into your office.

“Oh –

“Hey, so I was thinking,” Yoongi says barging in. He freezes when he sees Taehyung, and glances between you quickly. “Fuck I didn’t know someone else was in here.”

“Yeah, an impromptu meeting,” Taehyung says as he too glances from Yoongi to you and back.

“Taehyung Kim, this is Yoongi Min, author of the Lil King Yoongi saga.”

“Oh shit, I know your books!” Taehyung stands and extends his hand.

“And I know you,” Yoongi comments, loud enough that Taehyung hears it.

This causes two things to happen. First, Taehyung stares down at Yoongi, tightening his grip, drawing conclusions to the way in which Yoongi made his comment, and the way his eyes are staring past Taehyung to you. Second, it causes you to give a pleading look first to Alexis, then to Yoongi, who releases his grip on Taehyung’s hand.

“Well, I don’t mean to interrupt,” Taehyung says. He feels the tension in the air, and wonders if he’s right about you and Yoongi. “I’ll email you pages.”

“Fine,” You resign.

“Nice to meet you,” Yoongi says as he sits in the chair opposite the one that Taehyung previously occupied.

“You too.”

Taehyung follows Alexis out, but not before he casts another gaze at the two of you. “Are they together?”

“Y/N and Mr. Min?” Alexis asks.

“Yeah, they’re dating, right?” Taehyung asks again.

“Oh, I have no idea,” She says. Though his question sparks in her curiosity, as she too has always noticed a weird tension between the two.

“What was he doing here?” Yoongi asks.

“He has a new project and wants to send me pages,” You say.

“Why?”

“Because it’s related to –

“Your affair?”

You roll your eyes. “I don’t love it when you call it that. Yes, he’s got ideas for a second book.”

“And he came to see you?”

“Are you jealous?” You ask.

“No, I don’t love walking into my girlfriend’s office, after I’ve been subjected to scrutiny from HR about the nature of said relationship to find her talking to her ex like he didn’t break her heart and nearly destroy her career,” Yoongi snaps.

“Why are you so mad? He came in to ask if I’d read pages, that’s it.”

“Why do I feel like he wants more?” Yoongi asks you.

“I don’t know, but you know I don’t.”

“I know,” He mutters.

“How did your meeting with Olivia go?” You ask.

“She fucking hates me,” He comments.

“She hates everyone.”

“Not like she hates me. She asked about when I first had sexual feelings for you, and if those sexual feelings clouded my judgment. She asked why I’m working with Jin, if it’s some favor to you and if I’m getting special treatment because you and I are, and I quote her here, intimate.”

“Yeah, she asked me similar questions, though she didn’t ask about the first time we had sex, which surprised me.”

“She wanted to know how soon after we texted did we start fooling around, again her words. What kind of question is that?” He asks.

“An invasive one.”

“What is the point in asking that, if she already knew we didn’t start seeing each other socially until what, four months after I signed? We didn’t even start texting for longer!”

“I know, I told her that too.”

He adjusts in his chair. “It was gross, having someone document our relationship like that.”

“And yet, we both have committed those things to memory.”

“Yeah, because we’re in the relationship. We’re, are you finally my girlfriend?” He asks.

The question doesn’t all together catch you off guard, but his tone does.

“What, annoyed I don’t have a label?” You laugh.

“Actually, yes.”

“Yoongi, you know why I’ve wanted to wait.”

“You spent the night last night; I don’t really know what you’re waiting for.”

You sigh. “Do you remember waiting for your report card, in the summer right after school finished, just to make sure it said you were moving to the next grade?”

“I mean I never doubted or worried about it, but yes.”

“I just want her written seal of HR approval that we’re above board, and then I’ll be more than thrilled to walk around introducing you as my boyfriend,” You explain.

“When will that be?”

“By the end of the week I hope.”

“And if she somehow, for whatever reason, decides we’re not above board, then what will we do?”

“Yoongi,” You sigh.

“I’m serious. What if she decides that we actually engaged in behavior that is harmful to you as publisher and director, and we can’t be together as long as I’m an author at Serendipity?”

“She won’t.”

“But what –

“Yoongi! Stop spiraling! She isn’t going to decide that we can’t be together. We already have been together for the last few months and nothing has happened. So can we please not doom spiral about it?” You request, tone biting and harsh.

“Sorry,” He says, eyes rolling as his embarrassment flushes his cheeks.

“I didn’t mean to snap… I just can’t keep going on and on about what happens if we can’t be together. We’re together, already, so why talk as if we’re not?”

He glances up at you, a gentle smile of fondness on his lips. “You like me, don’t you?”

“Yeah, Yoongi. I like you a lot. That’s why I’m fighting for us, for you.”

“And so that I don’t crawl back into bed the minute I leave your office?”

“Absolutely that too.”

“I like you a lot, too. For the record.” He smirks, and it reminds you of this morning, sleep still in his eyes, but a devilish look clouding them as he rolled on top of you, weight pressing against your body, a smirk on his lips and his shaggy black hair falling over his face.

“I want to kiss you,” he had said.

“So do it,” you remarked, bratty in the way you stared back at him, defiantly. You wanted him to make a move, to make a declaration, to force his hand before he forced yours. He did, kissing you with so much heat you rolled on top of him, finding a punishing pace as the sleepiness drained out of you as pleasure overtook.

“I know you do, I was there this morning,” You comment.

“Will you be there tonight?” He winks. He doesn’t think he’s much good at it, but he loves the way your eyes melt whenever he does.

“Yeah, my place?”

The thing about Yoongi’s anxiety and depressive episodes is that they hit, almost without warning. In hindsight he can see all along that it was coming, but in the moments before everything seems totally fine. He left your office, and with every step towards his car he felt the weight getting heavier and heavier. The panic over Taehyung showing up in your life, right as HR was going to give your relationship the company seal of approval, his impending writing retreat for book two and three, the realization he can’t go back and edit book one anymore… all began to bubble and turn inside him.

By the time he gets home, the panic is so great he does what he does best, crawls in bed, under his weighted blanket. He rests his eyes, and before he knows it, it’s 8PM and you’ve called and texted. He wants to return them, to text you back, to keep you updated… but he can’t.

Next: The Littlest Dumpling {10}

11 notes · View notes