#nct 127 college au

[jkbabiey]

ᴍɪɴᴇ • ᴊ. ᴊᴀᴇʜʏᴜɴ

𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵: ~4.6𝘒 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴: 𝘧𝘸𝘣2𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘥𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘹 𝘴𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘴, 𝘶𝘯𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘹, 𝘱𝘪𝘷, 𝘖𝘊 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦 '𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭'

it didn't surprise you when jaehyun's name popped up on your screen.

you two weren't speaking. hadn't spoken at all in the last three weeks due to a less-than-kind exchange of words at the last frat party you had gone to.

that frat party happened in the frat house in which jaehyun lived. you were no stranger to these parties. were no stranger to the smoke, the music, and the lights. you attended most of these parties, your goal being only one - to see him.

and you always did. his eyes always caught yours the minute you stepped inside his house. even among everyone else's gaze, his was always the first one that you noticed.

you and jaehyun had met at uni. you still remember the repetitive sound of his fingers tapping the table next to yours, while you tried to focus on the physiology paper you had to turn in until the next day. jaehyun was incredibly annoying, not stopping even when you politely asked him to, which resulted in you picking up your stuff and leaving the library and jaehyun with a victorious smile on his face. just to find him at the frat party your friend had dragged you to, sporting that same smile.

just to end up in his room. naked and screaming his name.

you always ended up in jaehyun's room. since then frat parties had become a constant in your life - you never stayed in them for too long because jaehyun always managed to drag you away quick enough.

the deal between you two was fairly simple - you slept together. nothing more and nothing less.

there really wasn't anything more to it other than sex. and you never expected more, seeing as the first thing you learned about jaehyun was how unruly he was - the complete opposite of you, the straight-A princess (as he liked to call you).

but you two were used to each other at this point - no one seemed to satisfy jaehyun the way you knew how to and because of that he liked to keep you around.

no one did it for you the way jaehyun could. not only when it came to sex, but in everything else too. you genuinely had a good time whenever you were with him, despite him taking every chance to get on your nerves. you two just got along.

but still, three weeks ago, at one of the frat parties you used to attend, you ended up in mark's room.

you would've never chosen mark over jaehyun. especially because the sole reason you were coming to these parties was to see jaehyun.

but not to see jaehyun's mouth working against a random blonde girl you had never even seen before. they were sitting on a couch, smoke all around them and she was straddling his hips, sitting on his lap. jaehyun's arms were rolled around the girl's waist, pulling her closer. meanwhile, you stood with your back pressed against the wall on the opposite side of the room, head tilted back while mark, who stood by your side, talked your ear off about this awesome new shot mixture he had made up with johnny, trying to talk you into trying it out.

it didn't take long to say yes to that shot (and to the countless shots mark and johnny offered after the first one) after that sight.

after that, you went dancing with mark behind you, absolutely inebriated, and no longer than five minutes after you started making out in the middle of the living room. it didn't shock you a whole lot when you woke up the morning after in a room you weren't familiar with, soft snores coming from beside you that didn't really sound like jaehyun's.

you were light on your feet as you picked up your tight black dress from the floor, squeezing yourself into it, grabbed your heels and walked barefoot out of mark's room, closing the door behind you softly, successfully not waking him up. your way down the stairs was a challenge as the wood squeaked with every step you took. you reached the end of the stairs, thinking you had succeded as no one seemed to have woken up, letting out a soft sigh and running a hand through your messy curls.

"had fun last night?" you heard from the kitchen, just a few steps away. you couldn't see who was inside the kitchen but you could recognize his voice anywhere. you took light steps towards the kitchen door, stopping when jaehyun came to view. you leaned to the side, resting your left hip on the wooden doorframe.

jaehyun looked like he had just stumbled out of bed. he was in the kitchen with a mug full of coffee in his hand, wearing an oversized black t-shirt, with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms. his hair was messy, and his glasses were on. "yeah," you answered, your voice still heavy with sleep.

"was he any good?" jaehyun asked, and your brows immediately furrowed at his question. he chuckled at your reaction and pressured you, raising his brows in question. his voice had a playful light-hearted tone, but you knew him well enough to sense the hint of aggressiveness underlying it. "was he?"

"yes, he was good," you said and watched jaehyun's head tilt slightly in indifference. "better than you,” you added at that, loud and clear, letting your tongue quickly wet your lips in excitement.

jaehyun had always been the cool, calm, and collected guy who was never bothered by anything. and it stressed you out.

how could you be so indifferent to him?

but one thing jaehyun was, was competitive. both you and jaehyun knew that. jaehyun had a competitive side to him that few people dared to cross. but you... you did it all the time. because it was the only way to get a reaction out of him.

he raised his eyebrows in surprise and let out a giggle - you amused him.

“oh yeah?”

“yeah.”

“well… it doesn’t really take a lot to satisfy you, so i won’t really trust your judgment,” he said, placing his cup of coffee on the marble countertop. he walked to the fridge taking out a box of washed strawberries. he extended the box towards you as if asking if you wanted some, and you let out an ironic chuckle at that.

“and even tho it doesn’t take a lot to satisfy me you’re still at the bottom of the list,” you fought back and jaehyun smiled your way, resting his forearms on the countertop, taking a red strawberry to his lips and biting into it.

“hum,” he hummed as he chewed, wet lips and eyes still fixed on yours, absolutely unbothered, as if your comments didn't faze him in the slightest. “it’s long, that list of yours, isn’t it?”

your breath was quick and heavy in anger, your hands fisted and your jaw clenched. jaehyun knew how to get to you. he knew how to hit you where it stung and he never, ever, hesitated in doing it. never afraid of hurting you.

“i’m leaving,” you muttered, immediately turning your back to him and walking to the door.

“not saying bye to mark?” you heard him ask in a slightly louder voice, followed by a mocking chuckle.

“fucking asshole,” you said back, hoping he’d still hear you, which he did given by the amused laugh he let out after your comment.

three weeks had passed and now here you stood, in the middle of your skincare routine with jaehyun’s name plastered on your screen as he called you at 11:30PM. you didn’t even bother picking up, knowing he’d find another way to contact you.

jaehyun: stop ignoring me

jaehyun: saw your ig

by that, he meant the instagram story you had posted, which was not that special - just you, lying down on your silky pillow, makeup and hair done.

jaehyun: cmon pick up babe

by the time he called you for a second time you had a random vinyl playing, your favorite pink little pajama set thrown on, your curls down, your skin glowing, and your lips glossed. jaehyun was coming over.

you picked up. “can i come over?” was the first thing he said.

“why would i let you come over?”

“we both know you miss me,” he said immediately to which you let out a snort. “you don't? be honest y/n” he asked and you could already hear the teasing smile in his voice.

“are you sure it’s not the other way around?”

“as in me missing you?”

you hummed and he stayed quiet for a while “nope, you just looked cute in your story.”

“yeah right. you can go find some other cute girl then,” you said.

"no one's as cute as you-" and you hung up on him.

ten minutes later your doorbell rang and you knew it was him. you opened the door, greeting jaehyun with an annoyed expression. “i told you not to come over.”

“you still mad at me?” he asked, as his eyes ran over your figure. bare legs and perky nipples on display for him - small and delicate, just the way he likes you.

“was never mad. i don’t get mad at you jaehyun, you’re not that important,” you deadpanned, left brow raised.

“yeah, right,” he hummed and took a few steps forward, coming closer to you and closing the door behind him. he didn’t say a word, just staring down at you as you crossed your arms in front of your chest defensively, while starring back at him.

jaehyund sighed when a minute passed, and you did not look away. a teasing smirk grew on his lips, as he buried his hands in the pockets of his grey sweatpants. “why did you sleep with mark when I was right there?” he said, phrasing the question as if he had been waiting for you to answer it for the past three weeks - almost tiredly, letting out a short breath at the end of it.

“he was also right there,” you shrugged, settled on not telling him that what had really worked you up that night had been his interest in that other girl.

he rolled his eyes in annoyance, and you almost squealed at the sight of jaehyun losing his temper. “c’mon y/n, don’t make me lose my patience with you.”

“maybe that’s what I want,” you teased, raising your head, nearing your face to his to look into his eyes, almost daring him to do something. “you get so fucking boring after a few weeks, jaehyun.” you whispered against jaehyun’s mouth, watching as his tongue poked the inside of his cheek in annoyance. “that whole calm and collected thing you have going on,” you gestured with your hands before placing your pointing finger against the center of his chest. “it gets fucking tedious. that’s why I slept with mark. at least I can see some actual desire in his face.”

jaehyun’s anger was almost pouring out of his eyes. you could see that if he could just pick you up and throw you out the window, he absolutely would. instead, he grabbed your jaw in a tight grip, pulling your face even closer to his. “you don't think I desire you, that’s it?” he asked, an almost sadistic grin growing on his face.

when you slowly nodded your head against his grip, his hands moved to tightly grab both your shoulders, throwing your body against the wall across from him. “gonna show you just how much I want you, then."

and then, his lips were on yours, relentlessly working against them. his tongue parted your lips, invading your mouth as you moaned against him. his hand tightly gripped your ass, signaling for you to jump to his lap, which you did. your legs immediately wrapping around jaehyun's waist, with his hand still squeezing your ass. he pressed your body against the wall, rutting his hips against your clothed core, his mouth still fast and almost aggressive against yours.

you couldn’t keep up. you could never keep up with jaehyun.

“what was it about him that you liked so much, hum?” he asked, heavy breath and ironic tone of voice, while still humping his hips against yours in quick motions, almost desperately. “did he cry? he looks like he’d cry.”

“he could cry and still be better than you,” you moaned and jaehyun laughed at how your body’s reactions to him were so opposite to what your mouth was saying. “feels like I’m fucking a corpse with you,” he let out a burst of genuine laughter at that, and you couldn’t help the affectionate smile that grew on your lips at the sound.

“that’s taking it a bit too far isn’t it, princess?” he asked, and you looked down at him.

“is it tho?” he rolled his eyes, moving one of his arms to your waist to carry you to your bedroom. he had been in your flat so many times that he knew where everything was - even his spot on your bed was already defined (he slept closer to the door).

jaehyun laid your body down under his and stopped to awe at your figure, your face all flushed, long curls perfectly laid out on your mattress. lotioned skin shining under the yellow light of your bedroom, body pliable to his touch when he moved a hand to your knees to spread your legs further. he could feel his heartbeat quicken every time he looked at you.

“you’re so annoying,” he muttered, under his breath, his hands moving to take your tight pink tank top off your body, over your head, your tits coming right into his vision. “god, can’t believe you let mark touch these,” he breathed out, more to himself than to you, as he reached down, pressing his nose against your skin. "always smell so good, baby," he whispered when you rolled your arms around his neck. he moved down to mouth one of your tits, his tongue rolling around your hard nipple, his fingers massaging the other one.

“jaehyun,” you cried and thrust your hips up against his abdomen, as your hands ran through his back, gripping his sweatshirt, signaling him to take it off.

he pulled away from you to take it off and you almost moaned at the sight of his bare torso. he let you run your hands through his skin, your nails scraping against his nipples, to which he hissed and then surged forward to latch his lips to yours again in a messy kiss.

his kisses ran a hot wet path from your neck to the valley between your tits, across your abdomen and then reaching your tight pink pajama shorts. the cotton material was so thin and tight that he could see you weren’t wearing panties underneath it. he let out a loud moan at that, resting his forehead against your pelvis, closing his eyes in restraint trying not to rip the material off your body and fuck you senselessly. he opted to stick out his tongue and lick the whole expanse of your pussy through the pink material.

“oh god,” you gasped, your hands immediately finding purchase in his hair. “d-don’t stop,” you cried as jaehyun messily licked against your already-soaked shorts.

it didn’t take him long to grow tired of the last piece of clothing in your body and get rid of it, throwing it somewhere in your room. he leaned back, to appreciate the sight of your body, completely naked, laid out, and waiting for his touch. you were glowing. “so perfect,” he whispered, and you almost came at that. you extended your leg to his hip, trying to pull him closer again. and jaehyun got back to his previous position with his head between your legs, pressing a quick kiss to your exposed clit, making you breathily curse out his name.

as soon as jaehyun's tongue made contact with your pussy your legs shook against his head. you let out a drawn-out moan and his hands grabbed tightly at your thighs keeping them spread open. you were reduced to a series of gasps and cries of jaehyun’s name as he hummed sounds of pleasure, and repeatedly fucked you open with his tongue, going in and out of your hole, to then run up your pussy and circle your clit in quick motions. “jae, i’m gonna c-“

“you can come, baby, come for me,” he muttered against your pussy, feeling the muscles of your pussy clenching and unclenching repeatedly, his hips already rutting against your bed in search of relief at the sight of your body withering before him. the vibrations of his voice against your pussy were enough to send you over the edge. you threw your head back, your legs shacking against jaehyun’s head, making him let out repeated whimpers. his eyebrows were furrowed in concentration as his tongue lapped at your pussy, relentlessly working against your clit. your fingers pulled at his hair, and you cried out loud moans.

if it wasn't for your feet on his shoulder pulling him away, you’re not sure he would ever have stopped the motions of his tongue against you. when he did pull away, with the bottom half of his face covered in your juices, you smiled at him, hazy with lust, and he let out an amused chuckle at your fucked out expression. “mark could never eat you out like that,” he whispered against your lips, his face hovering over yours when his hips settled between your open legs.

he reached down, aligning his tip with your pussy, and immediately thrusted forward, not giving you any time to process the high you had only came down from.

“ah- jaehyun, what the fuck,” you cursed at the sharp pain of his thick girth filling you up in the way that only jaehyun knew how to. you had never felt anyone as big as jaehyun, someone who fit inside you like jaehyun did, satisfying all your needs. "fucking asshole," you hissed.

“stop whining like a fucking bitch and take what I give you,” he groaned through his teeth. “so fucking tight baby,” he said, moving in and out of you in quick motions, causing loud desperate cries to leave your mouth. “hasn’t he been fucking you loose, hum?” he asked as his pace got exponentially faster. “you need to learn that this is my pussy, you hear me?” he growled against your ear when you turned your face away from him, eyes scrunched and furrowed eyebrows. “you’re mine, only I can touch you like this,” he continued, and you let out a loud cry of his name. “say it, say it baby,” he growled again.

"jae, slow down- oh my god-" you gasped when he decided to do the exact opposite, his thrust getting harder.

when you didn’t say what he wanted you to, his hand reached your neck, applying enough pressure on it to cut your breathing short. “fucking say it,” he said and you moaned at the feeling of his hand on your neck. he laughed when your pussy clenched harder. “you like it when i choke you? fucking slut,” he said, chocking you even harder. “my slut-“

“yours,” you screamed. “only yours jaehyun,” you cried as the tears in your eyes ran down your cheeks. he rammed your pussy as you cried, letting out loud desperate moans. he grabbed your jaw, bringing your parted lips to his in a messy kiss, his muscle immediately intruding your mouth. drool was rolling down the side of your mouth, as his tongue and yours fought for dominance.

it was a mess. everything was a mess. you. jaehyun. the sound of jaehyun’s hips slamming the back of your tights. your blanket, covered in the juices of your previous orgasm.

it was when jaehyun let out again breathy whimper against your mouth that you knew he was close. he reached down, rubbing quick harsh circles against you clit. “can i come inside?” he asked against your mouth and you nodded fervently, muttering followed please’s against his lips. “gonna fill you up baby,” he moaned. “that’s all you’re good for isn’t it? just need someone to fuck you dumb don’t you? you don’t even care who it is,” he groaned and you cried, shaking your head in denial, to which jaehyun let out a smile of victory.

“no one fucks me like you do, jaehyun,” you cried and pulled him closer to hide your face in the crook of his neck.

“my baby,” he moaned, his tone suddenly softer than ever. “not mark’s. just mine.”

and with that, you came around his dick. your legs shaking violently against his hips, you threw your head against the bed, arching your back, pulling your chest flushed against jaehyun’s. and at the feeling of your velvety walls pulsing tightly around him, jaehyun’s pace inside you became almost animalistic until white spurts of his cum were filling you up.

he fucked his cum into you until there was nothing left, making you moan in overstimulation. “jae, s’too much,” you whimpered, and he stopped his motions, collapsing on top of your body, his face buried in the crook of your neck.

you ran the tips of your fingers through his spine as he peppered gentle pecks against the skin of your neck. his dick was still inside you when he asked, with his voice still raspy. “why did you sleep with mark?”

you sighed, noting the almost unnoticeable hint of disappointment behind his words. “you were busy.”

“what?” he asked, pulling his face away from your neck to look you in the eye, his brows furrowed. he hissed at the feeling of your sticky center against his. “what do you mean?” he asked while reaching down to get off you, laying by your side and throwing one arm on top of your waist with his palm against your tummy, staring at the side of your face.

“the blonde girl,” you mumbled, mindlessly playing with his fingers resting on your tummy.

he thought back to the party, remembering the blonde girl chasing around him through the party as he searched around the house for you, just for johnny to tell him that you had gone up to mark’s room. then, he thought back to when she was grinding on him as he kissed her mouth. “oh, you saw that?”

“yeah.”

“nothing really happened. we just kissed, then i found out you were in mark’s room and just went up to sulk in my own room,” he explained and you couldn’t help the little chuckle that left your lips at that.

“ i only went to mark's room because you were grinding on someone else! also, how do you say nothing happened and then say you ‘just kissed’” you mimicked. “I literally saw her on your lap. only I get to be on your lap during parties,” you mumbled as jaehyun watched you helplessly ramble from beside.

“we never said we were exclusive, y/n,” he said and you looked to the side, raised eyebrows, and parted lips, watching a teasing smirk grow on his lips.

“I thought it was explicit,” you whispered and jaehyun bit his bottom lip, enjoying your reaction to his teasing remark. "I mean, I wasn't sleeping with anyone else- and I'm not, it was really just that one time with mark, and just because I was angry and drunk." you stopped your rambling, feeling jaehyun's eyes on you and stopped playing with his fingers, building up the courage for your next question. "are you sleeping with other people?"

“I’m not,” he whispered, sighing dreamily and pressing a kiss to your cheek.

"you're being weirdly affectionate," you said, laughing at his reaction.

"you literally asked for it. I don't want to be a corpse," he answered making you let out an amused chuckle. "about the blonde girl," he said and you looked at him, your eyes boring into his. "I'm sorry I kissed her. the truth is that the night before, johnny hadn't shut up about how I was so in love with you and you didn't feel the same," your eyes widened in shock, and jaehyun laughed. "I freaked the fuck out and decided to sleep with someone else that night. but when i was about to take her up to my room, i basically just chickened out and went looking for you. and that's when i found out you had gone up with mark."

he explained, honesty overflowing in his voice, his eyes still fixed on yours. you sighed and looked back at the ceiling of your room. “I'm sorry, princess,” he whispered and pressed a kiss to your shoulder, his hands starting to lovingly stroke the skin of your waist.

“are you in love with me?” you asked after a few minutes of silence and his hand stopped it's motions.

"I don't know," he answered. "probably."

you looked over at him. his hair was messy over his forehead, his eyes looked at you, hesitant, and with his bottom lip tucked under his teeth. you rolled around, laying on your side with your chest now pressed to his, and pulled his face closer with one hand behind his neck to gently press your lips together, your lips molding to his in a soft, slow kiss. his arms rolled around your waist as he hummed against your mouth and pulled your body on top of his.

"and what are you gonna do about that?" you asked when your lips parted.

"I don't know, I've never done this before," he whispered against your lips.

it was a known fact to you that jaehyun had never dated before. all his associations with other women were resumed to one-night-stands or one-month-long flings (and that was pushing it). so it was no shock that jaehyun really was clueless about what to do when it came to actual relationships. "you should probably take me on a proper date," you said between chuckles.

"aren't we a bit past that?" he asked, smirking. "I mean, I literally just fucked you," he laughed when you rested your forehead against his chest in faked disappointment. "will you make me the happiest man alive and go out with me?" he said when you moved to rest your chin against the center of his chest.

"oh my god, you're not proposing, jaehyun," you complained and jaehyun burst out laughing again. "try again."

"just let me take you on a date," he said, closing his eyes in annoyance, and you chuckled. "please?" he added, slowly opening his eyes to look down at you. at that, you reached up to press repeated pecks against his lips, unable to control the affection you felt towards the boy. it was endearing how clueless he was.

"how 'bout breakfast tomorrow?" you whispered against his lips and he nodded. "no fucking until then. we can't rush things," you warned and jaehyun laughed loudly, surprised you would even propose that knowing you two had had sex countless times before.

also, he was sleeping over. "you can't be serious," he deadpanned.

"I am! there are rules when it comes to dating, jaehyun!"

jaehyun ended up fucking you twice in the shower and, once again, in bed, before you went to sleep. in the morning, while you were getting ready to go out for breakfast, he fucked you against the wall of your bedroom and then again, with you bent over the bathroom counter. after that, as he was driving you two to the brunch place he had chosen, you argued about how he couldn't keep it in his pants. you argued, really, because he spent the whole ride mocking you. then, he fingered you under the table during brunch and had the guts to blame you for wearing a skirt.

nothing with jaehyun was according to the norm. he didn't believe in rules and he wouldn't ever do anything the way he was told to. you weren't ever sure of anything when it came to jaehyun and it infuriated you, but later that night, about 12 hours after your first date, jaehyun asked you to be his girlfriend, and you couldn't do anything except let out a burst of laughter and mutter an infatuated 'yes'.

and you couldn't be more certain of your answer.

#jaehyun #jung jaehyun #nct jaehyun #nct 127 #jeong jaehyun #jaehyun smut #jaehyun fluff #jaehyun ansgt #jaehyun drabble #jaehyun oneshot #jaehyun au #fwb!jaehyun #fwb2lovers #college!au

[yongislong]

staring + dreamies.

genre: when you catch the dreamies staring at you hehe, fluff, suggestive but not rly pft

note: hiiiiii... how yall doinnnnn.... :D

mark... genuinely cant help it LMAOO he cant!! he just needs to look at you sometimes. brings him a lot of comfort. you have also gotten used to him spacing out and looking your way while you just sit on your phone or laptop. his hand finds itself onto you hair/head every once in a while. is so considerate so he would for sure fix your mascara, lipstick or pick off an eyelash if he "saw something on your pretty little face" hehe. used to get flustered when you caught him staring but has grown more confident and you've grown used to him needing a glimpse of your profile huehuehue

renjun... wants to memorize you!!!!! corny yes but dear god he has to have you down to memory! he knows he's never letting you go but it's inevitable for him to want to drink up your expressions, pores, spots and individual hairs. likes to watch you in your natural habitats. has always said that your concentration face is the cutest thing he's ever seen. all of these things come in especially handy when he can't sleep. he's drawn you a million times. he has sketchbooks soley dedicated to you and your face pfttt. when you catch him staring he just smiles really brightly! so cute.... does a cute little "hiiii" too AHHHHH

jeno... what a shy manly man omg... would get a kick out of watching you be cute and cooking or stuff. very domestic! likes looking at you because he really think you're the prettiest most gorgeous and lovely person on earth, effortlessly! is honestly just staring in awe. traces your nose bridge whenever you lay on chest. mutters "wow..." a thousand times under his breath. will end up missing big scenes in movies because of this HAHA, you think it's endearing but you're also like!!! jen please watch katniss literally destroy president snow lol i promise it's more interesting (he disagrees)

haechan... oh boy. he is so annoying about it oh my god lmfaooo. just does it to fluster you and sometimes he just can't help but look at you though. likes to pinch your arm to get your attention in order for you to look back at him HAHA, especially when he's doing it because he wants to give you a compliment, "well hello there pretty, come here often?" likes kissing your cheek (and neck) after they get dusted pink. pokes your cheeks when he staring too, just a big cheek guy imo!! peppers you in smooches, gets flustered when you catch him sometimes... especially if he's looking at you from across the room. sends you a smile

jaemin... oh my god he just loves your face its actually so sickening! like ugh!!! he loves watching your mouth move, v enticing lol. his hands subconsciously find their way to to your lower lip. his hands always land on your thighs as well lol. looooves to stare at you in the morning or when you're sleepy because your puffed out face is the best thing to him. whenever you catch him, he is so confident, especially when you question him about it, he's like "why can't i stare at my gorgeous partner... freak.... you can't just look like that and expect me not to be obsessed with you" so sassy... but is actually so genuine sometimes it almost makes you cry

chenle... GGAAAHHHHHH so cocky!!! but it hits different because he will stare you down so hard and will lean in super close and run his eyes all over your features but when you look his face breaks out into the cutest little whisker smile in the world, just for funzies, mumbles out an exasperated "...cute......" mostly does it to fuck with you but it's a win win for him tbh, but won't admit it. is always staring at you because he can, but also because he always wants to make sure you're safe esp in public. has mastered understanding your facial expressions and tics.

jisung... "nothin... you just looked cute." simp nation. is actually more confident than he lets on. you realize this when he leans down to cover what you're looking at after he's been staring and not realizing it. yknow what i mean? like he's so tall so if he's watching you make breakfast or something and he's been staring for a while, he would bend down to have his face within your line of vision. what a cutie lol. you always pull his cheek when you catch him staring and he has to pretend he doesn't like it all while he's smiling and giggling AHA. likes to stare at you because he has to remind himself that you're real and that he has you all to himself <3

oh ma goshh hiiiiii haha ummm im still getting used to writing blurbs and headcanons again so sorry! was watching hunger games while writing this so HAHA, enjoy! i missed you guys!

#nct fluff #nct blurb #nct reactions #nct soft blurbs #nct soft hours #nct college au #nct icons #nct 127 fluff #nct dream headcanons #nct dream fluff #renjun fluff #jeno fluff #mark lee fluff #mark fluff #jaemin fluff #haechan fluff #donghyuck fluff #jisung fluff #chenle fluff #7dream #nct headcannons #nct dream reactions #nct reader insert #nct x reader #nct dream x reader #nct 127 x reader #7dream fluff #nct dream comfort #nct dream college au #nct dream fic

[acescavern]

END TO START - LEE TAEYONG X READER

Navi - M.list

Pairing: Soulmate!Johnny x Soulmate! reader, Taeyong x reader. ( Ft Mark, Jungwoo, Ten, Jaehyun, Taeil, Yuta. Mentions Jaemin once.)

Genre: Heavy angst my guys, soulmates au, neo frat au, university au, fluff, Hanahaki Soulmate trope.

Synopsis: Taeyong had been perfectly happy to sit back and watch you and Johnny be together. However, when he starts to notice certain behaviors that are all too familiar, he finds himself unable to watch you slowly die. Just because Johnny may not love you anymore... doesn't mean Taeyong doesn't love you either.

wc: 4.9k

Warnings: Heavy angst, Blood, Mentions of death, suffering, choking, johnny is unfaithful, it's a Hanahaki au so they basically cough up dead and thorned flowers. It's not a graphic description but there are descriptions of pain too, mentions of weight loss due to being unwell, Unrequited love, hurt, Taeyong's been in love with the reader since before her and Johnny got together, heavy rejection, soulmate rejection ( Just because i have written this does NOT mean that i think any one of the nct members would cheat or act thi way. this is pure FICTION.) Please let me know if i have missed any warnings

Note: Hi! I have a few fics in the works but I'm worried I wont get them done for Halloween. So, I am blessing you with this heart-breaking fic. I wanted to release this fic early as a thank you for all your love on Operation Rizz! Now, this is the same frat universe as all my other NCT fics. they can all be read as stand alone though, so don't worry! Any feedback is once again appreciated. I do not own the concept of Hanahaki.

Likes and reblogs are appreciated

Soulmates were supposed to be someone's everything—the one person who was meant specifically for them. Someone you can lean on and cherish, who would dote and adore you. Someone to dish out as much love to you as you unto them. To stay by your side and grow old together. However, some people are already at that stage when they meet their destined person. There was also the worry of some people not having a soulmate. Legend says that only the blessed are gifted with such. 

Gifted? Yes. To many, the Soulmate system is a curse - depending on what type you are assigned to. Tattoos? Easy. Mind reading? Okay a little more difficult. Red string? That practically takes you straight to them.  Eternal life? Near impossible! You could spend many years with someone you thought was a soulmate only to see a wrinkle and realize you aren’t made for each other at all. Seeing things in black and white only to suddenly be overwhelmed with color at a music festival and not know who the hell you’d bumped into in that massive crowd that could possibly be your soulmate. Not everyone even had a soulmate, they could be with whoever they wanted without consequences. 

But there was one type in particular that nobody wanted. Hanahaki. Named after the fictional Japanese Hanahaki Disease. It comes from the Japanese words Hana - meaning flower and Hakimasu - quite literally meaning, to throw up. 

In a soulmate's case, when they first meet each other a seed is awakened. It grows thorned roses - the flowers of love - cradling the person’s heart and twining around inside their lungs. For the most part, other than the occasional flutter and heartburn, it goes unnoticeable. So long as the soulmate reciprocates the feelings of love. But, should one soulmate start to fall out of love? The other will suffer terribly. The flowers will die, the spikey stems squeezing at the organs they were once gently caressing with love. Crushing in their anguish.

Of course, unlike the other soulmate types, there are two ways out of Hanahaki... Let the weight of the unreciprocated love drag on painfully until you die, or convince your health insurance to accept the cost of the operation to remove the offending plants. However, by the time one realizes they are soulmates, it is likely that the bond has already been unreciprocated. 

Taeyong knew this. He knew this because it happened to him. He had once been on the receiving end of the agonizing scratch of dead rose stems climbing up his throat in a mess of blood and wilted petals. Taeyong had nearly died. He recognized the signs clearly and that was the reason he was so shocked to see them in who he did. 

Johnny’s soulmate.

Taeyong first took notice when you walked through the door of the club. A celebration night to celebrate the frat’s anniversary alongside Taeyong’s new choreographer position in the dance studio he works in. Your face had a slightly paler tone and although you were doing a good job at keeping your breathing even… Taeyong recognized the telltale signs of a wince when you took the air in too harshly. 

But when he saw Johnny approach you and press a loving kiss to your forehead, he scolded himself for thinking such things. Taeyong knew something was up though, your smile didn’t meet your eyes and when you congratulated him with a hug, he swore he could feel your body tremble. 

He tried not to worry too much throughout the night but when he saw Johnny by the bar, his charming smile dazzled at some sorority girls that had been invited… Taeyong wondered where you’d gone. The disappointment within him only grew when he watched his best friend and frat brother go home with one of them. 

So, maybe his suspicions were correct. A few weeks passed and he’d not seen a glimpse of you, Johnny hadn’t even uttered your name. The rapper hadn’t had time to sit him down and ask him about the incident. Until now. 

Taeyong dabbed the sweat from his brow with the neckline of his shirt, swiping his water bottle from the floor. He shuffled toward his friend, watching as he grinned at his phone as he typed. He was talking to someone and Taeyong only hoped it was you. That you’d both mended things to stop it getting worse. The thought of it all being a misunderstanding had a relieved smile spreading across his face as he settled on the floor next to Johnny. 

“You texting ____? Tell her I said Hey.” Taeyong said, twisting the cap off his drink to take a swig. Taeyong was almost taken aback at the irritated flash that crossed Johnny’s expression at the mention of your name. 

If Taeyong wasn’t so observant, he would have missed it. Johnny shook his head, swiftly locking his phone when his leader went to peer over his shoulder. “It’s not. It’s Yuki.” 

Taeyong’s eyebrows scrunched, posture freezing for a moment. “The sorority girl you went home with?” He tried to keep his tone level. Memories of the same thing happening to himself reoccur in his mind. “What about ____?” The question hung awkwardly in the air, Johnny staring at Taeyong as if he’d asked something ridiculous. 

“What about her?” He shrugged. “Just because I do stupid things, doesn't mean I don’t love her. She’s my soulmate.” He paused, an almost defeated sigh sagging at his shoulders. “The only one I got.” 

Taeyong took notice of the slight bitterness in his words. Almost as if he didn’t realize that he did it. “Do you?” 

Johnny rubbed at the back of his neck, his mouth opening but no words coming out. Once again, a defeated shrug of his shoulders. “Yeah… yes.” He cleared his throat as his voice broke. “I’m sure we’d of noticed by now if I hadn’t.”  Johnny left no room for debate, standing up with a clap of his hands to suggest they continue their lacrosse practice.

You knew. You knew Johnny’s feelings for you were dwindling. You were reminded every time you coughed. Reminded by the way your breath left you in an agonizing squeeze when Johnny would kiss your forehead.  

But, even though you knew… it didn’t make you love him any less. You knew what he got up to when your nights weren't spent together. You didn’t do a thing, didn’t bring it up. You almost tried to ignore it. You loved Johnny. You always would. And, as long as you continued to love him, he wouldn’t have the same fate as you. You would never wish this pain on him even if he was the cause. 

You wished you’d heeded Mark’s seemingly lighthearted warning at the beginning of your relationship. ‘He’s one of my closest friends but he doesn’t always do the right thing, just… please be careful.’ Mark had said one evening. You hadn’t truly understood why he had said it, nor did you get to question him before Johnny had slid his arm around your middle. 

You understood perfectly now. Especially as a sharp tickle wheezed in the back of your throat, your eyes discreetly scanning the new text message from your seat at the very back row of English lit class. ‘Can we rain check date night again? Coach is being a hardass and wants us to stay late.’ For the third week running, the same excuse. Sure, you’d seen Johnny. But Thursday was always date night. Something you’d both stuck to like glue once before. 

Pain twisted in your chest, your breath rough. You brought the sleeve of your hoodie to your mouth, attempting a discreet cough. It didn’t do anything for you, the feeling like you’d swallowed razorblades. The world felt like it was spinning for a moment and you had to close your eyes and count to ten to steady it again. 

One look at your sleeve had you frowning. The next stage had started. You’d read about this. Discoloured petals. You’d only coughed up one but one was enough for you to be sure. With one last attempt at clearing your throat, you brushed the blackened petal to the ground. 

Taeyong shared this class with you. Whilst he didn’t often sit next to you, he was mostly always on the same row. Not many people occupied the back row and so, when he heard the muffled hack come from your direction he had looked over, shoulders tensing as he watched you. 

He approached you at the end of class, watching your sluggish movements as you shoved your laptop back into your bag. “____, Are you alright?” He asked softly, noting the sheen of sickly sweat coasting your forehead. 

Lips pressed firmly together, you nodded. You were certain if you opened your mouth you'd start coughing and choking again but you didn’t want to be rude. “I’m fine.” Bad idea. “Sorry, Yong, I gotta go-” Taeyong had never heard your voice so scratchy and coarse. He had also never seen you flee so quickly before he could even open his mouth, your notepad falling from your unzipped bag as you vanished before his eyes. 

As he knelt down to collect it from the ground, his fingers made contact with a velvety, withered texture. 

A blackened rose petal. 

 The next time Taeyong saw you, you were much worse than he could have imagined. He had only turned up at your apartment because he assumed Johnny had left his phone at your place. He couldn’t really understand the rushed words of ‘Shit! I left my phone at her place, I’m already late!’ When Taeyong offered to go and get it, he naturally thought of your place. 

So when you answered the door, he was standing frozen at the sight of you. Your eyes had bags under them that would put JFK airport to shame. Your complexion was grey, lips cracked and dry. Taeyong could definitely see you’d lost some weight too, your knitted sweater nearly slipping off one shoulder. His gaze caught onto the marks along your neck, long red streaks almost looking like you had been clawing at it in your agony. Your winced call of his name kicked his brain into gear. 

“Now isn’t a good ti-” His hands flew out to rub and pat your back as your words were interrupted. 

Taeyong’s heart broke as he watched you struggle. You couldn’t get your breath, your face turning red from the strenuosity. Taeyong backed you into your apartment, kicking the door closed behind him. He sat you on your couch, disappearing from view for a moment.

You didn’t even take note of what exactly was being thrust under your nose, only that it would catch what your body rejected. One of his hands held the bucket, the other sweeping your hair away from your face. It was all too familiar for him. Except for Taeyong, he had done it alone. 

“It’s okay, ____” He hushed, palm flattened over your back to rub comforting circles. “Breath through your nose and count to ten. It helps.” 

You did as such, shoulders relaxing as the air finally seeped into your lungs. You wiped your mouth with the back of your hand, sighing at the crimson residue that was becoming all too familiar. You opened your mouth to speak, only to be gently hushed once more. 

“It’s okay, it’ll hurt too much if you talk.” He set the bucket down on the side table. “You should get yourself some grapeseed oil. A teaspoon a day should at least prevent the attacks so often.” Taeyong didn’t look at you as he spoke, his hands busying themselves with opening the small drawer to your coffee table in search of tissues. 

“You mean this?” You rasped, pulling the small droplet bottle from your pocket, and setting it down on the surface before you. Taeyong’s eyebrows creased. 

It was the exact same bottle he was sure he had. Though, catching sight of the label on the bottle he knew it was his bottle. ‘Taeyong’  scribbled messily on the labeled sticker. He looked at you expectantly. 

“Johnny gave it to me.” Just uttering his name sent a pang of hurt through you, a wave of emotion rippling from your jaw to the tips of your toes. 

Taeyong understood immediately, a deep sigh resonating as he nodded once. “He knows then.” To which you nodded, eyes fixed on your lap. 

He had never seen you cry, and he would hate to admit it but your eyes looked pretty when you did. It was as if the glaze of tears enhanced the colors of your iris. “He doesn’t know it’s this bad. He thinks the tickle has just started.” 

“____, you’re dying and you’re telling me Johnny hasn’t noticed yet?” To say that Taeyong was in disbelief was an understatement. The new knowledge that Johnny knew now had floored him. 

Why? Because Johnny hadn’t once let it show. Taeyong had been around the guy all week and he was still the happy comedic genius he always was. Not a hint of anything bothering him. 

“Yong, It’s okay. I..” You drew your knees up to your chest, patting the spot next to you for him. “I’ve come to terms with it.” 

“Come to terms with it?!” He spluttered. “____, you are in your twenties! You can’t be okay with dying in your twenties.” His hand raked through his hair, eyes blinking rapidly like he couldn't come to terms with how calm you looked right now. 

Taeyong could feel the anger bubbling up in his chest, his gaze hardening as he addressed you once more. “You know he’s been seeing her too, don’t you?”

You were silent, shame eating at your subconscious. “If I ignore it then he won’t have to be like this too.” 

Taeyong sprung up to his feet. “Wake up! He’s out there living his life with no regrets and you’re the one to suffer? I can’t…” He shook his head, shoving his clenched fists into his pockets. “I’m sorry, I just-” With one last shake of his head, Taeyong left you there. The slam of your front door announcing his absence.

Johnny remembered the conversation between the two of you very clearly. He was convinced he still loved you a lot. Just not in the way you need. At first, he thought it was doubt, but as time went on he started to notice the dry tickly cough and the abundance of petals scattered in your trash. He was sure it wasn’t harmful yet, certain that he still held the love in his heart for you. 

Johnny didn’t love Yuki. She was fun. She was different. She wasn’t you. He could spend time with her without any strings attached. It was freeing, knowing he wasn't destined to be with her no matter what. 

He felt guilt at first. He didn’t like lying to you, but it was for his own selfish gain that he did. Johnny had seen Taeyong go through the pain and near death of a soulmate falling out of love, he didn’t want that for himself. Johnny had too much to live for, as arrogant and self-centred as that sounded. 

 He remembered what you said when he gave you the vial of grapeseed oil, how your shaky hands had placed over his own. How you told him it was okay, it wasn’t his fault. But Johnny couldn’t help but think it was. Johnny tried so hard to make himself love you still. Your words of comfort swirled in his mind and kept him up at night. ‘Nobody can help who they do and don’t love. Feelings change, People don’t’ You’d said to him.

Johnny felt ashamed. Being unfaithful to you whilst you still loved him with every ounce of your soul. Deep down, Johnny knew you only had two options he just hoped you made a decision before it was too late. 

Taeyong had been seen by barely anyone all week. It was as if he was attending his classes and then picking up every extra shift or odd job imaginable. The Neos were even more shocked when Mark slapped a flier down on the dining table ping pong table in front of some of the brothers. A for sale flier, advertising their frat leader’s motorcycle. The very same one that he cherished and spent a fortune to modify. 

“Do you think he’s in debt?” Jungwoo frowned, setting his beer on the table. 

That question alone earned a chortled laugh. “Woo, we’re in university. We’re all in debt.” Yuta clapped him on the back. “But, on a serious note, He’s been acting super weird lately.” 

Everyone launched into debate, trying to determine why Taeyong would be selling his pride and joy so suddenly. Conversation ceased when the front door opened and the man in question shuffled into the open-plan living space with an exhausted wave. 

“Ty, are you actually selling the bandit?” The question came from Taeil, Neo frat’s oldest member. 

Taeyong moved through the living area, taking a seat at one of the beanbags littered around the table. “Already sold it.” He bobbed his head in a nod. 

It earned him many concerned looks. “Are you in trouble or something? Are you trying to cover the water bill from when Mark broke the faucet?” 

“No, Jae. I’m not in trouble. It’s not for me.”  He reassured, his voice dying down quietly. “It’s for ____.” 

Everyone stopped. Mark locked his phone, Yuta stopped chipping at his nail polish, and Taeil nearly spat out his beer. Jaehyun and Jungwoo were already staring at him. 

“Why?”

Taeyong took a deep breath, anticipating the question.It didn’t take long for him to catch them up to speed.  “You haven’t noticed? I can’t watch her die. Even if she’s come to terms with it.” 

“She’s not been to class for a few weeks. Professor Choi just straight-up skips over her name now. I’m guessing they know.” Jaehyun hummed. 

“Hm, Jaemin said he saw her last week on his midnight ramen run.” Mark recalled, “Said she looked like something out of living dead.” 

“Mark,” Taeyong gave him a warning look. The younger just shrugged his shoulders. “I’m going to book the operation for her. She doesn’t know. I just need the deposit. After that, it’s monthly payments. I can scrape enough together for the monthly just fine.” He looked pained. “Whenever I see her, it’s like I’m watching myself go through it again.” 

One by one, Jaehyun, Mark, Jungwoo, Yuta, and Taeil offered their help. 

The six of them didn’t make it known what their plans were but soon enough, after Taeyong had put what he had already saved with what the others offered, it was enough. He rocked up to the private medical center, cash in an envelope that was tucked neatly within the inside pocket of his jacket. 

Taeyong was pleasantly surprised that he was allowed to schedule and pay the deposit on your behalf. Acting on best interest. The receptionist did stress that you needed to fill in the form and sign consent upon arrival but Taeyong was more pleased that he was giving you a chance at life. That there was a possibility that you could carry on.

What he didn’t expect, was your immediate refusal when he brought the leaflet and forms over to your apartment the following morning. The smile dropped from his face as you tried to hide away from him.  ‘He could die.’ You’d cried at him. And whilst it had been proven he wouldn't, you were convinced. 

“He won’t, ____.” Taeyong begged. “Please, you can’t just accept this.” The bed dipped as he sat on the edge. The many times he had visited you now, you had always been. The last time you got up to open the door, Taeyong honestly worried that you would pass away right there on the doorstep. He took your spare key after that. 

Taeyong’s gentle fingers lifted the damp wash cloth from the bowl at your bedside, running the cool material over your brow and cheeks. A light smile twitched at the corner of your lips, the sensation easing your fever, only a little but it was better than before. He knew he wasn’t going to get many more words from you this evening. You’d exhausted yourself already for the evening. Taeyong was just content enough to sit here and care for you. 

Honestly, before it was known that you were Johnny’s soulmate, Taeyong had hoped you’d notice him. He had often found himself wishing that it wouldn’t last so he could at least have a shot with you. His hopes were crushed when Johnny had run through the fraternity declaring you were both soulmates. Taeyong had made peace with the idea that maybe he was meant to be alone, satisfied just by seeing you whenever Johnny brought you over to hang out. 

He never wished for this, though. 

Tenderest of touches brushed your hair away from where it had clung to your forehead. Taeyong clicking on the standing fan in an attempt to offer you some cool relief. “Trust me, ____.” He whispered, voice brittle. “I went through this.” His confession had your right eye cracking open. 

“Back in the first year,” Taeyong recalled. “Watching you and Johnny go through this… it’s like a mirror. I nearly died,” He picked up your hand, engulfing it in both of his own. “I refused the operation until it was nearly too late. For the same reason, actually.” 

Your fingers twitched in his own, your index finger hooking around his thumb to offer comfort. You have suspected Taeyong had some close experience with this. Especially in the way he always seemed to understand your pain, the sad gazes, and his drive to help you. You had never expected that he would be the one in your position though. The meer thought had tears welling up in your eyes. You seemed to cry a lot around the man these days. 

“He didn’t die though. Apparently, he just… coughed up the root.” He lifted your hand, the ghosting feeling of his lips against your knuckles. “I promise you, Johnny won’t die… At least think about it.” To which you nodded in agreement. 

Taeyong made you soup, your favorite kind. You weren’t even sure how he knew it was your favorite but he did. He parted from you with a lingering kiss to your hairline. Just like every night. This form of unrequited love seemed to of hurt him more than his last. 

He’d left the forms and leaflets on the empty bed space by your feet.

You’d asked Taeyong not to come over for the last four days. As worried as he was, he had to respect your wishes. You didn’t want him to see your sudden decline as you entered the last stage of the rejection. Meaning, that Johnny had almost fallen completely out of love with you now. 

You were expecting it, Taeyong too. You and Johnny had broken things off the last time you saw each other. Both of you doing so without even having to clarify the matter. He was free. Almost. 

Taeyong had been stressed all week, even his frat brothers had given him a wide berth. Many put it down to the lacrosse game the pending evening. Only a select few really knew that it was because today was the same day Taeyong had scheduled for your surgery. 

He hadn’t known it was the same day as the game, Jungwoo uttering the words with caution the day before. Taeyong swore to himself that he thought he booked it for next week. He didn’t even know if you were going to accept it… Any time he brought it up you tended to change the subject. 

How Taeyong managed to even pass the ball with steady swings amazed even himself, his hands hadn’t stopped shaking. He had nearly skipped the game in favor of being with you, but he knew he couldn’t.  The game had gone smoothly, they were winning by one. In fact, Johnny had to take the penalty shot. 

The whole field waited on bated breath, all eyes on Johnny as he just stood there, his expression morphed in such a way that Taeyong exchanged a look with Jaehyun.

“Seo! Take the damn shot already!” The coach didn’t even get through his ending word before Johnny’s form curled over, knees slamming into the ground. 

Taeyong rushed over as his friend tore off his helmet and spat his mouthguard to the ground. He would worry about that later. Taeyong slid to his knees beside Johnny, his own helmet crashing to the ground out of his grip. 

Johnny had never felt such pain. His airways were burning. The sensation in his chest felt like all the oxygen was being torn from him. The team crowded around him, blocking anyone else's view of the scene.  A choked cough left his throat, a shout of agony following after. Petals. Blood. Stems.  The flower was unwinding itself, pulling at the roots from within his chest and lungs. 

The team managed to maneuver Johnny back to the locker rooms, it took four of them to carry him but soon the male was slumped against the tiles of the showers. Taeyong was beside him once again. “Cough it up Johnny, you’ll do more damage if you don’t.” He tugged Johnny’s arm to sit him forward, his fist thumping down in the center of his back. “Johnny, come on!” 

To say Taeyong was relieved when Johnny finally started coughing again was an understatement. “You gotta carry it on, it’ll hurt but I’ve got you.” He pleaded over the sound of his friend’s cries and chokes. 

Johnny doesn’t know how long he continuously coughed for. All he knew was the last one to shake through his body finally offered him release, Taeyong tugging him away from the mangled mix of plant and blood only to rip him, Johnny, from his shock-induced state by shoving him under the freezing cold shower stream - kit and all. 

A big, clear breath left him. 

“What the fuck, John?” Ten peaked his head around the corner, having raced in after the team to check on his best friend. 

“Dude, that's your flower.” Mark grimaced, crouched down next to the offending object. 

The announcement made Johnny’s spine straighten, and Taeyong hung his head. “What does it mean?” Johnny shakily stood, pressing the button to stop the stream of cold water. 

It was fascinating how Johnny already felt better. He felt no pull in his chest, no weakness even after the whole ordeal. He felt new. But if he felt like this… then what had happened to you? The realization of what had happened weighed heavy on his guilt. 

He turned to address the sort of traumatized, faces around him but it wasn’t him that spoke up. It was Taeyong. “It means I need to find ____.” 

Taeyong had raced past his teammates and into the locker room without any further explanation. His phone cramped between his ear and shoulder as he tugged on his sweats at record speed. “C’mon, Petal. Pick up.” He swore to himself, only removing the device from his ear to throw on a t-shirt from his locker. It was a term of endearment he had taken to calling you of late, though quite often when you were too dazed to notice. 

He ignored the looks of confusion from his friends. Well, from those other than Mark and Jaehyun. From the look on Johnny’s face, he was still piecing things together. Taeyong didn’t have time for that, snatching the keys for the beat-up Honda he had gotten recently and sprinting from the room. 

Taeyong continued to call you on the way to your apartment. He had just hoped you’d gotten yourself to the appointment. He didn’t want to think about the possibility of losing you like this. He found himself afraid to enter your building, scared of what he may find. His head thumped against the steering wheel, eyes burning with unshed tears. You had to be okay. 

His phone buzzed, body jumped when he saw your name flash on the screen. He swiped to answer, bringing it up to his ear with a relieved sigh. “____.” He listened to your breathing for a split second, registering the steady beeps in the background. 

“Is he alive?” Your tone was filled with urgency but your voice was clearer than Taeyong had heard in weeks. It had a relieved laugh bubbling from his chest, salty droplets cascading down his cheeks and leaving his tear ducts with the tension in him. 

“He’s fine.” He sniffled, rubbing at his face. “ Petal, you’re okay. I tho-” You interrupted him with a soothing call of his name. 

“You were right.” He listened to you pause, the sounds of you sipping through a straw present in the receiver. “There are things I do have to live for.” You spoke quietly. “The first one being myself.” 

He hummed in agreement, starting up the car again. “Yeah? I’ll be there soon and you can tell me all about the second, Petal.” He was rewarded with a breathy laugh. “What?”

“Petal.” You murmured, Taeyong could hear the slumber lingering back into your tone. 

“Get some rest. I’ll be there soon.” He was about to pull the phone away from his ear when you quietly called his name again. 

“Yes?” He hummed, clicking the hands-free and setting the phone into the holder on the dash. 

“Can I tell you my second reason?” 

“What’s that, Petal?” He smiled softly to himself. 

“It’s you.”

©Acescavern - I do not give permission for my works to be copied, translated or reposted

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[qwymarkii]

(in)dependent

wc: 1.4k

tw: angst, mentions of intercourse, hardships, mentions of self-harm, miscommunication, crying, boyfriend!mark x fem!reader

a/n: not proofread. sorryy

not everything works.

some things can't be salvaged.

that's what mark told himself. what he's felt for the past year of how this relationship of yours wasn't his fault neither yours, that it had to come to an end. mark missed you. the week break the students were given was getting closer to the day you'd all have to return.

mark knocked upon the wooden door, which was immediately met by a giddy you, engulfing your boyfriend. mark of course smiled as he breathed in your scent. mark stepped inside your dorm, removing his shoes and placing his bag down. "what's got you so happy today? we have to go back tomorrow?" he questioned.

you laughed pulling him by the wrist to sit him onto your bed. you climbed on top of his lap kissing against his neck and jawline, beginning to speak, "nothing, i just missed. . . you. i was thinking we could—" mark then cut you off.

"no, no yn i think. . . we – we need to talk." he stated trying to push you off of him. it's like you were obsessed. not that there's a problem with that, he's your boyfriend after all but you were too obsessed. overzealously craving him.

mark was serious, you attempted to nip at his neck more, whining softly. but mark only pushed you completely off of him now standing in front of you. "don't do this mark, don't—baby don't leave me." you cried pulling at his shirt. "i need you close to me."

frustrated, mark put his hands up to his face to block his emotions. if without context, it'd seem like you were a creepy, fanatical person over your lover. but deep down you were just someone who wasn't given attention as an adolescent and now had someone to cling to, to grasp that attention from. you felt as if you needed to please mark, he was your boyfriend if you wanted him to stay, that would get the job done.

you thought that sex could be the glue to all your problems, make it seem like you were more appealing to love, just to show how devoted you were to mark. you'd hope in that case, mark would reciprocate. "no. what do we need to talk about? are you hurt? is something wrong?" if there was something wrong with your boyfriend that'd only make it 10 times worse for you.

mark sat down next to you, placing his hands on your thighs to soothe you. "baby, im fine i just need you to talk to me in this moment. okay?" mark circled his thumb against your exposed skin, bringing himself closer to you. "i just wonder." he trailed off, hesitant to ask. "have you ever thought of other ways to display your affection?"

your heart skipped a beat. "what do you not like when we —" your words frantically spilling out.

"no, no, no that's not it yn. its just." mark sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose "i-i just need some space you know? there's just a lot of the time where we — i don't want to be pleased in that way?" he said, pressing his lips in a thin line to reject his emotions.

"so no more. . ." you quietly asked, voice breaking. mark let his head slightly fall, "no yn im not saying no more. but a break wouldn't hurt... you know." he finished, you wrapped your arms around him, placing your head into the crook of his neck.

"i just love you so much. i-i need you, you're so perfect and i don't want you to leave me. i just want to show you how much you mean to me." you confessed. mark sighed it didn't seem like you were one-hundredly getting the message.

"im not going to leave you yn, im not going anywhere." mark reassured you, rubbing your tears away with his thumbs. "you- we just need to find a healthier way to cope with your needs towards me. okay?" tears continued to fall down your cheeks as mark continued. though he didn't completely intend for it to come off as you were being obsessive, he needed you to know that.

you shook your head trying to prevent more tears from falling, but it only intensified. "it's just.. mark~ i can't help it. it makes my skin itch i just want to touch you, even if we're out with friends. i just hate standing there not being able to let everyone see how much i love you. how much i appreciate you. mark i love you. i really do." you pleaded, biting the dead skin off your lips. mark cupped your chin bringing your gaze towards his.

"babe i know. . i know you hate it, but sometimes it can be too much for me. you don't have to please me in sexual ways to show that you love me. . ." your tears flowed like a river, constantly pouring down your face as you tried to understand where your lover was coming from.

"but, but i don't get to see you that often, especially with our dorms being split by gender. and we don't have any classes together, so i just want to make you feel good. i feel closer to you when we do." you explained, hoping he'd get where you were coming from. you thought maybe he brought this up because you'd been two had been at your friends alot more recently due to something they'd been going through.

"we've been sleeping in the same bed for a few nights now at karina's. yn promise me we're close." mark placed a kiss upon your forehead.

you brought your face slightly back up, kissing mark's neck, but he jerked back. "yn, stop." he places his hands on your shoulders to restrain you. he hates that he had to be this stern with you, seeing how easily it broke you down. but the conversation you just had telling you not to do that exact thing. he needed to tell you.

"why?"

"because. because yn i just kindly asked for you to give me some space! i love you yn i really do but i need the space. im so fucking exhausted you don't get it..." mark finally raised his voice out you for the first time ever.

he didn't like what he'd done but it had to been done. of course he'd know it wouldn't end well, you were too sensitive to be spoken to in that tone, but the action you were partaking in had to be addressed sooner or later.

you sat up and immediately got off of your boyfriend, feeling nauseous. it might've seemed dramatic but you detested the way it felt when people raised their voice to you. especially, when this was the one person you loved and adored most.

mark ran after you, unfortunately not quick enough before he was met with a slammed door. he'd never seen you react this quick to a situation like this and it brought panic to himself. mark knocked at the door, "yn, don't do this. . ." all that could be heard was your soft cries on the opposite side.

"yn. please i didn't mean to upset you like this.."

"go away mark!" you yelled back.

"no. im not going away til you open this door."

"i thought. . . you wanted your space. well look now you've gotten it. all the fucking space you could ever want." you spewed out, through tears and a broken voice. "baby..." silence was returned. mark called once more but only was met with the same silence.

"don't hurt yourself. please don't tell me you're hurting yourself..." mark cried, this whole situation seemed completely fucked.

"im not. mark just leave me be please."

"yn don't do this again, i'm here for you, i love you. i love the affection you give me, it's a bit excessive but i still love you. and i will no matter what. it was wrong of me to shove you off me like that and raise my voice...please don't hurt yourself." he pleaded, the last thing he need was you hurting yourself in any way.

"i'm not."

"good. can you come out then?"

"no! i want you, i just don't want to talk" you slowly opened the door and as per usual you clung onto him right away. "just hold me, i'm sorry for pushing you to do things, but please let me be close."

mark guided you over to your bed and lied down with you still in his arms. "i can do that, it's alright"

"just please don't yell at me again" you mumbled.

although the problem was never resolved, it had it one step closer to being fixed. that being realization of the problem. mark could fix you. he would fix you.

#kpop x reader #kpop fanfic #kpop au #college au #kpop bg #nct angst #mark x reader #mark lee #mark nct #nct x reader #kpop x y/n #angst with a happy ending #depressing shit #im so so so sorry #nct 127 #nct dream

[weirdkpopgirl]

Belong | Mark Imagine #5

Title: Belong

Genre: Fluff

Warnings: nothing really

Word Count: 610

Author's Note: This is part two of the previous Mark story I posted a while ago. It's unnecessary to read the first part to understand this one, but I'll still link the story below if you want to check it out. But yeah, I'm happy to be posting more for Mark since I don't very often. Hope you guys like it and thank you for reading ^ ^

part one

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In the cozy warmth of Mark’s living room, the vanilla scented candles you had bought him a while ago were neatly arranged on the coffee table, casting a gentle glow that added a layer of intimacy to the atmosphere. Following a day of long classes and the subsequent hours dedicated to studying, you both lounged comfortably on his couch, nestled in each other’s embrace.

Throughout the year, you had fallen into a routine of driving back to his apartment after school to study. Unlike some people, the two of you managed to get a decent amount of work done, if not completely most of the time. But once the two-hour mark was reached, cuddling sessions became inevitable.

Mark always tried to savor these moments with you. Lying on the couch with you, one arm wrapped around your waist, while your head rested on his steadily rising chest. He couldn't help but reflect on how far the two of you had come since that cold day in the parking lot. At first, you weren’t completely ready to let him. But through patient conversations and shared insecurities, you gradually opened up to him fully. Slowly, you found yourself becoming happier with him by your side.

With a playful glint in his eyes, he fondly reminisced about that day and couldn’t resist bringing it up to you. “You know,” he began, the corners of his lips upturned into a teasing smile. “I was just thinking about the first time we officially talked.”

Your cheeks flushed as the memory resurfaced in your mind. That was definitely not your best moment, and you had hoped Mark had forgotten about it. Unfortunately, much to your dismay, he hadn’t.

Instinctively, you buried your face further into his chest. “Ugh, please don’t remind me. I must’ve looked like a crazy person.”

Mark chuckled softly, his fingers running through your hair. “Crazy isn’t the word I’d use to describe you. I’d say you were more breathtaking, even in tears.”

“You’re just saying that to make me feel better,” you cringed in embarrassment. 

He pressed a kiss to the top of your head. “No, I mean it. In fact, I fell in love with you that day.”

“Oh... really?” You glanced up at him in slight surprise. 

About a month after that fateful day, Mark officially asked you to be his girlfriend. However, even during that interim period as just friends, both of you knew that your relationship was bound to change. You believed that you were the first to fall, as his emotional support that day had made you grow attached to him over time. So, discovering that he fell for you first came as news to you.

Mark nodded, his eyes soft and filled with affection. “Yeah, I saw strength in your vulnerability and it drew me in. Seeing you made me want to become someone you could lean on.”

Blushing once more, you subconsciously played with his fingers. “Well, I'm grateful you didn't turn away from the girl crying on the street. I don’t know what I did to deserve someone as sweet and kind as you.”

“You didn’t have to do anything to deserve it. Sometimes, you just meet someone, and everything falls into place,” Mark replied, simply. “I’m lucky that happened to us.”

The two of you locked eyes for a moment before he tenderly cupped your face and leaned in for a kiss. Your lips met in a gentle dance, a silent acknowledgment of the love that had blossomed between you. Cradled in each other's embrace, both of you came to the profound realization that you had discovered where you truly belonged.

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#nct dream #nctzen #kpop #czennie #nct dream imagines #nct #nct 127 imagines #mark lee #mark fluff #mark imagines #mark x reader #college au #nct 127 scenarios #mark scenarios #nct dream scenarios #nct 127

[kmgkmg]

THE ONE - JUNG JAEHYUN

word count: 1.5k...

pairing: jaehyun x gn!reader

synopsis: you arrive at the crowded party at different times, eventually meeting which makes you both feel relieved.

genre/s: fluff, college!au, non-idol!au, fratboy!jaehyun, bf!jaehyun

warnings: drug (weed) mention, alcohol mention (beer pong mentioned so idk if it counts but just in case)

rating: pg-13

a/n: hiiiiiiii, my first fic omg how exciting!! i’ve done little bullet points on old blogs but never something this structured? i blame it on reading so many fics during fall break. i tried to write jae pretty similar to what i think his personality is but if y’all think it’s inaccurate lmk, constructive criticism is always welcomed! i listened to vanjess while writing this so inspired by the one by vanjess!

Your eyes desperately shifted from one side of the room to the other, unaware of Jaehyun’s presence behind you. His walking quickly fastens as he wants to be with you even sooner seeing your uneasiness. Even with his quickened pace, you were still towards the front of this huge frat house while he was towards the back. Why did this house have to be so damn crowded? Yangyang said this was only supposed to be a chill kickback with friends from campus and work, but Jaehyun could swear there were at least 80 people in the house. He didn’t even want to think about how many more people were outside, conscious and unconscious. Still, he tries to maintain his cool and squeeze past people as fast as he can, even avoiding greetings from friends he hadn’t seen in a long time.

He always seemed to sense when something was wrong. Although you were visibly anxious regarding the unfamiliar environment of this party, he could always tell when you needed to be tended to. Hell, he was the first person in your life to notice one of your most hidden nervous tendencies. 

Back in the course you first met for the first time, you were singled out by a classmate during a class discussion and it happened to be the day you didn’t do the reading. You thought cracking your knuckles had been a pretty ordinary thing to do, but once Jaehyun had noticed you cracking your third knuckle his face wore a worried expression, clearly aware of you being uncomfortable with the spotlight being on you. In what you viewed as an act of idiocy rather than being heroic, Jung Jaehyun proudly raised his hand and decided to sacrifice himself for you. He made up a quick lie about how you had been filling him in on the readings since he was hungover, he elaborated that you had made a great point about the debate that helped him comprehend everything. All your professor could do was ask for confirmation to what Jaehyun was saying and all you could do is mindlessly nod your head, shocked that the frat boy who constantly comes in hungover actually did his readings. The course wasn’t a requirement for Jaehyun’s major of architecture, which was even more of a surprise. Since when were frat boys versed on Gramsci’s theories?

After Jaehyun saved your ass you profusely thanked him after class, asking if there was any way that you could show your gratitude towards him. He chuckled, since your demeanor with him was much more uptight than he had seen you interact with your friends outside of class. “If you’re really thankful towards me, how about a date?” He asks you, patiently waiting for your response. 

You had really painted him in the wrong light by minimizing him to his frat status only and he did help you. You usually would say no to a man asking you out so suddenly, especially since today was your first time talking, but Jaehyun was different. You had a weak spot for pretty men and Jaehyun was the epitome of such. You snap out of your thoughts, suddenly aware again of the man standing in front of you. “Sure, can I have your Instagram so we can decide the details later? I have another class across campus to get to soon.”

You hadn’t expected to like Jaehyun and your guys’ first date as much as you did, but he was full of surprises. He had invited you to his favorite record shop/cafe and selected a vinyl by The Internet to play while you decided what you wanted to order. You got to know each other and realized the absurd amount of things you had in common, from music taste and favorite TV shows to overall philosophies towards life. Gradually you went on more and more dates and now have been a couple for almost three years. Although some of Jaehyun’s frat friends were notorious for being heartbreakers and fuckboys around campus, Jaehyun himself had been labeled the mysterious prince at your university so it was big news when he officially announced you on his Instagram as his significant other.

Returning to the party at hand, Jaehyun was originally supposed to pick you up after his work shift, but you got busy with studying for midterms and insisted that he left with his friends and you would meet him at the party. The problem with you guys meeting like originally planned is that he left with Yuta and Jaemin, a duo that basically asks for trouble. Jaehyun likes his friends, he really does, but he should’ve known that they would pregame and have a couple rips from their bong before heading over to the house. Jaemin becomes mush which is never an issue but Yuta’s energy level turns tenfold his regular tension and he thinks that he’s invincible. After Jaehyun pulled out his phone to text you an update that he was in the backyard playing beer pong with some friends, his mistake was not realizing the still very stoned Yuta was next to him and determined to win this round. Yuta grabbed his phone with unremarkable speed and chucked it over Jaehyun’s head, conveniently landing in the pool. 

“Dude, what the actual fuck?” Jaehyun, clearly exasperated, frowns at his friend.

“We’re supposed to win this game, for the pride of our fraaaaaaaat! This isn’t the time to text your precious Y/N,” Yuta slurs, “you neverrrrr hang out with us anymore bro.”

Jaehyun sighs, “Well, can you see why I don’t when you act like this? You know that Y/N is coming by themselves, you know that I’m protective over them. There’s so many peopl- Nevermind, I’m not going to try to reason with you when you’re stoned.” 

Fast forward to now, Jaehyun is continuously calling your name, while you are still busy scanning the room to find someone you know. It didn’t help that the music was blasting so loud the whole house was practically shaking with the bass of the song. You had tried to text Jae with the texts being left on delivered and when you tried to call Jae numerous times, his phone instantly went to voicemail. Of course you were oblivious of Yuta’s destroying of Jae’s phone and your mind automatically went to the worst that he was mad at you for not going with him. While there was a little part in the back of your mind that knew he would never get mad at you over something as trivial as that, especially since you were studying, your mind always resorted to the most unreasonable scenarios. You still hadn’t removed your jacket, giving up hope that this house had anything even slightly resembling a coat room. If anything, they probably made Mark’s room the ‘coat room’, you smiled slightly envisioning Mark being stressed walking into his room and seeing coats piled in his room. Finally, you thought to yourself, my nerves are calming down. Who would’ve thought that thinking about your boyfriend’s younger friend being irritated would make you happy?

“Y/NNNNN!” You hear a familiar voice shout from behind you. You’re pretty certain that if you moved one second faster you would’ve given yourself whiplash at the speed in which you turned your neck to see the source of the sound. As expected, you could see Jaehyun about 10 feet away from you, waving his hand at you to see him. You both break into the biggest grins upon seeing that you finally found each other and wouldn’t have to stay at this house that became way too overpopulated anymore. “Jae!” You continue to grin while making your way to close the distance even sooner. As soon as you’re finally face-to-face with each other, he envelopes you with the biggest hug he could possibly make, “Babe, I’m so sorry Yuta literally drowned my phone and I couldn’t reach you.” You slightly break from his grip to look up at him in a mixture of confusion and amusement that Yuta did that, but soon went back to hugging him just as tight before saying, “It’s okay, I only showed up about 20 minutes ago, but could we maybe leave? It’s way more crowded than Yangyang’s usual parties.” Jaehyun quickly nods in agreement, still smiling that he was able to see you after a long day of work and a chaotic night with Yuta and the rest of his frat. 

“Record shop cafe and some late night snacks?” You propose and rub his back gently as you go from hugging to holding hands and navigating yourselves to leave the party. 

Jaehyun looks at you with love and complete adoration, finding himself at a loss of words for how much he loves you and how lucky he was to be the one to raise his hand and cover for you in class that one day. Probably forever unknowing to you, he had fallen for you on the first day of orientation of your first-year, and you are his first love. In his eyes, you are forever only the one who he sees himself spending the rest of his life with.

Without saying any of this, he simply nods again and lightly squeezes your hand in agreement to the new plans for the night. 

#kpopccc #jaehyun #jaehyun scenario #jaehyun x reader #jung jaehyun x reader #nct x reader #nct 127 #nct #nct 127 x reader #nct fanfic #nct fluff #jaehyun fluff #jaehyun imagines #college!au jaehyun #college jaehyun #jaehyun oneshot #jaehyun drabble #the one - jung jaehyun #did you see the little forever only ref i made? hehe... okie i'm going to do my readings for class now #kmgkmgoriginal

[backtoyuta]

NCT 127 college series- how you first meet

Pairing: Yuta x Reader

warnings: none

A fluffy 127 drabble where Yuta is a flirty sob. No smut but a tad suggestive- 1 in the where you meet 127 at college series

I will never get over college aus. They are my bread and butter.

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Yuta was one of those unlikely friendships that blossomed in potentially the most disastrous of settings. You hated group projects with a passion, there was always one that was super disorganised, and you felt the immense pressure of not being that person in question too. You remember vividly your tutor reading out the list of names- perking at the sound of your own and then flicking your eyes instinctively to Yuta when his was called promptly after.

You glanced away quickly when his aloof expression trained on you, his eyes observing but face unchanging. You scrambled for your belongings as soon as the lecture was over, one of your group-mates muttering about making a group chat with a sullen tone. It would be a little while until Yuta and yourself spoke, your only interaction being the insane sexual tension when it was just you two on the google slides at 1 in the morning.

"This seat free?" Chimed a voice from beside you, Yuta sank into the seat after you shook your head no and shoved some of your stationary aside on the table, the sound a little too awkward and loud for a library.

"I see you were pulling a late one last night," he continued playfully, his tongue pushed to the inside of his cheek as he opened his laptop- something he did a lot.

"I could say the same for you... How's the research going?" His eyes twinkled hearing your reply and his slender fingers typed rapidly. He showed you his research proudly, a substantial amount of work and organised neatly- thank God someone was pulling their weight.

"Let's see what you have" and he leaned closer to see your screen, causing a waft of his cologne to hit you subtly. You let him scroll through your slides, the corner of his mouth turning up at your intelligent use of jargon.

"Wow... Nice Y/N, very nice"

"Oh it gets even better."

"Oh?"

"yeah..." You pulled up your bibliography and sat back, his expression twisting and he let out an exaggerated groan, causing you to laugh and shush him simultaneously, all the while glancing around at anyone hearing your conversation.

"Cited sources, that's what gets you going?" You scoffed sarcastically, eyeing him up and down.

"Listen, my group last time had me in the trenches... I was the backbone of the whole thing." He jokingly shuddered and you laughed at his quip, the two of you settling down and continuing to work on your portions of the work. Your time working together was time you got to know each other beyond an acquaintance in your class. Being with Yuta was thrilling, mostly because he was the type of person you knew you would never have been friends with outside of these circumstances. He was a creative, opinionated, and had a torturous sense of humour- something he adored weaponizing and using to make you squirm.

He couldn't help but coo internally when he would spout an abundance of lies, and watch you intently as you went through the motions of nodding naively, process what he said and then playfully go to hit his chest lightly while he laughed and dodged you in satisfaction. You became accustomed to strolling over to the library to work together, sending him sly texts when you saw him pop up on google slides, and exchanging smiles when you caught him with his group of friends. Occasionally he liked to drag you over for a chat, sling an arm around your shoulder and keep you there until you could say your goodbyes and continue on to wherever you were going.

The tension only increased when you progressed to working at each other's dorms. It was hard to tell which was the lesser of two evils; all your friends in your flat were nosey and wanted all the details about the hot guy you brought round to study with, and Yuta lived in a stereotypical guy-dorm. Today, you opted for skilfully dodging the pizza boxes piled by the door and let yourself be led down the narrow corridor into Yuta's compact, but relatively tidy room.

Yuta settled on his bed with his back leaning against the wall, beckoning you to come and sit beside him while shimmying his laptop and books out of his bag. As soon as you were sat, the air became a little thicker, his form was incredibly warm against yours in the small room and his signature scent that always clung to him was much more potent in his space.

Yuta was always very frugal and complicit with physical contact; he had no issue with his friends resting, leaning, clinging on him, so you tried very hard to pay no mind when he pressed his side up to yours to place the laptop between you. You had to force your heartrate to slow and for your hands to stop shaking when he handed you a piece of paper, the tremor catching his attention- to his delight.

"Am I making you nervous?" His tone felt a little too serious, and his voice was a little lower than the clear tone he usually sang out.

"No." You replied, a little too quickly, and you caught the smirk gracing his features in the reflection of the laptop screen. "It's probably the coffee... I'm fine." You made a point of shoving a pillow behind your back and cracking on, Yuta's chuckle sounding in the mostly quiet room. He didn't budge an inch, his jeans still pressed up against your leg and the slightly bony part of his shoulder level with your head.

You were working efficiently, the sun had set a while ago so Yuta illuminated the room with a lamp, casting a warm glow. At some point you became quite lethargic, the warmth of the room and Yuta being so close was like a blanket, and the quietness that was interrupted minimally by the soothing sound of typing caused a fog in your brain. Your eyes continued to close against your will, and you had to force the yawns away while trying to subtly jerk your body awake.

"Why don't you just take a nap?" Yuta laughed lightly, watching your eyelids flutter. He couldn't suppress his giggle, his shoulder shaking causing your head to almost vibrate when he noticed you had typed a stream of full stops and commas in your writing; you must've left your fingers on the keys when you dozed off for the umpteenth time.

You only grumbled in response, determined to shake the tiredness off, but that was proving impossible. Ignoring your light whine of confusion, Yuta brushed his fingers over your thigh as he lifted your laptop off your lap, and lightly pushed your shoulder so you were resting horizontal with your head nestled in a pillow.

"I won't bother you." Yuta smiled, his eyes still trained on his work. He tugged your T-shirt down once in a gentle manner from where it had ridden up your back, and you almost flinched where his cool fingertips came into contact with your exposed skin. Your heart was fluttering at being casually manhandled, but you let out a quiet sigh of agreement when you settled into the mattress, your eyes closing automatically.

You woke disorientated, the light outside gone completely and the only parts visible was the illumination of street lights and buildings. Yuta was slouched in his desk chair, a book open in front of him but he was watching some kind of sports game in Japanese on his laptop on the lowest volume.

"What time is it?" You grumbled, still confused, dehydrated, too hot and tangled in blankets.

"Late. I'll walk you home... You want something to eat?" Yuta rolled his chair over to where you were sitting up, reaching out casually to move some of your hair that had become mussed back to their original position. The mention of food made you conscious of how hollow your stomach felt and you nodded sleepily, head bowed at how Yuta looked at your endearing form shyly.

You did get some food, and after Yuta helped you gather together your belongings that had scattered around the bed he held your jacket open for you to slip your arms in, flung your backpack over his shoulder and walked you out, making casual conversation on the way home.

The time eventually came to show your group presentation, and he smiled widely at you when you sighed out, relieved the whole thing was over and done with.

"You should come over tonight," he spoke seriously, those infamous dark eyes looking you up and down as he poked his tongue into the inside of his cheek

"The presentation is over Yuta, we can chill." You squirmed under his gaze, but made a point of throwing him a friendly smile as if to part ways, grabbed your bag and turned to exit.

Before you could turn fully, Yuta reacted quick and grasped your hoodie-clad wrist lightly, preventing your leave.

"Hm? I didn't mean to work." His tone was light hearted but his expression was almost sinister, his eyes glinted and mouth quirked into a smile… and he was still holding your sleeve. Letting the last of the class stragglers pass by behind you and out the door you felt your stomach flip in excitement and your knees shake. Yuta continued to stare you down, taking a sadistic enjoyment at you blush and fumble to try and formulate an answer.

The lecturer rushed out a goodbye and also disappeared out the door of the lecture theatre, leaving you entirely alone in the aisle nearest the exit; the rows and rows of seats looking vast and empty now it was just the two of you. You stepped back towards the wall to gain some distance, purely out of self preservation, but Yuta leaned up casually on the wall behind you. He wasn't a whole lot taller than you, but his dominance was omnipresent as he waited patiently for your answer.

“Yeah… sounds… good” the words catching in your throat slightly. He chuckled again, his dark expression mollifying into something more friendly. The air turned stiff as he acknowledged your answer, it was like he was completely aware of his effect on you and wanted to exploit it as much as was in his power.

"See, I do make you nervous." He smiled, once again amused at how you bore his torment. You shook your head slightly and dared to look at his dark eyes that glinted down at you. At this point you easily could've slipped away, he had let your wrist go, but the thrill of the moment was keeping your feet firmly planted. You wanted to prove he didn't turn you into the puddle he was so sure he did. Even if your from was melting under his gaze as we speak.

"You're delusional." You muttered, your face twisting into an expression of mirth as he breathed out a laugh through his nose, and he leant his upper body lower to be closer to your ear.

"Am I? So it doesn't bother you when I do this?" He feigned innocence despite one hand still placed on the wall to entrap you and the fingers of his other hand trailing up your clothed spine. He forced a leg between the two of yours, effectively parting them and leant so close to your ear that you could feel his cool, minty breath tickling your neck.

He muttered something in Japanese, his mother tongue spilling from his lips fluidly and sensually, his lips brushing against the shell of your ear caused your hair to stand on end. He trailed his hand up further behind you and toyed with your hair, and he punctuated his words with a snicker as your breath caught. Your body contradicted itself, trying to escape the ticklish feeling of his fingers on your back but also wanting to refrain from giving him a reaction at all. You were absolutely certain that whatever he murmured so wickedly in your ear was the most perverted thing he could muster, his teasing expression gave you that much, but you breathed a sharp breath and once again looked up bravely.

"Nope." You popped, deadpan, but still fighting the urge to shiver and shimmy away from his expert touch.

"No?" Leaning in again, he muttered more in a foreign language. His tone was practically purring as he bemused at your confused expression, and reached the hand that was walking up and down your spine to your head to move some hair off your face.

"What are you saying?" You questioned defeated, your tone a little whinier that what you would have liked but his sultry actions were making a potent mixture of heat and frustration pool in your stomach.

"Can I show you?" He offered, his eyes searching yours for an ounce of discomfort. You relaxed your body in his hold and once again a devilish smirk pulled at his features. He looked down intently at your lips as you nodded naively at his request, the syrupy feeling you had before morphing into something more needy and you squirmed slightly when he leaned down and kissed you.

You let him take the lead as he moulded his lips with yours, your hands pressed against the wall awkwardly as he overpowered you. Sensing your awkwardness, he slid his hand from your bicep, down your forearm and grasped your hand lightly to bring it up and place it on his shoulder, never removing his lips from yours. Using his prompt, your wound the hand he had manoeuvred towards the warmth of his neck and placed your other hand lightly on his chest, while he snaked his arms around you and kept you close; his hands working with pure experience and expertise.

The sound of students chatting down the hallway, right outside the door caused you to pull away and turn your head towards the noise. Yuta loosened his grip from your body but took your chin between his thumb and index finger to force you to face him again, and pressed a languid kiss to your swollen lips.

"We won't mind them." He spoke for the both of you, his dominance once again coming to the forefront.

"Are you always this bossy?" You complained jokingly, allowing him to kiss you once more. He pulled away and left some ticklish kisses on your jaw and neck, nothing that would leave a mark, only stopping to laugh at your comment and peer at your flushed face.

"Are you always this compliant?" He sassed back, the tone light hearted but the implication hung heavy between you.

You raised your eyebrow at his question and summoned some fire from your flustered form to quip back at him. "Wouldn't you like to know?" You wiggled with more defiance, signalling that the two of you should leave now and he followed your suit, detangling his arms from you and slinging his bag over his shoulder.

He didn't reply to your statement, only opened the door and held it for you over your head. You fell into step together as he walked you out of the lecture hall, a hand deftly reaching down to clasp yours and continue to walk like that. His domineering presence kept you wary and excited, as you followed him back to his dorm you could only wonder where the events of the day would take you.

#boyfriend!nct #nct #nct drabbles #nct fluff #nct yuta #nct scenarios #nakamoto yuta #yuta x reader #yuta nakamoto #nct 127 #nct suggestive #nct college au #college au #lee taeyong #johnny suh #moon taeil #kim doyoung #jung jaehyun #kim jungwoo #mark lee #lee haechan

[lomlwoo]

$EOUL CITY MENACE

"it was strange, the way a group of people who'd been so deprived of everything good in this world could love each other so unconditionally."

✩.. PAIRINGS: nct127 x female reader, possible romantic interest

✩.. GENRE: mature, college!au

✩.. WARNINGS & THEMES: smut, consumption of drugs and alcohol, mentions of abusive, self-destructive behaviour, violence, mentions mental illness, swearing, mentions of religion/religious themes... more tba in future chapters

✩.. A/N: hello to everyone that stumbles upon this fic! i am finally back and have decided to give you guys a gift in the form of this fic! it was previously titled 'menaces', but i have since decided to change the title and rewrite the teaser as a way to start off fresh. hope you guys look forward to this fic and enjoy what's to come <33

Being the only girl living in a house with nine guys was not easy. You were used to being called a 'whore', you were used to other girls labelling you as a 'pick me', and you were definitely used to guys avoiding you out of intimidation. Little did they know that those nine guys had saved your life and showered you with the love and support that no one else could give you.

Some people were lucky enough to find one soulmate throughout their life. Somehow, you were blessed with nine.

Featuring NCT127 as... the runaway son of a cult leader, the single father with a drug addiction, the survivor of kidnapping, the student in a secret engagement with his mother's best friend, the ex-convict wrongfully convicted of murder, the underground rapper conceived from a one-night stand, the narcissistic dancer, the boxer with daddy issues and the dj from chicago.

coming soon...

© LOMLWOO 2022. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

#nct #nct 127 #nct dream #nct au #nct drabbles #nct fanfic #nct masterlist #nct jungwoo #nct fluff #nct smut #nct 127 drabbles #nct scenarios #nct 127 scenarios #nct mark #nct college au #nct jaehyun #nct johnny #nct taeyong #nct x reader #nct taeil #nct doyoung #nct yuta #nct haechan #nct timestamps #nct angst #nct headcanons #nct aus #nct x y/n #nct oneshot #nct fic

[whorevolver]

Haechan being a babygirl 🙏

#haechan nct #nct 127 #nct dream #nct haechan #nct moodboard #nct college au #nct drabbles #nct dream reaction #nct dream smau #nct dream social media au #nct fanfic

[jaehunnyy]

A/N: my first series, please bear with me, loves 💕 ALSO, if you wanna be added to my taglist, please comment here or send me an ask (anon or not) :) ✨️ @sungbeam thank you a LOT for helping me find some better words for the synopsis, i appreciate you a lot :3

His same, old, safe bet

Jeong Jaehyun, rejected? That was such a sight to see, honestly," his other friend, Mingyu, chortled loudly, before adding: "I bet two bucks she won't fall for you."

Irritated, Jaehyun glared at him. "Bet?"

"Bro, are you really going to make a bet for two bucks? I bet two hundred." Seokmin said, before looking at him. "Are you in?"

"Give me two weeks," he stated, and the determination could be read on his face.

"Two weeks it is." Mingyu sealed the deal, before starting to enjoy his break with his friends.

Synopsis: Jeong Jaehyun has been the college's resident heartbreaker since before girls could even remember. He didn't care about feelings—well, until he met you. Blinded by your thirst for revenge, you become determined to give him a taste of his own medicine. It's only a matter of time before Jaehyun's carefully crafted walls come crashing down... right at your feet.

Genre: college!au, kind of an enemies-to-lovers!au, angst with a happy ending, fluff

Pairing: heartthrob!Jaehyun × fem!reader (feat. Yuta × reader's bff)

Warnings: time skip, mentions of bad past relationships, mentions of heartbreak in later chapters, some curse words, Jaehyun is a bit of a douchebag, attempt of crack (in some chapters), more to be added eventually

Started: August 15 2022

Ended: tbd

✨️ Taglist: @painted-hills, @kookiedesi, @shakalakaboomboo, @bluisheye93, @daegall, @lovelyjaem, @ahtisa02, @carelessshootanonymous, @justineasian, @eneiyri, @pckeia, @shairamaexx, @vanclaudewho, @sungbeam, @chuusposts, @mkjeong, @precioussoulofmine, @sstarrysshit, @evilsailorsenshi, @angel-luv-04, @riki-is-my-bias

SERIES MASTERLIST

𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠...

Part one - State of the broken hopes

Part two - New people, same old mistakes

Part three - What do you want from me?

#nct 127 #nct × reader #jaehyun x reader #jaehyun series #jaehyun fluff #jaehyun angst #college!au #e2l #'97 line #seventeen #yuta #angst with a happy ending #jaehyun x you #nct x you #nct 127 x you

[mrkis]

𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐘𝐎𝐔 — 𝐎𝐍𝐄 [𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄𝐑]

𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆: mark lee x reader 𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐑𝐄: college au, smut, angst, fluff

𝐒𝐘𝐍𝐎𝐏𝐒𝐈𝐒: you don’t like relationships, you just like to have fun and hookup with random people with no feelings like any other student in college… but there’s just something about that kid with the guitar that you can’t get out of your head.

𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄𝐑 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓: 1k 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄: tba

(listen to: music to watch boys to)

Your tongue swirls around the red heart shaped sucker in your mouth, leaning your elbows on the table with your eyes panning over the people that crowd the cafeteria who are either minding their own business or conversing with friends, watching as one boy saunters through the room in his unzipped royal blue engineering overalls and white t-shirt, the sleeves wrapped snugly around his waist to show his incredible physique that you would like to see without all the layers. Popular fuckboy Jeno has always been your favourite type Jeno, although you’ve never gotten the chance to have a taste of him, much to your dismay.

He makes the girls melt, especially when his biceps protrude as his arm lifts up for his hand to push back the dark hair out of his eyes. Growing out his hair was one of his best decisions, you think, preferring the long haired style over anything else he’s had even though the undercut he once had almost convinced you to fuck him at a party. But your thoughts are no longer filled with him as he greets his friends at a packed lunch table as you latch onto someone else.

His dyed hair always makes him stand out in the crowd despite him now having a dark shade of red that you’d think would look pretty between your legs. Eric, you remember his name. His aura reminded you of Jeno: cocky, confident, definite fuckboy material, outgoing, likeable, fuckable. You slept with him maybe once or twice, it could’ve been three times, you don’t remember. He was good in bed, great even, maybe you should call him back.

A familiar silhouette appears in the corner of your eye and you turn your head to see Wooyoung walk through the entrance of the cafeteria, a sucker similar to yours hanging out of his mouth as he talks to Mingi and San despite his eyes lurking around the room to find you. You smirk at him as he raises his eyebrow suggestively before taking the sucker out of his mouth and kissing the candy and resting it back on his tongue as he focuses his attention back on the pair. 

You always remember how Wooyoung’s mouth feels on your skin, how generous and giving he is when it comes to you. He’s your best fuck, someone you definitely go back to whenever the night is good, or bad. He’s always at your beck and call and you know you got a lot of people glaring daggers your way when you know he’s one of the ones that don’t fuck easily, he doesn’t just fuck anyone, he makes them work for it. But you got him wrapped around your fingers and he has you cumming nightly on his.

You peel your eyes from Wooyoung’s figure to continue your watching yet you can’t help but zone in on one boy in particular that sits in a small group at a table on the far end of the room. His body drowns in an oversized dark green hoodie, thin framed glasses resting on the bridge of his perfectly shaped nose. His lips pout out as he speaks to his friend, round deerlike eyes stare attentively at the so-called person while his fingers tap mindlessly against the table in front of him.

You don’t know him, but you know everyone. You haven’t fucked him because you would’ve remembered someone like him. He is the prettiest boy you’ve ever seen and your body buzzes with excitement at the thought of fresh meat. Your eyes droop lower to see the guitar case resting beside his identical dark green vans and your interest in him immediately shoots higher. Music Major. A guitar player, good with his fingers. The imagery of his hands on your body causes you to grin, craving the pretty boy from afar, needy and desperate for him to meet your eyes across the room but it’s no use when he’s not paying attention. 

Your head tilts to the side as you try to figure out a name for the mystery boy, barely able to see the name engraved in his guitar case next to the canadian flag and spider-man stickers that make you inwardly snicker, finding him a little more cuter than you already did. You’re pretty sure you have a slutty spider-man costume laying around in your closet somewhere from the halloween party you went to last year, maybe you’ll have to post a few pictures wearing it tonight for your instagram and snapchat. Surely he has your socials? Who doesn’t?

His mouth opens as he laughs but you can’t hear it, hitting the person beside him excitedly and the friend recoils, rubbing the sore spot despite them laughing too. Your body vibrates in exhilaration, you want him. 

“Hey!” Doyeon’s muffled voice calls for you over the music that blasts in your ears, snapping her fingers in front of your face before her hands come up to yank the chunky headphones off of your head, resting them around your neck as she nudges you with her shoulder. “I’ve been talking to you for the past five minutes… what the hell are you even staring at?”

You smile widely around the sucker and slowly pull it from between your lips to point it in the direction you’re staring at, closing one eyes to focus on the heart shaped sugary treat that covers the friend of mystery boys head, looking at him only as his nose scrunches with the most prettiest smile. “Him”

#fic: something about you #neo tech college series #SURPRISE!!!! #i was gonna release this very much later on but i wanted to do it now #THIS is going to be my baby #mark lee #mark lee fic #mark lee smut #nct smut #nct dream smut #nct 127 smut #nct fic #nct au #nct dream au #nct 127 au #nct mark

[noonaishere]

Work of Art [J.JH] - epilogue four - something like two years later

You and Jaehyun loved your apartment in Seoul, the placement, the convenience, but eventually it just couldn’t keep up with your needs: you had a curious baby who, on more than one occasion, crawled into your studio and came out covered in oil paints she then tracked all over the floor; Jaehyun wanted to practice choreography at home and there was no space and neighbors who came up to complain when they felt he was making too much noise; and those two points didn’t even matter, because your paintings eventually breached the confines of your studio and began to intrude into the rest of the place like an invasive species. You had outgrown your beloved little apartment, and needed a bigger place.

Not even a year after you had given birth, you had made the decision to buy a house and move to a quiet neighborhood that was a little closer to his parents as well. The proximity to them was convenient not only because they loved baby sitting, often coming over to watch the baby so you could paint without being interrupted constantly, but because his parents were genuinely lovely people and you loved being around them. Of course, they’d have to be if they raised someone like your husband.

“Be good for grandma, okay?” You kissed your daughter on the forehead as she groggily nodded yes and you handed her off to Jaehyun’s mom.

Anna gave both of the twins a kiss and told them to behave themselves. While your child was already tired from running around with her “cousins” all afternoon, her kids were a little older and still had some energy left. They were currently drawing a picture together.

“I’ll get them all to bed on time, don’t worry,” Jaehyn’s mom smiled.

You returned the smile. “Thank you, Omma.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Jeong.” Anna smiled.

“Have fun with your friends, you two.” She said as she sat at the table across from the twins.

“Jae’s mom is so sweet,” Anna said as the two of you walked down the stairs to join the others.

“Mhm. Oh my god, I remember being so nervous when I met his parents. I was like this… dumbass American kid who purposefully orphaned herself from her family and now their son was about to present that mess of a person to them like, ‘Hey, I love this person.’ I was shitting myself.”

Anna laughed.

“But they liked me?” You widened your eyes at her, miming the astonishment you felt when they didn’t just not present you with an envelope of money as a bribe to stop knowing their son, they actually liked you and welcomed your presence.

She laughed again and swatted at you. “Didn’t they like you a lot when you finally met them?”

“Oh yeah. He told them all about me so: I didn’t even know I had a reputation, but it had already preceded me.” You chuckled as the two of you reached the bottom of the stairs and you turned the hall light off as you made your way to the kitchen. “And then his mom was all cute and weepy like, ‘If you ever need a mom, I can be your mom,’ and we both ended up crying.”

“Aww.”

“How’s your mom by the way? How’d the surgery go?”

“Oh, she’s doing great. Her and my dad want to visit once she’s okay to fly.”

“Would they want to come out here at all? We can maybe barbecue in the backyard and the kids can run around.”

“Oh, could we do that? It’d be so much better than having everyone over at our place.”

“That’s why I offered.” You laughed as the two of you walked into the kitchen. “As my oldest and most important friend, of course we can barbecue here.”

“We’re barbecuing?” Jaehyun asked as he arranged snacks onto a tray.

“Anna’s parents might visit soon and I offered our place for barbecuing. Do you mind?”

He shook his head with a smile. “Of course not. I love your parents, Anna.”

She smiled.

“And we’re of a singular mind,” Jaehyun said as you walked over to steal a snack and he seized the moment to kiss you on the cheek.

Anna chuckled. “If you two are going to be like this, I’m going to go wait for everyone else.” She left for the living room.

“You’ve chased our friend away,” you giggled as he went in for a second kiss. 

“Had to happen at some point.”

He chased your lips with his own as you tried to dodge him, laughing as he tried to get you. He pulled you close and buried his face in your neck, you draped your arms over his shoulders with a chuckle and rubbed his back for a moment. 

“You okay?”

He nodded into your neck before pulling away. “I want to see our friends, but I’m suddenly wishing we were having ‘alone time’ instead.” You snorted a laugh. “But this is the first time we’ve seen everyone since, like…” You had to think for a second, you almost couldn’t remember. You narrowed your eyes at him for a moment as you thought, unable to come to the answer. “...Since everyone came over to see the baby for the first time-- I think?”

He buried his face in your neck again and said something you couldn’t hear.

“I’m sorry? Was I meant to understand that?” You laughed.

He pulled back again and leaned his forehead against yours. “I don’t care. I want to be with my wife.”

You exhaled a laugh and headbutted him gently. “Such a whiny boy.” “Maybe.”

“Well, it’s Friday, so maybe we can convince your mom to take Yuri tomorrow and get some time to ourselves for the weekend.”

“Promise?”

“I mean, I can’t because she’s the one who has to say yes or no, but we can try asking.”

He hummed happily and kissed your neck. 

“Sir, we’re having company soon. Actually, we have company already.”

He whined and pulled back so he could show you how angry he was at your rebuff: he furrowed his eyebrows together and frowned.

“Oh my god, so scary. What an intimidating presence.”

He furrowed his brows harder and scrunched up his nose.

“Oh my god. Were I wearing boots, I would be quaking in them. How will I ever recover from this-- this-- terrifying being?”

He laughed and sighed.

You patted his shoulders to get him to focus. “The kiddo and the twins are in bed or at least occupied, and your mom is watching them--”

“You mean Table?”

You laughed. He'd never let you live it down. “Sure.”

“You’re the one who wanted to confuse people,” he laughed.

You smiled. “Well, you picked a better name than I ever could,” you kissed his cheek, “good job, bestie.” You extracted yourself from his embrace 

“Bestie?” He asked incredulously.

You smiled and opened a bag of chips so you could empty them into a bowl. 

He scoffed and walked around the room, pretending to pay attention to everything but you, before launching himself at you and pinning you between himself and the counter.

“Stop stop stop,” you slapped at his hands as he held onto the counter, “everyone else is going to be here soon.”

“You should have thought of that before kissing me~” He sing-songed as he tried to plant kisses on your face that you, giggling, evaded.

“Jae,” you whined, “Anna is in the other room and I have to put chips in a bowl; very important.”

“More important than my kisses?”

“Much.”

He made a face of false offense and made sure you saw it.

“Do you know how many chips go bowl-less every year? Too many.”

“What would you do, if there was a chip, right in front of you?”

“In the arms… of… an angel…” you warbled in the worst singing voice you could muster.

“Oh my god,” he laughed and hugged you from behind,” I’m going to put that on Soundcloud and make you famous.”

You laughed loudly. “I’m a whiteboy Soundcloud rapper! ‘Skrrt! Skrrt! My daddy never loved me and now I have bad feelings about women and have to make it everyone else’s problem!’ Let go, I have to start my career! Skrrt!”

“Skrrt! Skrrt!”

“Skrrt!”

He laughed and held onto you as you tried to struggle, both of you laughing like idiots as you “Skrrt”-ed at each other and he only landed half the kisses he was trying to plant on you.

“Ah-HEM.” The two of you heard and Jaehyun turned to see who it was, pulling away from the counter and turning you as well.

Johnny laughed. “Are you going to flirt with your wife the whole time, Jeffery, or are you actually going to say hi to your guests?”

“Wave for us,” Jaehyun said and lifted you so you could wave with your feet.

You waved with your feet.

“Hi, y/n.” He laughed as he put the drinks he arrived with on the counter. “I’m going to say hi to my babies, but before I do, this is Mark Lee, a friend I met while DJing. He’s Canadian so don’t be afraid to act like a foreigner around him.” Johnny presented him to you before leaving for the upstairs portion of the house.

“Ahh, vous êtes Canadien?”

“Huh?”

You chuckled. “Hi, Mark Lee from Canada,” you said before waving again. “I’m y/n, this is my husband, Jaehyun. I’m from the US and he lived in America for four years.”

“Hi,” he awkwardly came over and shook your hand. He looked at Jaehyun, confused.

“Honey, let go of me and shake his hand,” you laughed.

He finally let go of you and you helped Anna unpack the drinks. Jaehyun shook Mark’s hand.

“This is a nice house.” “Thank you.” 

They stood together awkwardly. “Why don’t you show him around?” You suggested. “Mark, are you a DJ?”

“Oh-- Actually I’m a rapper.” You laughed. “Maybe Jae can show you his studio, then.”

“Oh-- Yo, you have your own studio?” Mark asked Jaehyun, excited.

“Yeah. Want to see?”

“Of course! Jaehyun, let’s see that studio, son!”

You laughed loudly as they walked away.

“My husband finds the weirdest people.” Anna said, shaking her head.

“I think you mean he finds the best people,” you corrected.

She laughed. The doorbell rang and both of you went over to the intercom to check who it was. Seeing the rest of your friend group standing there, you opened the door and let them all in.

“Hi! Did you all come together?”

“No,” Eunji said as the two of you hugged, “somehow we all arrived at the same time.”

You laughed as Jungwoo gangster-cat-walked his way into the house before giving you a hug as well. 

“Was traffic bad?” Anna asked.

“Not too terrible,” Taeyong answered as he walked in with Yuta behind him.

“Did you get my files for the multimedia exhibition?” Yuta asked you.

“I did. I think I was breastfeeding at the time and swiped it away by accident, but I’ll look on Monday.”

“Why not tomorrow?”

You narrowed your eyes at him. 

He narrowed his eyes back.

“It’s the weekend, my dude.”

“You can still look, my dude.”

“But my dude wants to fool around, my dude--”

“Okay, I was going to make a joke like, ‘Were you breastfeeding Jae or the baby?’ but I didn’t know I would be given that information.” 

You laughed loudly and slapped him on the arm.

“I have to go to Japan next week and I was hoping you’d look at it before then.”

“Then why’d you send it on a Friday afternoon?”

“I was--”

“He was bothering me all week about the music for the exhibition,” Johnny said as he came down the stairs. “That’s why.”

“Ohh…” you said and raised your eyebrows at Yuta.

“What a traitor,” he said back to Johnny.

Johnny shrugged and walked over to give Anna a hug and kiss. 

“What’s that for?”

“The beautiful mother of my beautiful children.”

She laughed softly and rolled her eyes.

“Did your beautiful wife tell you that our firm picked up another project?” Jungwoo asked.

Johnny turned to Anna. “No she didn’t?”

Anna scowled at Jungwoo.

“Oh-- sorry.”

“Jungie,” Eunji sighed.

“Sorry.”

“Am I not supposed to know?” Johnny asked.

Anna sighed. “I had reserved a table at a nice restaurant so I could tell you and we could celebrate in a little style.”

He put his arms around her. “Aww, babe, we can still do that.”

“But now it’s not a surprise.”

“...What’s not a surprise?”

You snickered.

She looked up at him, her brows furrowed.

He looked back, doe-eyed in false confusion.

She sighed. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, but I don’t know what you’re thanking me for.”

She sighed and hugged him.

Johnny turned them both so he could get her walking towards the dining room, and winked at Jungwoo in as they passed him.

Jungwoo shrugged apologetically. Eunji hit him on the arm.

“What?”

“You know she likes to surprise him.”

“I thought she told him already.”

“You should have asked.”

“I said I was sorry.”

“Do you not celebrate a new project?” Taeyong asked.

“I-- we do-- but…” Jungwoo stuttered.

Eunji raised an eyebrow at him. “It’s uh… more lowkey.”

Taeyong looked at them in confusion for a moment before realizing what they meant. “Okay, well--” and left for the dining room.

“Yet another thing I didn’t need to know.” Yuta said and followed him.

You laughed and linked your arms in theirs. “Come on, you crazy, childless lovebirds.”

Eunji laughed softly. “Speaking of, can we watch the peanut again? She was so funny last time.”

“I know you’re not warming up to the idea of having kids.”

“Our Eunji? Never.” Jungwoo laughed.

“Listen, I heard every pregnancy horror story my grandmother, aunts, and mom all went through, I am so good. But Yuri’s cute when she’s awake and playing. You can have her back when she poops or cries or whatever.”

You laughed. “Rent-a-baby.”

“Exactly. I’m like a fun aunt: I watch her when she’s fun, you can have her back when she’s work. And then I’ll go home to my quiet and my cute husband.”

Jungwoo blew her a kiss.

You laughed again. “I love you two.”

She hugged you as you walked into the dining room. Anna and Johnny were setting up the food and snacks and getting the drinks ready. Jaehyun and Mark were coming back from the studio.

“And where’d you get the yellow one?”

“The Behringer? Amazon, honestly.”

“Oh, no doubt.” He made a note in his phone.

“You can get some really interesting distortion effects if you just fuck around with it for a bit.”

“Expensive?”

“Not really.”

“No doubt, no doubt.” He saw Johnny. “Amazon, more like AmaJon!” He laughed and gave Johnny a handshake hello.

“Mark, I’m literally the one who invited you.”

“You gotta be cordial, you gotta be cordial, you know? And me, I gotta be cordial.”

Cordial? You mouthed to Jaehyun.

He widened his eyes and shrugged as he walked over, and kissed you on the head. He whispered into your ear: “He’s an interesting guy.”

You giggled.

“Was it that funny?”

“Your breath made my hair touch my ear.”

He smiled and brushed it back away from your face, and then kissed you on the lips.

“Ahhh!” Johnny clapped loudly. “Stop that! You have guests!”

The two of you laughed.

“Maybe we should start the game.” Taeyong said. “So they’ll be preoccupied with something else.”

“Hey, we’re more than capable of keeping our hands off each other,” you protested.

“That’s not what I heard,” Yuta said with a wry smile.

You threw a chip at him.

With the snacks all placed on the table and the drinks all opened or mixed, you were all finally able to get to the main event of the night: Mafia.

A favorite of the group whenever you got together, it had started as a fun suggestion when you were still all in college, and became a sort of tradition. It was just competitive enough that you all got silly with it, but not competitive enough that anyone ever got into a fight. And it was perfect, because you all had your own way of trying to figure out who the mafia was; there was never a dull moment in any of the games you had played over the years.

So drinks were drank and since everyone was a little more drunk, the game started.

“Okay, everyone, heads down.” Johnny commanded.

“Thumbs up, Seven Up.” You said.

He chuckled. The only other people who would have understood you - Anna and Jaehyun - elbowed you in the side from where they sat on either side of you. You laughed.

“I will now walk around, and if I tap you,” Johnny said, “you’re that thing. Okay?”

A chorus of muffled ‘yes’es came back to him, along with one “Yes, games daddy.”

Johnny paused for a moment. “Yuta, was that you?”

“Yes.”

You all laughed, heads still down. You could guess that Johnny was probably shaking his head as Yuta laughed, self satisfied.

Johnny went around, telling everyone what they were, saying the name and then walking around the table a bunch of times so no one could figure out who was being tapped and who was what.

“Okay, the town, city, whatever is asleep,” Johnny started. “Can I see the mafia? Ma-ma-ma-ma-mafia, yeah, they are the mafia--”

“Babe.” Anna admonished.

“Ring-ding-ding, ding-ding-ding,” you sang.

Jaehyun laughed next to you.

Anna sighed. “You’re both as bad as each other.”

You laughed.

“No talking,” Johnny said with a sort of faux annoyance you knew to expect from him. “Mafia, wake up and do your dastardly deeds.”

You weren’t anything so you kept your head down.

“Who would you like to kill? Mhm? Alright, thank you. Go back to sleep. Now can the cop wake up?”

“ACAB,” Eunji said.

The table laughed quietly.

Johnny suppressed a laugh. “And who would you like to sneak a peek at?” He asked the cop. He was quiet for a few moments as they picked who they wanted to check and were told the answer. “Okay, go back to sleep. Now will the doctor awaken?”

Silence for a few seconds. 

“Doctor?”

Silence again.

“Doctor.” He said forcefully.

“That’s me!” Mark said happily.

The game ruined, everyone groaned and picked up their heads. 

“Mork!” Johnny yelled, exasperated.

“Mork!” You yelled, delighted.

“Mork?” Jaehyun asked.

“Wait, what’s ‘Mork’?” Jungwoo laughed.

“That’s what the other rappers and DJs call him when he does things like this,” Johnny said with a sigh.

“What?” Mark asked.

“Mork, come sit near me,” Yuta said, patting the seat next to him.

As he changed seats, Jaehyun asked. “Who was the mafia?”

“Me and Yuta,” Jungwoo said.

“Ahh,” Jaehyun nodded.

“It’s actually a good thing that you ended the game, Mark,” Johnny said as deleted the first list of positions he had made on his phone. 

“Why?”

“Because they killed Taeyong and he died first the last two times we played.”

“What?” Taeyong asked as he looked between Jungwoo and Yuta. “What have I ever done to you two?”

You laughed. “Again?”

“Do you kill him all the time?” Mark asked Yuta.

“We do. It makes him so mad.” Yuta laughed.

You couldn’t tell if Taeyong was actually offended or pretending to be as he sat there, slack-jawed at the two of them.

“Okay, let’s start over.” Johnny said, finishing his new list.

He went around the room selecting the positions again, and again you weren’t any of them. The first morning came and he had you all ‘wake  up’.

“Good morning~” he sang. “Edvard Grieg’s ‘Morning Mood’ is playing like it’s a laundry commercial and you’re all waking up to a new day.”

“I’m taking down my laundry and smelling how fresh they smell,” you mimed taking laundry off a clothesline.

“What’s that?” Jungwoo asked.

“Taking it off a clothesline-- wait you don’t have that here. I’m taking it off a drying rack.” 

You pretended to take something like a towel off a drying rack and leaned over the table to let him smell it. He pretended it smelled amazing and both of you mimed like two people in a detergent commercial, smiling in an absolutely unhinged way at the scent of fabric softener.

“Does this mean they’re the mafia?” Anna asked.

“No, it means they’re clowns,” Eunji said.

Jaehyun pulled at your shirt to make you sit. You looked at him and held up the imaginary towel to let him pretend to smell it. He did and you both started miming being in a box.

“Even worse,” Anna laughed.

Jaehyun kissed your cheek in a sneak attack.

“No profanity at the table,” Johnny said. 

You snorted a laugh.

“Now,” he paused, “there was a death last night.”

You all reacted with shock.

“The person murdered… was Mark.”

Mark reacted with surprise.

“Sounds like a revenge killing,” you said.

“Are you the cop?” Jaehyun asked. 

“No, I’m a concerned citizen; I came here to wash and dry my unmentionables in peace, now there’s crime happening in the area! What about my unmentionables?”

“For unmentionables, you sure mention them an awful lot.” He said.

“Sounds pretty suspicious to me…” Anna trailed off as she narrowed her eyes at you.

“You also went pretty hard on the waking up bit,” Taeyong pointed out.

“Yeah, but she always does that.” Jaehyun said.

You nodded. This was true; who would you be without sprinkling random comedy bits throughout your day like a vaudevillian actor. Of stage and screen.

“I can’t figure out who it is.” Yuta said, glaring at everyone at the table. 

“I have an idea--” you started, and Anna started sarcastically clapping for your ability to have an idea. Johnny and Jaehyun joined and soon the whole table did as you sat there, looking unimpressed. “Fine. I won’t tell you what it is.”

“What is it?” Yuta asked.

“No.” You pretended to fold your laundry on the table. “If you’re going to be like that then I won’t tell you who I think it is.”

“You can’t just hold back clues.” Jungwoo said.

“I bet you she doesn’t know anything,” Anna laughed.

“No,” you said.

You finished your imaginary laundry and folded your hands in your lap gently like a middle-aged mother who felt unappreciated by her family, whose kids haven’t called since they moved out and who hasn’t received even a card for Mother’s Day. You can’t even go to the store to buy a card? On which to write ‘To’ and ‘From’ and mail it a few days before? You can’t even think about your mother on the day specifically for thinking about mothers? Hah. There truly is no point in raising children. 

You laughed a short sigh as you shrugged. “I won’t tell you.”

“Well, regardless of whether we need to start visiting during the holidays…” Johnny said.

You pointed at him. You knew he’d get it.

He nodded at you. “You do all have to pick a mafia to get rid of.”

“Do we have any clues?” Anna asked.

“Not really,” Taeyong said. “But I’m alive so it can’t be Jungwoo or Yuta.”

You all laughed.

“On the count of three,” Johnny said. “One, Two, three.”

Everyone pointed at whoever and Johnny looked at the chaos of indecision.

“Uh… Jaehyun two, Taeyong two, Eunji two. You three can make your plea. Eunji?”

“So, I wasn’t going to pick Taeyong,” Eunji started, “but then I saw him pick me so I picked him back.”

“That easy, huh?” Anna asked with a laugh.

She nodded. “I figure, if he’s going to pick me, I’m going to pick him back because I have no idea who it is.” 

Johnny nodded. “Taeyong?”

“I’m not the mafia. I don’t know who it is, but I-- it’s really not me.”

“Convincing,” Yuta nodded.

Johnny nodded. “And Jae?”

“I don’t think it’s Yuta or Jungwoo like Taeyong said, and I don’t think it’s y/n.”

“Isn’t this supposed to be a plea for you?” You asked. 

“I saw Eunji’s face when you said you had an idea, so I think she’s a mafia. She acted like a mafia would if they knew they were caught.”

“Jungwoo’s been quiet,” Eunji said.

“Have I?” He asked.

“Hmm, maybe a little,” Yuta said, eyes still narrowed in suspicion.

Jaehyun continued. “I think that maybe the mafia are in a rush. Other positions aren’t in a rush, but the mafia are, obviously.”

“Are you in a rush?” Yuta asked.

Zinged, Jaehyun fixed his hair, smiling.

Everyone talked for a few moments until Johnny shouted over the group. “Okay! You all have to pick: one, two, three.”

Most of the fingers pointed at Taeyong.

“What?” He asked.

“Okay, Taeyong’s out.”

Yuta looked at everyone at the table. “What the--”

“Everyone back to sleep!” Johnny said.

You all put your heads back down. And that’s when you heard it again, the noise you heard during the first night: something between a rustling and a jingling. You had, as any hard boiled detective would say, a hunch. And it wasn’t just because of your bad posture.

And after all of the named positions made their choices, you all woke up.

“Good morning lawful citizens,” Johnny started. “There was a death last night.”

Giggling and gasping. 

He turned slowly towards Jaehyun. “The Valentine Boy himself… has passed.”

Jaehyun sighed. You pretended to mourn him so he pretended to be dead.

“No! Jaehyun! My one and only love!”

“I thought I was your one and only love?” Anna asked.

“You’re my one and only platonic love,” you corrected before turning to Johnny. “Anyway, Eunji is the mafia, I heard her earrings during both nights after you asked the mafia to wake up, meaning she picked her head up, meaning she’s the mafia.”

Jaehyun looked at you, surprised, and whispered: “Wow.”

“You’re dead, you can’t talk.” Johnny said.

“Can I come back from the dead to make out with my wife?”

“Absolutely not.”

He sighed dejectedly. “Being dead sucks.”

You laughed.

“I heard her earrings too,” Yuta pointed at you. “She’s definitely one. I think Anna is the other one.”

“Why me?” Anna asked.

“You’re being suspicious.” “Does that mean you want to vote?” Johnny asked.

“Yes!” half of you shouted.

“I think we need to discuss this more,” Eunji said.

“Nope. My husband is dead and I desire vengeance!" You countered, hitting your fists on the table. “Who’s going to run the washing machine? Because it definitely won’t be me!”

Jaehyun laughed his dad laugh.

“One, two, three.” Johnny counted.

You, Yuta, and Jungwoo pointed at Eunji. Eunji pointed at you, Anna pointed at Jungwoo.

“Why are you pointing at me?” He asked.

“I panicked.”

He shot her a look.

Yuta narrowed his eyes at her.

“Eunji, you’re out. We’ll hold a lovely funeral for you.” Johnny said.

She sighed. “You’re making a mistake.”

“Beddy-bye.” Johnny said and you all put your heads down.

A few moments later and you all picked them up again.

“Good morning, random citizens. Y/n has died. Her funeral will be held tomorrow… if you can make it that far.”

You turned to Jaehyun, mouth agape, and he nodded at you sadly. You sighed and linked arms with him, both of you closing your eyes and pretending to be laid to rest for a few moments before going back to listening to the game.

“Okay, now I know it's Anna.” Yuta said.

“How is it me?”

“Because you pointed at Jungwoo instead of Eunji, and now y/n is dead which means she was right.”

“That checks out,” Jungwoo nodded. “I vote for Anna.”

They both pointed at her.

“Can’t I defend myself?”

They shook their heads.

Johnny shrugged at her. “Is that your final answer?” He asked them.

“Mhm,” Yuta nodded.

“Mhm.” Jungwoo nodded.

He nodded and paused dramatically. “The Citizens… have won.”

You clapped. The whole table bustled with energy.

“I knew I shouldn’t have pointed at you, Jungwoo.” Anna said.

He laughed. “Why did you?”

“I didn’t want to vote Eunji and I panicked.”

“You could have voted for me, I wouldn’t have been mad,” Eunji said.

“I’m surprised you managed to get it together after not listening to me and then letting me die.” You said.

“Who were the doctor and cop?” Yuta asked.

“I was the cop,” Mark raised his hand. 

“I was the doctor,” Taeyong said.

“And you got voted out instead,” Jaehyun laughed.

Taeyong laughed with a sigh.

“Do we want to break for five minutes before the next game?” Johnny asked.

“Yes,” the table said in unison, as Eunji stood and left for the kitchen.

“If you need a drink, I’ll get it,” you offered as you stood.

“No, I’m taking my earrings off.” You heard rustling, her bag probably, and she came back in with naked ears. “If you think I’m getting caught like that again, you’re out of your fucking mind.”

You laughed.

“Anyone want their drinks refreshed?” Jaehyun asked and stood.

Everyone put their drink orders in and he went back and forth a couple times between the kitchen and the dining room getting drinks and throwing out empty bottles and cans. 

He sat and put a new drink in front of you.

“Oh, I don’t need another one.” You said.

He shrugged. “We can share.” And kissed you on the head.

“No making out at the table!” Johnny said forcefully.

“It’s our house,” you said back through gritted teeth, “we can do whatever we want!”

“Not during the game!”

You turned to Jaehyun. “Let’s throw all these drinks off the table and really show them something.”

He looked at the drinks for a few seconds. “...I don’t want to clean it up though.”

You turned back to Johnny. “You’re only safe because my husband is lazy. And so am I.”

He laughed.

Anna laughed and imitated the two of you. “‘Jae! Hold me back!’ ‘...Nah.’”

You laughed. “That’s exactly it.”

“If anyone actually made her mad, they’d only be getting what’s coming to them,” he said and sipped the drink.

Johnny pointed at him, hoping he’d understand what he had in mind.

Jaehyun didn’t notice him at first, but the silence made him look in his direction. He considered him for a moment and then realized what the pointing was in reference to. He raised an eyebrow in acknowledgement and pointed back.

Mark looked between the two of them. “What does the pointing mean?”

Johnny looked at him, confused for a moment, and then realized: “Oh, I forgot someone was here who didn’t know.”

“You don’t need to explain it,” you said to Johnny and then addressed Mark, “Something happened a long time ago because of someone we used to know. It’s not important.”

He nodded. 

“My wife is a terror, Mork, that’s all you need to know,” Jaehyun said and hugged you.

“Jae--”

“She’s a terror and I love her.”

You laughed. “So romantic.”

“You know those horror stories of women of the woods who are terrifying and beautiful--”

“--and terrifyingly beautiful--”

“--who eat men and are pure chaos? That’s her.” He squeezed you.

“Are you sure you’re not drunk?” You laughed.

He pulled back and looked at you. “I never said I wasn’t.”

“Oh my god.”

He grinned a dopey grin at you. How did you not notice before? His ears were already red and his eyes were getting that sleepy look you thought was adorable as he got all clingy with you.

“We’ve lost him.” Yuta said.

“I can’t believe I was hoping you two would get together, you’re so annoying.” Taeyong said.

You laughed.

“Okay!” Johnny clapped his hands together. “Next game.”

The game started and when Johnny said ‘Mafia’ the first time, you felt a tap on your shoulder as he walked by. 

You were rarely chosen as mafia, and you honestly liked it better that way; you were able to goof off more and didn’t have to try and strategize at all. A small wave of panic surged through you for a second, and you wondered if you could actually win. It depended on your partner.

Johnny started and asked if you’d all like to introduce yourselves: 

“I’m a…” Mark thought, “a concerned citizen.”

“What are you concerned about, Mark?” Johnny asked.

“Uh… laundry?”

“You have to get your own bit,” you said.

The group laughed.

Everyone else introduced themselves in some way or another, and you all decided not to vote, as no one seemed suspicious. 

Then you went to the first night.

“Oh mafia… please raise your heads.” Johnny said.

You picked your head up and looked around, before landing on Jaehyun, who was looking right at you. You smiled in surprise, and he smiled back. This could be very bad… or very good. You smiled deviously at him, he mirrored you.

“Who would you like to kill, mafia?”

You pointed at Taeyong. Jaehyun looked at you, surprised. You scrunched up your nose with determination and nodded. It was a perfect opening. He nodded back and both of you pointed to him and nodded to Johnny.

“Thank you mafia, your order will be delivered in three to five weeks.”

You both put your heads down and waited for the others to do their thing.

“Okay, everyone, the day is dawning; time to write your morning pages, time to do your yoga and have a green smoothie. And maybe file a police report because Taeyong is dead.”

“What?” Mark says, sadly.

Taeyong sighed.

Yuta and Jungwoo’s attention snapped to each other.

Perfect.

They sized each other up for a moment. 

“You think it’s me?” Jungwoo asked.

“I think it’s you.” Yuta replied.

“I think it’s you!” Jungwoo laughed.

Yuta narrowed his eyes at him, Jungwoo narrowed his back. 

“Maybe it’s Eunji,” Yuta shifted his attention over to her.

Eunji looked up from sipping her drink. “Me? Why me?”

“Because you’re being quiet.”

“I was drinking? Should I talk when I drink? I’ll drown!”

You laughed.

“I think it’s Anna,” Jungwoo said. 

“Why’s that?” Jaehyun asked.

“She was the mafia before.”

You stared at him for a second. “Are you new at this?”

“Is there anyone you would like to vote off?”

Everyone voted and no one had over one vote. Somehow.

“Ohh, one of those games,” Johnny said. “If you can’t decide, go back to sleep.”

“Mafia~ oh mafia~!” Johnny sang.

You and Jaehyun lifted your heads.

“Oh there you are, my little mafia. Who would you like to kill, mafia?”

You weren’t sure who to go for next. Yuta and Jungwoo had to stay alive for the plan, but you weren’t sure about everyone else.

Jaehyun pointed to Mark and raised his eyebrows, asking if you agreed. You shrugged and nodded. You both pointed at Mark.

“Oh? Really? Really, really? Wow! Okay!”

You tried not to laugh and put your head back down.

“Oh cop~! The next stop is: cop. Who would you like to check, cop? Okay~! Is there a doctor in the house? Oh doc! Who will you save, doc? Think carefully doctor! Think with all of your heart and your hippocratic oath! Okay, I’ll ask you about my bill later. Everyone wake and greet the new morning.”

You all woke up, you pretended to yawn and roll over in bed, and put your arm across Jaehyun. He patted your arm and you pretended to wake up.

Johnny stood still like a video game character who had just spawned in. 

You all stared at him.

He stared back.

“...”

“...”

“...”

“Anyway, Mark is dead.”

Mark looked heartbroken. Poor goofball.

“I still think Jungwoo is suspicious,” Yuta said.

“Me? I’m just a citizen. You’re the suspicious one, you keep laying blame everywhere.”

“You have to lay blame somewhere, that’s how the game is played.”

“Are you just picking people you don’t like?”

“I can only trust Yuta,” Jaehyun said. “He’s really good at this game.”

You nodded. “But so is Jungwoo. Who do you suspect when the dream team is broken up?”

“Unless they’re the mafia and this is all an act.”

“Oh, shit,” you whispered.

Yuta stared at the two of you for a few moments. “I think it’s Jaehyun, y/n. Done.”

“Such confidence,” you replied.

“I’ll give you time to talk it out,” Johnny said and set a timer on his phone.

“I think he’s the mafia and he’s floundering,” Anna said.

“That could be it,” Eunji added.

“Why do you think I’m the mafia?” Yuta asked.  “You know how I play.”

“That’s exactly something the mafia would say.”

“What about you?” Eunji asked Jungwoo.

“Me?”

“Mhm.”

“I’m a cop.”

Taeyong pressed his eyes closed and tried to sigh without anyone noticing. You noticed.

“You’re the cop?”

“Yeah.”

“You don’t seem like a cop.”

“I’m a very good cop, every investigation I take on gets solved.”

“So who do you think is the mafia, cop?” You asked.

Jungwoo looked around the table. “I’m leaning towards… Anna, honestly.”

“Me?” She asked.

“Yeah. You seem suspicious.”

Anna turned to Yuta and glared at him.

“How’s it feel, mafia?”

She glared at him harder.

The alarm went off. “Okay, you have to vote.”

Everyone pointed. Most were pointing at Anna.

“Eunji, you have to save me,” she said.

“How do I save you?”

“And my lovely wife is no more.” Johnny said. “Go to sleep.”

You all put your heads down.

Johnny sang. “Mafia, mafia, who will you pick? Mafia mafia, who will--” 

“Get sick.”

“You’re dead, Mark. You can’t talk.”

The group chuckled.

“Will the real mafia, please wake up.”

You and Jaehyun raised your heads and shared your second devious smile of the night. Anna looked at you, unimpressed. You blew her a kiss.

You pointed at Jungwoo and raised your brows to ask if Jaehyun agreed. He nodded and you both pointed at him to show Johnny your pick.

“Okay. Okay. Okay? Okay! I got it! I said I got it! I got it!”

Mark started laughing and Jaehyun implored Johnny with his expression.

“Alright, thank you to the mafia, without them, this wouldn’t be the same.”

You put your heads back down.

“And the cop? Thank you copper. And the doc? Thank you doccer. Everyone awake, to a new, fresh morn’.”

“Doccer?” Taeyong whispered to himself.

“It’s the next morning,” Johnny continued. “...Jungwoo is dead.”

“Oh my god,” Yuta said. “It was Jaehyun and y/n.”

“Wait, are we done?” Eunji asked. “We didn’t find anyone.”

“There’s still four of us,” Jaehyun said.

“How many mafia are left?” You asked.

Johnny smiled. “I don’t know, you tell me.”

You smiled and held up two fingers.

Yuta groaned. “I should have gone with my gut!” 

“Why didn’t you?” Jungwoo asked.

“I have no idea!”

The group laughed.

“What number game was that?” Jaehyun asked.

You started ticking them off on your fingers, “First game… Borked by Mork. Second game… Ladies Night. Third game… Sleeper Cell Dream Team.”

He nodded.

“Where do you come up with this shit?” Eunji laughed.

“I have no idea, my good dude.”

“Should we play one more game?” Jungwoo asked the table.

“I don’t know,” Anna responded, nodding a Johnny, “Are you okay? Didn’t you stand all day while you were setting up the festival?”

“I’m okay.”

“Your feet don’t hurt?”

He smiled. “They’re fine, my love.” He looked past her for a few moments before gesturing at what he was looking at. “Anyway, I think at least one of us is a lost cause.”

Anna turned. Jaehyun’s face was buried in your neck and in between gentle pats and shoves, you were giggling as you tried to fend him off.

“We have guests, sir! Guests!”

“Tell them to get their own wife.”

“Oh my god--ahh!”

Anna shook her head. “I guess we’re done.”

a/n: I hope you enjoyed my little ditty (heavily) inspired by watching the (at the time, new-- this has been sitting in an unfinished state for a long time 😅😅😅 lol) NCT mafia game (and then rewatching the old one). I thought, “Wouldn’t it be fun of my idiots did this?” yes. I think so. lol

[this is the end this time! I promise]

previous | main cast | masterlist | start again?🍑

#jaehyun #jeong jaehyun #jung jaehyun #nct 127 #nct 127 smau #nct 127 fic #nct 127 au #nct smau #nct fic #nct au #college au #nct fake texts #nect fake chats #nct writing #jaehyun imagines #jaehyun scenarios #boyfriend jaehyun #college jaehyun

[yongislong]

back scratching + dreamies.

genre: fluff AAAAGH, suggestive? i can never tell lmao nonidol!dreamies

note: no cws just tooth rotting fluff, tysm for requesting anon! i hope you enjoy this... word vomit pfft. not proofread im studying GAHH

mark... adores it when you scratch his back. never knows how to ask for it though HAHA. melts every time you do it. especially likes it when you do it to him before bed or as a way to let him know that the sun has risen. its one of the moments in your relationship that is most intimate if that makes sense? he finds comfort in sitting in silence with you after a long day, as the scratching noises break through the silence in your shared room :")

renjun... is so ticklish. honestly prefers to do it to you but he cant help but curl into your side whenever you scratch his back even if he's practically convulsing under you from how much it tickles. will flat out ask you to do it, but he always needs to be in a specific mood since it doesn't happen often! usually asks for it on days where he's been hunched over his computer for a long time and his back is in more pain than usual

jeno... human cat fr. LOVES it when you do it especially if you have longer nails. he feels recharged and it always helps him fall asleep so fast. if you wear fake nails OH MY GOSH he will never ever stop asking you to rub his back, its become a nightly routine after the first time. he will do it to you sometimes but he always falls asleep so quickly that it bothers you pft, his dead weight lands on your back when its only been 10 minutes. likes it when you scratch his abdomen too. just likes feeling your nails rake over his soft skin

haechan... makes it a game LOL. has you write words on his back and he takes his turns trying to guess the phrase you wrote or guess the letters you're tracing. gets SO excited when he guesses right and pulls you in closer. asks for it without words. will always rest his body on your lap and you know that's your cue to get to scratching. the biggest content smile is plastered on his face, even in his sleep! likes it when you scratch closer towards the small of his back since thats where most of his pain is, or so he says lol

jaemin... so so so kind my babygirl. it kinda just happens. he's resting his head on your chest and his big broad shoulders are in perfect view, its kinda hard not to scratch his back esp when he sleeps with no shirt on. so tempting. his skin is so soft and he MELTSS. also likes to play games with you, especially one night when you traced a heart on his back and his pulse SOARED. makes it a point to grab your wrist and tuck your hand under his shirt or drape it along his bare shoulders whenever he wants it from you. also falls asleep really fast. ticklish around the waist OOP

chenle... wake him up with back scratches PLEASE. i feel like he ends up facing away from you during his sleep so in the morning, raking your fingers up and down his spine softly jolts him awake and its so cute. always acts like its his first time on earth when he wakes up btw LMAO. enjoys it so much. prefers if you use your finger tips because he gets itchy whenever you use your nails HAHA. he's so domestic though. he acts like an old man who's been with you for years. grumbles about how nice your fingers feel until his rant is cut short by his snoring

jisung... god he is so. that boy is a Child. truly the most genuinely nice and pure soul. if you were to ever scratch his back, i think you would feel how he would physically sink into the mattress or couch. has never had a partner before so is pretty timid about asking for back scratches but he really really enjoys them. always insists that he return the favor though! clings to you like a koala. makes it a point to make this a ritual since he finds such fun in it. helps him calm down on nights where his anxiety or nightmares are bad. can't help but get flustered every time you dip your palm under the collar of his shirt

#nct fluff #nct blurb #nct reactions #nct soft blurbs #nct soft hours #nct college au #nct icons #nct 127 fluff #nct dream headcanons #nct dream fluff #renjun fluff #jeno fluff #mark lee fluff #mark fluff #jaemin fluff #haechan fluff #donghyuck fluff #jisung fluff #chenle fluff #7dream #nct headcannons #nct dream reactions #nct reader insert #nct x reader #nct dream x reader #nct 127 x reader #7dream fluff #nct dream comfort #nct dream college au #nct dream fic

[weirdkpopgirl]

Stronger Together | Haechan Fic #2

Title: Stronger Together

Genre: College AU, exes to lovers (sort of)

Warnings: mentions of mental health issues like anxiety and self-harm, bullying. the story gets very emotional

Word Count: 14k

Author's Note: Omg I've been working on this story for way too long. This has been on the backburner of my drive for months. And somebody sent a request, asking me to write something with Haechan where the reader has a hard time being vulnerable with him. So I thought I might as well finish this story since it fits that request? I apologize for how long and cliché it is. I was also heavily influenced by the k-dramas that take place in universities lol. Thank you guys for reading and I really hope you like it ^^

─❀*̥˚─❀*̥˚─❀*̥˚─❀*̥˚─❀*̥˚─❀*̥˚─❀*̥˚─❀*̥˚─❀*̥˚─❀*̥˚─❀*̥˚─

~ prologue ~

Everything felt like some tragic scene from a romance movie gone wrong. One that left the audience holding their breaths, afraid of what the character���s next move would be. Meeting at a café, the one close to your university. The aroma of fresh coffee filled the air. The dimmed ambiance, as it was no longer daytime. Soft music playing in the background. Then there was you two in the corner of the room. The warm drinks set atop the wooden table remained untouched. The carefree smiles faded gradually.

At last, the silence was broken. When you met his eyes, all the courage you mustered up dispersed. Then the words you never thought you’d hear yourself say fell from your lips.

“Let’s break up.”

The sun receded behind the somber, gray clouds as the storm took hold, leaving behind the absence of the once cherished feelings of warmth and radiance.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

~ chapter one ~

“Yeonsung University’s Hae-Dal Couple Seen Sharing a Cute Moment Before Class,” Jaemin read aloud to the group.

You held back a grimace when you scrolled through the snapshots, most likely taken behind the school bushes. One of Donghyuck gently removing an eyelash off your cheek. One of you smiling fondly at him. One of him giving you an innocent kiss on the forehead. What began as a quiet exchange with your boyfriend had turned into morning gossip eagerly devoured by the students of Yeonsung.

“We look cute don’t we?” Donghyuck proudly swung an arm around your shoulders. Unlike you, he wasn’t bothered by the post at all. 

You shrugged in response. “I guess.”

Maybe you were just being sensitive. At the start of university, you had a lot of goals. Study hard, get good grades, and find a nice internship. Love and leisure? Those were not on the list. Yet somehow Lee Donghyuck, one of the most popular freshmen, just had to pursue you out of all the other girls who fawned over him.

A little over half a year has passed since you agreed to be his girlfriend—after numerous rejections, and you still haven’t adapted to your elevated social status. The way everyone stopped to look in awe at the two of you when walking by. How there always seemed to be someone with a phone to capture a single moment of your day and post it to the UniYeon, your college’s community site. The endless stream of comments praising you both as the epitome of couple goals and being jealous over your relationship with the one and only Lee Donghyuck was unrelenting.

Maybe you were crazy for disliking the attention, even though it wasn’t necessarily bad. Being a campus couple—with Lee Donghyuck much less, meant taking all the pressure that came with it. Your boyfriend seemed to have no problem ignoring what everyone else thought. So why was it so hard for you?

“Hey, guys!” Your best friend, Ahryun, snapped you out of your thoughts. “There’s this new fried chicken place that opened nearby. We should check it out. I heard there’s a special discount for university students there.”

Your lips parted, hesitant to respond, as a sense of wariness washed over you. Fortunately, Donghyuck spoke up, saving you both from the need to answer.

“Can’t. (Y/n) and I have a date for our 200-day anniversary,” He said proudly. You couldn’t help but smile when he turned to you with such loving eyes.

Although it felt like the whole university was watching your relationship like it was a reality show, you could handle the inconvenience. The love you had for Donghyuck allowed any wary thoughts to temporarily shift to the back of your mind. 

You never pictured yourself dating someone like him, honestly. To say the least, you and he were quite the opposite of each other. He was a social butterfly, who made everyone around him laugh. You were the more reserved type, sticking with small groups of friends, and hiding your face behind the thin rose-gold glasses you always wore. Donghyuck often left you wondering what made him like you in the first place.

The anticipation in Ahryun’s eyes dissolved into disappointment. “Ah, I see. What about you, Jaemin?”

“Sorry, I can’t either. It’s my turn to cook for Jeno and me,” Jaemin replied, rolling his eyes at the mention of his best friend. He peered up from his phone and shifted his attention to the group. “Also, it’s been 200 days already? Time flies.”

You and Donghyuck nodded in agreement. The dark-haired boy leaned back in his seat with a nostalgic look. “Ah, it felt like yesterday when Donghyuck followed (Y/n) around like some lost puppy.” 

Ahryun set her chin on the palm of her hand. “How did you handle him, (Y/n)-ah?”

“He just grew on me, I guess,” You shrugged, turning to look at the boy who gave unamused looks to the two people sitting across from you.

You reached your hand out to gently pet his head. “And it turned out he was very sweet and cute.”

Cliché words like this were rare from you. But seeing the pleased smile on Donghyuck’s face was sort of worth the minor embarrassment.

“See? (Y/n) loves me, thank you very much.” He childishly stuck his tongue out at your friends, earning a head shake from them. He stood up and offered his hand so you could walk out together.

 “Now if you excuse us, we have a reservation to prepare for.”

▃▃▃

Despite being seated not long ago, the fluttery feeling in your stomach had yet to leave you. Since you had planned your 100-Day anniversary date, Donghyuck took responsibility for this one. That’s how you find yourself at a classy Italian restaurant. When looking at the other tables, you felt underdressed in your powder blue dress that was quite plain.

“How did you find this place?” You asked conscientiously.

A part of you wanted to ask if you guys could afford this place, considering you were broke college students. But you didn’t want to cause any tension when his effort into planning this special day was clear.

He casually glanced up from the menu in his hands. For a moment you forgot you were also holding one. “I just came across it, when I was searching for restaurants we should try someday. This one has the rose pasta you like.”

“Oh, really?”

Finally, your eyes dropped down to your own menu. The slight nervousness you had began to fade as a small smile stretched across your lips.

You loved witnessing the rare moments where your boyfriend’s subtle consideration peeked through. He often pretended not to pay attention when you talked about a food you liked or an activity you’ve always wanted to try. But in reality, he secretly saved those small details in his pocket for future surprises. Honestly, you were lucky to be one of the few people to see this side of Donghyuck.

Once you adjusted to the new setting, dinner with Donghyuck was quite delightful. Dates with him often started with feelings of nervousness and hesitation. But Donghyuck’s humor and charm always managed to melt away your anxiety. It was in those times when you allowed yourself to relax and enjoy the present moment.

During the date, the topic of conversation mainly revolved around school. Since his major was music production and yours was creative writing, your schedules didn’t align. Some may hate the distance throughout the day, but you and Donghyuck truly didn’t mind.

Though the boy occasionally complained about how he missed you, having something to talk about when you were together was nice. You loved listening to him share his experiences, and learn about the classes he was taking. Donghyuck always had the most amusing stories about something that happened to him or one of his friends.

The bright blue sky disappeared as the evening settled in, just as your dinner came to a close. You may or may not have reprimanded Donghyuck when he went to the “bathroom,” but instead paid for the meal at the counter. 

“We could’ve split the check.” You crossed your arms in disapproval.

Knowing how stubborn your boyfriend could be, chastising him was futile. Yet you still did it. Which caused you to insist, “At least let me pay for drinks later.”

“Deal,” The boy agreed. “But before we go, I have a little something for you.”

Unsure of what to expect, you eyed him curiously as he reached into his jacket pocket. He brought out a cream-colored box and pushed the small item toward you.

“Open it.” 

Hesitantly, you took the box in with one hand and opened it with the other. The slightly smug smile on his face changed to one of satisfaction when you gasped.

Inside the box revealed a necklace and not just any necklace—one with a sterling silver chain, and a crescent moon pendant made of white gold. Instantly, you recognized the gift as a reference to your couple name, Hae-Dal. That was what your fellow peers started calling the two of you at the beginning of your relationship. This given title was probably the only thing you honestly didn’t hate about being a campus couple.

Hae was a word for sun, and dal meant moon. Donghyuck was the sun because of his bright and extroverted nature. On the other hand, the moon represented your cold and pessimistic demeanor. Despite your contrasting personalities, the balance between you two was nothing short of marvelous.

“Hyuck, you shouldn’t have…”

Leaning back in his seat, the grin on his face didn’t leave. “I know. I’m amazing aren’t I?”

His teasing response was out of instinct. However, it was also his way of covering up the warm sensation that filled his heart when you called him by his nickname. You were the only person who did.

“It’s perfect. Thank you, really,” You breathed, allowing yourself to smile at him.

Before you guys parted ways for the night, Donghyuck didn’t let you leave without helping you put on the necklace. You couldn’t control the blush on your cheeks when his fingers grazed your neck as he connected the clasp. Especially when he used his other hand to cup the side of your face to bring you closer to him. His lips connected to yours in one of the most tender kisses he’s ever given. The exchange left you feeling as though time had stopped and nothing else in the world mattered.

“I love you, (Y/n). Let’s stay together forever.” His tone was lighthearted. However, the intensity of his gaze and the unmistakable spark in his eyes revealed just how deeply committed he was.

Agreeing wholeheartedly, you gently pressed your forehead against his and whispered. “Yes, let’s do that.”

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

~ chapter two ~

For once, all of the negative thoughts in your mind quieted down. Despite having to wake up early for class, you felt more cheerful than usual. Even Ahryun noticed you had more energy today. The two of you met up in the library to do some homework.

“Okay, you’ve been acting like some lovestruck teenager all morning.” She gave you a weird look. “All because of Lee Donghyuck?”

You glanced up from the notes you were taking and smiled sheepishly. “Is it that obvious?”

Ahryun nodded and gestured to your neck. “Very. Did he give you that necklace?”

Almost instinctively, your hand reached to hold the pendant. You hadn’t taken it off since last night. Which was outstanding, considering you rarely wore jewelry.

“Wah, Donghyuck must really like you,” Ahryun smiled. “I wish I had a boyfriend to buy me expensive gifts.”

You shook your head. “That’s not why I like him though. The more I get to know Donghyuck, the more I see what a thoughtful person he is.”

Ahryun’s eyes widened with interest.  “Tell me more about him.”

Out of habit, you folded your arms self-consciously when she leaned forward on the table. Maybe your lack of experience in relationships was the reason it felt so weird to talk about, now that you were actually in one. Back in high school, Ahryun was the one who’d be going on and on about her past boyfriends. You were pretty sure all the boys in your grade crushed on her at least once.

A part of you used to envy her. Ahryun had the type of beauty that didn’t require much effort. She always had the best features, the best fashion sense, and the best social skills. Once you started university, you thought Ahryun would end up being one of those campus couples. So even now, you were still surprised how things were the other way around.

“We’ve been dating for almost seven months now. But it feels like he and I have known each other forever,” You spoke honestly, twirling a pencil in your left hand. “I’ve been thinking about this for a while now, but I’m ready to open up to Donghyuck about…you know.”

The intrigued expression on Ahryun’s face disappeared. “Oh (Y/n), are you still…?”

A part of you wanted to hide under the table when her eyes darted to your right arm. Despite it being fully concealed by your white sweater, you instinctively pulled the sleeve down further out of paranoia. Almost no one knew about the dark secret that hid beneath the fabric.

Ahryun was the only person at the university who knew about your history of mental illness. Due to the toxic environment, you grew up in, you’ve always been an anxious child. As you matured, you constantly doubted yourself, convinced that you were merely fabricating everything within your own mind. It wasn’t until high school that those insecurities sought to completely destroy you.

The present you still hated yourself. But back then, the self-hatred stored inside of you was immense. Eventually, a box cutter came into your possession. Tenth grade was the beginning of your long, messy history with self-harm. Things got so bad in the last year of high school that you recklessly ran into a busy street. You could still hear the sound of the car horns blaring.

Unfortunately, your attempt to end your life failed. Your actions led to an unwelcome reputation that spread like wildfire through the entire school. You became labeled as the "crazy suicide girl," attracting gawking students in the hallways and the judgmental gazes of teachers. Amidst this turmoil, Ahryun remained steadfast as your true friend, standing unwaveringly by your side, providing much-needed support throughout it all.

After going through that trauma, you knew that anxiety would be a lifelong battle for you. But since starting university, you were in a far better place than you were at seventeen years old.

“I haven’t done it since I met Donghyuck,” You answered honestly. “But I still think he deserves to know, don’t you think?”

Ahryun leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms, pondering on how to respond.

“To be honest, I don’t think telling him is a good idea.”

Confusion crossed your eyes. “Why?”

“Most guys leave their girlfriends right away when they find out they’re…mentally ill,” Ahryun slowly explained. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Donghyuck walked out on you right after you told him.”

The small bubble of optimism in you burst. You have heard stories in relation to what Ahryun was talking about. 

“But not all men are like that, right? Donghyuck isn’t the type to--”

Ahryun cut you off quickly and exhaled in frustration. “Seven months might seem long because this is your first relationship, (Y/n). Donghyuck might not get angry now if you tell him about your anxiety. But he’ll eventually get tired of helping you, and leave. Do you want that?”

No, that was the last thing you wanted. Ahryun was right. Your relationship with Donghyuck was the longest you’ve experienced, but it was also the only one. Though you knew him well now, there was no way of knowing what he might be like in the coming years. 

“Besides, Donghyuck is a busy person,” Ahryun continued. “He has to balance his studies with all the clubs he’s in, and his internship. Telling him his girlfriend has anxiety would just add more stress to his life.”

Your friend’s words left a sting in your heart. But you found yourself agreeing with her. You knew—possibly better than anyone, how much he had on his plate lately. On top of all that, he managed to make time for you too. Maybe you were being too selfish.

“Yeah…I don’t know what I was thinking.” You brushed the conversation off. “Just forget I said anything.”

When you defeatedly went back to taking notes, you missed the satisfied smirk on your best friend’s face.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

~ chapter three ~

Even though a few days had passed, that conversation with Ahryun kept replaying in your head. You felt like an ongoing battle was being fought internally. Your heart wanted to open up to Donghyuck. But your brain kept reminding you of Ahryun’s warnings. You hated yourself for overthinking things like this.

Your distraction left you a little dazed, and you found yourself zoning out throughout the day. In chemistry class, you made a conscious effort to push those bothersome thoughts aside. You listened attentively when the senior TA, Jaehyun explained today's lab procedures at the start of class.

Fortunately, you had Huang Renjun as your lab partner. He appeared to know what he was doing, a lot better than you did. At the beginning of the semester, the two of you were both a little shy and kept to yourselves. It wasn’t until you met him outside of class that you became more acquainted with the male. Coincidentally, Renjun turned out to be your boyfriend’s roommate and good friend. So the two of you naturally became closer after discovering this mutual connection.

“I think we’re almost finished.” Renjun’s gentle voice stole your attention away from the data table in front of you.

You tried to hold your pen steadily, watching him carefully mix the measured solutions into one beaker. Once he did, you quickly wrote down your observations in a lab journal. Thanks to Renjun, your experiment for the day ran pretty smoothly.

It wasn’t until after completing the lab that something went wrong. While Renjun was washing his hands, you took it upon yourself to return the supplies you guys used. The class was bustling around, cleaning up their stations. You gripped the slightly heavy tray in your hands tightly, trying to not let the crowded environment overwhelm you. 

Jaehyun, looking to offer some assistance, came up from behind you. “Do you need help (Y/n)—”

You jumped at the sudden sound of the TA’s deep voice, and the tray in your hands dropped onto the floor with a clang, shattering a beaker in the process. A not-so-nice word immediately shot into your mind thereafter. You could already feel the stares of other students and tried to ignore them. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you!” Jaehyun quickly apologized, seeming just as alarmed as you were. 

You shook your head with a faint smile, and instinctively bent down to clean up the broken pieces of glass. “N-no it’s my fault, Sunbae. I should’ve been more careful.”

Jaehyun took a step back when Renjun rushed to your side with an apprehensive expression.

“Wait (Y/n), don’t use your bare hands to clean that. You’re going to hurt yourself,” Renjun said, reaching his hand out to stop you.

It was only after you registered his warning that you caught sight of crimson spots on your lab coat. You glanced down to see the palm of her hand bleeding profusely from a small cut. The previous shard of the glass must’ve been sharper than you anticipated.

Renjun cursed when he saw. “Oh no, that looks bad.”

Your brain went into panic mode when he took your hand to examine it. In doing so, your sleeve was accidentally pushed up, revealing several faded pink lines just below your wrist. Immediately, you tried to pull your arm away. But the look of dismay in Renjun’s eyes told you it was too late.

Before you could say anything, Renjun’s hand delicately enclosed around your wrist so that no one else would see what he saw. He cleared his throat and turned to Jaehyun.

“Sunbae, is it okay if I take (Y/n) to the nurse’s office?”

Jaehyun’s eyes flickered between you and Renjun, then gave a brisk nod. “Yes, take her. Make sure (Y/n)’s hand is properly cleaned and bandaged.”

“Don’t worry Sunbae, I’ll take care of her.” Renjun bobbed his head. “Let’s go, (Y/n).”

As Renjun escorted you out of the room, your front teeth anxiously sank into your lower lip. Neither of you said anything on the walk to the nurse’s office. Renjun politely asked the nurse for a first-aid kit. After obtaining it, he brought you to a secluded area to tend to your cut.

The silence between you continued, as he meticulously wiped the blood from your palm with a damp cloth. You had to use a great amount of willpower to prevent yourself from flinching as he applied ointment to the cut and then proceeded to bandage it.

Your breathing quickened when you felt his hand come in contact with your wrist. It was evident that he wanted to investigate further into what he saw earlier.

“Renjun, please.” You put your hand over his. “You don’t want to see them.”

Renjun’s eyes brimmed with melancholy. He’s never heard your voice sound so…fragile. Actually, he wasn’t certain if anyone had seen this side of you.

“You can trust me, (Y/n). I just want to make sure you’re okay,” he spoke with reassurance. 

You withdrew for a moment, debating whether or not to let him see. After taking a deep breath, you slowly rolled up your sleeve, revealing the marks which varied in different shades of pink and white.

The composed expression on Renjun’s face contorted into one of shock, an expected reaction that failed to quell the fear coursing through your veins. His fingers brushed over the scars, as he inspected them with a non-judgemental gaze.

But his words were still laced with worry. “(Y/n) these are…”

“Please don’t tell Donghyuck,” You cut him off with a whisper. 

Renjun’s brows knit together. “He doesn’t know about this?”

“He can’t.” Your head shook hastily. “If he finds out, he’ll see the truth and realize how crazy I am. He’ll leave me.”

The look in Renjun’s eyes softened as he placed a comforting hand on your shoulder.

“Listen to me, (Y/n). I don’t know what you’re struggling with. But I know that Donghyuck would never leave you for something like this. He’ll want to help and support you.”

You let Renjun's encouragement sink into your head. Could it be true that Donghyuck wouldn’t judge if he found out this dark secret of yours? Or would it be wiser to pay attention to Ahryun’s advice, and keep it to yourself like you were used to?

“I…I just don’t know.” Your voice faltered.

Renjun gave you an understanding smile. “You should tell him when you’re ready.”

You let out a shaky breath, allowing the weight of the conversation to settle on your chest. A part of you wanted to believe Renjun was right about all of this. After a moment of silence, you glanced up and gestured to your wrapped-up hand.

“Thank you. I’m sorry you had to see all this,” you said, feeling a twinge of guilt.

Before you could add anything, Renjun embraced you in a warm hug, catching you off guard. His actions came as a surprise, given that he was typically the least physically affectionate person in your friend group.

“Don’t apologize. You’re my friend too, Kang (Y/n), and I’m here for you.”

You had to force yourself to look up at the bland ceiling to keep the tears at bay. But just as they began to prick the corner of your eyes, the sound of sneakers creaking against the floor stole your attention. Both of your heads turned to see a light-haired boy dashing down the hallway.

“Yah, Kang (Y/n)!” 

You sprang away from Renjun’s arms and checked to make sure your scars were concealed before standing up. Donghyuck’s sprint came to a stop and his eyes widened with panic as he saw your bandaged hand.

“I was so worried when Jaehyun Hyung told me what happened. Are you okay?” He moved towards you, immediately pulling you into his embrace. 

You released a small breath, surrendering to the comfort of Donghyuck's embrace. Even though you would never confess it, his hugs were always a source of warmth and tenderness that could soothe any pain. It was in moments like these when you cherished his comfort. Even if he didn’t know what was going on.

“It’s just a scratch, Hyuck. I’m sorry for worrying you,” You insisted, glancing at Renjun with a pleading look.

Renjun understood you were silently asking him not to say anything. Honestly, his care for your mental state made him not want to listen to you. But at the same time, he knew he had to respect your decisions. 

After a few moments, Donghyuck pulled away to gently place his hand over the left side of your face. His eyes searched yours momentarily, before dropping down to your right hand.

You held it up for him to see. “Renjun helped wrap it up for me. So I’ll be fine.”

The tension in Donghyuck’s shoulders lessened a bit. He gave his friend an appreciative smile. “Thanks for looking after her, Renjun-ah.”

“Anytime,” Renjun hummed. He grabbed his bag and closed the first aid kit. “I have to go return this. See you guys later, take care (Y/n).”

Once Renjun left, Donghyuck focused his attention back on you. He used the soft padding of his thumb to gently caress your cheek.

“Are you sure you’re alright?” He asked with a slight pout. 

You nodded and squeezed his hand reassuringly.  It was endearing to see how worried Donghyuck was for you, and almost sickeningly sweet. You weren’t even that injured, but he still ran out of class. His actions only made you feel more loved.

However, Renjun's words from earlier lingered in your mind, and you realized that Donghyuck was your safe haven in moments like these. Although Ahryun's words still weighed heavily on you, you knew you couldn't keep your secret from Donghyuck any longer. He cared for you deeply, and as your significant other, he deserved to know.

▃▃▃

Later that day, Donghyuck and you decided to head back to your apartment. After an hour of studying, he suggested getting some takeout and continuing the drama series you’ve both been hooked on. The two of you sat at the far end of the sofa, snuggling underneath a fluffy white blanket.

As you rested your head against your boyfriend’s chest, you had to admit that being in his arms felt especially comforting that night. With the events of the day still weighing on you, the steady rhythm of Donghyuck’s heartbeat provided a soothing backdrop and eased the tension in your body.

Toward the second half of the episode, the female lead got into a heated argument with her boyfriend. The tension had risen after she reluctantly revealed her ex had been engaging in abrasive behavior in a poor attempt to win her back. 

“How long has this been going on for?” The man looked at her with a betrayed expression.

The woman crossed her arms insecurely and replied hesitantly. “The past two months.”

“Why did you wait so long to say something?” He demanded, slamming his wine glass on the table.

“Because I knew you’d react like this!” She retorted, frustration flashing in her eyes. 

The man scoffed in disbelief, running his fingers through his hair. “That’s not good enough! You shouldn’t have kept this from me.”

A feeling of unease filled you, as you witnessed the man stand up and storm out of the restaurant. You subtly glanced up at Donghyuck, wondering what he thought about the scene.

“Do you think he was overreacting?” You asked softly. 

Donghyuck tilted his head slightly, “Yeah, a little. But I understand why he’s upset at her for hiding something like that.”

“Well, I think she just didn’t want to worry him.” Your voice trailed off.

“I get that,” He said. “But he’s her partner, and keeping secrets from one another will only hurt their relationship.

“What would you do if I was keeping a secret?” You questioned hypothetically. “Like if I didn’t say anything because I thought it might hurt you?”

Donghyuck paused for a moment before answering honestly. “I would be more hurt if you didn’t trust me enough to be truthful. It’s important that we share things, even if it may be hard to hear at times.”

Listening to your boyfriend’s thoughts only caused a small knot of apprehension to form in your stomach. 

“You wouldn’t judge me or abandon me if I confided in you then?” You hoped he couldn’t hear the timidity in your voice.

He brushed a loose strand of hair behind your ear. The touch he left sent a tingling sensation down your spine. “Never. Whatever you’d be going through, I’d be by your side.”

You felt something catch in your throat as his sweet words sank in. When you first met, Donghyuck’s humorous behavior made you think he never took anything seriously. But talking to him now, you didn’t think you’d encountered a person who was more genuine than he was.

Taking his response as a confirmation to trust him, a rare feeling of determination consumed you. Reluctantly, you removed yourself from the comfort of Donghyuck’s arms and turn to face him.

“Actually Donghyuck, can I tell you something?”

A gentle concern filled the sun-kissed boy’s eyes as he sat up with you. His hand already reached out to grab your bandaged one, quelling the nerves that had quickly built up inside of you.

“Of course, Jagiya,” He responded patiently. “Whatever it is, I’m here to listen.”

You couldn’t think of a better moment to let Lee Donghyuck fully into your heart. The fear of what might or might not happen was not going to hold you back this time. He waited patiently, as you mentally pieced together what you were about to say. Your heart felt like it was about to jump out of your chest, but you tried to shake off the feeling. You haven’t been this nervous since the first time Donghyuck confessed to you.

After releasing a single deep breath, your lips parted to speak. “Hyuck there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you—”

However, your sentence was cut off by the sound of the front door being unlocked. Bursting through the door came your roommate, Yuna, her eyes wide with panic. Her ragged breathing made it evident she had rushed over here.

“Eonni, have you seen the latest post on UniYeon?” 

The mention of Yeonsung’s community site left you puzzled, your brows furrowing in bewilderment. You and your boyfriend exchanged looks of confusion.

“What are you talking about?” You tried to appear composed and unbothered by the disruption. When in reality, you were just trying to conceal the growing unease within you.

Yuna kicked off her sneakers before walking across the room. She pulled out her phone to show what she was referring to.

“I was studying in the library with my friends and some guys were talking about an article posted about you…” 

Donghyuck leaned in beside you to catch a glimpse. His actions prompted you to narrow your eyes in an attempt to decipher the tiny black Korean characters at the top of the screen. The headline read, Kang (Y/n) Spotted Holding Hands with Huang Renjun! 

You blinked a few times, wondering if you were hallucinating for a second. But the accusing words didn’t disappear. You tried to search for the name of the student who wrote this. But the post was anonymous. 

“What the hell?” Donghyuck hastily grabbed the phone. 

He scrolled down, revealing photos of you and Renjun in the hall earlier that day. The hall was usually empty, which made the situation look suspicious. The angles at which the photos were taken created an illusion that you were holding the boy’s hand as he knelt in front of you. When in reality, Renjun was only tending to the cut on your palm. 

“This is ridiculous. How can anyone believe this crap?” He scoffed. 

“Are you okay Eonni?” Your roommate’s voice was barely audible to you. An overwhelming feeling of dread was already beginning to consume you.

But you managed to plaster on a light-hearted smile. “It’s fine, Yuna. Thanks for letting me know.”

Yuna gave you an apologetic look as she accepted her phone back before excusing herself from the room. After she left, you reached for your laptop to pull up the article and stopped at the comment section. 

What an ungrateful b*tch! How dare she cheat on Lee Donghyuck?!

Omo, who does she think she is, going after her boyfriend’s close friend?

Aish, it’s always the sneaky quiet ones that are the devils in disguise.

Donghyuck put his hand over yours before you could scroll any further. Despite the anger simmering about the situation, he recognized the difficult position you were put in.

“Don’t listen to the garbage spewing out of their mouths.” He said firmly, closing the laptop. “We both know the truth, and that’s all that matters.”

“But still…I should’ve been more careful,” You muttered warily, running your fingers through your hair. 

He quickly reached to take your hand in his. “Hey, none of this is your fault, (Y/n)-ah. Don’t waste your energy on people who have nothing better to do than spread rumors.”

Your shoulders sank, taking in his words. His response was so natural and confident, leaving you in awe by how he didn’t place any blame on you. 

“Yeah, you’re right.” You return to your previous cuddling position and rest your head on his chest.

You felt the boy smile as his arms encircled your waist. “Oh, right. Weren’t you going to tell me something?”

Your mind raced back to what the two of you were talking about earlier. Hesitation filled you, and that small bout of courage you had was gone. 

“Oh—um, it can wait,” You brushed him off.

Donghyuck noticed your gaze shift downward, and he was about to encourage you to just tell him whatever it was right then. But then you snuggled closer to him, gently squeezing his waist.

“I just want to stay like this for a little longer,” You murmured into his t-shirt, trying to push away all the bad thoughts.

His heart quickened, and he couldn’t stop the stupid grin that formed. He wondered how someone could possibly be this adorable. While a part of him was still curious about what you were saying earlier, he was content with having you in his arms for now.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

~ chapter four ~

Ahryun glanced at her reflection on her phone screen anticipatingly, as she stood under the camellia tree at the heart of the campus. Earlier this morning, Donghyuck asked if they could meet up. Receiving a text from the popular male was enough to make her heart skip a beat. Her mind instantly overflowed with all the possible reasons why he asked to meet her. Fortunately, she didn’t have to wait long, as he showed up in his favorite blue drawstring hoodie and a pair of black ripped jeans.

“Hey, thanks for responding so fast.” He quickly greeted her.

“Of course. What did you want to talk to me about?” She asked sweetly. 

Donghyuck was too distracted to notice the dreamy smile that graced Ahryun’s lips. He wasted no time in getting to the point. “It’s just…(Y/n). You saw the post yesterday, right?”

“I did,” Ahryun slowly answered. Her smile faded as a tinge of disappointment quickly clouded her previously optimistic disposition. 

“People have been making a lot of stupid comments,” he male shook his head. “And even though she might pretend to be okay, I know this is affecting her. So I wanted to ask if you could keep her occupied?”

“Keep her occupied?”

Donghyuck’s eyes fell to the ground, before nodding. “I wish I could be with her, but my internship is today. And I thought since you’re her best friend, you could try to distract her from looking at her phone too much?”

Ahryun inhaled, trying to suppress her outrage. She should’ve known he would bring up her. What was so great about you that made Donghyuck feel like he needed to protect you from the real world? 

Holding back the urge to scoff, Ahryun masked her emotions behind a forced smile.

“Silly, I was already planning to take her out today,” She said. “But I would’ve done so even if you didn’t ask me to.”

The boy in front of her visibly relaxed, a look of relief washing over his face. “Yeokshi, Min Ahryun. I knew I could count on you.”

Her heart fluttered when he gave her an appreciative smile. He certainly wasn’t one of Yeonsung’s prince charmings for no reason. 

Donghyuck checked his watch and let out a soft curse under his breath. “I gotta go. My class starts in 11 minutes.”

Ahryun nodded understandingly before holding her hand out to stop him from leaving.

“Honestly, I’ve been worried about (Y/n) too, and not just because of the community post,” She admitted.

He turned to her with a confused look and waited for her to continue. She hesitated briefly before speaking up.

“She got diagnosed with anxiety last year. But I’m sure you already knew, right?”

His heart instantly sank to his stomach upon this revelation. A part of him wanted to believe Ahryun was joking. But you had been acting strange yesterday. Was this what you were trying to tell him about?

Ahryun fought back a sly grin, finding it hard to contain her amusement at his dismay. She pretended to be shocked with a feigned gasp. “Oh my, she probably didn’t want you to find out. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“Anxiety? She didn’t…she never said…” 

Your friend grabbed his wrist in panic. "Please, Donghyuck-ah, you can't let her know that I told you. It's a sensitive topic for her, and she must have hidden it from you for a reason."

Based on the dumbfounded expression on his face, it was evident that the boy was rendered speechless. Ahryun had achieved the exact reaction she wanted. Donghyuck would never see you as that sweet and shy girl anymore. You resembled a fragile Jenga tower, seemingly growing taller. But it would only take a single block for you to collapse.

▃▃▃

You had thought about skipping class today. However, the rational part of your brain that wouldn’t allow anything to disrupt your academic focus, screamed a resounding “no” to you. Donghyuck offered to walk you to class, not wanting you to go alone. But you kindly declined, knowing his class was on the opposite side of campus. You weren’t going to trouble him with the extra distance.

However, the regret of that decision slowly crept up on you as soon as you set foot on campus. You didn't know what part of you believed you could handle the relentless gazes and barely restrained whispers all by yourself. Each passing minute in class felt like an eternity, with lingering glances directed your way. You felt as though you were under a microscope, a new specimen being scrutinized.

You released a quiet sigh, redirecting your focus to the professor's lecture. Aware that this was your last class for the day, you reminded yourself that enduring it for a mere fifty minutes was manageable. 

However, by the time the lecture was over, you had barely taken five steps when the buzzing of your phone disrupted your escape plan. Letting out a small sigh, you reached into your bag to take out the cellular device. The notification turned out to be a text from Ahryun four minutes ago. She had sent a message asking if you were out of class and wanted to meet up after.

On any other occasion, you would have readily agreed. But in that particular moment, all you wanted to do was retreat to the comfort of your apartment. You began to type a polite decline to her, as you made your way out of class. Coincidentally, the male you were currently caught up in a scandal with, approached you. 

“Hey, can we talk for a second?” He spoke in a hushed tone.

You mentally groaned at the icy reception students gave when they saw the two of you in the same place. Although you were pretty sure you were the one they were rolling their eyes at. Renjun shot a condescending glare at anyone who looked for too long.

After moving outside, Renjun let out a heavy sigh. “I’m really sorry about this, (Y/n). It’s unbelievable that someone would take photos of us like that.”

“You don’t need to apologize,” You replied with a faint smile. “Remember the threats I received when Donghyuck and I first started dating? I should be used to this by now.”

Your boyfriend’s roommate glanced at you with a mixture of concern and frustration in his eyes. “But that doesn’t make it right. Especially when it comes to invading your privacy and spreading rumors,” He deadpanned. 

You didn't anticipate Renjun being just as furious as Donghyuck about the situation. It warmed your heart to know that you had people in your life who cared deeply for you and were ready to stand up for you. It made you wish you could be as strong-minded as them.

Just as you were about to respond, your conversation was abruptly cut short. 

"There you are, Kang (Y/n). I've been looking for you!" You turned towards Ahryun, who was swiftly making her way down the hallway towards you and Renjun.

“Oh sorry. I was just about to answer your text,” You said sheepishly, rubbing the back of your neck. 

A look of understanding flashed in her eyes before she noticed Renjun standing beside you. She warily gestured between the two of you with her finger. “Won’t it be suspicious if people see you together right now? Unless you guys are actually…”

“No, it’s not like that,” You stopped her from finishing her sentence, your brows furrowing in puzzlement. Did she seriously believe that you and Renjun would go behind Donghyuck’s back like that?

Renjun promptly came to your defense. “Yeah, I was just checking if (Y/n) was alright.”

The slightest trace of irritation could be heard in his voice as if he felt no need to provide Ahryun with an explanation when nothing was going on.

In response, Ahryun chuckled and playfully tapped you on the arm. "Wow, you two got so serious all of a sudden. I was just teasing," she said with a lighthearted tone.

You breathed a small sigh of relief, silently reprimanding yourself for entertaining the thought that your closest friend would think so low of you. 

 “I was thinking we should go see a movie today,” She said, linking her arm through yours. 

To which you responded with a hesitant expression, contemplating the idea. “I don’t know…I kind of just want to go home.”

“Oh come on, going out on a day like this will help take your mind off things,” Ahryun persisted. “You can join us if you’d like Renjun-ssi.”

Renjun declined with a polite smile, “Thanks, but I’m supposed to meet up with my group for a project this evening. You guys have fun though.”

You nodded understandingly, giving a friendly wave to Renjun before Ahryun took the lead, guiding you away.

▃▃▃

You zoned out during the movie, barely noticing when it reached its conclusion. Your mind seemed elsewhere, and you were only vaguely aware of the film coming to an end. Ahryun went to get a refill on her drink, while you waited for her near the entrance doors.

“(Y/n)?” A voice called out, capturing your attention. As you turned, your gaze fell upon a boy wearing a black hoodie adorned with a charming cat design. He was holding a half eaten bucket of popcorn.

“Oh hi, Jeno. What are you doing here?”

Jeno approached you with a friendly smile in return. “Jaemin dragged me here to watch this action movie with him. How about you?”

“I came here with Ahryun,” You replied. Jeno nodded in acknowledgment.

“How are you and Donghyuck?” He asked. “I heard you two recently celebrated your 200-day anniversary.”

You couldn't help but blush at the mention of such a seemingly trivial milestone. “It’s not that big of a deal,” You said, lowering your gaze.

“Well, I’d say reaching day 200 with Lee Donghyuck is quite an achievement. His relationships in high school barely made it past 20 days,” Jeno teasingly remarked, earning a laugh from you.

Jeno laughed along with you before adding, “But seriously, Donghyuck is lucky to have you. You guys have something special.” 

His words carried a genuine warmth, which you appreciated. It surprised you every time when one of Donghyuck’s friends showed genuine acceptance toward you. They had been so quick to welcome you into their friend group when you two first started dating.

“Thanks, Jeno,” you said, hoping he could feel the sincerity in your words. 

Why should you care about the opinions of others when you had all the encouragement you needed? The unwavering support from Donghyuck's friends and the strength of your bond with him made any external judgments or remarks seem insignificant.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

~ chapter five ~

"Okay, you have got to be kidding me," you groaned in frustration as you glanced at your phone. 

The sight that greeted you was a series of pictures of you and Jeno from the other day, and now the online community site was blowing up with speculation. The comments were even worse than the last time. Before you could go down a rabbit hole of scrolling, Donghyuck swiftly snatched your phone out of your grasp.

“Hyuck,” you softly protested, extending your hand to retrieve your phone back. But he pulled his arm back, keeping the device out of reach.

“Nope.” He shook his head. “I’m confiscating this for today.”

“But–”

Donghyuck placed a quick peck on your lips before you could finish that sentence. “You shouldn’t care about what they think, babe.”

He glanced back at the article with an annoyed sigh. He didn’t understand why people were going after you. Couldn’t they just leave your relationship alone?

“Are you alright, though?” He asked, placing a hand over yours.

You nodded, “Of course I am.”

Of course, you were lying. The recent posts and the increased gossip bothered you more than they should. A part of you blamed yourself for all this happening. But you couldn’t tell Donghyuck that. Worrying him wasn’t going to make things better.

“Well if you are struggling, you can tell me okay?” He gave your hand a gentle squeeze.

For some reason, you sensed a subtle undercurrent of concern in his words. But you brushed it off as your tendency to overthink things, convincing yourself it was nothing.

Later that day, you were hanging out at Ahryun’s apartment. You lay flat on the floor in her bedroom, staring up at the ceiling while countless thoughts swam in your head. 

“I just don’t understand why this keeps happening,” you sighed, venting your frustrations. “It’s like no matter where I go, someone is watching.”

Ahryun cast a glance back at you through her vanity mirror. "Someone must really not want you two together.”

“You think?” You frowned. 

A lot of people didn’t like you being with Donghyuck. But whoever kept posting photos of you on the community site was clearly targeting you, leaving you apprehensive about the situation.

“Well I’m sure there are plenty of girls who find it difficult to accept you and Donghyuck being together,” Ahryun spoke nonchalantly, as she picked out a pink lip tint to wear. “They just can’t stand the fact that the popular and charming Lee Donghyuck is with someone so different.”

You pondered whether you truly were that different as Ahryun said. Sure, you might not come from a privileged background or possess the most striking physical appearance. You were ordinary, just like everyone else. What was so wrong about that?

“But seriously, you shouldn’t let it bother you (Y/n). There will always be people who will hate on you,” Ahryun said.

“Yeah you’re right…”

She did have a valid point. As long as you remained a college student navigating a judgmental society, criticism would inevitably be a part of your experience. Dwelling on it wasn’t going to get you anywhere.

Letting out a sigh, you sat up and directed your gaze towards the clock on Ahryun's nightstand, realizing the time.

"Hey, can I borrow your phone for a moment?" you asked, breaking the silence. "I should message Donghyuck to let him know I'm here."

"Of course," Ahryun smiled warmly, extending her hand to pass you the device.

Mouthing a quick thank-you, you received Ahryun's phone and swiftly began searching for your boyfriend's contact information. Just as you located his number, a notification popped up, drawing your attention. Your curiosity piqued, you briefly glanced at the preview, which read: "Someone commented on your post, 'Kang (Y/n) Seen Out with Lee Jeno at the Movies'." Having a weird feeling, you clicked on the notification, leading you to the UniYeon app. Scrolling up, your disbelief grew as you discovered that Ahryun…was the owner of the post

Overwhelmed, you decided to investigate further and opened her photo gallery. To your astonishment, you discovered numerous pictures of you and Renjun, followed by images of you and Jeno. 

No, you couldn’t fathom this. Ahryun was your closest friend. She was someone you trusted wholeheartedly. She would never…

"Ahryun... what is all this?" you asked, confusion evident in your voice. A part of you desperately hoped that none of this could be true.

Ahryun spun around in her chair and met the look of betrayal in your eyes. She cursed when she saw you had the post open on her phone.

"(Y/n), I can explain—," she began. 

You stepped back, unable to fully comprehend the situation. "Wait, so it was you all along? Why…" 

Ahryun turned away, averting her gaze for a moment. Amid the tense silence, you caught the faint sound of a laugh slipping out from her lips.

“You know, you’re really pathetic Kang (Y/n),” She sneered, her words cutting through the air with a sharp edge. “Yes, it was me.”

You were startled by the sudden change in your best friend’s demeanor. “Why would you do that? The whole school is talking crap about me because of those posts.”

Ahryun fixed her gaze upon you, her expression lacked any remorse. There was an unsettling absence of any regret in her eyes, almost as if she were relieved to be exposed in this way. It was as if she had been waiting for the moment to discard the pretense of caring about you.

“Because I’ve liked Donghyuck long before you did,” she confessed. “I got tired of seeing you with him.”

Her resentful words revealed the depth of her hidden emotions. Your heart sank further, as you processed things. The revelation hit you like a tidal wave, making sense of Ahryun’s actions. 

“So you wanted to sabotage me?” You shook your head in disbelief. “Why…we’ve been friends for so long.”

A smirk tugged at the corners of Ahryun's lips, her eyes gleaming with a hint of cruel satisfaction as she observed the wavering in your voice. Witnessing you in such a vulnerable state, after so long, seemed to gratify her.

“No matter how many times I thought about it, I just don’t get why he had to be with you, of all girls,” she said bitterly. 

You took a deep breath, trying to process the magnitude of Ahryun’s actions. Seeing this new side of her left you questioning the authenticity of your friendship. Doubt crept in, as you considered the possibility that she had been pretending to be your friend this whole time.

“So you thought going behind my back and spreading false information about me would make us break up?”

"We both know how fragile you can be," Ahryun said slowly, her words carrying a calculated edge. "Like you were in high school."

The implication of her statement cut deep, resurrecting memories of past vulnerabilities. It felt as if she was exploiting your past struggles to justify her actions, further fueling the hurt and confusion that consumed you.

Before you could counter her words, Ahryun forcefully took hold of your arm. You gasped when she yanked your sleeves up, exposing the scars that held too many painful memories.

“Just remember that if he sees these hideous scars,” She threatened. “And when he does, he’ll see how broken you are. Nobody wants someone who is mentally unstable.”

Tears welled up in your eyes, as you’ve never felt more defenseless. She was using your past struggles as a weapon to tear you apart. Then to further sting to her words, she placed her hand on your shoulder as a twisted display of false comfort.

“If you can’t handle the facts, maybe you guys shouldn’t be together,” She said.

You stood up, gripping your bag tightly, and met her icy glare.

“Donghyuck isn't who you think he is,” you managed to say, your voice quivering. “He loves me, and nothing you say or do will ever change that.”

With a heavy heart, you turned away, a rush of long-forgotten emotions flooding through you. You didn’t bother to stop the tears from falling as you walked away. As much as you didn’t want to admit it, you could already sense yourself slipping back into the depths of a dark place you hadn't visited since your teenage years.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

~ chapter six ~

A week had passed since your fallout with Ahryun, and you were doing your best to not let things get to you. But it was hard not to. You spent sleepless nights thinking about how things went wrong, and the subtle indications you failed to notice. Like her evident intrigue whenever you spoke about him, or the way her eyes lit up whenever his name was mentioned. 

Nevertheless, you buried yourself in your schoolwork in hopes to tune out everything that was happening. Donghyuck noticed you seemed more withdrawn lately. You could see the concern in him growing, but you insisted that everything was fine.

One day you were on your way to meet Donghyuck after his class and stopped in the cafeteria to buy drinks for the both of you. You were inserting a dollar bill into the vending machine when a group of girls approached you unexpectedly. Their focused glares at you were filled with disdain and judgment.

“Look at that, it’s Kang (Y/n) the cheater.” one of the girls said, her voice dripping with hostility. “First it was Huang Renjun, and then Lee Jeno. Who’s next, Na Jaemin?”

You shrank back slightly, clenching your fists as you fought to maintain your composure. Despite them being three harmless girls, any sort of conflict easily intimidated you. Your heart raced, and a surge of anxiety threatened to overwhelm you, but you were determined to stand your ground.

 “Please, you don’t know anything,” you said, your voice firm and steady. “So stay out of it.”

“You see, no one believes that quiet nice girl facade you try to uphold,” the girl beside the first one, scowled. “If you’re smart, you’d break up with him. I’m sure you’re aware that you don’t deserve him.”

You tried to not show them how their words pierced through you like a needle. The hate comments were bad enough. But being confronted in person made the situation ten times scarier.

Determined to not succumb to their empty threats, you grabbed the beverages from the vending machine and made the move to leave. But before you could escape their presence, the third girl twisted the cap off her soda bottle and spilled it on you. In mere seconds your clothes were drenched in the sticky liquid.

“Oops, my bad,” she laughed mockingly. 

A wave of humiliation crashed over you, as you felt the weight of the stares and the whispers echoing through the cafeteria. Out of the corner of your eye, you spotted Ahryun standing from a distance, watching in amusement. Was this all some twisted joke to her?

Back in high school, she was the only one who defended you. Now knowing her support and loyalty had been fake, made the sight of her standing idly by more painful.

Just as you were ready to break down, a voice yelled from behind you.

“Yah, what the hell do you think you’re doing to her?”

Turning your gaze, you saw Donghyuck storming into the cafeteria. His eyes were blazing with anger. 

“Hyuck—” You tried to stop him before he could make the situation worse. But he was too angry to listen.

“You think it’s acceptable to gang up on someone based on false information?” His eyes glowered intensely. “You have no right to harass her or make judgments without knowing the whole truth.”

The cafeteria fell into an uneasy silence, the whispers fading into the background as his words reverberated through the space. The girls who had targeted you were momentarily taken aback by Donghyuck's unyielding defense, their expressions shifting from arrogance to uncertainty.

Deciding he had enough of this, Donghyuck firmly grasped your hand and guided you away from the prying eyes and tense atmosphere. He let out a sigh of concern as his gaze fell upon the stained fabric of your shirt, prompting him to remove his hoodie and put it on you.

“I’m so sorry (Y/n),” he mumbled, even though he wasn’t the one who should be apologizing. “Are you okay?”

You shook your head. “I’m fine, Hyuck. Don’t worry about it.”

“Are you sure though?” he asked, extending his hand towards you.

But you took a step back, feeling frustrated. “Yes, I already told you. I’m fine.”

“(Y/n)—”

“I just… I just want to be alone right now, okay?” You placed the drink you bought in his hands and walked past him.

Later that night, you found yourself once again unable to fall asleep. It felt like the troublesome thoughts in your head were slowly killing you, weighing heavily on your conscience. The weight of self-blame consumed you, as you couldn't help but think that all of this was your fault. It’s been so long since you felt this way, completely worthless. You didn’t deserve to have someone as sweet as Donghyuck in your life. 

Without thinking much, you sluggishly sat down in your desk chair and absentmindedly opened the drawer. Inside lay an old friend you hadn't laid eyes on in ages. Ignoring the creeping sense of dread, you lifted the gleaming box cutter from the drawer.

Holding your breath, you tightly gripped the handle and pulled up your sleeve. You barely felt it when the cold blade punctured your flesh, tracing a diagonal line across your pale skin. Tears streamed down your cheek as you repeated the same incisions, mirroring the first one. The sensation of hot blood seeping out became palpable with each new cut.

You honestly didn't know how you would react if Donghyuck were to witness you in this state. The fear of him discovering the depth of your brokenness was more terrifying than the fresh scars that adorned your skin. Perhaps Ahryun was right, maybe you couldn’t handle this.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

~ chapter seven ~

You kept your gaze locked on the steaming cup of hot chocolate, anxiously waiting for the arrival of your boyfriend. He rushed into the café with an apologetic smile, as he sat down in the empty chair across from you.

“Sorry, I’m late. Renjun needed my help with something,” he said.

In response, you slid the other drink in his direction with an understanding smile. “I got your usual.”

"You are the best," he praised, lifting the cup of coffee to his lips for a sip.

You listened quietly as he shared about how busy he’s been lately with school and his internship. However, the gnawing sensation in your stomach kept you from fully focusing on the conversation.

“Oh, right!” Donghyuck’s eyes lit up as if a light bulb suddenly went off in his brain. “Your birthday is coming up, babe. What do you want to do?”

It was at that moment, you recognized the pressing need to speak up before your courage slipped away.

“Donghyuck…there’s something I have to say,” you spoke cautiously. 

The confusion in his eyes, when you used his full name, was almost unbearable for you to see. But he waited expectantly to hear whatever you were about to say. The fact that he was oblivious to the reason you asked him to meet you here made you feel nauseated. You were aware that you couldn't continue to tiptoe around the issue for much longer.

Taking a deep breath, you locked eyes with him once more. Without allowing any room for hesitation, you uttered the next three words with unwavering determination.

"Let’s break up.”

You witnessed his face falter, a stunned look settling in as he struggled to comprehend the gravity of the situation.

“(Y/n)...what are you saying?” he chuckled half-heartedly. “You’re not being serious, right?”

Biting down on your lip, you used the explanation you had carefully prepared. “I realized that I can’t do this whole campus couple thing anymore. It feels suffocating, like every moment we spend together, people are watching and waiting to criticize me for something."

“I…I had no idea you felt that way,” Donghyuck swallowed, his voice tinged with surprise at your confession. “But (Y/n), we can work through this. I promise—”

“No, we can’t,” you deadpanned. “You should find someone better than me.”

You’ve never despised yourself more than you did in this moment. The hurt in his eyes reflected your own, a stark reminder that you were the source of his new pain.

In dismay, Donghyuck reached for your hand in desperation. “(Y/n) please, don’t do this.”

“I’m sorry, but I’ve already made up my mind,” your voice trembled with a mix of despondence and resignation.

Slowly you reached behind your neck and unclasped the necklace he gave you a while ago. Holding back tears, you delicately placed the shimmering moon pendant in his hand. Returning this symbol of your connection was far more heart-wrenching than you had anticipated.

The weight of the decision pressing on your shoulders, you gathered your belongings and rose from your seat, your determination masking the cracks in your resolve. The distant echoes of his anguished voice calling after you tugged at your heart, but you ignored them. With quickened steps, you hastened out of the café, your eyes fixed on the path ahead, knowing that if you allowed yourself even a moment of hesitation, you’d give into your selfish emotions.

You never cried so hard in your life as you did that evening when you returned to your apartment. You had just pushed away the one person who had brought so much joy into your once gloomy life. But as long as your mind continued to waver, you understood the importance of keeping everyone at a distance was safer.

Even though it meant bringing an end to a love that was incredibly precious to you, deep down, you told yourself that things were better this way.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

~ chapter eight ~

The next month following your breakup, felt like a self-imposed prison sentence. As the days blurred together, you had become a shadow of your former self. With the absence of your best friend and boyfriend, you found solace in isolation, confining yourself to the four walls of your apartment. It felt as if you were bound to your living space, only leaving to attend classes or go to your part-time job at the library.

The mere thought of encountering Donghyuck outside filled you with an overwhelming sense of unease, making it unbearable to step foot beyond the safety of your apartment. The idea of facing him, of seeing the pain reflected in his eyes or the awkwardness that would surely follow, was something you couldn't bring yourself to confront.

With your mental state continuing to deteriorate, you found yourself falling back into old habits. The blade in your drawer became the sinister companion you turned to when the emotional pain became too much. At some point, you stopped feeling anything as you wiped the crimson trails that traced down your arm.

Despite the tireless efforts of several friends, their attempts to reach out to you were met with distant silence and evasive responses. Renjun had repeatedly urged you to call him if you wanted to talk, while Jeno and Jaemin tried their best to cheer you up. However, their kind gestures only served to make your heartache worse. You knew that they were deeply concerned for both you and Donghyuck. 

Secretly, you harbored the hope that the breakup wasn’t affecting Donghyuck just as deeply as it was for you. In a bittersweet twist, now that he was no longer tied to you, all you wanted was for him to move on swiftly and find happiness without you.

On a Friday night, Jaemin had made his way to your apartment. He sat with you on the couch, saddened by your withdrawn state. The toll of your emotional turmoil was evident in your appearance. 

You had forsaken the delicate hues of your wardrobe, the creamy whites and light blues that once adorned your form, for a monochrome palette of darkness. Your complexion had lost its natural radiance, leaving your skin pale and lacking its usual vitality. Dark circles had etched their mark under your weary eyes, evidence of the sleepless nights and internal struggles you had endured.

“Come with me to the spring festival,” Jaemin suggested. “It’s your favorite event of the school year.”

You looked up at him with a weak smile, your eyes reflecting a mix of gratitude and despair. Subconsciously, you tugged down on the ends of your sleeves, afraid your scars might show. 

“I’m sorry Jaemin. But I really can’t...right now,” you mumbled. “It wouldn’t be right for me to go out and have fun.”

Jaemin’s expression filled with genuine concern, as he reached to put his hand on your shoulder. “Don’t say that (Y/n),” he said softly, his voice laced with empathy. “I understand that you’re having just as much of a hard time as Donghyuck is right now. But shutting yourself out from the rest of the world isn’t healthy. You know he wouldn’t want to see you like this.”

The mention of his name was enough to cause your lip to quiver. You raised a trembling hand to press against your watery eyes. 

Shaking your head, you lamented, “No, I don’t deserve your kindness or anyone else’s. I’m a terrible person. You don’t even know, Jaemin.”

It hurt Jaemin to see his friend so distraught. While he had a faint understanding of your tendency to self-criticize, he didn’t think you’d be this harsh on yourself. He had a hunch that you didn't truly desire to end things with Donghyuck.

You cried into Jaemin’s shoulder a bit, feeling oddly better after letting out some of your emotions. Once you calmed down, Jaemin tried to convince you again about the spring festival.

“Come on, it’ll be good for you to step outside for a bit,” He insisted. “You don’t even have to stay that long. If you’re not feeling it, I’ll bring you back here.”

Just the thought of stepping into a crowd after the recent events sent a shiver down your spine. But Jaemin’s unwavering support and effort to help you reclaim some sort of normalcy, made you feel guilty. Deep down, you knew you couldn’t keep hiding forever. Maybe, just maybe, you could go out this once for a little distraction.

With a hesitant nod, you gathered the strength to pull yourself off the couch. “Okay, Jaemin. I’ll try, but no promises.”

Jaemin jumped up with excitement, his face lighting up as he urged you to the door. Once you arrived at the festival, you were greeted by the enchanting glow of the hung-up lanterns and spring-themed music playing in the background. The sight of cherry blossom petals dancing in the air reminded you of why you liked the festival so much in the first place.

“Kang (Y/n), you made it!” Renjun waved to you from one of the booths. Jeno stood beside him and gave you a kind smile.

Seeing familiar faces reignited a small flicker of joy you haven’t experienced in a while. Gradually, you allowed yourself to be swept away by the night. You let the guys guide you through the vibrant booths, adorned by colorful decorations. The air was filled with the aroma of sizzling fishcakes and the subtle fragrance of peach-flavored soju. You made a conscious effort to ignore the icy stares that people directed toward you.

Amidst the bustle of the festivities, your eyes caught a glimpse of a certain two people seated on one of the benches. Donghyuck appeared to be slightly drunk, and Ahryun was sitting right beside him. Ignoring any feelings of unease, you discreetly walked closer to where they were. 

“I miss her so much. Nothing feels the same anymore without her,” Donghyuck blubbered. “I should’ve been there for her more and realized she was hurting.”

Ahryun reached out to tenderly hold his hand. “It’s not your fault, Donghyuck. (Y/n) made her own choices, and you shouldn’t be miserable because of her.”

She paused before gathering the courage to continue. “You know, I’ve liked you for some time now Donghyuck-ah.”

The boy’s expression shifted, caught off guard by Ahryun’s abrupt confession. He might be a little intoxicated, but his senses were still intact.

“I know how it sounds. But I liked you long before (Y/n) did,” Ahryun persisted. “And since you guys broke up I thought…”

“So what, you thought you could step in and replace (Y/n)? Is that it?” He started to question her intentions.

Ahryun’s eyes cried out with desperation. “I…I could be better for you than she was, Donghyuck. (Y/n) was just weak, unable to handle the challenges of being in a relationship.”

Donghyuck's eyes hardened, his protective instincts kicking in. "Aren't you her friend?" he asked. "Why are you talking about her like that?"

Ahryun's desperation heightened as she felt her chance slipping away. Ignoring his question, she leaned in closer, her voice now a seductive whisper. With a determined grip on his jacket collar, she tried to pull him closer to her.

"Donghyuck, if you just let me," Ahryun murmured, her voice filled with an unsettling mixture of desire and urgency.

That was when you reached your breaking point. The sight of Donghyuck and Ahryun, coupled with the flood of conflicting emotions inside you, became too overwhelming to bear. Slowly, you began to backtrack, stepping away from the scene that brought you so much pain. Each step felt heavier than the last as if the weight of your emotions was pulling you down. You turned in the opposite direction, determined to leave it all behind.

Just as you left the scene, Ahryun leaned closer to kiss Donghyuck. You missed seeing him push her away in outrage. He quickly stood up from the bench, his face contorted with anger and disappointment.

"Are you kidding me right now?" he exclaimed, his voice filled with disbelief. He locked his gaze with Ahryun, his eyes burning with a mix of frustration and disgust.

"Kang (Y/n) is the person for me," he declared firmly. "Not you or anyone else."

He left Ahryun feeling torn, with not even the slightest bit of sympathy. However, his path was interrupted when he spotted Jaemin standing nearby, his face filled with panic.

"Hold on, Hyuck," Jaemin spoke urgently, his voice quivering. "You need to know that (Y/n) saw Ahryun try to kiss you. She... she didn't look too good.”

Donghyuck took a step back, his heart sinking, and let out a frustrated curse. As if his night couldn't get any worse. "Where did she go?" he asked Jaemin, his voice tinged with worry. 

As soon as Jaemin pointed him in the right direction, Donghyuck swiftly turned and hurried in the path you had taken. His heart raced as he desperately tried to catch up to you.

"(Y/n), wait!" he called after you.

Your body tensed at the sound of his voice and you froze in your tracks. The last thing you wanted was to see him right now. But Donghyuck wasn’t going to let you slip away so easily.

He approached you, his breath coming out in labored gasps. “Please, can we just talk?”

The pleading tone in his voice was what caused you to give in. Cautiously, you turned around to face him.

“What is it?” You were almost afraid to ask.

“Did you…did you know that Ahryun liked me?” He asked in disbelief. “Is that why you broke up with me?”

You looked at him, feeling lost and unsure of how to respond. Donghyuck sighed, closing the distance between you, his eyes filled with sincerity.

"(Y/n), I would have never gone to her. I never had any intentions of moving on or being with anyone else," he said earnestly. “You know that, right?”

There was a part of you that felt a glimmer of gratitude, knowing that Donghyuck still held feelings for you. It puzzled you how he could be so sweet, especially when you were the one who hurt him.

Feeling overwhelmed by your own guilt, you took a step back, distancing yourself from Donghyuck. Your voice trembled with a mixture of emotions as you spoke.

"Why are you being so kind to me? You should hate me.”

His eyes glistened with tears. “I could never hate you, Kang (Y/n). Please don’t think you’re unworthy of kindness or love.”

You felt a surge of frustration welling up inside you, pushing back against his words.

“No, I’m not,” You snapped. 

Whatever had transpired between him and Ahryun didn’t matter. Despite Donghyuck’s reassurances, you still clung to the belief that you were damaged and broken. If he knew about your past, if he saw the scars beneath your sweater, he would never be able to love you.

Mumbling a quiet apology, you pushed past him, your mind clouded with self-doubt and regret. The weight of the evening bore down on your shoulders, and you couldn't help but blame yourself for stepping out into the world once again. Going to the festival now felt like a mistake, amplifying your insecurities and highlighting your perceived inadequacies.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

~ chapter nine ~ 

Ahryun seethed with anger and resentment as she refused to accept Donghyuck's rejection. In her mind, she saw you as the sole obstacle standing between her and the possibility of being with him. The rejection fueled her bitterness and the desire for revenge brewed within her. All she yearned for was to witness you suffer once more, to see you hurt as deeply as she believed she had been hurt. It was time for people to see you for who you truly were.

The morning sunlight painted a gentle glow across the campus as you arrived for your poetry class the day after the festival. However, as you walked by, you noticed a peculiar shift in the way people looked at you as they passed by. Whispers filled the air, and bewildered gazes followed your every step. You wondered if Ahryun posted another rumor about you again. Had she secretly captured photos of you and Jaemin this time?

Feeling paranoid, you paused to take out your phone and quickly navigated the UniYeon site. As the page loaded, the color drained from your face when you were greeted by the headline post. 

“‘Kang (Y/n)’s Horrific Past Exposed,’” someone read aloud as they scrolled through the article on her phone. The person walking with them peered over the person’s shoulder to get a better look. 

“Wah, did she actually try to kill herself?”

No, no, no, this couldn't be happening. With trembling fingers, you clicked on the post, your heart pounding. As you scanned the text, it mercilessly revealed all the painful details about your past suicide attempt in high school. The weight of each word intensified your feelings of shame and vulnerability. And just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, there it was—the video capturing the haunting moment you ran into traffic, displayed at the bottom of the article.

You felt like you were reliving your trauma in high school, all over again. The piercing stares from those around you felt like a repeat performance, a mix of pity and judgment intertwined. There was only one other person in this university who knew about this incident. Min Ahryun.

Now the whole university was aware of what kind of person you were. Which meant that he knew too. Suddenly, the thought of attending your poetry class faded into the background. Overwhelmed with panic, your feet instinctively moved in reverse, and urged you to retreat.

▃▃▃

The second Donghyuck saw the UniYeon post, he abandoned everything else and set out to look for you. He sprinted to the location of your class, only to discover that you weren’t there. Panic consumed him as he realized that you must have left the campus.

Reading the post was emotionally excruciating for him. He couldn't fathom the depths of your anxiety and the overwhelming pain you must have experienced during that dark period. This had to be what you were trying to tell him that one night after you had cut your hand. He was angry with himself, thinking about how you have been suffering alone in silence this whole time.

“(Y/n)!” He pressed the doorbell, once he got to your apartment unit. When you didn’t come to the door, Donghyuck punched in the passcode to your door and let himself in.

You weren’t in the living room or the kitchen. So he darted over to your bedroom and was met with a closed door. He banged on it anxiously, calling out your name.

“Please, (Y/n),” He pleaded desperately. “Let me in.”

The sound of his voice barely registered, as you tried to collect yourself. It felt like all your fears were coming true. You just wanted all of it to go away.

Somehow, Donghyuck managed to break open the lock on your door forcefully and rushed into the room. The sight of you slumped on the floor, tears staining your cheeks, shattered him inside.

Donghyuck approached you carefully, kneeling before you. “(Y/n)...”

“You saw it, didn’t you?” 

He nodded silently in response and tried to take your hand. But when you flinched in response to his touch, a look of suspicion crossed his face. His eyes searched yours, trying to understand the reason behind your reaction.

That’s when he glanced down and noticed the splotch of blood on your hand. His worry deepened, as he started to wonder about the desperate measures you had taken to deal with your pain.

Without saying anything, he reached again for your arm. You didn’t say anything this time and looked away when you felt your sleeve being rolled up. A deep sense of shame crawled up your throat as more tears blurred your vision.

Donghyuck couldn’t control the tears that cascaded down his cheeks when he saw your arm covered in angry red marks.

“(Y/n), why…?”

“I’m sorry,” you wept brokenly, “I didn’t want you to see me like this.”

In the next moments, Donghyuck pulled you into his lap, engulfing you in a tight embrace. Your fingers instinctively gripped onto his shirt as sobs escaped your lips. He never felt so powerless, hearing your heart-breaking cries and feeling your body tremble against his. Tears streamed endlessly as he held you close, silently sharing your anguish. All he could do was cry with you.

“I’m so sorry,” the boy fretted. “I didn’t know you were in this much pain. I wish I had known, (Y/n). I wish I could have been there for you when you needed someone the most.”

“There were so many times I wanted to open up to you,” you managed to utter through your messy tears. “But I was so afraid of losing you, Hyuck. I didn’t want to be a burden to you.”

Donghyuck, in response, leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to your temple. He stroked your hair softly. 

"Oh (Y/n), you could never be a burden to me," he murmured, his voice filled with tenderness. His eyes glistened with tears as he looked at you, his heart breaking for the pain you had endured alone. "How could you ever think that? You mean the world to me.”

You wrapped your arms around him tightly. Your voice was muffled as you spoke into his hoodie. “I’m sorry, Donghyuck. I’m sorry for pushing you away and not letting you in.”

"It's okay," he cooed soothingly, his voice filled with compassion. He continued to rub gentle circles across your back, offering comfort and reassurance. "It's okay, babe. I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere.”

Once the both of you calmed down a bit, Donghyuck retrieved some medical supplies from your bathroom. You were surprised to learn how skilled he was at cleaning and bandaging wounds. 

After he finished up, the two of you found solace in each other’s arms, spending the rest of the day in bed. Donghyuck listened attentively as you finally confessed everything that had been weighing on your heart. You didn’t detect even the slightest hint of repulsion from him. Witnessing how empathetic he was with you, allowed you to see that Donghyuck’s feelings for you were sincere. 

The stormy gray clouds of despair gradually disperse, allowing rays of warmth and hope to seep into your heart. Your former friend had tried to tear you apart again. Everyone at the university knew your secret. Mentally, you were weaker than ever. But with Donghyuck by your side, you felt like everything was going to be okay.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

~ epilogue ~

In the coming days, Donghyuck and you walked hand in hand across campus. You chose to ignore the curious looks and hushed voices of speculations. The strength of your bond radiated in your intertwined fingers, symbolizing a resilient unity that could not be shaken by mere judgment.

“I just thought you should know,” Donghyuck said, glancing over at you fondly. “You look beautiful today.”

His flirtations still made you blush profusely, your cheeks tinged with a rosy hue as you subconsciously reached to hold the delicate crescent moon pendant around your neck. The necklace served as a reminder of the love and tenderness you found in each other’s presence.

Deciding you didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of making you flustered, you playfully stopped walking and pulled the boy closer, surprising him with a swift yet passionate kiss. His lips met yours eagerly, his handing finding its place on your waist as the intimacy of the moment deepened. In that fleeting embrace, the world around you seemed to fade away, leaving only the warmth of your connection and the electric chemistry that sparked between you.

"I love you, Lee Donghyuck," you said confidently, your eyes filled with sincerity and affection, after pulling away from the kiss. Hearing you say those words first was rare, and it took him by surprise.

His gaze softened as he pressed his forehead against yours. "I love you too, (Y/n). More than you'll ever know."

The two of you might have faced some challenging obstacles. And you knew that life would continue to present its share of difficulties. However, you were certain now that the bond you had with Donghyuck was very much real and unbreakable. Knowing you were stronger together, you believed you could overcome anything.

─❀*̥˚─❀*̥˚─❀*̥˚─❀*̥˚─❀*̥˚─❀*̥˚─❀*̥˚─❀*̥˚─❀*̥˚─❀*̥˚─❀*̥˚─

#nct dream #nct 127 #nct dream fics #nct dream x reader #haechan x reader #lee haechan #lee donghyuck #haechan fic #kpop #nct dream angst #college au #nctzen #czennie #haechan scenarios

[theficblog]

HEARTS [chapter four]

CHAPTER FOUR: TWISTS AND TURNS

Pairing: Jeno x Reader + Jaemin x Reader  [ ft. Haechan, Jaehyun, Taeyong]

Prologue: Jeno comes back and so do your feelings for him, but at the same you don't want to break Jaemin's heart until you finally make up your mind with some help.

Genre: Angst +  Arranged Marriage AU

Wordcount: 3,313

Warnings: Very slight violence + Crying

▶ Previous | Next

Revealing the truth might turn out to be the best option at times, and even though one heart breaks, it’s perhaps the only way the other ones can survive. 

"What are you doing here?" You waited for the boy in front of your sight to revert back After brazenly looking at him for a minute or so.

"I could ask you the same." He questioned back instead of answering, his eyes were not watery this time, nor were his brows furrowed, all he wore was a smile, not the one you would want to see.

It was a grin of acceptance for his suffering, and it concealed the tears he was holding back like the last time.

"If this is your way of trying to come back then let me tell you it won't work." You blurted it out. "Haechan asked you to come here, didn't he?"

"Can you not stop assuming things for once?" He was subtle but stern, this Jeno certainly lacked the warmth in his voice from before. 

He simply wasn't the same.

"I had no idea I'd see you here and if I did, I would dare not come in the first place." He declared and started walking ahead, brushing past your shoulder creating a fraction of physical contact.

He would not have gone three steps ahead when you heard the footsteps halting. "And just so you know, it was you who chased me around the campus.

“Y/N please just leave me alone." He was harsh.

"What do you want me to do?" You yelled, without turning back to face him as the two of you stood with your backs facing the others. This was followed by a moment of deep silence, giving room only for the poolside night bugs to sing their daily anthems. 

"Just when I thought I don't care about you anymore, you show up. Just when I thought I loved you, you go away." The sniffs revealed the pouring deluge of misery as you yelled nonstop.

"I'm not saying that it's your fault, but don't you have a heart and mouth of your own too? Do you like being heartbroken that much? You don't even know what's going on with my life, you think I like being miserable?"

However, the opposite side made no comment.

"It's all my fault for falling in love with you, Jeno!" You cried.

Another period of stillness followed.

"Everything I had imagined shattering in front of my eyes like broken glass left me with no choice but to stare at the fracturing lines of fate."

The fact that you loved Jeno and that he loved you could never be denied under the sun, regardless of the timing or how you two were too stupid to understand and accept your feelings. In the valley of your dreams, roses were blooming, and they were sputtering day by day as though they had been drenched with fire. The ashes of burned roses were never a favourite.

"Please don't tell me you're not even here. God, I don't want to make a fool of myself again." You yelled for the last time.

Just then you started to hear sounds, sniffing and whimpering. 

"I did not go anywhere." Jeno's broken voice stated.

"I-" He took a long pause. It broke your heart to see him cry like that again. Jeno took a deep breath.

"I can't go anywhere." He cried. 

"You're pathetic!" You cursed gently, attempting to cease your tears.

"You're even more!" He reciprocated the feeling.

At the same time as you, Jeno turned around to face you. His cheeks were flushed, and his eyes were puffy and streaming with tears—not different from yours.

Without saying even a word, he walked towards you. You did the same. You hated him so much. You loved him so much. 

He delicately touched your red cheeks while wiping away the tears with his thumbs. You remained motionless as you stood there. You and he only needed to make eye contact for it to be said—some things are better left unsaid. Before Jeno spoke, the scene was silent for around a minute.

"I-" He began. 

"I'm sorry that I love you." You finished it. 

Jeno nodded, sobbing. 

The eyes that captured your heart and contained a thousand promises today just held tears and more tears; you could never win in front of those eyes.

You immediately threw your arms around Jeno's waist as he bent his head down and placed his lips on your forehead. He was compassionate; you could sense both love and suffering in him. Your tears, which were still flowing nonstop, were kissed as he carefully traced his lips down your face.

The impulse inside you made you grab his face and smash your lips on his. It was not like the last time; angry and rough, but a type of kiss you had never shared before. One filled with both, love and pain. You felt like holding Jeno so close to your heart that no one could ever take him away from you.

There was a sudden noise from behind the bushes again, as though someone had passed by. The two of you halted for a second, looking in the direction but then returning back to the business.

Sometimes love was not caring about the world.

-

"You could have told me this before!" You complained to Haechan the following morning.

"I did but you shut me up using the f-word and gambling with fate philosophies. Let me at least take a shower now." He replied. His eyes were not fully opened, and his hair defied gravity. Even before he opened his eyes, you broke into his room.

"Your best friend is in the middle of a love crisis and all you are caring about is a goddamn shower." You protested, placing your hands on his shoulders and forcing him to sit back down.

"It would have been easier if you hadn't kissed him as you said." He spoke forth his thoughts.

You sat next to him and said, "I fucked this up."

"We'll fix it." He put his hand around your shoulder, rubbing it and comforting you.

"Hang on! What on earth is he doing here?" The question came to your mind out of the blue.

"I don't know either." He replied.

"Don't tell me he is related to Jaemin." You panicked.

"Chill. I know for sure that they don't even know about each other." The boy reverted again.

"I lost control but I almost got over him." You exhaled.

"This is what I felt about Olivia." Haechan said.

"She was literally a random foreigner you hooked up with you fucker!" You jokingly hit his head.

"Give me the full story, without leaving out any details." Haechan turned his head towards you, this was probably the first time you saw him this serious about something in life.

-

"Good Morning! Y/N!" Jaemin pulled out a chair for you at breakfast and greeted you with a big smile.

"Jaemin!" You greeted him back, thanking him.

You were unsure of how to respond, so all you could think about was the food on your plate. The events of the previous day had been so intense that you were completely dazed.

Jaemin started the brief exchanges in between, and all the conversing you did was circle back to them. He held such pure stars in his eyes and every time you made eye contact you could not help but feel guilty about what you did last night. He was the man you were going to marry, and he had done nothing to earn the desire of your heart for a third man.

"They look so perfect together. Destined." Jaemin's father complimented from the other side of the table at the sight of his son and you.

Jaemin flushed nervously and averted his eyes at those words, and you grinned broadly. It wasn't until you turned to face your mother, who was only threatening you with her glare, that you returned Jaemin's gesture.

"Their wedding is going to be the talk of the town." Your mother commented.  "It's such a pleasure to see this!" Another woman joined. 

During the dull chat, your eyes drank in the scene around the table. Everyone, including your future family, was under your observation.

Your eyes fell on Jaehyun. Instead of being the older responsible male who was always sought after for suggestions by the parents, he was only a normal man today. He was not lifting his eyes and he had been quiet all of the time. Maybe all these events were reminding him of his past.

While Mark just nodded in agreement with everything stated, Haechan had an earpiece in one ear and could not have given a damn about it. The mothers and aunts gushed about the new pair but your and Jaemin's fathers simply discussed how this marriage would help their business.

Although there were a tiny fraction of people you were still not familiar with, one of them stood out.

His physique, angular features, and gentle eyes gave you a strong sense of familiarity. You were certain that you had seen him previously, possibly only a short while before.

His posture and body language were quite similar to your brother's because he was sitting on the chair exactly next to his. He was also having trouble speaking. It seemed as though he joined the family here today for you had not seen him in the past days.

"Sometimes they are a little too much. I hope it's okay with you." Jaemin gently interrupted you, jolting you out of your reverie.

"It's okay. Simply put, they are enthused about it." You gave him a comforting grin in return.

-

Sloth was brought on by the slumberous midday hours. For getting closer, the boys had left to play golf, leaving you and the ladies alone. You made the decision to visit Daeun because you were bored. Her innocence and cuteness would wipe away the negative feelings.

You noticed discussions coming out of a room as you passed through a corridor on your route.

Eavesdropping was not the intention but you could not ignore and walk away when the topic of the conversation was you.

The mothers were talking about the future of their kids, specifically about you. They discussed a wide range of topics, including jewellery and bridal gowns, which seemed perfectly natural to you.

However, your future mother-in-law didn't hesitate to convey her eagerness for a grandchild. You felt stunned. Jaemin was someone you hardly knew, and having a child with him was not your first thought. Despite the fact that Jeno's return made your heart race, you still decided to shake it off for the sake of your family's reputation, this was a bit too heavy for you to take in.

"I'm confident Y/N will be a wonderful wife to my son!" She exclaimed with a grin audible in her voice to which your mother expressed gratitude. 

"And this is what the daughters do!" She continued. "I can sit back and unwind knowing that my daughter-in-law will look after my family." His mother only seemed modern in appearance.

Were raising kids and looking after their families and husbands the only duty of a woman? Did women only belong to the kitchen? Why did the parents spend a fortune on their daughter's education if getting them married to well-off families was their only intention? 

You were on the verge of breaking down. A part of you wanted to rage inside and let it all out but you knew it would mould things for the worse. You had dreams like any other kid and they were being crushed, for the hundredth time. Even the air of the twenty-first century could not wipe out the stinky mindset of the Victorian era. You thought of people who had it worse than you, you were subjected to more horrible things. You thought of the ladies in your family who were the crowns that were weighing them down day by day. Marriage would automatically give the husband a sense of superiority over his wife. 

Even though Jaemin seemed different, the overall situation would still stay the same. 

Two years ago when your cousin Doyoung got married, his wife met with the same fate. No matter how much he tried to stand up for the right thing, any voice that was raised for the woman was crushed down by the shackles of society. You could picture all of this happening to you.

Life was fucked up.

You held back your tears and started running back to your room. 

"Y/N?" Haechan called out your name from the back upon noticing you. It must have been time they returned back.

"Not right now." Your want to cry muddled your speech.

Haechan knew you long enough to get an idea of what you were going through.  He immediately engulfed you in a bear hug and the warmth of it made you break down into tears again. 

"It's okay" He soothed you.

"Your eyes are going to be weak if you cry this much." His voice was softer than the other times. 

"Y/N~" Haechan continued. "Real bitches don't cry!"

He pulled out the hug, bopping your nose. "No more crying."

-

Two days passed and the same gala went on again and again. The vacation was coming to an end and nothing had changed. 

The meal hours were still orthodox as they had been for the past week. Jaemin was still a sweetheart. Jaehyun was still quiet. Jeno was nowhere to be seen, you had not seen him since that night, he was never there when your heart needed him. 

The only thing you could make out about the man from the dinner table was that he was close to Jaemin, but you were still unable to identify who he was. He continued giving you the impression that he knew a lot about you.

Even though you and Haechan were still formulating ideas for what to do next, you opt to brave the rain before they have a chance to be completed.

When the water reached the brim of the bucket, there was no chance of escape.

-

"I don't want to marry Jaemin." You spoke while keeping your eyes firmly on the ground. The only sound in the room was the grand clock's tick-tocking, also be kept in mind that your sudden words left them speechless.

"Do you understand what you're saying?" Your mother laughed, believing you to be making another joke.

"Yes." You said it again. "I don't want to marry Jaemin."

Tension began to build in the air.

"Y/N go back to your room if you are finding it amusing." Your father gave a reply.

"I'm serious. I don't him well, and even though he is perfect I don't think I can work a marriage with him." You said it once more.

"That's what you call giving a chance. You have to give him time." Your mother jumped in to find a conclusion.

"I've given enough already. He is not an issue, but I am unable to do this. Not once did you even ask me!" You began to speak more harshly and loudly, which was unusual, at least in front of the elders.

"Avoid making a scene. Return to your bedroom." Your dad reiterated.

"I won't. I'm here to talk!" You were stern about it.

"I understand that you're acting in the interests of business and society, but at the very least, stop playing games with me—this isn't the seventeenth century!"

Your mother was outraged as you yelled at them, but your father was silent.

"Is this how you are supposed to behave?" Your mother yelled back.

"Yes! I don't want to have a life like yours! There is someone I love!" 

When the terrible truth was revealed in a household where no one had ever raised their voice before today, a hand was raised in response. More often than not, the fact was difficult to accept. Your mother's hand was a few centimetres from your face, and she was already crying. Did you cross the line?

On normal days it would be entertaining to watch a drama-packed scene like this but in reality, there is no thunder cracking or slow-motion replay of such an event, yet you were amazed when her hand did not strike you even after being hung in the air for quite some time. You could not see, for you shut your eyes out of reflex.

It was natural for your impatient eyes to open their shutters after this.

"Do you want her to go through the same things that I did?" Jaehyun spoke curtly, as he ceased his mother's hand that was soon to turn your cheek red. Where did he come from? Why was everyone everywhere? It appeared as though everyone had teleportation powers but you.

"Mom, please!" His voice sounded irritated. 

"I don't want to go about this but then you know what is gonna happen sooner or later. Everyone's fine with me being alone just because I am a man. Have you not thought about Y/N?" 

Your father was still quiet. Your mother was regretting her decisions, both of the present and the past and what Jaehyun was doing today seemed more heroic to you than what he did in school.

Things like these had taken place in your family before, the only difference was this time one was taking a stand for the other.

This time, when her lips pursed in an attempt to speak, your mother's gaze sank to the ground.

"Come with me." Jaehyun held your hand and dragged you out of the room, without saying anything else.

-

"I'm sorry." You were almost inaudible as you apologised to your brother, he handed you a glass of water.

"You don't have to be." He said offering you a comforting smile as if nothing had happened like he always did.

"Why do I keep on ruining everything?" You were frustrated.

"It's okay, I still love you." He used his hand to lift the corners of your lips, making you laugh at the face he made.

He placed his hands on your shoulders next. "Go and tell Jaemin everything." You nodded, it seemed like the right thing to do. He did not fault this at all, and it would hurt anyone's soul to break a heart like his. All he had done was be nice to you.

As you started to walk towards his room, Jaehyun called out again.

"There's no need to listen to them, or any of their bullshit!"

You wore a broad smile as you took steps further.

- You approached Jaemin's door and knocked. He responded quickly and greeted you inside with the same sparkling smile and charisma.

"Is everything okay?" He smiled sweetly as he asked, but to you it seemed a little strange.

"Yeah." You whispered. 

"Yeah, of course, are you busy right now Jaemin?" You said it again with a brighter tone, asking the question at the sight of the same man from the dinner table. 

Being so close to him brought up a memory. It was similar to the instant of abrupt realisation just before it hit you.

Jaemin cut short your eureka moment, "Not at all."

You caught a glimpse of the balcony. It had chairs and a table set with food and wine, that had been left unattended because of your sudden visit.

"Wait!" Jaemin said aloud.

Jaemin pointed to the elder man, who was not much different from him, dressed in a suit, with impeccable hair and exceptionally courteous manners, saying, "I don't think I have introduced him to you." He had eyes that felt as though they were full of stars and a recognisable smile on his sharply defined face. Jaemin introduced Taeyong, his older brother.

Although by then you were already aware of his identity, you chose to ignore it as you gave him a warm and fast welcome before moving to approach Jaemin.

"I have to speak with you."

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[brokenmelodies07]

Sundays With A Twist

Summary - Mark Lee is just another college student who wishes that his Sunday goes according to plan, but what happens when he disappears in a cloud of blood red smoke?

Genre - Mythology

Warning - None, except bad jokes

Normal Sundays do not end up with you being in the midst of demons and wild creatures, but hey you're Mark Lee, normal is just not your cup of tea. 

Sundays were Mark's favorite. Sundays were everything he was not - calm, collected, peaceful, stress-free. As usual he woke up at 4am, did his morning routine, almost slipped on  Haechan's discarded clothes and left home to be done with his new song before the weekend gets over.

Humming his new song, Mark strolled the streets, on his way to the studio. He expected to do a lot of things today:

1. Finish the new song

2. Buy a new notebook (after Haechan spilt coffee on the last one)

3. Pick up his guitar from the shop (which Haechan should have payed for)

4. Submit his assignments

5. Actually get eight hours of sleep (probably not possible because someone keeps shouting and smashing keyboards at 3 in the morning!!!!!)

Wow, Haechan was a menace, but unfortunately there’s nobody else other than his childhood best friend to split the bills with. If there was something not included in his schedule, it was to be whisked away in smoke by a couple of teenagers. 

In the middle of the streets of New York, Mark started turning into smoke. Not just regular, white, dustless smoke, but a blood red one.

He shouted, cried and screamed for help, but the pedestrians just walked through him, like he wasn't there. 

Mark evaporated into the air and traveled as nothing more than just atoms and molecules into the depths of the earth. It was all too much for him. Like seriously? Does sleep deprivation really make you hallucinate this much? No, right? But, who knows? Maybe he should Google it.

After about what felt like a milli-second, Mark became human again, in the middle of a red, endless dessert.

Looking around, Mark slapped his face once, twice, thrice. Yet, he didn't wake up. 

"Dude, why am I not waking up?" Mark questioned, slapping his face a couple more times.

"That's gonna bruise after some time," said a voice he didn't recognise.

Mark looked around, searching for the owner of that meek voice.

"You'll need to apply some ointment on that," said a short boy with impish features who emerged from the shadows. 

"Hi, I'm Renjun, sorry for summoning you"

"Yeah, sorry for summoning you, we didn't know what else to do" said a taller boy with flaming orange hair and a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, what the heck?"Mark questioned

"Where am I? Why am I here? Who are you? What do you mean summoned? And what is that foul smell?"

"Could you go slower, we're not fluent in human language, yet" said a tall, muscular guy with spotless white hair.

"Yeah, what he said" voiced two new boys, one who was tall, lean and had pink hair and a boyish charm and the other, who was shyer, taller and looked like he hadn't eaten for days.

"Excuse me, can you wake me up? I've got a lot to do and I'm not wasting my time hallucinating. Hellooo, God?" Mark called out, looking up, thinking that God was up there somewhere saying "This is what you get when you don't sleep"

"Is this a good time to tell you that God kind of went on vacation, he won't be back till the spring fest."

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA,VERY FUNNY!!" Mark laughed, "Now , if we could speed it up a bit, I would like to wake back up"

"I don't think he understands us,"said the shy one. 

"You’re Mark, right?" asked the orange haired boy

"If you're going with my English name, then yeah..."

“Great, you just need to help us with this programming and then you'll be sent back“

"You're kidding, right? 'Cause computers and I don't go anywhere near each other, I don't even know how to shop online, bro!" Mark exclaimed.

"You are Mark from facebook, right"

"Excuse me? No, how would I be Mark Zuckerberg? I'm not even American, dude!"

"Huh?" they all collectively said together.

"Just a minute please" they said and disappeared into thin air.

What was with the obsession with disappearing into the air lately?

"Sooooo" they said, reappearing.

"So?" started Mark.

"We may or may not have accidentally mistaken you for someone else and we can't send you back."

"Sorry for the trouble, but hey we can be friends,"  said the shortest one.

"Yeah, I'm Chenle, son of Hermes," introduced the boy with green hair.

"Hi! Jaemin, son of Aphrodite. Welcome to the club, dude!" Said the pink-haired boy excitedly.

"Nice to meet you, I’m Jisung, son of Hermes,"  the shy one mumbled.

"I'm Renjun, son of Athena, Goddess of wisdom and warfare, and that's Jeno, son of Ares, God of War,"  said the shortest one.

"Well, I'm Mark Lee, a college student who survives on a lot of caffeine and watermelons. Nice to formally meet you, I guess?" Questioned Mark with raised eyebrows.

"So, is there any way you can teach us about programming?" asked Jeno, who Mark assumed must be their brawns.

"Yeah, if you have fulfilled the purpose we called you here for, then you're free to go, that's how the magic works" explained Renjun, who obviously was the brains.

"Well, I might know someone who's currently studying programming in college"

"Really? If he can help us out, then you both would probably be free to go"

"Let's summon him now, what's his name?"

"Lee Haechan," smirked Mark, knowing that this would be enough for all the times Haechan stabbed him in the back and annoyed the living daylights out of him.

#nct 127 #nct dream #nct u #nct #nct fluff #nct mark #nctfics #nct oneshot #wayv #nct scenarios #nct imagines #nct mythology #college student au #nct renjun #nct jeno #nct haechan #nct jaemin #nct chenle #nct jisung #nct2023