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soobadnoonecanstopher · 3 years

Text

Touch it for Real, Part 5

Genre: Humor / Fluff / Eventual Smut

Warnings: OMG they were roommates / slice of life / slow burn / mutual pining / crude humor / cursing / virgin!baek / idiots to lovers / mention of feet

Characters: Baekhyun X You/Female Reader

Description: You teach Baekhyun how to date. (Basically the Get You Alone M/V)

Part 1 , Part 2 , Part 3 , Part 4 , Part 5, Part 6

Baekhyun was trembling. His hands were actually shaking so much each time he tried to type into the keyboard of his phone he hit the wrong letters and the typos rendered his message impossible for even the autocorrect to guess what he was trying to say.

“Just — ugh — just give me a regular keyboard for fuck’s sake,” he was grumbling to himself, “my hands wont stop shaking. I can’t. I can’t do this.”

He tossed the phone with force away from him and it landed face down on the carpet across the living room.

“No. I refuse,” he was staring over at the phone on the floor with a shell shocked aura about him, “just forget it. I’ve changed my mind. I can’t. I won’t!”

You’d given him a homework assignment an hour ago.

Ask a girl out on a date.

He’d been sitting on this sofa with his phone in his hands, writing, deleting, rewriting and deleting, again and again, into the text message conversation he had going with Mia.

It had been going pretty well with Mia actually. You’d been handing him the reins more and more and you both celebrated together with a single glass of wine the night he’d had his first actual phone conversation with her. Baekhyun was a lightweight and usually refused to drink more than a few sips of alcohol but he’d gone for the chilled bottle in the fridge and poured it into two glasses and handed one of them to you and lifted his own into the air. He did not wait for you to acknowledge his toast though. He just downed the contents of his glass with a wince on his face in a single go, slammed the empty glass down onto the counter roughly and stormed out of the kitchen toward his bedroom. You sipped your glass and counted it as a shared celebration.

His phone call lasted for 3 minutes and 32 seconds and he managed to tell one awkward joke that elicited audible laughter from the girl. You knew because you sat on the couch beside him with your ear pulled up as close to the phone as you could manage, trying to hear everything that happened. You’d let him know you were here to intervene if something went wrong but honestly you were sure he would do well on his own. And honestly, he was about to do well on his own, despite how awkward and very nervous his voice was.

They had gotten past the introductions at least twice when he briefly forgot what came after “hello” and simply said it a second time. She at least said it twice too and the awkward pause that came after that went on for too long when you held up the index card in your hand and pointed with your finger to the question you had written down.

“Uhh...so h-how...umm...how are — I mean, what are you up to?”

You couldn't make out her response, but whatever she said pulled an interested hum from the back of his throat and he made a quick witted remark that had her giggling in response.

You could definitely make out the sounds of her laughter and you could instantly see the change on his face when it happened. You saw the brightness form inside his eyes and he turned to look at you with a surprised expression as he lifted a finger to point at the phone he held in his hand.

His eyes were wide with something in between amazement and panic and he mouthed the words ‘she’s laughing’ at you and you nodded enthusiastically in response.

Unfortunately a few seconds after the joke he accidentally dropped the phone and it took a wild bounce, landing somewhere under the couch. He couldn’t find it for two whole minutes and when he finally found it, he made up some excuse about having to go because he smelled something burning.

He stared at the phone until the screen turned black and he didn’t move when you rubbed a soothing hand over his back.

“That went pretty good,” you offered. Baekhyun grunted and turned toward the kitchen for the celebratory toast.

Since that night, (you know the one) you’d intentionally taken on a more supportive teacher role in this project. You vowed to keep yourself involved as much as he needed and you swore you could keep your own selfishness from impeding his progress. The way you had been acting had been unfair and he was too good to you for him to deserve anything less than your very best.

You had made a promise to Baekhyun and then you made a promise to yourself to follow through on that promise. You would move Heaven and Earth to help him reach his goal because he deserved it and seeing him happy would be enough to get you through anything that came your way.

You were fine.

No really, you were completely fine.

He was moaning.

You sat on the couch beside him with your foot propped up on the coffee table as you carefully applied the second coat of polish to your toenails. You’d become quite the expert at applying polish to your nails during bumpy situations. Sitting next to the man who flailed and squirmed beside you on this sofa was commonplace and simply no big deal.

You could probably do this during an earthquake.

His moaning turned into much louder moaning and he threw himself back onto the arm of the couch dramatically and in protest of the unfairness of your assignment.

“Buuuug,” he whined through his nose, drawing it out like a little kid.

You’d just finished your pinky toe when his foot pushed up against your thigh.

Your aim was quick and you reached over and grabbed his foot by the heel as you pivoted in place.

“Be still,” you said calmly and you held his foot in place as you applied the bright red polish to his big toenail. You often did his toes to match your own because it made his toes look adorable and he wore socks everywhere he went anyway so he didn’t mind what you did to amuse yourself.

You moved quickly, dabbing carefully over each of his nails until they were all painted to match yours. You blew air over them to dry them, being thankful you’d invested in the 60 second polish.

“Buuu-hu-hu-hu-uuug,” he moaned harder, wiggling his hips into the fit he was throwing and closing his eyes to sell you on the absolute anguish he was in. “Bug, I just don't think I can do it. Can we do something else? I don't even know what to do on a date. What if she says no? Oh god, what if she says yes, I’m going to puke. Do you want to see me puke? Because I am going to puke.”

You tapped a hand lightly over the top of his finished foot and pointed to the other one and after a few moments he shifted, giving in to what you asked for right away.

But good lord, he was dramatic. The whining and the moaning intensified just when you thought you couldn't stand another volume increase he raised his voice into a shout and put actual words to his protests. Your ears were already ringing and you could feel your substantial patience — really, you were on a level with a Buddhist monk after two years living with this — beginning to shake.

“I mean, if I asked you to teach me how to swim would you chuck me into the ocean on the first day?”

You forced your focus down on his other foot, getting the polish smooth and perfect with each stroke. He had gone quiet after his question to you and you bit down on your lip as you carefully pondered the words he was saying. The last thing you wanted was to make him so uncomfortable he was unable to go about his daily life. You didn't need this project to become a source of heartache for the man.

You were not an unreasonable person. Perhaps this really had been too big of a step for him to take without having even practiced under the careful instruction of a teacher.

He’d waited in silence for you to answer for only a few seconds and when you didn’t; because you were thinking about it, dammit, he threw his whole head back and his mouth opened up and he wailed into the ceiling above his head at an even more annoying volume than you thought was possible. This was new and shocking. It was deafening. Surely the neighbors would think someone was being butchered in here.

The awful sounds were coming straight from his diaphragm. The man had power in those pipes and he was going to destroy your ear drums in order to get his way. It went on and on, changing from a moaning, groaning large-dog-with-a-bellyache sound into what you imagined it might sound like inside of an echo chamber trapped with a big sad whale, the biggest ones they made, who also happened to be on fire. He was giving you everything he had now. This was full volume and it was horrible.

“Alright!” You shouted over the wretched screaming, “Alright fine! For the love of God, Baekhyun!” You said for emphasis and the incredible relief of silence flooded and cleansed your ear drums that still vibrated from the after effects of all of that noise.

He lifted his head and closed up his mouth instantly and his eyes were wide as he cautiously watched and waited for what you would say next.

“Do you want me to teach you? Do you think you can practice with me so you learn how to do it before you have to do it for real, on your own? That’s what you mean right? You want more instruction before I throw your ass into the ocean?”

His lips were situated down into a fierce pout now and he nodded his head twice; a big ol’ up and down.

You were irked now. No amount of pathetic pouting on that face could pull you back from the edge. Even the slow careful nod of his head was just an obvious attempt at winning you over with cuteness. Well, it wouldn't work. If anyone was capable of annoying someone to death, it was this man right here and he came very close just now.

“New assignment,” you said with your finger raised and he pulled his bottom lip in between his teeth and pushed his top lip forward as he inflated his cheeks into round balloons. He sat up straighter and he waited for you to speak.

“Since I am a woman,” you began with your finger still raised and waving in his direction. His eyes glanced down at it, “you may ask me out on a date, for practice. And if I say yes, we will then—”

Your pointed finger was joined by your whole hand as you opened it up and you waved it through the air twice, a visual representation of cause and effect of such a situation. His eyeballs followed every movement you made, looking at the hand that moved instead of at you, the actual speaker.

His eyes popped up into yours when he registered the words you were saying; the requirements of his new assignment.

“...we will then — well, we will..”

Your words were sticking. He was listening very closely and he’d released the air trapped in his mouth and his lips now hung open as his eyes occasionally followed the waving of your hand in front of his face. It was silly how shifty his focus was when your hand moved in front of him.

“We...will…” he said and his face moved, mirroring the movements of your hand as he tried best to understand the new task you were trying so hard to assign to him, even repeating your words to help you get the next ones out.

“We will go on a date. A real one. A practice date. You will have to take me on a date, Baekhyun. You’ll just have to .. do your best at it.”

“A date? I’ll have to,” he said with a flinching, squinting blink of his eyes, “...do my best?”

“Yes, of course,” you said as you pointed your finger at him again, pulling a swift but deep gasp into your lungs to fight the dizziness you could feel building inside your head, “It’s an assignment. Like school. I will give you a grade on how well you do. If you fail, then it’s over and I’m a terrible teacher and clearly your problems are beyond my area of expertise.”

His polish was dry. This conversation needed to be over because you were weirdly agitated by the wide eyed, deer in the headlights expression stuck on his face.

“I’ll send you some study materials later. You better take this seriously, Byun Baekhyun. This is a real assignment from your real dating teacher.”

The entire situation made you anxious. The desire to flee was very strong. You needed a getaway and you needed it now. You felt a tremble inside that could only be attributed to just how freaked out he had been acting. It was rubbing off on you.

You wanted to make a quick escape but you were now fighting with the many bottles of nail polish scattered across the coffee table; you’d gone through so many of them as you decided on which color to use — they really were just numerous and just everywhere. You grasped at them, trying to grab huge handfuls at one time but your hands couldn't hold as many as you wanted and each attempt sent a bottle or two clattering noisily to the table below. It was really ruining the dramatically cool exit you were trying for.

After quite a bit of noise you felt the warmth of Baekhyun’s arm as he leaned against you and began to help you pick up the bottles; carefully placing each in it’s designated spot in your huge nail polish organizer.

It took a bit of effort for you to turn to look at him and when his fingertips carefully placed the final bottle in the case you clicked the lid closed and finally managed to face him.

His eyes were flighty. His face was flushed and when he met your eyes the smile on his lips was very tense. It looked like a grimace.

You had to be insane to be doing this. Willingly putting yourself into a situation like this with him, a situation that was for instructional purposes only, but a situation nonetheless. Your heart was racing inside of your chest and you briefly wondered if he could hear it with him sitting so close to you.

You swallowed it away, the nerves or the uncertainty or whatever it was that had taken hold of your hands and made them unstable and you turned to look into his face head on.

“Do you understand the assignment?”

Baekhyun filled his lungs with air and straightened his shoulders, pulling them back as his eyes closed up. You recognized the self calming behavior. When he turned to look at you he held a new determination in his eyes and he nodded his head and furrowed his eyebrows.

“I was always a good student,” he said, “I will do my best with this assignment. I’ll take it seriously, so I can learn from you well.”

You reached forward and patted the back of his hand lightly and offered a reassuring smile.

“Don't be too nervous, okay? Remember it’s for class so you should learn from it. Mistakes are natural and they help us grow. And you won’t have to do anything that makes you uncomfortable. I mean it.”

He swallowed and his lips flattened out into a thin line across his face. His head bobbed up and down and he hummed out a response that told you that yes, he did know what was expected of him for the sake of the lesson; for the sake of his future as an adult man who was entering the dating pool in search of the companionship of some lucky lady.

“Also remember, it’s just me. No pressure. Okay, Peanut? I’m here to help you. You could spill an entire cup of iced tea down my dress at dinner and I would still forgive you.”

“No pressure,” he repeated under his breath and when you were finally satisfied that he really understood, you stood, hefting your manicure supplies up with both hands and you stepped away from the living room to return them to your bathroom.

“Do I have a deadline?” He called after you and you turned back with your hand on the doorknob to your room, quietly amused by the seriousness you saw on his face. At the same time, proud of what a good student he was. He was a smart boy, he would do well in anything he was determined to do.

“Ask me out by tomorrow or else Ben might beat you to it.”

You figured a little sense of competition couldn't hurt. And yes, you were still actually speaking regularly with Ben. You were pleasantly surprised with how smart and how funny he turned out to be and he turned out to be a pretty good distraction for the evenings when you’d normally be bored and hanging around in Baekhyun’s room while he played some game on his PC and he’s toss you a remote for the screen that hung up on the wall above his head. You’d play music videos, or cooking videos from YouTube, or some drama or variety shows and he’d play his games and lean far back in his chair watching the screen when exciting things happened on screen.

A few times lately though, when you went into his room you’d find him watching some anime and you just knew he’d want to pay close attention so he could discuss it later with Mia. You’d much rather find someone to entertain you alone so you didn’t have to be ignored or shushed when you interrupted his anime with some stupid question about it, like who is that guy with the crazy eyes and why is he trying to kill everybody. Ben’s conversations were good enough to keep you occupied at least a little bit.

Back in your bedroom you got to work searching for materials for Baekhyun to study. Mostly using helpful YouTube videos with titles such as “how to ask a girl out”, “what to talk about on a first date” and a super helpful online book you found called The Gentleman’s Guide: How to be the Perfect Date. It was just a little outdated with the styles but the book was extensive and ran the gamut from hygiene to manners to confidence and conversation; it even had an entire section called The Art of Subtle Seduction and it made you just a little embarrassed to think of Baekhyun reading this part. He was an adult. He could handle this much. The Dos and Don'ts of a First Date section alone was worth the price you paid for the book.

You wrote up an email with your course materials and sent it off to the man.

Then you sat and waited alone in your bedroom until your level of boredom that in any other situation would be unremarkable, when combined with the built up anticipation inside of you, mixed into a perfect storm of swirling lunacy that was bouncing around inside of you; trying to break free and wreak havoc on something other than your chest walls.

You grabbed your cell phone, slipped by the 2 waiting text messages from Ben that you would absolutely get to later, and opened a new text message to Baekhyun.

‘peanut did you get my email ^^?’

You were sure he did. Of course he did. You wondered if there was anything he found lacking in the pages and pages of super helpful information you sent him. You wondered what he thought about it all and maybe if he needed some guidance or suggestions on how to proceed with the first step of his assignment. Did he need you to come over to his bedroom and watch the videos with him? Would that be too awkward?

Your phone vibrated.

‘yep’

He would ask for help if he needed it, you were certain. He would be fine. This wasn’t real anyway. It wasn’t like there was an actual deadline, not really. You enjoyed talking with Ben but it didn’t seem like he was close to asking you out yet. He had been a bit busy lately and you had been busy as well with work and with helping Baekhyun.

You’d seen from the notification preview on your phone that Ben’s last two messages were asking you something that would take a while to explain and you didn’t want to open them yet in case he’d been expecting you to reply quickly. You needed a bit more time to come up with an answer for the questions he had casually asked about your roommate. You’d tell Ben that Baekhyun was, yes, a guy. And no, it wasn’t awkward living with a man.

You’d get to all that later. Now, you were entirely too keyed up about a problem of your very own creation.

When.

But really...

When?

You could not relax. Because honestly it could happen at any moment. He could come barging into your room, plop his ass down unceremoniously on your bed and say “Hey Doll, hows about you and me go on a hot date this weekend, what about it? Nyeeahhh?” Like some sort of 1940s gangster. You could definitely see Baekhyun doing this accent. You were pretty sure he had a 40s gangster hat in his closet.

You’d decided that you wouldn't give him a hard time about how he asked you. You’d accept right away for the sake of his nerves, if he worked up the courage to ask you at all, then he was on the right track and he deserved an E for effort.

You still had trouble with the anticipation. Not knowing when was the hardest part to handle. You tried your very best to go about your day in as normal a way possible. Sure, you jumped every time you heard a sound, but other than that, it felt like any other day.

He spent the rest of the evening in his room and didn't even come out until you heard the doorbell ring. You peaked your head out of your bedroom door and waited for him to answer it but after a few minutes with no sight of him you stepped out. The doorbell rang a second time and you rushed from your room to answer it before the visitor gave up.

It could have been something important. This building had a doorman so it was usually someone who had a purpose ringing the bell.

The view through the camera monitor showed a run of the mill pizza delivery man, and you remembered that it was Baekhyun’s turn to make dinner tonight. He must have ordered you a pizza so he could hide in his room all night and not have to worry about walking around you in the kitchen and not asking you out on a date.

This was his way of avoiding you for the night.

You had to swallow down the flash of silly disappointment that popped up. You’d assumed correctly that he had already paid for the pizza and you received your cardboard box of loneliness with a polite smile for the weirdly cheerful delivery kid.

You gave a quick glance at the label in the front of the box to check for forbidden toppings just in case he’d forgotten who he was avoiding tonight and put something weird on it like corn and mayo or hot peppers.

The label had four lines of ingredients listed, the first said ‘xtra cheese’ and each additional one after that said ‘xtra cheese.’ Nothing else, just ‘xtra cheese’ listed four times in succession.

What in the world?

You briefly considered a malfunction of the pizza shop’s label maker, but boy was this thing heavy. Did he sneeze while selecting toppings and accidentally hit the option four times?

You set the monster down on the counter and lifted the lid. It was steaming hot despite the trip in the car and up the elevators to your door and as soon as you opened it you noticed the odd appearance of the inside lid.

There was a message handwritten with black marker inside of the lid.

Your stomach leapt up into your throat as you recognized what this was. The message started with the word Bug.

You had to cover your mouth to get through this.

Bug,

I know this is really, really, really, really cheesy, but will you go out on a date with me this Saturday?

Knock thrice on my door for yes.

-Peanut

P.S. Did I beat Ben?

You had to hang your head to contain it. You wanted to scream. Giggles actually burst out of your mouth before you could stop them. You were highly amused. Actually reallly fucking impressed and goddammit you felt a genuine flutter of butterflies inside of your stomach. How was he this clever? He had always been very silly and good at thinking of the most ridiculous scenarios to get things done, but wow. When you lifted the lid once more to read his message again your mind spun with the logistics of that man in that bedroom sneakily ordering this thing from a real pizza shop that was probably a block from your home.

Did he call them and explain the situation? Did all of the employees gather around, chanting ‘More cheese! Give the man more cheese!’ As they loaded this pizza up with what looked to be a full inch of melted cheese on top? It compromised the edges of the crust and flowed over the cardboard below. It was absolutely ridiculous and nearly inedible too.

Did they giggle at the pet names you called each other as they selected the employee with the best handwriting to relay his message?

You were buzzing again. This time it was pride. He was brilliant at everything he put his mind to and this was clearly no exception. He would do so well in his life.

You left the kitchen and made your way toward his closed bedroom door. As you came close you heard a very soft thud; wooden door hitting wooden door frame. The movement was hardly noticeable but you could see a slow turn of the doorknob too. He probably thought he was sneaky.

You lifted your closed fist and quietly hit three times against his door and after exactly ten seconds you heard the squeak of his doorknob turning and his bedroom door opened up an inch.

You saw a single brown eyeball peeping at you through the opening.

“I’ll text you the details later,” he whispered and the door closed up again before you could respond.

The details came by text message a day later, just as he promised. It was a Thursday afternoon when your phone buzzed and you’d just put the final touches on your data entry work for the day, running it through a spell checker for mistakes as you always did. You’d expected to hear from Ben by now, he said he had something to go straighten out at the bank. He’d taken it well, finding out that your roommate was a man around your age, and he didn’t even ask too many prodding questions about him.

The message was from Baekhyun with the time he would ‘arrive’ to pick you up on Saturday and he gave you sparse details about what he actually had planned; just a quick note at the end that he would be wearing a suit. You figured this was a hint for you to dress up as well.

Was Baekhyun taking you some place fancy? Your curiosity was positively burning and Baekhyun had been acting super weird around you lately.

Whenever you’d come into a room he was already occupying he would make up some excuse why he had to leave it and vanish inside his room to carry on with his highly secretive behavior. Whenever you went into his room he would spin in his chair toward the door with what you were positive was a caught red handed look on his face. It was like you had just caught him watching porn, only you’d caught glimpses of his screen before he quickly hit a keyboard command to clear out the screen and you didn't see a single boob.

After the first time, you’d made it a point to barge into his room often, just to see the surprised look on his face; you did it all for that gasp of air, the frantic fingers of panic on the keyboard, and the trembling hand over his chest as he clutched his pearls. All you caught flashes of were just regular looking websites. Regular text and regular pictures. You saw some blues, you saw some greens. You definitely didn't see the incriminating black and yellow theme of everyone’s favorite adult website. There was nary a penetrative moan to be heard through his speakers. The entire thing brought you great joy. The man was acting so odd and honestly he was getting your hopes up for a fantastically mind blowing date on Saturday. You’d already picked out your dress, heels, and jewelry and had been having a very hard time tolerating the ever so tedious passage of time.

By the time Saturday rolled around you were a wreck of nerves; though you weren’t exactly sure why you were so anxious. It was probably his recent fretting and obsessive preparations that had rubbed off on you. You’d decided to take it easier on him today. He’d obviously been working very hard on this assignment once given the dangling carrot of a good grade to be awarded at the end and if there was one thing you knew about Baekhyun, it was how much he strived to achieve perfection in his academic performance. You’d provided the materials. He’d obviously been studying and go-time was quickly approaching.

You took your time getting ready, soaking in your bathtub to kill some of the dull waiting hours before he was due to pick you up. By the time you were scrubbed, rinsed, shaved, moisturized, plucked, preened, coiffed, and scented to your satisfaction, you had only a half an hour to slip up the straps on the fancy fitted cocktail dress and check your reflection in the full length mirror. It was fitted and had a deep plunging neckline. It accentuated the best parts of your figure and the high slit that landed over your upper thigh showed just enough skin to make you feel sexy.

With your heels you were ready to go; feeling about as pretty as you had in a long while. The silliest little fantasy swam through your head as you spun in front of the mirror and it brought just a little warmth to your cheeks as you allowed it to play out. The idea that he would find you so lovely, so irresistible, that even the iron willed man with his self control like a steel trap would lose himself in the slow blinks of your lashes and drown in the pools of your eyes for just one night.

When you lightly slapped a palm over your cheek, it was to ground yourself. This was fake. Everything that happened tonight would be the result of careful calculations and applications of behaviors modeled in text books that he had studied all week long. It was a date with Baekhyun, but it wouldn't really be an accurate representation of the Baekhyun that you know so well.

You knew he would follow a script. He would perform as a perfect gentleman and you would play along, knowing that when he brought you home you would get a gentle hug and a thanks for sharing your knowledge with him and you would close your bedroom door and he would return to his bedroom door and life as you know it would simply fall back into place as it should remain unchanged for however long it took for you to get back on your feet, perhaps get a place of your own not too far away from him; although this neighborhood was very expensive, you’d settle for one or two subways stops away if it meant you could visit your best friend often and see him living out the life he deserved with someone who was worthy of his love.

Tonight, you will enjoy. But you would not allow your emotions to betray your rational mind. You would enjoy it and then it would be over and Baekhyun would have the skill set to ask out Mia, or whoever else he set his mind on asking out.

Your quiet self assurance was interrupted by two soft knocks on your bedroom door and your hands were trembling as you grabbed your handbag that had your cell phone, a tube of lipstick for touch-ups and a few just in case items you were always taught to carry with you, you know, just in case.

You’d reached the door and swung it open with a beaming smile on your face.

Your date was here. Baekhyun was here. It was Peanut.

A smile that quickly transformed into what you were sure was a gaping opening in your face resembling some aquatic animal and you found yourself gazing upon, frankly, an expertly styled exquisitely handsome real life man, who was wearing Byun Baekhyun’s face and smile.

Despite seeing him standing before you with your own two eyes, your brain was having trouble reconciling the two; your harmless roommate and the man who stood before you wearing a crisp suit jacket that he filled out shockingly well, a fashionable collarless dress shirt that looked like it came from some fancy boutique from downtown, fitted dress slacks that you tried your best not to linger on for too long, and were his shoes Italian? You were pretty sure they were Italian. More than just the clothes, his hair was different. He’d gone and had something done to his hair! Lord, you saw slight waves and a deliberate styling by an expert hand with just a bit of his forehead visible. Oh he looked so lovely with this hair style.

You remembered to close your mouth, but only after the realization dawning on you that he hadn’t said anything to you as you silently admired how beautiful he looked standing in his fancy suit looking like at least a million bucks.

You knew...you knew he was an attractive man. You’d have plenty of glimpses of it again and again, freshly reminded of it during that photo shoot late that night. You’d even known he worked out and had had plenty of chances to ogle the muscles on his arms and chest when he just woke up and would wander out shirtless for a drink of water. You knew that the entire shape of this man was the kind of handsome that you had to make conscious decisions to ignore. You’d forced yourself to look away plenty of times in the past. Still, the Baekhyun who stood here today, the one who had his lips parted as he stared into your eyes now after what you were certain was a head to toe, slow as hell, full body appreciation of all of your preparations to get ready for tonight, this Baekhyun was, for lack of a better word, he was sexy as all hell.

For the first time since you began this project; these lessons in dating, you felt like you might actually be in some sort of trouble.

Baekhyun spoke at last and it was the softest whisper. He said your name. Not Bug, not stupid or dummy or stinky which he called you sometimes even though you knew, you fucking knew you always smelled amazing. You went out of your way to smell great. The sound of your name on his voice softened the shock in your face and you felt a smile pull at your lips.

And so you smiled at him and watched the slow but complete smile that manifested on his pretty face.

“Hi,” he said with a blink of his bright eyes.

“Hi Baek,” you said. Your heart was racing.

He pivoted on his (Italian!) shoes and extended a bent elbow toward you and you slipped a hand around his arm.

He was doing so well. Each step you took through your shared home felt new. You had a hard time keeping from watching the side of his face and each glance you made was greeted with the light touch of his eyes as he met your eyes with his own.

Moments blurred. He ticked all the boxes, of course. He opened your door, closed it quietly behind you once you were inside. Even helped you with the seatbelt, much to the dismay of your racing heartbeat when he reached over to pull the red strap across you, careful to keep his hands well away from touching any of your actual body as he did it. The true devastation hit you when, all closed up inside the dark car in the silent moments before he started the engine and the intoxicating smell of him reached your nose.

This was a new smell. Baekhyun had gone to the salon, gone shopping for expensive new clothes, and was also wearing what had to be the best smelling cologne you had ever experienced in person.

“You smell really good,” you said without looking at him and your fingers fidgeted with the strap of your handbag to keep your mind working.

“So do you,” he said followed by an inhale that you were certain sounded just a little thready and he was steering the car through lanes and turns of a parking garage to exit the building.

His destination was the kind of fancy dream-like restaurant that you saw only in movies. The sun would be setting soon and you were led to a rooftop terrace with a view over the city and a single table set for two. You followed the pleasantly clean woman and lingering just behind you, Baekhyun silently fell behind one or two steps. A glance behind woke him up from whatever daze he’d fallen into and he closed the distance with two larger steps and a shy smile on his lips.

The waitstaff worked like ninjas. Glasses were refilled as if by magic and course after course of delicious food appeared before you as you watched the sunset over the horizon and when the light faded enough, the soft glow of twinkle lights illuminated the view around you.

The dinner was delicious and the scenery was breathtaking and that alone would have given him full marks for such a lovely evening out, but Byun Baekhyun was proving to be an overachiever as he started to talk to you. He was asking you open-ended questions, pulling conversation easily from you and you found yourself giggling and laughing as he joked in response or told you some funny anecdotes from his childhood that he knew you would love.

By the time dessert arrived you were pretty certain you were drunk despite half of the wine that remained back in your glass. Baekhyun, ever the stickler for vehicle safety had stuck to soft drinks and when he excused himself for the restrooms, you waited patiently under the glowing lights as you daydreamed about the genuine brightness you were certain you saw in his smiles. Had the twinkle in his eyes been just a reflection of this place? Everything about him tonight felt so real. You’d read through the same book he read through and you couldn’t recall him using a single recycled phrase or conversation point during dinner.

Maybe he was just that good of a student.

A noise startled you from behind and you jumped when a single red rose was laid on the table in front of you.

A rose. Baekhyun had brought you back a rose from somewhere; maybe he stole it from the elaborate flower arrangements you passed on the way in.

“Where did you get this?” You mused as you smelled his sweet offering and he shrugged and tugged at the top button of his shirt, undoing it and slipping slim fingers down to undo the second button as well. Your eyes watched the action and weirdly the fragrance from the rose smelled sweeter than the first time you smelled it.

“I just had it,” he said cryptically with another charming and blinding smile.

“Ready to go? We have one more place to visit.”

The next place he took you was even more magical than the fancy restaurant. The parking lot was nearly empty and when he opened your door he was fussing around with a small bag in the backseat of his car. He pulled out a pair of black ballet flats and you watched in awe as the man actually kneeled down on the pavement in front of you to carefully slip your heels off of your feet and slip on the comfortable shoes.

While they did not look anywhere near as sexy as the heels did, you instantly understood the need for a change.

Baekhyun had brought you to an aquarium with what looked like miles and miles of indoor and outdoor paths to walk through with tunnels traveling through the biggest tanks of aquatic sea life you’d ever seen.

You were instantly hypnotized by the deep sea exhibits that seemed to take you for miles and miles below the surface of the ocean where the sea life grew weirder and the lighting grew darker and dimmer the further down you traveled. Here at depths difficult to wrap your brain around the fish and sea creatures have adapted to freezing waters and a bleak existence without any light at all. Many had their own light sources. The bioluminescent exhibits sparkled and twinkled like the stars in the sky out in the country. You saw entire universes all around you.

Baekhyun was as enraptured as you were and spent his time carefully reading each exhibit’s information card out loud as he stared with his mouth open in awe at the different creatures. There were hundreds of different species of fishes, beautiful ones and downright creepy ugly things from the very bottom of the oceans; endangered species too; the sleepy eyes of the sea turtles were your favorites and the impressions Baekhyun made of their swimming faces made you cackle with laughter. Bright lights illuminated meters of corals of all shapes, sizes, and colors, and you honestly felt like you’d entered another planet when you both walked into the jellyfish halls.

They glowed and flowed, bounced and danced, and moved like a dream. You found yourself hypnotized as you stared at the biggest tank full of them for long enough for Baekhyun to make three circles around waiting for you to follow him out of this room so he could go see the sharks.

You knew the sharks were coming. You’d had a look at the map. And while you didn't necessarily dislike them, their huge sizes and razor sharp teeth always gave you the heebie-jeebies. The jellies were just so comfortable to look at and so relaxing.

It took some coaxing from Baekhyun, and maybe even a little tiny push at the back of your shoulders to get your feet to move and you lingered a bit long in the dark hallway that connects the two exhibits.

You just felt that maybe, the sharks could wait just a little bit longer to meet you.

He’d noticed right away and you opened up your eyes that you’d closed up for a little relaxing session when you felt the tips of his fingers running along the palm of your hand.

He gripped lightly at first, and then shifted your hand within his and he began walking forward in that dark hallway with you trailing behind him.

Baekhyun touched you sometimes. This was something that he did, on occasion. During a scary movie when you’d jumped too many times, or when you both walked through a crowded place and he didn't want you to wander off, he would occasionally hold your hand. This wasn’t something new to you.

However your heart was beating hard in your chest and the warmth of his hand coupled with the firmness with which he held you felt so damn nice you were having trouble focusing on anything else except for your own shallow breathing and racing heartbeat — and his hand holding yours.

Sharks swam at a gentle languid pace. Clearly at ease and very well fed here in their homes, there didn't seem to be very much murder and feasting happening at all. Hammerheads, tiger sharks, something uglier than any other creature you had ever seen that came from The Midnight Zone of the deepest parts and with each creature that swam overhead, or beside you, or creeped up from somewhere behind you, Baekhyun would turn to face you and take two or three steps backwards as he pulled you through it, your hand held securely inside of his. He would smile at you that debilitating smile, and tilt his head and call you a scary cat or a big baby and you would laugh and roll your eyes and deny that you were even a little bit scared of anything at all.

All was going well. You were very well taken care of and felt very secure inside this tiny tunnel at the bottom fo the ocean and you’d noticed this time when Baekhyun had turned around to look at you with a bright smile that smile wavered just a touch and his eyes seemed to focus on something that was coming up from behind.

Your curiosity got the better of you and you turned to see what he saw.

Baekhyun moved quickly then, moving both of his hands up to reach for your face he pulled your head forward and moved his own face close to yours. You felt the warmth of his forehead lean against yours for a moment and you could not see around or behind you with his hands placed so carefully on the sides of your head like this.

You knew what it was. It had to be something huge and terrifying, maybe even something with fresh blood still on it’s teeth. A Great White. The giant monster from the movie Jaws that you had watched with him once not realizing just how scary it would be and you spent most of the film curled up under his arm wincing at the horrors you saw on the screen.

“Hey Peanut,” you said softly while looking up close into his eyes. He was so close you could feel the warmth of his breath on your face. His smell, that new smell of his smelled even better this close to his skin.

“Hey LoveBug,” he said with a gentle smile and you knew based on the use of this carefully reserved nickname for emergencies that it was exactly as you had feared. A Great White, chomping on the remains of the cutest crying baby penguin. The fluffiest one with its whole life ahead of it.

Baekhyun was safe though. Baekhyun was warm and he was here to protect you. You would be okay, you knew it.

“Is it gone yet?” You asked after what felt like the average time for a fish that size to swim away and you noticed something. It was a look, just a glance. Baekhyun’s eyes floated a bit and the warm breath you felt coming from him was delivered in quicker puffs through his parted lips.

When he licked his lips, you could not help it, your eyes caught the motion as his tongue ran over his bottom lip and left wetness behind and by the time you realized what you had done — where you had looked — you had already done it, your stubborn eyes had already looked and in your mind a vivid replay was happening. You felt too much. This was too much. This was supposed to be fake. Why did he have to smell so fucking good and why was he so aware of every tiny detail about you he knew when something would overwhelm you and ruin your mood, so he used his own body to shield you from it and protect you. You cautiously pulled your eyes back up only to find him blinking too fast and he was dropping his hands from your face as he took a step back and away from the stifling closeness.

You were dizzy. You felt it all over. Your heart was racing and the warmth you felt traveling through your body sent waves through you. You had to rub lightly over your forearms to smooth out the goosebumps and Baekhyun was no longer facing you, but was staring off into the literal depths of the cold black ocean and you took a while to recover enough to walk by him toward the exit of the aquarium and back into the darkened city streets you knew as the real world.

The walk back to the car was quiet and had an odd flavor about it. You both could feel the end coming. It had been a wonderful date. You’d spent hours, just the two of you talking and laughing and exploring literally new worlds you hadn’t before experienced. You felt a sudden but definite melancholy to see the fancy circles that made up the logo of his car.

“Hey, you want to take a walk?” Baekhyun’s voice halted your steps and you turned back to see him standing with a hand in his pocket, fidgeting in hidden, likely with the key fob to his car, and a new sort of nervous flush on his cheeks that you hadn’t seen since he first showed up at your bedroom door looking like a dashing Prince Charming ready to sweep you off your feet.

“Sure,” you said, meaning every bit of it and secretly extremely thankful that this evening wasn’t over yet.

The walk was peaceful. It was a bit chilly tonight and you didn’t even resist when you felt the warmth of the coat jacket he placed over your shoulders. You thought you’d become used to the smell of him by now, but clearly you were incapable of ever getting used to his smell.

The streets were mostly empty now that the night had grown stale and you walked side by side passing various touristy shops that had long since closed up for the evening. Ahead you could see a small street side cafe that sold warm teas and coffees and Baekhyun was pulling out his wallet before you even had the chance to look at him with hopeful delight all over your face. He ordered two hot coffees and you danced and celebrated when he handed the first one to you.

It warmed you from the inside and you paid no mind to the smudges of lipstick all over the white lid of your cup. The hot drink made you happy and you could see your breath like a dragon in the chilly night air around you. Each puff made Baekhyun smile and when he’d taken a particularly big drink from his cup he pulled his head back and puffed out three perfectly formed rings of warm air into the color air above his head. The rings grew and then faded quickly but you were so excited to see his trick that you made him do it again and again until he was puffing and out of breath and laughing too much for any more cool rings to form. This man was full of secrets. Absolutely full of them!

The night was winding on. You could feel the lateness in your limbs and you’d long since finished your drinks and dropped your paper cups into a street side trash can. Your feet, you found were protesting. It wasn’t that they ached or hurt or anything like that. You weren't even that tired. You were just having trouble with the idea of this ending and the night being over.

Everything had to end eventually. You didn't even pout at all when he pulled open your door. You just climbed in and sat down, fastening your own seatbelt this time with a sense of finality looming in your mind along with a wagging finger that quietly scolded you for letting your guard down during this date.

The drive back home was quiet. He didn't even turn on the radio and even though he drove with one hand, he held his other hand firm atop his thigh.

The small touches and stolen glances were over. The date was over. He had done very well. You were thoroughly swept off your feet and his grade would be an A+. You would go back to your room and go to sleep and tomorrow morning when you woke up you’d find him back to his usual antics and maybe, maybe you’d even get him to ask Mia out on a date.

You swallowed the dryness in your throat and the familiar landmarks outside your apartment building called you back home. Baekhyun pulled into the parking garage and you did not wait for him to round the hood of the car to reach your door, you simply opened it yourself and pushed through it.

Baekhyun did well. You had given him a task and he’d done it. He deserved all the praise and recognition for a job well done. He’d taken it seriously just as he said he would. This dark mood that had suddenly come over you could not show. You shouldn’t do this to him.

You cared for him too much to ruin this sweet evening.

You loved him too much. This quiet secret usually echoed around inside of your heart and you winced to hear it peaking it’s way up into your running thoughts.

The apartment was dark and you walked through it easily, knowing exactly where you could walk without bumping into anything and he didn’t turn on any lights as he walked closely behind you. He hadn’t said anything to you on the drive home, nor did he speak right now as he walked you back to your bedroom door where he had picked you up.

You turned to face him now. You pushed a smile up to your lips and his face was mostly in the darkness, barely lit with the city lights from the window.

“Thank you for a lovely evening, Baekhyun. It was perfect. You were perfect. Seriously, you are amazing.”

You leaned before he did and you felt the staggered response from his limbs as he wrapped both of his arms around your shoulders for the hug.

“Thank you for coming with me tonight,” he whispered against your ear and when you pulled out of the hug, your small smile was not returned. You could see enough of his face to see that he did not smile at you now.

Your hand was on your door and you turned and stepped inside, thankful that you had left your small table lamp on. The room was warm and inviting and you closed the door behind you with a soft click that sounded exactly like clapperboard snapped to signal the end of a movie scene. You could almost hear a director somewhere yelling cut. Everybody clapped for the job well done. All the actors could now go home. It was over.

Your shoes were off. You’d pulled off the earrings and had taken off your necklace and the delicate tennis bracelet’s clasp was so tiny you had to try a few times to get it open so you could take it off.

When you reached up to slip the strap of your dress off your shoulders a tiny sound interrupted you. It was almost like a knocking, but it was so soft you had to listen carefully to hear if it repeated again.

It did not, but you could not shake that feeling that it had happened and out of genuine curiosity you walked across your bedroom and pulled your bedroom door open.

Someone was there; Baekhyun was there, standing in nearly the exact same position as he had been, wearing the same clothes. The only difference was the sight mess to his hair and the definite pink shade you saw on his face even in the dim lighting from the windows.

“Peanut?” You couldn’t imagine what this was. He was finished. The assignment was finished and he had done perfectly, you’d said so already...but, his eyes. You caught that same look that you’d seen on him many times before. It was a look of hard determination that propelled him forward when he dove into some new and difficult project he had to master. If you had to give it a name, you’d call it his passion. The passion he had inside of him to do things right. To be perfect.

“I said I would take it seriously,” he said in a well controlled voice and you shook your head, not understanding what he meant. Did he have some regrets about how the night went? Did he feel that he had somehow failed to live up to the requirements you’d set forth for him as his teacher?

“The date, I told you I would.” He wasn't clarifying anything with his words.

It was then that he moved.

His hands were up and Baekhyun took a step closer to where you stood confused and surprised at the threshold of your bedroom door. He reached for you with both hands and you felt the warmth of his palms on your cheeks at the same time as you felt the exhale from his parted lips against your mouth. It happened in a single moment. His lips connected with yours and you gasped in a surprised breath. Baekhyun kissed you. His lips were on yours and he held your face tightly between both of his hands as he did it. This was it. This was his goodnight kiss at your front door. This was the end of the date.

You could just make out the ultra up close view of him, his fluffed up hair, the smoothness of his forehead, his eyes closed up tight and dark eyelashes spread over his cheeks and it was all a big blur and so you closed your eyes and your heart raged noisily inside of your chest with the sudden need you felt for this to happen.

Your own lips parted and you felt the tilt of his head as his bottom lip pushed out slipping perfectly between your own and you could not stop it. You could not control the tightness with which your hands clung to the cotton of his dress shirt and pulled him toward you. You could not contain the way his tongue brushed lightly against your own and the way you reacted to it. The light moan that escaped from your throat and bounced around inside of his mouth. The light draw you felt on your lip as he pulled lightly and sucked on your lip as he did it. The final pull was him pulling away.

He ended the kiss with a step backward and a drop of his hands from your face.

He had kissed you and you most definitely had kissed him back. The labored breathing you struggled to contain did nothing for the dizziness.

“Goodnight,” he said with a roughness on his voice; plus the blown out look in his eyes was telling you of many forbidden things that he was running from now. Things that even he knew were a very bad idea.

This had been fake. This was supposed to be a lesson.

You stood at your doorway and watched him disappear into his bedroom and after standing frozen in your doorway you had no choice but to return to the quiet glowing comfort of your own bedroom and close your door too.

Your hands were shaking and you felt the trembling all over you as you looked around at the place you called home. The place you loved more than anything in the world except for maybe that man who was likely facing a very similar struggle behind his own closed bedroom door.

The only difference was just how much you had to lose if you gave in.

You loved him. You knew it deep down inside of your soul. It had been buried for so long deep in the frozen depths of your ocean that you thought it would never surface and consume you, yet now you knew you’d been a fool.

Part 1 , Part 2 , Part 3 , Part 4 , Part 5, Part 6

Tag list: @j-pping @blahblahblah-boo @his-mochi-cheeks @amyeonzing@littleflowercrown13 @baekinmylife @insta1010 @nana-banana @f4ncyvelvet@bbhbeth @totallynerdstuff @byunbabybaek @maijinki @bbyunz@theclawofaraven @kingkushdealer @uhobob

#Baekhyun #Exo #Baekhyun fic #Exo fic #Baekhyun fanfiction #Exo fanfiction #Baekhyun fluff #Baekhyun smut #Exo fluff #exo smut #Baekhyun scenario #exo scenario #baekhyun series #exo series

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beelovesnct · 3 years

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𝐧𝐜𝐭 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬

— [era: 2019] wherein aiko got hair extensions for a special stage in mama.

Special stages in award shows were not new, in fact, they were a staple. Whether that be collaborations between popular groups, or even the groups themselves, performing a special remix with some kind of new twist in them.

Noting the emphasis on the twist as fans and artists alike awaited for something that could blow their minds, out of the conventional and normal performances; luckily for the Czennies and NCT members alike, one particular special performance did not disappoint.

By popular demand, Yu Aiko was invited to sing with some popular members from TWICE, BLACKPINK, and even EXO. They were going to be covering one song from each group: Whistle, TT, Monster, and We Go Up.

Yu Aiko inevitably accepted, honored that she would be able to sing and rap with what she thought, were very amazing and respectable artists. She loved their songs and performances, and looked forward to each and every practice they had together. Her determination and adorable nature immediately made the three artists, namely: Jihyo, Rose, and Chanyeol, melt. Therefore, in just a few practices, Aiko gained herself a few more sunbaenim fans; aside from the already existing Lisa and Baekhyun who visited their practice so much to see their beloved Aiko.

The only downside Aiko could think of, however, was that she had to wear extensions.

Ever since she debuted, her hair had always been short (shorter than most females would wear theirs), and she liked it. The last she remembered having long hair was when she first came to Korea, but she guessed she wasn't too opposed to the idea.

She ate her words though, as soon as the dreamies got sight of her entering their waiting room, all pampered and dressed up, with a longer hair than usual, the dreamies went insane.

Mark would be wide-eyed, a hand in his mouth as he hovered over Aiko, looking her up and down repeatedly as if he was dreaming. He thought it suited her though, way too much than he'd like to admit. After the initial shock, he'd then be a laughing mess, giggling and clapping his hands, truly amazed at how the usually boyish member looked so feminine. He'd pinch her cheeks, this time finding her too adorable even with the apparent scowl on her face.

"OH MY GOD, DUDE! You look so good!"

Renjun would be stunned, frozen in place as he, like Mark, didn't think he'd see the day when Aiko would look so pretty. She was always pretty in his opinion, but this was a different kind of pretty, she looked absolutely ethereal. He would then try to disguise the sudden beating of his heart with laughter and jokes, asking teasing questions, all while fighting off the blush that was rising in his cheeks. He'd probably try to draw the image he had of Aiko the moment they'd stepped into their dorms.

"Yah! Aiko, why did you decide to wear that?"

Jeno would simply stare. He won't move from his spot in the room to get closer to Aiko like the others were; instead, he'll stare, real good. He'll look Aiko up and down with this cheek laid on his hand. He'll maybe even take a quick picture or two without anyone knowing. Then once Aiko leaves the room, he'll stare at it again, a smile on his lips as he thought about how beautiful she was at that moment. Whispering to himself,

"...so pretty."

Haechan would tease the hell out of Aiko, that would be his immediate response. But the first few seconds will be spent looking at her like what Mark and Renjun did, observing if it truly was Aiko in front of him. Then he'd start, he'd say something along the lines of the stylist noona being crazy if she thought the hair suited Aiko, or comparing her to a scary character like Sadako. He'd stop eventually, though as he states his real feelings, that it did, indeed, suited her so much. He'd peck her cheek, before closing in and assuring her that she was gorgeous.

"I'm only kidding, you look amazing."

Jaemin would have the craziest smile on his face. It looked like his face would actually split into two. Immediately, he'd shout his catchphrase, "sexy!", and hover around her. He would take out his phone to take many pictures of the member, complimenting her with every snap. He'd then make one of the pictures his lock screen for about a month (after he'd find a better picture), and probably share the photos with fans on Bubble and Instagram too.

"Why is our Aiko so pretty, so pretty, so SEXY!"

Chenle would scream and run to Aiko the moment he saw her with the new look. He'd be wide-eyed like Mark and Renjun, with his mouth hung so low you'd think it would reach the floor. But much like the others, he'd also think that it suited Aiko very much, so he would then start stroking her hair (both the real and the extension), cooing continuously about how pretty and adorable she was. He'd probably also ask for a picture from Jaemin soon after.

"My baby is so adorable."

Jisung would malfunction, he'd be frozen in his spot, blinking once, twice, and then thrice before approaching his noona. He'd observe first, like Jeno, quietly hovering around her. But his curiosity would get the best of him and he'd start touching the hair extensions, amazed at how real it seemed, and how it made his noona so unbelievably beautiful. He'd be red all over, gaze switching from the hair to Aiko's face.

"Noona, wah..."

Aiko then had to go back to the stylist because either the boys messed up her hair (it was already sticking out in certain places) with how much they caressed it, or they smudged her make-up with how they would touch or kiss her cheeks.

[AN] I had so much fun with this request >< Tell me if I should make more of these, my reqs are open :>

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whosjunglejim4322 · 3 years

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Warnings: mentions of bl**d, over the clothes grinding, mark being needy and whiny despite being too strong for his own good, switch dynamics, biting, fingering, mark being dumbly in love w his human gf 💌 he cums in his pants

Vampire Mark tries to remember the advice that his elder, Jongin, had given him at the beginning of his first week as a newborn; to focus on why falling into temptation would be worse than the taste of blood could ever prove to be satisfying.

Others in his coven might not agree with this sentiment, though Mark knew that if his life as something other than human with you was going to work, he couldn't let himself become as rampent as his fellow Draugr.

But it's not easy, in fact, he finds himself thinking that it's damn near harder than his decision to become part of the undead in the first place-especially when you're practically giddy at the sight of his tapered teeth that seemed to have come out of hiding after a makeout session that got your blood pumping furiously.

No pun intended.

He can smell the arousal that's pooling in the center of your underwear, can hear the rythmic thump of blood surging through the veins in your wrists as you cup his smooth cheeks, pad of your thumbs scraping the point of his fangs.

He whimpers, bucking his hard, cloth covered dick up into your center and throwing his head back slightly as he scrunches his nose, eyebrows furrowing in frustration.

His strong hands grip at your hips and absentmindedly force you down harder against his lap as he tries his best to hold it together, eyes darkening to a shade of onyx as he lifts his head from the back back of the couch to see your gaze is still as awestruck as ever.

"What? Does it hurt?" He turns his head to the side as he shakes it, ignoring the painful erection thats twitching against the crotch of your soft shorts, in favor of basking in his own humiliation for how close he really is to losing his sanity.

"No it doesnt hurt, it f-feels good? Yeah it feels good, I'm trying really hard t-to be good right now." His voice is rough and coated with an undertone of desire, your skin sweltering hot in juxtaposition to his icy form, your heart race accelerating by the minute.

You should be scared, knowing that he can sense all of these things even before you can, that your boyfriend could single handedly break you in half within seconds despite looking as if he wouldn't even harm a bee.

Maybe you're sick, for finding his neediness and source of lust to be some sort of a thrill. You grab his cool face again, forcing him to look down at you, which takes little to no effort as he had the same plan as soon as he felt you shift on top of him.

"You don't have to be good, I trust you, Mark," You lean in close enough to brush your warm lips against his, and he whines, chin jutting forward just a tad as if to chase after something he wants so desperately. "Do you really want me that bad bub?" Your neck is just a few inches away, and you smell so fucking sweet. His mouth waters.

His arms loop arouns your middle, and you're pulled so close to his body, you're sure you'd be able to feel his heart hammering behind his ribcage if it were still able to beat. He's even prettier this upclose, too, eyes glazed with hunger, jaw tingly with the urge to taste you.

"Want you so fucking bad baby, fuck I want to fucking ruin you." He professes this with a growl and you feel a fresh wave of wetness saturate your panties, your mouth pressing against his in a manner that is too gentle for his liking right now; but necessary.

Precum wets his bottoms when you trail soft, pillowy pecks agaisnt his jaw and down his sensitive neck, nibbling just below his ear. He tries to keep his nose in the air instead of burying it in the crook of your shoulder, but when you curl your fingers into the soft hair at the back of his head and give him an encouraging nudge, he simply can't say no.

He's trying to to find the voice of ration, beginning to feel instincts take over as you grind down against him and whisper sweet nothings in his ear.

Good boy, let yourself go, take what you want.

It should come as no surprise, you were the only person he knew he didn't have to hide from, who he knew would still love him unconditionally after it was all said and done. You still look at him with wonder and adoration, still want him the way you did before, if not more.

"I love you, I love you I love you-" He licks at your skin with his avaricious tongue, hips thrusting up against your center to meet your controlled grinds. He feels so hard you'd almost be worried, if it weren't for your own horniness leaving you ready to be eaten by a vampire.

"I love you too, so so much." You suck on the skin under his jaw, circling your pelvis on top of him with newfound fervour as you feel the light scrape of his teeth againt your carotid artery.

"Does it make you hard Mark? Wanting to bite me, hmm?" He feels like he's on fire, body practically on vibrate as you reach a hand down in between your torsos and between his thighs to grasp at his dense cock.

His hands are on your ass, pink tongue furiously licking at your soft neck as he lets out an agonized groan, low and sultry. "Fuuuuck, why are you doing this to me? I can't take it." He half laughs, out of slight frustration with the fact that he can't bend you over and fuck you until you're shaking.

You whimper when his dick jerks in your palm and he feels your free hand descend in between your own legs, his heightened senses suddenly overwhelmingly aware of just how wet you are.

If he weren't so hungry he would have been enraptured sooner, and he suddenly realizes that his want to please you is a pleasant distraction from the enticing liquid flowing through your veins.

"Oh baby, I'm sorry." he removes your hands from your pants as softly as (not so) humanly possible, replacing your fingers with his. You immediately gasp and grip onto his length tighter, leaving him groaning for more than one reason.

You're so fucking wet, and the warmth oozing from you so sweetly is almost just as mouth watering as your life source. It makes him feel human, for just a moment, feeling you like this.

His fingers are freezing cold and add to the stimulation on your end, though, and he not so subtly uses this to his advantage in order to regain some sort of stability in his current state.

You're still relentless, however, rubbing his sensitive, leaking tip through his sweats, just as he pushes two of his fingers inside of your pulsing entrance. The lack of resistance has his belly tightening while he fucks his hips into your palm in time with his digits thrusts.

He focuses on the way your slick walls feel, how you're leaking so abundantly into the cusp of his palm. You find his lips as you grip a handful of his hair, an expletive slipping from his tongue when your mouths meet.

He feels himself falling apart when your bottom lip slips past his fangs, drawing just the slightest amount of blood, taste sending a rush of knee buckling pleasure to his cock.

"Cu- cumming-oh fuck baby I'm cumming!"

You gasp at the sheer strength he posseses as he uses his free hand to slam you down onto his fingers, spurts of cum leaking through his sweatpants and coating your thighs with his essence, face turning opposite your neck as he is the most tempted to feed from you when he's come to his release.

Hearing the struggle in his voice and feeling the stickiness of his cum leak onto your fingers- it sends you tumbling down after him, stilling as you wet his hand all together due to the strength of your orgasm.

"M-Mark, ohhh, Markie.."

He twitches.

He wants you forever, that's for sure, watching you while he basks in the afterglow of his orgasm, still throbbing as your your eyebrows furrow and tears spring from your closed eyes.

It feels like he's won a prize, or that maybe, somehow, losing your soul doesn't necessarily mean you'll never get to experience something so ethereal and heart wrenching. He remembers the feeling enough.

He keeps his fingers in you as you slump against his solid form, his head tilting down to give you a slow, passionate kiss that has your hands shaky as you hold onto his shoulders.

His fangs are gone and you can kiss freely now, tongues delving into eachothers mouths, small hums of satifaction and adoration slipping through each glide of your wet lips.

"Thankyou for this, I love you so much." It's simple, but the way he says it, like a lover. He says it with glossy eyes and a genuine lilt, it has you needing to be as close to him as possible. Like he's the other side of your heart.

"I love you too, Mark Lee," He finally removes his fingers as you wiggle in an effort to change your position, bringing the digits to his mouth as you attempt to stand on wobbly legs.

"Baekhyuns gonna kill you, again."

Mark shrugs and smiles mischievously, pulling you into his chest by your waist as he places feather light kisses to your face, quick fingers adjusting your shorts.

"Wait till I tell him that you wanna be turned."

603 notes · View notes

sugar-petals · 4 years

Text

Cuddling With SuperM

↳ ❤︎ CARO’S NOTE: their concept is all about badassery i know but we’re dealing with seven angels so let’s talk about that shall we

warnings ⚠️ some light teasing, innuendo

length: 1.5k

taeyong

am i really telling you something ground-breaking with this:

so this guy’s truly adorable

turns into a baby what else is new

draws his knees to his chest and just enjoys the ride with his eyes closed

you can do whatever the hell you want

back rubs, head pats, foot massages, caressing the neck or underneath the chin which is particularly sweet

and a whole lot of tickling he’s kinda obsessed with this

excellent chef he is, taeyong enjoys preparing snacks for a set cuddling time or movie night

so what if this turns into feeding each other basically are you ready for that

this guy’s impossible face up close is hard to bear for the faint-hearted just mentioning that in passing here

because… he has that one yearning expression and his eye contact is very steady

bit of a duality here huh

but worry not because taeyong’s tiger inside is more of a cat actually, tyongkitty behavior guaranteed right there

he does do friendly head buts and yeah the eye contact is also a cat thing now that i think about it… it all makes sense now

ten, baekhyun, lucas and taemin are pretty cocky types of cuddlers, taeyong leads the more subdued fraction in super m

it’s the kind of cuddling that needs rainy weather and a cup of tea

ten

quality time right here

banter is always included ofc

or at least a lot of talk because with ten, conversation and cuddles go together

likes pets joining, three’s a party, a cat can always make a snuggly contribution

add a ball of wool to play around

like. a-you, a-me, and a cat right in between ya see

music is always playing in the background, always

ten’s body is very sensual… you can tell he’s a dancer by the way he’s adapting, how he’s feeling it, how he moves in general

the reflexes are just so different he has great feeling for what you wanna do next it’s his bodily intuition and he just goes along with it

what you gotta tell him though is to keep it lowkey with keeping his jazzy outfits on

a hoodie cuddles better than high fashion and spiked jackets

plus he looks adorably small in it so two birds with one stone

never forget ten is really tiny that sure makes a difference

reluctant little spoon, he keeps it face-to-face or sleeps on his back

ten is glad to be approached with hugs he’s not always doing the initiative

shy thailand angel ikr

but don’t complain if he farts because he absolutely will

goddammit chittaphon

kai

if it’s without a plushie something’s going wrong it always needs one

his favorite teddy’s gotta participate y’know he’s a social creature

in this home we don’t discriminate against plush bears

and yeah, his bear ear hoodie likewise he is sure to put it on

jongin tends to be rather taciturn because he wants to enjoy the body-to-body sensations

meaning, don’t interpret his frequent silence as awkwardness he’s just observing

is not above teasing… if his outfit is showing some skin he’ll invite you to touch the area

also enjoys you putting your hands under his sweater

he’s laughing like crazy and kicking his legs all giggly if you put your head underneath it and let it roam oh la la

yeah nini likes some wit to it for sure, and some steaminess in the mix it’s just a natural byproduct if we’re honest

dim the lights down low for this one…

but also light the candles alright

cuddling is more of a soft and steady thing there’s not much position changes going on

this is the couch not the dancefloor your honor

while we’re talking about that: jongin is a buff biatch my god

prep a water bottle to chug when you’re cuddling this guy is effortlessly hot

also know that kai will almost definitely snap a picture of you huddled together for the memory of it

baekhyun

unlike his memes, baekhyun’s cuddling behaviour is entirely predictable

will snuggle against your shoulder by default pretty much that’s his favorite area

stays glued there for two hours if you’re not busy

im not kidding

needless to say he needs a partner who can handle this level of clinginess

baekhyun can’t keep his hands to himself in general

neither can you

it’s groping x cuddling these two are a dead sure combination

keen to snuggle casually while he’s gaming, cross-legged on the ground with you massaging his back

likes to lay his head into your lap, too.

baekhug i mean back hug enthusiast. something inside his face has an inbuilt magnet that sucks him into the space between your collar bones

especially when you’re at the stove cooking

caution: love bites. lots of them. does this count as cuddles? probably. it’s not like he’s eating you or is he. oop—

what am i saying all he does is nibble alright

and oh yeah bring on the sweater weather. he can’t stay still in bed it’s gonna be a pillowfort building session though

you gotta exhaust him until he naps off lmao!

energizer bunny bf

mark

enjoys being fed watermelon during the process how else could it be

wait until this guy hears what harry styles’ watermelon sugar is all about his world will never be the same again

anyway

he’ll look so cute in his striped shirt and his round glasses awh

cuddling is his favorite way to show his trust and affection before all else

his favorite time to cuddle is before going to sleep

he usually hugs pillows so you can tell how clingy he winds up as

mark really sleeps and dreams better if you do that it has an astounding effect. cuddles are his perfect recharging if you will it’s just that he’s actually calming down through it whereas he can be nervous throughout the day so he needs that downtime

spooning is a given

what he enjoys the most about it is the warmth

markie easily gets cold sometimes he just needs that tune-up with you he’s like blink blink there goes my dose of daily heat beep beep

what the fuck

anyway again

talk about tune

just like ten he’s very talkative all the way verbal stimulation and mark lee just go together

if you compare him to taeyong there’s not much of a transformation going on mark lee on two legs is the same mark lee during cuddles it’s all copy paste

all in all a delectable experience, extremely cute and heart-melting, super m truly has a super mark

taemin

much like xuxi he has that permanent smile on his lips that tries to make you laugh

in fact taemin is hard to stop with his puns and his humor

ffs he is a true brat

taems can’t help but try to escalate this into a playfight every time

not that he doesn’t enjoy the calmer types of cuddling but he needs some action in the sack

enjoys praise along the way who are we kidding

the clothes you both cuddle in are very important alright, the fabric in particular

taemin keeps it expensive here it’s just the way he rolls

satin my dear

it’s just so satisfying to the touch

but also beware of his most lethal clothing choice which brings out his innate maknae charm the most

THE FLUFFY TURTLENECK

gyeahh

which he will use during special occasions to turn you into a cuddle monster ready to pounce him

give it up for shinee my loves they taught him well and sent him out to fluff up the world

what else is there okay we also gotta mention that cuddling consists of many little kisses here and there

taemin wants to get absolutely peppered

he is and stays a prince

lucas

ideal body type for cuddling except that it needs the right place, not the environment but the spot i mean, you can imagine

lucas can explode any smol-size couch or bed

don’t even think about trying to cuddle on regular chairs my god why would you live so dangerously

king size por favor

there is a lot to cuddle against it’s really a whole wonderland

those big ole thighs are practical cushions for anything really.

and his face is just so amicable it has to be kithed

his hands… his hands! you will feel maximum protection with those giant baby fingers around your hips i’m telling you

admittedly yukhei is hard to properly hug around the shoulders obviously that’s a drawback but hey his waist is lithe and tiny so hello there, very inviting

oh, that infectious smile.

serious cuddling: 0 — funny cuddles: over 9,000

and tasty cuddles because foodcas brings some fried rice every time oh yum

hates to go to work he really prioritizes you and cuddles go on for long long hours especially when you watch your favorite series

xuxi goes the extra mile, he will touch your hair a lot, just gently combing through it

and he doesn’t mind it when you do the same, he’s got the most angelic blonde locks after all

lu calls you beautiful all the time the cheesy mf is really pulling the standard compliment alright

cue jonas brothers sucker for you

ugh, boyfriend

mlist

#super m #superm #superm hc #superm scenarios #super m x reader #superm fluff #super m imagines #kai #lucas #baekhyun #taemin #taeyong #mark #ten

351 notes · View notes

velvetsehun · 4 years

Text

Born to Die| OSH| 04

pairing: Oh Sehun x Reader genre: Mafia!Sehun rating: 18+ warnings: violence, gun use, mature language, smut (in future chapters), slow burn. words: 13.1k summary: a collusions of worlds is supposed to kill, but what if it can do something else? A/N: So here we are... chapter four already! this was a wild ride to write and but i’m sure it’ll be a wild ride to read! now as always enjoy the chapter, get comfortable cause this is a long one! but also while you’re here.. If you really enjoyed it then i suggest you leave me some feedback, lets chat about it, now.. enjoy my babies ;)

TW// Warning this part contains some material that might be sensitive to readers as it depicts scenes of intense violence and gun use and possible suffocation, readers discretion is advised. Masterlist| Next

“Let’s talk Sehun…”

Sleep was not going to come any easy to Sehun now, but as he felt her lips brushing against his own, he figured that a distraction might - because if there was anything that Park Jeonghwa was good at, it was being a distraction. His hand left her wrist, he opted to hold onto her shoulder pushing her back just a fraction so he could speak without her mouth pressed to his unmoving one.

“Talk?” He clicked his tongue, “This doesn’t seem like talking.” She smirked at him, a smirk that only someone that had something to say held.

“We can talk later, my love,” Her voice twinkled, a gleam in her eyes as her nails trailed up the arm that was holding her shoulder, “I’ve missed you.”

“Missed me?” He questioned, an eyebrow quirked at her, “I’m afraid I can’t say the feeling was mutual, my love.” He mocked her tone slightly, watching the frustration build up in her eyes, but he quickly spoke before she could voice her discontent.

“How did you get in.” He demanded slightly, Sehun had a rough morning he wasn’t about to find another breach in his security.

“Yixing, he drove me” Jeonghwa rolled her eyes at him, straightening up slightly, “I told you already, I want to speak to you.”

“Willingly?” Sehun quizzed, ignoring her – Jeonghwa merely scoffed at him.

“Yes, willingly,” She drawled, looking at her hand as she continued to draw shapes on his bare torso, “I am quite convincing when I want to be.”

“Annoying more like,” Sehun said in his head as he rolled his eyes at her.

Park Jeonghwa was a lot of things, and while convincing to a certain extent was one of them – she was also notoriously vicious when she didn’t get what she wanted, Sehun knew sending Yixing to deal with her was going to piss her off, but if he could keep his contact time down to the bare minimum he would.

“Do you not want to see me?” She pouted slightly in a mock act of innocence, something she was very good at.

“Not particularly, no” He drawled out, swiping her hand off his stomach, “Hence why I sent Yixing.” She merely smiled a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

“That not what you were saying a few weeks ago,” She hummed, sliding her jacket off – she was dressed in her usual low-cut blouse and short tight skirt, “I do remember us having a lovely evening after that charity gala.”

“I remember a lot of alcohol and not a lot of coherence,” Sehun’s eyebrow plucked up as he sat up against his headboard, she smirked at him as he did so.

“Hm… Really?” She questioned him, tapping a steady rhythm on his leg with her fingers, “I’ll remember that next time you come crawling to me for comfort” She was playing with him.

“Comfort” His mouth ticked with a mocking smile, “I’d find more comfort tossing myself into a lion’s cage than with you.” Jeonghwa laughed at him but it was empty.

Sehun wasn’t a man that sought-after comfort, not anymore; and while he did remember their night together, one of many, he also knew that there was nothing between them – because Park Jeonghwa was a lot of things, but she wasn’t for Sehun. She might have fitted with him family and social wise, being the daughter of one of his more leading associates– but that’s where the similarities ended. Jeonghwa wanted a lot of things, but from him, she wanted a partner for life, but that not something Sehun would ever be; she wanted the idyllic crime syndicate family – rich man that marries a rich wife and they live together with the rich kids while withholding the fact that they’re both miserable. He’d watched it happen to his own family, and he had no doubt that’s would happen with her – if he ever showed any interest to begin with. Because along with that, if Jeonghwa craved anything – it was Sehun’s attention, he’d seen the look in her eyes for years; she held more feelings for him than he’d ever hold for her.

Sehun and Jeonghwa had come across each other numerous times over the years, families like theirs mingled all the time; they knew each other through even the most awkward of teen years, but Sehun never held any feelings towards the girl – she was a typical crime family daughter; she liked expensive things and had a bite that was worse than her bark, and he knew that she’d run him to the ground if she could. He also knew that probably if his family had still been around he would have been married off to her when they were both of age, they’d had heard murmuring of it when they were children but to him, she wasn’t a friend, she wasn’t the perfect match for him like he’s heard his mother suggest; she was someone he just knew by association. They had been coupled off together throughout the years, attending parties and such together, but that’s where their “togetherness” ended, she warmed his bed sometimes and he filled the void she had for him - that was it.

“Why are you here Jeonghwa?” He continued, she was busy looking around the room, but those eyes flicked to him soon enough.

“Can’t an old friend visit?” She plainly said. She had her head tilted in a challenge to him, “Plus, word on the street said you shot up a bar last night, took a little gift with you” He only rolled his eyes.

“How long did it take you to get that out of Yixing?” He tutted, looking her dead in the eye, “Green isn’t your colour Jeonghwa, especially not now.” It was her turn to roll the eyes, a puff of air passing her lips in a huff.

“Everything is my colour, Sehun” She smirked slightly before dropping it, “Yixing mentioned you were having a few troubles with your guest,” She hummed, tapping his leg, “If she’s not speaking, I’d be very happy to talk to her…” She glinted in her eyes.

“Our guest is co-operating just fine without your assistance,” Sehun challenged her slightly to say something else, “But I’ll ask again, why are you here?”

“I refuse to speak to your men,” She grumbled, “If I send a message saying I want to speak to you, I expect you to turn up.” Sehun really didn’t want to deal with this.

“I was busy,” He told her, which wasn’t a lie; he was busy dealing with his escaped captive, “Yixing was the next best option, or would you have liked Baekhyun instead?”

“Keep that idiot away from me,” She scoffed turning her nose up, she took a second before she continued, “Wouldn’t you have liked to know what Byung-Chul was doing with your money?” She smirked at him.

“What do you know?” He gritted slightly, annoyed with her already.

“More than you want me to know,” She giggled, “I’ll tell you, but it comes with a price” She grinned at him.

“A price?” He quizzed, with a quirked brow, “A price for information that directly involves me and my syndicate?”

“Well…” She teased, “Maybe if you had met me as I asked, I wouldn’t need to bargain your precious information” Her voice dropped into a mocking tone towards the end.

“Jeonghwa.” He gave a warning, getting fed up – he just wanted to rest.

“Sehunnie…” She merely pouted mockingly at him. He merely glared at her for a second before she eventually sighed with a tepid smile, the glint in her eyes was back.

“One kiss.” She smirked, holding up one finger, “One kiss and the information is yours.”

Sehun couldn’t roll his eyes hard enough, looking at the girl he gave her a passive look but he complied anyway, grabbing the front of her blouse he drew her lips to his – Jeonghwa let out a muffled moan of shock before she eased into it with a grin, her cold hand wrapping around his neck as she pulled him more towards her. This was her game, but Sehun wasn’t about to lose it; tapping her chin slightly, he pulled back.

“Information, Jeonghwa.” He spoke lowly, she tried to capture his mouth again, but he moved back slightly; regardless if he felt her nails digging into his neck to keep him there. She merely huffed looking at him, her dark eyes swimming with mirth.

“I’ll tell you what I know.”

Admittedly, Chanyeol left the guests room feeling slightly different than he did before, his gutting churning with a funny feeling as he practically bolted from the room – he wasn’t isolated by his job by any means, but it was generally safer to try and converse with people that rotated in the same circles as himself, talking to you was something he didn’t expect to hit him like it did. Normality is what he would call it, you were no means involved in the same world as any of them but listening to you reprimand him for the way he chose to live hit close to home.

“I’m not above surviving,” You said quietly, “I’m above the means you took to get there.”

He could feel his skin crawling with disgust at himself, it was different hearing someone tell him that the stuff he did was horrible – he was very much in a circle of people that only ever congratulated him on his wrongdoings, and Chanyeol knew that he had done a lot of wrongdoings. He was by no means a nice man, he wasn’t a demon in disguise, but he wasn’t an angel either – he had done some horrible things to some horrible people, and like his brothers his hands were stained with so much red that sometimes when he thought about it, he might just have been a devil, he had shed the blood to be. The disappointment laced in your tone did remind him of his sister, another person he let down in his life, but as he stated before – he was merely doing what he could to survive.

The compound had a serenity settled over it, much different from the chaos it had been before, and he could feel the exhaustion fusing with his DNA as he slammed the metal tray he had brought down from the room down on the counter – the metal clang running through the empty kitchen. Tiredness had made Chanyeol unobservant, otherwise, he would have noticed Baekhyun leaning on the door frame.

“Don’t damage Kyungsoo’s kitchen now, he’ll have your head.” He could hear the teasing tone in his friend’s voice, but he merely just grunted in response, too tired to say anything. “Cat got your tongue, Yeol?” He smiled his impish smile, sitting down at one of the bar stools.

“Something like that,” Chanyeol sighed slightly, turning around to lean on the counter, facing his questioning friend, “Long morning.” Chanyeol would have chuckled at the state that Baekhyun was in if he had the energy.

His companion was a mess of ruffled hair, dried blood, bruised face, and clothes that looked about 2 days old – he probably didn’t look much better, they’d been working for a few days, but still, Baekhyun looked rough.

“Hmm, I’d say less a cat…” Baekhyun faked being in thought, tapping his chin for effect, “And more a guest that’s got to you.” Chanyeol merely rolled his eyes.

“She hasn’t got to me,” Chanyeol stated clearly even if it was a lie, “She’s got nothing to get to me about.”

“I may have been hit on the head but I’m not deaf,” Baekhyun rolled his own eyes, leaning his face on his palm, “I walked past earlier, the two of you have gotten cosy, haven’t you?” He teased, “She’s been here what? 2 hours? And you’ve already got it bad.”

“Got it bad?” Chanyeol scrunched his nose up, “I cleaned her up and we spoke, that was it – there’s nothing to get, was I supposed to do it in silence?”

“I’m just saying,” Baekhyun grinned, “You got the hots for the guest that on you, she’s cute – even I’ll admit that.”

“Don’t you have a job to be doing?” Chanyeol rolled his eyes, “You know, doing what Sehun asked you to do instead of trying to create a situation that isn’t there?”

“Sehun also wouldn’t like you playing with his guest either, but here we are,” Baekhyun smirked widely, “Plus I cleaned his car, what more does he want?” Chanyeol merely shook his head at him.

“Plus, Yixing called,” Baekhyun scoffed slightly, “He’s bringing home a guest, I was going to tell our loving boss, but we all know he hates being interrupted when he’s trying to rest.”

“A guest?” Chanyeol quirked his brow, “Who is it now?”

“Park Jeonghwa,” Baekhyun made a fake gag noise while rolling his eyes, “Apparently she didn’t love that Sehun sent Yixing, so she demanded to speak to him.”

“Looks like no one’s getting sleep,” Chanyeol looked disgusted.

“I wouldn’t be too sure of that,” Baekhyun hummed, toying around with his pocketknife, “You’re not the only one giving eyes to the new girl.”

“I’m not making eyes,” Chanyeol gritted out, glaring at his friend, “Will you stop that?”

“Look, all I’m saying is that Sehun is too touchy-feely,” Baekhyun looked at Chanyeol as he spoke, “I’ve known him a very long time, Sehun doesn’t do touchy-feely.”

“Well Jeonghwa seems to be an acceptation,” Chanyeol hummed, turning around to pour himself a glass of whatever, “She’s been making trips around here for years.”

“Jeonghwa,” Baekhyun began with a raised eyebrow, “Want’s something she’ll never have, Jun and I have watched for years as she’s pinned for him” Chanyeol frowned at that, it was rare he heard much about their younger days – Baekhyun, Jun, Yixing and Sehun had known each other since they were kids.

Syndicate families stuck together closely, that much he knew, they meandered in the same circles and worked together – from what he knew, Sehun’s father was the head of it all until his untimely passing. He didn’t know that much about the Byun family either, only that Baekhyun didn’t really speak to them and he’d occasionally see his brother when the older one wanted something from him – everyone around him had difficult family lives, for some it was part of the job, but he often wondered what I was like to have your family be the difficult part of your job. It was no secret that any syndicate that fell under the Oh Family was a powerful one, the Oh’s had a reputation in the underground for their extensive “businesses” but it seemed to Chanyeol that everyone prioritised that over any form of a loving relationship – something he’d never fully grasped. Chanyeol knew he was called the baby of the group for a reason, even though it had been 6 years, he was much more naïve to their life than the rest of them, the ones that weren’t born into this world included; he had the doe eyes of someone who was just starting, not the hardened canvases of his much more experienced brothers, they often joked how he rose the ranks so quick.

“And Sehun’s never seemed interested…?” Chanyeol quizzed.

“Never.” Baekhyun shook his head, “Not even when he was a lanky little teenager, she’s never caught his eye” Baekhyun looked like he was recalling those days, a fond smile on his lips, “He knows she’s pretty, gorgeous in fact, and that not the reason he doesn’t like her.”

“What’s the reason then?” Chanyeol asked curiously, crossing his arms over his chest, “She’s pretty, rich, affluent, understands his life, what else could he want?” Baekhyun shrugged.

“Your guess is as good as mines,” The latter said, “I suppose he doesn’t want to be like everyone else in his family or any of our families” He had a look in his eyes.

“What do you mean?” Chanyeol asked with a raised brow.

“Bound to someone you’ll never love,” Baekhyun stated like it was the simplest thing in the world, “This job doesn’t allow you to love someone.” There was a brief pause before he continued.

“Look at my father – he married my mother and when his wrongdoings got her killed,” Baekhyun looked uncomfortable for a second before he sighed, “He married someone else as quickly as he could a few weeks later, no grieving just business, you don’t marry for love – you marry for allies and power” Chanyeol looked at his brother sympathetically, but Baekhyun kept talking like this wasn’t something difficult to talk about.

“My father never loved my mother, he liked her because he was supposed to, but he never loved her…” Baekhyun had distance in his eyes as he recalled the woman, “I was 7 when she was shot, right in the foyer of our home, all because my father let a guns trade go sour and the goods were never delivered” He sighed looking at the marble counter.

“I’m sure people do find love in this world, Yixing’s parents were forced together but look at them now, they love each other,” Baekhyun was tapping at the counter, “But the reality is, no one truly loves in our world, we tolerate and make gain from union – I loved my mother, but my father didn’t, and now she’s dead and some imposter is in her place.”

“Baekhyun…” Chanyeol started, seeing the pain in his brothers’ eyes.

“Jeonghwa seems right for Sehun because of her social stature, but that can’t build a relationship, no matter how hard she tries or begs for him.” Baekhyun said honestly, “I get it, I don’t exactly want that for myself either, but I can’t go around loving someone and live in constant fear that one day they’re going to get shot as well”

“Sehun doesn’t want to end up like his father, Jeonghwa would only make his life that way,” Baekhyun sighed, “They’d have the “perfect” syndicate family, while Jeonghwa’s father tries to ruin us from the inside out, she’s the epitome of everything he doesn’t want in life.”

Chanyeol realised for a second how blessed his life before all this was; he was treated like the apple of his parents’ eyes; they lived a beautiful life where love flooded the house and they never had to wonder for a second if they loved each other. Although he was difficult as he got older, Chanyeol still knew his parents loved him dearly because they had created him out of their love. His heart burned for a second seeing the pain on Baekhyun’s face, he’d known that he’d lost his mother young, but it wasn’t something he ever talked about, he only ever complained at what a witch his stepmother could be.

“Some advice Chanyeol?” Baekhyun said breaking Chanyeol’s thoughts and standing up from his chair, “Be with someone you don’t mind losing at any moment, cause you’re not going to get more than that in this job.”

“It’s not a life is it?” Chanyeol spoke honestly looking at his friend in earnest.

“It’s not,” Baekhyun said, “But it’s a life that’s comfortable, despite how uncomfortable it is.”

“You’ve never thought of changing it…?” Chanyeol lowered his voice slightly, “Not for one second?” Baekhyun merely chuckled a bit humourlessly.

“We’ve thought of changing it, but we can’t,” Baekhyun said with a tone to his voice, “Be very thankful you didn’t grow up like this, that’s a whole other can of worms.” Baekhyun chuckled with no convection to it. He watched with a look at he went to leave a small mumbling of getting back to work gracing his lips.

Chanyeol often wondered if growing up like them would have benefited him in any way, to have that crime life constantly around you to the point that you knew it better than you knew the back of your hand – but it was no lie that the ones that did grow up in it lived a very rough life. Money couldn’t by a parent’s love, the boys were taught to shoot and plan while the girls were prepped for a husband and a “perfect” life, it was a very classic lifestyle that wasn’t with the times – everyone knew that, but they kept traditions. Chanyeol had remembered a few years ago when a son of some syndicate under the Oh family had broken a marriage contract with another family and the turmoil it caused, turf wars and revenge riddled the syndicate for a while; he vividly remembers having to deal with a few stragglers than tried to side with the son. While Sehun didn’t agree with banishing the son, if he wanted to keep his business intact, he’d agree with whatever lined their pockets.

Baekhyun’s words were truthful but they were painful too, although he tried not to care – he could see the pain lining his eyes at the thought of his poor mother. But for some reason, his mind also drifted to you, you were as normal as it went, what was your life like? Your friends? Your parents? Did they miss you? Your face was all over the news at the moment as missing. It reminded Chanyeol that he grew up in normal, and still craved it time to time, chatting to you had granted him that small feeling normalcy he loved – and despite what Baekhyun said, you weren’t anyone to him, just a reminder of someone he knew. You weren’t permanent here, everyone knew that, but somehow Chanyeol could feel his heart clench at the thought of sending you back to your normal life – he enjoyed the feeling you gave him and it was selfish but if busting Byung-Chul took a long time, he’d gladly keep you here to keep chatting to him.

For a brief second, Chanyeol wondered if Sehun thought the same as him – the look he gave you twisting in his mind, he’d known Sehun for a long time and what he told you was true, you were alive by Sehun’s hand, he’d seen his boss shoot someone for lesser than what you’d done, so why were you alive? It took a mere few seconds for Chanyeol to realise he was still standing in the empty kitchen, and with a shake of his head, he looked at his watch with a sigh.

“Better sleep now before someone else tries to steal everyone’s time.”

Oasis was coated in a bath of red light, your position from under the bar hiding your quivering body—glass had fallen around you like deadly snow, the razor-sharp pieces glinting with the demonic light, small beams of red bouncing off them as they lay there coated in blood, puddles of it surrounding you. Screams were resonating out, their pain bouncing off walls and burrowing into your ears like a bad song as your shaky hands tried to block everything out, bangs following the screams before it killed off them.

You could feel the muscle in your chest jumping with the erratic beat of your heart, the force of your lungs trying to keep up your breathing sending you into a spiralling dizziness—everything was overwhelming to the senses, but all you could focus on was the noise, the noise and the sickly smell of metal that clung to everything; you didn’t know if it was gun power or blood, or both. Thoughts of your heart giving out before a gun could get you or it could stop plagued your mind for a few seconds, but it was a fleeting thought—as if someone cut the music, the screams stopped.

Your blood felt cold, like liquid nitrogen was flowing through your veins and seizing your muscles in an icy cramp, frozen in time. There were footsteps again, glass crunching under boots—but you were unarmed, nothing in your hands this time; and if someone changed the record, the whistling started. It was haunting, the hollow sound jumping in your ears and picking up to a sharp screech as it neared closer. Your hands were shaking, vibrating against your face where they tried to clutch onto what was left of your sanity.

It was closer now, someone was pushing broken glass off the bar behind you, shards falling into your vision like snow, the clunks dulled by the blood on the floor—it was horrific, your blood thrumming with the sheer thrill of being hunted. It was all too familiar, but instead of pointing a gun, you just had to take your punishment, and that was nearing closer. You could see it now, the shadow from the corner of your vision, your body was pulsating with fear as you avoided looking at him, a cold sweat gathering on your skin. He was like a demon from another realm, lurking beside your vision, haunting you—but if he was a demon, then by god he was a beautiful one. Your stare didn’t linger on him, you couldn’t look, but he saw you, his lithe body towering over you–the smell of something woody cutting through the surrounding metallic. He was close but you wouldn’t look, you couldn’t look. He stood in front of you now, long legs blocking your vision as a visible click of a gun rang out.

“I’ll shoot” His voice had a warp to it, but the deepness of it still hit your heart. He sounded pained, so much so you could feel a different emotion radiating from him.

You flinched when you felt something cold press to your temple; the chill running into your bloodstream and stealing the oxygen from your lungs; it was terrifying, but you still didn’t look at him—your eyes merely flicked up to stare at the weapon to your head before they closed.

You heard a shuddering breath.

BANG.

“Wakey wakey!” The door slammed open with a bounce on the wall, your cold sweaty body jumping up at the intruder, eyes moving a mile a minute before they settled on whoever busted into the room like there was a fire.

Baekhyun.

“Did our sleeping beauty sleep well?” He teased lightly, leaning against the now open door, looking a lot better than he did earlier but not by much, “Sorry your prince charming’s weren’t here to wake you up, Sehun and Chanyeol are busy” He winked as you stared at him in disbelief.

“Prince Charming’s?” You thought to yourself, staring at him with your jaw slightly ajar. His smirk grew.

“Don’t tell me you’re a complete idiot,” He chuckled impishly, “To think, I thought you were smart”

“I’m not an idiot.” You snapped at him, snapping out of your shock in the process—you felt sick, your body still not recovering from everything. “And how can you call me an idiot when you got taken out by a piece of glass?” His eyes darkened slightly.

“You’re mouthy when you’re not scared,” He remarked with a scoff, before he looked at your face, “Weren’t you told to play nice? Or the big bad wolf will chew you out.” You rolled your eyes.

“I thought your boss was my ‘prince charming’?” You seethed out slightly, not even whiling to say his name.

Baekhyun hummed, “I said Sehun and Chanyeol, but nice to see who you were thinking about.” You gritted your jaw.

“Why are you here, I was sleeping?” You snapped slightly agitated with the man.

“They summoned you.” He said plainly, you raised an eyebrow at that.

“Summoned…?” You questioned.

“Sehun wants to see you,” Baekhyun rolled his eyes, “We’re having a meeting.” You could feel yourself seize up at the mention of his name.

“And if I don’t want to go,” You breathed, looking at Baekhyun, wishing that maybe Chanyeol was the one that came to collect you.

“I’m afraid you don’t have a choice.” Baekhyun mocked you slightly, “We can do this the easy way, or I can drag you down the stairs, your choice.” He shrugged, seemingly not giving much a shot about what you want.

“Why does he want to see me…” You asked, gnawing on your lip.

“Your guess is as good as mines, sweetheart,” Baekhyun sighed, looking very bored, “I don’t have all day, so decide before someone much scarier storms up here wondering why you’re wasting their precious time.” He quirked an eyebrow at you.

With shaking legs, you tossed the blanket you’d been laying with off your body – your indent in the mattress and the warmth you’d built up in there leaving with the item being tossed and your socked feet landing with a gentle thud on the carpet. The house was still freezing, your hands pulling your sleeves over themselves in an attempt to preserve the warmth. Baekhyun was keeping a close eye on you as you stood up, your stance looking pathetically timid for the first time since he’d first laid eyes on you.

“Are we going to get a move on?” He asked impatiently, tapping his watch for effect.

“Jesus,” You muttered, fixing yourself slightly before scurrying to the door, “You’re not going to zip tie me, are you?” You asked curiously standing next to him, he wasn’t much taller than you up close, but he was broader.

“Not as broad as Sehun,” You thought quietly, glancing at Baekhyun’s figure.

“Everyone is awake now, sweets,” He rolled his eyes, “Someone will shoot you before you could attempt to get away.”

You had a sly smile on your lips for once, “I didn’t think everyone was asleep the first time.”

Baekhyun made a noise at the back of his throat, something you registered as a disgruntled now, but he kept quiet—merely placing a hand on your arm before you were shoved out the door.

“Just get moving.” He said watching you stumble and catching yourself quickly, he left the door open as he followed you, nodding for you to walk.

It was quiet as you began your walk to Sehun’s office, the house still quiet as before but somewhere deep in the halls was quiet murmuring, the walls muffling anything resemblance of words and turning the noises into something that resembled ghosts in the walls. The walk to the office wasn’t a long one, Sehun opted to keep you close, but as you turned to walk to the door in sight, you felt a tug on your sweatshirt, Baekhyun’s grin flooding your vision.

“Oh no, sweets,” He looked like the Cheshire cat, “We’re not going in there.”

“Where…” The words tumbled off your lips before you were cut off.

“It’s dinnertime, sweets” Baekhyun pushed you towards the stares, your disbelieving face looking over your shoulder to him, “Why don’t you join us.”

“Dinner?” You stuttered, the colour draining from your face. “You’re not going to poison me, are you?”

“Poison you?” Baekhyun’s laugh rang out into the empty foyer, the tinkering sound bouncing off the walls, “If we were going to kill you, we would have by now—we certainly wouldn’t have let you nap” He teased with a grin, walking down the stairs behind you.

The door was in sight.

But you wouldn’t run this time—Baekhyun probably had his gun on him and was probably more than willing to use it. Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Baekhyun took a hold of your arm, his grip surprisingly gentle as he led you across the foyer to a set of double doors, the intimidating wood taunting you but the guards outside it taunting you more as they stared you down, they looked exhausted.

“Can’t have them thinking I can’t do my job,” Baekhyun leaned over and whispered in your ear, his warm breath hitting the side of your face, but you didn’t flinch, “Kid’s in this job can get cocky, just look like I scared you or something” You turned your face to look at him in disbelief, your faces close to where he looked down at your mouth before looking in your eyes with a cheeky look, his eyebrows dancing with his amusement.

“You’re insane…” You said with incredulity, your mouth dropping open slightly, but he only looked amused, giving you a wink before turning to the two men.

“Johnny.” Baekhyun nodded to the taller one before looking at the shorter one, “Taeyong.”

“Baekhyun,” They said in unison, looking at each other before Johnny spoke.

“I’m guessing you want to be let in,” Johnny said casually, toying with his higher up.

Baekhyun smiled, but he wasn’t amused, “If you’d be so kind”

“Why should we,�� Johnny teased with a smirk.

“Because I’m your boss,” Baekhyun deadpanned.

“I thought Sehun was our boss,” Taeyong chimed in, smirking just as wide as Johnny, “And he didn’t mention you’d be having a guest with you.” It was the first time you’d seen Baekhyun look put out.

“Just let me in, the two of you” Baekhyun huffed, “You’re stopping a meeting from taking place.”

“Say please,” Johnny smirked widely, your eyes the size of plates as you watched the strange exchange.

“Please.” Baekhyun gritted out, his hand tightening on your arm a fraction.

Johnny and Taeyong looked at each other with a smirk before placing a hand on each doorknob, opening the doors in unison to show the inside of the room—glancing at the table that lay before you, you knew you were fucked. With a nudge Baekhyun ushered you into the room, your eyes scanning the 8 people that sat at the table, but your pupils zooming in on the man sat at the head of the table, looking less than pleased as he watched you stand before the table.

Sehun.

It felt like the world was sinking as everyone stared at you, Baekhyun at your side, and your eyes searched for comfort—the pupils flicking from Sehun to Chanyeol, the friendly giant passing you a small smile while he was sitting three seats down from Sehun’s right-hand side, a man you vaguely remembered sitting next to him. There were two people you didn’t recognise—a man and a woman, the latter sitting to Sehun’s left, staring you down with a look you couldn’t place. You could place the faces of Jongin and Xiumin, and the one you passed on the stairs when you escaped, and the face of the guy that sent you flying in the ally, but the mystery man was well… a mystery.

“Sit, please.” The man you vaguely remembered spoke to you, gesturing to the empty seat at the other head of the table, directly in front of Sehun.

Baekhyun sensed your hesitance, placing a hand on your back and shoving you slightly, the very quiet whisper of ‘Junmyeon’ on his lips, informing you of the man’s name. And with a Stumble you sat down in the chair, your hands gripping the wood tight as you looked around at everyone. Baekhyun was sat to your right, next to Jongin, and the mystery man to your left. It was quiet for a second before the latter of the one sitting next to you shoved his hand out to you with a small smile, your hand shaking slightly as you took his.

“Yixing.” He spoke softly, his name rolling off his lips like silk, “Nice to meet you.” He affirmed with a small shake.

“Y/N” You mumbled to him while quickly withdrawing your hand, he was handsome but even you knew handsome men couldn’t be trusted. Flicking your eyes back to the table, you were met with silence.

“Why am I here…” You asked slightly, brows furrowed, Sehun sat up straighter at that but it was Junmyeon that spoke.

“They have released your boss from custody,” He said like a diplomat, his hands folded on the table to build the image, “So now, we have to figure out what we will do with you.” You gulped at that.

“With me…” You repeated softly.

“But first,” Sehun cut in, looking between Junmyeon and yourself, his eyes cutting you deep, “I want to know what you know.”

“What I know?” You repeated like a stuck record, making the girl to Sehun’s left scoff.

“Listen to the girl,” She sniped in, “She can’t even form sentences, what makes you think that she knows anything? You took the useless bartender” She rolled her eyes, leaning back in her chair.

“Jeonghwa,” Sehun warned, not looking at her, “Enough.”

“I don’t know as much as you think I do,” You said with a sigh, “Jaewoo would have been the one to ask, he was like a son to Mr Gwan…” Jeonghwa looked at Sehun like she was right but he waved her off. “The bar,” Sehun began, folding his arms on his lap like a royal, “I need you to tell me if you saw anything different going on with the backroom, anyone lurking around it?”

You bit your lip while you thought for a second, “Yes.”

“When I started working there, I was told never to venture into the backroom, that nothing back there concerned me,” You began, locking eyes with Sehun, “That was nearly a year ago, but as of about 7 months ago I noticed strange men would come in periodically, always through the front door and left through the back, Jaewoo would just be finishing his shift and would escort them to the room—Mr Gwan was never around”

You looked around at the room to everyone looking at you as spoke.

“By the time I started my shift, they were already through the back doing whatever it is they were there for,” You sighed, “I tried to not ask, but I did one day and Jaewoo just brushed me off, told me they just picked up the dead drink stock we didn’t use but I knew it was a lie—the drink stock was kept in the loading bay at the back of the bar,” You nodded fidgeting at the silence.

“There was only one occurrence that Jaewoo wasn’t there when they came, I had covered his shift and they came that night, they had duffle bags with them this time, the bar was just closing, it was the only time they came late.” You glanced at Chanyeol for reassurance, “And it was one of the few times Mr Gwan was there, I had manned the bar the whole night while he was in their office but as soon as they came he immediately ushered me out and told me he’d clean up, it was one of the few times I got a proper look at their faces, it was always two of them that came.”

“What did they look like,” Junmyeon said with furrowed brows.

You thought back for a second, trying to remember their faces from a few months ago.

“They were both tall,” You said nodding, “One of them was taller than the other one, maybe about 6 feet – the shorter of the two had silver hair, they were both about mid-twenties…” You trailed off, as Jeonghwa hummed looking at you.

“Did you ever hear their names?” She cut in, staring you down.

“No,” You shook your head, “It was the first time I’d ever seen them up close, they approached me at the bar before Mr Gwan intervened and sent me off, but they said nothing to me.”

“Was it always those two?” Sehun asked, still staring you down.

You nodded, “Yes, at first there was a third one but after the second visit I never saw him again.”

“But,” You opened your mouth before biting your lip looking at Sehun, “They stopped showing up, they normally come in the same days every month but last week they were a no show, and Jaewoo looked a bit twitchy about it.”

“You never once went in there…?” Junmyeon asked, clearly trying to see if you were lying. You merely just nodded at that.

“Never,” You said, “The door had two padlocks on it, and I didn’t have the keys, trust me I was curious as anyone would be, there are no security cameras in there either, I checked…” You said a bit sheepishly.

“And you said nothing to anyone…?” Junmyeon looked a bit dumbfounded at your quietness.

“I told my friends that something dodgy was going on, but I told no one else about the backroom, it’s a shitty bar in a rougher neighbourhood they expected nothing else,” You said with a sigh, “I needed the money and after the first time they approached me I noticed a pay increase, I think Mr Gwan was paying me more to keep quiet.”

“How do we know that your boss isn’t paying you to lie to us?” Sehun asked, raising a brow at you and for the first time you stared him down.

“What do I gain from lying to you?” You asked curiously, “You shot my co-worker in the head if I knew anything that mattered id tell you, believe it or not; I enjoy living.” Sehun glared at you.

“I found nothing on the cameras,” The one that sent you flying in the ally spoke for the first time, trying to call you out but you shrugged.

“Mr Gwan and Jaewoo had access to the cameras, I snuck into the office one day to see if there was one for the backroom but I left after I found nothing, security had nothing to with me, I’m just a bartender,” You spoke honestly, “Be realistic if they had someone coming into the bar all the time for something less than legal do you think they’d keep the tapes?” You raised your eyebrow feeling bold, Baekhyun sniggered at that.

“Trust me, I was as curious as you,” You huffed, “The only other thing I could tell you if that the silver-headed one looked like he was in charge, I never saw him carrying the duffels”

Sehun didn’t comment on that but looked like he took it in, “As I said, your boss has been released”

“I’m aware,” You nodded, “I’m also aware the news thinks I have something to do with what you did to the bar,” You pursed your lips.

“Yes,” Sehun spoke, “That’s not exactly favourable but manageable” He was speaking plainly to you, a stark contrast to his earlier actions.

“What Sehun is saying,” Junmyeon spoke for his boss with a glare, “Is that we’re aware of the situation, but we’re dealing with it, and you know that you’re not the person we want,” He spoke to with a tone of understanding.

“So, what are we going to do about it?” Your eyebrow jumped looking at the man. It was bold of you.

“Without delving into too much detail,” Jongin spoke up, glancing at his boss, “We’re going to trade you off”

Your eyes widened as your voice raised, “Trade me off? What am I cattle?”

“We’re going to set up a meeting,” Chanyeol cut in, glaring at Jongin for his poor wording before looking at you a bit softer, “Between Byun-Chul and ourselves, we’re going to trade you off for him…”

“And what if he says no?” You said incredulously.

“Then we give him some...” Chanyeol trailed off trying to find the right words, but Junmyeon cut in.

“We give him an ulterior motive,” Junmyeon nodded, “One he can’t refuse”

“What?” You were panicked now, “You’re going to shoot him too?” Baekhyun kicked you under the table to mind your tone, but you didn’t care.

“Be lucky we didn’t shoot you,” Sehun snapped, “I don’t know if you’re aware, but you’re not exactly needed in our plan, we could get to Byung-Chul without you.” You winced at his harsh words.

“Then why did you take me.” You hissed as everyone at the table watched you argue.

“Because we need information,” Sehun drawled back, “Your companion would have been useless, someone loyal to their boss would take too much effort to get information out of, you were the easier option,” You gritted your teeth.

“How do you know as once I get out that I won’t just go to the police?” You snapped, but you drew back when Sehun smiled.

“You’re dumb,” He began sounding nice before his voice dropped to a deadly tone, “But as you said, you enjoy living, you think about going to the police and I’ll make sure that seizes to be an option.” His tone was dark, so much so that your jaw dropped in astonishment, words dying on your throat.

The stare-off with him caused silence to fall over the table, your eyes locking with each other, and for the first time since you met him you saw something dancing in his irises—warning. Handsome men couldn’t be trusted but beautiful men shouldn’t be trusted and that’s exactly what Sehun was, a beautiful man, but you were stupid for a second to believe that you’d come out of this safe. The tension was building in the room between the two of you, but Junmyeon sought to cut it with a knife.

“Once we get what we want, you’re free to go,” He said with an edge to his voice, but it wasn’t directed at you, “The police will be no bother, we’ll handle that but for your safety…” He trailed off looking at you.

“We merely ask for your silence, you forget the last 24 hours, and everyone moves on.” You stared back at him with a look of disbelief.

“Forget everything…” You whispered, “I watched you shoot my co-worker in the head, I was dragged through the glass and drugged before I was kidnapped for no reason, I’ve lost my job and you want me to just forget everything…?” You asked with an edge to your voice.

“For the sanity of everyone here, yes that’s exactly what I’m asking.” Junmyeon didn’t leave much room for argument. Your eyes glanced at Chanyeol, who was refusing to look at you.

“What if I don’t want that?” Sehun was staring at you, but Baekhyun spoke up, looking at you.

“I don’t think you have a choice.” You gritted your teeth.

Chanyeol look particularly put out at the situation but you knew he’d never dare to say anything.

“What exactly has my boss done to you…” You asked quietly but curiously, Sehun hummed at that.

“That, sweetheart,” He began with a raised eyebrow, “Is none of your business.” You just shook your head again, looking at the table.

“Baekhyun,” Junmyeon spoke to cut the silence again, “Take our guest back to her room, we’ve got more to discuss.” Baekhyun just hummed in agreement, standing up.

You said nothing and looked at no one as you stood up, feeling put out by the situation. No goodbyes were uttered as you let Baekhyun lead you back to the door, wanting this situation to be long forgotten, but you couldn’t help but thing as you were escorted.

“Maybe it would have been easier if they just shot me.”

Sehun watched with a tense jaw as Baekhyun took you away, the man’s hand placed on your arm far too lightly for someone who was being kept captive, but he said nothing as he looked back around the table at all his brothers waiting for someone to speak.

“Well…” Junmyeon decided to be the first to speak, “That was eventful.” Sehun hummed.

“Not quite the word I’d use,” Sehun was a bit fed up himself, not that he’d let his brothers know that, “But at least we got something from her.”

“A whole lot of nothing,” Jeonghwa decided to speak, much to Sehun’s discontent, “She practically just confirmed what I told you” She stressed slightly.

“Why are you still here?” Sehun snapped slightly, as she looked at him slightly shocked.

“So she confirmed what you said,” Junmyeon raised an eyebrow at the two of them, trying to dissolve the oncoming storm, “At least we know what you said is solid evidence, but we still don’t know what exactly either of the men’s names are and what they want with our cargo.”

“Listen,” Jeonghwa rolled her eyes, her arms firmly crossed over her chest, “I told you everything, they’re some new gang on the scene, no one knows who they are or what they want, especially with your cargo, I don’t know why you thought questioning her would tell you what you want.” She huffed.

“She’s the only lead we have at the moment,” Sehun said darkly, tapping his ring on the armrest of his chair, “She also confirmed that this has been going on for months under our noses” Sehun looked at all of his brothers.

“We’ve gotten lazy,” He said tensely, “Lazy enough that some… Punk has come on the scene and stole over half a million dollars in drugs from one of our dealers.” He tsk’ed.

“I don’t think they stole them,” Chanyeol spoke up, “Byun-Chul has been doing some side trades with our supply, that’s calculated, if they were stealing anything, they would have hit the bar once and been done with it.”

“Chanyeol’s right,” Kyungsoo nodded, “From what I could find, they always appeared a few days after we shipped the goods to Byung-Chul, and they appeared during opening hours”

“It doesn’t make sense,” Junmyeon said shaking his head, “Byun-Chul had been loyal to us for years, what did they say to make him change his mind.”

“More like what did they offer him,” Minseok spoke up, “You said it yourself, he’s been loyal for years so what did they offer him?”

“Could you trace the bank account?” Sehun’s eyes flicked to Kyungsoo, who looked a bit annoyed.

“Nope,” He spoke honestly, “It was a solid encryption on the wire transfer, I could keep trying but it kept rerouting me and locking me out”

“So, they offered him money,” Sehun spoke honestly, “The girl said herself she got a pay increase after dealing with our mystery men”

“But how does a new gang get all that cash?” Chanyeol asked, “You said yourself that they were new, so how do they get that much in so little time? and how do they manage to get connected to Byung-Chul in the first place?” He turned to Jeonghwa who shrugged.

“Questions, questions, questions…” Sehun muttered, still tapping his ring on his chair, “I’m afraid that those will need to be answered by the man himself”

“How many syndicates have been hit again?” Sehun continued staring off into space.

“Four,” Junmyeon told him, “Four never received their shipments.”

“And it was just drugs?” Sehun asked again, thinking deeply.

“From what we know,” Yixing spoke up, “I was down at the docks yesterday, and everything is still there so we can rest assured that Dong-Yul isn’t in on it” Sehun hummed at that.

“For now,” He said with a vague notion of a doubt, “I do not doubt that something else will rear its head.”

“Then we’ll keep an eye on everything,” Jongdae spoke, “Converge with our contacts and dealers, make sure everything is in check.”

“Do we have time for that?” Jongin asked, “That’s a lot of people and clearly these mystery men knew something was up if they didn’t turn up to Oasis a few days ago.”

“I hate to be the one to say it,” Minseok tutted, “But inside job?” Junmyeon and Sehun looked at him.

“You think it was an inside job?” Jun asked, and Minseok made a noise at the back of his throat in agreement.

“As much as we’ve pissed people off over the years,” He began, “We haven’t had an attack on our territory in a very long time, the old syndicates are either under our wing or dead”

“So, you think someone we liaison with is behind this, knowing what would happen if they were caught?” Jun asked again.

“Listen, all I’m saying is that it’s possible.” Minseok raised his hands, “There’s always a bad apple of the bunch.”

“It’s not a foreign concept, Jun,” Sehun spoke up, “There’s a lot of people under us, someone is bound to hate the way things are”

“Fine, we won’t rule it out,” Junmyeon sighed, “Minseok, Jongdae, contact everyone you can – ask for a progress report and if anyone seems fishy send Baekhyun and Chanyeol to deal with them.” The addressed two nodded.

“Jongin,” Sehun addressed his undercover, “Go back to Oasis and scope out the area, talk to anyone that Byung-Chul dealt with and get a scope of what’s going on out there, if someone else is dealing our cargo I’d love to know.”

“Yixing,” Sehun looked at his oldest brother, “Go back to the docks and check everything out, ask if anyone has seen anything suspicious, if they hit us once they’re going to try again.” Sehun looked at everyone.

“We keep this quiet, don’t alert anyone that anything is going on, act like you’re just checking up – news spreads fast, we don’t need anyone else questioning anything” Sehun spoke with an edge to his voice.

“What about me?” Jeonghwa’s feminine voice cut through the series of agreements, Sehun looked at her blankly.

“You’re going to get in a car and go home, speak nothing of this to your father” Sehun deadpanned to his female friend, who looked annoyed.

“What, why?” She nearly screeched, “I’m the one who gave you the information.”

“Jeonghwa,” Sehun’s voice was stern, “You are not a part of this, now go home” The female merely looked at him before standing up, her chair knocking over with her, the wood bouncing on the rugged floor. The men watched as she stormed out, slamming the double doors open much to the fright of the guards on watch, the sound of her heels echoing away.

“She’s going to tell her father, isn’t she?” Jongdae watched with amusement.

“Probably…” Jun sighed, looking at Sehun, who for the most part looked unfazed by her dramatics.

“She won’t,” The boss hummed, “She enjoys my attention too much to jeopardise that.”

“What do you want me to do?” Chanyeol asked, the only one not being given a job.

Sehun sighed, “Stay with our guest, you’re the only one she likes and if we’re going to use her, we need her to be compliant.” Chanyeol furrowed his eyebrows at that.

“Right…” The redhead says with confusion to his voice.

“Oh, don’t complain,” Baekhyun’s voice entered the room again, “You enjoy it.” He teased much to Chanyeol’s shock.

“Baekhyun,” Sehun warned with a tone.

“Oh, don’t worry,” Baekhyun kept teasing as he sat back down, “He won’t steal her from you, we all seen the way you look at each other, I felt like I was intruding” He grinned leaning back in his chair.

“Baekhyun,” Jun cut in this time, “Cut it out.”

“No one lets me have fun around here.” The man huffed.

“Now isn’t the time for fun,” Chanyeol bit back, annoyed with his friend.

“We need to talk about how we’re going to get Byung-Chul.” Junmyeon started, looking at the pair of them.

“I’ll deal with it.” Sehun spoke, looking at his right-hand man, “Do what I told you to, leave Byung-Chul with me.”

“You’re joining the heist?” Junmyeon looked a bit shocked.

“Is there a problem with that?” Sehun raised his eyebrow, Jun shook his head.

“No, it’s just I thought you’d leave it to us…” Junmyeon spoke honestly, Sehun rolled his eyes.

“This is my business, if someone is tampering with it, I’ll be the one to deal with it.” Everyone looked at each other at that statement.

It wasn’t that Sehun left his men to do the work, it’s just the boss only really got involved with serious matters; it’s something Sehun’s father had instilled in all of them and they stuck to. Sehun knew how to do the job, he’d been doing it since he was a teenager, but it rare that he’d join them on heists anymore – a shiver running down a few of their spines at the last time he did. Since his father’s death, Sehun tried not to bloody his hands too much, he had been there on the night that his father died – the memory ringing strong in some of their heads. Most of them tried to repress it, but a few of them; like Baekhyun, who got a first-person shot of Sehun caving in the head of his father’s shoot, remembered it vividly. Sehun, for the most part, was a composed man, never really getting angrier than a snap, but Baekhyun remembered the red in his boss’ eyes has Sehun just kept hitting and hitting the man – Sehun wasn’t always a killer, he was a grieving son at that moment, but the damage was done. They had all done horrible things, but the brutality of using your fists stuck with Baekhyun.

“Okay…” Junmyeon nodded, “We’ll get to planning.”

“Then it's settled,” Sehun nodded looking at his men, “Do your jobs and we’ll talk again soon, I expect the heist to be as soon as possible.”

A chorus of ‘yes boss’ rang through the dining room as they all began to get on with their assigned tasks, the screeching of chairs also filling the room – Baekhyun stayed seated though, glancing around at everyone as they left, everyone asides Junmyeon and Sehun.

“I’m guessing you’ll need my help?” Baekhyun turned his head to glance at his superiors.

“Something like that…” Junmyeon said tensely. “How quickly can you prepare the warehouse?” Baekhyun smirked at the idea of getting a bit fun.

“Consider it already started”

It had been about two days since the meeting now, and since the very moment you left the room you had been mostly alone, cooped up in your room like some prisoner of war. In a way you sort of were, you were a prisoner of a gang war at least, but you weren’t sure what to expect after Baekhyun brought you back to your room, but you at least hoped that someone would maybe inform you of things, but what you wanted and what you were given were two very different things. It had been a series of monotony for you; you were given your meals at the same time every day by the same person, Chanyeol – who had decided to strike up a conversation whenever he entered the room, not that you graced him with any responses.

It was difficult to ignore the tall man, he did bring a sense of comfort to the room and your stay here – always making sure you ate and that you had things you needed, he went out of his way to bring you books to read and more blankets since Sehun didn’t like the house too warm. He was a comforting presence but not even that could save you from this place. No one else had seen you, not that you expected them too, but you were always on edge; Sehun had been quiet after his little spat with you, he hadn’t tried to toy with you or anything, he left you alone like everyone else and you somewhat releveled in the peace.

Until tonight.

It was silent in the house as per usual but as the night drew closer you could feel something shift in the house, Chanyeol hadn’t been with your dinner yet and there hadn’t been a single sound outside the door; although it was often quiet you were used to people walking around outside, patrolling the house but today? Nothing. It was unnerving and what was even more unnerving was when there was eventually a sound, it wasn’t anything you’d expect.

Horror registered on your face as the door to the room you’d occupied over the last couple days slammed open – a very blank looking Baekhyun and Jongin standing in the space; they were kitted out in all black, thick leathers and tough denim covering their body, they looked intimidating. Baekhyun was a far cry from the playful idiot you’d had seen before, his eyes holding something to them as he spoke.

“Shoe’s on, take whatever you need to keep warm, we’re leaving.” He spoke to you with an edge to his voice.

“Leaving?” You asked lightly, placing the book you were reading down, “As in right now? Where are we going?”

“I didn’t ask for questions,” Baekhyun sniped, “Get a move on.”

Keeping an eye on the two of them, like they were doing with you, you pulled the shoes that you first came here in on; making quick work of lacing the boots up, you noted how you were only wearing a sweatshirt and baggy pants, making quick to grab the jacket you’d stolen of the bar owner off the chair you tossed it on. As soon as you looked ready to go, the two men grabbed both of your arms in a tight hold, a noise being let out of your throat as you were dragged from the room. Nothing was said as you were dragged to the stairs, a hardened Chanyeol standing at the bottom of them, watching his brothers manhandle you; eventually, you were dragged down the winding stairs and dumped in front of Chanyeol who looked down at you with an unreadable expression.

“Be quick,” Baekhyun said, looking at his brother, “Jongin and I will get the card ready, do what you need to do” You were confused at that, but Chanyeol merely nodded keeping an eye on you, he waited till they were out the door to speak.

“I’m going to be very quick; we don’t have a lot of time.” Chanyeol said, “You’re going to get in the car outside with Baekhyun and Jongin without a word and they’re going to take you somewhere.” Before you could ask where he beat you to it.

“Warehouse in a remote location, doesn’t exactly matter where, you won’t be there long,” He was firm with you, “You’ll go without a fuss okay? Once you’re there, some stuff is going to happen – you’ll be safe, but I need to ask something of you.”

“What…” You were quiet as you looked him in the eyes.

“You to do as your told, tensions are high at the moment and although you will be safe, I don’t want you to risk it, you speak when you’re spoken to and you keep quiet, am I clear?” You just looked at him in shock and a slight amount of fear, “I said, am I clear?” He snapped at you, making you quickly nod at him.

“Great,” He nodded, “Wrists out.” You gaped at him

“Why?” He only rolled his eyes and grabbed your wrists, the first time he’d touched you without asking, you noticed he was wearing leather gloves.

You watched and struggled as he secured two zip ties around your wrist, the plastic tight around your skin as you pulled at them. “Chanyeol,” You said softly, “What the hell is going on.” You demanded from him. But like everything else, you were ignored, his eyes flicking past you as your arm became grasped in his hand, pulling you along like a toy.

Outside was a different story, there was half the number of cards in the front than there was before, the lot looking very empty since you’d last seen it; waiting at the bottom of the stairs was Baekhyun, the car behind him on and ready to go, and you watched with passive eyes as Chanyeol tugged you down the stairs, before shoving you at Baekhyun, the man catching you just in time. He made an “oomph” sound as you collided with him.

“I’ll see you at the location,” Chanyeol spoke tensely, clearly all business as he stalked off to a card at the side; your eyes focusing enough to see Minseok in the passenger seat.

Looking behind you to Baekhyun, the man stared down at you; his arms still firmly grasping you, nothing was said but he nodded at you, pushing you away from him slightly so he could open the door to the back of the car. He was surprisingly gentle, pushing the back of your head so you could get in, glancing at you slightly while buckling your seat belt. Jongin was the one driving this time, his own eyes flicking into the mirror to look back at you; an air of pity almost dancing in them but it was quickly masked when Baekhyun got into the front seat.

“Drive,” He said immediately, looking down at his watch.

Your stomach and car lurched forward at the same time, the bubbling of worry dancing in your gut as the bile you thought you’d suppressed clawed its way up your throat – there was no noise par the engine in the car, the men in front making sure to keep it as silent as possible, not that you’d try to break that what was going on. Jongin was driving well over the speed limit, the feeling of the pressure from it building in your chest; your hands grasping each other tightly. Baekhyun was constantly checking his phone, the two of them also kitted out in leather gloves.

“Strange,” You thought with furrowed brows, “Why has everyone got gloves on”

It was a question that would go unanswered, your eyes flicking to the window to try and get an idea of where you were going, sadly you didn’t know much about this side of the city; plus night time had fallen on the land, making everything looked warped in the passing car windows.

It was like this for what felt like an hour, just silence in the card, and the men in the front looking like they were having a conversation with themselves in their head, it was so quiet to the point that after spacing out, you found yourself drawn back into the world with the ringing of a phone. Your body jumping in fright as you watched Baekhyun lift the device to his ear.

“Hello,” He said gruffly, the sound of someone else on the other end being muffled by his head, “Yeah yeah… We’re almost there.” He snapped slightly, his eyes flicking to meet yours in the rear-view mirror.

“She’s behaving,” He said while looking at you, “Chanyeol gave her his usual talk, she’s tied and ready to go.” Your eyebrow drew down at that.

“Ready to go where…?” You thought.

“How long?” Baekhyun moved the phone from his ear to his shoulder to talk to Jongin.

“GPS says six minutes,” Jongin replied, head twitching to look at the dashboard.

Baekhyun relayed the message to however was on the phone before hanging up, his eyes looking at you again.

“Remember what Chanyeol said,” Baekhyun spoke directly to you, “Keep quiet and do as you’re told.” You nodded in fright, clearly shaken at the fact that you had no idea what was going on.

With a held breath, you watched at the car took a sharp turn behind a corrugated warehouse, the two men reaching to their necks to pull what looked like black ski masks over the bottom of their faces; the only thing on show being their eyes and hair. The headlights of the car made out a silhouette in the front windshield, the body standing sharply as they made a turn at the last second, the person now standing in front of your passenger door. Looking out at them you noticed that they had a ski mask on as well, your eyes being able to tell that it was Junmyeon, he had the same passive look like the rest of the men. You felt the wind get knocked out of you as he opened your door, much like he did two days ago, but this time he grabbed your arm and yanked you out the car; your body falling with him, your knee scraped on the concrete below but you were hastily pulled to your feet. Baekhyun had gotten out the car, with Jongin staying in the driver’s side, the vehicle jetting off as soon as you were out, Junmyeon’s hand making quick work of slamming the door.

Silence was still a constant between the men, Baekhyun and Junmyeon merely nodding at each other as you were pulled off by the latter; he was about as gentle as Baekhyun was and in no time were you being pull towards the doors of the warehouse, your heartbeat thrumming so loud in your ears that you were surprised the whole city didn’t hear it. You weren’t sure what you were expecting when you entered the rotting building but a solo chair sitting in the middle of the drab warehouse wasn’t it, and you started shaking slightly as Junmyeon showed no sign of stopping.

The chair was for you.

You started to struggle the closer you got to the chair, but the man’s hand merely tightened on your arm, his voice dropping to a deadly whisper, much different to the tone he had before.

“Behave.” He snapped, shoving you to sit down, you watched in horror at him brandishing a knife at you, but you only flinched when he reached for your zip ties, cutting the plastic to reveal the raw skin underneath.

For a brief second, you thought they’d leave to sit like that while they watched you, but you grunted at the feeling of someone grabbing your arms from behind; forcing them behind the chair, where you felt another set of zip ties secure around your wrist, this time tighter than before, you were secured to the chair completely now. Looking up in horror you watch as Junmyeon stood up from in front of you, nodding at whoever was behind you, and you flinched as you felt a gloved hand wrap around your throat from behind to tilt your ear up, a shiver passing through you as lips pressed close to your ear.

“In about 4 minutes,” You recognised Sehun’s tone, the silk voice floating from his mouth to your ears and down your neck, “Your boss is going to walk through that door in front of you, and when he does, I need you to stay quiet, am I clear?” His voice was a few octaves lower than usual, but it didn’t scare you, merely sent shivers rolling down your spine, when you took too long to answer though, he pulled your neck closer to him.

“I said,” He tensed to you, the heat from him radiating onto your back, “Am I clear?” You merely nodded.

“Good, now keep it down and don’t fuck this up.” He warned you before he let go. You couldn’t see his face, but you imagined he looked like the rest of the men around you.

With eyes trained to the door, you watched as headlights filtered through the small windows on the entrance; the warm light doing the most to light up the dark warehouse, making you wince with their intensity. A car door could be heard outside as the lights were left on, the sound of feet on gravel making your heart speed up for some reason – this was the first person you’d seen in days. The taste of metal flooded your mouth as you kept biting down on your lip, watching with an intense state as the doors to the warehouse opened, normally you’d hate to see the man, but the sight of your boss coming through the door had you slumping in the chair slightly.

Mr Gwan, or Byung-Chul as he was also known by, was a man who looked a world older than what he really was; at the tender age for 46, he passed for someone in their late 50s - his salt and pepper hair and his crow’s feet doing nothing for him. But right now, he looked the oldest you’d ever seen him, the stress of the last few days taking a toll on him, and you were the one that was kidnapped.

“Byung-Chul.” Sehun’s hardened voice sounded from behind you, making the man stop in his tracks, he was about 8 feet away from you in the chair, “How nice of you to join us.”

“Sehun,” Mr Gwan nodded tensely, before looking at you, “I see you brought a guest.” Sehun laughed at that, but there was no humour behind it.

“Yes, you bartender has been a lovely addition to my home,” Sehun drawled in a mocking tone, “But having you around would have been much better, we could have had a lovely chat about things.”

“There’s nothing to discuss.” Mr Gwan gulped slightly, eyes flicking from yourself to behind you.

“See,” Sehun stared with a tsk, “I think there is.” Mr Gwan stayed silent.

“I’m going to give you two choices, Gwan.” Sehun continued, “You come with us whiling and we have a little chat about what’s gone on or…” Sehun paused, your eyes widening as you felt something press to the back of your head.

“I use this lovely gun that was sitting in your office on our friend here,” Sehun hummed as you started shaking, the barrel pressing more into your head making your eyes flick to Mr Gwan, “You’ve already been busted once in the last few days, do you really want to add murder to that?” Sehun explained simply.

“You can’t do that…” Mr Gwan sounded shocked.

“Actually,” Sehun tutted, “I think I can, you’re not the only one doing some less than legal deals in the city.”

“So,” Sehun started again, “What will it be?” Your chest was heaving with fear as your eyes darted around, it made it so much worse now that you couldn’t see the weapon putting pulled on you.

Byung-Chul was quiet, this only made Sehun clock the gun.

“You only have a few minutes, Gwan.” Sehun taunted him, “I’ve got some friends on the way who wouldn’t like how this could go down.” You felt like you were going to pass out.

“You wouldn’t” Mr Gwan grumbled out, “She’s just a bartender, she means nothing to this.”

“Are you willing to test that?” Sehun drawled, knocking your head forward with the gun, but his second question was directed at you.

“Do you want me to shoot you, sweetheart?” Sehun asked with false niceties in his voice.

“Speak when spoken to” Echoed in your head.

“No.” You tensed out through gritted teeth, the muscle in your jaw jumping with the words.

Mr Gwan looked slightly torn, his eyes flicking from you to Sehun, but he didn’t look like he was going to save you, his mouth opening and closing like a fish.

“Shoot her.” Mr Gwan gulped out, making your body seize up – a choked sound leaving your mouth in shock.

“If only it was Jaewoo here” You seethed in your head.

Immediately you braced yourself for the inevitable, your eyes clenching in fear as you tucked yourself away from the person who just told a gang of men to kill you, there was a brief second of silence before a scream passed your lips.

BANG.

Your body lurched forward as the sound of ringing took over your right ear, you expected pain for a second but you were stunned, nothing came, it was until you heard the sound of a laugh and the scream of a man that you forced your eyes open; crouched on the floor grasping his knee was Mr Gwan, his furious eyes looking at you as he groaned in pain.

“The wrong choice,” Sehun laughed, it wasn’t a humoured laugh but more like a darkly amused one, but you could barely hear him over the lough ringing in your ear, the fact he had shot an actual gun so close to your head making you shake. It wasn’t a blank this time, he actually could have shot you.

You watched with erratic breaths as Chanyeol and Baekhyun hoisted the injured man up not even passing you a glance, yanking him up like he was a sack of nothing; he was wailing in pain but you didn’t care as you closed your eyes, trying to focus on anything else.

A hand being placed on your shoulder had you jumping again though, the hand taking the liberty to pull you up from your crouched position on the chair, your jaw was trembling as you felt lips next to your ear again.

“Sorry about this,” Sehun spoke gruffly, and for a second you tried to understand what he meant but you went into full panic mode at the feeling of a plastic bag being placed over your head, a scream gargling in your throat as you felt the tightness of it being tied around your neck making shed a couple of tears. You tried to scream at him to get you out of this but every breath you took in had the plastic filling your mouth, you were going to suffocate.

There were noises of Sehun calling out orders, sounds of people hastily leaving the premise, they were going to leave you here to die.

“Please.” You sobbed, “Please take this thing off,” No one listened.

It was like time was moving in slow, the sound of blood rushing to your ears as you tried to regulate out your breathing, there was the last few shouts in the room before silence fell on it.

They left you here to die.

The more you tried to calm down the more breaths you took, and the less oxygen was in the bag – you were going into full panic mode. Sehun didn’t even have the decency to shoot you, all he did was shove a white plastic bag over your head and leave you to suffer a more painful death; suffocation.

There was a layer of condensation building up in the bag as you started to feel dizzy, the blood rushing around your head like a waterfall made it hard to concentrate – your head lulled forward like a ton of bricks were laying on the back of your skull, pushing you down. Your ears picked up a sound in the distance and in your delirium, you started yelling softly.

“Help…” You strained out, muffled by the bag.

“HELP” You tried again, louder than before; it took a few seconds to register but the sound of sirens pulling up had you pulling on your ties.

Within seconds there was the sound of numerous footsteps and something yelling.

“Police! open up” The unknown voice yelled out, you screamed back in response; you heard the mumbling of a swear before the voice spoke again.

“Officer Jeon,” They spoke, “Get that thing off her head.”

There was the sound of rushing footsteps and you flinched when you felt hands on your skin, but there were only there briefly before they grasped the front of the bag, tearing it open. You could feel your hair sticking to your face from the condensation in the bag, and your eyes winced slightly as you tried to adjust to the bright light shining in your face – but the eventually focused on the young man in front of you who look concerned, his hands touching your face trying to get you to focus on him.

“Come on sweetheart, breathe with me, you’re okay now.”

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softly-savage-mint-yoongi · 4 years

Photo

Phoenix

from An Adventurer’s Guide to Romance Part 1 of the series collaboration between myself & @guardians-of-exo! Her moodboards are amazing and we are totally thrilled to present this series to all of you! Please go check out her blog, and enjoy! Pairing: Chanyeol x reader Rating: M. Words: 5k

The towering man swallows air, looking at Kyungsoo and releasing some of the tension in his jaw. “I’m starved,” he says simply. His voice is what you would expect. Deep and husky, but his whiny complaint of an empty stomach is so soft that it pulls a gentle laugh from your lips.

He notices you then, standing there leaning over cuts of meat with fingers full of waxed twine. At first, he simply surveys you, curiously taking you in upon meeting for the first time. It takes but a moment for you to be vexed by him completely.

His eyes sparkle with something lively, a lopsided smile growing across his face and he shakes a bit of his silvery hair from his eyes. Large ears frame the sides of his head, but they look good on him. A handsome face sitting atop a tall and lean frame. He’s fitted with heavy armor, plates shining silver with shades of blacks and browns between the leathers. His mantle is the darkest shade of black, and there’s leather cut and dyed to resemble red scales across the gorget.

There’s a sound of pounding footsteps drawing closer and closer from down the corridor, just beyond the fickle door of the kitchen. It’s frantic enough to make you look up from your task, your hands turning idle. You’re not used to commotion in the castle yet, having only been here for little more than one week.

Your hands, in turn, are enough to furrow the strong brow of your mentor, Kyungsoo. Curious why you’d suddenly stopped from helping him salt and tie cuts of pig shoulder, his ears finally catch the sound.

Not a moment later the door bursts open, the old wood slamming back against the stone of the wall as a large man with eyes the size of dinner plates enters the wide room.

“Chanyeol?” Kyungsoo mutters, concern knitting his brow. He stands fully and pats the salt from his hands on his apron as he approaches the taller man, “What’s the matter?”

This man, Chanyeol you think you heard, appears to be just as stunned by you. His eyes meet yours and his gaze seems to sear your skin. Enough that Kyungsoo’s movement startles you as he makes his way to a table on the opposite wall. You follow him with your eyes briefly until you snap back to the knight in the doorway.

“What did his Majesty say?” the shorter man asks. He leans back against the table and tosses an apple to Chanyeol. The larger man nearly drops it, caught off guard at having to remove his eyes from yours.

He takes a sizeable bite, chewing thoughtfully with a furrow in his brow and a huff. “He won’t let Baekhyun go, obviously.”

“Prince Baekhyun, you mean,” Kyungsoo corrects, but Chanyeol waves him off, frowning at the floor.

“You know that doesn’t work with us. Besides, you never call me Knight Captain, either,” he says dismissively. Something about his uncaring for political status doesn’t surprise you, even though you don’t know him. It makes you smile.

“I’m not training the men hard enough. I’m not training hard enough. These Draugers are brutal,” he comments, staring a hole in the planks as he takes another large bite.

“You’re exhausted,” Kyungsoo nods, unfolding his arms and coming back to you. “Take another piece and go get some rest. Dinner will be served same time as always.”

You think you’re being nonchalant, the way your eyes keep meeting the handsome knight’s across the kitchen, even as he exits and your mentor loudly slaps the cut of meat on the table between you with more salt and a raised brow.

______________________________________________________

Later that evening, after much work to clean up the kitchens just to make a mess of them again tomorrow and a hard earned bath, you’re humming softly to yourself.

You’re a bit too wide-eyed to sleep. It’s a fine evening, clear and just the right side of warm for the middle of Spring. A walk should tire you out enough to rest well.

Reaching the balcony at the end of the staff wing, you step to the edge, overlooking the barracks. You can hear laughter from the sentinel tower a few yards away from the large balcony you stand on as you peer down into the courtyard.

You’re low enough to hear and see a man practicing. Sparring with a few wooden dummies as he dances fluidly between them, gracefully swinging a sword that looks much too heavy for one arm.

You’ve never been out here while anyone was practicing. The hour is typically late enough that the yard of the barracks is empty of soldiers, save for the sentries in the tower beside you. It briefly makes you curious about the conversation earlier this afternoon between your mentor and his friend, the Knight Captain.

A grunt reaches your ears from below. You see the man drop his sword and flop to the ground, spreading his arms wide as he breathes deeply to the stars. His hair glints silver in the light of the moon, and his ears protrude as he pushes it back from his forehead.

A blush tints your cheeks when you realize it’s the handsome Chanyeol. He’s working hard, and you recall Kyungsoo telling him earlier to rest. Biting your lip, you peek to back into the corridor to make sure there’s nobody around.

Grinning, you taunt him, “Didn’t my mentor tell you to rest earlier!?”

Immediately, he sits up, shaking his head and looking up at the balcony. It takes him a moment to register your familiarity. It’s easy to see his answering smile, beaming at you from below.

“I’m caught! I don’t listen very well, do I?” he laughs loudly, waving at you before he looks around the training yard.

You smile, “I suppose the Knight Captain doesn’t have to listen to the Head Cook.” Relaxing, you lean over the railing to talk with him.

From even three stories below, he’s attractive and radiates a warmth that makes you feel several ways at once. Most prominently, desire. An attraction that you should not feel, given the large difference in your status.

“I suppose not,” he says before adding, “But Kyungsoo is terrifying. I don’t want him to poison me.”

You both laugh at his remark until a rumble of thunder can be heard in the distance, interrupting your conversation. Chanyeol rolls his shoulder, plucking his sword from the ground as if it were nothing. “You should get inside before you get soaked,” he tells you. His voice is low.

“Perhaps I like to be kissed by the rain,” you reply simply, biting at your lip again. Your intention is not lost on him, standing there in the dark with the light of the moon catching the sheen of sweat across his skin. He tilts his head sharply once, clicking his teeth.

When he looks up at you again his expression is undeniably mesmerizing, “That’s too bad. I took you for more of a burned by fire kind of woman.”

You smile, deliberately crossing your arms tightly under your bosom as you lean over. “Who said anything about not liking that, too?” you chide.

Chanyeol grins up at you with his wide eyes, about to speak when a door across the yard opens. “Who are you talking to, Captain?” another voice calls. You’re quick to take your leave, out of sight as you walk back to your room.

__________________________________________

Three days. It’s been three long, busy days of working from sun up to sun down in the kitchen with your mentor. The diligent and calm Kyungsoo. It’s been three days of Chanyeol coming into the kitchen to complain about being hungry from working so hard and pestering Kyungsoo for food while he sets you on fire with his stare.

It’s been three days, becoming routine, to walk to the balcony before bed and keep the Captain company. Most nights you’re content to quietly watch him swinging his sword, weaving back and forth between the wooden dummies and listening to its singing as the metal makes clean hits across the dryness. You’ll watch and listen and fall harder for him with every hour until he’s sprawled out on the patchy grass breathing ragged. Then you’ll talk.

It’s been about an hour already tonight as you watch him. You’re beginning to learn his fighting style, anticipating the movements of his dancing until a whizzing sound comes from your left followed by a grappling hook over the outside wall.

Chanyeol stops what he’s doing, his head whipping around the barracks quickly as he trots over. Perplexed, you watch as he shoves his arm into a barrel of rainwater to the shoulder. He comes up with a coiled length of rope. Leaning his sword against the stone wall, he steps back and begins swinging the rope. It whips high when he releases it, right around the outstretched limb of a giant tree looming over the castle wall.

Immediately, a figure draped in black flies to it, grabbing it with a longbow and zip-lining down the length of it into the courtyard with a stealthy grace you are shocked by.

“Yah what did you do?” Chanyeol asks lowly, his voice frustrated as he yanks the rope back to himself from the opposite end, stuffing it back into the barrel.

The hooded figure turns, smiling. “Just doing what I do best. Giving back to the people,” says the man. Although you can’t see his face completely, you know he sees you standing there on the balcony.

“Is that her?” he asks, lightly punching Chanyeol in the arm.

The taller man ignores his comment, flinging the excess water from his hands at the figure. “Were you followed?” he urges, plucking the lone arrow from the quiver at his side. Chanyeol wiggles it at the man, “What happened?”

A familiar laugh rings out quietly, “Nothing, nothing. I had to teach a bastard a lesson is all. Nobody got hurt, I think.” The mysterious man reaches to touch at a chunky cut across Chanyeol’s cheekbone, “Take it easy with the training.” But the Captain shrugs his hand away.

It doesn’t take more than one look to understand this figure is the talk of the city right now. A man dressed in hooded robes flitting about the city at night helping the poor. Especially those on the outskirts of the kingdom most affected by the Drauger problems.

Whoever he is, he seems to confide in the Knight Captain. There are too many people working in the castle to even have a clue who it could be, especially given that Chanyeol knows each and every one of them. It could be anyone.

Wrangling his grappling hook back into a coil, the man turns to you fully, “Pardon the intrusion, m’lady. I didn’t mean to disrupt your date.”

He bows to you dramatically and Chanyeol punches him hard in the shoulder, “Shut it.” The silver haired fighter shakes his hair into his eyes, fidgeting. A habit you think is endearing.

“Goodnight. Don’t stay up too late now children,” the hooded figure taunts, raising a hand and waving behind him as he swipes his last arrow back from Chanyeol’s hand and saunters off to the opposite end of the courtyard.

_____________________________________

Six more days pass without much change, happily allowing the handsome and fiery Knight Captain dominate your thoughts, flirting with one another in stolen moments.

Today started off no different than the rest. The air in the kitchens smells delightfully sweet as Kyungsoo roasts large cuts of pork in a honeyed glaze for an important meeting between the Lords and the King today. You feel lighter than ever, happily dancing around him to do your tasks, quietly humming to yourself and drawing his heart-shaped smile out into the open.

There's a rapping at the door before it opens. You think it's Chanyeol until you realize he doesn't knock, instead revealing an unfamiliar and beautiful woman. She sweeps into the room until she sees you and halts her stride. Since she's wearing plate armor with the palace crest, you wonder if she knows Chanyeol.

Perplexed, you watch her with a raised brow, looking to Kyungsoo and hoping he'll dispel your confusion. His smile widens imperceptibly to anyone other than you. The corners pivot down as he fights to outright grin at the woman standing in the middle of the room.

"Ah, I'm sorry," she begins. "I was looking for Knight Captain Chanyeol. I thought he might be here begging for food." Offhandedly, you think her laugh is pretty. Everything about her is pretty. She doesn't look any less stunning in her armor- if anything, the glittering of her silver mail only serves to accentuate her beauty. It almost makes you jealous.

Kyungsoo moves away from the hot kettles, wiping at his brow with the back of his forearm. He stops beside you, hand heavy and warm where it pats you on the shoulder, "Good day, Lieutenant. Thankfully, he hasn't." Your mentor pauses, then adds, "But I'm sure he'll show up later."

Normally, you wouldn't think anything other than confirming agreeance with Kyungsoo's words. This was different, the way he said them as a question, with perhaps room for something more to grow. The air tastes charged with something unknown but not unpleasant.

In your peripheral, the kettle roils noisily and you rush to stir it quickly before its contents bubble over the lip. Your action appears to break the atmosphere around the room. It dissipates like a wisp, leaving you to stare between them and wonder if there had any been any tension at all.

"Right. I'll take my leave then," says the Lieutenant, patting her tasset with both palms lightly. "I'm sorry I disturbed your work, Master Cook," she comments with a sweet smile directed first to him and then you. You return the gesture, watching her retreating form until it disappears through the door.

Immediately, Kyungsoo flocks back to you with a knit brow and a smirk tucked into his cheek, urging you to let him take over. "I've got this," he says to you without looking up from the kettle. "You've got to get out there soon, so go ahead and finish plating."

There's not enough time to dwell on the sudden appearance of the beautiful Lieutenant. Rather, you follow Kyungsoo's instruction to finish arranging the meats. With the Drauger issue, staff in the palace has been diminishing, but none of you can bring yourselves to talk about it. As such, you've been enlisted- although begrudgingly- by your mentor to serve the Imperial meeting the meal you've spent all morning preparing.

With a sigh, you muster up your most polite smile and set to work. Your smile becomes genuine, an excitement carrying your feet gracefully when you enter the great hall carrying a large silver platter on your palm, only after you've noticed the Knight Captain standing behind the King at the head of the table.

It's obvious he was not expecting you here, either. His smile grows mega-watt and he fights to mask it as he watches you set the platter on the table. You exit, bound to return with the next platter followed by a third.

One of the Lords is picky. He is needy for your attention, intent on keeping you as close as possible while you flit around the long table to fill goblets of wine. You do your best not to frown too deeply every time he steals your eyes away from the handsome Knight Captain.

Something in Chanyeol's poise has shifted since the last time you locked eyes, seconds ago. He appears frustrated at having to remain still, although it's more a display of powerful resolve than to actually protect his King. Perhaps it’s the hot afternoon sun shining on him through the window, festering beneath the heavy mail he wears and scorching his skin to a rosy flush. The way his hair is becoming damp and sticking to his forehead with sweat. An image you find yourself wishing were reality under different circumstances. Ones where he isn’t wearing anything and neither are you.

Having such thoughts publicly makes your own cheeks heat with blush, realizing how wrapped up in him you are, and he hasn’t even put his hands on you. The thought makes you want to cry, such a tragedy is that revelation.

Chanyeol’s eyes never leave the man speaking to you, desperate to burn him to ash with his stare alone. Normally, helping would be fine and well. Except in that this Lord seems to think he can assert himself to petition you freely. Heavy handed are his unnecessary advances against your hip or arm when he speaks, and you can feel his beady eyes following you around the room, focused on your bosom. You also feel Chanyeol's gaze raging like an inferno, his aura flaring wildly and ready to explode like gunpowder every time the Lord touches you.

You try your best to ignore the bile that rises from your gut. What are you supposed to do? You’re brand new here, and only the Cook’s assistant. Better yet, what is Chanyeol to do? He’s too important to break his code of conduct, no matter how much it bothers him.

It’s hard for any of you to focus on your duties. The Lord, at least twice your age, flicking his gaze between you and his King. You, trying to avoid the Lord’s reach and watch Chanyeol’s face while serving the table. Chanyeol, trying to keep his composure while his eyes sear daggers into the Lord’s figure when he isn’t watching you. Every time your eyes meet he’s looking at you intensely. As if to ask you, to make certain that you know you’re his.

His unspoken claim over you shouldn’t make you excited, and yet the thought sets a slow and heavy heat in your center.

Two hours pass this way, running in and out between the great hall and the kitchens and being as polite as you can tolerate to the Lord that continues to advance upon you, until Kyungsoo comes to find you and pull you back to the kitchens.

“I’m sorry my Lords, my King, but may I request my assistant return to her duties?” he asks calmly, folding his hands and letting his gaze plow across the room.

Even the King seems to accept Kyungsoo’s disturbance. “We’re nearly finished, you may,” he acquiesces, waving you off.

On the walk back, your mentor is silent but his brow is furrowed, expression set in a frustrated scowl. “Did I do something wrong? I’m sorry it took so long,” you apologize.

Kyungsoo remains silent until you’re through the door and standing in the safety of the main kitchen. He gently grasps your wrist and spins you to face him. “You didn’t do anything wrong. I came to check on you and could plainly see someone was bothering you, though,” he says. His eyes are large as they survey your face. His jaw is tight.

“I’m fine. It was just a Lord making passes at me,” you reply, shrugging it off. He didn’t hurt you, and it’s over.

Kyungsoo reels back for a moment, his head whipping to the door just as a large man appears. You didn’t hear him coming down the corridor, and yet, the Knight Captain is standing in front of you looking entirely displeased. A deep frown sours his handsome features.

He reaches back to slam the door closed with more force than necessary, causing you to flinch from the sound. His eyes are wild as he takes one long look at Kyungsoo before he takes your wrist gingerly in his grasp.

There’s a palpable silence between you. The dark color of his eyes pleads with you momentarily until Chanyeol remembers where he is. Standing in the kitchens of the Palace he protects. For the family he swore his life to.

He blinks rapidly and swallows thickly, releasing your wrist and stepping back. A breath you didn’t realize you’d been holding wheezes past your lips. You touch at your skin subconsciously, feeling a pleasurable burn where his fingers grasped you although you remain unharmed.

He huffs audibly and turns around, leaving you in the wake of your mutual frustration. The cloud of your lust is so dense you physically wave your hand in front of your face to clear the air.

Spinning on your heel, face aflame in embarrassment of such an act in front of Kyungsoo, you peek at him to realize he is a saint. You’re very thankful that he lets you keep your modesty and privacy.

The butterflies in your stomach cause disruption to your appetite for the rest of the day. Kyungsoo sends you out of the kitchens early when you refuse dinner, under strict orders to rest.

Given his blessing, you hoped a long soak in the tub would quell the fluttering and churning in your stomach. For the most part, it did. The heat calmed your nerves until the water turned tepid and forced you to crawl into your bed for a nap.

Hours have passed when you’re disturbed by a knocking at your door and someone calling your name. Your eyes open, adjusting to the darkness left by the sun’s disappearance from the sky.

“Y/N.” It comes again once... twice. It’s a familiar voice. One that makes you shake the sleep from your eyes to answer.

The knocking sounds urgent upon your approach. When you open it, you blush. Much to your heart's delight, it’s Chanyeol.

“Knight Captain? What’s wrong, has something happened?” you ask, rubbing the last remnants of sleep from your eyes.

He huffs and glances around the dimly lit hall. You understand what he wants and step aside, allowing him into your room. Immediately, he shoves the door closed and crowds you against it.

Fully awake, you swallow around the thickness of your throat. His eyes are bright, even in the darkness. The moon spills a bit of light through your open windows. It’s just enough to catch the edges of his silver hair in a glow.

Everything about him is still except for his eyes and his breath. You’re not sure if it’s his or yours but you can hear a heart thundering against ribs between you.

Briefly, his eyes close as he curls his lips over his teeth in a determined line. “Tell me,” he croaks.

You look up, meeting his stare when he reopens his eyes. Throat dry, you lick your lips and swallow again. Chanyeol’s eyes follow the motion. “Tell you what?” you whisper.

The Knight Captain leans closer, letting his hands curl into fists against the door on either side of your head. His withering self-control sets an inferno under your skin. Ironic that the one who makes you feel like you’re on fire is the one you crave to soothe the flames.

His lips are close enough that you can see the faint scar running down his bottom lip and chin. “Don’t make me say it,” he pleads. “Even as the personification of fire itself, I'm burning alive." He swallows once, "I'm desperate."

A smile curls your lips after a moment, realizing what his statement meant. “Put your hands on me,” you sigh.

And so he does. His grip is precise. Certain and strong with where he lets them touch first. One like a brand searing into the back of your neck, holding you there so his lips can meet your own. The other pulls your hips from the door to have you flush against his body.

Immediately, your arms reach for his shoulders, matching him in your desire. Your nails scrape across the broad expanse of his back before you decide to tangle them in the back of his hair and pull.

The Knight Captain growls against your lips, his tongue demanding to dance with yours as he tries to consume you whole. His hands are on both hips now, easily bunching your night dress high enough to hoist your thighs around his hips.

His mouth moves, teeth nipping under your jaw and biting harder at the side of your neck. He places wet, open-mouthed kisses down your chest as far as he can comfortably crane his neck. A sharp moan breaks from your lips as he bites hard into the flesh above your constricted breasts, sucking the flesh after to soothe his bite.

He carries you with only slight difficulty through the darkness across the room to your bed, letting your body greet the linens softly. It doesn’t surprise you that Chanyeol is a man of purpose. When he puts his mind to something, there’s no uncertainty. His movements are measured and resolute, only pausing to admire the way you’re looking at him from below.

Although you don’t need to, you beg for his touch with a whine you couldn’t have suppressed if you tried. His eyes flick up to your face and there’s an explicit hunger emanating from his posture, further accentuated by the boyish grin tucked into his cheek.

Chanyeol bends, caging you beneath his frame as two fingers pluck impatiently at the knot of your gown. He doesn’t bother to untie it completely, satisfied with the loosened freedom he gains- enough to pull the bodice down roughly, exposing your breast to his eyes.

His mouth follows, tongue and breath like flame licking at your skin. The attention he laves across it makes you squirm, moaning praise. Your fingers thread into his hair again, pulling the strands.

Your lover moans, a deep and breathy sound that has you squeezing your thighs together. Chanyeol doesn’t miss the action, wasting no time in bringing a hand to your center and rubbing to bring you some relief. He savors your cries of pleasure, drinking them in with a purr.

Suddenly, he sits up, flinging his tunic from his frame. With eyes half-open you gaze at him. He’s pink, you notice. From the tips of his charming ears, across his cheeks to his nose to his broad chest. As if possessed, your hands rise of their own volition, sweeping your palms over his skin to feel. You wonder in amazement how he handles the heat of his own body, not unlike a blazing inferno beneath the surface.

You admire him for as long as he can stand, comparing him to that of a phoenix. Burning bright and hot, immortal and infinite and magical. Powerful as the creator of fire itself, and too beautiful to touch.

And yet you do, letting him burn you to ash just to be reborn as his all over again. He has you this way at once. And again at the moon’s peak, and then again just before the sun begins to kiss the sky.

You dread leaving the bed. For the moment, you don’t. You choose to let your fingertips wander the expanse of the Knight Captain’s back while he dozes. It reminds you of a battlefield. Bruises, scars old and new and a few pocked marks paint him all over. A bruise the color of wisteria vine curls around a blade of his shoulder. A long and jagged line saws across his spine to his ribs. There’s an unnatural ripple of flesh lined with small dotted scars on either side curving with the swell of his buttocks.

“None of those fights I lost,” he slurs, voice heavy from use and the cusp of sleep. With a relaxed sigh, he pulls your fingers up to his lips, turning his head to face you against the pillow.

You smile at him, “I’m glad for it.”

His grin widens, a gentle chuckle growing from deep within his chest, “The palace nurse sometimes isn’t.” He stretches, sitting up on his palms to rub sleep from his eyes, “She keeps me alive, but she says I try to kiss death too often.”

Tilting your head, you admire him in the light of the sunrise, skin glowing with the embers of your shared desire, quelled for the moment.

“Says I’ll put her in an early grave with worry.” Chanyeol’s smile is easy as he stands. His hair is a wreck, and you touch at your own, suddenly aware that it likely looks worse than his.

You dress in relative silence, stealing glances at one another across the room with soft smiles. You’re just fixing your hair when a loud knock at your door makes Chanyeol jump back, clutching his naked chest. He’s about to fetch his shirt when a voice stops him in his tracks.

“You’re late!” Kyungsoo’s stern tenor reaches through the door. With wild eyes you look to Chanyeol, who simply mirrors your expression.

Clearing your throat, “I’m sorry Kyungsoo, I’m coming now!” You reach for the door but Chanyeol stops you with an arm, spinning you into his chest.

You realize just how much of a romantic he is, tilting your face up to meet his lips quickly. Just as soon, he releases you and steps away so he can’t be seen from the open door.

Pulling it open, Kyungsoo is not amused when his eyes meet yours. He waits for a moment, finally turning away and saying, “I was expecting to see the Knight Captain on the other side of your door. I’m glad, I was afraid I’d have to poison him.”

“Goodness, no! I didn’t sleep well since I was feeling ill yesterday!” Your answer comes a little too suspiciously, laughing loudly while you follow him down the corridor.

Kyungsoo smiles but says nothing, pretending not to see the dark bruise peeking over your bodice. He pretends, when Chanyeol lies through his teeth later that morning about why he has the appetite of a dragon, that he didn’t see Chanyeol’s discarded tunic laying on the floor beside your bed.

#chanyeol x reader #exo x reader #chanyeol smut #exo smut #exo fanfiction #chanyeol fanfiction #chanyeol fanfic #series #an adventurer's guide to romance #collab #exo moodboards #chanyeol moodboard

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chimmyboii · 4 years

Text

Nice Guy - Part 1

Pairing: Chanyeol x reader x Baekhyun

High School au!

Summary: After finding out her boyfriend, Baekhyun had cheated on her at a party, Y/N goes into meltdown. Chanyeol, Baekhyun’s best friend, decides he can’t stand watching the girl completely fall apart because of his best friend and decides to befriend her.

Masterlist

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

The teacher drones on and on, I continue to tap my pencil against my jotter. Head leaning against my hand until it goes numb. I think about Baekhyun, about his smile, his lips, how he makes me feel. Just everything. These thoughts continue to roam around me head, getting dirtier and dirtier until I think about our night together last Friday. How his hands caressed my body, the feel of him inside me. I can feel myself getting aroused at the thought. Sneakily, I reach down and grab my phone from my bag, I type a text to him.

Me: thinking of youuu ;’((

I notice I have number of notifications. One from WhatsApp, and almost twenty from Snapchat. Frowning, I click on WhatsApp first, seeing as it was my best friend Lisa that had message the girls group chat. I re-read her message, the frown still on my face.

Lisa: y/n please don’t go on snapchat!

I eye the number of notifications on the app. I click on it, unable to help myself, the curiosity getting the best of me. Most of the notifications are from other pupils from the school, people I don’t talk to. A lot of the messages were from girls apologising to me, hoping I’m okay, that I deserved better. What the fuck. I click on the Snap from Jongdae that he sent me this morning, that I forgot to open. It was a video, but not just any video. It was practically a sex tape. It seemed to be filmed in Chanyeol’s bathroom, I recognised the wallpaper. The girl is propped up on the sink, legs spread wide. The male has his hand between her leg, thrusting his fingers rapidly into her. The volume on my phone is low but I can still hear the moaning coming from the girl and Jongdae’s quiet snickering. Still feeling confused, I look at the caption Jongdae had labelled the video.

Baekhyun and his girl Y/N getting it onnnn lollllolll ;)

“Yassss Baekhyun man, get it!” Jongdae’s voice cheered in the video, the man’s head snapped to the door. I gasp loudly, causing the person next to me to glance at me. Baekhyun quickly withdraws his hand from the girl, causing her to whine and tug at him, wanting him to continue. Baekhyun hurries to the door where it seems Jongdae is standing.

“What the fuck man!” Baekhyun growls, reaching for the phone. The video ends there. I stare as the video as it once again replays, it’s the second time I note how sober Baekhyun is. Being in a relationship with him for three years, I have seen him drunk a number of times and I can assure you that Byun Baekhyun is completely sober in that video. I click back on to WhatsApp and text Lisa.

Me: I saw it. When was the video filmed?

Lisa quickly replies back.

Lisa: It was at the party on Friday, I’m so sorry y/n

I feel sick. I lean my head on the desk in hopes the nauseous feeling would disappear. I can feel the tears begin to well up. Last Friday was Chanyeol’s football game and I knew the boys were planning on having a party afterwards. But I had a test on Monday, it was a resit, so it was important for me to pass it. I told Baekhyun I wouldn’t be able to make it, but he insisted that he’d spend some time with me before going to the party. Baekhyun had come over after Chanyeol’s game. The memory that once aroused me is now making me feel sick.

I lay breathless on the bed, Baekhyun flopped beside me. My body still tingled from the intense orgasm I had. Rolling over, I lean my head on Baekhyun’s chest, his hand began to stroke at my hair. It was silent, just the sound of our breathing returning to its normal state. I turn my face a bit and press kisses on his chest. Baekhyun hums, pressing his own kiss on the crown of my head. My index finger draws circles on his pelvis bone, just above from his crotch. Baekhyun lets out a chuckle.

‘You want to go again?’ I nod almost bashfully, sitting up I swing my leg over his waist, straddling him. I rub myself over is limp length, enticing a moan from him. ‘Two orgasms and you still want more!’

I giggle, rubbing myself against him harder, listening to slick sound of my arousal. ‘I can’t help it; you make me feel soooo good!’ I whine playfully. I can feel him start to harden once again underneath me. Baekhyun sits up, hands wrapping themselves around my waist. He presses kisses along my collarbone and down to my chest. I clutch at his neck, leaning my cheek against the side of his head, I let out soft sighs. Baekhyun’s left hand reaches down to breast and clutches it, his lips trail down until they are sucking onto my nipple. I tug at his brown hair, rocking my hips faster against his hard length. Baekhyun stops me, lifting my hips up and positions his length at my entrance. Slowly, I lower myself on to his hard length.

‘Fuck Baekhyun,’ I breath, leaning back slightly so I can see his face. I connect our lips, allowing my tongue to dance with his. I rock my hips back and forth. Baekhyun guiding me with his hands.

‘That’s it baby,’ he moans, now lifting his hips up to meet mine. I whine and lean my head against his shoulders, Baekhyun falls back onto the bed pulling me with him. From this position, Baekhyun is able to thrust up harder, making me squeal. He keeps thrusting until I feel myself heat up deliciously, a fluttering feeling arriving at the pit of my stomach.

‘I’m going to cum,’ I gasp, gripping the pillow next to Baekhyun’s head. Baekhyun takes this a sign to thrust even harder until I can’t breathe.

‘Oh my God!’ I yelp, coming around his length. I twitch in Baekhyun’s hold, the pleasure almost hurting. I feel Baekhyun thrust two more times before he releases his load inside of me, it’s hot, making me shiver. Leaning back, I look at this sweaty face and smile happily. He returns the smile, leaning up to press a kiss to my lips. We kiss for a while, lips dancing along with each other.

‘I love you,’ I whisper against his lips, I press two more kisses before sitting back. His face was blank, his brown eyes roam my face. I look at the clock on my bedside table. It was almost eight. Rolling off Baekhyun, his length slips from me.

‘You better get ready baby,’ I say pressing a kiss to his cheek before going to bathroom to clean up and take a shower. When I got back, Baekhyun was dressed and was styling his hair in front of my wardrobe mirror. I go up behind him and wrap my arms around his waist, pressing soft kisses to the side of his neck.

‘I’m so lucky to have you,’ I breath. Baekhyun smiles softly, before turning around and kissing me deeply.

He sighs in my mouth before pulling back, ‘I better go,’ I nod dizzily, my mouth chasing his. Baekhyun pulls out of my embrace and presses a quick kiss to my cheek.

‘See you Monday!’ he smiles cheekily, ‘good luck with your studying, you’ll ace it babe!’ And with that he was gone out the front door.

The nausea feeling was more prominent now, shooting my hand up in the air. The teacher stops speaking and looks at me wide eyed.

“Yes, Miss Y/N?” he asks. The rest of the students turn around and look at me. Some look at me with a pitied look on their face – my own eyes widen. How do they know? Looking back at the teacher.

“I don’t feel well, can I go to the toilet?” He just nods before resuming explaining the problem on the board. I practically sprint from the classroom to the toilet. Once inside, I rush to the nearest cubicle and slam the door shut, locking it. I lean over the toilet and gag, hoping to be sick and get rid of the nauseous feeling. Nothing comes up, I just continue to gag. As this is happening, tears begin to slip down my cheeks. I don’t realise until they hit the water in the toilet pan. Leaning back, I let out the first ugly sob, the pain of the betrayal finally catching up with me. Pulling out my phone, the lock screen making me sob harder. It’s a picture of Baekhyun and I at his birthday two months ago. With shaky hands, I click on Lisa’s contact and press call, knowing she has a free period right now. It rings for three then I hear her voice.

“Hello? Y/N?” I can barely greet her; sobs just keep coming out. “Babe, where are you?”

“Bath-r-room,” I stutter out, “the one by the science department,” Lisa hums, I can hear her slamming and banging in the background.

“I’ll be there in a minute,” with that she hangs up. I lean my head against the toilet and continue to sob.

Three years we had been together, I may be naïve, but I truly believed he was the one for me. I gave him everything; he was my first everything. First kiss, first love and first time. And now, I can’t get that back. It’s been completely ruined. All I see now, looking at his face, is his hand between that girls’ legs. The same hands that were between mine five hours before.

My thoughts were broken by the sound of the bathroom doors slamming open, hitting off the wall. I sit up and unlock the door and face Lisa. As soon as the doors open, she spreads her arms wide, inviting me into a hug. I fall into her, sobbing again. I continue to cry into Lisa’s arms until there’s no tears left to cry. Lisa’s fruity perfume calms me slightly until I pull away and lean against the sink.

“I just don’t understand,” I whisper, throat sore after all the crying I had done. Lisa reaches into her backpack and pulls out a bottle of water handing it to me. I nod in gratitude. “I mean he was completely sober!”

Lisa’s doe eyes widen and her mouth drops.

“He was sober?! Jongdae told me he was drunk,” I shake my head.

“No, I know when Baekhyun’s drunk and he certainly wasn’t there.” I gulp some more water before sighing.

“I could forgive him if he was drunk,” Lisa looks at me, eyes glaring slightly.

“You’re going to stay with him?” she asks, I shake my head rapidly but then shrug.

“No, y-yes! Ugh, I don’t know,” I whine, heart beating painfully in my chest.

“Babe he cheated on you!” Lisa reasons, “and like you said he was sober, he knew exactly what he was doing.”

“Yeah but why? Why did he feel the need to cheat on me?” Lisa sighs, her arm wraps around my shoulder.

“I don’t know Y/N,” Another tear slips down my face, I roughly wipe it away.

“I know this a bit TMI, but he literally fucked me that night, before he left for the party,” Lisa grimaces.

“That’s disgusting and more the reason for you to dump his ass!”

We fall silent and I wash my face over the sink. I look at the phone beside me when I remember something.

“How does everyone know about it?” I ask Lisa. She sighs, pulling out her own phone and clicking on Facebook, she scrolls through her feed for moment before groaning.

“It’s been taking down. Basically, Jongdae uploaded the video to Facebook on Friday,” I groan and place my head in my hands.

“Why did he have to do that!” I moan and Lisa rubbed my shoulders.

“Drunk Jongdae has no brain!” I was about to comment more when the bell went, signally the end of period and the start of lunchtime. My heart began hammering loudly in my chest again as I knew I’d have to face him – and the rest of the student body. At the look on the face Lisa grips my shoulders.

“You can do this okay? Whatever you choose to do, I’m here,” I nod, gulping. Lisa walks me back to my science class to collect my bag and jacket I had left there. My teacher notes my pale face and assumes I’m ill. He wishes me to get well soon, I just nod. We walk slowly to the canteen; my legs feel like jelly as the canteen comes into view. The memories of Baekhyun and I flash through my mind. I feel choked up again as I realise, I’m about to lose him. I stop suddenly, tugging Lisa with me.

“I’m going to lose him,” I whimper out, feeling like I’m about to have a panic attack. Lisa shushes me, running a hand over my arm.

“You don’t need him Y/N, you never did. You lived without him before, you can do it again. And anyway, he’s the one that losing you, you were the best thing that ever happened to him!” Lisa suddenly ranted, her chubby cheeks turning red with rage as she continued. “He’s the one that ruined this, he deserves to feel pain like you do,” I nod, the video coming back to mind. With sudden courage and anger, I drag Lisa into the canteen with me.

I spot the boys sitting at their usual table at the back of the canteen by the window. I spot him first. Of course, I would, even after what he’s done to me, my eyes will always seek him out. He’s poking at Kyungsoo, laughing like nothing is wrong – like he didn’t just cheat on me three days ago. I storm towards him, Jongin catches my eye. His eyes widen and he quickly nudges Jongdae who quickly looks in my directions. Jongdae clears his throat loudly and nods his head in my direction. The rest of the boys stop talking and look in my direction; Minseok waves at me but stops when he sees the look on my face. Baekhyun finally turns to me when he notices Kyungsoo eyes have followed the rest of the boys.

Baekhyun’s face lights up, he stands from his chair and makes his way towards me, meeting me halfway. He places his hand on my waist, which I quickly yank off like I was burnt. He frowns for a moment but then goes to plant a kiss on my lips, I turn my head to the side abruptly, his lips grazing my cheek. I push him away harshly, he bangs into Junmyeon who sat behind him. Baekhyun glares slightly.

“What the hell, babe?” I let out a growl.

“What the hell, babe? Really?!” I shriek, pushing at his chest again. Lisa utters my name in warning, eyeing the rest of the canteen. The rest of the students have stopped eating and talking. Their gaze’s intent on both Baekhyun and I. Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes and calm myself, even though I have every right to go crazy. When I reopen my eyes, they are blurry again with tears. Baekhyun’s face falls and I notice the realisation on his face. He knows that I know.

“Why?” I croak out, he opens his mouth and I can just tell by the look on his face he’s about to make an excuse. “And don’t say you were drunk because I saw the video Baekhyun. You were not fucking drunk!” He hangs his head and shrugs. I scoff and shake my head. I look at the rest of the boys behind him, they’re silent watching us. My eyes scan over every boy until they connect with Jongdae who suddenly bursts.

“I’m sorry, Y/N, I didn’t know it wasn’t you I swear! I-I was drunk and saw Baekhyun and I thought she was you – that’s no excuse I know-”

“Be quiet, Jongdae!” he immediately shuts up, “it’s not you I want an explanation from,” I glare at Baekhyun who still looks at his feet.

“Come on, babe!” I prod sarcastically, “tell me why you felt the need to shove your fingers up another girls hole!” Baekhyun flinches at my words and I laugh bitterly. “What’s the matter Baekhyun? Don’t like hearing it out loud, well tough! Doesn’t matter anyway because the whole school fucking knows!” At this Jongdae mutters a weak ‘sorry’ which I ignore, my eyes never leaving my boyfriend who still continues to stand there emotionlessly staring at the ground.

I gasp, my heart breaking further as I continue to look at him, now realising. “You don’t care, do you?” my voice breaks and that’s when Baekhyun finally looks at me. “That’s why you’re not answering because you don’t care that you cheated. You don’t care that you hurt me-”

“I do!” Baekhyun cuts off, his voice high. “I do care about you, Y/N.”

“Then how could you do this, Baekhyun?” Once again, he shrugs, and this time I can’t stop the sob escaping my throat. He takes a step towards me; I shake my head and step back. “I love you,” I whimper and Baekhyun winces, bringing a hand up to rub at the back of his neck. Shaking my head, “You can’t even say it back,” I turn to leave but Baekhyun reaches out and grabs my wrist.

“Wait, Y/N please,” he pleads and tug at my arm. Kyungsoo stands and gently peals Baekhyun’s hand off of me.

“Let her go, Baekhyun.” Baekhyun roughly shakes his head, eyes now welling up with tears. He pushes Kyungsoo off him and pulls me towards him, wrapping his arms around my waist as an attempt to hug me.

“No, no, no,” he mutters, “I can’t let you go please. Y/N don’t do this,” Leaning my head against his chest, I swallow back the tears that threaten to escape. Taking a step back, I wipe them off my face.

“I didn’t do this, Baekhyun, you did,” With that I walk out of the canteen, ignoring the looks from the other students. Lisa walks slowly behind me, not saying anything, just letting me have my moment. We go outside onto the school grounds and find a bench to sit on. The wind felt refreshing, and it calmed me in a weird way. The sound of rapid footstep coming towards us had me tensing, expecting it to be Baekhyun.

“Y-Y/N?” the deep voice called from behind me. I turn around, along with Lisa, and see Chanyeol. He shifted his weight onto one foot then the other, looking between me and Lisa. “Is it okay if I talk to you alone?” Lisa glares, suddenly becoming protective.

“She doesn’t need any of Baekhyun’s bitches coming to give her grief!” Lisa barked and Chanyeol’s eyes rounded, hands raising up in defence.

“I-I’m not, I just want to know if she’s okay…”

“Does she look okay to you?!” I calmly place a hand on Lisa’s shoulder, she looks at me, her features softening.

“It’s okay,” I nod, Lisa sighs before standing up and grabbing her backpack. She turns back to me as Chanyeol takes her seat. “I’ll be in the library if you need me,” I just nod before turning to the nervous tall boy beside me. We’re silent, I’m waiting for him to announce why he’s here. The thing is about Chanyeol, he’s Baekhyun’s best friends, have been since nursery. But we never spoke, not really, only the passing greetings or just general discussing.

“Ummm…how are you- wait! Don’t answer that, that’s a stupid question!” I shake my head, smiling softly. He falls silent again, right leg nervously shaking, foot tapping on the ground. I watch other students, a couple, walking past us hand-in-hand. They look at each other adoringly, giggling to each other. I look at the girl, she gazes at the boy with bright eyes, practically heart eyes. As I gaze at her, I realise that that girl will give everything to that boy, and she has no guarantee he will love her the way she loves him. She will waste her high school years, loving him until he decides one day, he doesn’t want her anymore.

“Three years,” I start, startling Chanyeol who turns to look at me. “I loved him for three fucking years! And now look at me, broken, ruined. And he couldn’t even give me a fucking reason!” I shout, the couple turn to me and I glare at them.

“I’d run if I were you!” I shout at the girl, her soft eyes squint in confusion, “he’ll never love you. He’ll use you too keep his bed warm, keep his dick wet and then he’ll dispose of you! Men can’t love!” I see her chin wobble and then she bursts out crying. Her boyfriend turns to me and glares angrily.

“Hey, psycho bitch! Keep your opinion to yourself. Just cause your boyfriend fucking cheated on you doesn’t mean other men will!” I stand, steam practically exploding from my ears and was about to charge for him when Chanyeol wraps he’s long arms around me. I yell at him to let me go, punching down on his hands.

“C-Could you guys ummm, leave please!” Chanyeol begs the couple. The girl rapidly nods and tugs her boyfriend away. “Y/N please calm down.” Eventually, I did, settling back onto the bench. I hunch over, my face in my hands.

“He didn’t even say he was sorry; you know?” I mumble, looking up I see Chanyeol nod. “All he did was fucking shrug, I mean who shrugs their fucking shoulders when they get caught cheating?!”

“Baekhyun did,” Chanyeol commented and I roll my eyes.

“Must be a guy thing,” I state and Chanyeol scoffs, so I turn to him and I glare, “What got something to say? Going to defend your bestie?”

This time Chanyeol glares and I sit frozen, I have never seen him angry before.

“That guy was right, Y/N. Not all men are like that okay? Yes, what Baekhyun did was a shitty thing to do but that’s Baekhyun, he’s his own person.” I gulp, feeling a little intimidated at Chanyeol. “I know for a fact that if you were my girl, I would have never treated you like that, ever!” My mouth drops at his confession. “I-I mean, hypothetically speaking, ummm…no girl deserves to be treated like that.” Slowly, I nod unsure of what to say. The bell rings for the last two periods of the day, saving me from having to create an awkward response. Chanyeol stands and rummages through his trouser pockets and pulls out his phone, quickly he unlocks it and pushes it in front of my face. On his screen is a number, I look up at him confused.

“It’s my number,” I nod, still just looking at it, “i-in case you just want to talk or something, I don’t mind, I’m a good listener,”

“But Baekhyun’s your best friend. Wouldn’t it be weird if I called you to rant about him?” Chanyeol shakes his head, a small smile appearing on his face.

“Nah, I may be his best friend but he’s still a dick. And anyway, I wouldn’t mind having some more blackmail on him,” a cheeky smirk appears on his face and I let out a light laugh. Taking out my own phone, I stare at the wallpaper for a second before opening it to my contacts. After I put in his number, Chanyeol offered to walk me to class. I spot Kyungsoo and Jongin eyeing us by the stairs, so I declined.

“No, it’s okay, I’m going to meet Lisa. But thanks anyway and also thanks for you know, coming to check on me. You didn’t have too,” Chanyeol shakes his head, a cute smile on his lips.

“I wanted to. And I meant what I said, you can call me whenever, at any time I don’t care,” Chanyeol reaches out and places his large hand on my shoulder and squeezes it gently. “You’ll be okay, Y/N.” With one last smile, he walks off to where the Kyungsoo and Jongin are waiting by the staircase. I turn around and spot Lisa standing by the library entrance, a confused look on her face.

“What the hell was that about?” she asks, I just shrug unsure myself. As soon as we walk around the corner, Baekhyun comes up the stairs. His eyes widen as he spots me, quickly he dashes towards me, shouting my name, Chanyeol grabs a hold of him before he can reach me.

“No, man, you’ve done enough,” Chanyeol growled, Baekhyun’s eyes darken and was about to resort when Kyungsoo step in.

“Now’s not the time, we’ve got class come on!” He and Jongin tug the two boys away from Lisa and me. I sigh in relief, looking at Lisa whose eyes are trained on their retreating figures.

“I can’t wait to go home and forget about this,” I complain, beginning to walk to class, Lisa hums beside me. In class, I think about Chanyeol’s words about me being okay and I just hope it’s true. I know one thing for sure; Baekhyun is going to regret fucking cheating on me.

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dangerouskittybluebird · 4 years

Text

EXO REACTION TO HIS S/O BACKHUGGING THEM

SUHO

He was on his phone furrowing his brows, you could tell something was bothering him by his facial expressions. So, you got up from the couch and went to the kitchen to make some tea for both of you to drink and, maybe, he’d told you his concerns.

When you came back, he had his phone on the table and was standing with his head looking up and arms at his sides. You sighed lightly, seeing him like that broke your heart. You carefully approached to him and put your arms around him, the tea still on your hands, and now in front of Junmyoeon. He looked down and smiled. “How do you always know what to do?” he said this as a

You giggled. “It’s a secret”

XIUMIN

Two days before enlisting Minseok was sitting on the chair of his studio. You were about to go to sleep with your glass of water in hand but stopped when you saw his back. He was still working. You entered in the room silently and left your glass on the little table at the entrance. Slowly you approached to him, put your arms around his and rested your chin on his shoulder. Minseok jumped a little to your sudden appearance making you laugh a little. “Don’t laugh, I thought you were already sleeping” he said looking at you laughing as well. “I was about to go to sleep, but I saw you”. He looked at you worried. “Are you okay? You look sad…” you just looked down and he already knew. Letting out a small sight he turned the chair and placed you on his lap placing one of his arms around your back and the other on your tights. He opened his mouth but before he started you cut him. “I know, I know… but I’m gonna miss you no matter what you say” He just leaned back, and you rested your head on his chest closing your eyes while listening to his heart beat.

LAY

Baekhyun and you were chasing each other playfully, you loved to spend time with Lay’s mates, you went along well with everyone so, even when Lay wasn’t around, you sometimes met some of the others to go shopping or just take a cup o coffee. When you both were exhausted and, let’s be honest, sweaty, Baek let his body fall on the sofa and you went for water because… well, rock wins scissors.

When you entered the kitchen, you saw Lay and instinctively you back-hugged him. As usual, he turned around to kiss your temple, but he stopped right before doing it. “Y/N… honey… love of my life… you stink” You heard a loud laugh coming from the living room. “YA! Bacon, shut up, I can smell you from here!” you answered taking your arms off of Lay. “Okay, but I’ll remember this tonight” you turned around and went out of the kitchen while listening to Lay’s complains and Baek’s laugh.

BAEKHYUN

You both were super excited and going around the house packing everything. The next day you were going to your hometown for him to meet your parents, it was going to be a mess, and you knew it, but you were so hyped about the idea of going that you didn’t care.

It was very late because you two had been distracting each other the whole afternoon but now you had everything packed, the luggage was already in the entrance and you were on your pajamas ready to go to sleep the resting four hours that you had before you had to go to the airport.

“What if they don’t like me?” you looked at his back open wide your eyes. “Why they shouldn’t like you?” He let a loud sight. “You know me, sometimes I seem to be rude or noisy or…”.

“Yah! I don’t allow anyone to talk like that about my boyfriend!” you approached him and hugged him from the back. You knew some people had talked about that, some people thought his personality was arrogant or rude, and you hated that people. Although he tried to seem like he didn’t mind that comment he was human, and it really hurt him. “I’m going to be by your side the whole time, and they’re gonna love you because they’re gonna see how happy you make me” he placed his hands on yours and quietly nodded. “Plus, I’ll have to translate everything so…” You laughed and so he did. “Aaah my little cute and stupid princess… Did you really think I was going to go to a country I don’t know without having some knowledge about the language?” He took off your hands, patted your shoulder and turned off the light while getting on bed leaving you stood up in the middle of the room.

“What?!”

CHEN

You had been so focused on your work that by now you couldn’t distinguish the letters from the numbers. You felt dizzy and tired and just wanted to take a break so, you stood up and went to the balcony looking for some fresh air. You went looking for coal and you found gold.

Jongdae was standing there with his earphones. Just looking, not doing nothing. You opened the door and hugged him burying your face on his back. You felt somewhat better just to do that. He wasn’t even surprised at your sudden action, he just took your hands and kissed them, then he turned to face you, but you kept pressing your face to his chest. He laughed but didn’t raise your head. Without a word he hugged you tighter and kissed your head. It felt like home after a long day.

CHANYEOL

Chanyeol had been working on a new song the whole morning and you were starting to fell fed up with this. You had tried to catch his attention with games, some talk, you even brought your cat to distract him… but nothing worked, so you caught two cups of coffee and entered the room with a big smile plastered on your face. “Hiiii, look, I made coffee…” you started enthusiastic but seeing him not to even look at you destroyed that enthusiasm. “Thanks honey” he stretched his arm. Without giving you a simple gaze!

You turned around with your coffee in your hands and went back to the living room. This hasn’t ended yet. Some minutes later you came back raising your laptop by the height of your face. “Yeolieee, I was thinking that we could watch some movies or something” He looked up at your smiley face, he gave you a sad smile. “I’m sorry honey. I’m working, and I’d like to end this today” You let your arms fall by your sides. “Okay…” You turned around and made your way back to the living room, but once you were there you stopped, left the laptop on the table and turned over your heels and went back to his studio. He looked up at you and was abut to say something, but you just went straight to his chair and placed yourself in the empty spot he always left behind him when he was concentrated and put your arms around his waist.

“Okay, I get it, you’re busy. But this is the first free day we both have at the same time IN TWELVE DAYS, AND I’M SPENDING IT WITH YOU EVEN IF YOU AREN’T PAYING ATTENTION TO ME” you felt so pathetic doing this… you let out a loud sighed and let your head fall on his back “Sorry. I’m just being annoying” You were defeated, and he was extremely confused. You stood up and went to the couch. Again. But some minutes later he appeared with some games, two chocolates and a smile on his face. “What shall we do first?”

Kyungsoo was practicing a paper for an upcoming drama he was going to appear on while you read but, for some unknown reason it wasn’t working. He didn’t get the right sentence and seemed to be frustrated. Finally, he threw the papers on the table and went to the kitchen for some water. He came back and started again. With equal results.

You woke up from the sofa and hugged him from behind tiptoeing to peck your head over his shoulder. “Want some help?” He turned his head to look at you and draw a little smile. You loved that shy smile, was the purest in this world. You pecked his lips and caught the papers, turning around and letting them on the couch. “We’re not starting until you calm down” he opened his mouth, but you stopped him. “No other option, you’re gonna relax and take it easy” he nodded, his mouth still a little bit open.

After some breathings and bad jokes from you he seemed to be better, so you both started practicing. Some hours later he had it and was thanking you for your help.

KAI

You took your phone to check the hour. It was almost one in the morning and Jongin hasn’t arrived yet. You were tired of rolling over yourself in bed, so you woke up, put on a hoodie a pair of shoes and took the keys. Some minutes later you were at SM Entertainment building heading over to the dance room where the boys used to practice and… well, play.

When you arrived at the front of the door you saw Jongin dancing tirelessly. You were entranced by his dancing, but he suddenly fell to the ground; he woke up and you wait for him to start dancing again, but he just stood in there. Looking at the floor.

He probably had been hours and hours practicing and was exhausted by now. You sighed and entered the dance room, when you reached him you hugged him not minding the sweat. “How many times do I have to tell you to rest and not overwork that much?” he turned around and placed his hand over your cheek warmly. Then you whispered “Let’s go home”

SEHUN

You were happily playing with Vivi while Sehun was in the couch with his arms crossed and a pouty face. “Sehuuuun, come and play with us…” you said childishly. “I don’t want to.” He replied the same was. Then you turned in the sofa with your legs crossed and looked at him. “Come on!” He just looked at you and gave you his back.

“Are you jealous?” you hugged him. “I am not”. “You aaare” you laughed “Come on, why don’t we play to…” you spoke at the same time Sehun did “Why does Vivi give you so much attention?” It was then when you realized, he was jealous for the attention you got from Vivi! “Oh my… I can’t believe you!”

You woke up ready to act like a very mad person, but at middle way to go out he took you in his arms and lifted you starting to laugh. “YAS. I’ve got you!” Both of you started laughing like two crazy people until Sehun felt something on his leg. You looked down and saw Vivi with two of his legs on Sehun’s while holding a toy.

------------------------

Thank you for reading!!

I’m aware of Chen’s future marriage, which I respect with all my heart and I wish them the best, but I felt it was right to do a reaction for him as well. Look that I did the reaction about the current members, and even thought they’re not in this reaction I still love Tao, Kris and Luhan.

I hope you liked it! LOV U ❣️

- Mimi

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baekhypnotized · 4 years

Text

☆— [four]

summary: Baekhyun is just a man who doesn’t believe in romance as much as Byul, who is trying to give herself to him. But day by day, he will soon realize that her fleeting actions are breaking down his cold-hearted brick wall, no matter if it takes her a million years.

warning(s): -

word count: 4.1k+

author’s note: please let me know what you guys think about this chapter!! if you would want to be tagged for next update, do tell me!! enjoy reading :)

tag list: @iloveagain @xlxbaekhyuneex @catboyseni

<<[prev] || [next]]>>

As promised, I come to the cafe early to pass the keys to Senior Hana. I offer to help her with the opening procedure which includes setting up the coffee machine and displaying desserts, so it would be easier for my other colleagues to start their work in the morning. Ever since last night, Baekhyun hasn’t replied to my text, up until now. I’m just hoping he wouldn’t forget our discussion that we had agreed on last night because I don’t want to screw any of my plans for today.

I make myself a serving of chicken sandwich and a cup of latte for breakfast while waiting for him. At least I can kill time before he arrives. Having done preparing my breakfast, I bring the tray and sit at the table by the window, at his usual spot. I devour the sandwich while watching the customers enter the cafe once Senior Hana opens the cafe for business. They must be the type of people who needs caffeine in order to start their day.

My phone rings, signalling a new notification. I put down my sandwich and grab the device. Finally, it’s a text from Baekhyun.

[Baekhyun]: I just woke up from my sleep. Am I late?

[Byul]: No you’re not. It’s 10:10 in the morning and you still have time.

[Byul]: Don’t rush yourself because I can wait for you though.

[Baekhyun]: Nah, I hate making a woman wait for me so I’ll be there soon.

[Byul]: Drive safe, Baekhyun.

[Byul]: I don’t want to meet you only with one hand.

[Baekhyun]: Haha, funny. Anyway, good morning.

[Byul]: Good morning :)

A wide smile is plastered across my face after replying to his texts. His replies are always so cute to me. I lock my phone and put it on the table before continuing to munch my sandwich and enjoying my hot latte. I love how today’s morning is peaceful with only a few people walking pass by the cafe. I’m also quite grateful that the class is cancelled.

I bet Soomin is still sleeping soundly on her bed as I don’t know any of her plans today. She might go out for shopping with Sehun or prefer to stay at home and watch Netflix. The differences between us are pretty visible. Soomin was born into a wealthy family, whereas I came from a humble background. My parents were divorced and my dad just went missing after the separation. My mom, on the other hand, decided to remarry. Even though Soomin and I came from different backgrounds, I’m still grateful that we are friends, because more often than not, we complete each other with our opposite personalities.

Suddenly, I get startled by a few knocks on the window that I accidentally smudge the sandwich across my cheek, leaving a streak of mayonnaise. I turn my head towards the cause of my surprise and is met with Baekhyun, the man is giggling to himself watching my funny reaction. I roll my eyes and pick up tissue to wipe the smudge off as he enters the cafe and joins me.

"Sorry I’m late,” Baekhyun apologies and I shake my head, telling him it’s fine as my mouth is full with the sandwich. He realises that I’m busy eating my sandwich. It makes him chuckle.

I quickly swallow the food in my mouth and ask him, “Have you had your breakfast?”

"My breakfast is coffee,” he answers and I nod my head. Once I finish eating my sandwich, I grab my cup of latte and sip it slowly, feeling uncomfortable with the sight of Baekhyun watching me.

I pull away from the cup, “Why? Is there any problem?” I ask.

"I want a cup of latte that you make,” he says. I scoff after hearing his request.

"Really, Byun Baekhyun? All the latte tastes the same!”

"But not yours,” Baekhyun grins widely, showing his white teeth. I sigh in surrender and stand up from my seat. He passes the money to me and I roll my eyes at him, causing him to chuckle. Heading back to the counter, I key in his order into the system and prepare his latte only in a few minutes. I use my skills to draw an angry emoji at his latte as a sign of revenge. As I head back to the table, Baekhyun has his legs crossed while he’s busy scrolling his phone.

I place the cup in front of me before settling down in my seat. “Baekhyun, your latte is there,” I inform him but he does not move any inches. I release a scoff while taking out my laptop from my bag. I don’t even know why he seems surprised to see that I’m back from making his latte.

"Yeay!” He beams. “Thank you, Hanbyul,” Baekhyun continues as he displays a sly grin to me before lifting the cup from the saucer plate and sips it.

I ignore him this time, rolling my eyes to the back of my head. Without wasting any time, I turn on my laptop for the discussion, expecting Baekhyun might need some time before he is done with his breakfast.

"Do you bring your laptop? Or any notebook to jot down?” I ask him and he replies with a nod. He finishes up his latte and begins to prepare himself for our first discussion by taking out his laptop.

After we reassure ourselves ready to begin the discussion, both of us starts by reading the statement and question given by our lecturer. Baekhyun looks smart when he shares his opinions regarding this project. I suddenly remember the first time we met at the cafe, he wore a fancy suit to order a coffee and I assume he's someone who already got himself a job. Because right now, Baekhyun looks like a professional, like someone who is a master in this course. Maybe, there is a reason why he decided to further his study in the Master of Business Administration.

Throughout our discussion, Baekhyun contributes more in giving his ideas. At the same time, I list down every point that we need to add or do research before starting the assignment. His hand gestures when explaining the details manages to distract my focus from the topic which causing me to keep on staring at it. Baekhyun’s long and slender fingers, hands with a few visible veins popping out shows his masculine side. His attractive silver wristwatch positioned on his left wrist gives an extra point.

"Hey, missy. Are you lost in your dreams?” Baekhyun snaps his fingers right in front of my face that cause me to jump in surprise in my spot.

"I’m sorry. Where are we again?” I tighten my grip around the pen as I lift my head to look at his face. Baekhyun chuckles at the astonishment on my face.

"Let’s continue this, huh?” He suggests and I reply with a hum. Baekhyun shakes his head, probably remembering my face when I was spacing out while he was talking. I admit, my face looks funny. Biting my lower lip as I try to forget that embarrassing moment, I continue to listen to his explanations diligently.

After spending hours at the table, I realised it’s already passed at 12 o'clock noon. We were too busy up until we didn’t have the time to even hold the discussion for a rest. Baekhyun already looks exhausted when he rests his back by the backrest. I turn off my laptop and keep it back in my bag, gathering all the used cups and saucer plates to bring it back to the kitchen.

"Tired, Baekhyun?” I ask him.

"Kinda, my brain isn't working good now,” he expresses.

I snort softly. “Now, you can go home and rest. I need to get ready for my next shift at 2. Great job for today.” Getting off from my seat, I carry the cups and plates to the kitchen.

But before I get to move, Baekhyun calls. “Hanbyul.” I turn around to face him with a curious look.

"About our date,” He stops for a second, “can you empty your schedule for this Saturday? I’ve booked a restaurant for dinner. We can go anywhere you want before that, if you want to.” Baekhyun speaks. My heart drops for a second when he mentions the date.I thought he had forgotten about it, not expecting him to be serious about his invitation the other day.

I think of the plans I might have for the day, hoping I will be able to clear it for the date. “Yeah, sure.” I give him an answer, remembering that I am free on that day. Baekhyun beams brightly upon hearing it.

He keeps all his stuff in his bag while I wait for him. Baekhyun gets ready to leave as he plasters a soft smile on his face.

"I’ll see you this Saturday, then?” He confirms back as I nod. Baekhyun comes closer to me and gives one last smile before he leaves the cafe without turning back. I swear, my heart is about to jump out of my chest at that moment.

Baekhyun doesn’t text or talk to me after the day we met for the discussion. We didn’t encounter each other by chance either since our Friday’s class was also cancelled by the lecturer. Now I am pacing around in my room on Saturday. I’ve done all the chores in the house today, from doing the laundry to washing the dishes and mopping the floor. I am determined to free my schedule today just for the date. But, I’m not sure if it’s going to be happening at this rate. I don’t have the guts to text him.

I even refuse Soomin’s invitation to go to the mall because I was waiting for him. In the end, she leaves the house with Sehun and I hope he will cheer her up. I’ve been scrolling my Instagram last night and I encountered his account that practically got me to sit up abruptly from my lying position.

Indeed, he’s not the type of guy who loves to post pictures of himself. Most of the pictures were random scenery and I found them aesthetic. Maybe, he just doesn’t like to share about his life and somehow, I think it suits his personality.

Baekhyun is a mysterious guy.

My desire to get to know him, every side of him is getting stronger day by day. He’s… irresistible. There is something different about Baekhyun, something that he hides deeper, away from everyone else. I’m sure it’ll take me some time to figure him out.

Finally, my phone rings after a few hours sitting in silence. I literally run to get to the phone. When I check the notification, a grin makes its way to my face. It’s really him! Like finally! Unlocking the phone, I open the text with a click.

[Baekhyun]: Hey, miss me?

I chuckle. Baekhyun is really an annoying guy, expecting that I will be missing him.

I don’t miss him. I’m just expecting his text. That’s all.

[Byul]: Ha ha. Obviously not, Byun Baekhyun.

[Baekhyun]: Ouch. That hurts.

[Byul]: Serve you right. So, why are you texting me?

[Baekhyun]: You must’ve forgotten our date tonight, huh?

I thought you’re the one who forgets it, Baekhyun.

[Byul]: Date? What date?

[Baekhyun]: Stop playing around, Hanbyul.

[Baekhyun]: I’ll pick you up at your house if you’re okay with it.

[Byul]: My house? But, I can go by myself to the restaurant.

[Byul]: No worries.

[Baekhyun]: Hanbyul, it’s unpleasant to let a woman go by her own for the date.

[Baekhyun]: I’ll pick you up at 8. Send me your address later.

[Byul]: Okay then…

[Baekhyun]: See you.

[Baekhyun]: And I’m expecting a real address.

I text him the address of my apartment before he replies to me with a curt 'okay'. Looking at the clock, I realize I still have a few hours left before the date. I stand in front of my wardrobe, staring at the few dresses that I have hanging in it. Going through some dresses, I sigh realizing I don't have any dresses that could be suitable to wear on a first date. He did mention about booking a restaurant so I figured he wouldn't bring me to somewhere I can simply wear my ordinary dresses. After contemplating between a royal blue coloured dress and a black dress for more than a few minutes, I decided to settle with a wine-coloured dress. The dress is short but it ends nicely above my knees. I then take my bath and get myself ready despite having an hour left till 8. I choose to put on natural shades make-up before putting on my dress. Finally, I style my hair with my hair curler and let them fall loose on my shoulders.

I inform Soomin about going out, omitting the fact that I'm going out for dinner with Baekhyun. As usual, she tells me to take care of myself, to not come back too late and to call her if anything happens. I agree with all of the things she told me and tell her to have fun with Sehun. She must be having a splendid day with her boyfriend. I envy her.

When the hands on the clock move to 10 minutes before 8, I receive a text from Baekhyun.

[Baekhyun]: I'm almost there. You can come out now.

It’s time. I bring my purse together with me when leaving the house. Riding the lift to the ground level, my heart couldn’t bring itself to pump normally. I wait for him at the entrance, my toes curling in anticipation. A few minutes later, a familiar black car stops right in front of me.

The driver rolls down the window, peeking his head from the inside, “Hop in, Hanbyul.”

I take a deep breath before getting into the passenger seat, buckling myself up. Baekhyun watches me settling down and when I turn to look at him, I was awestruck. The car may be dark right now but his charming look is visible.

"Ready to go?” He asks as I nod my head. Baekhyun presses the pedal and drives the car to our destination. Believe me, I just stay still like I used to, fingers gripping tightly around the seatbelt. The urge to look at him, the way he drives, is strong but I fight the desire. I realise he is stealing a few glances at me that makes me blush quietly.

We finally arrive at the restaurant after nearly half an hour. As expected, he brings me to fancy, and most probably, expensive restaurant. I follow Baekhyun from behind as the waiter brings us to the private room that he had reserved for us. He helps me pull my chair out, letting me take my seat before he does and I thank him softly. Baekhyun only replies to me with a smile, as sweet and charming as ever.

The waiter hands out the menu and I get surprised seeing the prices that make me gulp. Baekhyun must have saw me reacting to them as he chuckles softly.

"Would anything be okay for you? Any allergies or requests?” He asks concernedly.

"Yeah… I’m okay with anything.”

"Good. I’ll order the same thing as usual,” Baekhyun tells the waiter before he leaves the room, leaving me and Baekhyun alone.

"So… how are you?” Baekhyun initiates the talk first.

"I’m fine, as you can see. How about you, Baekhyun?"

"Quite busy handling something.” He replies. My mouth turns into an ‘O’ shape and we both get into silence again. I’m so nervous to look at him straight into the eyes and at the same time, I just don’t know what topic should we talk.

"Hey," he calls, making me lift my head up to face him. "You're usually so talkative at the cafe, why are you being quiet now?" He muses, followed by an amused grin.

"Baekhyun, how old are you?” I ask after contemplating for a few seconds.

"28. Do I look too old?” He questions me back and I chuckle with a shake of my head.

"I’m 2 years younger than you,” I confess.

"Yeah, I can see that.” He chuckles huskily this time.

A waiter comes into our room with a bottle of wine, pouring it into our glasses. I thank him politely before continuing the conversation.

"Regarding our assignment, when do you want to proceed? Are you free after we have our classes or—”

"Hanbyul, can we talk about anything else aside from the project?” He orders. My breathing stops for a second, hearing him speak in such a serious tone. I bring my head down to look at the table, fiddling with the napkin as I try to think of another topic to converse.

"How about you tell me about yourself? Maybe your family or anything?” I purse my lips together, waiting for his answer. Baekhyun smirks slightly, fixing his sitting posture.

"My family isn’t interesting at all. Let’s talk about yours. Shall we?" Baekhyun taps his fingers while staring at me with the same smirk. My stomach is about to flip all over because he's making me nervous with that look. I take a glass of wine and drink it slowly, tasting the alcoholic drink that is foreign in my throat. The wine somehow causes me to make weird facial expressions and I guess, Baekhyun sees it. Because he laughs softly.

"Does it taste weird?" He asks with concern.

"Kinda but it's tolerable. Thank you for asking," I reply. At least, the wine can calm my nerves after being so nervous in front of him. Baekhyun plasters a smile before he drinks his wine, waiting for me to start telling him about myself. I take the opportunity of the silence between us to calm myself down.

"So… here it goes.” I start telling him about my background honestly. I tell him about me being an only child with divorced parents; my dad disappeared since then, while my mom got the full custody of me. A few years after the divorce, she remarried another guy, my current stepfather and decided to move in with him at New Orleans. I also have an older stepbrother named Suho. Suho is two years older than Baekhyun.

"Don’t ask me whether he has a girlfriend or not because he hasn’t talked about it with me,” I warn Baekhyun. He only chuckles to my statement and asks me to proceed with the story.

It goes on from my life in New Orleans, with my new family. He listens to me diligently while waiting for our main courses to arrive. I tell him the reason I’m continuing my studies and it’s because I would love to run my own business. But, would definitely apply for a job at any company once I graduate from this post-graduate study.

"So, you’re telling me that you work at the cafe to pay for your study?” Baekhyun asks once he sips the wine as I nod my head slowly.

"I applied for a loan for my study because I had to,” I confess with a soft tone. Realising how tough my life is when I’m trying to be an independent person for my own future. I may belong to a modest family but I have been told by my mom that living without trying to achieve one's dream are useless.

Baekhyun hums. Finally, our meals arrive on time and I am glad for the distraction because I couldn’t bring myself to tell him more about my struggling life. He thanks the waitress that served us the food before she leaves the room. We’re having steaks for dinner tonight.

"Let’s eat, shall we?” He says and I smile. Both of us start to devour the juicy and thick steaks as I leave myself stupefied with the rich taste of the meat. It’s really scrumptious and no wonder it's one hella expensive food at a 5-star restaurant.

Baekhyun notices my reaction as he asks, “How does it taste? Good?”

I bob my head up and down, carrying on to eat. He seems happy watching me eating so well as a wide smile appears across his face. Baekhyun gives me one last glance before he continues to eat.

"How about you? What made you decide to continue into this course?” I blurt out, asking him a question.

"Well, I want to expand my knowledge in business. Who knows, I might be given the opportunity to handle a big one, one fine day,” he stops, making eye contact with me. I just bob my head a few times as a sign I’m listening to his explanation.

The conversations go on and on, but the difference is the awkwardness between both of us has vanished. Baekhyun literally tells lame jokes but it’s still funny when he expresses it. It manages to make me almost choke myself while eating.

Those crescent eyes, bulging cheeks and endearing smile when he smiles caught my attention. It’s a good view to be able to witness his another side apart from his manliness. Manliness was my first impression of him when he stepped into the cafe with a well-tailored suit. Not to mention, the way he talks and behaves, he must be a great person to befriend with.

We have chocolate lava cakes for dessert. Baekhyun has been asking my favourite flavour as I answer him, “Chocolate. How about you?”

"Strawberry flavour. Gosh, I’m willing to eat them 24/7 rather than kill myself with cucumbers.” Baekhyun explains.

I scoff while giving him an unbelievable look. “You don’t like cucumbers?”

"It’s not just I don’t like it. I hate it.” Baekhyun replies with a serious tone that makes me giggle. He may look like a sulking boy right in front of me, eating the lava cake with a slight pout.

"Come on, Baekhyun. It’s just a cucumber and delicious too when you eat just like that.” I give him my own opinion.

"Na-ah! Still, I hate it.” He retorts with a scowl on his face. I chuckle lightly and eat the lava cake. Suddenly, his phone rings loudly. He digs out his phone from his pocket and looks at the dialler. Instead of answering it, he lets the rings continue as he silent his phone.

"You can answer the call, Baekhyun. I don’t mind at all, it might be important.”

"It’s okay. Not important at all,” he says. “Let’s finish this up and then I’ll send you home, okay?” I hum and continue to eat quietly in my seat. I’m curious about the caller because the phone is still ringing and vibrating as he places his phone on the table. It does look like it’s important but he insists to ignore it so I am left to wonder quietly on my own.

Baekhyun pays for dinner and we go straight to my apartment with silence lingering in the car. Without having any courage to initiate the talk, I decide to stare at the window, looking at the Moon shining brightly in the dark sky. There aren't many stars tonight, only the Moon decorating the lonely night sky. The journey to my apartment is short, basically, he drifts the car at the empty road swiftly like a professional. When we arrive in front of the lobby, he offers to help me get out of the car by opening the door and lending his hand. Which successfully makes my cheeks go red.

"Thanks for tonight and the wonderful dinner, Baekhyun,” I thank him politely.

"No problem. Rest well and I’ll see you on Monday,” he says and I nod my head. Baekhyun gets back into his car, rolling down the window and bidding the last goodbye before he leaves. I sigh in relief, grateful at the same time for the great time I spent with him tonight.

I head straight home quietly without making any noises to avoid awakening Soomin who is probably sleeping in her room. After taking a quick shower, I hop on my bed, staring at the ceiling. I reminisce the moment I had with him. It’s almost 11 pm when my phone receives a notification and I bet it’s from Baekhyun.

[Baekhyun]: Asleep already?

[Byul]: Nope. Have you arrived at your home yet?

[Baekhyun]: I’m dropping by somewhere because I promised someone to meet tonight.

[Byul]: Oh… I see.

[Baekhyun]: Hanbyul, I forget to tell you something.

[Byul]: What is it?

Baekhyun doesn't reply to my question straight away that leaves me curious on my own. I decide to switch off the lights and gets ready to sleep when suddenly my phone rings again. I unlock it and look at the text. That text manages to make my heart and my mind has gone crazy when I read it.

[Baekhyun]: You look amazing in that dress, Hanbyul.

[Baekhyun]: Goodnight and sweet dreams, beautiful.

47 notes · View notes

myforeverforlife · 4 years

Text

the sacrifice (part three).

Baekhyun sighed, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his robes as he stared up at the night sky. The moonlight seemed to be reflected in his one blue eye, the mark of his family's magic. If he could prevent the loss of another innocent life, he would do everything in his power to help.

He only hoped that what he had was enough.

Series Masterlist: ( 1 ) ( 2 )

Pairing: Baekhyun and Fem reader

Word Count: 5,894

Masterlist

Your legs were falling asleep from staying in one position for too long, but you didn't mind. Not when Tanie was lying contentedly in your lap, her fluffy tail lazily sweeping the floor below her.

"You're such a pretty cat, aren't you," you cooed. Tanie meowed as you ran a hand through her fur, marveling at how soft she was. Clearly, Minseok took good care of her.

"Don't go stealing my familiar from me," Minseok joked, looking up from where he sat reading through a thick book. His reading glasses threatened to slip down the bridge of his nose, and he quickly pushed them back up.

"What is a familiar, anyways? A pet?"

"It's a lot more than a pet," Jongdae said, sitting up in his armchair. "A familiar has their own magic. They're meant to help a witch get in touch with the craft, to support their power. Once a familiar chooses their partner, the bond lasts for a lifetime." He grinned as Dotori's bushy tail tickled at the nape of his neck, the chipmunk sitting perched on his shoulder. "It's a deep friendship that lasts for centuries."

"Centuries?" Your eyes widened in disbelief. "How old can witches be?"

"Very old," Minseok said quickly.

Jongdae smirked, leaning forward in his seat. "Grandpa over there gets sensitive when it comes to age. I'm the youngest, and I barely had my 100th birthday a few years ago."

"A hundred?" you exclaimed. Tanie flinched at the sound of your voice, pupils shrinking to tiny pinpoints before she lay back down again.

"But you look so young! You hardly look any older than I do." A soft chuckle from behind you caught your attention, head whirling around to see Baekhyun amused by your reaction.

"Something about practicing the craft prolongs our lifespans," he said. "It keeps ancient people like Minseok alive enough to be a hun — "

Minseok leaped at him, the heavy book falling out of his lap as he threw his hands over Baekhyun's mouth. "Say another word, I dare you," he grumbled.

Baekhyun's body shook with laughter, eyes turning to crescent moons as he weakly pushed the other man off of him. His cheer was infectious, and gladly welcome after the stressful couple of days you all had. The four of you had been poring over books, starting with the revered family grimoires and moving on to the rest of the books in the library in search of a remedy. So far, you hadn't found anything that would rid Sehun of his illness.

At least the witches were comfortable around you now.

The animals had been the first ones to completely warm up to you, Dotori taking a spot on your shoulder whenever she wasn't with Jongdae. Mongryong was always trying to drag you outside to play, while Tanie was content with sitting on you for hours as you pet her.

Seeing how attached their familiars were with you already, it was only a matter of time before you got close to the witches as well. Minseok had been the first one you felt comfortable around, which didn't come as a surprise since he had been taking care of you since your arrival. You had befriended Jongdae over your mutual love of teasing Dotori, which annoyed the chipmunk to no end.

Even Baekhyun, cold and closed-off, was beginning to warm up to you. He was still quiet and reserved around you more than the others, but he managed to start up small conversations here and there. No longer did you have sit in a room with him and feel stifled by the awkward silence. Plus, having Jongdae and Minseok around always helped to bring out his playful personality.

It came as a relief that the three witches were starting to trust you. It was strange to realize that if things had been different, if the king hadn't supported the persecution of thousands of witches, you might have befriended the coven years earlier.

Minseok finally gave up on attacking Baekhyun, confident that the clairvoyant wouldn't be disclosing his age any time soon. "I hate to say it, but I haven't found anything yet that I think would cure the prince — not even the slightest bit. Illnesses of this degree usually require cures in the form of stronger, riskier magic."

Jongdae hummed in agreement, full of regret as he eyed the stack of books lying at his feet. "Neither have I." Throughout your search, both men had taken the time to explain why certain spells or concoctions wouldn't work for Sehun, Minseok drawing from his knowledge of potion-making and Jongdae from his affinity for spell-casting.

"We have to keep looking," you replied, carefully reaching out for your family grimoire. Tanie climbed out of your lap as you replaced her empty spot with the thick tome, running a hand over the cover. You had pored over the pages day after day, unable to find anything that would serve as a remedy for Sehun's specific symptoms.

"The answers may not be in these books," Minseok continued slowly, sensing how your anxiety was starting to bubble up. "But there is still something that we haven't tried."

"What is it?"

Minseok glanced over at Baekhyun, raising an eyebrow. "The full moon is in a few days. Perhaps the scrying stone will show you something that will help us."

A small frown settled on your lips. "But it hasn't shown us anything that we can use."

Baekhyun had already tried, locked in his room with only Mongryong for company as the rest of you waited outside. The stone hadn't been very helpful, only predicting a few changes in weather patterns and pesky bugs and animals threatening to eat through Minseok's garden sometime soon. You weren't sure what Baekhyun did when he was scrying, but you were already able to tell how fickle the skill was. The scrying stone always varied in what it chose to show, a few seconds of the future at one time, a few minutes the next. The only thing Baekhyun could do was wait and watch.

"A witch's power is at its highest during the full moon," Baekhyun explained. “It's become tradition for us to hold a ritual on the night of the full moon, to get in touch with the full extent of our magic."

"Do you think it'll work? That the crystal will lead us to a cure?" you added, eyes widening hopefully.

Baekhyun paused, searching for the right words. "I don't know,” he replied truthfully. "But I have a good feeling about it."

"Don't worry, little witch," Jongdae piped up. "Baekhyun's too modest about his abilities. The full moon's never failed him before."

You nodded, even as Baekhyun glared at his friend. "Okay. I trust you — all of you."

Baekhyun's expression softened, the genuine honesty in your words stirring up an emotion he hadn't felt in a while. He hadn't felt hope like this in ages, a feeling so strong, it was all-consuming.

It was almost like magic.

With a determined glint to his eye, Baekhyun stood up to stare out the window at the darkening afternoon sky. It would only be a couple of days before the full moon was upon them, whether they were ready or not.

"We'd better start preparing as soon as possible," Baekhyun murmured. "Gather all of the materials that we need."

"Is there anything that I can do to help?" you offered. Magic wasn't your thing, but helping prepare for the full moon? Maybe something you would have better luck with.

Baekhyun met your gaze, a full moon of his own nestled in his left eye. It never failed to surprise you how strikingly beautiful both of his eyes were — the brown and blue complementing each other.

"Are you sure?" he asked. "You don't need to force yourself to participate in the ritual, much less help prepare for it."

You shook your head. "It's no bother to me," you admitted. "I want to learn about my family's craft. Plus, it'll help keep me from getting too tangled up in my worries."

Baekhyun quickly glanced over at the other two witches, all of them aware of the couple of times they had found you deep in thought, fighting internally with your own struggles and concerns. "Alright," he said.

"Let's get started."

It was amazing how much time was spent preparing for the ritual in the following days. You hadn't realized how much of practicing witchcraft actually consisted of gathering necessary materials. Minseok had taught you how to gather specific herbs to be burned during the ritual, venturing into the forest with you and Tanie. Some items needs to be picked at certain times, like a handful of yellow dandelions plucked early in the morning right as the sun began to rise. Others were less difficult to find, like a couple of bay leaves from the witches' garden.

Jongdae noticed how you took interest in the strange writing that you couldn't read, and offered to teach you how to read the language of the ancients. It was hard going at first, especially with getting used to a completely different set of written symbols in addition to an entirely new language. But soon enough, you were able to recognize certain letters of the alphabet here and there, much to Jongdae's delight.

While the other two witches taught you about specifics of the craft, Baekhyun took it upon himself to inform you about each step of the full moon's ritual. The four of you would set out late at night, setting everything up before starting the ritual at midnight. The full moon ritual was known for being extremely draining, but Baekhyun assured you that all of it was worth it for the results.

"Using magic on the night of the full moon, it's like nothing else. But it'll be a long night," he warned as both of you sat at the kitchen table. "We might not be back until dawn."

"I'll be fine," you told him, crushing some dried herbs that Minseok had brought up from the cellar. "Nothing like sitting in the cold, dark forest all night."

Baekhyun smiled to himself as you continued to crush the herbs with a mortar and pestle — a task that Minseok had assigned to you. "Make sure you don't fall asleep. It's important that all of us are awake and focused."

"Even if I don't have any magic?"

"Even so. Any break in concentration could interrupt the ritual, cut off access to our power."

You gulped in worry, the importance of the ritual creating cracks in your confidence. Tonight was the night, and it was only a few hours away before the four of you would be heading outside.

Baekhyun eyed you warily, noticing how quiet you had gotten. "It's not too late to back out, if you're afraid."

"I'm not afraid," you replied stiffly. "Just nervous."

"Isn't that the same thing?" The witch laughed when you glared at him, a sight that you still couldn't get used to. "I mean it, Princess. You don't have to participate if you don't feel like it."

You pouted at his choice in nickname for you. It had caught on with all three of the witches, even as you protested and explained that just because you were the crown prince’s cousin, you weren’t necessarily a princess. As much as you complained, you hated to admit that the nickname was already growing on you.

"If I'm not ready now, I don't know if I'll ever be." You returned to crushing the herbs in your bowl with renewed vigor, much to Baekhyun's amusement.

"What's bothering you?" he asked, watching lazily with his arms propped up against the wood of the table.

You worked away in silence for a bit, as if you hadn't even heard his question. "It's just that I have so many ideas about what I'm hoping will happen, and what if none of that turns out to be true? What if this is just another dead end?"

Baekhyun twiddled his fingers as he thought, the mole on his thumb disappearing and reappearing in between the movements of his hands. "It might be," he replied honestly. "I've learned that even with all of its power and potential, sometimes magic doesn't come to us in the ways that we want."

The sudden shift in the mood had you pause in the middle of your work, stopping the rhythmic beating of the pestle. "What do you mean?" you asked carefully.

Baekhyun raised his left eyebrow, the one curved over his blue eye. "Do you know what it means for someone in the Byun clan to have blue eyes?"

You shook your head. His mismatched eyes had intrigued you from the start, wondering what could cause such a unique contrast in colors, and yet you were too shy to ask.

"It's a sign of clairvoyance. My great-great-great-grandmother was the most skilled of our clan. I've heard that she had eyes so light, they almost looked white. She was powerful, not only able to see the future, but to change it as well. You can imagine my disappointment when I didn't even get the standard blue eyes of the Byun clairvoyants — just one." Baekhyun laughed dryly, sarcastically.

"But one is better than none," you argued weakly. "I mean, you have the ability."

"I do, but not as much as I wish I did. Don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem with this other eye." He pointed at the pool of warm brown in his right eye, thinking of another person dear to him who once had eyes in the same brown color. "The same as my mother's," he added softly.

Baekhyun coughed suddenly, sitting up and running a hand through his hair. "It's just always lingering in the back of my mind, you know? The fact that no matter how hard I try, I don't have the same abilities that my grandmother had."

"It might also be a good thing," you ventured. "It's not fair to have to live up to someone else's fame." With a shrug, you reached down to wipe your palms on your apron. "Sehun may be ill, but he's still a prince — and the only heir, to top it off. All his life, he's been groomed to be the perfect prince, the one to carry on the legacy of his family. But Sehun's not his father, or his grandfather, or anyone else. It's unfair to expect him, and you, to live up to meet standards that were set by someone else. The most that we can hope for is to be the best that we allow ourselves to be."

Baekhyun sat stunned by your sage advice. He had decades of experience on you, and yet you seemed so much wiser. Perhaps you weren't as naive as he thought. "Thank you," he said softly.

"You're welcome." And there it was again, another side to Baekhyun that you hadn't seen before. It made you wonder how much he and the others were learning about you as well, if they were just as surprised by what they discovered.

You weren't the only one learning something new everyday. And yet, there was still so much to discover.

The witching hour was almost upon you, much to your anticipation. Baekhyun was upstairs carefully wrapping up the scrying stone for the short journey the four of you would be taking, while the rest of you waited downstairs. Mongryong waited patiently at your feet, short stump of a tail wagging back and forth.

Unluckily for poor Mongryong, your attention was on Jongdae. He stood beside you, black cape and pointed hat on as Dotori scurried up from his shoulder. She made her way onto his hat, perched on the edge even as it began to droop down. With a short squeak, she began running around over the fabric, much to Jongdae's dismay.

"Hey, quit it!" Jongdae exclaimed, his shouts turning to giggles as the chipmunk scrambled down from his head. In a flash, she disappeared down the back of Jongdae's robes, rendering him a mess or flailing limbs and laughter.

You and Minseok watched on fondly, laughing at the sight of the chipmunk's tickle attack. Dotori reappeared at the collar of Jongdae's robes, tiny nose twitching in glee as she snuggled against him.

"Yeah, yeah. You can try and be all cute with me, but it won't work." Despite his words, Jongdae scooped the tiny fluff of a chipmunk up and indulged her in a few berries. "What did I say about playing around on my hat? You could fall off and hurt yourself."

Dotori only gave a small squeak before turning her attention back to her snacks. "Are all familiars as fond of their owners as she is?" you inquired, meeting the animal's eyes.

"Most are. I've heard of a few that are indifferent, but even those are fiercely loyal to their bonded." Jongdae shrugged. "No pairing is the same."

"Which is a relief," Minseok added with a wide grin. "I don't think I'd be able to handle either Dotori or Mongryong's energy." He leaned down to kiss the top of Tanie's head, the feline resting easily in his arms.

"I leave for two minutes, and you take this opportunity to insult my familiar?" Baekhyun's voice carried down the staircase as he descended. A bag was slung over his shoulder, presumably with the crystal inside. A midnight-blue robe was draped over his body, the fabric rippling smoothly with every step.

Mongryong dashed over to Baekhyun with a cheerful bark, smothering the witch with love as he jumped up against Baekhyun's legs. It was endearing to see how close the witches were with their familiars — from Jongdae's playful relationship with Dotori, to Minseok's easy companionship with Tanie, and Baekhyun and Mongryong's intense loyalty to each other. Funnily enough, they reminded you of how close you and Sehun were.

"Everyone's ready, then?" Jongdae asked, drawing you out of your thoughts.

You nodded, even as you checked to make sure that all of the herbs and candles were tucked away neatly in your bag. The others would have things to carry as well, and you wouldn't hear of them shouldering heavy bags through the forest while you were left with nothing.

The four of you left the warmth and comfort of the house and went out into the frigid night air, goosebumps immediately rising on your skin. You turned to see Minseok putting his own pointed hat on to match Jongdae, while Baekhyun pulled the hood of his robe over his head.

"Why do you wear head coverings during the rituals?" you asked curiously, glancing from person to person. You had read about the tradition of wearing head coverings during the full moon rituals in one of the witches' books, but it had provided no explanation as to why.

The brothers shared a look, but Baekhyun simply shrugged. "No real reason. It's just fun."

Your brows jumped up in disbelief. "They're not important in affecting how the ritual goes? You don't wear them to help harness your magic?"

Baekhyun chuckled. "It's a hat, Princess. Or a cloak, in my case. It's not going to have any effect on our magic."

"Then why do you do it?" you spluttered out.

"Just for the fun of it." Noticing your flabbergasted expression, all three men burst into laughter.

"I don't see what's so funny," you grumbled in your embarrassment. "According to your reasoning, I could be out tonight wearing a handkerchief on my head, and it wouldn't make any difference." "You could, but that would be ridiculous." Baekhyun's lip curled into a smirk.

"No more than wearing a hat for no reason."

Minseok interrupted, wanting to settle the squabble and actually get some work done. "The ancient witches wore headcoverings to protect their identities as they snuck away to meet up in the middle of the night. Now, they're more of a fashion statement." He chuckled, tugging on Baekhyun's blue hood. "Now come on, before we lose our chance. We don't have time to wait for the next full moon."

That sobered everyone up quickly, your small group of witches heading even further into the forest. There were no paths, and most of the journey was spent walking carefully around obstacles with only the light of a lantern for help. Mongryong took on the task of scouting ahead, toddling off into the brush ahead as the rest of you followed. Jongdae even began singing to himself softly to keep himself awake, Baekhyun's voice weaving and blending in to harmonize with the other's. The night chirpings of insects hidden away in the forest added to their music, creating an unexpected melody.

You began to wonder if they were heading back to the stream where you first met Dotori. Mongryong let out a small yip of excitement as he wove back and forth between a cluster of bushes and trees. You followed after him, curious about what had gotten him so eager.

You ducked around a few low-hanging branches, pushing past the last of the greenery only to be rendered speechless in awe by what lay on the other side.

Where you had been expecting a slow moving river was instead a large body of still water, the moonlight reflected perfectly on its smooth surface. The sound of the insects was even louder out here, although you couldn't spot another living creature apart from your small group.

Mongryong walked to the water's edge, toeing the line but not going in. A sudden peal of laughter caught your attention, only to see Tanie mewling repeatedly as Minseok set her down on the pebbles that made up the lake's shore. The cat lifted up her paws gingerly, walking at an awkward angle as she scurried away back to the grass.

"We've been doing this for years, and she still hates walking on the rocks every time," Minseok explained to you with a grin. "If she could have things her way, I'd be carrying her all night."

Tanie finally relaxed as she reached the grass, settling down with her paws tucked underneath and her wise eyes watching over all of you.

Time was of the essence, and the witches wasted no time in setting up. Baekhyun and Minseok got started on making a small fire while Jongdae went to gather water. You watched as he pulled out a bowl from his knapsack, dipping it into the pond. As he lifted it back up, the excess water spilled out from the edges, so luminous that you could have sworn he was collecting liquid moonlight.

With steady, careful steps, Jongdae began to walk in large circles around the area where the rest of you were setting up, his pointed hat bobbing with each step. He was whispering to himself, casting a spell as he dipped his fingers into the bowl of water and letting the droplets fall to the ground every couple of steps. From what you had learned, the water was used to cleanse, to purify the area and to get it ready for the ritual. This was done to keep the magic contained, and to set up protection for the witches inside.

"Y/N, the herbs," Minseok said. You pulled out the small pouch of herbs that you had collected and ground up, proud of your contribution to the ritual. He opened the pouch up just as Baekhyun managed to get a flame going over the tiny pile of dry brush and twigs, a proud smile lighting up the clairvoyant's face.

"Perfect," Minseok breathed out, reaching inside the pouch and slowly letting the ground herbs fall into the fire, immediately producing a sharp fragrance that tickled your nose.

Baekhyun sat down on the bumpy, rock-blanketed ground and rummaged through his bag for his scrying stone. He pulled it out delicately, handling the rounded crystal with extreme care. Mongryong, finally done with playing at the edge of the lake, faithfully came over to lay down beside his owner. The corgi's eyes were fixed on the small crystal, waiting patiently.

You were just as entranced as Mongryong, not knowing what to expect. The crystal hadn't changed in appearance, even as Baekhyun ran his hands over it, eyes closed in concentration.

Jongdae shook out the last drops of water in his bowl before sitting down on your other side, four witches and a couple of familiars forming a ring around the small fire. "We're ready," he stated, adjusting the brim of his hat.

Minseok nodded, continuing to toss the ground-up herbs into the hot flame until none were left. Wordlessly, he reached out to Jongdae and Baekhyun, the other two immediately linking hands with him. You were startled to see them extend their hands towards you as well, waiting for you to complete the circle.

The queasiness in your stomach wasn't because you were scared of the witches — nothing could be farther from the truth. Instead, you were scared of the unknown. This could be your last real chance to find a way to save Sehun, to revive the brightness and vitality to his face that had slowly waned over time. If this didn't work, you weren't sure how you'd be able to deal with it.

But hope was all you had now. Hope, and magic.

You linked hands with the others, Jongdae's still slightly cold from the water while Baekhyun's was warm from sitting close to the fire.

Minseok closed his eyes and began to speak in the old language — the language of the ancient witches. A sudden chill ran down your spine, an unfamiliar tingling sensation prickling over your skin. The feeling almost made you let go, but Jongdae and Baekhyun held on tightly to your hands.

Was this what sorcery felt like?

The cold prickling sensation faded, leaving behind an unusual feeling that seemed to spread throughout your body. It was warmth and comfort all wrapped up in one, and yet left the hairs on your skin standing straight up.

You weren't sure how long the four of you sat there, hands clasped tightly while Minseok chanted under his breath. Baekhyun's earlier warning about staying away kept poking at you in the back of your mind, and you made an effort to keep your eyes open. You didn't dare to look at the others, staring down at your legs crossed beneath you for fear of getting distracted and losing focus.

After what felt like centuries later, Minseok opened his eyes. The after-effects of the ritual still lingered, the magical warmth keeping you cozy even as you sat outside in the cold.

The others finally let go, Baekhyun's hands immediately finding their way to the crystal resting in his lap. He cupped it with both hands, eyes fluttering closed as he inhaled deeply.

You let out a soft gasp as the crystal began to glow, swirling clouds appearing inside the tiny sphere. Even Mongryong was staring at it, his rounded eyes staring solemnly as everyone waited.

"It may take a while," Jongdae whispered to you. "Don't worry."

"What do we do?" you asked.

Jongdae stretched his arms up high above his head, letting out a long breath of air. "Now, we wait."

Honestly speaking, you were getting fed up with waiting. But you had learned by now that there was no rushing when it came to witchcraft. However, it didn't mean that you weren't bored.

Minseok had pulled out his reading glasses and taken another look through your family grimoire, even as you worried about him reading next to the fire. "I'll be fine," he waved you off easily, all too immersed in the book.

Jongdae had been content with giving Dotori small treats every so often, but eventually began to show signs of boredom as well. Both of you started up an impromptu game of seeing who could build the tallest pebble tower, stifling hushed giggles while Minseok rolled his eyes from across the fire. The game was quickly abandoned once a pebble fell over, clattering against the rocky floor as you and Jongdae both looked up to see Baekhyun's reaction.

The witch didn't move, although you could have sworn that there were wrinkles between his eyebrows that weren't there before.

It was absolute agony to wait for news — good or bad, but you supposed it was even worse for Baekhyun. Every so often, he would mumble to himself, the rest of you leaning in to hear what he had to say. Most of it was indecipherable, and the few words that you did catch didn't seem to make any sense.

All of a sudden, Baekhyun let out a loud gasp, eyes flying wide open. Mongryong immediately jumped up and began nosing at his hands.

"What? What is it?" Minseok demanded.

Baekhyun's hands were trembling, fingers tapping against the surface of the glass ball in an irregular rhythm. "A mountain," he said, voice so quiet you had to scoot closer to hear.

"A mountain, and an entrance. There's books lining the inside, covering all of the walls — almost like a library. The Cave of the Ancients." He stared at the crystal without blinking, hypnotized by what he saw inside.

Minseok's eyebrows jumped up in disbelief. "It's real?"

"What is the Cave of the Ancients?" you asked hesitantly, not wanting to distract Baekhyun.

"A children's tale," Minseok replied in a hushed whisper as Baekhyun continued to stare into the crystal. "They say that this is where the oldest, most powerful secrets are kept. But no one's ever been, and there's no proof that it exists."

"I see an open field," Baekhyun continued, "Beyond the kingdom's reaches, by the sea. It's covered in mist, and..." Baekhyun groaned, eyes closing shut. His breathing started to become irregular, chest heaving with each breath of air. Even Mongryong was starting to get agitated, whining loudly.

"Baekhyun, drop it," Jongdae exclaimed as Minseok reached forward to pry the clairvoyant's hands off of the crystal. You jumped in to help, Minseok finally managing to wrench Baekhyun's hands off of the sphere as you pulled it away.

The scrying stone lost its haziness, returning to its original glassy appearance in your palms.

Baekhyun was still panting, sweat beading on his pallid face as he pressed a hand to his chest. "I heard my mother," he gasped out. "She was in the field."

Jongdae's face turned white, mouth falling open in realization. "The Valley of Lost Souls."

With a low moan, Baekhyun nodded, head in his hands as Minseok tried to get him to drink from a canteen of water.

Your blood ran cold with fear. "What does that mean?" you asked Jongdae. For Baekhyun to react like this, it must have been something terrifying.

"In the myth about the Cave of the Ancients, it's said that to reach it, one must first pass through the Valley of Lost Souls. It's not supposed to be real." Jongdae ran a hand over his face, fingers stopping at his chin as he watched Baekhyun worriedly.

"Neither is the Cave of the Ancients," Minseok added. He used some of the drinking water to dampen a rag, pressing the cold cloth to Baekhyun's forehead. "You're sure of what you saw?"

"It's like I was right there. She was calling out to me." Baekhyun's voice broke at the end.

"But it wasn't her," Minseok reasoned calmly. "In all of the stories, the people in the Valley are only illusions, remember? They'll take your soul if you wander too far." He shook his head. "I don't like this. There has to be another way to find a cure."

"We have to go. It's what the stone showed me, and there's been no other answer." A healthy pink flush was slowly returning to Baekhyun's skin, chasing away the eerie, chalky pallor that had been there only minutes ago. "We made a pact to save not only the prince, but the rest of the witches that still remain. We're doing this so that we don't have to hide in fear anymore, Min. It's a risk that we have to take."

Minseok sighed. "I'm worried, especially after what happened now. And besides, it's not just the three of us anymore." He turned to you, Baekhyun following his gaze.

"I'm prepared for anything," you stated firmly. "But is it actually possible for us to find this place? You said it yourselves — this is a thing of myths and rumors."

"It was by the sea," said Baekhyun.

Mirumi was the only kingdom bordering the sea, but it would also mean at least a week's journey — and going outside of Elyxere. You hadn't been outside of the kingdom since you were a small child, and that had been with your parents. But you would travel to the ends of the Earth for your cousin. This was the closest you had gotten to finding an answer, and you wouldn't lose this chance.

Chin set in determination, you nodded. "I agree with Baekhyun, I think we should go. We all knew that this could be dangerous, but that shouldn't stop us. This is our only strong lead right now."

Baekhyun smiled in relief, satisfied with your decision. "Jongdae?"

The youngest witch sighed, glancing between his brother's face and Baekhyun's before nodding. "Sorry, Min. They've got a point."

Minseok's shoulders slumped in defeat. "Alright. But," his voice hardened. "Staying safe is the most important thing. I'm not losing the rest of my coven."

"Hey." Jongdae moved closer to his brother, resting an arm over his shoulders. "It's all going to be okay. We've got each other."

Tanie meowed in agreement from her patch of grass, far away from your circle around the fire. The rest of you had practically forgotten about her during the events of the ritual.

"Thanks, you silly cat," Minseok replied with a wry laugh. "You won't even come walk on the rocks to comfort me?"

The white cat laid her head back down, tail lazily swishing back and forth behind her, much to everyone's amusement.

"We're going to need a wagon," Baekhyun said aloud. "It'll be impossible to ride on horseback with all of these familiars." He reached up to pet Mongryong, visibly relaxing as the corgi snuggled closer to him.

"Then that'll be the first thing we do in the morning. But for now," Jongdae snuck a peek at you. "I think the princess might need a nap."

You blushed bright pink. Was it that obvious that you were barely awake right now?

The witches laughed at your surprise. "Don't worry, little witch," Jongdae told you. "The first full moon ritual is always the hardest. I'm surprised you managed to stay awake this long."

"I feel like I'm drop off to sleep any second now," you whined.

"Alright, let's head back. We'll set off around midday, once everyone's gotten some rest," Minseok announced.

As the fire was put out and all traces of the ritual cleared away, you still felt the lingering sensation of sorcery begin to fade away. Weariness began to set in — both from the long hours spent awake, and the thought of what lay ahead.

It was going to be a long, long journey, but it was one that you had to take.

Tag list: @shesdreaminginoverdose and @bbyunz A/N: it’s been a month since I updated, but i’m so relieved to finally finish this chapter. i’ve been spending time going over my fic outline trying to figure out if I still need certain parts that I originally planned, and adding in new things that I didn’t have before. i want to say that this is the halfway point in the entire fic? it might be about 6 chapters and an epilogue (but like most of my writing plans, all things are subject to change haha)

also, even though i’m not writing whole fics for jongdae anymore, i love getting to write for him as a side character in this fic 🤣 cbx as witches might be my favorite characters that i’ve written (aside from spiderman jongdae and 1920s detectives cbx)

#exo #baekhyun #baekhyun scenario #baekhyun fanfic #exo scenario #exo fanfic #writings

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yehet-me-up · 3 years

Text

Reboot

Pairing: Jongdae/Chen x reader (female)

Word Count: 26,971 😬 read it in a mobile web browser if it crashes!

Rating: (PG13) for swearing + sexy vibes (nothing more explicit than a kiss on the page though)

Summary: Chen’s Electronics is a mystery, both how the store came to be and the man running it. When you start working as a receptionist for the enigma that is Kim Jongdae, you’re determined to be the one who unravels the mystery. You’re prepared for anything, except for falling in love with Jongdae himself.

Part eight of the Exodus Mall series (Can be read independently, but you’ll get some extra backstory if you read the other parts first!)

A/N: I’m SO delighted that Jongdae is getting his IRL happily ever after and I’m so excited to wrap up his fictional counterpart’s story today, so he can have his ending as well 💕

March 15th, 1997

Capitol Hill is in full swing, the promise of spring drawing the sleeping city from its winter hibernation. The silver dress you wear is far shorter than you're used to, but the denim jacket is big enough to properly cover your ass, which is something at least. In your platform boots, borrowed from your roommate Liz, you're almost tall enough to see over the busy street to Cal Anderson Park up ahead.

'Come on,' Liz says with an excited glint in her eye. 'The club's just on the far side of Boylston.'

You nod distantly, eyes wide as you try to take in all the people around you. After spending the last two years buried in a book in the UW library or at internships or in class it feels startling to realize how much youthful, passionate energy beats at the heart of the city so close to where you've been existing. Not that you never go out, but now that you’re approaching the end of your master’s degree you feel like a diver finally reaching the surface to draw breath. You’re ready to celebrate.

A door opens to your right and music surrounds you. An impassioned man sings about an even flow, accompanied by an aggressive drummer and what you can tell is skilled guitar playing. The people on the sidewalk beside you press in, screaming and cheering and trying to shove their way into a club. A faded sign above announces it as Moe's Bar.

Your roommate's hand finds yours and she pulls you out through an opening in the crowd.

Once you’re free again you laugh and brush your hair behind your ears. Dozens of other clubs and bars and late-night restaurants you pass are the same. Men with mohawks in every color of the rainbow. Women in combat boots with plaid jackets tied at their waists. A group of teenagers skateboard down Broadway, hollering into the night as they fly by, the clack of their wheels muffled by the lingering rain dampening the streets.

Everyone seems taken by the revelry. It would be so easy - to disappear into the thriving mass of people celebrating music and community and being alive. Now, with graduation so close you can finally taste it, you surrender to the sensation. Tilting your head back you look at the round full moon above, peeking out through the clouds, and give a joyful, if tentative, howl.

This makes your roommate turn and squeeze your hand. Liz smiles with pride. 'Now that's the spirit!' she says with a fist pump and howl of her own.

The nightclub is unassuming, especially amongst the neon and metal venues you passed to get here. Two simple brass lamps spotlight the enormous carved wooden doors. Bass thumps from within, the slight rattling of the doors is the only indication that life exists within. Shari’s reads the hanging sign.

Liz practically glows under the lights, a North star leading you into a whole new world.

After so many years of keeping your nose to the grindstone - success gained through effort rather than extraordinary intelligence; advanced classes, extra college courses during the summer, every extracurricular you could pack in before you cracked, a high school diploma by sixteen, bachelors by twenty and MBA by twenty two - you would follow her anywhere as long as it didn't involve studying or a business suit.

She guides you through the heavy wood door into a small entry room. A large man with so many piercings he'd have a terrible time at the security scanners at the airport checks your IDs. It's stayed in your wallet, practically untouched, since the official one came last year on your twenty-first birthday.

Finally inside the club you bite your lip to hide a wide, giddy smile of excitement. Bodies fill the dance floor, joyously swaying to the beat. A DJ booth rises from a far corner like Sauron’s tower in the Lord of the Rings. A man with dark hair that falls in his intense eyes runs the booth; a king commanding his loyal subjects.

Liz finds her group of friends from the mall she works at spread over two successive tables with circular cushioned benches behind them. Their names and faces blur together in the low lighting, but everyone is welcoming, offering you a smile or a shake of a hand. A cheerful blonde-haired man, who you swear says his name is Bacon, takes you and Liz’s coats and purses and adds them to an overflowing pile beside him.

Before you can even think of sitting down Liz guides you onto the dance floor. Normally you’re the one in control. The one with the plan. The group leader or the one who organized the debate team fundraiser/supply closet at work/networking mixer. But it’s… nice, not having to be the center of everything, keeping it together with your effort alone.

She gives you a teasing smile as if she can read your thoughts and you roll your eyes with a laugh. ‘No overthinking this!’ she commands with a raised brow as you find a good spot.

As if I have any other way of thinking. ‘I promise nothing!’ you shrug and smile at her.

Your movements are slow at first, awkward, and you laugh to yourself with amusement. Self-deprecation has never been your poison. Along with an unshakeable drive to make something of yourself you've always had a healthy sense of self-esteem. Who cares if you aren't the best dancer?

You get into the swing after the second song and shake your ass with delight at the energy in the room and the incredible job the DJ is doing loosening you up. He’s remixing “Semi-Charmed Life” with an older techno hit you don’t recognize.

Before long Jongin, Liz’s crush and co-worker from the KOKO exercise studio, captures her attention and you end up dancing with Baekhyun (tragically not actually named Bacon) and a girl who calls herself Hitchcock. You recognize each other from a seminar last school year at UW and take a long break to catch each other up on your lives over shots at the table.

She tells you about her dual jobs at Microsoft and the movie theater at the Exodus Mall. You fill her in on your thesis project and she offers to look over your resume as you plan to apply to a similar track at the tech giant after you graduate.

When Liz said she was forcing you from your obsessive, ahem dedicated, studying for your research paper you didn’t know what to expect, but it wasn’t all of this. Reconnecting with a friend. A potential foot in the door at your dream job. Dancing so much that your back gets slick with sweat. Laughing with Liz so hard your stomach aches as Baekhyun attempts to breakdance, nearly falling backwards into no less than four people.

As if the night couldn’t get any better, something else catches your eye. Someone else - the DJ steps down from the booth on a break.

His black pants, white shirt, and tie would be overly formal and out of place in the nightclub, but his pushed-up sleeves reveal muscled forearms. The neon yellow sunglasses and loose piano pattern of the tie he wears make him look sexy, in an off-duty retro businessman kind of way. His face reveals none of his emotions as he slips off his shades, tucking them in his jacket pocket. But the corners of his lips tilt up with amusement as he scans the room.

Clearly he’s impressed with the atmosphere he’s created here tonight. As he should be, you think. You imagine for a moment what it would be like if he noticed you. If this was a meet-cute or the start of something. But his focus is on the bar now, not lingering on you or anyone else in the club. Dating for you was a rocky road and absolutely nothing like the way it looked in the John Hughes movies that were your guilty pleasure growing up.

Between your parents' support and your own innate thirst for success, you always felt like an outsider in terms of relationships. Extroverted and empathetic enough to make and maintain friendships, but boys were tougher. You could never figure out dating to your satisfaction in high school and you left when most of your peers were just finishing up Sophomore year.

In college there was hope. Studious and hardworking men with glasses and a love of Emily Dickinson and black coffee. Law school-bound guys who rowed crew and whose confidence was just on the right side of attractive instead of insufferable. John Cusack types with easy smiles and crates of vinyl they carefully collected, who performed at the Comedy Underground in hopes of ‘being discovered.’

It was both thrilling and irritating. You went after dating with almost as much determination as you did your school and career, set on experiencing everything possible.

But the English major wanted someone in a pastel dress and tights, who volunteered at an animal shelter and didn’t eviscerate him at Scrabble. The future lawyer was looking for his future trophy wife, to stand beside him at fancy dinners and fraternity mixers. And the Lloyd Dobler wannabe needed a muse, a beautiful and ethereal woman to be his object of longing, to laugh at his jokes and pass through life without worry about the future.

Not that you were jealous, or even bitter. Just because you weren’t what they were looking for wasn’t anything personal and you never took it like it was. The women they wanted existed and were wonderful in all their own ways. But it grated at you, how you always felt like a square peg in a round hole. Never being the right fit.

All your life you’d gotten used to knowing, and getting, what you wanted. It was insanely frustrating to not have found anything that stuck. Failure in any form made you frown, but thankfully romantic mishaps always took a backseat to school, friends, and your future, so it was easy to ignore. Until now.

The DJ passes close enough to you and Liz that you can see the echoes of dark circles under his eyes and the rich brown of his hair in the passing neon lights. For some reason that same intuition, that same hunger and drive that had propelled you to awards and scholarships and countless other successes, tells you to follow him. Whatever it is about him, your body and your desire react before your mind and conscious rational thought.

'I'll be back,' you yell to your roommate over the music. She nods and gives you a thumbs up as she's drawn into Jongin’s embrace once more.

Like a missile you weave through the crowd, target in sight. You watch as the DJ leans against the end of the bar, carefully positioning himself so he's at the end with no one behind him. You wonder if it's out of a dislike of people sneaking up on him or if he's a predator, sizing up the crowd.

With a casual hand he orders a drink from the bartender and surveys the crowd coolly. Too high on life to care too much, you take the seat two over from him, carefully avoiding eye contact, feigning nonchalance. ‘Self-possessed,’ that’s how your fifth grade teacher described you. Independent and old beyond your years. It always thrilled you, the praise and respect of adults. You wanted to earn more of it, to be seen as capable and mature.

But something about the man beside you makes you feel younger. Raw and playful in a way you’re not sure you’ve ever been before.

Admiring the cut of his jaw, you imagine kissing it. His hands on the bar are graceful, strong, befitting his profession. You want him and you want him to want you. The thought makes you inhale a deep breath, not even sure what that would mean. Adrenaline and delight fill your mind and you briefly fantasize about him holding you close on the dance floor like Jongin does to Liz. His hands on your hips and his mouth teasing your neck.

The bartender reappears on your side of the bar, his bald head gleaming in the lights of the club, and you snap back into reality. The flames tattooed across his knuckles shine as he slides a drink down the length of the bar, towards the DJ. An impulsive, reckless daring you've only ever felt before at debate tournaments makes you reach out and catch the glass of dark liquid before it can reach its desired recipient.

In one smooth motion you lift it to your lips and turn to meet the DJ's deep brown eyes. With a smirk you raise the glass. In two gulps you down the drink, the bourbon burning its way down your throat, reminding you how good it feels to be free, to be alive.

To challenge someone who feels like a decent opponent.

He watches you, his eyes flaring with surprise before fading back to indifference. He looks like a tiger in a cage at the zoo, pacing in front of a glass divider. His fingers tap impatiently on the lacquered bartop and he tilts his head, watching as you lick the moisture from your lip, savoring the taste. You wonder if he'd be just as heady and strong on your tongue.

You have the feeling that with the slightest pressure in the right place and the glass would shatter, unleashing the beast within. The thought makes you clench your thighs together, a heat filling you that has nothing to do with the people pressing in on you trying to get the attention of the bartender.

The DJ seems just as self-contained as you are. A voice inside you whispers of unstoppable forces meeting immovable objects and you wonder which of you would cave first.

Before you can say anything, before you can even wipe the satisfied smile off your lips or ask his name or offer to pay for the drink, he drops a bill to the counter and slides off the stool. He pushes into the crowd, disappearing as if he'd never been there. As if he hardly noticed you.

But you didn't miss the interest, the arousal, the animal within him rising to your challenge. He slinks back up to the DJ booth and resumes his position of power, thirst unquenched.

You don't know his name, or anything about him. Aside from the fact that the way he looks at you feels so wrong it's right, and that his hands are the first ones you've ever wanted wrapped around your waist so badly you can feel it beating in your palms.

But you know one thing, as you rejoin your roommate on the dance floor, whatever has started between you and the enigmatic DJ isn't finished.

May 21st, 1997

You straighten your blazer, looking in the mirror to make sure your outfit is perfect. It’s not your first interview this week and it certainly won’t be the last, but it is the one you’re the most curious about.

The position as a receptionist and accountant for an electronics repair store isn’t exactly how you pictured your first job after getting your MBA, but the pay and the opportunity to work alongside the enigmatic tech genius Kim Jongdae is a chance you can’t pass up.

All that’s left is the graduation ceremony in June and then you’re free. Your final exams are done, your thesis is defended, and you’ve completed a thorough and perhaps slightly obsessive spreadsheet documenting all your connections who might have an in at your most desired companies. Now knee-deep in the process of interviewing for jobs it strikes you all of a sudden that this is what you’ve been working for… almost all your life.

The lighting in the bathroom of the mall is stark and a moment of uncertainty makes your knees weak.

Since your test results in elementary school came back top of the class it’s been the same refrain. Get good grades. Impress your teachers. Study and diversify your interests and push harder every year and eventually it will all pay off, right? You’re damn proud of what you’ve done, but now, here in the after, all you can think as you watch your own reflection is - now what?

Frowning, you wonder how many other applicants there are for this job. Anyone in the tech circle in Seattle knows about Jongdae. Rumors abound that he was set to be the next Bill Gates when an investment deal went south. Or that he was kicked out of Harvard for embarrassing his professors with his superior smarts. Someone in your Econ seminar once told you she’d heard that he was contracted by the NSA to spy on foreign hackers.

Whatever his history, he currently runs a computer and electronics repair store in a very unassuming mall in Capitol Hill. You want to stand out, and what better way to do so than the track down the mystery of Kim Jongdae, the prodigy turned hermit. You infuse your veins with confidence, knowing you can handle anything thrown at you. Or so you think.

The mall is quiet and peaceful in the mid-morning on a Wednesday. A couple of tables in the food court are filled with older men and women playing cards and board games. A group of moms walks past you talking about a storytime at the bookstore in the mall.

The slow and steady hum of activity in here is a far cry from where you thought you’d be working. Professors encouraged you to head to IBM or Oracle. With your skills, business sense, and intuitive ability to pick up each new trend in technology they told you that you would have your choice of opportunities.

But while you’re no stranger to hard work and a competitive work environment, the idea of clawing your way to the top of yet another group of high achievers just sounds… awful.

You long to travel, to finally see some of the exotic and culturally rich places you’ve stuck photos of to your fridge. You want to be able to actually go out on the weekends and see your friends. Whatever your future holds you want to finally enjoy your life outside of school and work, even if it’s only for a year.

You could always recognize the friends who were interning at Amazon because they looked like they’d come off a week of no sleep. Many of your fellow MBA graduates were flocking there, as the company finally went public earlier this month. But something just felt - off to you. Like a canary in a coal mine.

Purpose, fulfillment, financial security, and a challenging work environment? Yes.

Burnout, no free time, and living and breathing for ‘the company’? No, thank you.

At the salary Jongdae had advertised you could easily continue to afford the apartment you shared with your two roommates and work on paying off the remaining student loans your scholarships hadn’t covered. And you could hide away a small amount of your check every month for the trip to Amsterdam you’ve been planning for years.

The gentle music in the wide, bright lobby of the mall makes you sigh in relief. This job is a win-win and you’re more determined than ever to get it.

You finally see the shop. If you weren’t looking for it, you’d have missed it between the black and neon purple exterior of KMS Music and the narrow security office tucked behind the lively pizza restaurant. There’s a line winding its way in front of the music store and you assume it’s for an album release. Until you realize that the line is leading straight where you’re going and stop in your tracks.

Chen's Electronics. The mall is full of colors and bright shop fronts. But this is almost bleak in comparison, as though it's resisted the outright displays of joy and liveliness that seem to be at the heart of the mall. The sign is red neon against a black and steel facade. A simple poster hangs in one of the two wide windows that frame the door.

We do: - Hard Drive Repair - Internet Connectivity Issues - Computer virus protection - Turntables, record players, and other portable home audio systems - Radios - POS/credit card system repair (For stores in the Exodus Mall only)

We do not: - Sell computers or computer parts. Don't ask.

You raise a brow at the last note. The harsh exterior of the store and the brusque tone definitely match with what you've heard of Chen's Electronics - that the man who runs it is a computer genius, but that his bedside manner leaves much to be desired. Perhaps that's why the job posting emphasized 'superior customer service skills.'

The line you join grows, others coming in behind you, and you wonder if Jongdae told everyone the same 10am time frame or if he staggered interviews throughout the day. As you wait the line slowly dwindles. A woman leaves crying a few minutes later, and you watch her go with surprise and attempt to peek into the store. You’re still too far back to see in, so you’re left to wait and wonder.

Finally you’re next, waiting just outside the store. A printed piece of paper is taped to the door. CLOSED FOR INTERVIEWS it says in big, bolded letters.

The tall man who was ahead of you in line isn’t visible at either of the two work stations set up inside the shop. There must be a back room of some kind. You take the moment to check out the space. The store is organized chaos. Rows of shelves line each of the two walls, full of equipment - computers in various states of disassembly, old transistor radios, a VHS player, a few turntables, and endless coiled stacks of cords interspersed.

The walls above them and the two walls behind the work stations, on either side of the hallway leading to the back, are blank. No advertisements or personalized touches to make the business seem welcoming. Just bland, empty beige walls. One desk has only a computer, keyboard, and mouse. The other is full of parts and tools that extend over the desk to not one, but two shelving units behind it. Like Jongdae was in the middle of a project and the interviews are a rude interruption.

A muffled angry shout comes from the back, behind the gray curtain hung up over the entrance to the rear of the store. The tall man moves it aside with a sneer as he charges across the floor. With a voice practically a growl he shoves open the door and you jolt back to avoid being hit.

He looks you up and down and shakes his head. ‘Good luck. You’ll need it.’

After a last straightening of your jacket you swallow and push through the door. It's quiet inside, almost reverent, as the door closes behind you. The fluorescent lighting overhead isn't the most welcoming and the tan carpet is terribly dated. No one comes to meet you. The man on the other side must be waiting, like a dragon in his lair.

Your hand closes over the strap of your purse and you hesitate at the curtain, not wanting to move forward without being invited. 'Hello?'

Footsteps come down the short hallway and a hand appears, moving the curtain out of the way to reveal a man. Your jaw almost drops. Oh, shit. It's not at all who you were expecting the famed Jongdae to be - a studious man with glasses and a bad tie.

No, this man is handsome in an aggressive way. His black hair is styled back in a neat wave. His high cheekbones and strong brows hold no humor or friendliness. Only the catlike upturn of his lips stands in rebellious contrast to his unwelcoming face.

This isn't the first time you've seen this face either, you realize, and it's like being run over by a train. He seems to connect the dots at the same moment and his eyes widen, eyebrows raising. It’s the DJ from the bar. The drink. The - oh, god.

He presses his mouth together, smothering his surprise and sitting down harshly in the chair at the crowded desk in the main room. 'What are you doing here?' He keeps his voice tightly contained, not minding in the least that the other potential job candidates are surely watching you both right now.

You give yourself a small shake and remember you're not here to hit on him. You're here for a job. 'I have an interview.'

Best case is ignoring the whole thing. It didn’t happen. Not here in the light of day. His poker face might be good, but yours is better. You keep your breathing even and hope that the racing of your heart isn’t making your cheeks red.

He tilts his head to the side, pressing his lips together in amusement. ‘Alright then.’ Turning to the side he stands and holds the curtain open, allowing you to pass by him into the small office behind.

Holding his focus, you pull out the chair in front of the desk and sit down. You place the resume and references on the table between you and fold your hands on your lap, waiting.

Jongdae takes his place opposite you as he slides the papers across the desk. His eyes dart faster than you can imagine anyone reading. He doesn’t seem flustered, but the tips of his ears are just slightly pink, his nose flaring a bit too much, and you realize he’s just as caught off guard as you are.

Finally, he finishes. 'I… don't think this is going to work.' He looks up, his hand resting on your paperwork on the desk. His face gives away nothing, but his eyes are wild and full of emotion you can’t decipher.

'Why is that?' You keep your voice steady, determined. He’s not going to dismiss you so quickly. Realizing the DJ and the tech wunderkind are one in the same has only heightened your desire to show him you’re the best person for the job.

Jongdae stares at you. This time, there's heat in his expression. You feel his eyes move over you, not taking in the professional attire, but clearly remembering the dress you wore from the club instead. 'I think you know why,' he says under his breath.

Clearing your throat you lean forward, drawn to him by some force you can't define. Like something is shoving you towards this job. 'I don't know what you mean. The posting was for an office manager and bookkeeper. I'm qualified in both and I have plenty of experience. Are you really going to decide I’m not a good fit without even asking me a single question?'

He groans and runs a hand through his hair, his composure faltering for an instant. 'Why do you want this position? You know nothing about me.'

He states it like a fact, not an opening for discussion, but you jump on it anyway. 'I know plenty.'

Satisfaction blooms in your chest when he narrows his eyes, raising a brow. 'I do my research, Mr. Kim. I’m top of my class at UW and I didn’t get there by accident. With such a small team I could get a far broader experience than I could being just another cog in the machine at Microsoft. I might not know you personally, but your reputation precedes you. I plan to excel in the tech industry. And to do that, I need to work with the best. Simple as that.'

'And I'm the best?' He leans back in his chair. Resting his elbow on the armrest, he drags a finger across his lips in appraisal.

His quick responses remind you of the competitive tennis you played growing up. The way it felt to thrive when paired with an equal opponent, someone who could match your speed and precision. Someone who gave as good as they got. How it made you better, sharpened your skills and reflexes up against someone who you couldn’t easily defeat.

'Are you trying to tell me you're not?' You cross your arms and look around, feigning surprise and curiosity. 'If you tell me who is, I'll happily go apply to be their office manager.'

He almost laughs in amusement. You can feel it. But he covers it as a cough instead and tilts his head to the side, sizing you up. 'And you know what this job entails?'

You repeat it easily from memory. 'Being the face of the business. Greeting walk-in customers. Helping them figure out if what they need is something we do. Conferring with you about pricing. Scheduling service appointments over the phone. Processing payments. Ordering supplies. Occasional advertising assistance. Other assorted duties as needed.'

'That about sums it up.'

In the charged silence you hear the muffled noises of the mall - children squealing with delight, orders being called out at the pizza restaurant next door, people talking - but it's all separated. You wonder if the distance is intentional. Many stores have roll up gates or at least have their doors propped open to draw in customers. But not Jongdae. It’s almost as though he’s actively trying to keep visitors out.

You favor boldness and decide to push him, what have you got to lose? 'So, when do I start?' Leaning forward, you give him a relaxed smile. ‘Unless you’d like to terrorize a few more applicants before you choose me? I’m happy to wait, Mr. Kim. But you can’t scare me away. And you don’t intimidate me.’

With equal decisiveness he cracks a lopsided grin and shakes his head, with both amusement and resignation. 'How's now for you?'

You give a passing thought to the other jobs, the ones you’d already interviewed for and the ones on your schedule over the coming days. They all go up in a whiff of smoke as you extend your hand across the table to shake Jongdae’s hand.

‘Now is perfect.’ His palm is warm against yours and you do your best not to react to the contact, but you can’t help the soft sigh that escapes you.

Jongdae withdraws his hand quickly, and you note with pleasure that he seems a bit shaken as he stands. ‘I’ll be right back. You can leave your things here.’ He motions to the coat hooks on the wall by the door and the tall, thin bookshelf with a few cubby slots.

Aside from a black scarf and a few extra office supplies on two of the shelves the rest of the space is empty. You wonder what he isn't saying. 'What made you want help, all of a sudden?’ He pauses and turns back to you. ‘From what I can tell you've been in business for a few years. Why now?'

He sighs. 'I'm too busy to keep doing this by myself.'

'Ah. And you hate that, don't you?'

The ghost of a smile graces his lips. 'Yes.'

Jongdae disappears through the curtain. You follow him after putting your coat on a hook and your purse in one of the spotless cubbies. The rest of the space contains a few filing cabinets, stacks of boxes, and a small safe resting on a narrow table.

When you appear back into the hallway you see a door to the left that must lead out the back. And on the opposite side is an archway with a kitchen sink, a microwave, a small fridge, and a few cupboards inside, along with a small circular table. The table has only one chair. You smile to yourself. Clearly he's accustomed to doing everything by himself.

When you emerge the other applicants are dispersing as he peels the taped sign off the door, balling it up in his hands.

Jongdae gets you set up on the computer at the other desk. It’s a relatively simple customer management software and payment system, both of which you pick up in no time. He runs you through the pricing list, pulling a laminated form from the top drawer. His filing system for customer accounts is simple and alphabetized.

Neither of you speak about that night again, but oh, do you feel it - the electricity between you when he stands too close or you meet his eyes.

Until lunch he alternates between training you and assisting customers who come in every so often. It's all straightforward, nothing you haven't managed before, and by the afternoon you're already scheduling appointments in the large old-school appointment book he keeps open to the current week.

Despite the passion and intensity in the music he plays, he keeps an even keel throughout his day job. It's almost as if you went to sleep last night and somehow woke up as someone who's worked here for years. Before closing at 5:30 he remembers other things and hands you a packet on the way out. Tax forms, an employment agreement listing the salary and benefits, and a non-disclosure form. Most of it is standard, but you wonder what kind of secrets he needs to protect at an electronics store.

You gather your things and wait outside while he closes down the shop, turning off the lights as he goes. It’s still quite sunny outside and with a shock you realize that there’s nothing waiting for you, now that the work day is done. No papers to write or projects to finish or internship to head to. The idea makes you feel unexpectedly buoyant, and when Jongdae steps out to lock the doors you give him an easy smile.

He returns it, giving you a small one of his own in response. ‘So, I normally take Tuesdays off and keep the shop closed. Wednesdays are normally pretty slow. How does Thursday through Monday sound to you? I know today is Wednesday, so if you wanted to take tomorrow off instead that’s fine with me.’

‘I’m happy to come in tomorrow.’ You want to wince at the eagerness in your voice, but instead you stand firm, holding your purse in front of you with both hands.

Jongdae slides his hands into the pockets of his jacket and nods, looking at you for a long moment before speaking. ‘Sounds great, I’ll see you then.’

You nod at him too, turning back towards the department store to head out to your car. After a beat you look behind you and see he’s still watching. His gaze is unfocused on the floor before he shakes his head, seeming to come back to himself. He heads the opposite direction, towards the movie theater. In a few seconds he’s disappeared behind the pizza place, out of sight.

Jongdae takes the longer route home today. His apartment overlooking Lake Union is the one he grew up in, his grandfather’s place. When he passed away a year ago he left it to Jongdae and it never occurred to him to move. He walks along the water, breathing in the early summer air, wanting to laugh at himself. How long has it been since he let himself be impulsive? To act on instinct. To want something.

He’d settled into a routine these past few years, since everything changed after graduation. Working at the store. Reading. Playing Go and chess with his grandfather and the other older men that lived in the building. They’d go fishing out on the peninsula or to the local symphonies that his grandfather loved. Routine had saved him when his world fell apart once, but now, with his grandfather’s absence, he’s not sure how to pick up the pieces anymore.

The seagulls on the pier are loud today, hungrily gobbling up the bread and Ivar’s french fries tossed to them by the kids gathered around. They giggle and laugh, running to their parents for more offerings. Jongdae frowns for a moment, the sadness that he doesn’t often acknowledge creeping into his heart.

His parents were gone before he really even had a chance to know them. His father to lung cancer, from the awful smoking habit he picked up in the Navy. His mother moved back to Korea to be with her family, unable to cope being in the city without her husband. Jongdae didn’t blame her, but the distance grew and they drifted apart as he became an adult himself.

Jongdae’s father’s father settled here after World War Two, along with a few of his friends. From what he remembers there wasn’t a discussion about it after the funeral - if he’d stay or go back to Korea with his mother. One day when he was young he knew his father had passed. His mother left. And with two duffle bags slung over his shoulders and little Jongdae in his arms his grandfather had moved him into the apartment with the pretty view of the water.

And that’s the way it was, ever since.

In school his friends might have joked that Jongdae was an old man himself. Doing the New York Times crossword puzzle on Sundays, getting his hair cut at the same hole-in-the-wall barber shop in Chinatown as his grandfather, and hanging out with more octogenarians than people his own age. But he loved his grandfather and the two of them were so close that he never stopped to question whether he should change to fit in with the rest of his classmates.

The only aberration came when he started DJ-ing at eighteen. The crowd he fell in with and the partying he did was short lived; they crashed and burned, went up in flames. Everything else faded as quickly as it had come, but the club scene was his escape and it stayed with him.

These days it feels like the only time he recognizes himself, now that his grandfather is gone, too. Until you walked into his store today, that is. You looked him dead in the eyes, unafraid. Just like the night all those weeks ago in the club when you came up to him, flirted with him and challenged him.

He doesn’t know how to move on with his life.

He doesn’t know what’s next.

But wanting you, inviting you into his life, is going to change everything. He knows it in his bones and for once change excites him, instead of frightens him.

June 18th, 1997

For an achingly slow two hours on Thursday the only sounds in the shop are your typing and Jongdae’s tools hitting the metallic insides of the radio he’s fixing. You should be processing yesterday's supply orders. Or cleaning up the books to get everything ready for the days' billing before you make a run to the bank.

But instead you watch in your periphery the way the muscle in Jongdae’s jaw moves when he's focusing. How his brows pull together and his lower lip sticks out slightly, making him look as though he's perpetually pouting. You wonder if you would have gotten along with him in school. If he was always so... uptight. Or if he was freer, looser. Not that you’re the picture of ease yourself, but he seems to almost vibrate with tension.

You watch as he turns back to the computer, his fingers fly across the keyboard and you admire the absolute focus he shows toward the screen in front of him. The past few days he’s handled repairs and projects for businessmen and women, families, and two gentlemen in suits that screamed ‘government’ to you. He could be repairing a nuclear warhead in front of you and you imagine his expression would remain the same.

His standard white button-up shirt bunches around his biceps while he works. A mischievous part of you wonders what it would take to make his robotic exterior crack again. What it would take for him to show joy or anger or arousal. Emotion from him is a precious, rare thing and you want to grab them when they do show, holding them tightly as proof they exist.

You jolt, realizing the unintended destination your thoughts have arrived at. Arousal. Where did that come from? With a cough and a shake of your head you refocus on the financial statements in front of you.

If you hadn't seen him that night at the club you'd have wondered if he ever enjoyed himself. He wasn't smiling that night, but the music and the dancing and the palpable energy seemed to soften the hard lines of his face. You want to see more of that Jongdae, the one that feels so much closer to who he really is, underneath it all.

However he started in this business, in the tech scene, he works away at it as though it's his sole purpose in life. He's clearly talented enough to fix anything, code anything. You’d asked him last week how he knows what to do, as you looked into a complicated mess of wires sticking out of a broken CPU as though it were gibberish.

All he’d said, in a gruff voice, was that his grandfather liked to tinker and take things apart before putting them back together, to see how they worked, and that he’d picked up the habit.

'Why do you work by yourself?' The sound of your voice is much louder than intended, breaking the hush in the store. You want to swallow the words, unsure why you didn't stop them from escaping. Instead you bite the skin on the inside of your cheek and watch as he lifts his head to look at you.

Jongdae raises a brow. 'As opposed to?'

You stop typing and lean back in your chair. 'You could have worked for anyone, I bet. After you graduated college. I’ve heard a few of the rumors about you. It sounds like you could have done anything you wanted. What made you want to start your own business?'

He mirrors your pose. 'What makes you think I went to college?'

You blink. For so long your parents' idea of a prosperous life - good grades, extracurriculars, graduate from a top college, get a lucrative, secure job - had been so ingrained that it surprises you to imagine that someone like him didn't go to school. 'You didn't?'

He smiles, the dimple appearing briefly in his cheek. 'Alright, fine. Yes, I did. I went to M.I.T. and I, uhm, graduated at seventeen.'

'Seventeen?' The competitive drive that buried itself in your bones early on wants to prove itself to him, awed by the size of his intellect.

'With my PhD.' He winces. Just for a moment, but you catch it.

'Oh,' you say with a stunned laugh.

He goes back to work with a quick shake of his head and a sigh. 'Yeah, that right there is why I don't tell people.'

You’re surprised by his assumption that you’d view it as a bad or repulsive fact. 'It's amazing. You should be proud of it. Why would you want to keep that a secret?'

His lip pouts again and irrationally you think about what it would be like to kiss him. 'Because now you'll look at me differently. Like I'm some kind of freak of nature.'

'I don't think it makes you a freak.' Your answer is immediate and emphatic.

'Oh really?' He gives you a side-glance, keeping his tone neutral.

'No, it makes you a genius. And intelligence is never a bad thing. Quite the opposite, in fact.' It does nothing to help the attraction you feel for him. Rather than dousing the flames, it pours gasoline on them.

'Tell that to -' he stops himself, pressing his lips together. The bitterness in his voice makes you jerk back in your seat. ‘Nevermind. It was a long time ago. Forget I said anything.’

But you can fill in the gaps, no stranger to the judgement of others. 'Clearly you need better friends.'

He blinks, vulnerability filling his eyes. 'Like you?' His expression softens and he gives you a half-smile.

You blush, realizing what it must look like that you’re so passionate about defending him. 'Sorry, I didn't - all I mean is that it’s attractive.’ You curse yourself and cough delicately, trying to appear impartial. ‘An attractive quality. I just got my master’s and I thought I was advanced for my age. So I just meant to say… I get it. And you’re not a freak.’

The moment stretches out between you, the air in the space seeming to pause. The muted, reverent silence fills the distance once more. But this time it’s charged, tense. Waiting. He breathes in deeply, the shirt he wears stretching across his chest and yet again you long to touch him. For a beat his gaze drops to your lips and he swallows, opening his mouth to speak.

But he’s interrupted by the door opening. The ding of the motion sensor makes you both jolt, turning to see who it is. An older woman comes in carrying a heavy looking bag. She coughs and leans against the door to rest.

Jongdae bolts up from his desk, clearing his throat. 'Here, let me help with that.'

He bows to her with a warm smile, holding his hands out to take the bag. She nods and Jongdae slings the bag over his shoulder, wincing when it collides with his back. With a gentle arm around her back he helps her into the chair opposite his desk.

'Thank you, young man,' the woman says with a smile.

'Not at all,' Jongdae says, resuming his post on the stool. 'How can I help you today?'

You're certain your mouth has fallen open. To difficult customers he's brief, almost condescending, and for the nice ones he’s reserved and polite, but nothing like this. For over an hour he patiently connects the woman's computer to his power strip and walks her through how to use it.

Again and again he shows her the links and how to work the web browser. Installs a complimentary virus protection program. Makes sure she can find the Solitaire application she loves. And only charges her $20.

But after she leaves the next customer is a businessman dressed in what looks to be a very expensive suit. Jongdae spends the laughably short visit practically sneering at the man. And he charges him at least twice what it says on the pricing list he gave you.

As soon as the door closes you release the laugh you’ve been holding in. 'You know, for someone who runs a business, you seem hell bent on driving some of your customers away.'

He shakes his head, hair falling in his eyes. 'He was a moron. You don't buy the Rolls Royce of computers if you don't know how to drive it.'

'So the only exception here is kind old ladies?'

Jongdae barks out a laugh, meeting your gaze and looking younger than you’ve ever seen him. 'Exactly.'

June 28th, 1997

Moments after you walk out the door for lunch during a bustling Saturday it pings again, announcing yet another customer. This one is probably his scheduled twelve o’clock appointment, Jongade thinks as he looks distractedly at his watch.

He turns to greet them and his entire body recoils. 'What do you want?' Jongdae practically hisses, but he keeps his tone even with all his might.

Since you’ve taken over scheduling Jongdae hardly looks at his calendar anymore. If he’d known Julian Danforth was seeking his help he would have told him to fuck off. Unfortunately Jongdae’s hesitation in talking about his past means you could have no possible idea how much the man standing before him used to matter.

Julian strolls in with a computer in his arms and a smugness on his mouth that Jongdae wants to punch off. His sunglasses are perched on the top of his head and his khaki shorts have neatly pressed lines, clearly not done by the man himself, who drips with privilege.

He'd thought these feelings were long buried, but they roar in Jongdae’s chest. The friendships and the future he almost had are now scattered behind him like a trail of carnage, all the fault of this man. The burn of sadness and embarrassment that fills Jongdae’s stomach was supposed to be gone, relinquished to ashes. But seeing one of his former best friends again Jongdae feels like he's ten years old, stuck in a class with far older students. Young, inexperienced, an outcast.

‘Good afternoon to you as well, old friend.’ Ignoring the daggers Jongdae is staring at him, Julian steps forward, setting the computer down on the desk. 'Like I told the woman on the phone I'm having a problem with some computer virus.'

He says it like it’s a slimy, living thing that had crawled into his machine. Displeasure colors his expression; annoyed at the mere thought that his money and status don’t render him immune from such commonplace problems. ‘You know I don’t trust anyone else with my system.’

After what you did I should smash your computer open. Jongdae doesn't speak as plugs the machine into the power strip he rigged to his desk, not willing to risk what he’ll say.

It's a far more expensive model of computer than most of his clients bring in. Those who purchase such a high end version fall into two camps - enthusiasts like himself who know what they're getting, or the rich and famous who buy them as status symbols and have no clue how to work them. Julian, unfortunately, falls into the latter category.

The computer starts up and Jongdae’s mind goes into work mode, tuning out Julian. The virus has rendered it unusable, only a blur of symbols and lines of code flit across the screen. None of the normal exit keys brings up the desktop. Jongdae purses his lips and slides in the floppy disk he keeps beside his own monitor, an anti-virus he designed.

He leans into muscle memory as he runs through the start up and sets the program to do its job. With any luck the idiot just found some simple malware from some incredibly obvious email spam or downloaded a bug on a porn site. In all social and business sense Julian is a shark; he'd never have fallen for such an obvious scam in real life. But when it came to computers and technology he was hopeless, and thus Jongdae had come into his life years ago.

'How long have you been set up here?' Julian asks with a dismissive glance at the machines and equipment stacked on the shelves.

'Why do you care?' The question comes out harsher than he intends, but the emotion isn't entirely unearned.

Once upon a time he and Julian met in Seattle, after Jongdae was fresh out of M.I.T. and Julian had flunked out of yet another University. They were determined to build a business together. If he had more energy Jongdae would wear this store and his reputation proudly, built from no family connections or money, just his own intelligence and drive. After how thoroughly Julian severed Jongdae’s life he should rub his success in Julian’s face with pride.

Instead he ignores him, determined to move on.

The program finishes its run in rapid time, as though it knows how quickly Jongdae wants this moment to end. The virus dissipates and the desktop loads like normal. He's tempted for a second to indulge his curiosity to see what Julian has been up to. Last he knew Julian had gone to work at his father’s investment bank, dreams of standing on his own cowed by the reality of the world outside of his comfortable bubble. Without Jongdae there’s no way the business and the program held up to scrutiny.

For a second Jongdae stares at the screen, remembering how good it had felt to have found his people. Tech nerds, hungry to build something that would change the world. Julian, who wanted to cast off his father’s legacy and strike out on his own. Julian’s girlfriend Marissa and her soft heart, who wanted to help people. Their friend Albert, with the plan.

Once he knew them so well he hardly knew where he ended and they began. But now, all these years later, they’re strangers.

Jongdae looks up and watches Julian as he absently admires the collection of turntables on the wall behind the desk. He knows Julian well enough to know this might be an act of contrition, his way of bridging the gap he created to reach out the olive branch of friendship once more. But Jongdae’s curiosity already killed the cat once, spectacularly, and he has no desire to repeat the mistake.

He unplugs the machine and watches the screen go dark, shoving it with both hands across the polished wood surface towards Julian. 'There. It's fixed.'

For customers who are far more polite and far less acquainted with Jongdae he might have explained what caused the virus or recommended an anti-virus software or even shared best practices to avoid getting one in the future. But, for Julian, he'll do what he was hired for and nothing more.

Julian stands and clears his throat uncomfortably. 'How much do I owe you?' A hint of guilt as he pulls out his wallet.

The motion reminds Jongdae of vacations to Marissa's family home in the San Juans or partying with Julian, Albert, and the rest of them in Capitol Hill. When they turned on him it was like the sun went out. He managed to take his pride and his love of music and DJing and escape. Once Jongae rebuilt his life the doors to the past firmly closed.

Anger finally peeks through as he waves a dismissive arm at Julian. 'I don't want your money. Not spending a second longer in your company will be all the payment I need.' He stands as well. Their business today is done and he lets his memories of the past fall before him like ashes.

An awkward beat passes between them and finally Julian breaks eye contact. With a nod to the ground he pushes out the door and disappears, carrying his computer.

He breathes out a sigh of relief, folds his arms, annoyed at how his position and his continued presence here in Seattle occasionally brings him into contact with people like Julian. He should have moved, he thinks. Gone to Singapore or Berlin or London or New York. But for some reason, he stayed.

Through the front window he watches you laugh with your friends in the food court and smiles to himself, thinking of how you call him Scrooge. It should unnerve him, how quickly seeing you or speaking to you or simply thinking you makes his day better, more hopeful; chases away the shadows that linger in his mind when he's left alone for too long. No, left alone isn't the right word. When he isolates himself.

Jongdae doesn’t really know you, not yet. But already he wants to make all of your dreams come true, he wants to make them real.

The thought is so sentimental and kind and soft that it brings him up short. He bites the inside of his lip and tries to fight the warm feeling in his chest as he watches you laugh. But as he resumes his work he acknowledges that maybe there was a reason he stayed in Seattle, after all.

The mall is packed during lunch; it’s one of the only days you and your roommates and Hitchcock all work together so you’ve christened it Saturday girl’s lunch time. But Baekhyun and Chanyeol of course crash in, as they always seem to. Loud and raucous and happy. Others from their wide circle of friends drop by to grab slices or to make plans for tonight.

Baekhyun sticks two straws in his nose and makes what are probably very scientifically inaccurate walrus noises. As you laugh so hard you almost snort you can’t help but feel like something is missing. Someone is missing. You look back to the shop, drawn to Jongdae as always.

He works away, resuming his repairs after chasing another customer away with his attitude. You sigh, watching the blonde preppy man carry away his enormous computer, muttering to himself. You rest your foot on the edge of your chair and drop your chin to your knee. From this angle, surrounded by the stark design of the store and the fluorescent lights from above, Jongdae looks like he’s trapped inside of a screen himself.

You bite your lip, debating. He’s made it clear that whatever happened between you at the club isn’t something he will discuss, or repeat. But friendship? Community? You work together five days a week and it wouldn’t kill him to get out of his enclosure once in a while. It’s done you good this month, to be out and about with people. Like you can finally breathe for the first time in a long time. And you decide that it’s high time Jongdae do the same.

Liz and Jane, your roommates, call you ‘determined.’ But they say it in a way that clearly means ‘like a homing missile,’ when you want something. Your nature has served you well; you can cut through the bullshit and figure people out almost instantly. It’s helped you both professionally and personally. Allowed you to know immediately which friendships would last, which ones were worth the effort.

Maybe it’s how Jongdae looks like an island, all alone in the shop. Maybe it’s the large Coke that infused you with far too much caffeine. Maybe it’s your insatiable curiosity. But you can’t keep watching him from afar, not when there’s something you can do about it.

‘I’ll be right back.’ Pulling on your denim jacket, you march over to the store. You lean inside the glass door, holding it open with your shoulder. ‘Hey, you.’

Jongdae looks up at you, confusion tugging his brows together, making him befuddled in the cutest way. You tell yourself to stop thinking of him like that, even if you want to.

He blinks and refocuses on you. ‘Back already?’

‘No, but we’ve got more than enough pizza. Why don’t you join us?’ You grin, making a show of looking around the empty office. ‘It’s finally slowed down, and you deserve a break.’

‘I’m on a deadline with this.’ He gestures to the modem that is scattered around him.

You fold your arms and lean against the door. ‘You can fix that in twenty minutes. I know you.’ He opens his mouth to speak, but you beat him to it. ‘And before you throw another excuse you should know I’m very persuasive when I want to be. I don’t think you have another option.’

Jongdae barks out a laugh, dropping the tools in his hand to the desk with a thud. ‘Determined to drag me from my lair, huh?’ He holds your gaze, his expression filling with something akin to heat. Finally he gives you a rueful smile. ‘You’re not going to give up on this, are you?’

You meet his eyes and raise a brow, smiling with satisfaction. ‘Nope. Absolutely not.’

The certainty on his face turns into sadness, so fast you can’t be sure it was really there. Then he closes off and he’s quiet, more so than normal. ‘It doesn’t come easily to me.’

Wondering what could have changed so quickly you step forward, letting the door close behind you. ‘What, pizza?’

It shakes you how desperately you want to know. To peel back his skull and see inside his brain, just to understand what makes him tick. His history and where his future is headed. That small voice inside you whispers that once you figure it out, it still won’t make you care less about him.

‘Friends.’ He says it on a gasp. Looking at the floor fixedly, avoiding your eyes, he seems haunted.

The silence surrounds you both and he finally meets your focus again, chewing on the inside of his cheek. The pieces start to come together. He’s intelligent, preternaturally so, and so advanced in school you can’t imagine he’s had much experience with people his own age. And now that he’s in his mid-twenties he’s built himself a fortress. Close enough to the rest of the world, but distinctly separate.

Irrationally you want to reach across the space and wrap his hands in yours. Tug him into your growing group of friends and fix the ache in your chest his expression gives you. Not sympathy and certainly not pity, but some sensation that’s like butterflies in your stomach. But- he’s your boss. You’re not his keeper and you don’t think whatever dangerous emotion lives in you is what would help him.

He’s not yours and you don’t have the right to push, much that you want to.

‘Ah,’ you say. ‘I see. Well, more often than not we have Saturday pizza out there. The offer always stands. I’ll leave you be if you want to be alone, but just -’ you swallow and give him a tentative smile. ‘Just know that we’d be happy to have you join us. I’d be. Uhm. Happy if you joined us.’ It comes out in a rush and you groan.

With a shake of your head, an uncharacteristic gesture of uncertainty and embarrassment, you wave at him and push back out the door into the noise of the mall.

It’s a shame you don’t turn back. Or no, he thinks, it’s better this way. Jongdae feels far too much for you to keep it contained behind his normally stony expression.

You seem like the kind of person who would take that moment of openness and pull on it, until he unravels in front of you. Fear tells him you would take everything and when you're gone he'd be even more alone than before, now that he knows what it's like with you here.

Looking out through the glass he watches you rejoin the lively group. Always he’s felt like a science experiment, or some kind of circus exhibit when he was growing up. If he didn’t have his grandfather’s steady support and gentle guidance he surely would have become even more isolated.

With a shake of his head, he attempts to refocus on the project at hand. For some reason it doesn't fill him up like he wants it to, his usual joy and satisfaction is missing when he picks up the screwdriver once more. This is where he thrives. Computers and the internet and coding.

To other people it's a labyrinth, impossible to figure out. A world and a language they can speak and learn with effort and intention and study. But to him it's always been as easy as breathing.

His grandfather took his skills from the military and parlayed them into a business as a prolific handyman. It was the world they shared. A place where Jongdae’s creativity and his intelligence could soar. Anything he wanted to build or make, he could. Coding a rudimentary game to pass the time after school, when he could hear the neighborhood kids playing soccer outside.

It took him many wonderful places that he wouldn't have been able to reach if he was, for lack of a better word, normal. As a child and even in school it was so easy to hide behind his grades and his projects and the pride and hope of the adults around him. But now, at twenty five, there’s nothing to keep him hidden anymore.

When lunch is over you return and join him with a nod. He hopes you don't regret asking. He nearly hopes you'll try again. Maybe next Saturday.

For how confident he feels in some spaces - DJing at Shari's, here in his ‘lair’ - at the thought of joining a group of friends he feels again like a nervous thirteen year old sitting in his first college course. Like everyone around him knew how to do things he couldn’t comprehend.

He keeps his thoughts and his feelings to himself; he’s already shared more than he planned. But you draw him back into conversation easily enough, asking about the afternoons orders to be picked up. You don't shy away from him or give him an angry offended air. Inexplicably you still look at him warmly, openly, and he wants more than he's dared to let himself want in a very, very long time.

July 11th, 1997

He doesn't normally leave the office at lunch, preferring to eat his meals in his back office alone, but today Jongdae braves the food court.

It’s a Friday not a Saturday, but it’s a start. He makes brief, yet friendly, conversation with Chanyeol at the pizza place. The taller man smiles at Jongdae, easily, as though he doesn’t second guess the action. He asks if Jongdae had caught the Mariner's game over the weekend and they talk about how Griffey might finally lead Seattle to a World Series this year.

For once he doesn't feel like going back to the office and burying his head in his work. Jongdae awkwardly pulls out a chair in the cluster of tables between the bookstore and the record store. As he takes a bite of his pizza he hears a familiar laugh. Turning around he sees you through the glass of the bookstore.

You speak to the woman who owns Greyhame Books, standing beside someone he thinks is possibly called Jane. It all seems so… easy for you. Tucking your hair behind your ear you lean against the counter, discussing the stack of books in front of you with your friends.

Jongdae gives a rare laugh to no one but himself.

When he imagined hiring an accountant and administrator for his flourishing business he thought he'd get someone older. A person with experience and a similar level of wanting to be left alone. They could ignore him and he could ignore them, delegating filing and payments and customer questions and not have to think about them again.

An employee was supposed to reclaim the silence and peace that his work used to bring. Technology is so much simpler and predictable than humans and he’d really prefer to cut other people out of the equation entirely.

But you are the opposite of simple, and you absolutely aren’t someone he can ignore. From the moment he recognized you he knew he had to hire you. With your intensity and your impressive resume and the way your mouth pulls to the side when you’re trying not to smirk.

He doesn't regret it. But he feels raw in a way he hasn't allowed himself to in years. Jongdae doesn't let people get close. Not anymore.

'Hey, Jongdae!'

With a pizza slice halfway to his mouth Jongdae spots Junmyeon approaching, waving, a large Starbucks drink in hand. He wants to turn away and hide in his pizza. He isn't good at this - making friends. For months Junmyeon has asked him to join in their monthly networking events here at the mall, or asked him to get a drink at Flanagan’s after work to chat. Jongdae’s all out of excuses.

He imagines his life as a circuit board. There’s his life now - pieces and wires scattered around him - and there’s the life he could have. If he’s brave and if he tries. He imagines the pieces fitting together and what they might build. He wonders if you might fit in, if you’d want him or let him.

His knee is jiggling and he’s nervous, but he takes a deep breath and waves back. ‘Hey Jun! Want to join me for a bit?’ Jun’s expression is surprised - the man doesn’t know how to keep back any of his emotions. ‘If you have time, I mean. No pressure.’ He stutters, pulse racing and cheeks reddening.

Jun grins and sits down opposite him. ‘Absolutely. About time! I thought you’d turn me down forever,’ he laughs. ‘Thanks again for helping me with that broken radio last month. You’re a pro. So, how’s business?’ He sips his coffee and waits patiently.

They can talk about business, something so easy? Jongdae wants to laugh with relief. Maybe he can do this after all.

Junmyeon is amused.

After ten minutes of talking shop with Jongdae he watches as you and Jane leave the bookstore next to their lunch spot. He’s owned a business two doors down from Jongdae for years, but he’s never seen him smile before. When you pass by it’s like someone flipped on a light switch. Jongdae has always been somewhat quiet, somewhat serious, except when he DJs. Now he sits straighter, his face softens, and his eyes fixate on yours like a magnet.

The two of you claim the other seats at the table, showing off the books you purchased. In between sips of his coffee Junmyeon balances his own flirtation with Jane and observing - okay, spying - on you and Jongdae.

He’s warmed by not just the caffeinated beverage. There’s a soft energy here- It’s a warm summer day and he’s discussing books, one of his all-time favorite topics. His mind whispers the words ‘double date’ and he smiles to himself for a moment before blinking.

“Are you alright?” Jane asks, gently resting her hand on Junmyeon’s wrist on the table.

He blushes and gives her a reassuring nod and asks if she’s read the Octavia Butler book on top of her stack yet. It’s an attempt at distraction and he knows it. But thankfully Jane’s eyes crinkle in the corners when she talks about the author, not pausing or seeming to notice the way he was fantasizing for a beat.

Across from him you and Jongdae are arguing about the merits of Isaac Asmiov. Jongdae is more articulate, more animated, more alive than he’s ever seen him. Gesturing emphatically and saying something about how robots are friends, not foes as you interrupt him by reminding him about Terminator. Neither of you seem to acknowledge the attraction between you. It’s been months since you started working at Chen’s, if Junmyeon remembers correctly.

In his periphery he sees Temptation, the chocolate store, and thinks of how Yixing and his girlfriend met on the job. One of his favorite poems mentions how love mirrors the lover; that everyone falls in love in a way akin to their personality. Yixing, passionate and insatiable and spontaneous, fell for Lavender in minutes and days. He saw what he wanted and after a slight pause to make sure it’s what Lav really wanted, he made the move.

Jongdae is nothing if not the complete opposite. Calculating and reserved and inscrutable.

His potential new friend is falling, if the lingering looks he gives you and the way he’s almost touched your shoulder not once but twice are any indication. But it’s a mystery to Junmyeon if, or when, Jongdae will ever make a move. You aren’t the same kind of romantic as Yixing’s girlfriend, someone playful and open with your emotions. You’re driven and witty and warm in your own way. Clearly you care for Jongdae, but in a quieter sense.

Junmyeon imagines this will be a marathon of love, not a sprint.

Eventually lunch hours end for all of you. There’s clients to see and paperwork to do and as he waves to you and Jane he wonders what will become of you and Jongdae. If you’ll stay as co-workers, always flirting and secretly wondering what might be. Or if either of you will push the other into action. The chess board is laid out, pieces waiting to be moved. It might just be his imagination, but Junmyeon hopes that one of you gets the game going.

He does also, perhaps, focus on you and Jongdae as a way to ignore how his own heart beats a bit faster around Jane. How he can’t stop staring at her dimple when she smiles or the head tilt she gives him when she’s really listening. Like he’s the only person in the world. No, he absolutely doesn’t think about Jane’s feet i n his lap as they both read on the couch in his living room. He doesn’t wonder what it would be like to kiss her or hold her hand. Absolutely not.

Instead he invites Jongdae to the monthly Settlers of Catan night he has with Minseok and some other folks from the mall. Much safer territory than wondering about his own love story and if still waters truly do run deep where he and Jane are concerned.

August 11th, 1997

On a surprisingly rainy yet unsurprisingly dead Monday morning Jongdae forces you away from your insistent attempts to organize his paperwork to the market a few streets over. The quiet bakery on the hill above Pike Place has a view of the misty Sound beyond. He sits close beside you, carefully keeping his knees away, lest he bump yours and you do the same, perhaps letting them linger a moment each time they collide.

It’s nice here, you notice suddenly, as you take the first sip of your coffee. The smell of dark roast and fresh almond scones. The breeze coming in through the open door. The soothing, distant sound of jazz from the overhead speaker. The pleasant warm lighting, far different than the aggressively bland fluorescent kind he chose for Chen's. Everything puts you at ease, wraps around you the way you wish Jongdae’s arms would.

'This place reminds me of Amsterdam.' You smile, looking down into your cappuccino to avoid Jongdae’s eyes.

‘Have you ever been?’ he asks, voice softer than it normally is.

With a shake of your head you trace the edge of the teal and white ceramic cup in front of you. ‘No, but I’ve seen pictures. I used to love photo books growing up. Atlases and travel guides. It’s always been my favorite section of the library.’

He hums for a moment, considering. 'If you could go anywhere in the world, is that where you'd choose?'

Tucking your hair behind your ears you bite your lip to avoid grinning at him. He’s making you remember long-forgotten parts of yourself. Before school and work became the end point, the be-all end-all that your life was funnelled towards. Back when you imagined exploring every country on the planet. Taking photos and making memories. A long time ago, in the days before you realized how expensive it is to actually be a wanderlust-filled adventurer.

Finally you look at him. Something in his irises makes you swallow; an endless, nameless emotion that lives in him you can never seem to place. Elusive and frustrating and tempting all at once.

‘Yes,’ you admit. Voice dry and heart racing you look back to your coffee in avoidance. ‘It’s my dream to travel there. I’m a bit obsessed with it, really.’

'You? Obsessed?' Jongdae smirks, a boyish grin you want to cover with your own mouth.

You roll your eyes, tracing the handle of your mug. 'Hush. It's such a beautiful city with all the canals and the architecture and history, and the food is to die for. Every quaint European city fantasy in one. What about you, have you done much traveling?'

He shakes his head. ‘Not personally. But - my grandfather went everywhere in Europe, after the war.’ His admission is so quiet you almost miss it. But it’s as if your soul is waiting for every crack in the door to Jongdae you can find, and you don’t pass up the opportunity. ‘What was he like?’

It happens sometimes, when you’re working together. The times there’s no customers around and the mall gets empty and you can’t help but be aware of him. Against your skin and with your hands, eyes feasting on him when the rest of you is forbidden from doing so. In the moments when he isn’t putting on airs of being the tech mogul or the reclusive jerk or the awkward, secretly friendly nerd around Jun or Minseok.

Those times when Jongdae meets your eyes and you see the real him, beneath it all. Wanting and alone and scared. Your breath catches in your throat just as it does now and you long to ask him plainly if he feels the way you do. Being honest with your words and not just your jokes or looks out the corner of your eyes when you catch him watching you too.

But those feel too fragile, too dangerous to utter. So instead you ask him about his family, someone close enough to Jo ngdae’s heart to glimpse the core of him; like a sun during an eclipse you can only look for a moment, lest you get burned.

'My grandfather?’ Brows furrow, the corners of his cat-like lips tilting down for a moment. You nod gently, cupping your drink for something to occupy your hands.

Jongdae looks out at the water for a moment, his mouth tugging to the side as he ponders. ‘You know when you finally solve a puzzle you’ve been working on for ages? Hours of struggling to find the right combination and finally it’s all laid out, perfectly in alignment.’

You nod, trying not to smile and ruin the moment, but softened by him nonetheless. ‘Yeah, I know what you mean.’

When his gaze lands on your hands he pauses, like he’s wondering if the two of you might fit in a similar way. But it’s gone before you can grasp onto the moment. Sadness colors his features then. Not the aching kind that gnaws away like a feral monster, leaving nothing in its wake, but the beautiful, bittersweet sadness of a love greater than grief.

His voice is thick when he next speaks. ‘My grandfather was that person for me. We just - fit. He understood me better than my parents did. More than any of my classmates or the few people I’ve ever gone out with. We didn’t even need to speak.’ Jongdae pauses and taps his fingers on the counter.

You give in and reach for his hand, not to hold it - not yet. But to cover it with your own for a moment of understanding, of comfort.

He smiles at you, the crease between his brows disappearing for a moment. ‘He was fifty one years older than me and he was my best friend.’

‘I’ll bet you miss him quite a lot?’ You realize how incredibly inadequate the sentiment is and shake your head, moving to withdraw your hand. ‘Sorry - that’s - of course you miss him.’

But Jongdae doesn’t let you retreat. With his free hand he holds yours in place. Warmth floods your body from the connection point and you’re unable to take your eyes off him. ‘It’s alright, I know what you mean.’ He traces your thumb with a barely there motion, seemingly without intending to. ‘Thank you.’

‘For what?’ You ask, a bit breathless and unable to mind.

‘For always asking. For always listening.’ He says it simply, as though it’s a novel concept. Perhaps, given what you know of his life, who he is, not many people dare to ask. Or bother to listen.

Soon paperwork and customers and regular life draw you back to Chen’s Electronics. He doesn’t mention the way you reached for him and you don’t either. But when you go to leave that afternoon Jongdae holds out your jean jacket for you to slip on. And when you thank him he gives you the soft, secret grin you’ve learned he saves only for you.

On the way home you think that Amsterdam might be the most beautiful city you can imagine, but that it pales in comparison to a hole-in-the-wall cafe in Seattle, as long as Jongdae is seated beside you.

September 9th, 1997

The summer turns into fall and one Monday evening, seemingly without his noticing, Jongdae realizes that his appointment book is full to bursting.

On Tuesday night he's playing Settlers of Catan with Minseok, Bookworm, Kyungsoo, and Junmyeon. They meet up in the food court after the mall closes at nine, second Tuesday of every month.

Wednesday he has lunch with Jun and some other business owners in the mall for their monthly networking/commiserating 'sesh' as Yixing calls it. That afternoon he's promised to help Minseok install the new upgrades to his store's database software that 'make him want to rip out his hair' in exchange for a few coveted LPs Jongdae's had his eyes on for a 70’s/grunge remix set at Shari's.

Thursday night there’s a L.A. Confidential screening at the theater that Baekhyun talked him into, after their argument about whether or not Russel Crowe could actually act or if he was just handsome.

Saturdays are pizza and raucous laughter to break up the busy weekends full of work and clients and deadlines, followed by long nights of DJ-ing and circling you as if you are a sun, drawing him in with the pull of your gravity. He’s merely a comet attracted by the force you give off and he’s not even upset at the realization.

Sehun, Jongin, and Yixing practically bribed him into joining their 'Sunday morning brunch and biceps' workout group, saying that they need a fourth and everyone else is normally sleeping off their hangovers or works the opening shift.

It’s other people’s names all over his schedule, but what he feels is you. Everywhere, all over him. He knows it’s you. Not intentionally, perhaps. But you opened a door for him with your ease and generosity. One Saturday pizza lunch and somehow he’s gotten to know more people in two months at the mall than he had in the years before combined.

You’d wave him off if he mentioned it or thanked you. With that adorable tilt of your head you would smirk and tell him that all he has to do is give people a chance. That they don’t bite.

Irrationally he wants to do things for you - not just as a friend but in the romantic sense - like buy you flowers or have you by his side at Thursday movie screenings or take you to Amsterdam, just to watch you bloom among the flowers. But that would be… crazy, right? He sits in his favorite armchair unable to focus on the book in front of him and runs agitated hands through his hair.

He’s not your boyfriend or your partner. He’s your boss or your co-worker and possibly your friend. Why does he think of holding your hand and walking along the canals of some foreign city every time you look in his direction?

Why does the once-comforting quiet of his apartment feel more and more empty when you’re not laying on the couch across from him, reading and teasing him? Why does he wake up and wish that someone besides himself filled his bed? Someone with your expressions and your joy and your stubborn insistence.

He briefly makes a mental note to ask Yixing how he ended up dating Lavender before suddenly tossing the book to the floor, standing with a groan.

‘What a ridiculous idea!’ he yells aloud to the empty apartment. Jongdae paces circles in the carpet of his living room and wonders if part of being in love is going slightly insane, if everyone who manages to do so finds the madness enjoyable or if love is simply folie à deux?

He looks at his calendar, spread open on his grandfather’s old, wooden desk and tries to comprehend how his life could be so different one year to the next. Like he’s grasping at straws or wisps of air. Aside from work and his grandfather and music, what did he have before? The occasional alumni event or guest lecture at his alma maters?

For a minute his chest feels too full to breathe, unable to let in anything more. Panic tugs at him for a second. It’s too much, all at once - too many people and too many events. Too many opportunities to mess up and these people? He can’t sever his life completely like he did from Julian and his friends. They're so connected to this space he's made his business in. What will happen when he inevitably falls out of favor with them?

He imagines himself shunned and the idea hurts worse than before. Back then he had chosen isolation; to have it thrust unwillingly upon him, unasked, is too much to comprehend.

Once he walked naively into friendship, believing it was easy and that it would last. That there was no rug that would be unceremoniously swept out from under him. But people change, faster than he can believe.

Jongdae sits on the floor, his pajama pants brushing his crossed legs, and forces himself to steady his breathing. These people are not his old friends at Microsoft, he reminds himself. Nor are they the kids in school who teased him, or his classmates in college who resented him or treated him like an annoyance.

Like he’s always practiced, he turns to facts to calm his mind. He’s safe - the apartment is his and he has plenty of money. Not just from his business but from his grandfather’s life insurance. If he wanted to leave - if he was forced to, he thinks he could do it. But something within him howls at the idea of leaving what he has now.

For the first time in ages he has ideas, plans, and dreams for what to do with his life. Now he has people he cares about, people who he trusts to be kind rather than fearing they’ll betray or leave him. You’re at the center of it, if you let him. Determination takes hold of him and doesn’t let go. After a few moments his panic subsides, washed away by the bright promise of a future he’s never dared to imagine before now. Before you.

September 13th, 1997

By the end of your second drink you contemplate being the one to risk it all and ask Jongdae out.

In the months you’ve worked together you stopped seeing him as a challenge and started viewing him instead as the push to your pull. The yang to your yin. The - you sip on your rum and coke and get lost in the tug of his brows and the set of his lips as he spins rather than finding another apt metaphor.

The first time you met him you knew there was something underneath his hard exterior, but you had no idea how correct you’d be proven. Somehow he walks the tightrope between being harsh and being softer than you thought possible. But rather than turn you off you find you’re drawn to his bewildering mix of wry humor, nerdy fixations, and raw emotion. It unlocks all the jagged parts of you that you try to keep so nicely pressed together.

For someone who has been deemed too much to handle finding a man who seems to do it with ease is staggering. He loves your bossy, charismatic nature and your ideas about new things to try at the store. He listens intently when you rattle off obscure facts about your favorite books and movies. He sees your dreams of traveling, of being part of community here, as a complement, not a detriment to your professional career.

A voice startles you. “So when are you going to jump his bones?” Baekhyun is the kind of puppy dog, glowing cheeks, wide-eyed endearing drunk you wish you could hate.

He waggles his brows at you and you snort, shoving him away with your shoulder. “I have zero idea what you’re talking about.”

You weave your way around the perimeter of the dance floor, trying and failing to not fixate on Jongdae with every step.

“Come on. Admit it. You’ve got a thing for the DJ.” His mouth tugs into a smug grin and you groan. “And word on the street is he wants you too.”

“He’s my boss.” The last of your drink burns your throat and you belly up to the bar to order another. “Get real.”

Always a hoe for gossip, Baekhyun leans one elbow against the bar and drops his chin into his hand to watch you. Rather than speak and risk your wrath again he merely looks between you and Jongdae, waiting.

You pride yourself on not giving into temptation for all of ten seconds and then blurt out - “What are you doing?”

Baekhyun presses his lips together to suppress a grin. He raises a finger and holds it up. “You’ll see.”

The bartender is tied up with a group at the far end so you sigh and turn, resting your back against the bar top. With folded arms you observe the club. “We’re about to be abducted by aliens? Jongin’s going to breakdance? Minseok and Bookworm are -”

He clicks his tongue. “So impatient. You two really are a match made in heaven.”

“Me and Jongdae?” If you weren’t already buzzed you’d deny it more. But the permission to speak openly about your feelings for the DJ is too tempting. “You think so?”

Before he can tease you again a motion up ahead catches your focus. Jongdae looks up without tilting his head. His eyes cut to the left, to the two overflowing booths that are filled with the usual crew from the Exodus Mall. With amusement you follow his eye line as he scans the dance floor, looking for something. He never breaks the movement of his hands, spinning the vinyl and working the controls.

Finally his focus lands on you and Baekhyun at the bar. Jongdae’s eyes widen and that unreadable expression settles on his features, no emotion escaping. Your heart picks up, cheeks heating with awareness. There’s nothing to do but hold his gaze for long seconds while the club pulses with life around you. Isolated and together, even across the room.

And then Baekhyun ruins it.

With a comically large wave he smiles at Jongdae. The motion breaks Jongdae’s focus and he rolls his eyes, shaking his head at his friend’s ridiculousness. A smile tugs at his lips and he gives you a look of commiseration and you laugh, reaching over to ruffle Baekhyun’s blonde hair.

The song changes and Jongdae finally looks away. A second later the bartender appears, asking you for your next order. Baekhyun waits patiently beside you, arms folded against the bar, his smugness a tangible thing in the air between you two.

You bite your lip and look at yourself in the mirror behind the bar, visible between the clear shelves of liqueurs and syrups. Could he feel the same way? Does Jongdae imagine holding you, kissing you, being with you the same way you do with him in your unguarded moments?

The two of you already do so much together - work five days a week. Meals alone or with friends. Nights here, separate but still united in the bubble of the dance club. It strikes you just how thin the line is between friends and coworkers and … something more. A four-letter sinful word that starts with L and implies dangerous things like hands touching hands followed by lips and skin and teeth. A different four-letter word full of softness and commitment that has no place being in your mind at the same time as Jongdae’s name.

A hand rests gently on your shoulder. “I told you,” Baek says sincerely. He disappears after waggling his damned eyebrows one more time and leaves you at the bar, wondering.

Half of you wants to confess to him out of genuine affection and desire for connection; you can’t escape the way he makes you long to be reckless and daring and bold and romantic in the kind of grand gesture sense that you’d have rolled your eyes at before you met him. The delicate balance makes your palms sweat and your glass shake slightly as you raise it to your lips. From nerves or excitement or a mix of the two.

You could make the first move, but the logical half of your mind wins out. Instead you swallow your drink in three gulps and head over to the DJ booth to talk to him and nothing more. Close enough to be comforted by his nearness but keeping your desire closeted behind your fear. Tonight that’s all you can manage.

Passing by Yixing and Lavender dancing is a reminder of all the good love can bring. Yixing’s hands holding her close, her arms folded around his neck and their foreheads together. Intimate words are shared that aren’t meant for your ears, even if you could hear them over the sound of the music.

But just beyond is Baekhyun and Hitch. She laughs and dances out of his way as he tries to tickle her. They’re obviously in love to anyone who watches, so why haven’t they admitted it and had a go at being together? Maybe it’s for the best, you wonder. If trying and failing and ruining what you have it worse than never trying at all.

Before you can wander too far down the road of doubt and consequences you remember how it felt to have Jongdae’s hand on top of yours. The thought of tomorrow and the days after disappear altogether when you feel Jongdae’s eyes on you once more, drawing you closer to him, whether he knows his effect on you or not. When you reach the booth you decide to stop thinking in general, and let yourself feel instead.

Saturday night and he's in his element. In the booth, far away from the rest of the crowd but still a part of it. Adrenaline in his veins. Music is Jongdae’s therapy. An alter ego much like the comic book characters he read about growing up. It's the skin he can put on when he's tired of being himself. A place where he can set down the baggage of his identity for a night and get lost in the beats.

He closes his eyes, savoring the pattern of the vinyl beneath his fingertips.

Suddenly, he feels you. Of course you're here. He's never free from you, he thinks with a rueful smile. First you invaded this place, his escape and his temple. Then you wormed your way into his business as though you always belonged there. Now you're occupying his senses the way you occupy his thoughts at all hours.

For a beat he admires you, standing at the bar rolling your eyes while Baekhyun waves dramatically. He drinks you in with a last look at your fabulous legs before reluctantly turning back to switching out one album for the next. Lately you’ve taken to joining him for a bit while he spins and he hopes that once again you’ll come up to the booth tonight.

He's not a patient man, or a subtle one. If he wanted to be rid of you, you'd be gone. Severed with the kind of brutal finality he showed to anyone from his time after M.I.T. There are no second chances as far as he's concerned. But still, you remain. Infuriating, exhilarating. Never far from his consciousness.

'You look like you're having a good time!'

Sooner than expected your voice breaks his trance and he lifts his eyes to look at you. His heart thumps painfully in his chest and he swallows harshly. He doesn't know how you do it - how you effortlessly change to match your surroundings.

One minute you're his office manager, polite and respectful and skilled. Already he sees the business taking shape, becoming more cohesive and smooth beneath your talented mind and heart. And your feisty insistence that he upgrade and finesse his marketing and finally finish putting together a website for Chen’s.

The next minute you're leaning over the edge of the booth, chest coming forward and revealing your neckline. The red is fitting on you. It brings out the natural flush in your cheeks and makes you look perpetually alive. He feels stagnant by comparison, a man of stone who remains unchanging while the world passes him by.

The tumble of hair across your shoulders and the delight in your eyes are so beautiful he wants to reach for you. To reach for more, be more than who he has been - afraid and alone. Bitterness lives in his heart, swatting away anyone who gets too close. But here you are, knocking once more on the door of his being.

He finds his voice, his hands thankfully moving on muscle memory as he drops in the next remix. 'It's good energy tonight,' he fumbles. 'I love this song.' You nod in agreement.

It’s easy, being with you. Together you talk about work and the music he plays and your group of friends. Chanyeol and Bijoux, who finally got together again after what seems like months of back and forth. Bets on how long Minseok will wait before he proposes to Bookworm, now that they’re an official item. Joking about Baekhyun and Hitch like always.

He shows off for you, just a little. Spins 'Scream' by Michael and Janet jackson with a bit more pizazz than usual. It strikes him as amusing how much he always hated being watched before this. Not that many people pay particular attention to him as a DJ, but he thinks he might like the way it feels to be watched by you.

He wants to watch you, too, for as long as you let him. He already can’t take his eyes off you. No matter how much that idea might terrify him. When he drops the next mix and the crowd cheers at ‘Tubthumping’ he gives you a rare broad smile and it's like being punched in the chest when you return it with an unexpectedly shy one of your own.

Jongdae almost invites you into the booth. He sees it as though it were one of the romantic comedies that are so popular right now. You would take your place in front of him. He'd get to rest his hand on top of yours, guiding your movements. Maybe as you got the hang of it he would slide them to hold your hips, keeping your back to his chest as his mouth finds your neck.

Liz invites you to dance and Jongdae wipes the probably awed look off his face with effort. He needs some cold water, immediately.

Friday September 19th

Jongdae is upset about something. It’s not so much that you now seem to be able to pick up his moods with ease, which is true, but the fact that he is nearly tearing his hair out. A piece of paper sits in front of him on the desk but it’s too far away for you to read.

By the time he groans for the fifth time you finally speak up. ‘Are you alright?’

His head jerks up and his eyes are tired when they meet yours. Not ‘it’s been a long week’ tired, but something sad in his expression that makes him look fragile and younger than his years.

For a moment he shakes his head. Then he picks up the paper and waves it in the air, opening and closing his mouth in rapid succession. The confusion on his normally self-assured face would be comical if it wasn’t such an obviously distressing situation. Finally he drops the paper and leans back in his chair, rubbing a hand along his jaw.

‘I just got word that they’re demolishing the apartment building I live in. I have to move by November 1st.’

Instantly you want to hug him or hold his hand. ‘Your grandfather’s apartment?’

Jongdae nods. ‘They’re tearing it down so they can put in some luxury condos. Yet another classic neighborhood about to be wiped out in the name of progress.’ He sighs, looking at the ceiling to compose himself. ‘I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be so-’

‘No, it’s -’ you start, unsure of your destination. ‘It’s an important place. And it’s your home. Don’t apologize for being pissed off about it.’

He nods, taken aback. ‘Exactly. It’s where I grew up. I’ve also never had to look for an apartment or move, either. So this will be dreadful.’

You bite the inside of your cheek. The offer to help practically leaps from your mouth and you hold it close for a moment, making sure you don’t rush into something that’s out of your depth. But as always your logic overrules your fear.

‘I could help, if you like?’ He’s just your boss slash co-worker. It’s innocent. It’s harmless, right? ‘I’ve moved so often with school and everything. I know my way around the city.’

In the ensuing pause Jongdae’s solemnity returns, his mouth and the lines of his face don’t give away any emotion. But, as always, he holds you in place with his expression. And his eyes have that fire within that he seems to only show to you. ‘That would be wonderful, thank you.’

You nod, case closed. Turning back to your computer you lie to yourself further, pretending not to notice how his voice lowered. As though he knew you weren’t just offering for help with his living situation. But something more raw and painful that he isn’t prepared to hold on his own just yet.

For how picky you thought you were about apartments, Jongdae has you beat by a mile. Student housing accustomed you to wonky flooring and cramped kitchens and the charming yet ancient windows on many older Seattle homes. But his grandfather’s gorgeous pre-war unit had made Jongdae’s tastes quite particular.

On Tuesdays and on weekends you pulled up listings and showed Jongdae around the city by way of it’s apartments, condos, and houses. He enjoyed the nature surrounding Greenlake, the affordable houses north of UW in Ravenna, and the vibe of Ballard and Fremont. But he ruled anything north of 520 out quickly as ‘too far from the store.’ The luxury of walking to work on nicer days was something he wasn’t willing to part with.

The same unfortunately ruled out a townhouse in Alki that you had salivated over, a block from the beach. Pioneer Square had some great lofts that would have been perfect for a music-lover like Jongdae, but he vetoed those as well. Along with all the trendy industrial lofts near the stadiums, claiming he hated all the construction going on nearby.

It should have been frustrating, to spend endless hours watching him nix perfectly wonderful places. In Queen Anne he hated the hills. Westlake he disliked the mall. Madrona, Leschi, Montlake, Magnolia, and Lake Union all came close but still he shook his head and said ‘thanks, but no thanks’ to landlord after landlord.

It should have driven you mad, but all it did was make you like him more.

Falling in love with Jongdae isn’t what you had planned. But from the first night you saw him at the club some part of you knew it was inevitable, the way the rain in autumn starts off as a light drizzle and before you know it becomes a torrential downpour, blanketing the city and saturating every exposed corner.

He always brought you coffee and insisted on buying breakfast or lunch. He always picked you up, right on time. Held doors and made sure he didn’t walk too fast and did the thing where his arm hovered over your back when the two of you were in crowded spaces. Not touching, but close enough you could feel him protecting you. On anyone else you would have absolutely hated that, but of course from him, you craved it.

Day after day you listened to music in his car as the two of you drove around little neighborhoods hoping to find something, complaining about how tight and ridiculous the parking situation always is. Joking about your friends or the news or the latest books you’re reading. They hardly felt like dates. No, they felt like something even more insidious. Like being in a relationship with him. Easy and warm and friendly and the kind of thing you could get used to.

But eventually it had to end, before it seemed like either of you were ready.

On a surprisingly warm Tuesday in October the two of you walk into a place that no one could object to. The building is in south Capitol Hill, close to Cal Anderson and only a fifteen or twenty minute walk from the mall. It’s designed in the classic Victorian style of the neighborhood, but was completed just three years ago. Small pane windows and a fireplace with a carved mantle and dark spires on the roof, all with brand new insulation and appliances.

Sunlight floods the corner unit on the top floor and you gasped as soon as the door opened. Jongdae stands beside you as the landlord goes over the details of the square footage and the building amenities, but neither of you are listening anymore.

‘What do you think?’ he asks softly. The five-story building sits on a slight hill and overlooks the rest of downtown, with a partial water view around the tall downtown skyscrapers.

‘I think it’s as close to perfect as you’re going to get.’

He moves closer and rests his palms on the window sill, looking around for a moment before turning his head to watch you. ‘Good.’

After a long pause Jongdae pushes off the windows and politely interrupts the landlord, who is currently opening every single cabinet in the kitchen and giving a detailed run down of his wife’s favorite tupperware, asking about the deposit. The way he phrased it along with the attentive way he waited for your approval makes you wonder if he wasn’t just picking this apartment for himself.

Imagining yourself there scares you. If he was seeking your opinion… surely he would be hoping you’d come over? Neither of you have spoken a word about the bizarre yet undeniable attraction you have, but that hardly forms the basis of a relationship. A boyfriend who wanted to be sure you liked his new place would be one thing, but your friend and co-worker who has never admitted to even liking you is quite another.

You lean against the edge of the window and run a finger along the ledge. A small part of you whispers that you’re supposed to be doing something else, eventually. You won’t work at Chen’s forever, but it wasn’t meant to be this hard to leave. It’s just a stop on the way to your final destination. So why do you want to get off the train altogether and make a home here?

Would it be so terrible, to be with him? It’s been a fantasy for so long that imagining real life with him makes you suck in a breath as though you’ve been punched in the gut. It could be a fresh start for you both. The end of one adventure and the beginning of a new one. You remind yourself that being in love doesn’t mean you can’t travel or change the world. Being with Jongdae would hopefully only encourage your dreams, not stifle them.

As they discuss deposit and applications and timelines for moving into the apartment you wander into the other rooms.

The bathroom has a large tub and dual sinks. You can only imagine what your expression must be like right now, given your swirling emotions, and avoid the mirror altogether. The second bedroom is more like a cozy office, narrow enough for a desk and a couch and perhaps some bookshelves. In the bedroom you hesitate at the doorway, reaching up to play with the pendant of your necklace.

Windows run along both sides, meeting in a corner. You think of plants lining the wide ledges and going to sleep with the setting westward sun and how short of a walk it would be to get breakfast from your favorite bagel shop that’s just a block away. It’s close to the mall and the club. It’s truly perfect.

As you watch cars pass and people walk by down below you space out, the image blurring and becoming Jongdae on a bed in this room, leaning back against the pillows with a book in his lap. Smiling at you and pulling you close since he knows you refuse to get up earlier than you have to on your days off.

Inexplicably you want to cry and you huff out a laugh, squeezing your eyes tightly only to find that they’re damp. It’s not anger that the vision inspires in you or even sadness. It’s frustration and amusement that war inside you as you think about how you fell in love with him without your consent. Rational thinking should have stopped this long ago, but all you can think as you stand there is how nice it is to be with him. And how you wouldn’t mind being with him for a long while.

The only thing that helps ease the tension in your chest is how he looks at you on the drive back to your place. You fill the time with discussions of moving trucks and hiring a company to help with the heavy lifting, but you’re both clearly distracted by other thoughts. He pulls his car up to your apartment and you try to avoid looking at him as you say goodbye, but he briefly rests his hand on your knee to get your attention.

Your hand stops in its motion to grab your bag and ends up nearly on top of his, but you make no movement to break the contact. ‘Thank you,’ he says softly. ‘I mean it.’ Jongdae turns his hand and holds yours, giving it a quick squeeze and looking like he never wants to let go.

October 12th, 1997

You’re eating cheesy bread at Barada with Hitch, but today she’s different - evasive and nervous in a strange way. 'So I - uhh. I have news,' she finally says. She sips her drink and looks at the table rather than at you. 'I don't know if I should tell you though.'

Pausing in your chewing you raise a brow. 'You can tell me anything, you know that.'

She awkwardly runs a hand along her neck. 'No I know. I just -' she huffs out a breath and blows her hair off her forehead..

'You and Baekhyun finally had sex and you're pregnant?' You smirk at her as she chokes on her soda. 'Come on, just spit it out.'

She waves and hand and very quickly says - 'There's a project manager position open in the gaming division. Some new big thing and they're looking for an upstart to head up operations.'

You frown and tear off another slide of bread, not understanding her odd behavior at all. 'Okay… and you're thinking what, thinking of applying?'

'No, you dork. I'm thinking you should apply.' She tilts her head like she assumed your reaction would be more immediate. 'You wanted me to keep an eye out for you, right? I didn't want to say anything since - '

'Since?' you ask, both afraid of what she'll say and dying to know. Terrified it will have to do with Jongdae and the swirling mess of feelings you have for him.

It’s her turn to be wry. 'Since you and Jongdae have been attached at the hip.'

'Really?' You stall, taking an enormous bite.

Hitch tosses a balled-up napkin at you. 'Yes. When I met you in college I thought 'there goes the most intense person I've ever met.’ And then I met Jongdae after he opened Chen’s and he gave you a run for your money.' She dusts off her hands. 'You both could be making millions someday. Taking over countries or saving the world or something. We all know it. I don't know, I didn’t want to mention this because together you guys seem happier. Softer? Something like that..'

'And you think me getting a job there would ruin that?' Her words mirror your fears exactly and your stomach drops.

'It's taken me years to get Jongdae to even look at me after I told him where I worked. He hates Microsoft. With good reason, from what you've implied. I'm sure you could make it work, but trust me when I say if you get swept up into that upper management spiral, we probably won't see you again.'

'I won't completely abandon you guys just because I get a new job.' But doubt whispers in your mind. The long hours and the endless meetings and the extra work to always be the best, to always be ahead. 'Okay fine, I see your point. I still have to try, right? I should at least apply.'

She rests her hand over yours where you have your napkin in a death grip on the table. 'You don't have to do anything, babe. We'll always be here for you even if you become a tech mogul overnight. But will it make you happy? Whatever comes next... do it for yourself, okay? Not just cause you think you should.'

You smile and hold her hand for a moment, wrinkling your nose. 'Thank you, Hitch. I needed that. What about you? You said you were going to apply for that transfer to the NYC office, are you still considering it?'

She blows out a deep breath and pulls her hand back, dropping her forehead to it for a moment. 'God, I don't know. My whole life is here. And I'd have to leave the theater.' She rests her chin on her palm and looks up at you with a dramatic frown. 'My friends are all here. My family. I love where I'm at, but I know that something eventually has to change.'

'Baekhyun?' You grin at her, wondering if the move might finally force them to admit their feelings.

Hitch straightens and looks across the food court to the movie theater. 'Yeah, something like that.' She gives you a dramatic waggle of her brow. 'Jongdae?'

You groan and fold your arms, sinking lower into your seat. Even your roommates ask about him now. Everyone can surely see how you light up around him. The way you gravitate towards the DJ booth on club nights like a moth to a flame. The way you draw him into conversations and brag about him. It should be forbidden territory, as untouchable and unreadable as he is. Not to mention he's your boss.

But worst of all he still hasn't said anything about it, nothing more than the occasional flirtatious comment or lingering look. Even after all your time together and the way he looked at you in the new apartment. For all you know he sees you as a very stubborn employee who happens to force your way into things.

You cover your face with your hands and sigh. 'Something like that.'

Hitchcock stands and takes your shared tray of dishes to the bus station with a throaty laugh. 'That's what I thought.'

November 1st, 1997

Jongdae is frantically packing up more of his bookshelf when the doorbell rings. He smiles on instinct. It's not something he can help anymore, not when he knows it's you on the other side. Right at nine in the morning, just when you promised the movers would be here. With a last look around his living room at the organized chaos he wipes his hands on his sweatpants and stands.

It surprised him how quickly you agreed to help with - well, everything, really.

When he told you about his move he didn’t expect anything would come of it. It's his problem, not yours. He didn't imagine for a moment you'd give the announcement more attention than a sympathetic word or two. But you stepped to his side. Put up with his grouchy persistence in believing that there's no place in the world, let alone in Seattle, that would be as amazing as this apartment. As it always seems with you, he found himself proven wrong.

You didn't let him wallow and guided him with your decisiveness through the checklist of everything he'd need to do. A few months ago he would have waved you off. Decided you were being bossy or nosy and turned down the help with a cold shoulder.

But now he wants you around for everything and the thought makes him pause with his hand on the doorknob.

He made sure you like his new apartment too because - when he isn't expecting it he imagines you there. Not just as his co-worker or employee or even as his friend. As someone more permanent. Lasting. It's not that he needs you to run his life for him, he's perfectly capable of doing things on his own. It's just that he loves how you barge your way into his world and refuse to let him be alone.

Jongdae doesn't know how yet, but he wants to show you how he feels in return. It's like trying to run with a blindfold on, but he desperately hopes that he can figure out how to care about you in the way you deserve. Bringing you coffee and asking about your day and giving you all the freedom you want at work are a start, but they barely scratch the surface of how much he feels for you.

He's got one idea. A big one. An insane one, that you'll probably call him nuts for suggesting. If he ever gets up the nerve someday.

The buzzer sounds again and he shakes himself out of it. Finally he pulls it open and is greeted by your smiling face in the morning gray light. Hair pulled back in a ponytail and dressed in a long black shirt and faded overalls. He leans against the doorframe, wondering if he's ever seen anything more beautiful than you on his doorstep.

'So, I have a surprise,' you start. With a free hand you nervously brush your hair behind your ear. It's so unlike you that he immediately wonders if something is wrong.

'What is it?'

Before you can answer, noise in the parking lot draws his focus. His front door faces the open-air walkway that leads to the stairs down to the parking lot. He expected a moving truck and several buff men in logoed shirts. Instead it's a scrappy group of your friends - his friends now, he supposes - looking tired but ready to help.

Junmyeon and Jane drink coffee and pull furniture dollys and heavy blankets out of a Uhaul truck. Liz and Jongin are leaning against the cab of Sehun's car and laugh at him as he and Yixing sleep peacefully in the backseat. Chanyeol and his girlfriend are paused on the landing below making out, a tape gun in each of their hands. Another car catches a break in the flow of traffic and pulls into one of the guest spaces. Minseok and Bookworm step out and yawn, tying sweatshirts around their waists.

Jongdae repeats his question. Or at least he tries to, but emotion catches his throat and all he can do is stare at you with a mix of surprise and what he's sure is a very naked expression of affection.

'How did you do this?' he asks when he can finally breathe again.

You tilt your head and grin at him, pride making you radiant even in the dull mist of the morning. 'Is this okay?' For a moment you look worried, tucking your hands in the pockets of your overalls and taking a step back.

'I know I said I'd hire the movers, but I thought this might be better? I didn't think everyone would be here, especially after the Halloween party last night. Soo and Sunshine are working, but I think - wait,' you turn and yell down to the group in the lot. 'Has anyone heard from Baek and Hitch?'

Chanyeol reluctantly pulls away from his girlfriend and replies. 'Yeah, he messaged me at the ass-crack of dawn. He said he and Hitch are fine, but they won't be able to make it until later.'

With a curious look you thank Chanyeol and turn back to Jongdae. 'Okay, so almost everyone came.'

'It's because you're incredible,' he agrees, heart warm and in awe of you. Stepping back, he shoves the door stop in with his foot to prop it open and gestures for you to come in.

He doesn't get two steps before your hand finds his bicep, stopping him. 'No, I'm just absolutely amazing at organizing things,' you laugh. ‘But they didn't just come for me Jongdae, they came because they're your friends. They wanted to help.'

The intensity in your voice makes him pause. Like you're trying to say far more than your words. He gets lost for a moment in your beautiful eyes and swallows harshly. His past, the negative parts, haven't come up much - his failed first business, the trail of broken friendships he's left behind him, the ensuing guard he's had up since - but you've paid far more attention than he realized.

He doesn't miss the meaning behind your words, or the look in your eyes; what you're asking of him. To trust you, to trust them. To release his death grip on the walls he keeps up to protect himself. But no matter how determined you are he knows he has to be the one to dismantle them. His heart is nervous and he instead focuses on your hand on his arm.

For a beat he wants to kiss you, then and there with almost all of his and your friends just outside. Instead he lets his actions speak when his mouth isn't able to and pulls you into a hug. You freeze for a moment, stiff with surprise. But after a moment it melts away and you hold him back, wrapping your arms around his waist. His head spins when you rest your forehead against his shoulder, unable to process the fact that you’re in his arms in reality, not just his dreams.

'You're the most amazing person,' he murmurs against your hair.

The sound of loud voices and thumping of boots on stairs make him pull back. You give him another smile, warmer and softer this time. Something that's private for him only. 'I know.'

He barks out a laugh as Sehun and Jongin come in through the doorway. 'Let's do this!' Sehun calls, clapping his hands together.

'We promise we won't steal anything,' Jongin jokes, looking around Jongdae's place with obvious fascination.

Bijoux organizes the packing party while Chanyeol grabs Jongdae's keys so he and Sehun can take the first load of boxes over to the new place while Junmyeon, Jongin, and Jongdae load up the bigger furniture pieces into the Uhaul. Jongdae lets out a rusty laugh as Junmyeon dubs them ‘the J squad.’ You work around them, collecting all the random trinkets and knicknacks that have escaped other boxes.

He closed Chen’s today to hopefully knock this entire project out in one swoop. Ripping it off like a Bandaid. After the first big load everyone splits up into teams. Sehun and Yixing pack and load the rest of the boxes and smaller items into the cars. Jongin, who is absolutely not trusted around breakable items, goes with Junmyeon to return the Uhaul to the rental shop and pick up lunch and drinks for everyone with the cash Jongdae insisted they take.

And Minseok leads everyone else on a cleaning checklist he’s created with military precision. It's been so long Jongdae doesn't even know if he has a damage deposit. His grandfather took excellent care of the place and he kept it up in his absence, so he hopes it's not too much work to tidy.

Yixing’s boombox keeps up a steady flow of music throughout the morning and lunch time. With everyone’s help, and of course with the added fuel from the pizza and beverages, things are just wrapping up at the old place. You stay behind with Jongdae to take a last look around and turn in the keys, forcing him to take a few photos in the space to remember it.

‘This is it, I guess,’ he says, holding out the key and laying it on the kitchen counter with a small metallic sound.

‘How do you feel?’ You lean your hip against the fridge and drink from a water bottle.

Sunset over Lake Union is his favorite time of day and it’s hard to stand the thought of missing out on a last one. It’s barely two in the afternoon and it’s hours until golden hour. Rather than lie he simply says the truth. ‘I wish I could see the sun go down one last time.’

You come and stand next to him, close enough he can smell the light scent of your perfume and see the flush of your chest from the day’s exertion. ‘We can wait.’

He thinks of everyone at his new place, unloading boxes. ‘But everyone-’

‘Jongdae,’ you start. ‘They’ll be fine. You know Sehun has probably fallen asleep on your couch already. Baek and Hitch and the openers from Barada will be heading over soon. Some people have to head out for closing shifts but it’s already been decided that we’re doing movie night and Chinese take out tonight at your new place.’

‘Oh really?’ He presses his lips together to try not to laugh.

‘I don’t think you have much of a choice,’ you tease. ‘Trust me, they’ll be fine for another few hours.’

‘Alright then,’ he says after a pause.

The two of you sit on the bare hardwood floors and talk until the sun finally sets, just before five pm. He doesn’t yell his feelings for you at full volume like he wishes he could. He doesn’t dance with you or kiss you slowly in the empty apartment, there’s far too many emotions in his heart today to try and cope with more. But after he locks up and leaves the keys behind he does take your hand to help you into the car. And he does hold it for far longer than necessary before pulling back to shut the door.

It’s not much, but like his new apartment it’s the start of something.

November 3rd, 1997

You’ve got to tell Jongdae now, but nerves eat away at you and your resolve lessens minute by minute. Since the move he’s been warmer, more open, and you don’t want to ruin that. But you can’t keep this from him any longer.

Applying at Microsoft was supposed to be a long shot, a shot in the dark, or some other kind of shot that never meant to lead anywhere. But still it’s one you took and one that ended up paying off way faster and more successfully than you’d planned. After two interviews last week you sit with a job offer on your answering machine back home and a choice to make.

They need your decision by tomorrow and as Monday winds into early afternoon your deadline approaches. You bite your lip and vacillate wildly between thoughts. On the one hand this could be a good thing - if you’re no longer working at the same place, there’s nothing stopping the two of you from being together, right?

But what if Jongdae can’t see past his hurt and freaks out, assuming you’re leaving him like everyone else has? Or worse, what if he never cared about you that way at all?

Your stomach drops at the thought of walking out of here into your dream job, but feeling empty, leaving behind someone who has come to mean so much to you.

Your roommates Liz and Jane, Hitch, hell even Baekhyun weaseled the truth out of you at Shari’s on Saturday. Stone cold sober and still you let out everything to him sitting in your group’s favorite booth. About how you might in fact love Jongdae and how badly you want this opportunity, how utterly terrifying and exhilarating change can be simultaneously.

None of them told you to choose one way or the other. They didn’t say ‘take the job’ or ‘turn down the job,’ they all said that the decision is one only you can make and that they’d support you no matter what you picked. And maybe each time you cried a little and all of them were good enough friends to just hug you and not mention it.

But all of them told you one thing that now sits lodged in your throat. Whatever else happens, you both deserve to know. Jongdae deserves the truth about what you’re considering, and you deserve to finally know once and for all how he feels about you and what he wants.

After he locks the doors and starts cleaning up, you rise, holding your hands behind your back so tightly your knuckles are most assuredly white. ‘Hey, can we talk for a minute?’

Jongdae nods. ‘Of course. I’ve got something I wanted to discuss with you as well, actually. But you go first.’ He folds his arms and leans against his desk, giving you that affectionate close-lipped smile of his. You desperately hope what you’re about to say doesn’t wipe it off his face.

Not one to beat around the bush you dive in. ‘I applied for another job.’ The words sound blunt and harsh. You swallow and try again, hating how his brow furrows in confusion. ‘Not because I don’t like it here. But Hitch told me about an opening and it sounded - sounds perfect for what I want to do in the long run. It’s on the new gaming system division… at Microsoft.’

He doesn’t say anything for a long pause. Instead of meeting your eyes his have dropped to the ground and you wish you could reach out and touch him. Anything to make sure he hears you, understands you. But a whisper of fear makes you keep quiet, worrying the connection you had wasn’t meant to last, if something so trivial could break it.

‘I thought you were happy here,’ he says finally.

You hold your hands out in front of you, palms up in a gesture of entreaty. ‘I do, Jongdae. It’s not that at all. I thought this might - be good for us. If we’re not working together, then -’

When he finally looks up his gaze is distant, his mouth a thin line. The shutters have fallen over his face. ‘By going to work at the one place I despise?’

Anger makes your skin hot and you fold your arms as well, in defiance. ‘But you talk to Hitch and Baekhyun? They haven’t turned into the devil incarnate yet.’

He gives a quick, harsh shrug. ‘I like them both, sure. But being friends is one thing. This is quite another.’

It’s almost a declaration, yet so far from how you dreamed this moment might go. ‘What are you saying, Jongdae?’ You need to hear it. After so many weeks of trying you need him to at least do you the courtesy of speaking it out loud.

‘You know how I feel about you.’ There’s hope in his eyes. But it’s so buried amongst hurt and suspicion it’s not even close to reassuring. ‘I want you to stay. Here.’ With me, he doesn’t say, but you feel it.

Nothing drives you more up the wall than being told what to do. His words fall against your own shield and the plea within goes unnoticed. ‘Would you really shut me off if I took this job? Does hating them mean more than wanting what’s best for me?’ You finally step forward, reaching a hand for his arm.

‘I’ve supported you in everything,’ you start, unable to stop now that you’ve started. ‘In finding community here. In your move. Even in the business, who was the one who pushed you to keep growing? I don’t intend to stop being there for you, but I need you to support me in this. Please.’

He just watches you, not saying a word. The clock on the wall ticks loudly in the silence. People outside the glass doors go about their day, shopping or getting an early dinner, unaware of the standoff taking place merely feet from them. You wonder what it would take to make his guard truly ever come down.

With how quickly it snapped back into place you feel tired all the way down to your bones. Maybe it will never be enough, even if you did stay here forever.

‘I’ll pay out your PTO in these next two weeks,’ he says softly. ‘No need to come back into the office. If that works for you?’ His last statement is thrown on as a hasty addendum. Like he’d realized how harsh it sounded and he wanted to dull the sting. It’s a sliver of kindness, a glimpse at the man he almost allowed himself to be. But it’s not enough.

‘Fine with me.’ You move past him, into the supply room to grab your purse and jacket, proud of the way your voice doesn’t waver. Pausing in the hallway you turn to look back at him, still frozen against his desk. ‘I’m leaving this job, I’m not leaving you.’

He turns to look at you, running a hand through his hair and messing up the ends. ‘It will go the same way, I know it. In the end you’ll disappear too.’

‘Jongdae, I’m trying. I need you to at least meet me halfway.’

You don’t wait for his reply, if one was ever even going to come. Instead you continue down the small hallway and push out the back door into the mall. It’s only once you’re in your car that you remember he mentioned something he wanted to discuss. You wonder what it was, and if you’ll ever find out.

Jongdae stares after you for long seconds after you’re gone. He doesn’t hold out hope that you’ll come back, not after the way he treated you. Instead he feels stuck in place, like if he holds his breath and doesn’t exhale then the last five minutes didn’t happen.

But his lungs burn and his chest aches, and when he finally sighs it comes out ragged. He fumbles for the switch and the store descends into darkness. Shafts of light still come through, angled in from the glass ceiling of the mall’s concourse. Jongdae stands just outside of it, protected. With no one to see he sinks into his desk chair and drops his head into his hands.

The tears that clog his throat are at first unexpected, but as the minutes drag on he finally gives into them. He should have known they were coming all along. Not just from the moment you walked into his life, but from the day his grandfather died. From the day his father passed and his mother became a ghost rather than a permanent, tangible figure.

From the day Julian took Jongdae’s designs and credited them as his own to the investors, cutting Jongdae out of not only the business they were building, but out of their group of friends as well.

Misery and hopelessness whisper against his skin and for long minutes he lets himself wallow. He knows it’s no one’s fault but his own that he ruined things with you. His grandfather taught him long ago that other’s actions are theirs, and that it’s what Jongdae does in response that is his responsibility. But he can’t deny that he indulges in thoughts of blaming the cruelty of life for making him so goddamn stubborn.

He swallows and leans back in his chair, feeling as though his body is made of hard, unyielding stone. Maybe it's better this way, he wonders, drumming his fingers on the wood desk before him. Perhaps he should let his worst fears dominate his life, believing that the risk is far greater than any potential reward that love or friendship could offer him.

Is it better to be alone, knowing that he’ll always be safe, free of anyone who might hurt him?

Jongdae groans. The voice inside him that whispers No sounds first like his grandfather, both encouraging and feisty at the thought of Jongdae giving up. Next it sounds like you. He knows you’d roll your eyes and call him grouchy, always thinking better of him than he does of himself. You’d tell him his bark is far worse than his bite and to get over himself already. At this thought, at any thought of you, really, he smiles.

Familiar voices make him look out into the mall. Sehun and Jongin walk by carrying sodas, rubbing their stomachs. He can imagine how they’re complaining about eating too much Barada pizza, as always.

They pass by quickly but the image stays with him, of their friendship. Jongdae thinks of Chanyeol and Kyungsoo’s, how opposite and yet how similar they are. Baekhyun and Hitch, who are always teasing each other but who he knows would do anything at the drop of a hat.

He’s held himself back the past few months. First a reluctant observer. Then a tentative participant. The endless exhaustion of being careful, keeping his distance, catches up to Jongdae as he sits in that chair. If it weren’t for you maybe he’d never be brave enough to try again after how hard it was growing up. But if he is to be the kind of person, the kind of partner you deserve, now is the time to make the attempt.

It’s up to Jongdae to be the one to try, to reach out. He can’t let others find him anymore. For the first time in a long time Jongdae stands up and goes looking for a friend.

Junmyeon still has an hour before his store closes and he looks up at Jongdae as he walks in through the door of Guardians. ‘Hey, JD! How’s it going?’ If he notices that Jongdae’s been crying, he’s kind enough to not mention it.

‘Are you busy?’ Jongdae’s throat is raw but Jun has a young son, surely tears won’t bother him.

‘Not really, I’m just organizing some shipments going out tomorrow,’ Junmyeon answers. He sets down his pencil and rests his hands on the counter. A crease forms between his brows the longer he watches Jongdae. ‘Is everything alright?’

He wants to do this right, but all he can find are inelegant words. Junmyeon is as close as he has to a best friend at the moment, and he hopes he doesn’t inconvenience him. ‘Not really.’

Jun tilts his head and gestures to the door, picking up Jongdae’s unspoken request and running with it, just like he’d hoped he would. ‘I can close up shop a bit early. Want to talk in my office?’

Jongdae runs a hand over his face and nods. Grateful and relieved he manages a small laugh. ‘That would be great, thanks.’

After Jun locks the doors and flips the sign to closed he motions for Jongdae to follow him. The back room of Guardians is much warmer that at Chen’s Electronics, in style rather than temperature. Jongdae sits on a beige sofa that’s even more comfortable than it looks. The walls are filled with framed photos and art prints and various other pieces that give the space an art gallery vibe.

With a sigh Junmyeon tidies up the mess of papers and crayons and various cups with kid lids. ‘Sorry, Sungmin loves to draw but we haven’t quite nailed the clean up yet.’

‘Don’t worry about it on my behalf,’ Jongdae says sincerely. ‘I’m just grateful you’re willing to listen.’

The space has a narrow hallway leading to a back door and a closet that’s probably full of supplies, much like Jongdae’s store. Jun takes the cups to a small sink in the mini-kitchen in the corner. His brow lifts in confusion. ‘Why wouldn’t I? We’re friends, right?’

Could it be that simple? No need to prove himself or do everything possible to impress Junmyeon, like he did with Julian. ‘Yeah, we are I suppose.’ He laughs and shakes his head. ‘Sorry, I don’t mean to imply I don’t consider us friends, I just - well, have a few trust issues when it comes to that sort of thing.’

Junmyeon dries his hands on a dishtowel and blows his hair off his forehead with a huffed laugh. ‘We’ve all got a few issues, don’t we?’ He moves to the table and takes a seat, sliding a glass of water towards Jongdae and sipping from one of his own. ‘I’ve got the time. So quit stalling and tell me about yours.’

He sags into the couch and drinks from the glass. ‘Alright then.’

For once he doesn’t second guess himself or try to read the minutiae of Jun’s expressions to see if he’s annoying him or being too boring. Jongdae simply tells him the truth, trusting his friend to listen.

He mentions his family and how hard it hit him when his grandfather passed. How strange and yet unbothered he is by the lack of relationship with his mother. The way he was teased growing up and how he was probably the only person in his Master’s program going through puberty. The fact that the mall is the first place he’s ever had friends his own age since childhood.

It’s satisfying to see how pissed off Jun gets when he tells him about Julian and all the bullshit he put Jongdae through. For a while there Jongdae had convinced himself that he was the one in the wrong, that there’d been something he’d done to earn his exile. That it was a deserved punishment. But his friend’s muttered curses remind him that true friends don’t normally backstab each other for money and notoriety.

And finally, he talks of you.

How much he values you at work and how sassy and insistent you were about bringing him into ‘the fold’ of their friend group. The ways in which he wants to be with you and care for you and all his worries of whether or not he’ll be any good at it, given his lack of experience. Junmyeon is neither surprised by his feelings for you nor willing to let him wallow.

‘I even brought prom tickets,’ Jongdae finishes with a groan. He pulls them from the pocket of his jeans and lets his arm fall to the couch cushion. ‘Me. At a prom.’ He almost snorts.

But Junmyeon just purses his lips. ‘Is that really such a stretch?’

Jongdae hums a noise of contemplation. ‘No. I guess not. All our friends are doing it.’ But before Jun can continue he shakes his head. ‘But I’ve messed this all up, so it doesn’t matter either way.’

Loneliness aches in his bones, his hands tired of not holding yours. Wishing he was enough, somehow, to keep you here and keep you warm; enough to make you stay, to make you happy.

Junmyeon raises a brow. ‘I think you’re missing the point entirely my friend. She told you what she needs. All you have to do is listen. She’s asking you to trust her. This job is something she’s worked for and she’s not leaving you for it. She’s just leaving the job. If you want to know you have to ask.’

He sighs deeply. ‘You’re right. But what if it all goes wrong? What if I try and it’s all for nothing in the end?’

Jun dips his chin to his chest, looking at the ground lost in thought. ‘That’s fair. I know a little of that myself, Jongdae. But all you can do is try. There’s sadly no guarantees here. I think you want to make it work and from what I know of her, she wants you as well. It’s time to make the big gesture. Or any kind of gesture, really.’

He groans and smiles, knowing his friend’s fondness for ‘I think you’re right.’ He even has an idea, two in fact. One that’s lived in the back of his mind for weeks and one that’s brewing right now. ‘Will you help me?’

‘Absolutely my friend.’ Jun claps him on the shoulder, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

November 19th, 1997

It should have been wonderful news to you that it was a clean break at least. No mess, just walking out the door and leaving behind the man and the job in one fell swoop. But of course, it wasn’t.

Microsoft was delighted when you told them you could start ASAP, but honestly you did it to jump into work rather than spend your time missing Jongdae. Filling your schedule proves to be the easiest way to avoid thinking about what hurts. You still had your roommates and Hitch and everyone else to hang out with, even if you weren’t ready for any Saturday pizza lunches or Shari’s nights quite yet. Both brought you far too close to him to bear right now.

Liz and Jane and Hitch are wonderful and you’ve had not one but two sleepovers since ‘the Jongdae incident.’ If not for their friendship and constant presence you’re sure you would have walled up the hurt and hid it away, not one to normally speak about your pain openly. Not while it’s so fresh.

Distantly you hope that Jongdae is okay and that he has someone to talk to. If he’s even hurting.

For all you know he’s completely fine and unaffected by the entire thing. Maybe he’s already found a new office manager and has forgotten about you. But those are the kind of rude and painful thoughts that only come to you at three in the morning when you can’t sleep, when dreams of his hands and his voice and his smile keep you up.

Jongdae calls one Tuesday to ask you to swing by Chen’s to pick something up the next day and you’re suspicious. He wouldn’t say any more, just ‘please come by at six. I have something to give you and I’d like it to be in person.’

You put on your favorite black dress and blazer that make you feel both sexy and confident and head to the mall. If he’s just calling you to twist the knife in deeper, you’ve already decided to leave and not bother letting him hurt you more. But if he’s calling to reconcile… you shake your head, not willing to get your hopes up. Instead you park in your old space and fix your make up in the rearview mirror.

It delights you to see that your old desk is returned to its former state. Just the computer, keyboard, and mouse remain. No one’s personal possessions have taken over the space like yours used to. It shouldn’t make you so happy to see he hasn’t replaced you, but it does.

Jongdae sits at his desk. His hair is in its usual perfect wave but his white button down and slacks have been swapped today for a dark green sweater and tan chinos. He looks ridiculously handsome and you grit your teeth, wishing you could turn off your attraction to him with a switch inside your brain.

He looks up at your knock on the glass door. For a moment he simply stands, drinking you in. Then he moves, walking closer to unlock the door and let you in.

‘Hi. How are you?’

You blink and try not to laugh. ‘How am I? Jongdae, how do you think I am?’

‘Right, sorry.’ He shakes his head. Carefully he looks you up and down, not bothering to hide his own attraction to you in his hungry gaze. With a swallow he remembers himself and grabs a cardboard banker’s box from in front of his desk. ‘Here. I didn’t want to come by and drop it off. It felt wrong.’

The box holds all the random photos and personal belongings you’d left in your desk, in your haste to leave. Postcards from Amsterdam and family photos and lotions and your favorite scarf you’d been missing. He steps back, resting against the corner of his desk and folding his arms. When you take it he doesn’t say anything, which is not what you’d hoped by any means, but silence is definitely less painful than you’d feared.

‘Well, it’s been an adventure,’ you manage. You lean against your desk and move the box under one arm, holding out a hand to him to shake. Ready to be done with this officially.

He doesn’t move. You can feel words held on the tip of his tongue. Months and months later you know how to read his tells. The tightness in his jaw and the widening of his eyes and how his hand grips the fabric of his sweater. But seconds tick on and still he says nothing.

He should speak or you should leave. One of you should do something. Instead you’re frozen in time. Eventually your arm aches and you set the box down beside you. You could go first, but pride demands he be the one to confess, if there’s going to be any confessions tonight.

Neither of you caves; twin pillars of resolution, stubbornness, and desire. It’s a game the two of you could play for hours. The tension in the air pulls tighter than a violin. His gaze drops from your eyes to your lips, unabashedly. His lids grow heavy as he breathes deeply, close enough to smell your gardenia perfume, but just out of reach of being able to touch you.

So this is what it feels like to meet my match, you think, finally acknowledging just how deeply you want him. Enough nights had been spent imagining kissing him, being with him in far more intimate ways than just a holding of hands or a hug. You want more, but only if he wants you, too.

You'd always been told that you were too driven, too smart, too self-sufficient to attract a man. Even in your MBA program where ambition and intelligence were supposedly rewarded, it apparently made you too something to find a good man to date.

But now there’s one right in front of you, looking at you as if you’re the answer to Fermat’s Enigma; a rare and priceless gem he’d been hunting for all his life. But he doesn’t look at you as if you’re art to be admired, a prize to be won. The guard lifts steadily and when he looks at you now it’s as if you’re the kind of miracle he wants to sink his teeth, his tongue, and his fingers into.

Your cheeks grow warm and you’re sure you look just as amazed and turned on as he does. If you had to guess, you’d bet that the number of people who challenge him these days are few, and the number of people who attempt to see the man behind the curtain even fewer.

While everyone else in the world might just see a monolith of a man, a genius, a hardworking and brilliant anomaly, you see the passionate, warm heart that beats in his chest. You know that the tin man really does have feelings and needs, and your heart almost breaks when you realize he’s been searching for you just as fervently as you’ve been searching for someone like him.

The silence in the room is almost too fragile a thing to break. On one side of the moment is a spark of something, a chance to see if this connection is real and deep, or if this is just chemistry and biology combining into lust. If your mind has taken the small gestures of passion and kindness and friendship from him and built it up to be something more than the sum of its parts.

‘I’ve missed you,’ he breathes, voice catching in his throat. Releasing his folded arms he rests his palms on the edges of the desk.

‘I’ve missed you, too,’ you admit. Your hands curl in on themselves, trying to fight the way emotion and physical longing make it difficult to be in such a close proximity to him.

‘Okay, then.’ He breaks first, moving with purpose and striding to you in two steps, sliding his hands along your jaw with such softness that you gasp.

And then, finally, you feel his lips on yours. You grasp his hips, hands freed and aching to touch him, to feel his hard body press against yours with surprising heat.

You meet him with equal passion, working your lips against his steady assault on your composure. For a solid minute you’re in awe that you could feel this much, that his lips and his hands could undo you so rapidly. That they could rebuild you into someone who belongs to him in such a short space of time, after weeks of endless doubt.

He groans against your lips in what feels like similar shock and surrender. Who would have thought that he would cave to your touch just as you did to his? How could someone so grumpy and strong-willed also be so open and vulnerable to this tentative thing between you.

But as he drops a hand and brings it to rest securely on the small of your back you realize there’s a name for this feeling.

You could call it fate. You could call it destiny. You could call it that damned four-letter word or you could call it Darwinism for all you care as his teeth bite gently into your lower lip.

You just know that nothing has ever felt as good and right as his hands claiming you for his own and the smell and heat of him wrapping themselves around you and burrowing their way into your heart.

A whine works its way from your throat as he licks along the seam of your lips, seeking entrance. When you open your mouth to him, his tongue slides along your own and you almost lose your balance. With a giggle you could swear you’ve never made before in your life you let him guide you up onto the desk.

He steps between your legs instantly, gripping your hips and continuing his tasting of you. Heat and electricity race down your spine as you fist your hands in his hair, pulling him closer to you until there’s no separation.

Banging on the glass doors and whistles come from out in the mall and you freeze. Instead of jerking back in shock and alarm like you’d expect him to, Jongdae confounds you once again. He pulls back slowly, opening his eyes and lifting his hands to gently cup your face. It can’t have been more than fifteen minutes but in less than the time it takes to watch one episode of Friends he’s turned your world on its axis.

You and Jongdae smile at each other and both turn to wave at your group of friends, who are celebrating and clapping. Baekhyun eats from an enormous bag of popcorn, wearing his theater uniform. Jongin and Sehun take large handfuls and Hitch whoops with joy. Liz and Jane and Junmyeon are all smiling, and attempt to force some of the group away to give you privacy.

Jongdae’s hands flex on your waist. ‘I want to try. You’re everything I want, will you please give me the chance to be what you need?’ His voice is raspy and his lips are red and you can’t help but grin.

‘I just want you, okay?’ You fix his messed up hair with both hands and sigh with relief. ‘And for you to admit you like me.’

‘I far more than like you.’ Jongdae rolls his eyes and kisses you once more. ‘You just want me to say you’re right.’

With a laugh you ease yourself off your desk, standing close within his arms and bending to whisper in his ear. ‘I’m always right. I just love when you admit it.’

‘So,’ he starts with an amused quirk of an eyebrow. ‘Will you let me take you to dinner? Us, officially, on a date.’

Your chest feels as if it’s a balloon, expanding so rapidly it might burst. He looks so young and boyish and hopeful your heart feels like it turns to liquid gold. With a delighted grin you lean forward and press your lips to his again, unable to resist.

Joy swims in his irises as he holds you in his arms. He looks at you through his lashes, his lips tilting into lopsided smile. ‘Is that a yes, then?’

‘Yes,’ you answer. ‘Of course.’

‘How’s right now for you?’ He motions to the doors and your friends have finally been corralled to the side of the walkway, revealing an elaborately decorated table in the food court.

You gasp and grip his arm. Jun and Sehun hold the doors open and Jongdae escorts you out. A red tablecloth is spread out over the circular table. The chairs have added plush cushions and several candles have been lit. A bottle of wine and two glasses rest beside several plates of food. You recognize the pizza from Barada, the rest looks like a mix from the other restaurants in the food court.

With high fives and hugs from your friends they finally leave you and Jongdae alone. Well, almost alone. It’s not a busy time at the mall, but there’s no way to avoid some of the customers turning to watch with amusement and curiosity as they pass by. You pay them no mind as Jongdae holds out your chair and helps you sit.

The two of you fall back into conversation easy enough, aided by the enormous amount of food and how you no longer have to move your knees away when they bump under the table. Jongdae reaches for your hand and holds it, in full view. He stares at the joined digits with warmth before looking up at you.

Doubt passes across his face, marring the beauty that contentment lends his features. ‘I don’t -’ he struggles. ‘I don’t know how to keep this much good in my life. I worry that I’m going to mess it up.’

Neither of you are the type to openly acknowledge such things. Merely the fact that he’s voicing his fears to you shows you he’s doing what he said - he’s trying, he wants to change. And truthfully so do you.

‘I worried for the longest time that I’d be alone forever,’ you say softly. ‘I didn’t think I’d ever find someone who understood me or who could handle all my - well, you know how I am.’

Jongdae smiles then, lifting your joined hands to his lips to press a kiss to your skin. ‘I love who you are.’

Your eyes mist at that and you groan, trying to blink them back. ‘Good, because I love who you are too.’ With your free hand you reach for his, needing to hold both of them and all of him at once. Not wanting to give his overly-analytical mind a chance to override the fragile hope you’re both building tonight. ‘You know what to do when a computer overloads?’

He nods. ‘Of course. Often it’s just a simple matter of turning it off and on again.’

‘So,’ you say, lifting your shoulder in a shrug. ‘When we mess up or freak out or say the wrong thing, we’ll just start over again. As long as you want me and I want you, we’ll figure it out.’

Jongdae softens, his shoulders dropping and ease coming back into his eyes. ‘I didn’t know I was lagging until you jump started my life.’ He waggles his brows. It’s a gesture that’s all Baekhyun, and a pun so terrible that Junmyeon would be proud. You can’t help but laugh and squeeze his hands.

‘I’ve got one more surprise,’ Jongdae says, reluctantly releasing one of your hands to pull two narrow slips of paper from his pocket. ‘Do you have any plans for Christmas?’

The tickets are in both your names. First class round trip from Seattle to Amsterdam. ‘Oh my - Jongdae, what is this? You and me in Amsterdam?’

‘I figured it was about time,’ he says with pride.

You lean out of your chair and reach for him, tugging him closer to kiss him fully. Noise reaches you - clapping and cheering from the shops around the mall. When you look around you see Sehun and his girlfriend leaning out of Starlight Apparel. Chanyeol and Kyungsoo smiling and fist bumping as they work on closing up the shop.

Hitch nudges Baekhyun from the theater booth and he jumps in excitement. And from Guardians Junmyeon leans on the counter, resting his chin in his hand, giving a thumbs up.

You roll your eyes and wave. ‘We maybe should have gone somewhere outside the mall, huh?’

'No, I think this is perfect,’ Jongdae answers. He then covers your mouth with his and holds you so tight that it drowns out the chorus of cheering that echos around the space.

#jongdae fanfic #chen fanfic #exo fanfic #exo angst #exo fluff #exo au

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