#and this was in College like i thought i left that bullshit in high school and genuinely thought the shit at the time was fine and okay

[lilasturns]

GOOD GIRL.

you finally get a taste of what it's like to be a 'bad girl', all thanks to chris sturniolo.

warnings: fingering, stoner!chris, high school au, driving intoxicated (pls dont do this ever?), NOT EDITED.

Nothing was going to stop you from your plans. School, study, work, and home was on repeat, 7 days a week.

Ever since you started High School, you decided it was time to put all the bullshit aside and focus on what really mattered -- college.

That was your end goal. Your 'self-actualization' as you called it. Nothing was going to get in your way from being successful.

Although you were a busy girl every week, it didn't stop you from having a social life. You knew how to balance it. Hanging out with your friends wasn't something you did much, but you still had them, which was most important, right?

Your friends were finally able to convince you to go to at least one party in your high school career.

You were standing alone in Nate Doe's kitchen, drinking a Coke out of a red solo cup.

"What's in that?" You heard a low-pitched voice from behind you ask, feeling a hand on your shoulder. Your body tensed as an unknown individual had placed a hand on your shoulder. You weren't that welcoming, were you?

"It's a coke." You answered non-chalantly, bringing it up to your lips to take another sip.

"I hate coke." The boy responded, taking his hand off your shoulder. He walked around to the opposite side of the kitchen you were in, playing with a lighter in his hand.

The flickering blue and red lights were giving you a massive headache, and the blasting music ramped through your body so rapidly you thought you might have a heart attack at any moment.

You stared at the boy across from you, studying his features. Sure, you knew who the triplets were, but you didn't know much about them. You could only assume this was Chris, from the lighter he held in his hand.

"Never seen you at one of these." He sighed.

"Friends wanted me to come." You explained.

"Want me to give you something better to drink?" He asked and walked closer to you. "Who knows if you'll ever come to one of these parties again, right?"

He stood next to you with his head tilted, his eyes squinting at you. His tongue ran over his teeth, causing his cheekbones to thin out, showing you his chiseled jaw.

"I don't drink." You said, still facing front, away from him.

"You don't have to drink," he chuckled, "I got something else with me."

You placed down your cup, side-eyeing him. He continued to stare at you, and you could see him studying your own features before you spoke up again:

"Why do you want me to do something so bad?" You asked.

"Maybe I'm just trying to help you have fun." He defended, his hand playing with the ends of your hair. "Come on, leave with me, you wanna have some fun?"

You turned to look at him, his hand moving to cup your cheek in response. "What'd ya say, hm?" You nod, feeling drawn in by his charm.

"Good girl."

So you were here, in the passenger seat of Chris Sturniolo's car, him teaching you how to smoke a blunt.

You release the last bit of smoke of your mouth, swallowing deeply, trying not to cough. He chuckles at your queasy looking face, patting you on the shoulder.

"Just cough." He commands, and you let out a loud cough, turning away from him and covering your mouth with your arm.

You could feel his eyes on you once again, causing you to turn and look at him.

"Come here." He said, tilting his head to the side. Your eyebrows furrow and your eyes wander, unsure of what he meant.

"Come sit on my lap." He beckoned and your eyes widen, looking at him up and down as he leaned back in the drivers seat. You lifted your right leg over the console, placing it on the outside of his left, followed by your left leg lifting over the console and placing it on the outside of his right.

He placed a hand on your lower back, right above your ass. You squirmed, not expecting him to touch you.

"You've never been touched before, huh?" He questions, his hand traveling down to your ass, squeezing it. You shake your head, your hands pressed against his thighs.

"You want me to touch you?" He asks. "All you gotta do is just say the word."

You stared into his eyes, pondering. Were you really about to let Chris Sturniolo do this? You wanted this, though. Deep know you knew you did.

"Yes." You agreed, your voice low. You took in a gulp, still making eye contact with Chris.

“Good girl,” he praises, running up to your waist. “Such a good girl.”

His other handle cups your cheek, with his thumb running over your jawline. You bite your lip in anticipation, tilting your head a bit.

He leans his head up to kiss you, his soft, pink lip slowly gliding against yours. He kissed you slowly, his tongue brushing against the front of your lips ever so gently.

You parted your lips, letting his tongue enter your mouth. He pulls you down so that you're basically laying on his chest. His hands move down to your waist, squeezing your hips. You rest your hand on his chest and the other on his face.

He begins to move quicker, his kissing becoming sloppier and messier. His hands travel lower, grasping your ass, causing you to shiver. You move your hips against his, and he lets out a groan in response.

His hand goes right under your skirt, his index finger running right over your clit and down to your folds. You pull away from the kiss, the new feeling making you tense.

"You're dripping, baby, you feel that?" He asks, running a hand up from your clit and down to your folds, then back up again.

You whimper, nodding, as you can feel your arousal collecting in your panties. He smirks, biting his lip.

"It's okay," he reassures, "I'm gonna help you."

You nod as he moves your panties aside with one hand. His fingers find your clit, your mouth dropping at the pleasure you experience from just his simple touch.

"Have you ever touched yourself before, hm?" He asks, rubbing light circles over your clit.

You shake your head. It's not a complete lie. You've tried, but you've just never been in the mood to do it. But right now, you sure are.

The feeling that you have is indescribable. You feel desperate, as if you are yearning to be touched. You can feel yourself practically dripping, your body feeling warmer and warmer by the second.

Chris fingers start to move faster, circling your clit even quicker. You throw your head back, letting out a light moan. His fingers dip down to your folds as he runs his index finger through, teasing your hole.

"Please, Chris." You beg, gripping onto his white plain t-shirt, staring at him with pleading eyes.

"You don't have to beg, okay?" He responds softly, entering his finger inside you, slowly.

Your eyes flutter shut at the feeling, gripping harder on the front of his shirt. He uses his middle finger only, moving in and out easily, before entering in his ring finger.

You grind your hips down on his fingers, basically riding them. The way you're feeling is like none other. Your feel filled just by his veiny fingers, and you can't help but wonder what his dick must feel like.

He moves faster, his fingers pumping in and out of you. Your moans keep dropping, incapable of keeping them in. His thumb reaches to your clit and he rubs small circles on it, and let out a loud whine, as the pleasure becomes more intense than it was a moment before.

You can feel a knot start to form in your stomach and you lay on his chest, moaning, and your eyes closed completely shut.

"You need'a cum, yeah?" He whispers down to you, his other hand petting your hair. "Tell me how you feel."

"I-I..feels like, good." You respond, unable to get words out as he moves his fingers and thumb, trying to make you come.

"I know, baby," he soothes, "just let it go."

As if on command, you can feel yourself 'let go', as if you released the knot if your stomach. The pleasure feels too much, so you hop off his lap, his fingers pulling out of you. You groan from the loss of contact with your legs lightly shaking as you sit back in the passenger seat.

He looks at you with a smirk on his face,

"God, I can't want to ruin you."

#chris sturniolo #chris sturniolo fluff #chris sturniolo imagine #chris sturniolo smut #christopher sturniolo #nick sturniolo #matt sturniolo smut #matt sturniolo #matt sturniolo fluff #matt sturniolo imagine #sturniolo triplets #sturniolo #chris sturniolo x reader #matt sturniolo x reader #nicolas sturniolo #sturniolo smut #sturniolo triplets fluff #sturniolo triplets imagine #the sturniolo triplets #the sturniolos #chris sturniolo x you #matthew sturniolo #nick sturniolo x reader

[venusloverblue]

Now I understand

Billy Hargrove x Reader

words count: 766

summary: You and Billy are dating, but you have doubts as to why he was interested in you.

warnings: fluff, fluff and fluff

a/n: Hii everyone, I bring you another one shot of Billy. I must say I'm not a fan, in fact I don't think I like what I wrote, but I upload it anyway because I like to be embarrassed. If you see any grammatical errors, don't be afraid to tell me, it helps me with my English. With that I say byeee.

The wind blowing in through the open window of the Camaro hits you in the face, and in the background you hear a rock song from a band that your boyfriend listens to. You don’t talk to each other, but that doesn’t make the atmosphere uncomfortable, in fact, the silences between you usually feel comfortable.

“Babe, there’s a party tonight at Tina’s house, I’m going with the guys, do you want me to pick you up and we can go together?”

Dating Billy, one of the most popular boys, brings that on. There’s always a party at night at one of the popular guys’ house. Ever since he came to Hawkins he became a high school sensation, all the boys wanted his friendship and all the girls wanted to have him in their beds, that part you always tried to ignore for their sake.

You still didn’t know how you had gotten someone like Billy interested in someone like you, a girl who tried to go as unnoticed as possible. You were not interested in being popular, the only thing you wanted was to have good grades so you could go to a good college with a full scholarship, that way you would not generate more expenses to your parents than they already had.

That’s why you never expected the bad boy to look for you all over school looking for a date because he was curious about you, at first you thought it was some kind of joke that was going to leave you in a bad light, with that in mind you decided to deny him that date causing Billy to look for every possible way to get your attention so he could get a date with you. To the surprise of many, he succeeded and took you on a date where he impressed you with how gentlemanly he was and made you rethink your opinion of him.

After several dates, he proposed if you wanted to be his girlfriend in his blue Camaro under a starry night getting you to say yes to his question.

“Love, are you there?” Billy’s voice pulls you out of your thoughts and brings you back to reality, where he asked you if you wanted to go to a party.

“Sorry, I was lost in my mind” You say to then answer the question he asked you at first. “I really don’t know Billy, next week I have a math test and you know I’m not very good at it.”

“I know, but this time you have to go to see me dethrone Harrigton from his throne.”

“Billy, you know how I feel about those things, they’re bullshit. Besides, I’ve already seen you dethrone Steve and the truth is that dragging you back to your car is not in my plans” With that the conversation ended because he had already parked at your house. You give him a kiss on the cheek and get out of the car, from his side there is no answer to your statement.

It is night time and you are in your room studying for your exam, you are listening to the music of David Bowie, one of your favorite artists. While you are about to turn pages in your study book you hear something knocking on your window, at first you think it’s some bird that crashed into your window, but after listening to it three more times you decide to see what it really was.

When you open the window you can’t believe what greets you, it’s Billy with his big smile, in his hand you could see some stones, with them he was trying to get your attention. You instantly went downstairs to open the back door of the kitchen, he comes in with a flirtatious smile that always left your legs shaking.

“What are you doing here? I thought you were going to Tina’s party to dethrone Steve” In your voice can be heard the surprise of finding him there at that moment.

“I planned to go, but with you. So here I am to have a fun night of study with my girl” He grabs your waist and brings his mouth to yours planting a kiss that causes the butterflies in your stomach to awaken.

At that moment you understood why Billy was interested in you, maybe others don’t understand it and it’s because they don’t feel it. When you kiss him the world around you disappears and you feel that Billy completes what you are missing. You assume he feels the same, so you keep kissing him.

#billy hargrove #billy hargrove x female reader #billy hargove x reader #billy hargrove fluff #billy hargrove imagine #stranger things fanfic #fanfic #fanfiction #ao3 writer #ao3 author #ao3fic #ao3 fanfic #taylor swift #tswiftedit #coquette #fashion #girlblogging #lana del rey #taylorswift #the eras tour #eras tour #lizzy grant #dacre montgomery

[jakes3resin]

Hmmm thinking thoughts about Modern Clegan Break Up Fight AU

Just the pair getting into a fight because Bucky wants to go public about their relationship, but Buck doesn't understand why. Their close friends know, and they know. Who else needs to know? Buck asks this, and Bucky says he wants everyone to know. He wants to do all the cheesy romance shit like meeting the parents and siblings and stuff. Bucky wants to go to parties or events with Buck as his date. He wants to go out on public dates where people see them and know. Buck says he likes their private dates, and he likes how they don't have to be a side show for the people they go to school with (university not high school).

They go back and forth until finally Bucky bursts out that he wants everyone to know because he doesn't want to be the one left behind anymore. Bucky's the good time guy, or so everyone who's ever hooked up with him or gone out with him has said. He's scared that Buck will eventually agree with them (like Buck ever would but Bucky is scared). So now he wants to prove to Gale that he's serious about this, serious about them.

But, Buck's scared in his own way. His dad's still in the picture, and he would rather die than let his shitty excuse for a father anywhere near Bucky. Because his dad is the type to show up and try to teach the boy dating his son a lesson. Except he doesn't say that to Bucky. He says John I don't want to go public with this.

Poor Bucky takes that the exact wrong way. Usually he can read Buck like the back of his hand, but right now he's too emotional and stuck in his own head. He can't see past the facade right now. They start to really argue, building off of each other's energy until finally Bucky says that he can't be with someone who feels like they have to hide being in love with him.

Bucky storms out saying they're over. Heads back to his apartment where he tries to calm down and breathe. He goes and drinks some water to calm down. Except he accidently slices his hand open dropping his water glass. He gets blood all over his bathroom trying to fix it. That's how Curt finds him.

Curt is Bucky's roommate. He wasn't even supposed to be there that weekend. He was actually supposed to be in a different state for a concert the next night, but he forgot his wallet and turned back around after only being on the road for an hour. He finds Bucky bleeding and crying his eyes out, telling himself that that's what he gets for trying to be more than a good time. Curt goes into lockdown mode cause that's bullshit. He cleans Bucky up, and when Bucky looks at him with bright teary eyes and says he and Buck broke up, it's heartbreaking. Bucky sniffles and says he doesn't know what to do because he can't face anyone after this. Curt stuffs Bucky into his car and books it. Bucky forgets his cellphone in the apartment in the rush to get out of there. He realizes it a few hours later when it's too late to turn back.

Buck, meanwhile, has had his panic attack and calmed down. He knows that neither of them were in a good place for that argument, and he gives Bucky some space (a few hours) before he shows up to try and talk to him again. Only Bucky isn't at his apartment, and when Buck can't find him at any of the parties or bars on campus or with their mutual friends, he starts to get scared. Bucky's phone goes straight to voicemail over and over again. Buck goes back and breaks in (uses the spare key Bucky gave him) only to stumble upon an apartment trashed and covered with blood. He freaks out and calls everyone he can think of. Everyone joins the search, and it turns into a whole thing.

Hospitals get called, and then the cops get called, who since they're college town cops are suitably useless. Buck spends the next three days thinking Bucky hurt himself or was hurt bad enough he can't make it to one of their friends or a hospital.

Bucky is having a lovely time by the way. He managed to get a ticket to the concert, maybe Curt had an extra, and it's a great band. He's still heartbroken, but sometimes you just have to scream along to some artist you only learned about yesterday cause it's better than crying. He and Curt end up so hungover the next day that they don't get on the road back to their university until it's super late. They don't tell anyone they got back in town and pass out not knowing everyone in their life thinks Bucky is missing.

Bucky shows up to classes the next day, and he doesn't understand why Brady loses his shit when he sees Bucky walking around campus like their entire friend group hasn't been losing their shit all weekend. Brady drags him away even though Bucky's whining about missing his morning class.

Big reunion scene back at Bucky's apartment where Buck breaks down in tears because he's just so fucking relieved Bucky is okay. They work through their shit, and Bucky has to promise never to go on anymore impromptu road trips.

#okay so i have disappeared after bad break ups so to me this isnt so out there #but also i know that doing so is not a normal or healthy response to breaking up with your so #do better than bucky and i folks #also curt blocked buck's number immediately after bucky said they broke up because buck didnt want to go public #he stands on principle also its so he could resist leaving death threats in Buck's inbox for making bucky doubt his worth #so thats why buck couldnt just call him and ask where bucky was #mota #masters of the air #buck x bucky #john bucky egan #gale buck cleven #clegan #john egan #gale cleven #is this dramatic? yeah but i enjoyed writing it so whatever

[powderblueblood]

YES, NURSE RATCHED - a hellfire & ice retelling of chapter eight's most pivotal moment, from eddie's pov

a special treat for my love @deadlynightshade-and-hyacinth eddie munson x f!reader, reader is nicknamed lacy, reader's last name is also mentioned, this is lore-filled and handsy so if that's not your thing keep it truckin, minors dni i do not like you go away warning for strong language, smut inthe form of public fingeringgggg, drug usage, extremely bad parenting (al munson klaxon), evoking the feeling of a comedown, billy hargrove gets his shit rocked, excuse all typos it's redacted o'clock and i'm a little buzzed word count: 2.6k

The first thing you should know about the following occurrences is that they are preluded by a whole lot of next thing Eddie knows. Things snapping his attention to the left, to the right, knocking him over the head, rearing up on him with little to no warning.

Number one? His dad showing up at Reefer Rick’s, eyes bloodshot and sleep deprived and frantic, putting on a pantomime of being so psyched to see his boy! Rick snapping to attention and falling into his role of affable associate of Munson Senior immediately, despite the apology he’d tried to press against Eddie right when Al crunched the gravel of his driveway. What followed was a bender that Eddie couldn’t help but give into. Al has that effect on people, even him, even Eddie in his angry, angsty resoluteness that he should know better. 

You try knowing better when you're all bewitched, bothered and bewildered and shit.

Cue cut lines and records blaring until daylight broke over Lover's Lake– then Eddie, rising at noon but barely landed from his previous (ill-advised and bad-parentally-supervised) high, got it in his head that he ought to show up for school. At least for a little bit. 

Because they’d tossed your last name around a little last night, Al and Rick. Doevski this, Doevski that, in weird, vague terms that Eddie didn’t all the way understand. And the more weed he smoked and the more Jim Beam that got passed around, the less he remembered.

Which, dumb, right?

You’d tell him that was dumb.

You’d tell him he should have stayed sharp, listened up, gathered information.

He passed out on Rick’s sagging couch, mind searing with nothing but thoughts of you nagging him for intel.

Eddie woke up cotton-mouthed with your name on his lips. 

He needed to see you.

To catch one of your avoidant, barely-there glances as you flit through the hallway or maybe even spy you smoking a cigarette on the outdoor bleachers, reading in silence with Ronnie or Wheeler.

He’d think of what to say to you in the moment; probably spurned on by the sneer you’d give him– which he’d totally have earned, for having the nerve to ignore you for so long. 

Forgive me, he'd say, hands held aloft in Christlike composure, I just couldn't look you in the eye knowing you were getting willingly boinked by some Ivy League sweater monkey.

And then you'd have to admit your little bullshit college boyfriend wasn't Ivy League, and he'd prod you with that for a while, and things would eventually ebb back to whatever shade of normal you two were pretending to be. So? Okay!

But.

Next thing Eddie knows, he’s peeling into the parking lot and the first thing that he sees, bada bing, is you. All however many feet of you, steel true and planted on the hood of Billy Hargrove’s fucking Camaro, wielding a baseball bat like a sword.  

Eddie’s heart stops for the full entirety of a what fresh hell is this filter-focused second before he skids the van to a halt and launches himself from it. 

He advances this helluva scene just in time to hear you holler out, right in front of God and everyone,

“One thing you can say for Eddie Munson, is at least the motherfucker can get hard!” 

Eddie’s tread stutters and he wonders if this is what people mean when they use the expression taken out at the knees. Can he get a fucking encore, please? 

But then there’s the issue of the rabies-ridden Hargrove, the kid who’s snorted so much of Eddie’s dubiously cut supply that it’s no wonder that word has gotten around that he can’t keep his johnson rigid. There’s a thread dangling somewhere that makes Eddie wonder how familiar you are with that concept but. Alas. Digression. 

Hargrove calls you a cunt, and Eddie’s vision is replaced with a swathe of red. 

How ‘bout you try playing it cool, hearing someone talk to your girl like that, after a night of fun family drug-taking? 

Wait. His what? Hold on--

Next thing Eddie knows, he’s side-swiping Hargrove like a dirty bumper car, yak yaks something kind of funny (he hopes) and does not turn to look at you standing backlit like a holy fucking statue. Because he knows you’ll look beautiful up there, white hot with rage, holding a weapon poised for minor automotive destruction. He can’t handle beauty, not right now. Because of that thing from before with his knees. 

“...now her snooty ass is spreading it for half of Hawkins! Desperate! Stringin’ you along like the dumb piece of shortbus shit you a–”

It’s impossible to say whose hair trigger that tugged first, yours or Eddie’s. That’s like chicken vs egg. That’s like Han vs Greedo. That’s like, irrelevant. 

That baseball bat clatters to the pavement, a hearty overture to Eddie’s surge of empowerment, of rage, of insisting that she isn’t, I’m not, she isn’t, I’m not, nobody talks about her like that–

Next thing Eddie knows, he’s sitting beside you. Outside the principal’s office. Hand split open and aching, nose backed up and a little bleeding, coming down like the fucking Hindenberg. Reckoning with the fact that he wouldn’t need to be a little morning-after zipped on coke to throw a punch for you, if it came down to it. If it came down to it, he would have tried caving in Billy Hargrove’s other eye socket. He would have made him look like the Elephant Man if you needed him to. 

He liked that Eraserhead movie you made him watch. 

“He needs an ice pack…”

The soft mumble from you makes Eddie take this breath that makes his chest feel like it might concave. You, you. Reckless, unbuttoned, unlaced, off-kilter you, that still had time to snap at him after he’d tried to freeze you out, that still had eyes that asked him did it hurt? 

Eddie eavesdrops on as much of your grilling with Higgins and the hot guidance counsellor as his damaged eardrums will allow. Temporary insanity. Disgusting prank. He wonders what that’s about… and again, didn’t even think to question what brought you onto the hood of Hargrove’s car. He just saw you. He just acted.

He just keeps doing that. 

And then he hears. College. Application deadlines are within touching distance. 

“I can turn this around.”

Of course. Eddie hadn’t even thought about that, because he’s him. And it was something you were probably worrying yourself sick over, because you’re you– you wanted out of here. To get up, go, be someone great.

“New York, ideally,” you’d said to him once, tightrope walking across the broken bleachers outside; you’d been waiting around for him to give you a ride home, but he had a deal to make first. You were weirdly patient, weirdly pensive that day. “Someplace I can go and burrow in and absorb everything and grow out of a crack in the sidewalk, new.” 

Eddie’d held your hand, helping you step over a gap in the bench, “Not taking Manhattan by storm? Hurricane Lacy?” 

You–and he remembered this–had held onto his hand for a few more minutes, a cigarette dwindling in the other. Your fingers were cold; they clutched at his a little tighter when you spoke again. 

“No. Not Manhattan, not midtown, not big business. I have precipitated a change in my weathervane.”

“What does that mean?”

“Means that someone taught me the difference between being important and being significant.” 

Back in the room. Eddie drawls out some stupid crack to Higgins, who he’s still supplying with enough benzos to take out Jonestown a second time, which is the only reason he hasn’t been booted out of Hawkins High for absolute and final good. And then you’re alone again, the two of you. Together. 

“Wanna get out of here?”

Next thing Eddie knows, he’s spending the last of his energy like it’s burning a hole in his pocket, horsing around on the nurse’s saddle stool while you rifle through her office. You are all edgy and commanding because you have no idea how to say sorry you got wailed on by Hargrove for me.

Good. He likes you better like this, at least for right now. Likes to watch you attempt to pirouette on the razor’s edge of your relationship to one another, mostly because your attempt is more graceful and easier to watch than his is. And he likes to watch you. Watch you do anything, really. 

Watch you snap at him to get on the bed. Fuck. 

Watch you tear and dab at his busted knuckles. Fuckfuck. 

Watch you talk about Cat People and press his hand to his chest and tell him he’s injured and wrong and watch you watch searing, singing alcohol on his split lip dry up. Eddie watches your eyes brighten and darken with curious affection, like those twinkle lights that fade in and out, steady as breathing. His breathing is anything but steady. His knees have come apart, letting you stand between them.

You dab and he lets this broken sound loose from him, because the proximity of your body to his feels like a fresh fucking spring breeze and god, god, the way you’re touching him with such gentle, measured movements, like you’ve choreographed every one–

You’re so exact. You’re so organized. He wants to unexact you.

Eddie uses his good hand, not that either of them are really any good, and presses as much of you into him as he can. The flush of your front, the flush of your mouth, he even has to stop those shorn denim-sheathed legs of his from wrapping around your hips. Eddie’s grip, it travels, hitching tweed up the curve of your ass. 

You don’t push him away like he figured you might, you don’t indignantly demand what is going on?! You don’t. You weave your hand up the line of his thigh, to the hard edge of his crotch where he is straining, a rigidity that’s been building since you went all Nurse Ratched on him. 

A rigidity that’s hard to keep down around you, badum-tsssss. 

Fuck.

Eddie almost knocks the word loose with a low groan that’s pressed into the supple flesh of your cheek, your lovely blushing fucking cheek, a cheek he goes to kiss or bite or something but misses by a hair because you’re straining your neck back. To look at him. Not soberly, he hopes. 

Someone down there is wishing him death by dick.

Not the wettest, wildest, filthiest dreams that he’s had about you (and categorically, there have been many) could have prepared Eddie Munson from the earth-shattering consequences of this tiny gesture. Your tongue, perfect and pink, darts to his lip, stinging and sore and comes away with the tiniest drop of ruby-red blood sitting on its tip. 

And you suck his bottom lip between yours, eyes fluttering closed.

Eddie’s cock jumps as his heart does, not a second out of time, as you clamber up, into his lap– so completely un-Lacylike, so totally… unexact. How, in all the vastness of Heaven and earth and Middle Earth and Hell and the Bookstore and the closet and his bedroom and the van could he be so fucking stupid?

“Just friends, right?” Eddie is deaf to how pained it comes out sounding.

His good hand travels. He finds your thighs, the softness there giving way to easy indents for his fingers and he knows, he knows that this is where his hands should be–unless, higher could be good? Higher, high up past those offending, incriminating lace top stockings that drilled through Eddie’s mind like an ice pick, giving him whatever the opposite of a lobotomy is. Haunting him with a fervour, begging him to snap them, but there’s no fucking time for that, god it hurts but there’s no fucking time for that because you. Two. Are. In. The fucking. Nurse’s. Office. 

But the world has ceased turning. 

Eddie’s mouth opens in a silent attempt at a moan as his fingers push past to the beating, radiating core of you that the throbbing, radiating core of him longs for. 

You’re so wet, and soft and lush and it rings through is head like a fucking hallelujah, you’re wet, you’re wet for him.

More than anything, he needs your encouragement–he needs to know that you want him to keep going. That you want him, that you want him, that–

You nod, frantic and undone, and Eddie kisses you for it just before he realizes he has no idea what he’s doing. But nothing in his body tells him to zoom out–in fact, the only thing he wants is more in. More you, more of you wrapped around him. He moves his hands with a clumsiness usually uncharacteristic of him, fucking guitar guy, fucking painting miniatures and shit guy. But it works, according to you and the way you keen against him with your beautiful, spit-shining lips parted and pulling against his. 

These little noises, chirps and swallowed moans of yours– it’s like music. He wants to choke on them.

Eddie’s voice kind of cracks open again, letting a little air and a touch of begging out. He strains, pained, cock aching against the hitch of denim. “Does he do this? Does anyone do this for you, Lacy?”

Because you’re lonely, and Eddie knows that, with his fingers stroking you deep. You’re lonely, or would be, were it not for him. And it feels like now, in the heady swirl of these few moments that are stretched into an infinity, that he’s using it against you, but he’s not. He should be the one doing this for you, he should be the one making you feel this way, making you tremble even as he clumsily thumbs at your clit, because he thinks knows you and he thinks you want it unmeasured and unshackled and washing over you in a wave of sheer blind devotion and that’s why his tongue is all over your neck. 

That’s why his knuckles are split. 

That’s why there’s no malice in Eddie’s voice when he croaks, “Just friends? Lacy?” as you rock and spasm, hands clutching him around the shoulder and whimpers barely deadened against his lips. He can feel the texture of your pinched brow against his own. 

He wants to clutch you as close as he possibly can, but he’s got one good arm and it’s between your legs.

Between your legs. Jesus fucking Christ. 

Sobriety hits like a tidal wave as your breath returns to its normal rhythm; Eddie’s doesn’t quite have the same rebound. He’s still huffing a little, out of exertion or out of nerves, as he slips his hand out from under you, brushing what was off on his jeans. A small patch of his own bodily fluid collected there too, making sure he’s wearing the both of you like Hester Prynne’s scarlet letter as he walks around for the rest of the day. 

Eddie, throat starting to tighten up, pulls you in for one kiss, to give you one last taste of where he’d been split open for you. Melodrama dances around it; shades of we shouldn’t have, but we did, but we can’t, but now I have to fucking live with the fact I cracked open this Pandora’s box and I’m sorry. 

Or something to that effect. 

And you see right through him, because you always do. Hair in a muss, lips flushed, adjusting your skirt, re-exacting yourself, you clean up any evidence that this had ever happened. At least, on a surface level. 

Eddie dares to look at you once more, and you dare to look back at him. And thank god he’s sitting down, because that look shoots him right through the fucking aorta. You, wide-eyed and small-looking, pupils darting and unsure, are asking him why. Pleading with him, why. Why do this. Why now. Why at all, ever, why did you have to. Even though you know. 

“I–”

“No, I know. I know. I certainly know.”

Because you’re Lacy. You know everything. 

Eddie does think about going after you for a second, after your curt nod and dash through the door but he knows that it’s a zero-sum game. He has nothing good to say. It’s not even you that’s rendered him speechless– funny thing, you usually do the opposite. You always give him something to say. He just has nothing good to say. Nothing worthy of you. 

So he sits there, on the examination table, waiting for the mythical Nurse Lydia to tend to his wounds. 

First he’ll will himself soft, then he’ll will himself sane. 

Famous last words.

#published by powder #e. munson by powder #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x f!reader #eddie munson x you #eddie munson x oc #eddie munson fic #blurbs #edlacy #hai brainrot #this actually helped me crack a little thing i've been stuck on in chap 9 so thank you for that!!! #Spotify #l. doevski by powder

[porcelainseashore]

Teenage Headache Dreams (2)

Series Masterlist

Pairing: High School! College! Leon Kennedy x Dancer! Fem! Reader

Summary: You’re a bored, but ambitious high school student who can’t wait to escape small town life and make it in the big city. You thought you had it all figured out, until you unwittingly befriend the resident golden boy, Leon. A series of events beginning from junior year to college until Resident Evil 2 Remake.

Warnings: 18+ Swearing, Recreational Drug Use, Eventual Smut, No (Y/N), Ambiguous/Open Ending

Content: High School AU, College AU, Pre-Resident Evil 2, Fluff, Romance, Cliche, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Lack of Communication

Author's Note: Cliché alert and mostly fluff in this chapter! There’s been a mini time skip, but I wanted to show that Reader x Leon became fast friends in the meantime and are relatively comfortable with each other. I made Leon a lot cheekier this round, but I feel like he uses mischief to mask his true feelings.

AO3 Link

Chapter 2: More Than Meets the Eye

The first couple of weeks of the new term had already flown by and managing your tight schedule of school work, actual work, dance and cheer practice left you with literally no time for anything else. Sighing as you yanked open your locker to retrieve your school books, a familiar figure popped up at your side, slouching against the metallic compartments with a loud thud.

Without even turning your head in its direction, you already knew who it was. “Hey, loser,” you called out, smiling inside.

“Hey, yourself,” came his gruff reply.

As you finally faced the culprit, you and Leon laughed at each other’s greetings.

“So, since it’s a Friday, wanna hang out and watch something tonight?”

Both of you had been almost inseparable until school started, and that’s when you guiltily kept postponing your regular meetups in favor of working on your future goals.

“Uh… I don’t think I can.” You rubbed the back of your neck sheepishly. “I seriously need to get some studying time in and I have cheer practice after school.”

“What was that again?” He put a hand to his ear, listening for something non-existent and pausing for dramatic effect. “All I heard were excuses.”

“Hey-”

“Come on, relax.” Placing his hand on your shoulder, he gave it a tiny squeeze. “School’s only just started. You’re gonna burn out if you keep going like this.”

“Leon…” It came out a lot whinier than you intended.

His eyes widened as you caught a brief glimpse of something devilish in them. You knew it was too late to stop the bullshit that would come out of that filthy mouth any second now. 

“Mm, say it like that again.” Ah, there it is.

Groaning internally, you smacked his hand off your shoulder playfully. “Ugh, you know there’s no way-” 

You turned your head around, checking behind you before lowering your voice. “-I’ll ever get outta here, if I don’t push myself from the start.”

He straightened up a little as he considered your words. “You hate this place that much, huh?”

“You think?” It came out almost as a whisper.

“Shame,” he muttered. “Well, tell you what,” he glanced quickly to the side before looking back at you. “Since you’re so damn keen on this study session, we could do that and then grab some burgers after. Maybe even a movie. How’s that sound?” He puffed his chest and looked almost victorious, as though he knew it was an offer you couldn’t back out of.

Fuck Leon and his persistence. “Yeah, fine,” you grumbled as you shut your locker in defeat.

Once again, that smug grin flashed across his face. “Great, so uh, see you at 5?”

“Mm hm, library,” you nodded reluctantly.

“By the way, your girl gang is here,” he motioned with his head in the direction behind you. “Guess that’s my cue to leave.” Before you could respond, he had already walked ten paces away.

Nobody likes gossip. Ever since you had started hanging out with Leon, people talked and they assumed many things. How far the rumors reached, you didn’t know, but you didn’t want to ruin things between the two of you. You cursed small town gossip under your breath. This was probably one of the few genuine friendships you had, so you tried to keep things as lowkey as possible. Thankfully, Leon agreed to play along. For now.

You tightened your grip on your books as you spun around, plastering a bright smile across your face as you greeted your teammates, who were still sporting tans from their holidays and bubbly chatting with each other.

“Hey, babe,” Kayla, the cheer captain, moved in to give you a quick hug. You caught a whiff of her tropical-scented, coconut vanilla perfume. “So where did your boy run off to?” She winked, giving you a side smile. The other girls around her immediately broke out in hushed whispers.

There wasn’t anything malicious about her question. In fact, your teammates were nice enough, but they could be rather superficial and nosey. You tried to downplay it with a look of confusion in your eyes, shaking your head as you remarked, “He’s just a study partner, Kayla.”

Some giggles broke out and your ears burned. Great, they didn’t buy that a single bit. Defending yourself would just raise more suspicion, so you unhappily resigned yourself to the fact that you were probably doomed for the rest of the term.

“Yeah, whatever.” Kayla waved her hand dismissively. “Was about time anyway, and he’s quite the catch.” She licked her lips suggestively, but quickly added, “Not as good as mine though.” Of course, her obnoxious football boyfriend. You tried to hide your grimace. 

Flipping her shiny, raven-colored locks, she continued, “Still, very cute. I approve.”

Your mouth ran dry. Why couldn’t they just mind their own business? You swallowed your anger as you tried to change the subject. “Um, cheer practice at 3, right?”

She snickered, seeing right through your act. “Yeah, same as always.” She turned to leave, wiggling her fingers as a form of goodbye. “Oh, and you’re leading warm-ups today. Ciao, babe.”

You could hear audible groans coming from the rest of the team as they trudged off with Kayla. They definitely weren’t looking forward to your intense warm-up session, but to you, warmer bodies meant lesser injury risk and better preparation for stunts and routines. Pursing your lips at the less-than-ideal conversation you just had, you tried to shove it to the back of your mind as you hurried off to class.

━━━━━━━━━━━

As you flung open the double doors leading to the school’s indoor gym, you were greeted by the unfamiliar sight of another group you didn’t exactly recognize next to your cheer team. It seemed like Kayla was speaking to their coach, as she nodded a bit too enthusiastically - a nervous habit she displayed when she was irritated but didn’t want to show it. Slowly, you inched closer to listen in on their conversation.

“There must have been a double booking-”

“I’ll sort this out with the admin right now,” Kayla offered.

“It’s just going to eat into practice time. Anyway, this lot won’t need much space today. Functional training.” He sucked his teeth and gestured towards the group. That’s when you spotted Leon, sitting at the side with his arms across his lap, chatting merrily with another girl on his team.

Just my luck, you sighed, folding your arms as the coach continued, “I’m sure you girls won’t mind sharing?”

You saw Kayla clenching and unclenching her fists as she hesitantly agreed to the proposal. With that, she spun around and called out shrilly, “Ladies! We’ve gotta share the space. We’re taking this half.” She drew an imaginary line with her arms as if to stake her claim, before brushing past you seething, “They always think they can sideline us, like we’re not important.”

At this point, Leon made eye contact and waved over. The girl beside him suppressed a laugh and you weren’t sure whether she was embarrassed or making fun of you. Furrowing your brows, you gave a hasty, lopsided smile before heading over to your side of the gym, making a mental note to question Leon about that exchange later.

Wasting no time for further pleasantries, you proceeded to blast your high-energy mixtape on the cassette player as loudly as possible, secretly smirking as you heard the coach swear under his breath at the intrusion.

“Ok, everyone! Let’s get those heart rates up!” You hollered, running through the exercises as they copied you dutifully, breaking out in a sweat and panting furiously. 

Your eyes filtered through the crowd, checking for anything they could improve on, as you continued calling out prompts. “You can lift your legs higher than that!” Hm, that sounded rather… You ignored that prickly feeling at the back of your throat and continued, “Face up, not to the floor!”

When it came to the stretching section and the music toned down, you suddenly heard the unmistakable yell of a reprimand being given from the other end of the room. “Kennedy! You can stare at girls after training!”

Wait, what? Your head darted in the direction of the bellowing. Sure enough, you saw the coach glaring at Leon, who seemed pretty flustered as he denied the accusations with a feeble “I wasn’t!”, which was met with roars of laughter.

Really, Leon? Getting distracted by a bunch of cheerleaders? You were oblivious to what actually happened there and decided to pay no more attention to it. Instead, it was time to go through the routine and fortunately you were relatively decent at compartmentalizing.

“Alright, a few things I wanted to point out,” you began. “This part’s looking good, but it would start off even more amazing, if you frame your body like this.” Adjusting your shoulders with your arms slightly back, profile tilted a smidge upwards, you angled yourself in a semi-diagonal position, shifting your weight towards one leg as you lengthened the other for the prep stance. The other cheerleaders shuffled around, attempting to imitate what you showed.

Kayla motioned for you to demonstrate the full sequence before she took over and you obliged. “Ok, watch me.” You danced through the routine dynamically, hitting all the accents and flowing through the softer parts more sensually. Whipping your hair around as you transitioned from a body wave into a hip roll, you swung the pom poms above your head at the same time and trailed them across your body.

It all seemed to happen in a haze, but after coming out of the next spin, you somehow ended up holding a gaze with those same piercing blue eyes that had caused you so much trouble today. They widened and flickered, but didn’t break away for what felt like an eternity, until-

“Leon Scott Kennedy! I swear to god!”

Uh oh.

“You either train, or you can leave!”

Leon’s cheeks flushed bright red as he bit his lip, stammering, “Sorry coach, won’t happen again.”

You’d never seen Leon get this unnerved, which concerned you. He emanated a natural sense of confidence and was usually laid-back to the point where nothing could ruffle him. In any case, you were also sure as hell everyone heard and saw that commotion, especially since a number of students were now looking between him and you, mumbling to each other.

Nothing could beat the relief you felt when Kayla took over your position, as you stepped away from the center to join the rest of your team. Just when you thought you were in the clear, one of your teammates scooted over to you, whispering seductively in your ear, “Ooh he definitely enjoyed the show you put on.”

━━━━━━━━━━━

The minute practice ended, you bolted straight for the restroom, just so you didn’t have to deal with anyone else for the time being. Hiding in one of the cubicles for a good 10 minutes until you could hear the last footsteps trickle out of the hallway, you unlocked the door and stumbled over to the wash basin, splashing cold water on your face. Checking yourself one last time in the mirror to make sure you looked presentable, you inhaled a deep breath before exiting and making your way towards the library.

From afar, you could see Leon waiting patiently outside of it, as though he fully trusted that you would still show up after that little stunt he pulled earlier. Walking gingerly towards him, you cleared your throat.

“Oh, hey. So… what’re we studying today?” He asked casually, while browsing through his pile of books, as if nothing had happened.

“Math. Definitely Math,” you concluded, also pretending to ignore the white elephant in the room. “If that’s ok with you?”

“Sure, I suck at it. So why not?”

The study session went by rather sluggishly and uneventfully, with both of you going through equations after equations and figuring out the logic together. It was a wonder you could concentrate at all with the events of the day playing back in your mind like a broken record. 

You were thankful for Leon’s earlier suggestion of burgers when it was time to pack up to leave. He gave you a knowing smile when your stomach growled and you placed a hand over your belly instinctively, as you cast back a self-conscious glance. It seemed like he had thought of everything again, where you often had trouble remembering your own basic needs when you were lost in your schoolwork.

Both of you plopped down on the cushy, retro red seats opposite each other in a booth at the only diner in town, getting in your orders as quickly as possible. You suspected that he was just as famished as you, but trying his best not to show it. During the waiting time, the two of you caught up with and exchanged news on all the goings-on of the past weeks.

When your orders finally arrived, you snatched up your burger, devouring large chunks of it, while Leon looked on amused as he bit into his.

“Wuhhff?” You managed to cough out with your mouth stuffed with food.

Almost instantly, he mimicked your reaction, resulting in a fry being thrown in his direction, as he ducked to avoid it while snickering.

“Here, you got some sauce on your chin.” He reached out with a paper napkin, gently wiping it away, as his bright blue eyes bore into yours. That prickly sensation you felt earlier in the school gym started to bloom again, as you squeezed your eyes shut and cleared your throat. “Is it gone now?”

“Uh… y-yeah.” 

Fluttering your eyes open, you caught sight of him looking down at his plate, suddenly completely engrossed with his meal, as he chucked the used napkin to the side. You were quite certain you spotted a pink tinge dusting his cheeks while he slowly chewed his food.

The table grew silent as you muttered a quick, “Thanks.”

Giving it a few minutes before you attempted any form of conversation, you casually decided to bring up the topic you had both been avoiding till now.

“So…” you breathed, testing the waters.

“So…?” Leon questioned, raising an eyebrow, still munching the last bits of his burger.

“At the gym. What was that all about?” You picked at your fries nervously, as you felt a rush of adrenaline coursing through your body in anticipation of an answer.

“What do you mean?”

Ugh. He’s deflecting again. But you weren’t about to let this go so easily. “Don’t play dumb, Kennedy.”

Leon paused, and you could see the wheels turning in his head as he considered his words carefully. It only took a moment for his face to light up as if he hit the jackpot. “I got distracted, that’s all.” His signature smirk broke out across his lips, before adding, “By you.”

The boldness of his answer caught you by surprise, as you choked on your food. Patting your chest, you gulped down some water before sputtering, “Excuse me?”

All at once, he was back to his usual, composed self, as he remarked, “You dance really well. Can’t I admire that?”

“Um… y-yeah, I guess.” You weren’t sure how to respond. Coming from a background where dance teachers often gave you tough love and criticisms in an effort to spur you on, you never really learnt how to accept compliments.

“A ‘thanks’ would be nice.” 

Clenching your jaw, you wished you could wipe that stupid smirk off his face. Trying to approach it from a different angle, you blurted out, “But, people talk.”

Leaning back against his seat and placing his hands behind his head, Leon seemed unfazed. “So let them talk.” Noticing your frown, he continued, “What’s wrong if they think we’re dating? Am I really that bad to be with?” He mentioned it as if it was the most normal thing to say in conversation between two friends, and the worst thing was that you didn’t know how to counter that.

“No, you’re gre-,” you quickly corrected yourself. “I mean, you’re fine.” Sighing, you explained, “I just don’t want things to be awkward between us.”

His gaze softened as he reassured you, “It won’t, trust me.”

Since he was that calm about it, you decided not to pursue it any further. Maybe you were thinking too much into things. However, another question popped up in your mind. “Who was the girl you were speaking with back there?”

He propped himself up again, a little taken aback by the quick change of topic. “Oh, you mean Val? Yeah, we sometimes participate in relays together. She can be a real handful though.”

“She seemed to find me amusing,” you pointed out.

“Really? I didn’t notice,” he shrugged and scoffed down the remainder of his fries. You searched his eyes to detect if he was messing with you, but couldn’t find anything of the sort. “I told her about you.”

Well, that explains it. Crossing your arms, you prepared to release an earful until you were interrupted by the grinning idiot in front of you. “Do I even want to know-”

“I said…” He drifted off, taking his time to sip his soda, leaving you hanging on purpose. You subconsciously leaned in closer as your patience started to wear thin. He lowered his voice, presumably to utter something serious. “You’re the coolest kid I met over summer.”

“You’re such a dork!” You exclaimed, as you punched his arm lightly from across where you sat.

“Ouch! And here I am baring my soul to you.” He rubbed his arm melodramatically and feigned a hurt expression on his face, which only served to encourage you to taunt and play fight with him further.

Sometimes he could be so infuriating. But funnily enough, that was part of what drew you to him in the first place. 

━━━━━━━━━━━

It turned out that Leon had rented some VHS tapes from Blockbuster, so you had the choice of either heading to the local cinema for a late night screening or watching a movie from the comfort of his home. Naturally, you picked the latter. Going to the cinema together would seem too “date night”-like and you had endured more than enough gossip that day to last a lifetime.

You greeted his parents as they kindly let you and Leon hog the living room TV. Before heading upstairs to their bedroom, they gave a half-hearted reminder not to stay up too late, that they knew would go unheeded. They were friendly and way more relaxed than your parents, so much so you preferred hanging out at Leon’s place over yours.

After making some hot chocolate, you settled onto the couch as Leon popped the tape into the video player. Relaxing into the cozy atmosphere, you hugged the warm blanket he offered you and savored the steaming drink between your hands.

Unfortunately, the day’s events probably caught up to you, as your eyelids grew heavier as time went by and you were fighting a losing battle to keep them open. At some point, you must have drifted off to sleep and then accidentally used Leon as a makeshift pillow. He swallowed thickly, as you curled up beside him, resting your head against his shoulder and nuzzling his neck, completely unaware. His heart was pounding so hard in his chest that he was afraid he would wake you. Something made him instinctively wrap his arm around you, even though his mind was screaming to do the exact opposite. This is just gonna make things worse, he sighed, but he didn’t feel the urge to remove it and maybe he could get away without you knowing. So he let you sleep soundly until the credits ran.

“Hey.” He called out softly, as you stirred. “The movie’s over now.”

Blinking groggily, your vision was still blurry as you tried to make out where you were. You weren’t sure if you felt an arm around you or just the back of the couch, as you rubbed your eyes.

“You fell asleep,” he explained, as he let you go and tried to shift away from you as stealthily as possible, hoping you wouldn’t recall the previous position you were in.

“Hm?” You stretched your arms out, yawning lazily as you scratched your head. “Uh, what time is it?”

“Just past midnight.”

You jerked upwards, startled. “Shit, so late?” Your face swung in his direction. “You didn’t wake me?”

He bit his bottom lip, eyeing you apologetically. “You looked like you needed the rest. I didn’t want to disturb you.”

You buried your face into the bunched up blanket on top of your knees, groaning, “Ugh, my parents are going to kill me.”

That drew a faint laugh from him. “Don’t worry, I took care of it.”

You turned towards him with a puzzled look.

“I called them before-” he stopped himself abruptly, as you noticed him tense up.

“Before what?” You questioned out of confusion.

“Nothing.” He shifted uncomfortably in his seat and refused to meet your gaze.

You narrowed your eyes at him, trying to figure out if something out of the ordinary had happened. It started off as a vague recollection of falling asleep, maybe leaning against something and the smell of fresh citrus and musk… which smells exactly like- Oh god, no. Your stomach dropped. The realization that you had snuggled with Leon in your sleep dawned on you and your head was whirling.

At this point, Leon knew you had worked out what happened, so he did the only thing he could do in such a situation. “Man, you were heavy.” 

That snapped you out of it and earned him a slap to his chest. “It was a joke, jeez!” He raised both hands up in defense and quickly moved to a different topic, “Anyway, as I was saying, your parents told me to walk you home when you woke up.”

“Oh… thanks,” you shook your head and sighed. “Sorry to put you through the trouble.”

He waved it off. “It’s really no big deal. I’m just glad I finally got to hang out with you again.”

“Yeah, me too,” you admitted. “This was nice.”

As you got up from the couch to prepare to leave, it seemed like Leon had another idea. Grabbing your wrist, he coaxed, “And?”

You knew what he meant and nodded in agreement. “And… I promise I’ll make time for this in the future.” A random thought flashed across your mind as you grinned cheekily. You had to get him back after all his teasing. “How about…”

“I’m listening,” he mentioned with a hint of suspicion in his voice.

“...we meet for more study sessions?”

It was his turn to groan, as you giggled uncontrollably. “That’s such a cop-out!” He responded accusingly. 

Placing your hands on his shoulders and bending down to meet him at eye level, you pleaded, “Come on, we could do something fun after too?”

Rolling his eyes, he rebutted, “You’re kinda driving a hard bargain here.”

You weren’t ashamed to play dirty though, so you turned on the best doe eyes you could muster, and insisted, “Please?” You knew he was a lost cause now.

“Damn it, that’s not fair,” he grumbled, though he eventually gave in. “Ok fine, but only if fun’s a guarantee.”

“Deal.” With that, you took his hand in yours, giving it a firm handshake.

#leon kennedy x reader #leon kennedy x you #leon kennedy #leon kennedy fluff #leon kennedy smut #high school au #college au #re2 leon #re2 remake #resident evil 2 #resident evil #porcelainscribbles

[tzyuki]

[ 박성훈 ] THE WAY THINGS GO ꒰ P.SH x F!READER

003. coolest girl | smau + written (947 wrds)

IN WHICH ✶ — y/n returns to korea after three years of college due to her grandmother being too sick and unable to care for herself. she transfers to hybe university for her senior year, bumping into a bunch of her old school friends. but once she bumps into her best friend of 7 years she’s unrecognizable to him due to the fact they haven’t seen nor talked to each other in 4 years. she can’t remember how to say his name to call out for him, or even remember how many moles he had on his face.

“WOOOO!” Y/n clapped and cheered as the home team scored. “Do you always go to school games?” Y/n asked Chaewon. “Not always, when Sunghoon played hockey his freshman year I went to a lot of them but when we drifted apart we stopped talking and he quit.” Chaewon said as she nodded her head.

“He played? I didn’t know he played hockey.” Y/n’s eyebrow furrowed. “He was just fooling around on the rink and the coach saw him…it was when the year just started and you had left for America. He started to skate again because he “was bored” I called bullshit.” Chaewon did finger quotations.

Sunghoon grew up figure skating. Y/n was always there to watch his routines and practices, but when Y/n started to take an interest in dance she convinced Sunghoon to try it to help with his technique. He ended up falling in love with dancing. It was a hard decision for him to make, but with Y/n there with him he enjoyed it. For college, Sunghoon would take up Dance…and Y/n would take up Music Performance…all the way across the world.

He did hockey because at least he’d still be on ice, just not doing beautiful routines. Instead fighting for a puck with a team of other guys. In a way, it was his coping mechanism, because with dance it was Y/n’s and his thing. With ice skating, it was his own thing. On the rink, all he could focus on was winning. On stage, all he could think of was dancing with her.

“Oh,” Y/n’s face faltered. “So he stopped skating completely now?” Y/n loved Sunghoon’s dancing skills, she was happy he found a new interest in dance of course, but skating was what made her like him so much…it’s where she saw the truest form of him.

“Yeah, he mainly dances now.” Chaewon put her attention back to the game before suddenly bringing her head back to Y/n. “Oh! he does the holiday festivals so you’ll definitely see him every time you guys have a performance.”

“Sometimes they even dance to a live band, maybe they’ll ask you to play the guitar for them.”

Y/n thought about how that’d be. Y/n playing the guitar on stage whilst Sunghoon dances to it, it’d be amazing.

—

“Do you want to go to the after party?” Chaewon asked as the two walked down the stadium stairs. “There’s an after party?” Y/n asked. “Yeah, almost every win they get there’s an after party. It’s at the team's house.”

“Do we have to be invited?” Y/n and Chaewon tried their best to stick close to each other, worried they’d get separated. “No, the guys are chill. Everyone’s welcome…” Chaewon was sticking her head out everywhere, trying to find a certain someone.

Suddenly someone bumped into the back of them. “Shit—Sorry!” The boy gasped. “Chaewon! You haven’t been to one of our games in a while, last year you only went to two.” The boy slightly pouted.

“Hi, you must be the transfer girl.” The boy stuck his hand out to Y/n. “I’m Ej,” He shook the girl's hand with excitement. “I’m Y/n.” Y/n smiled at Ej.

“Are you guys going to the after party?” Nicholas asked the two. Y/n could tell Chaewon was screaming on the inside. “Yeah, we’re going.” Chaewon said in the most cool way she could.

“Cool, I’ll see you there.” Nicholas said, looking directly at Chaewon.

Y/n shoved her phone into her back pocket, taking a few deep breaths as she walked to Sunghoon. The boy looked frantically to Heeseung, who was clearly high…and not helping the latter.

“Sunghoon, hi!” Y/n said, in a calm tone. “Hi…Y/n!” Sunghoon tried to act a little confused and dumb. “Sunghoon…do you really not know or are you just playing around?” Y/n asked.

At first she thought Sunghoon was just being kind, waving to the new girl with no idea who she was. But for the past three weeks has he still not recognized the girl he had been saying hi to?

“It’s me, Y/n. Baek Y/n.” Y/n said, a little hurt was heard in her voice. “Oh, yeah. I know!” Sunghoon said, clearly acting cool.

“Oh. Okay—uhm. I’ll see you around then…I guess.” Y/n’s voice faltered a little. She didn’t know Sunghoon would be so nonchalant about her return.

She walked through bodies trying to find where she had left Chaewon, saying “Sorry” here and there.

“Sorry.” Y/n said as she bumped into this guy's shoulder. “Y/n! Hey!” Jay grabbed her shoulder, recognizing the girl. “I heard you were back, I haven’t seen you around campus so I didn’t get the chance to welcome you back!”

“I miss you.” Jay dragged out as he hugged the girl, picking her off her feet a little.

“Jake! This is Y/n! She’s the coolest girl I knew in high school!” Jay shouted as he gently shook the girl as he had his arm around her.

“Hi, I’m Jake!” Y/n noticed his heavy accent. “Hi, I’m Y/n.” Y/n smiled at the boy.

“How are you? It's been like what—five years? I miss you man!” Jay asked. “I’m glad someone missed me.” Y/n joked.

“Oh, Sunghoon? Don’t worry about him, he’s just trying to play it cool. When he realized who you were he freaked out…don’t tell him I told you that.” He whispered the last part into her ear.

“Okay, got it.” Y/n laughed. She had missed the presence of her old friends.

—

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#enhypen fluff #enhypen #enhypen scenarios #enhypen x reader #sunghoon smau #sunghoon x you #sunghoon social media au #enhypen sunghoon #sunghoon fluff #sunghoon x reader #sunghoon oneshots #sunghoon scenarios #sunghoon angst #enhypen fic

[maaarshieee]

⎯⎯ ୨ This Guy's In love With You Pare ୧ ⎯⎯

ੈ♡˳ Alhaitham x Male!Reader *ೃ༄

ੈ♡˳ 6.9k words ┊ Fluff + Crack + Hurt/comfort *ೃ༄

ੈ♡˳ Masterlist *ೃ༄

author's note ˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚

written as part of @yae-publishing-house's MODERN AU EVENT! yeah i made it into a school thing as well BUT THE SONG I BASED IT OFF WAS IN A SCHOOL SETTING... the song is the title, made by 'parokya ni edgar',,, we need more male reader content and this song came across my yt reccs once again so i HAD to write smth based off it,, have a good day/night!! ALSO THIS GOES TO MY FELLOW PINOYS,,, kausapin nyo naman ako tangina HAHAHA,, pare means bro/dude,, honestly i think this isn't good enough but huddsa,, long fic hehe (more in tags 💕)

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ cw: gay struggles, in denial of gay feelings AHAH, teens but same personalities, oblivious!reader, brief misunderstanding (reader is thought to be against gays), slight angst if you squint near the end, finding out your sexuality in the worst way possible /j, ooc alhaitham?, a whiplash of events and memories??? HAHAHAHA

"I'm telling you, that guy likes— loves you, dude."

Those words seemed to slow down time for you, the book in your hand long forgotten as your heart leaped up your throat. Heat spreads throughout your chest, creeping up your neck and to your cheek, and you aren't sure if it's from embarrassment from your friend's, Kaveh, assumption, or rage for such bullshit ideas he had started sprouting out of his good-for-nothing mouth. Blinking incredulously at Kaveh, who was, surprisingly, staring back at you with a rather serious expression, you shook your head in disagreement, glaring at the blonde beside you. When Kaveh said that you two needed to talk about something urgent, you should've known it was just one of his annoying antics, dragging you hurriedly all the way to the rooftop of your school for a silly joke.

With a soft sigh escaping your lips as your mind finally processed his nonsense, you threw a punch at Kaveh's unsuspecting arm, making him yelp in pain and glare back at you. "Hey! What the hell is that for!? I'm serious, you know!?" He hissed in pain, rubbing his aching shoulder as you proceeded to read once again, rolling your eyes. You couldn't believe you skipped lunch just for this, now you're hungry and distracted. Closing your book with a slam, you hit the hard cover against your forehead.

The burn on your cheeks hasn't left as your thoughts lingered on Kaveh's words. Alhaitham? Your long-time best friend? Love you? The thought seemed so absurd when Alhaitham acts like he could barely tolerate you. He was a student of high honors, always on top and taking the rightful title of Valedictorian. Alhaitham, without much effort, was impeccably famous all over school, both for his flawless marks and impressive looks, and his rather arrogant personality, mixed in with his logic-based mentality. Even if he wasn't well-liked across the school for his harsh comments and condescending impression of everyone, girls and boys alike couldn't help but swoon at his handsome but cold charms. And you? Well, you're just a normal student in the same school, with somewhat decent grades. One of the only reasons you haven't failed as much as you would've thought was because of Alhaitham. He told you one day that since he's your 'friend', he's obligated to at least ensure you won't drop out of school and have presentable grades for when you're bound to go to college. You weren't famous either, and there wasn't really anything about you that stands out, other than being Alhaitham's only friend, inside and outside of your school.

Plus, the only reason you and Alhaitham have stuck together for this long is that you've been friends since childhood, your parents being very close with one another and so the connection you've created ever since was difficult to sever now. Not like neither of you wants to part anyways, so you've grown fond of each other over the years, even if Alhaitham wasn't very expressive of it, so it would leave others to wonder if the two of you are truly friends or not. Both of you would always bicker, with Alhaitham scolding you for not taking your studies seriously and you remarking about him studying too much. Being with him only felt natural, being by his side a majority of the time you spent at school and home, letting him study at the seat next to you while you did anything you wanted to. Study sessions always included him, as well as lunch breaks, the end of school, holidays, and summer.

"You're thinking about him right now, are you?" Kaveh's voice snapped you back to reality, jerking your head away from the cover of your book as your eyes narrowed at the smug expression he wore on his face, arms crossed. "Don't tell me you love him too?"

Like a ticking time bomb, you could hear your heart pound against your ribcage in your ears, faint ringing in the distance, before your brain suddenly exploded at his accusation, your mouth forming into a snarl. "What!? Are you crazy!? We're both guys, Kaveh!" Although you were scowling at your friend that sat beside you, fuming at his nonsense blabbering, the heat on your face only intensified, and Kaveh was quick to take notice, teasing you even more. There was no way you'd like Alhaitham! Sure, he's been part of your life for so long that being without him feels utterly wrong, that you'd seek his company and would choose him over everyone else, doesn't mean you have romantic affections towards your best friend! That was just it, best friends, completely platonic and only favoring him more due to the time you've spent together, and knowing each other better than anyone else. And you're (somewhat) certain Alhaitham shares the same sentiment.

Kaveh was just being ridiculous, and you've had enough of it. You're going to prove to him that your best friend doesn't harbor feelings for you in that way, only seeing you as a trustworthy companion worthy of his time and friendship. With a scoff, you stood up from where sat, leaving Kaveh sputtering curses under his breath from your punches.

Sunlight peeked through the curtains of your room, dust and particles dancing from the light it brought as the cool wind made the plants sitting on your window sill bob and flutter. Right outside your door, you could hear the faint chattering of your family all across the living room, watching a comedy movie together, without you. Usually, you'd never miss out on the chance to be with your family to bond with them... But the past few days have left you in a daze and chaotic realization. You couldn't believe that you were saying this but... Kaveh may be actually right. Standing motionlessly in your bathroom, facing the mirror inches away from your face whilst your hands gripped the edges of the marble sink, your brows furrowed and eyes unfocused as you thought about your observations on Alhaitham, cold water dripping down your face.

At school, you've begun paying much more on everything Alhaitham does. From the way he talks, looks at people, reactions when others try talking to him, and certain things you do to get a rise from him. And to your horror, you've found out that Alhaitham does favor you over others, just not in the way you originally thought of.

Alhaitham has always looked at other people with this layer of frostiness no matter who they are, though he still does regard teachers and elders with a minute sense of respect, his eyes were still sharp as ever, calculating and impassive. But when he turns to look at you, you've taken note of how his eyes ever-so-slightly softened at the sight of you, the ice that would freeze strangers with a mere glance would melt, and instead of gazing at you with simple familiarity, you could sense a sort of fondness in his eyes as a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. What surprised you the most was when you often caught him staring at you— more specifically; your lips, when he had thought your attention was somewhere else, and not on him. Sometimes, he'd even subtly glance at your lips whilst you spoke to him, then return, maintaining eye contact with you, as if he was hinting at something he desired to do with them...

Alhaitham would typically avoid any sort of physical touch from others, and neither does engage in it. Why should he when he barely knew them, nor the fact that it was completely unnecessary? But when you wrap your arms around his shoulders as you walk down the halls together, nudge him with your elbow or lean against his body, he never spares you a glance, nor pushes you away. He never does, in fact, he seemed to rather indulge himself with your touch, relishing the warmth your hands bring and sometimes even initiating these touches himself. From wiping away messy crumbs from your lips, gently but firmly grabbing your wrist to lead you to the library where he always is, and pinching your cheek to wake you from your slumber to prevent you from getting caught by the teacher. You also noticed that he'd grow a tad bolder on some days, his touches lingering on your body, but would quickly return his hand to himself, flipping a page of the book he was reading. But you could tell, it was written all over his face, that he longed to touch you for longer periods, perhaps even hold you in his arms... Though, he didn't, not wanting to risk being the cause of making you uncomfortable.

You knew Alhaitham was very aware of how others would only come toward him to attain knowledge and assistance from one of the most brilliant students of the academy, hoping that if they managed to befriend him, their grades would exponentially increase! One thing they never took into consideration, though, is if they were up to Alhaitham's standards. But what are Alhaitham's standards? Does a person have to be sophisticated and at his level of smartness to befriend him? No, of course not, he could care less about who's smart or not, but no one will ever reach up to his very specific standards because, simply put, his standard is you. If Kaveh hadn't opened your eyes to this perspective of your dear best friend, you would've mistaken everything he has done for you as simple things friends do for each other. How come you haven't noticed it before? Were you so oblivious to this fact that you never caught wind of the double meaning of his actions that he only seemed to do for you? Using the excuse that you've never dated anyone yet was even too foolish! You hadn't realized that to everyone, it was fairly obvious and that it was only you who hadn't recognized that his feelings were more than platonic.

Hell, even your parents knew and they didn't even tell you! Cruel, you felt utterly betrayed by everyone you knew. But you were ultimately more upset at yourself. Seriously, who would buy you something that you had offhandedly mentioned a few years back, something that even you had forgotten, and give it to you on your recent birthday? Who else would buy you your favorite treats and snacks whenever he passes by a convenience store on the way to your house? Alhaitham would only ever agree if you were the one to ask him to help you with your studies— everyone else will be ignored and rejected. Alhaitham would only ever hear out criticism if it's from you. Alhaitham would always let things you did that didn't bide with the rules of the academy slide, pretending that you totally didn't accidentally break one of the bathroom doors with a click of his tongue and a brief scolding to be more careful, before pacing away from the crime scene.

You, you, you— it's always been you. Your belief that Alhaitham would never fancy a girl because his taste was too refined was a swing and a whole fucking miss from the actual truth, hitting you with the force of an oncoming truck. He wasn't interested in girls, not because the girls in the academy never aligned with his type, no, it was because he was fucking gay!

And you should've known better than to convey to Kaveh every single realization you've gathered throughout the span of a whole week, taking pleasure in watching you have an internal crisis at your conundrum. "I told you, and you didn't believe me!" Kaveh had a smug smirk on his lips that you longed to smack off his face. "Alhaitham is really fucking gay for you, bro." He relished your exasperated reactions, both hands on your face as he laughs out loud, slapping his knee. You buried your face further into your hands the more Kaveh teased you, face practically on flames on how hot it burned. A thought struck you, and you pulled your hands away from your face, eyes meeting the swaying leaves of potted plants that were littered across the rooftop of the academy (courtesy to Tighnari), the impending summer heat prickling the skin of your face, blinking away the brightness of your surroundings.

"Why hasn't he confessed to me then?" You asked no one in particular, eyes trailing back to your hands. Kaveh, who was stuffing his face with his lunch that he had brought up to the rooftop, without missing a beat, replied; "Because you're stupid enough to not see he's head over heels on you so he thinks you're straight." Frowning, you turned your head toward him with a raised brow, confused. "Think? But I am straight." Kaveh paused for a brief moment, before letting out a humored snort and shaking his head in disbelief. "Yeah right." That was his only comment and this earned another angered punch on his arm.

"Agh! Stop punching me when I'm only stating facts!" Kaveh huffed, rubbing his bruising arm once more, before smirking at you again, pointing a finger at you. "But with how much you're paying attention to him and acting weirdly, he'd confess to you sooner or later."

What he said made your heart race, because you had your own growing suspicions, as much as you'd hate to admit it. The moment Alhaitham detected your growing awareness of his affections toward you and hadn't distanced yourself from him upon revelation, he was becoming more audacious. Just a few minutes ago, before you ran off with Kaveh up the stairs, Alhaitham's managed to caress your cheek with the bullshit excuse that there was something on your face, and you knew that he wasn't hiding his true intentions either anymore, enjoying seeing you at a loss of words when his hand rested on the small of your back to lead you somewhere instead of typically grabbing your wrist, or compliment you out of the blue, even if you didn't do anything particularly outstanding.

It was so natural for Alhaitham, to let his actions speak so loudly what he truly felt without a trace of shame in his handsome features (wait, since when did you start thinking he's handsome?), with a confident poise, honeyed words that were a huge contrast to his stone cold character would roll off his tongue so smoothly that you'd find yourself drowning in his intense emotions. It throws you off, catches you off guard, makes your head all fuzzy, and then suddenly, you're hyper-aware of everything he does. Just for how long was he waiting for you to notice, so he could proceed without such excessive caution? He's been hanging out in your house every day, after every school, doing nothing in particular together. Since when has Alhaitham undoubtedly fallen for you? Understanding the only possible truth that Alhaitham had never spoken to you of his true feelings was because he was, what, afraid to risk a friendship that has lasted since you were children? It still baffles you to this day.

Despite Alhaitham's actions, you find yourself... yearning for more. How come? Well, you're certainly not gay. Perhaps you just enjoyed the attention he gave you? (He's with you every day, and doesn't pay mind to others. All of his attention has always been on you.) Perhaps you were just reassured that Alhaitham truly did like you and didn't think of you as a horrible person that he's stuck with? (Wait, since when, were you insecure—?) Whatever, it was, it isn't because you're gay! You don't reciprocate those romantic feelings on your best friend (how can you be so sure?)!

After a long, unbearable silence, you leaned back against the wall and ran your hand through your hair, heaving a deep sigh. This was all Kaveh's fault. Ever since he said those not-so-bullshit words to you, you've never been so conflicted about what you think of Alhaitham, and, unfortunately, of yourself. You weren't even sure if you were straight or not because you'd never had a crush on a girl because Alhaitham was the one hogging most of your attention.

"Yeah, I know."

Tonight is the night you will die.

And it is all your parents' fault.

They just had to ask Alhaitham over for dinner, and your mother had to suggest that he should sleep over for the night. Right after you told them that you had finally realized his feelings for you too! They mean well, that's for sure, but holy hell, you're about to lose your mind with how nervous you are. It wasn't the first time Alhaitham would be sleeping over at your house, but it was his first time sleeping over with both of you aware of one's feelings for the other. The urge to scream and run off by jumping out of your window has never been stronger. But you stayed, already taking out the extra mattress your family bought for Alhaitham's use whenever he stayed over, his pillows and blankets, placing them right on the floor, next to your bed. Tidying up your bedroom distracts you, straightening your sheets and comforter, and watering your plants. By the time you finished, your mother called you down for dinner and to open the door for your best friend.

Though you were originally anxious about Alhaitham's sleepover, you knew you could trust Alhaitham not to step over the line and make you feel uncomfortable. You were certain that it was the opposite of what Alhaitham would want, and that even if he does harbor romantic feelings for you, he would never force it upon you in a way that would leave you to tears. So you pretended it was as if you were unaware once again, acting how you'd normally do when Alhaitham would come over; excited and already dragging him inside your home to greet your parents (he calls your parents 'auntie' and uncle' and it was the last nail of your coffin filled with ever-so-late awareness).

And dinner was the same as always, filled with happy chattering and laughter, all of you not minding Alhaitham's bluntness nor his ramblings once one of your parents brought up a topic that piques his interest. They've known Alhaitham for as long as you have, growing fond of the boy as if he was their own. And you can tell that he shares the view, given how he was softly smiling the whole time you had dinner. After that, the two of you went straight to your bedroom when your mother rejected both of your offers to help in the kitchen and began talking about anything that comes to mind; be it school, plans for the next few days, a hobby, interesting facts or your annoying friend, Kaveh. At this point and time, the unspoken feelings he has for you completely slipped from your mind as the comfortable presence of your best friend settles beside you, listening to you rant about a new video game that was going to be released in summer, beaming in excitement, soliciting a quiet chuckle from Alhaitham.

But Alhaitham had to bring you back to reality once the both of you were tucked in comfortably in your own beds, ready to finally call it a day and just fall asleep. His words, though soft and low, his soothing voice turned into unpleasant ringing in your ears with the words he spoke. "Hey, are you still awake?" It was a simple question, but it made you stiff on your bed, squeezing your eyes shut to hide the fact that you were still awake, biting on your bottom lip. "I have something to confess to you." The pits of your stomach twisted as your heartbeat quickened as you had a sliver of hunch about what was about to transpire. Then, like a bucket of cold water was thrown all over your body, the grip you had on your sheets tightened when you heard the hushed shifting of his clothes, his presence nearing your form, your back facing him. "I like you more than you could ever imagine." He whispered against your ear, his hot breath hitting your skin, shivering upon the contact. Your breath hitched at his confession, your head spinning at how hot your cheeks burned, but you kept your eyes closed, not giving a single care anymore even if he knew that you were still awake. For a while, the both of you stayed like that, waiting for something to happen, for one of you to make a move with bated breaths... Before Alhaitham eventually pulled away from your 'sleeping' form, a small sigh left his lips. "C'mon, wake up." Alhaitham persisted, "Stop pretending to be asleep." He poked your side, and your body twitched, now scowling in annoyance and further embarrassment at your ticklishness. He tried a few more times, but you continued to ignore him, trying your best to fall asleep.

Fine then, Alhaitham huffed through his nose. He could deal with you tomorrow morning, after all. So he went back to his bed, lay down, and fell asleep with a smile on his lips. What Alhaitham didn't expect was for you to fully ignore him for the next few days. Upon waking up, he was surprised to hear from your father that you had woken up quite early before he could and managed to silently prepare yourself for school without waking him up. When Alhaitham got to school, he spent his classes all alone in his seat, your assigned chair that was always beside him always empty in every class the two of you shared. You've skipped classes beforehand, but he never thought you'd skip classes you had together. And while you'd often hang out with Kaveh on the rooftop to eat lunch, he was surprised to see Kaveh at their usual table without you, with Kaveh not knowing where you were because he had not seen you for the whole day. It's been like that ever since his verbal confession, with you skipping classes, exchanging seats with other students just to be far away from Alhaitham, and even not going to school at all. It may not show, but he was extremely worried.

It really wasn't your intention to avoid Alhaitham. You genuinely wanted to talk to him after what happened in your little sleepover, but being near Alhaitham would send your heart into a fucking frenzy and you'd be too lightheaded to properly speak to him. For the sake of your own survival, you had to avoid him until you've maintained a clear head around him. You didn't mean to worry him, and you definitely didn't mean to give him the wrong signals. After every school, he'd stop by your house, asking if you were home or if you were okay, and your parents would continuously deny him from entering your home as per your wishes. You kept leaving his messages on read too, the guilt slowly accumulating in your heart until it was about to burst. Messages from Kaveh told you that Alhaitham hasn't notably been doing well, lunches spent worrying about you or studying even more, and bags forming under his eyes as he thought of the possibilities as to why you were avoiding him.

Honestly? It sucked. You don't even remember the reason why you're avoiding him anymore in the first place, but the butterflies that filled up your stomach keep fluttering at the mere thought of Alhaitham, your heart beating so fast you believe you were about to die from a heart attack. Just why were you feeling like this? It was as if you were some lovesick girl that couldn't approach her crush— you dropped the glass of water you were holding in your hand, and the sound of shattering glass was akin to how your view of your entire life has shattered right before your eyes.

Was that it? The reason why your thoughts would race when you see him? The reason why your heart pounds so hard when he sends a smile your way, only for your eyes to see? Why you intrinsically stick by his side when you find him in the midst of a crowd? Why you feel much more relaxed with him than being in a room with a girl who was hinting that she liked you? Is that the reason why your mind has always been infested with the thought of your best friend? That when you go out with others, you'd be thinking wistfully of Alhaitham because he wasn't there with you? The constant longing, the envy you feel when girls stare for far too long, the absolute pride you feel when he wins at international academic contests. You felt goosebumps form on your forearms as you gripped the edge of the kitchen counter. Holy fuck... You were...

"Sweetie?" The sweet, gentle voice of your mother entered the premises of the kitchen with a small gasp escaping her lips when she caught sight of the shattered glass littered across the floor, rushing towards your paling form. "Are you okay? What happened? You look like you've seen a ghost!" She queried worriedly, wiping away the cold sweat that formed on your forehead as you wrapped your arms around your mother, bathing in her loving presence and burying your face onto your shoulder. "Dear me, you're shaking! Just what happened?" Taking in a deep, shuddering breath, you finally found your voice to speak.

"I think... I'm gay..."

Silence...

Then you heard your mother hold back a snort, and your heart broke to a million pieces at this utter betrayal. But she wasn't making fun of you, the hug she was giving you says that much, but she was quite amused that it took you this long to figure it out. Caressing the back of your head with her hand and a tender kiss on your temple, she cooed lovingly as she felt your tears wet her shoulders, reassuring as much as she can that she accepts you wholeheartedly, you were her son after all, nothing could ever change that fact. Just as your breathing was beginning to sync with hers, gradually calming down on your own terms in your mother's arms, she suddenly whispered; "We've known since you were little."

You choked on your spit, startled at her as-a-matter-of-fact tone of voice, pulling away from the hug as you stared at her with wide, unbelieving eyes.

"What do you mean by that!?"

For the first time that week, you finally met Alhaitham outside of school.

You were on your way to the grocery store to buy some ingredients before tonight's dinner, not paying much attention to your surroundings as your head was lost in the clouds. The skies were painted with warm orange, red and yellow hues as the sun began its descent, the moon peeking around the corner for its rise. Kids across the street were beginning to retreat back into their homes, waving their goodbyes and promising to play with each other once again the next day. It made you feel nostalgic, it felt like it was just yesterday when you were as carefree as the children in your neighborhood, playing with friends. Well, if you count running across the grass fields while Alhaitham read a book from afar as 'playing with friends'. A small smile tugged at the corners of your lips, though it was quickly wiped off when a hand suddenly gripped your wrist with such force you thought that they were going to break it. A sense of urgency washed through your body as the peace and tranquility of your walk were ruined by the unexpected perpetrator who grabbed you, but before you could land a punch on their face, you were swift to stop yourself from doing so upon recognizing who it was.

"Alhaitham, what the hell— hey! Let go, man!"

You wriggled in his grasp when he started dragging you away from the direction of the grocery store, lightly hitting his back when his grip only tightened on your wrist, panic rising in your mind. You had no intention of dragging your avoidance on Alhaitham any longer, deciding that you'd come face to face with him once you start attending classes completely to make up for your absences and skipping, but you hadn't anticipated that you'd meet him on your way to buy some ingredients, much less drag you to the park. Eventually, you gave up on trying to escape confrontation with Alhaitham, the guilt that you'd been ignoring for the past week gnawed on your insides as you followed him on the familiar path. You recognized this part of the park, at the edge of the forest where your parents would chastise you for always trying to cross the rickety fence that separates the park and the forest. Being the rowdier child, you'd always try to climb the fence only to be slapped in the face by Alhaitham's small hand. His steps finally came to an end in front of the lone tree that the fence had to swerve around to not chop it down. It was a tree you were fond of, climbing up its branches just to shake off leaves onto Alhaitham since he liked to read under its shade, giggling at his angered yells.

Letting go of your wrist, Alhaitham crossed his arms and turned to face you with a very cold look on his face, a type of expression he has never directed at you before, sending shivers up your spine. You couldn't help but give him a sheepish smile that wavered under his suffocating gaze, rubbing the back of your neck. "Haha... Hey..."

"You have a minute to give sufficient reasons, not excuses, as to why you've been avoiding me for the whole week; so much so that you're willing to risk your academic records for the sake of not coming eye to eye with me," Alhaitham demanded, not asked, of you, his eyes narrowing at your anxious fidgeting. Swallowing the shame that rose up to your throat, you opened your mouth to try and explain yourself, but the only thing you could make out was a small meek noise, before shutting your mouth once more, eyes boring onto the grass that flowed with the wind. A minute has passed and neither of you has said a single word, Alhaitham's stare slowly intensifies with every passing second, and you shrink down on yourself as the impulse to run away, to avoid him again grows more and more tempting. Just as you were about to open your mouth to attempt to speak, Alhaitham let out a long, drawn-out sigh, his expression once filled with seriousness morphing into a much somber one, averting his gaze from you. Caught off guard by the sudden change of mood, the words on the tip of your tongue were blown off by the wind at what he said in a low, gentle tone as he took a step toward you. "I... Apologize if I made you extremely uncomfortable with my confession..."

Darkness was slowly engulfing the skies as the stars began to twinkle down on you, faint chirping of crickets can be heard all around you as fireflies, one by one began lighting up on the spot where you stood. Ah, you remember now. During your childhood, you'd throw rocks at Alhaitham's window, in the dead of night, to sneak him out to the park, to the spot you'd always hang out at the edge of the forest to watch the fireflies light up the night sky, dancing and fluttering around the tree where you shared a lot of memories together. You'd force Alhaitham to catch fireflies with you, and every time he'd begrudgingly agree, you'd be graced with the image of a usual stoic boy turn into a carefree, fun-loving boy that laughed as much as you did, running around to catch more fireflies that you then roll onto the grass as he trips. Your heart clenched at those memories, your eyes now staring deeply into his teal eyes that glinted with indefinite shades of maroon, the sincerity sinking deep into your skin as he continued to speak, the yellow lighting highlighting his pretty face, filled with regret and a forlorn frown etched on his lips. "I just want you to know that you needn't return my affections for you and that I would never force them onto you. After all, I've known you forever and... I would love to keep the friendship we've made..." If it wasn't for fireflies lighting up your darkening surroundings, you wouldn't have seen how his eyes began to glisten, the way his hands lightly trembled as he forced himself to stop it.

"You still have a friend in me that you can depend on." Bowing down his head, his bangs completely covering his eyes, hands both clenched into fists at his sides. "So, please, if you could just forget everything I said and..." Everything after that part became muffled in your eyes, your emotions fluctuating inside your mind. But you know for certain that you weren't about to reject Alhaitham, no, not when your heart thrummed at the thought of his touch, not when the tips of your ears burned at the sight of him after so long. The years you've spent with Alhaitham were only filled with meaningful experiences with one another, and not short of joy. There were times of disagreements, of days where the days were filled with rain as the two of you loathed one another with such intensity, in the end, you would make up and fix what needed to be fixed, learning from past mistakes and understanding each other on a whole different level. You don't spend much time apart, and when you do, both of you long for each other, as if a piece from a puzzle has been torn off, and once that piece was put back to its rightful place, it will cling onto each other for as long as they could, basking with the other's presence and filling the void of loneliness that drilled into your hearts.

Without a doubt, you love Alhaitham, you've always had, and you regrettably only learned only now, letting him go through years of yearning and then heartbreak for your cowardice. So, in the heat of the moment, with the light that's faintly emitting from each firefly that danced around like stars in the night blurring into the background as you took a step forward, inching your faces close to each other until you could feel his breath against your lips. Alhaitham's breath caught in his throat, about to recoil from your proximity, only to be stopped by your hands holding onto his broad shoulders. After a brief moment of hesitance, you closed your eyes and closed the gap between you, your arms slowly wrapped around his neck as you pressed your body against his. He went frigid under your touch, eyes blown wide at the sensation of your lips pressed against his, clearly inexperienced, but eager to express that you had struggled to show him in simple actions and through words. When you were about to retract from the kiss, suddenly becoming insecure at his lack of reciprocation, Alhaitham's hands firmly gripped your hips, tilting his head to the side to deepen the kiss that you had initiated, by your own free will, and guided your lips to properly kiss until the fuzziness on your lips traveled all the way up to your head, growing weak on your knees.

Once you've finally parted to breathe some air, you buried your face onto his neck, your lips trembling at how good he was at kissing. Geez, what the hell? You could barely think straight after that. Maybe it was the sudden spike in adrenaline flowing through your veins when Alhaitham had dragged you back into this old spot of your childhood, now came crashing down after the kiss full of bliss as you lean your weight against Alhaitham's body for support, his arms wrapping around your torso. Letting out a shaky breath, you murmured against his skin, "'M sorry for avoiding you... I hadn't meant it— I just grew afraid for no reason when you suddenly confessed, even if I knew you had romantic feelings for me for quite some time..." The grip you had on his clothes tightened as your voice grew more and more silent, barely above a whisper at this point, and yet Alhaitham heard you loud and clear, amidst the loud chirping of crickets and the sounds of leaves swaying along the wind,

"I drowned in so many emotions, I was so overwhelmed just at catching a glimpse of you... Then I realized that, yeah, I'm fucking gay too." He let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding in, his embrace tightening around you reassuringly, encouraging you to go on. Choking back a sob, you shamefully tried to stop your tears from falling, heart painfully pounding against your chest, "And it fucking upsets me for not realizing that I've loved you from the start, that in my whole life, I thought I was straight when in actuality, I was just oblivious with how I felt towards you... I'm so sorry, Alhaitham..."

Ah, so that's how it is. It wasn't sheer disgust of his feelings for you, nor he had made you extremely uncomfortable. It pains him that he had thought of the worst, jumping to conclusions without further proof to solidify his assumptions on how you felt. He had boasted that he thinks based on rationality and logic only, but when it comes to you? His mind becomes a jumbled mess of emotions, it was as if his heart took full reign of his mind and body. "Please don't apologize, I understand." He whispered softly, his hand caressing the back of your head and playing with the hem of your shirt. He could feel your heart beating against his, body shaking as you held on desperately to his clothes. "I apologize for confessing at such an unpleasant time, for making you go through such a rough actualization of your sexuality..." The rumble of his chest at each word he spoke was enough to reduce your cries into nothingness, sniffling and wiping your tears with your hands.

With a soft grunt, you laid your cheek against his shoulder, completely melting in his arms the both of you got down on the ground, Alhaitham leaning against the tree and you on his lap. "Okay, let's stop apologizing to one another... I think we're even now..." Alhaitham agreed with a nod, keeping you close to him as he watched the fireflies finally disappear into the night, the moon now high above the skies. Pulling your head away from his shoulder, you peered into Alhaitham's eyes, a curious glint in your eyes. "Where did you learn how to kiss like that?" You questioned him, knowing full well that he's never been in a relationship, both due to his personality and adoration towards you. "I read books." His response left you speechless, staring at him with pure disbelief. Alhaitham only raised a brow at you, the corners of his lips curling up into an amused smile. "What? It proved to be effective, right? You were shaking against me after we parted."

Heat blossomed all throughout your face and onto the tips of your ears as you glared daggers at Alhaitham, strongly flustered upon recalling your kiss. True, it did leave you quivering, but he didn't have to rub it in your face! "You fucking nerd..." You grumbled under your breath, slapping a hand on his arm. Stupidly enough, you felt butterflies annoyingly flutter inside your stomach when Alhaitham let out a wholehearted laugh at your reaction, something you haven't heard in ages suddenly emerging out of nowhere. Perhaps it was the influence of the nostalgia of his memorable spot you've revisited after all those years, it was a place where you remember most of his laughs, giggles, and bright smiles.

God, you hated love. It was so sappy and cliche and it makes you impeccably dumb. Ugh. You could feel yourself cringing at the words you were about to say. "Ah but... that was my first kiss, and you can really tell I'm not really good at it..." Alhaitham hummed in acknowledgment, signaling for you to go on. "Could you... teach me how to kiss? Perhaps give me a live demonstration too?" You suggest, your hand cupping his cheek as you adoringly caressed it. A smug smirk stretched his lips as he leaned his face close to yours once more, only inches apart. "Of course, I'll gladly lend my knowledge to such an eager learner."

And with that, Alhaitham pulled you into a slow, passionate, and loving kiss. Two missing pieces finally put together, languidly moving against each other, taking the other deeper to devour more. The faint vibrations of your phone in your pocket were ignored as the minutes went by. You'll apologize to your parents later on, knowing full well that they'd forgive you without a second thought if they knew you were making out with your childhood best friend in your secret spot in the park.

Well, they don't need to know about that part, but you honestly couldn't care less at the moment, too lost in the bliss of finally, through years of obliviousness, being together, as the world intended you to be.

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- ̥۪͙۪˚┊❛❛ If you like this a lot, consider reblogging! I'll appreciate it very very much! Don't repost and/or translate my work anywhere. ❜❜ ┊˚ ̥۪͙۪◌

#yaepublishinghouse #alhaitham x reader #alhaitham x male reader #genshin x reader #genshin x male reader #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact x male reader #:;marshie.writes #:;oneshots #:;event.writing #:;alhaitham #i want more gay panic fics like this #i think its #very nice to address this kind of coming to terms of your own sexuality #and while this was quick acceptance since its a crack fic #accepting that youre gay and that you're inlove with someone of the same gender can be tough #especially if you grew up in an environment that taught you that being gay would send you to hell #not everyone have the ability of acceptance as others #is just what i think tbh #maybe im just making shit up but thats how i fuckin felt when i realized after years of being transphobic and homophobic (grew up in- #a catholic country) that im transmasc and gay #horrible tbh but when u surround urself wtih ppl who accept for who u are #it gets easy :) #my fav trope in fil media is when a gay character comes out of the closet and everyone's like 'we know' HAHAAHHA #wrote reader like a bl mc...

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no body, no crime

summary inspired by no body, no crime by taylor swift

pairing lando norris x este , ??? (reader) x revenge

warnings cheating, death and murder

a/n i hope this is good omg i'm kinda scared hahaahah. anyway live laugh love taylor swift.

Este's a friend of mine, We meet up every Tuesday night for dinner and a glass of wine

"Sorry I'm late, traffic." celeste huff and sits across from her friend. The wine has been waiting in it's corked bottle, but her exact salad order was already placed at her side of the table. "No worries, baby-love" her best friend smiles at her as the young waiter walks over and pops the wine's cork

This was their weekly thing, always has been since they were in high school. Hard to believe that the two girls that were sat at this table talking about things like marriage, taxes and alcohol were once two younger girls gossiping about boys, weekend sports games, and hair color. That's just how things change sometime. But the older of the two hated changed. Always has. Always will.

That's why they kept this Tuesday tradition even through college. They always had dinner together, same restaurant, same table, same wine, same orders. No changes. Just the way they liked it, loved it.

"How's Lando?" The older woman asked her friend before sipping her wine. An unpleasant taste makes its way through her mouth, replacing the usually enjoyable red wine once she saw celeste's face change into a saddened and depressed expression.

"Well, he's great. I just, I've noticed some things recently..."

She says, "That ain't my Merlot on his mouth That ain't my jewelry on our joint account"

"It's just... I drink the same wine he does,"

"Merlot," her friend nods, earning a nod back. Lando had money, coming from a rich background and growing up in an even richer future as a Formula 1 driver. He drives on circuits everywhere around the world, from america to italy to tokyo. so it's safe to say he knew their wines. Celeste was the same, growing up in a just as wealthy family, she's enjoyed her moms expensive wines since she was in high school, which was odd amongst the crowd of teenagers that were drinking spirits and beers.

"Yeah, and the merlot we drink, it doesn't leave that red stain on his lips." She lets out a small sigh before pushing further into her point, "And I only wear silver jewelry, always have, but I went through our bank accounts for bills and I saw gold jewelry being bought on his account."

Maybe she's exaggerating, but the more she's looked back on the past few months, things start making sense. Less time together, less sex, quieter 'I love you's. She wondered if he was bored, she tried her best to keep their relationship exciting in many different ways. But nothing has changed.

The older friend wanted so badly to go online and expose him, call him out on his bullshit that Este has been crying about for the past few months. She wanted to end his little fanbase, maybe even his career. But there wasn't enough proof, she needed proof.

No body, no crime.

"I think he did it, but... I just can't prove it"

The next Tuesday cam by and she hadn't heard from Celeste at all that day, nonetheless, she still showed up to their usual restaurant. But after about an hour she made a call to their other friend, Inez, she works with Celeste, they've all been fairly close since school. Though Inez isn't the most trustworthy source, she knows she would get an honest answer as to where Celeste was. "I haven't seen her, I thought she was sick but our boss said she hasn't even called in sick. We figured she just got too sick to call this morning."

But that's not like Celeste. Her best friend had seen her call into their high school to let them know she wasn't making it even when she had food poisoning. She knows that's not the case. She left the restaurant, making her way to the Norris household. "I haven't seen her either, I tried filing a report but they said I have to wait 24 hours." He seemed panicked, like he had been crying and screaming all day long. His voice was practically gone and his hands were shaking more than a small dog stuck in the winter snow.

Hе reports his missing wife. And I noticed when I passed his house his truck has got some brand new tires.

The tires was one thing, maybe he genuinely needed tires. His face is all over the news along with Celeste's talking about his missing wife, but they don't bother to mention his new side pieces that just moved in...

"his mistress moved in, sleeps in Este's bed and everything!" Inez's nosy ass came in hand from time to time. She saw the move in truck when she was making her way to work one day. At first she thought it was Lando that was moving out, turns out the mistress that their dear friend had been worrying about weeks before had moved in.

"I think he did it, I just can't prove it."

"No body, no crime." Inez shrugged, not thinking much of her friends statement, surely Norris wasn't up to anything? He loved Este. Right?

As time went on, it was obvious. He did it. Even the police think so, but rich people always get their way don't they? She starts coming up with a plan. Vengeance. It ran through her bloodstream, it felt like a burning sensation.

"Good thing my daddy made me get a boating license when I was fifteen." Everything was going according to plan, it was perfect.

"Hey, Lando." She gave him a smile. It had been four months since Celeste was presumed dead, the investigation went silent a while ago and the whole town gave up hope of finding her. Her name is no longer a trending topic, but her voice and face are still gone.

The racing driver looked at his dead wife's friend with shock but nervousness. He tries to cover it with a mask of sadness, but she knew better than to fall for a man's lies. She was invited in, seeing no trace on her friend anywhere in the mansion that Celeste had called home.

"What are you doing here?" He asked once the door closed and locked behind him. He knew something was up, he was smart but not much of a genius, clearly. "Just catching up Norris," She smiled at the taller individual, "I see you and the new girl are getting along just fine. That didn't take long?"

"It's been a year."

"Took you barely 10 months to move her in." She states back. "I wanna show you something."

The drive to the docks was a good 10 minutes, Monaco is a great place to live when you want to buy a fancy new yacht. Her dad's yacht was nothing compared to Lando's driving competitor, but it was still very impressive. "Your dad's yacht?"

The amount of parties that were thrown around and on the yacht were crazy, it's how him and Este met in the first place. He thought it was a sweet gesture from the girl, though she saw the look on his face the entire time they were on the water. He looked sea sick, but she knows the driver had been on plenty of yacht's in his life, he's not sea sick.

He was quick to realize what was happening when they stopped in the middle of the nowhere on the deep waters. He knew, he came to terms with it, but he was so sure they would catch her, unlike they did him. His name is bigger, his house, his cars, his bank account, they're all bigger. But her? She's simply just... better.

"I've cleaned enough houses to know how to cover up a scene." Was the last thing he would hear that night. They next morning she would let her father know that the boat is cleaned, smells of fresh lemons and other citrus like aroma's. "Thank you sweetheart, glad to know you still have time to clean that ole' thing between your classes," He handed her some wadded up cash. The monthly occurrence of cleaning for her parents, everything from their yard to the yacht, they are just far too old to do it themselves.

News stations, media outlets, and other headlining articles went crazy after the mistress filed a missing persons report. Lando Norris missing nearly a full year after his wife's disappearance.

"Formula 1 McLaren driver, Lando Norris, was reported missing last night after not coming home from a boating trip with some friends. Officials have yet to give anymore details."

Good things Este's sisters gonna swear she was with me.

"She was with me, dude, I told you this. We all went out on the yacht, he got too drunk so we sent him home." Alana swore up and down her truth, another cover up that will never slip her teeth. Her parents always said she would be a good actor, she got away with everything as a kid. Este used to hate it.

"To his wife?"

"They're married? I don't know, man, I guess. She seemed pretty pissed if you ask me."

Good thing his mistress took out a big life insurance policy

She was cleared, no proof, no evidence. they checked the camera's, Alana and her sisters friend helping each other drag Lando's drunken body back in the truck. The yacht was clean, "I clean it at this time every month for my parents, they're getting too old to scrub it down like they used to, ya know?" The maid and her parents vouched for her, it's true, the end every month when it wasn't too cold or hot, she was at the docs. The other boat owners even agreed.

"They think she did it, but they just can't prove it." The news reporter stated as a picture of the now widowed mistress was shown on the screen. The television shuts off as a smirk is splattered on their faces.

"She thinks I did it." She smiles at the younger, chuckling in disbelief as if she was crazy for thinking just a thing. "She just can't prove it. But, like we've always said, No body." She raises up her wine glass.

Celeste copies the gesture with a venomous smile, "No crime."

taglist: @enhacolor @bibissparkles @blueanfield

#f1 #formula 1 #f1 fanfic #f1 imagine #lando norris #f1 x oc #f1 fiction #f1 fic #f1 dr #f1 grid #f1 x reader #no body no crime #formula 1 x reader #formula 1 imagine #formula 1 fanfic #formula 1 fic #formula one #f1 x female reader #f1 x you #f1 x y/n #no body no crime fanfic #taylor swift #lando norris imagine #lando norris x reader #lando norris x you #lando norris x y/n #lando norris fanfic #lando norris smau #lando norris insta au

[luvistqrzzz]

･˳ . ⋆ these days i am taken back to the summer we loved

loving you losing you- jay one shot

pairing- jay x f.reader

summary- loving jay was like a dream, a dream so happy you knew he wasn't yours...

or where jay tried to break away from the system of soulmates but fate had other plans for him... and you.

genre- strangers to not lovers (uh oh), soulmate!au, college!au, first love, fluff, angst

word count- 7.7K (can yall hear me scream outta joy??)

warnings- profanity, mentions of drinking, my writing (lawl), sad ending (sorry not sorry)

taglist- @en-chantedtomeetyou

A/N- happy belated jay day <33!! Omfg my first ever oneshot?? I still cant believe i just had the motivation to finish this wip😭😭... its my first time ever writing a long fic so it maybe a bit all over the place but i really enjoyed writing this hehehe! So i hope yall enjoy this :((! try listening to this playlist for more feels it really helped me in the writing process! the beach scene is slightly inspired from 2521

note- this is purely a work of fiction and in no means depicts the idols' real personalities or the relationships between them.

･˳ . ⋆   subtle loneliness

Jay was never the one to believe in fate or destiny or even the fact that there was something like an 'other half. Despite having parents who loved each other and having their soulmate link, Jay never bought it. In a world where every individual was connected to another through some link, be it matching tattoos or the ability to feel someone's pain, he hadn't found his.

For him, it was bullshit. Who even was fate to decide whom he loved? ('Well, no one but, honey, you can't meddle with how it's meant to be', he still remembers his mother's words.)

Maybe as a kid, Jay used to sit long hours in his bedroom, willing to feel his soulmate's link, search for any tattoo and even write on his palm with hopes they'd reply.

Nothing ever happened and as he started growing older, he saw people around him meet their soulmate, he saw the way their eyes lighted up in their mention or the way they used to talk about their other halves.

He grew distant... different. It wasn't easy to be always the odd one out.

Even as Jay tried to go against it and casually date people in his high school, he realized how true his parents were. It never felt right, the feelings were never there and even if they were, they died too soon. In the end, he was left alone.

Which brought us to the present time of Jay's 3rd year in college. He sat on a creaky cafeteria chair observing his friends. Heeseung was busy on his phone messaging his soulmate, Yunjin,. Jake and Lily sat across him, laughing at something Sunghoon just said, their matching flower tattoo glowing dimly.

Looking at them, he felt this sort of loneliness fill in him, the type which made him want to runaway from his life. He had loving and supportive parents and friends who wouldn't leave him but deep down, Jay felt empty. Empty because despite his opposition against the system of soulmates, he knew he yearned for one. He yearned for someone who'd understand him, someone with whom he could share the love he saw in his parents.

'Yo bro, you going to the party today?' Heeseung's voice cut through Jay's thoughts.

'What-? Oh at Yeonjun's place right?'

'Yep', Sunghoon replied getting up. 'Time to get highh- ouch!' He exclaimed as Sunoo smacked his head from behind.

'Shut up, pretty boy. I ain't taking you home', the latter said, walking past the table where they sat.

'Oh c'mon Sun!' Sunghoon whined, following his boyfriend out of the college canteen.

Jay chuckled at their antics. It was almost... cute, he couldn't lie.

Keep reading

･˳ . ⋆   deep conversations with a drunk stranger

You weren't supposed to be at the party. Hell, you should have been studying for a test scheduled next week but being friends with Somi did have its disadvantages. Such as being dragged to some college party as the designated driver.

It wasn't like you hated parties. Quite honestly, you thought they were sort of fun and sometimes getting drunk seemed like the perfect option. But on that particular Friday night, you wanted to be anywhere but at your senior Yeonjun's house.

'Y/N it'll be fun i promise!' Somi begged you, dragging you out from her car to his door. 'No. You are just there to hook up with some guy.'

'Whatever. I am loyal to my soulmate!' She stuck out her tongue whilst pointing towards the black ink on her forearm.

'And who knows', Somi said, entering the house which was presently filled with half-drunk college students. 'Maybeee you could meet your soulmate today.'

You sighed, pushing past people, at the same time waving and smiling to some. 'Sure. My link-less soulmate', you replied sarcastically.

You realized she was leading you to the kitchen which was comparatively quieter but you could still spot a couple out in the distance.

'Hello ladies! What would you like in this fine evening?' The person sitting at the bar counter said, spotting you both.

'Hey Sunghoon, what you got?' You best friend asked the boy leaning against the counter.

'Some beer if you wanna stay with your senses or maybe something stronger. What about my specialty? It has been a hit today.' 'Fine... Lemme judge your bartender skills.

He turned towards you, 'And for you...?' 'Water because I need to drive this bitch back to dorms', You gave the blonde haired girl beside you a pointed look.

She grinned before her eyes squinted, following some guy. 'Ay sunghoon! You know that boy, standing 9 o'clock? Is he taken?'

'That's... Beomgyu. And no, lucky for you, he is pretty single.'

She clapped her hands, almost like scheming her plan. 'See you later, bestie!' Somi gave you a flying kiss, taking her drink from the counter and walking down the hallway.

You sighed, being left alone, your other friend Gaeul was down with a bad flu. You gave Sunghoon a tight lippped smile, accepting a glass of water.

An hour later, you found yourself moving to the backyard of the house. After spending an excruciatingly painful time trying to strike conversation with drunk students and avoiding being pulled into the dancing crowd, you escaped.

The night had cooled down a bit and the spring breeze hit your face, you walked up to the open. But what you didn't see was the figure already sitting in the dark.

'You can sit down if you want to.' You flinched at the sudden voice, turning to face the boy sitting down on the empty backyard.

You considered your options. You could go inside into a crowded party and not have to have a one on one conversation with a stranger. Or maybe you could avoid all the noise and do some small talk with a person who was kind enough to even offer you a seat.

You nodded, seating yourself down beside the boy on the steps. Only then did you notice who he was, 'Park Jay...?'

'Oh, so you know me?' You shrugged in reply. You had heard of him, the handsome and studious guy and spotted him in passing.

It was the first time you had ever seen Jay up close. And to be honest, he was just as gorgeous as you had heard people around you gush, maybe even more.

Almost as if you could look at him the entire day without getting bored.

The boy beside you questioned, 'And you are?' 'Y/N. We are in the same year, in case you're wondering', you added, half knowing what his next question could have been.

'Nice to meet you, Y/N', he extended his hand, giving a wide drunken grin. You shook his hand. It was the first time you had seen him smile because all the other times were from some other end of a college hallway. And you wouldn't lie, it suited his otherwise serious face.

A comfortable silence settled between you two for a while. You both looked ahead. Jay looked up as if counting the stars and you stared at the small garden. You could hear crickets chirp in the distance. And if it weren't for the fact that you had a friend to drive home to, you would have snuggled up in the back yard and slept.

'So, Y/N', Jay's voice suddenly boomed around your environment, as if crushing the calmth which surrounded you both. 'Do you believe in soulmates?'

This caught you off guard. Why would even a stranger be asking you this? 'Uh, that's... random.'

'Just answer me. I'm tired and I wanna talk to someone', he replied, somewhat impatiently.

I mean, what harm could it be? It was a typical topic of conversation and you needed some distraction to keep yourself awake.

Sitting up straighter, you looked towards him whose eyes were distant. 'Well, yep, I do.'

'You must be one of those lucky people who found their soulmates early in life, huh?' He whispered under his breath, not meaning you to listen.

'Actually no', you replied calmy. 'I... don't have a soulmate. Or even a link for that matter.'

It didn't faze you anymore. The fact that you didn't feel any physical or mental signs of a soulmate. Some people did consider it weird. But it was all okay for you.

Jay's head quickly turned towards you. 'So, there are people like me?'

'I'm sorry?' 'Guess I'm just like you, Y/N.'

Your stomach flipped at the new information. You hadn't thought of ever meeting someone who had much the same problem as yours. 'Oh. That's well... new?' 'Why do you still believe in it?' He asked further.

'Why not? Imagine being with someone who understands you so much that it's crazy. Don't you think it's pretty amazing how two people are connected since birth, destined to meet? I feel that's kinda magical. In a cruel world, sometimes it's worth believing in fairytales.'  Jay's eyes were closed but he was listening to every single thing. Almost as if your voice was calming him down, putting a stop to his racing thoughts.

You then added, 'You aren't different, Jay. You just need some time.' Well, this is what you always said to yourself.

'But what about my soulmate? What are they waiting for?' he opened his eyes and you noticed how dark his eyes were but they held a soft subtle innocence in them. Even though Jay had a casual smile on his face, his eyes said otherwise.

You weren't an expert in reading people but you thought you saw a bitter loneliness in his eyes. It reminded you of yourself, which made sense. And for some reason it made you feel sad too, it made you want to take away his sadness.

'They are there somewhere. Don't worry about them. And I hope you find them, just at the right time. Just when you need them. It's hard I know, to go about your day seeing all the people around you together.' You trailed, checking the time. 'Oh fuck! I think I need to jet. Gotta save my friend from making bad decisions', you chuckled, getting up.

'Can you read my mind, Y/N?' Jay wondered. You laughed, 'Oh yes! I'm secretly a psychic. Bye for now, Park Jay.' You waved him goodbye, your thoughts slowly getting occupied with those concerning Somi as you made your way down the hallway.

Jay muttered a small adieu, his face resting on his cheek. He felt lighter and giddier for some reason. Like, excited to meet you again. Something in the way you talked made him listen to your voice again and again.

･˳ . ⋆   almost... complete

Jay didn't believe in fate but after that night he hoped that he could see you again. Even if it was just to talk to you once. All he knew was your name. He was starting to forget your face which he had seen in the dark in a drunken haze.

He may have almost forgotten the sound of your voice a month later if it hadn't been a somewhat familiar voice calling out to him when he was somewhere in the depths of sleep.

'Uh sir, excuse me. We are about to close', you said, lightly tapping the shoulder of the boy who seemed to be asleep, his face down on the table of the cafe where you worked. All around him were pages and books and his laptop was wide open beside him, its screen dark. Typical college student things you could relate to.

Since starting your shift three hours ago, you had seen him in this position. Your only hoped that he hadn't fainted or anything due college pressure. That may have caused you some trouble.

The person before you slowly started to stir after your continuous calls. It was almost 11pm and you couldn't afford to be late to an early class tomorrow.

Seeing him lift his head off the table, you moved away.

'Who wha-' Jay yawned, rubbing his eyes to see his surroundings only to find your widened eyes staring at his sleepy form. His stomach dropped at your sight, moreover at the thought of you finding him sleeping like that. 'Oh fuc-' he hastily patted his hair and wiped his chin for any signs of him drooling.

You tried to hold back your laugh upon seeing him so flustered. You wouldn't lie, he did look adorable, quite a contrast to studious and mysterious vibe he had going on. 'Jay, we meet again.'

'You work here?' 'I mean, I wouldn't be wearing the barista's uniform if I didn't', you replied teasingly.

'Sorry. My bad', he rubbed his forehead. 'How long was I asleep?'

'More than three hours for sure. It's closing time and everyone has left. I suggest you pack up', you pointed at the mess on his table.

He realized what he had done. Slept when he should have been completing his assignment. 'No. It's due today', he whispered to himself, softly banging his head on the table.

'Here', you came from behind the counter and placed a cup of coffee in front of him. 'In case you need to pull an all nighter. This really helps.'

Jay quickly sat up seeing you. He was taken aback, 'I- uh can't accept this.' 'You have to. Now, quick, I need to go back home', you said, closing any room for arguments.

Jay awkwardly stood beside you, finishing his coffee as you locked the cafe. Patting the lock twice as a part of an old habit, you started walking with Jay following in tow.

You wouldn't lie, you were kind of nervous by his presence, you didn't even know why. Plus you were at loss of what to say.

Okay, maybe that wasn't the case... you did have questions for him like why was he so tired, what was his major, who gave him even the permission to look so attractive without even trying- (oh, that wasn't part of the script). Hell, you wanted to know him better and maybe even befriend him. And of course, you hadn't been thinking of him a lot since that one Friday night (ps, it's a lie).

'Sooo', you stopped in your tracks in an attempt to start up a conversation. 'Tough week?' Jay chuckled, catching up to your position, 'You know, you don't have to start a conversation just because we are so awkward.'

Fuck? Your cheeks turned pink in embarrassment, 'Uh-' 'But yep, I haven't had proper sleep in a while. Just have these assignments piling up which sucks.' He let out an exasperated sigh, 'Be a business major, my dad said, it'll be fun.'

'I can assure you that a creative writing major ain't any better', you rolled your eyes, walking up to the bus stop.

'Wait that's so cool!' Jay exclaimed and he meant it. He wasn't at all the creative type and he really marveled at how people could make others feel so much with words.

'Uhh it isn't as cool as it sounds', you scrunched your nose in disgust. Jay couldn't help but feel his stomach do a back flip at your expression. Dude, what is wrong with you? Why are you being a creep? His inner voice scolded him.

'But yea, it's fun when I'm not drowning in- oh the bus is here!' You announced looking at the familiar last bus that ran to your apartment.

You got in, finding a mostly empty vehicle aside from two sleeping college students and a man returning from work. You turned back, raising your hand to wave at Jay only to find him climbing behind you.

'Wait you live south of the campus too?' You asked, confused.

Jay made a surprised face, 'Ah yes! Just a bit farther away from there.' 'Weird I haven't ever seen you in this route.'

He laughed, which you assumed to be, nervously before going a taking the window seat.

You stood their in the aisle wondering whether to just sit beside him or take another one. You knew you should just find another place, considering how empty the bus was but weren't you both having a conversation?

A conversation you didn't want to end...

Jay didn't expect to feel a presence beside him as he looked out of the bus window. Surprised, he turned to look at you staring back at him.

When you saw him looking at you, you quickly ducked your head and cleared your throat, 'Ahem, so as I was saying...' you trailed, questioning whether he wanted to hear your useless banter.

'... About writing? Tell me more about it', Jay eagerly completed for you.

A small smile grew on your face. 'Tell me when you get bored, okay?' You jokingly warned him. I could never get bored of you talking, he thought but nodded nonetheless.

'Well, this would be me', you said, seeing the bus near the stop situated just a block or two away from your apartment. 'Where do you live?' You asked him as you took your bag.

'Uh', the boy stuttered for a second. 'The... next stop yep', Jay gave you a smile, internally slapping himself for the answer.

'Oh', you nodded. 'It was... nice talking to you, again.'

'I'm pretty sure the first time doesn't count', he chuckled. 'Message me once you reach home', he blurted out and then realized what he had just said. He wasn't even as close as a friend to say something like that, what was he thinking?

You felt your cheeks warm at his concern (?). Honestly, you found it very cute. 'Sure Mom', you teased him. 'Bye Park Jay!' You waved, getting down.

His lips quirked upwards, waving back to your slowly disappearing figure before taking out his phone and checking where he was. He had never, for the life of him, even ventured into this side of the town. Mostly he didn't have any need to.

Yes, he had just taken a different route and ended up quite far away from his dorms. All because he didn't want to let a chance go to talk to you.

After he was out of the bus and sitting on a bench, the dim streetlight shining on him, Jay sighed waiting for his cab and rested his head on his cheeks, he wondered out loud, 'what is happening to me?'

He knew it wasn't normal for him to be like this, use up the time talking to you when he should be doing his assignment. But you had an aura around yourself, something about the way you talked, the things you talked about, all seemed to pull Jay towards you. He had noticed the way your eyes sparkled when speaking about something you loved and how you were just as attentive to hear him rant.

He wasn't used to feeling like this, almost... complete.

･˳ . ⋆ against all odds

After that day, you talked to Jay almost everyday. Be it long deep text conversations or a good morning or have a nice day across the hallways, he could always find you somewhere. Sometimes you both ditched your friend groups to have lunch together because it was kind of boring to sit there with couples all around, you both claimed. Somedays you studied together at the library where you found yourself taking small nervous glances at his concentrated face.

But, at least for you, you just enjoyed his presence. Enjoyed how easy it was to strike a conversation with him, talk to him like old friends. Enjoyed how despite being kind of serious, Jay was very funny and he always found a way to make you cringe with him dad jokes.

It was all the small little things about him that just made it harder to not adore him. Like when the time he was willing to take abandoned kitten homes despite being allergic to them. Or when he tried the coffee flavors you were experimenting with, even though, they all tasted awful.

It didn't mean anything else, right...? we are just friends for God's sake! you told yourself. But then why were you feeling giddy at the sight of him walking up to you? Why did you feel your stomach do a sudden turn as he neared you, a soft smile on his face?

'Ready?' Jay asked. You nodded and noticed how casual yet handsome he looked with an oversized t-shirt and shorts. Well, he knew just how to pull any look. ('You know, you could have just chosen a fashion major', you had said to Jay once when he was contemplating his life choices).

'Let's go!' You exclaimed, skipping your way ahead of him. He chuckled behind you, feeling his heart warm at your childish action but then grumbled about how crowded it'd be at the Uni's summer festival. You turned to face him and stuck out your tongue, 'Too late to cop out now!'

You thought it was kind of a crime that Jay hadn't ever been to the festival in the past two years (for his defense, he said that the it was filled with soulmates. 'How can you know if you haven't ever gone there?' You counter questioned him). So, this year you took it up to yourself to drag the boy.

However, surprisingly, it wasn't as hard to convince him as you had expected, just a bribe to treat him to free coffee every week and win him something from the fair.

So, there you both were, walking through the festival, with various stalls set up by the students. You could see Somi in the kissing booth and Gaeul was probably somewhere with her soulmate, Hueningkai, hosting a bake sale.

'How do you like it?' You asked Jay, walking side by side while searching for the game stalls. 'It's... okay. But hey, I was right, this place is filled with soulmates.'

'Omg c'mon now! Let them be. Just because we haven't found ours doesn't mean you have to be so anti-romantic', you playfully slapped his shoulder. 'There it is!' You spotted it, pointing at the ring toss game.

You pulled him through the crowd. Jay noticed the way your hand was tugging at his wrist and he felt a jolt of electricity run through his body at the contact.

'Oh Jake?!' You exclaimed upon seeing Jay's friend at the stall.

'Y/N!' He replied enthusiastically. You hadn't hung out with his friends much but the times you had they had been nothing but warm, especially Jake who was always willing to talk to you.

'What are you doing here?' Jay asked in a flat voice. 'Making money, mate.'

The Australian guy then noticed your hand circled around his and wiggled his eyebrows at his friend. Realizing what he was implying, you quickly dropped his hand, embarrassed.

'One ticket for the game', the tall boy beside you said, breaking the awkward atmosphere that had settled and taking out his wallet.

'Hey! I pay', you scolded him. He turned to look at you with bored eyes, 'Yeah right, no way.'

You sputtered, 'B-but I forced you to come here, I should pa-' 'Which gives me even more reason to pay because you did succeed.'

You grumbled, defeated and knowing how stubborn he could be.

'So, you get four chances with one ticket', Jake said, handing you four rings. 'Make all these four through the pegs and you get a prize. A smaller prize if you get three pegs down.'

You nodded, determined to win.

What followed was your very hard attempt to throw those rings in place. You didn't realize how bad of a hand-eye coordination you had until only one of the rings made it to the peg. 'Fuck! Wait I don't get anything for one?' Jake shook his head, giving a sad smile.

Beside you, Jay chuckled, 'Tried your luck? Let's go.'

'Nope! One more ticket', you took out the money from your bag, beating Jay to it. 'Okay phew!' You prepared yourself, tying your hair.

Jake cheered, 'Y/N you can do it!'

You couldn't. 'Nooo! What the hell!' You cried in defeat, looking at the four hoops that had landed at different places, one even hitting Jake on his head.

'Oh God. You are terrible at this. Here, lemme show you', Jay said obviously done with how poorly you had performed. 'Last round.'

He came behind you, one hand touching your shoulder and the other one holding your hand. You stiffened at it, feeling his breath near your ear.

This was normal, right? Normal for a friend to touch your hands oh so gently and guide it so that you could win the prize?

But I have already won my prize you thought, turning your head to look at him carefully instructing you, his eyes on the game. You didn't know how to stop the blush from settling, seeing Jay so close, his dark eyes sparkling in the setting sun. It felt almost... magical.

Magical but deep down you knew, wrong because he wasn't your soulmate and you weren't his.

In the daze you were in, you didn't realize when and how he had put four rings through the hoop. 'There!' He exclaimed, removing his hand from your. 'That's how you do it', Jay said, flicking your forehead.

'Ouch!' You tried your best to break away from your thoughts, shaking your head and making a face of fake annoyance. 'But ugh-!' You pouted. 'I wanted to win it for you!' You whined

He chuckled, taking a plushie, 'You can still claim it like you won it for me, hm?'

'Fine.' You snatched it from him, turned around for a second before offering it to him, 'My dear friend Park Jay, here is my bribe for bringing you here. Please accept this little offering for I have won it with all my blood, sweat and tears!' You proclaimed proudly.

Yea, quite some eyes turned to your direction but you didn't really mind it. Jay cracked up, before pulling you away from the game stall, 'C'mon noe. Gosh, dramatic much?'

You grinned, 'Only for you.' Playfully bumping your shoulder with his.

He brushed it off but his mind was somehow stuck at your earlier three words. only for... him? It shouldn't account to much, but it did.

After going around the festival for another half an hour, greeting some of your friends, (forcibly) eating the burnt cookies Gaeul had made and stuffing your mouths with some much better food, you both made your way to the open area where the live band took place. It was the star attraction and your college was pretty famous for it.

The best thing was that anyone could come up on stage and sing their hearts out and the audience would follow them. Even before starting college, you used to come there alone to enjoy the vibe.

And now you had Jay with you.

Night had fallen by the time the first band stepped up, hyping up the crowd. Luckily, it was a clear evening, the stars shining bright as the songs started flowing in.

The first few were soft melodies, you swayed your body to the beat and watched Jay standing beside you, his eyes on the stage. You wanted to decipher what they said. Were they mesmerized? Did he feel bored? Was he thinking of something?

Jay wasn't a very expressive person. The only time you had seen him in a fully vulnerable state, filled with feelings, was the night you met him. But you didn't want him to be like that, you didn't want him to hold back his emotions.

So, you took his hand. Jay, surprised, turned to face you. You shrugged and smiled, raising his hand with yours, moving it with the song.

While you closed your eyes, he was still looking at you, his lips parted apart which slowly turned into a small smile. He studied your features one by one, eyes filled with adoration.

And that is when Jay realized. He didn't need any soulmate or his other half if he could spend all his time with you. Like, at that moment how you both were dancing to some fast track; panting, screaming and shouting like everyone else. He didn't need anything else if he could see you smiling, staring into his eyes with orbs filled with joy.

There may not be fate connecting you and Jay but it was fate that had brought you to him and at that moment he felt he wouldn't give up on you, even if he found his soulmate.

'And for the next song, I'll request you to partner up with your soulmate and if you haven't found yours, grab the person who's closest to you', the lead singer said.

Before you could look for a friend or anyone, Jay turned you towards him. 'The person nearest to me, you', he whispered, pulling you a bit closer. You nodded, feeling butterflies going wild in your stomach, unable to look anywhere but his face.

A guitar started to strum in the background and the low, sad voice of the singer followed it. It was a familiar song.

Jay bathed in the lyrics of the song, singing along to Jaurim's 'Til Death Do Us Apart'. You placed a hand on his shoulder and intertwined the other with his fingers. He looked into your eyes, '죽음이 우리를 갈라놓을 때까지 (i'll not let go of your hand that i take).'

'오, 그대여 내 손을 잡아요 (my dear, hold my hand)

이제는 혼자가 아니야 (you're no longer alone)'

You didn't know what passed between you both at that moment but you realized that somewhere along the past few weeks, you had crossed the line of being mere friends with Jay, or rather your feelings had.

Or else you wouldn't be resting your head on his shoulder, feeling his voice flow into your ears like some age old melody you had been searching for...

'Til the death do us apart

'Til the end of the world...'

Later that night, Jay lay awake on his bed, thinking back to the feelings that had dawned on him. He felt a smile make the way to his face as he thought of you. The way you lighted up the world or rather his. He hadn't ever felt so connected to a person. He knew that the feelings he had been harbouring were more than just passing emotions.

Could it be possible...? Possible that you were what he was searching for the entire time. Neither of you had a link, so it could make sense. Jay sat up, the sheets rustling under him.

'Bro, sleep and wipe the lovesick smirk off your face', Heeseung yawned from beside him. 'No I'm not-' he tried protesting.

The other boy turned to face him with a deadpanned look, 'You look different. As in, happier.'

'What...' Jay was confused, he didn't feel that way.. okay maybe that was a big fat lie, he did feel... well, something!

'You know well enough what I mean, Park. Don't act like we are blind to you and Y/N. See, Jay, you have always been kind of a... how do I explain it? Somewhat of a pessimistic sad person, using sarcasm to mask yourself, which I totally understand. But these days, dude, you are more open and free and I think it's because of her...'

Jay didn't know how to react. Heeseung was right. He did feel like meeting you sort of took away the sense of loneliness set deep within him. Not only because you were like him but also because you were you. Always attempting to have fun, to pull Jay out with you, like that one time you both dance in the rain with your friends even though normally he would never. You had a subtle wild and playful side to your deep persona.

'Do you... do you think we could actually be together if I tried?' He asked his friend, his eyes on the dark ceiling.

'Now I don't know the chances of her being your soulmate but even if she isn't, do you want to take the chance to be with her? It's up to you, Jay.'

He was right. There was no gurantee that you both were meant to be but he was willing. He was willing to take the chance.

Against all odds..

･˳ . ⋆ maybe this moment would last forever

In the days that followed the night of the festival, Jay seemed changed, but in a good way or so you hoped. You noticed, in small ways, how he smiled more often, seemed happier when around you and randomly gave you compliments. Jay was a naturally helpful person but somedays you could find him waiting outside your class or walking you home which was quite afar from his, despite your protests. ('See as a good friend, it is my duty to accompany you back home late at night', he said once. You had scoffed, 'Speak for yourself, Park. You are literally scared of everything.')

This was unlike him but what was unlike you was that you liked it. You liked how he made you feel- giddy, excited and blushing. You had had fleeting crushes before but with Jay it was something more because with each little interaction, you found yourself falling more and more.

Love was a strong word and for someone who had never got a sign from their soulmate, you were even more wary of it. In fact, you couldn't even say how it felt. Did it feel the way your parents used to cook dinner together in the kitchen, looking into each other's eyes, having some secret moment pass between them?

'Hey, Y/N', Jay called out to you in a low whisper as you both sat at a secluded corner of the library. You looked up from the short story you were working on for the past hour. It was due in a few days and you were stuck at just the most crucial part if the story.

'What now?' You questioned, rubbing your forehead in slight frustration for running out of ideas. 'Wanna ditch this for a while?'

'Look, Park, you may be having a nice time with assignments right now but I'm struggling to write the ending', you glared at him despite wanting nothing more than to close your laptop shut.

He clicked his tongue, 'Which gives us even more reason to have a little fun, hm?' 'Since when do you give up on our studying session?! You asked, confused at what he was saying. 'It's my job to take you on random adventures!'

How can I even study when you're the only thing in my mind? He thought but replied, 'Guess I should take over your position. Now, give yourself a break, Y/N.'

You sighed but gave in. A break wouldn't hurt... right? Plus, it was Jay so you knew you would have said agreed after some persuasion.

'Where are we going? Are you kidnapping me?' You demanded, packing your things. He winked, 'You'll see.' Your heart did a flip at his action and you couldn't help but wonder what had been taking over your friend (? Or crush? Or the literal love of your life?) for the past days.

'Okay, is this a trap to drive me to my death?' You huffed, sitting in Jay's car, remembering that one time he had offered to drive you home and you had to take over the wheel considering how bad he was driving.

'Don't worry, I don't drive that bad. Trust me.' 'The only thing I cannot do', You lied.

'Are we going...' You trailed, turning your face away from the rapidly changing scenery and looking towards the boy heavily concentrated on the road. He gave a quick smile, 'To the beach? Yep.'

'You know, I could have driven us to there too', you protested seeing how tensed he looked. 'But I wanted to kind of... surprise you', he muttered.

You stopped, staring at his face. God, you couldn't even help it but to giggle at his words. 'Caught you there, didn't I?' He smirked.

You whispered, not meaning him to hear you, 'You did...

You felt his hand on yours. 'Focus on driving, dummy.' But he didn't remove it. A blush caught in your cheeks as you rested your head on the seat, looking ahead. It was almost 6 in the evening but the sun was still up there, thanks to summer.

The beach was quite far from the campus but a mundane happiness filled you, driving down the empty roads, singing along to the music playing. You could hear Jay's soft voice sing under his breath as he slowly gained confidence in his driving. 'You should sing more often, Jay.' it sounds like honey.

'Finally!' You exclaimed, jumping out of the car and seeing the beach spread before you. You squinted your eyes in confusion, 'But why is this so empty?'

Jay came up behind you, taking your hand, 'I drove us to a quieter part. I accidentally discovered it during my first year when me and Sunghoon bunked our classes. Let's go!'

'You know we could get sick, Y/N!' Jay screamed at you as you splashed water all over his shirt.

You teased him, 'Too late! You suggested that we- yah!' You shouted as he suddenly attacked you. He laughed at your shocked face.

'Park, you'll pay!' You warned, searching the sand for anything you could find.

'What are you doing?', he asked, curious before widening his eyes at the sight of you picking up a stray rock and readying yourself to chase him. 'Are you crazy?' He ran in the opposite direction.

Jay turned around to find you catching up to him, laughing, the rock held high up your hand. The wind blew your hair in different directions and the sun casting beautiful patterns on your face. Jay thought he hadn't seen a sight so free before.

He fumbled for his phone, taking it out and snapping a picture before you could protest. 'Delete that!' You demanded, upon reaching him and softly hitting him with the stone.

Jay shook his head, pulling you with him closer to the shore, the waves washing up to your feet and the feeling of the sand slipping under you. 'God, I missed this so much!' You muttered to yourself. 'And I missed feeling so complete', he said.

Your face lighted up at his words. He was a lonely boy and you were a lonely girl but maybe that is what completed your friendship. You both were so alike that you loved small differences you shared.

'What are we? Kids?' Jay asked, sitting beside you in front of his car, waiting for the fireworks.

'Maybe. But I liked this. I like feeling like we are some dumb 10 year olds instead of adults', you said looking ahead at the horizon and reflecting back on the past hour where you both ran around the shore, writing your names on the sand, drenching each other in water and bathing in the happiness that those moments brought.

It felt special, like you didn't want to let it go. 'God, why do I feel like this moment would last forever?' You wondered out loud, a sinking feeling in your stomach knowing how it will end in a matter of few minutes. 'Maybe it will.' Jay scooted closer to you, resting his head on your shoulder.

You looked down at his soft hair and grinning face and put your hand around his shoulder and nervously put your head on his.

For once, you seem to forgot that he wasn't your soulmate, you just wanted to convince yourself that maybe... just maybe Jay could be the one.

You now think how foolish you were to be blinded by those delusions.

'You once said I'll meet my soulmate just at the right time. I guess that didn't happen but I met you, just at the right time. I don't think I want to give up on being twenty or in love with you. I want this summer to last forever, I want us to last forever', his voice came like a soft whisper, the words blending into each other inside your brain as you tried to process what he had just said. You stared back at him, your heart leaping at what he had just said.

The four lettered word you had been scared of. But at that very moment, you thought love found a meaning for you. At that very moment when you saw Jay's face nearing yours, his eyes sparkling with some hidden thought.

However, you knew what they said. Love. 'I love you-' He couldn't complete it because the next moment, you cupped his face, pulling him closer into a kiss.

And that's when you found the meaning of love. It was simple, soft like landing on a bed of feathers, but it was also like a spark, like the fireworks you could hear in the distance as his lips moved in sync with yours in the dying light of the summer, saying the words you don't think you'll ever have the courage to utter. Love was a grand thing but sometimes it just meant spending a summer evening at the beach, letting the feeling of youth wash over you. Sometimes it meant playing a game you couldn't win.

And it was also the moment when you understood what heartbreak felt like because after you broke the kiss, resting your forehead on his, your breaths the only sound you could hear, something caught your eyes. It was Jay's finger that was tracing your cheeks.

It was a red string, so thin, barely visible. The red string of fate, that connected two souls together and that's when you saw, it wasn't connected to your finger...

He wasn't yours to keep.

･˳ . ⋆ letting you go

'Y/N, wait, can... we just... talk?' A voice called out to you from across the almost empty hallway.

His voice.

You stopped in your tracks, a familiar feeling of sadness taking over you. Over the past week, you had tried everything to avoid Jay, to keep him at bay.

The car ride back from the beach was silent, he had been way too shaken to say anything and kept glancing at the red thread emerging from his finger. His soulmate link, something he had searched for ever but it only came when he wanted it to disappear.

Through the long journey, you had made up your mind. That you weren't his soulmate, no matter how either of you felt. And you wouldn't be the one to hold him back.

'What is there to talk?' You asked bitterly, feeling his hand turning you to face him.

'Why have you been avoiding me? Di-did that kiss mean nothing?' Jay's voice broke.

'It meant everything to me-' '- then why?! Are you scared of this?' He pointed at his finger. 'You know I have tried everything to make it go. I have searched online to see what to do with it but I just can't find anything! That's how much I want to be with you, Y/N', he said, desperation seeping into his voice.

'But Jay, we aren't meant to be. I don't want to take you from someone who really deserves you. Don't you see, it will-' You took a deep breath, controlling the tears welling in your eyes. 'It will hurt us both.'

He took your hand, pulling your chin to face his eyes, 'We'll make it work, love. I cannot let a stupid thread decide who I love. Please.'

His please quite literally broke you from the inside and you couldn't help but let one drop of tear roll past your cheek. No one said how hard it could be to fall for the wrong boy. The boy whose line of fate didn't collide with yours.

No one said that letting him go, for both of your happiness would be one the hardest things ever. And maybe because you loved him, you uttered the next few words, 'No. I will not live my life as a regret, thinking I stole you from someone. I have to let go, Jay. You should too.' You pried your hands out of his as Jay's face contorted in sadness, his eyes flickering, unable to hold back his tears.

You couldn't see him cry but mostly you knew you should just withdraw yourself to not cause him anymore pain. You turned around wiping your face and walking away. Away from the one you loved, away from a future you could have had.

･˳ . ⋆ twenty forever

You knew what you were getting yourself into when you agreed to accompany Gaeul to the college reunion party. It had almost been over six years since you had seen your classmates.

Since you had seen... him.

It wasn't like you didn't wanna go, heck, you had missed those friends from the days of college too but you knew he would be there and with him would come back all the memories and love you had tried so hard to suppress. They would overflow, creating a new wound or maybe opening the old one.

And he stands before you, a glass in his hands, giving you a small, almost sad smile. He looks different and yet so same to the Jay you had fallen for.

You remember laughing at his jokes, bickering with him over the stupidest nerdiest topics ever, holding his hand as you both ran in the dark. It all flashes like some film montage. But mostly you remember the night when you met him.

A night which was similar to todays. The night you found him drunk in the backyard. You wonder what would have happened if you hadn't gone to the party, if you hadn't made your way to him.

You'd be a way different person than you were today.

If you try hard enough, you feel like you'll get transported to your memories, where you are still twenty.

His voice comes out soft and tender, 'Thank you, Y/N. Thank you for teaching me how to love and-' He stops, hesitating or rather contemplating whether to say what comes next, 'Thank you for-' '- for being my first love, Jay.'

･˳ . ⋆ In the season when the wind blows and flowers fall, it still seems as if I'm holding your hand...

If you have made it through this mess, drop down a feedback as it really helps! ily and i hope you have a great day/night ^^!!

work belongs to @/luvistqrzzz do not, repost or translate my work.

#enhypen x reader #— works ! #jay imagines #enhypen fanfics #enhypen smau #enhypen jay x reader #enhypen imagines #enhypen au #enhypen jay imagines #jay enhypen #enhypen fanfiction #jay x reader #enha jay #enhypen jay x you #enhypen oneshots #enhypen jay #park jongseong #park jongseong imagines

[cannedbeefaroni]

The Birds and the Bees: Part 2 (Timothy Klitz X Reader) (SMUT MDNI)

Part 1

Summary: You are a bit of a failure and a hot mess. You have no social life, but you're lucky enough to be invited to your very first college party, despite being a social reject. You end up running into some guys you went to high school with, and it's extremely awkward.

Content: Friends to lovers, oral sex, P in V sex, bullshit emotional lovey dovy best friend sex, size kink, Klitz has a monster cock,

Y/N is referred to in second person as you/yours, but is referred to with feminine terminology, and is written to have AFAB genitalia.

That walk to his apartment was only a few blocks, but it felt like it would never end. It was eerily quiet, and you had no idea what to say. Whenever you’d stop at a crosswalk with him, you’d look over to see him smiling at you. He was cute, but you felt uneasy. A few times he’d ask if you were okay, and you’d respond that you were tired. You couldn’t admit that stumbling with your childhood friend to his apartment in the middle of the night felt grotesque. As you were let into his apartment it felt like you left reality. The small interior looked blurry as the warm ceiling light was flicked on. Light bounced off the white walls like a haze, and you felt

Nothing but confusion. You stood motionless as Klitz started opening up the sofa bed. He was clumsy as he tripped over several objects scattered across the floor. 

“Sorry, it’s not really comfortable,” he said as he laid out the blanket across the bed. 

“No, it’s fine. Thank you,” you answered shyly. 

“Should I leave you alone and let you sleep now or…?” 

You nervously grabbed the skirt of your dress as you said, “could you please stay?” He stared back at you before nodding. He sat on the edge of the bed and patted the spot next to him for you to take a seat. Your ass sunk into the overly soft mattress and hit the bottom of it. You didn’t even think before leaning your body against his, resting your head on his shoulder. At this point you were sobering up, but your tiredness contributed to how touchy you felt. Klitz’s wobbling hand went around your back, and in an unexpected move, he kissed the top of your head. You sighed, “I really missed you.”

“I missed you too. I always liked you a lot, and I still do,” his other arm wrapped around you as he pulled you into a tight hug. Your head being flush against his chest, you could feel his increasing heartbeat. As your arms snaked around his back, you were quickly losing restraint. You knew you wanted to fuck him, but you didn’t want to hook up with him. Your mind and body were completely at odds, and that only made your wanting worse. Klitz could tell that something was on your mind, and asked, “you okay?”

“You wanna know something funny?” you laugh nervously. Klitz responded “hm?” before you continued. “That one time I went to your house– the only time– I got so flustered that we were alone together. I actually failed that test we were studying for, because that entire time I was thinking about fucking you.” You continued laughing but stopped when you felt Klitz suddenly gasping. You pulled away from his embrace and looked up at him, seeing his burning hot face. 

“You’re joking, right?” he said breathlessly. 

“Why would I joke about that? Fuck, why did I say that?”

“W-why did you feel that way about me?” he exhaled shakily. 

“Because I wanted to just… be your girlfriend! And do all the things boyfriends and girlfriends do!” Your head was turned to the side as you couldn’t handle this amount of bashfulness. “I’m sorry, that was weird,” you hung your head, then you felt his hand rest on yours.

“I mean… that’s what I wanted too,” he whispered. “It doesn’t bother me at all,” his thumb caressed your hand, “I just never thought you wanted the same.” You looked down at his hand on yours, feeling overwhelmed. He took a deep breath then asked, “would you want to go out with me?” His face was getting closer, and when you noticed you began leaning in as well. 

You nodded as you looked into his eyes, and his hands were reaching to the sides of your neck. He ever so gently pulled you into a kiss. The moment your lips touched, you exhaled a sigh of relief. Your tense body relaxed as it leaned against his. His hands were innocently cupping your cheeks. They almost completely enveloped your face. Your puckered lips went in and out of the kiss, each time lasting longer. You began crawling into his lap, and he made a strained whimpering noise. 

“I-I don’t think we should go too fast,” he pulled away from the kiss, but rested his hands on your waist, accidentally exciting you even more. 

“I don’t think so either but… please?” you begged. “I wanna do it so bad, but at the same time I don’t wanna just be a hookup to you.” 

“No no no, I’d never think that low of you,” he responded hastily. “You’re a beautiful girl, and I want to treat you right. I want to make it special for you, y’know, like take you on a proper date.” 

You whined in response, “aw, Klitz… that’s sweet but…” you bit your lip before you could spit it out. “I’m so horny, I can’t take it,” you whispered, “all night, all I could think about was fucking you. I’m really sorry. I feel like I’m going crazy. I just-” you couldn’t think of what more to say. 

“-I wanna do it too,” he cut you off, “whatever you want, I’ll do it. I wont think less of you. I want to make love to you,” he smiled gently. You rested your head on his shoulder as you wrapped your arms around his back. You kissed him again eagerly, and he reciprocated with the same amount of passion. His grip on your waist tightened, making you whimper. You moved up on his lap, trying to feel his dick. In hearing his moans, you began rutting your hips into him. You kissed his neck as he stuttered weakly. You were determined to leave marks on his pale skin, so you bit down and sucked, hearing his voice hitch as he whimpered. 

“You’re so cute Klitzy,” you teased as your mouth dragged along his skin. 

“Don’t call me that,” he chuckled, followed up with a whine as you continued to lick and kiss his neck. He couldn’t keep his composure around you, but especially now he was unraveling. 

“But you’re too cute not to,” you moaned as you left sloppy kisses on his cheek. You then pushed your tongue into his mouth. His dick twitched underneath you as he thrusted against you, tightly gripping your waist down against him. You cried out in pleasure. It almost seemed like he wanted this even more than you did. Your hands moved down his chest to the bottom of his shirt to pull it off. He raised his arms to let you take it off and throw it to the side. You grabbed his wrists and held them to your chest. “Take mine off too,” you whispered. You threw off your sweater, allowing his shaking hands to pull the bottom of your dress all the way up slowly, revealing your panties, then bra. He gasped quietly at the sight of your body, staring at you with adoring wide eyes. His hands were already on your hips. His fingers twitched as he swallowed thickly. “You can touch me however you want,” you said. 

“Are you sure?” Klitz’s eyes were darting up and down. You’ve never seen his face so red. 

“Mhm, you’re the only one I wanna do this with…” you whispered to him, staring into his eyes dreamily. Your hand gently grabbed his hand, and guided it up your body. “Do you want to?”

“Yes,” he sighed, almost in relief. His hands moved up your sides to cup your breasts. He gripped them firmly, making you whimper before he began fondling them. “Oh my god, you’re so beautiful,” he said softly as he stared at your chest in awe, admiring the weight of your breasts in his hands. He moaned just from the feeling of touching you, before bringing his face between them and licking the skin of your breast. His dick twitched under you as he kneaded your tits against his face. You pulled down your bra to reveal your nipples, allowing him to suck on one of them before you even got the chance to fully remove it. He moaned “thank you,” against your breast as he pulled you closer. His mouth hung open as his tongue licked around your nipple, then quickly descended his lips to your areola, sucking on it. His mouth was wide open as his teeth grazed your sensitive skin. His tongue moved in circles  as needily sucked your tit. He looked like he was in heaven. 

“Such a sweet boy…” you cooed at him, making him whine unexpectedly loudly in response. His cock was strained against his pants, and you could feel it. “Oh, you really like being submissive, don’t you?” You tease him. It was strange, you thought you knew everything about Klitz, but you were a little surprised at his submissiveness. He looked up at you, doe-eyed. 

“Uh- uhm, is that okay?” his body was shaking as you leaned up against him. 

“I like it a lot. I- I’ve kinda always fantasized about you being this,” you admitted while averting your eyes, feeling overwhelmed by how cute he looked. His face was bright red. 

“Like what, exactly?” he asked nervously. His hands were still feeling your chest, lightly groping your soft skin. 

“I often think about… you being all cute and submissive like this. I kinda want to dominate you,” you say in the most gentle way possible, hoping you don’t scare him away by asking for too much.

Klitz shutters at your words, almost shocked at what you’re asking for. “P-please, I want that,” he says quietly with a deep, gentle voice. 

“Tell me what you want, baby,” you hold his face with your hands, making him look up at you. His eyes are wide with admiration, and he leans forward with wanting. 

“Mmh, I want- I want to… eat you out… please,” he stuttered, completely embarrassed. His cheeks felt hot against your hands.

You chuckled, “I can do you one better,” you ushered him to lay on his back. He did as you told before awaiting your instruction. “You wanna sixty-nine?” your hand was caressing his chest ever so softly, as you felt it rise with him gasping at what you said. 

“Yes- yes, please,” he begged eagerly. 

“You want me to sit on your face? I wanna make a mess all over your pretty mouth,” you teased him, making him whimper sweetly. You gave him a kiss and giggled at what a flustered mess he’d become, before you slowly removed his glasses, and left them on the side table. This was the first time you had seen him without them, and his eyes looked bigger than usual. You gave him a quick kiss on the lips before climbing over him, positioning your ass over his face. You rested your body on his, and he moaned when he felt your tits pressed up against his bare stomach. He was eager to pull your panties down, exposing your wet pussy and ass right in front of his face. You took them all the way off to get them out of the way, and tossed them aside. Slowly, you start undoing his belt, then pants zipper. You pulled them down, exposing his bulge in his underwear. You were taken aback, because it seemed ridiculously huge. You pulled his underwear down finally, leaving his cock to spring out, nearly slapping against his stomach. You had to hold yourself back from gasping at its size. You weren’t just thinking this to flatter him, you genuinely have never seen a penis this big before. 

“Is everything alright?” Klitz asked, able to tell you were thrown off about something. 

“Yeah, I’m just a little shocked… seeing your dick after knowing you all these years.”

“Do you not like it?” he asked sadly.

“No! That's not it. I’m just- your dick is just really huge, man,” you tell him so he won’t think you’re putting him down, but you still felt insanely awkward admitting it. 

“Oh,” he blushed deeply, “I guess it is… do you think I’ll be too big for you?” he asked in a whisper with concern. 

“I’m not sure,” it was hard for you to think while looking at his massive dick. Imagining how the ridges of it would feel rubbing against your inner walls, and the girth of his dick perfectly hitting your g-spot. “-but I still wanna try.”

“We’ll take it slow, okay? I don’t wanna hurt you, so please tell me if it’s too much,” he said so sweetly, you wanted to cry. 

“Thank you… is it bad that I feel a bit weird about us seeing each other like this? It’s not bad– it’s really good, actually–  but it feels strange that I like seeing you naked so much,” you asked somewhat awkwardly.

He blushed intensely, looking down. “I… I get what you're saying. I never thought I’d get this close with you. Now that we’re getting naked together… It feels unreal,” he said shakily.

He was right. In your current state, it was difficult to tell if all of this was even real. Even though you had sobered up, your exhaustion made you feel loopy. You wanted to convince yourself it was a dream, so you could enjoy it to the fullest without worrying about the aftermath, but deep down you truly wanted this to be real. Your hand caressed his cheek, moving his face toward you so you could look into his eyes. He squinted at you, trying to see you clearly, making you feel bad for taking off his glasses earlier. “I feel like it’s too good to be true,” you say softly, “but I’m afraid an anvil will fall soon after…” 

“I won’t let that happen. You’re not a hookup. You’re my friend. Nothing we do tonight will change that…” he reassured in a gentle tone. 

You grin in delight at what he says, and he smiles back. “You’re right, Klitz. I’m glad we feel the same… so uh… should we pick up where we left off?” You change the subject with very little grace. 

“Yes, please,” he responded immediately. You lowered yourself onto his face, allowing his lips to reach your pussy. His hands were quick to grab your ass, pulling you into the right position. He began to make out with your pussy, kissing your clit and swirling his tongue around it. He moaned against your pussy once you made contact with his cock, and you felt the vibration resonate throughout your body. While he worked on pleasuring you, you began licking the tip of his cock while you slowly stroked it.  You pushed it into your mouth, feeling overwhelmed by its size. Your head began slowly bobbing up and down on his length, but you could only fit about less than half of it until it reached the back of your throat. It was heavy on your tongue as it dragged along the shaft, tasting like sweat. He was moaning viscerally against your body as you began sucking him off fast, making you whimper. His hips were thrusting into your mouth, fucking your throat. You were drooling on his cock with your eyes rolling back, letting him overstimulate all of your senses. He pulled you by your hips, making you put nearly all of your body weight on his face. His noises were guttural as he suffocated himself in your pussy and ass. He sucked on your pussy as you could feel his nose pushing against your entrance. Your squeals were muffled with his cock in your mouth. You began to ride his face, and he was nearly crying out in ecstasy. His tongue was buried in your pussy, licking around it and lapping up your fluids. He was making out with your pussy as he tightly gripped your ass. You pulled yourself off his dick to catch your breath, and he whined as your lips dragged up until they popped off. 

Klitz pulled his face away from you, gasping for air. His hands were gripping the fat of your inner thighs, spreading them so he could stare at your dripping pussy. His thumb caressed the inner folds as he noticed how swollen and red your clit had become. He finally took notice of your heavy breath and shaking legs. “Are… you okay?” he asked sweetly.

“Yeah I just feel a little overwhelmed…” you choked out, finding it difficult to say. It was good, and you wanted to like it, but you felt a lump forming in your throat. Carefully, he held you by your waist and helped you crawl off of him, and turn around to face him once again. You were shocked to see his face, which was drenched and completely flushed. His hair was a complete mess, and he pushed it back completely, exposing his entire, usually obscured face. A pit in your stomach formed as you realized your perception of him has just completely changed. 

“We can stop if you-”

“No!- no, I just need a breather,” you cut him off. You didn’t want to stop, and if your bodies permitted, you would go all night just to be with him as much as possible. 

“Take all the time you need,” he brought his arms around you, wanting to pull you in close. You let him, and laid down in the spot next to him, laying your head on his shoulder with his arms wrapped around you. You turned your body towards him so you could look at him face-to-face. He smiled gently at you with warm, loving eyes. You smiled back, causing him to grin. 

“This is nice… I like it better when I can see your face,” you whispered bashfully. Being so close to him, there was no need to speak any louder. 

“Mhm, I love seeing your pretty face,” he whispered back, and it turned you on all over again. You threw your leg over his side, and pulled yourself as close as you could. Eagerly, you grabbed his face and began making out with him again. He pushed back, making him the one kissing you, and he desperately moved in and out of the kiss as he held you tightly. “Oh my god, you’re so perfect,” he whispered gruffly against your lips before going back into the kiss, moaning as his tongue penetrated past your lips. He made out with you feverishly as he started humping you. Your hips moved in sync with him, grinding your clit against the edge of his dick. You wanted to just lay there and hump him for hours. Just let him rub his cock against you desperately until the both of you pathetically cum all over each other over and over again. You felt yourself ready to finish already, just hearing his whiny moans and knowing how desperate he was for you. It didn’t take much longer for you to be squealing against his lips as your body twitched and shook against his. You were crying out his name as your pussy throbbed against his cock. 

“Did I… did I make you cum?” he whispered breathlessly as you panted in his arms. You nodded, and you heard him gasp a little. “Oh wow…” he stared off dumbfoundedly as you began placing sweet kisses on his cheek. 

“I- I wanna make you cum too,” you whined. You felt his heart rate increase and his arms shudder as he pressed his face into your hair. 

“Please fuck me,” he begged, “I wanna be inside you.” In your desperate state, you immediately reached down to grab his dick, which was already up against your pussy. You lined it up with your entrance and tried your best to sink onto it, but you quickly realized how daunting the task was. You yelped as you felt yourself being stretched by his size, and he held you tightly in his arms as he pressed his cheek against yours. “You okay?” he asked, breathlessly. You replied with a soft ‘mhm,’ to which he responded, “just tell me if you want me to stop, okay, honey?” You squeal slightly at his sweetness, then again at his hips pressing his cock into you. He groaned into your ear as you eagerly let him in as deep as he pleased. He began thrusting shallowly, allowing you to adjust to the stretch. 

“Mmh, please, deeper,” you whimpered, aching for more of him. He grabbed your hips, pushing you deeper onto him until he hit the back of your cervix. You dug your fingernails into his back as you cried from the sensation of being so full of him. 

“Oh my god, oh my god- fuck, I won’t last, you’re squeezing so tight,” he moaned as his dick twitched inside of you. Your hips bucked onto him. You thought about the possibility of him coming inside accidentally, and deep down you wanted it to happen. Your better judgment figured it wouldn’t be a good thing. Your mind went numb when he began to pick up the pace. You wanted to cry at how overwhelmed you felt. All you could do was babble and moan against his ear as he rammed into you. 

“Ah- ah- fuck, please- don’t stop,” you cried, then being met with Klitz’s lips being shoved into yours, making you swallow his moans with his tongue tasting yours. His hands grabbed your face, keeping you in the kiss. You arched your back, pushing your chest up against his, and allowing yourself to ride him. 

“Fuck, I can’t, I’m gonna cum- you’re gonna make me cum,” he strained is voice, squeezing his eyes shut. He grabbed your hips firmly to make you stop, but you couldn’t help your pussy still throbbing and convulsing around him. You were trying to hold back your second orgasm, but ultimately failed the second he moved his hips again. You instantly clamped down on him, screaming in pleasure. He cried out, saying “shit shit shit shit,” as he pulled himself out as quickly as possible and came all over your stomach. You rode out your orgasms together, tightly embracing one another. The two of you laid silently, panting heavily together. 

“Are you- are you okay?” he stuttered, caressing the back of your head.

You giggled softly, completely exhausted, “you were sooooo good Klitzy,” you dote over him, kissing his cheek. He giggled back in response, giving you a kiss on the lips. 

“You’re amazing,” he whispered, cuddling you tightly. You felt yourself dozing off as his hand caressed your head. Any worry you had lingering in your mind earlier had disappeared, and the only thing in the world that mattered was him as you fell asleep to the feeling of his heartbeat.

-

Hours later you’re woken up by the loud, creaky apartment door swinging open. You freak out, remembering being naked, but you notice being under a blanket, with Klitz’s arm wrapped around you. Eli, who you’d forgotten about at this point, stumbled through the door before slamming it shut. He flicks the lights on, causing Klitz to wake up as well. In the light, you can now see how fucked up and terrible Eli looked. 

“Hey guys, I’m just gonna crash here, don’t mind me,” he said before throwing his body onto the end of the sofa bed, but bouncing off and falling on the floor with a loud thud. He didn’t get up, and you assumed he had passed out.

Klitz sighed, “well, looks like we can move to the main bed.” The two of you got up, and he grabbed Eli by the under arms and threw him onto the sofa, seemingly not weighing much.

Part 1

#the girl next door #timothy klitz #timothy klitz x reader #tim klitz #tim klitz x reader #klitz x reader #klitz smut #danocel #danonation #paul dano #paul dano x reader #nsft #minors do not interact #minors dni

[a-dumb-sarcastic-bisexual]

ROTTMNT Headcanons: Just a random mix of stuff

All the kids have dimples

Mikey and Raph have them on both cheeks

Raph’s are pretty small and you can't see them unless he’s smiling wide

But Mikey’s are deep they show up a lot when he’s talking

Leo has a dimple on his right cheek 

Donnie has one on his left 

And both their dimples are pretty deep 

Splinter used to push their cheeks together and poke their dimples

“My matching baby boys” is what he used to say whenever he did it

And April has two on one cheek (she used to get bullied for this)

Splinter didn't know why they had dimples because he never met a family member with them

His mom didn’t have them, and his Jiji didn’t have them 

And he wasn't close with the rest of the family so it wasn't like he could call and ask 

He thought it would be a mystery forever

Until Karai smiled for the first time

The kids love musicals 

The Momma Mia movies are some of their favorites (they all agree the sequel is better)

It’s a tradition to watch them whenever something major happens

They watched them when they defeated Shredder, when April graduated High School, when she got her acceptance letter to her dream college, and when they defeated the Kraang (but Leo wasn’t lucid so he claims it doesn’t count)

(Donnie says that argument is bullshit cause he was lucid enough to sing along)

The twins will sing every single song 

They have costumes, they have props, and they know all the dances by heart

They perform their little theater-loving hearts out (my siblings do this every time)

They all have a favorite song from both movies

April’s is ‘Dancing Queen’ (a little basic but a classic nonetheless(when she’s having a really good day she’ll sing along with the twins)), and ‘When I kissed The Teacher’ (cause watching Donnie and Leo run around makes her laugh)

Raph can't decide between ‘Our Last Summer’ and ‘Slipping Through My Fingers’, and his favorite sequel song is ‘My Love, My Life’ (he always tears up (his baby brothers singing those songs doesn’t help with the tears))

Leo’s is ‘Voulez-Vous’, and ‘Waterloo’ (he plays them both when he’s getting ready)

Donnie’s is ‘Money Money Money’ (for obvious reasons), and ‘Kisses Of Fire’ (cause Leo always sings in the accent)

Mikey’s is ‘Super Trouper’ (cause Donnie Leo and April sing it together), and ‘Why Did It Have To Be Me’ (cause that’s my favorite song)

The whole group dressed up as “Donna and The Dynamos” for Halloween (but no one could decide who got to be Donna so they were just “The Dynamos”)

I don't know if you know this but surgeons play music while they’re operating on patients 

And all I can think about is Leo blasting his music whenever he’s operating on a family member

He either plays Lizzo or Selena there is no in-between

He always sings along and he forces his helpers (aka April and Splinter) to sing along 

He has two reasons for doing this 1. He can’t think unless there is some sort of background noise and 2. It helps calm everyone down

He will kick people out if they complain about the music/refuse to sing

This is why Draxum is banned from the medbay

#i was editing this and i accidentally deleted all of it #i had to rewrite this from memory #i probably forgot so much #rottmnt #rise of the tmnt #Rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #save rottmnt #rottmnt headcanons #medic Leo #rottmnt leo #rottmnt donnie #rottmnt raph #rottmnt mikey #rottmnt april #rottmnt splinter #the disaster twins are theater nerds #prove me wrong

[meguemii]

Hardly Friends.

03. When he Proves That to me.

Pairings- Megumi x Reader, Slight Nobara x Yuji (mostly platonic)

Synopsis- Megumi and Y/N used to be inseparable as children and just started drifting apart when they start high school they meet again in college. But you are roommates with each others best friends. Nobara drags Y/N to a party one night without knowing Yuji had asked Megumi too, they start their journey to regain their lost friendship on a two week trip.

Word Count:

1 night. 1 singular night you had left to sleep in your oh so comfortable bed, and private space. Maki said she’d look after Mochi, your cat although Yuji says it’s the shared cat. Everything packed and ready to go, check. The house would be looked after, check. Mochi has her favourite treats fully stocked, check. Everything seemed to be in order and all was good.

You and Yuji had decided to go out for dinner so there wasn’t a mess left in the kitchen before it would be left for two weeks. “Let’s get rice bowls” Yuji suggested, “I’d rather we get thai food” there was a little back and forth until it was decided on Sushi. Getting a booth and sitting down Yuji wasted no time in asking the long dreaded question. “Are you and Megumi going to be able to get along on this trip?”. God this whole thing was so annoying. Why couldn’t the two of you just get along with each other? One day it’s awful tension that sticks to the air and suffocates everyone else around, or the conversation just flows and everything is good. Would you have to worry about this on and off bullshit the whole two weeks? “I don’t know Yuu, I’ll be civil with him” pausing to think about what should be said next not to start an argument. “I honestly just want things to go back to how they used to be, but he’s so stand off-ish with me, and it feels like it’s only me”. Yuji smiled brightly, “You know he wants to go back to how things used to be as too.”

Shocked would be an understatement to the reaction stuck on your face. He didn’t wanna be a jerk anymore? He wanted to go back to being inseparable? Was Yuji lying to get you to try harder to be civil with him? That’s the most logical reason, different thoughts raced through your mind but you stuck with that conclusion. “I’ll believe it when he proves that to me.” The conversation was dropped after that.

-

Loud knocks against your bedroom door awoke you from your slumber as a chirpy Nobara opened it. Forgetting Yuji had given her a key to the apartment you freaked out. “What the hell are you doing in here?! What time is it?” Still half asleep and slurring words, eyes starting to focus on her. “Get up and get ready, we have 15 minutes before we have to leave for the airport.” As quick as she entered the room she left, probably to raid the fridge for a quick snack. Sitting up and wiping the drool from your mouth, instinctively grabbing the phone from its charger to check the time. 4:05am. Perfect because of course the flight had to be this early in the morning. The flight wouldn’t be that long, an hour and a half at most you could dress cute or like a total bum. The thought of being someone’s airport crush urged you to put a cute outfit on.

You slammed yours and Yuji’s luggage into the trunk of Nobara’s car, “Do we have everything? Are you forgetting anything Yuji?” asking for the third time since everything started getting loaded in the car. You could practically see the lightbulb go off above his head as he took off back inside shouting a quick “one minute!” Sighing you seated yourself in the car quietly, looking to the front Nobara scrolling on her phone and Megumi peacefully slept in the passenger seat. He looked like a nice guy for once in his life when he wasn’t frowning or scowling at you. One of his eyes shot open as the other car door opened in the backseat, and of course he caught you staring and made a remark about it which pissed you off. Looking to Yuji he had a goddam neck pillow. He could NOT forget his neck pillow and now you were running 5 minutes behind schedule.

“I am not waiting any longer so if you forgot something you’ll have to do without” Nobara said sternly as she whipped out of the parking garage earning a “yes ma’am” from everyone.

-

“Why did we have to be here 2 hours early?” Both you and Yuji groaned. “Deal with it” Megumi mumbled. Great, that’s the second time he’s been a jerk and it’s only 5:15am. Your flight didn’t leave until 7:30am, although the four of everyone were pretty far back in security. Remembering you hadn’t eaten wondering when your stomach would start begging for something to eat and on que it did. “Does anyone wanna get something to eat?” looking around Yuji shook his head and Nobara said she’d hold everyone’s spot in line since he had in fact had something back at the apartment. That left Megumi, who would have been your last pick anyways especially after the comments he’s already made today.

“Yeah sure, I’ll go” He says as he handed his stuff to Yuji and walked towards all the airport fast food restaurants. Browsing in awkward silence Megumi finally spotted a cafe asking if you were cool with grabbing food there. Walking out with three iced coffees and one black coffee as well as some breakfast pastries, you were satisfied. “Did Nobara tell you much about where we’re staying or anything?”. “No not much, just that we’re going to Osaka” he nodded as acknowledgment. So weird.

By time you both had gotten back to the airport security Nobara and Yuji were waving for you to hurry up as they were close to being next in line. Rushing over and handing everyone there belonging items, everything went over smoothly and it was almost time to board the plane.

Yuji and Nobara were talking amongst each other as Megumi just scrolled through his phone double tapping it occasionally. Nothing to eventful, just the sound of families arguing, snoring and flights being announced. Finally it was your flight that was called to board, excitedly everyone picked up there stuff and was off. “Guys wait, one air port selfie! please!” the only person not to say no was Yuji, of course.

A window seat, the best seat and it was all yours. Nobara made her way into her seat and slumped down. “I think the flight attendant is checking tickets” Nobara said pointing down the isle, reaching over her to see. The flight attendent was indeed checking tickets, Nobara quickly handed everyone’s tickets out. Yuji and Megumi were sat behind you.

The flight attendant finally reached Megumi’s and Yuji’s seats reading off her clip board “Yuji Itadori and Nobara Kugisaki?” the flight attendant looked up as she eyed them down, Nobara was clearly a feminine name and neither of them were a girl. Yuji shot his hand up “I’m Itadori! But that isn’t Nobara.” Nobara turned around to butt into the conversation. “I’m Nobara Kugisaki but we’re travelling together, I thought it would be okay if Megumi and I switched seats?”

“Well it’s not. You need to switch back. immediately.” She puffed her chest out in pride like she actually did something and walked off to continue her check.

…Man. Why were you always getting out into awkward situations with Megumi?

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okay guys. you and megumi are getting somewhere and yuji literally told you that megumi wants to go back to how things were when you were best friends stuck at the hip. Yuji lyin’ or is megumi not a hateful jerk?😓 chapter four should be out soon, i be workin and shi🤭 Also next chapter will just be small filler (i’m sorry don’t hate me. i just need to get these parts over and done with so we can move onto the actual story!!

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[makeupbychio]

you kissed her?! // e.m x fem!reader

Eddie Munson x fem!reader.

Summary: Steve kissed you for a really good purpose and Eddie lost his good temper.

Warnings: Jason and his group, reader being bothered by them. Fights. Mentions of Chrissy and Fred's deaths. Mentions of guns, the ones Jason has. Mentions of smut and making out. Angst bc Eddie's worry but with happy ending.

Words: 3.7k.

a/n: I dreamt this a couple of days ago so... also, I put fem!reader just for the pronouns. Credits to gif's owner.

-- --

"What else?" Steve asked you when he placed in the cart the beers Eddie asked for. You walked down the liquor aisle. 

Your boyfriend was the only one who asked for alcohol to calm down his nerves of the recent events. And he asked for a big amount, he thinks he’s never going to be able to leave his hiding spot.

You didn’t argue because he’s very upset right now and also, Steve was paying for everyone’s supplies.

“Don’t forget about the cookies the kids asked for” you pointed at the list they gave you. The cart was full, food for at least a week for every meal of the day and other things you might need while you all stayed at Rick’s trying to solve whatever is going on now on Hawkins. 

You also remembered what Robin asked you, girls stuff. “You go get the sweets and I’ll be in the personal care aisle” you told Steve leaving his side with the cart heading to the other side of the local market.

You were looking for the ones your friend asked you when you felt a weird feeling on you. “Y/L/N!!” Jason and his group rushed to where you were. 

Fuck, you muttered to yourself. A huge horror inside your guts because they are known for being dangerous now that they are hunting Eddie, your Eddie. You are scared that they are going to hurt you right now in front of everyone just because you are relative to Eddie.

You tried your best to act casual, with your best poker face in their presence but the truth is that you just wanted to run away. You were mentally preparing to throw fist at them if they dared to put their hands on you.

“What?” you asked them with an annoying look at them. Acting fool like they were not about to ask you the obvious question. 

“Where is Eddie, freak?” Jason asked you with bloody eyes, he looks like he hasn’t slept or taken a shower in days. 

The whole town knows you two have been together since your last year of high school. But you left Hawkins to go to college, you were back for the spring break that far now it’s been like trash with the mysterious murders. 

A thousand thoughts rapidly ran in your mind trying to give him a good excuse to leave you alone. Fuck, you love Eddie so much that Jason is not going to believe what you are about to say. Also, where the fuck is Steve to help you out of there?

You looked down at Jason, since he’s shorter than you. You tried to intimidate him with your height difference and also your badass attitude you were also known for. 

You are not an innocent sweet girl, and during your school years you remembered how many times you shouted Jason’s mouth with your sarcasm at his mean words towards Hellfire Club, where you belonged. But not gonna lie, right now knowing that they have tons of weapons and guns somewhere you are scared of them. 

“Eddie? Why should I know that?” you looked at him deep down in his eyes. Trying to put a spell on him to believe you all the things you were about to tell him. “I don’t know where he is”.

He frowned his features, confused as hell. There is no way you and Eddie broke up, everyone knows you two are meant to each other, even Jason knows that despite that he hates both of you. 

“Don’t bullshit me right now, Y/N” he took a step closer to you, “I’m going to ask you one last time and you better tell me the truth, where is Eddie?!” He raised his voice a little due to his annoyance. 

Oh no, he did not just threaten you. He chose the wrong person. Just when you were about to read him, you felt an arm around your waist. 

“There you are, babe” Steve smiled at you, putting your body closer to his side. You looked at him with surprise, his hand touching your exposed skin between the waistband of your pants and your shirt. “What’s up, guys?” he asked the basket team with his cool attitude he always shows to the rest. 

Of course they changed their temperament, now they are speaking to Steve ‘The Hair’ Harington and not some freak from Hellfire.

“We are talking to her, Steve. We just want to know where Eddie is” Jason told him very politely, like if he were speaking to a super star. Well, Steve used to be the king of that school and Jason has respect for him just for that. 

“I told you, I don’t know where he is! I broke up with that asshole before I left this town” you kept lying to them. It hurted you to refer to Eddie with those words. 

Steve cheered on the inside that you understood what his escape plan was. “I’m with Steve now” you looked up at Steve, trying to figure out your next move so they would leave you in peace. 

It doesn’t make sense to Jason, a few days earlier he saw Steve with a girl at the game. If Steve was cheating on you, he didn’t want to get involved in a couple's problems so he let that slip.

“Good for you, Y/L/N. Good news that you realized that freak wasn’t for you. I always told you that, remember?” Jason pointed at you. He and the rest of the team considered you a really beautiful girl to be with Eddie the freak, and Jason told you that a lot of times when he tried to flirt with you but always got a punch on his guts instead from you.

“That loser? He can’t even graduate” Steve scowled. He went too far but you let that pass just because this was urgent. “Now guys, if you excuse us, we need to go”. Steve took the cart to leave.

“Hold on, Harrington” Jason stopped the cart from moving. Hands gripping tight the metal. “Why all this stuff?” he asked, looking down at the huge amount of things you were trying to buy. They were also looking for all of the rest of the Hellfire Club and this looks exactly like you were about to feed a lot of people. 

Steve froze because he just thought about the fake relationship with you, he thought that would be enough. “This? Mmhh this is for…” Steve scratched the back of his neck. 

“This is for a party we are going” you interrupted your friend looking at him, for his turn to follow you. 

“Yeah yeah, exactly. We are going to a frat party and you know how much alcohol we need” Steve looked at them knowing the parties they have at the abandoned diner. 

“Yeah, I just came back for spring break to see MY Steve and have a proper time together” you placed a hand on Steve’s chest. 

It was now or never, Steve thought. You didn’t see that coming but the next second Steve grabbed your face and kissed you eagerly. You opened your eyes wide at his action but returned the kiss while he closed his to keep kissing you, trying to finally shoo the group. 

Steve now understands why Eddie is obsessed with his girlfriend, her soft and plump lips felt so good to Steve but he’s taking that thought to the grave. Your cherry chapstick all over Steve’s mouth, he envies Eddie now a little bit more. More because just like with Robin, he never paid attention to you when you two were in high school. He used to be a real asshole, not like Jason but Steve was not a nice person to the ones who were not in his circle of “friends” and also he was, still, so obsessed with Nancy. Of course you found him handsome back in high school, and had a little crush before you started dating Eddie. 

Eddie knew about this crush, because you told the group once and always teased you when he got the chance when you both were friends before becoming the coolest couple after Nancy dumped Steve and started dating Jonathan. 

Now Steve regretted being a total douchebag, because he would have had really good friends back then in school if he would have been a little bit nicer to you, Robin and Eddie.

“We gotta go, guys”. Steve grabbed you by your waist again while you took the cart. “We don’t have time for her ex” he tried to sound jealous at their retirees questions.

You finally found what Robin asked you to buy for her and also spotted the condoms section next to it. You were not lying about this when you grabbed two boxes of condoms. The boys around you looked at you with astonishment. You hate people that act like prudish, or you just don’t have shyness when it comes to this topic. Even Steve was shocked at the ones you picked. Now, he is jealous of Eddie. God, he needs a partner asap. 

“Like I said, I came back to have a proper time with my boyfriend” you winked at Steve, and told Jason’s group. But you were not going to use them with Steve, but you had to keep lying to get out there. 

Now for the jocks it was way too much information, finally starting to leave you alone. “Ok guys, sorry for interrupting you. If you see Eddie, Y/N don’t approach him, he’s dangerous right now out there” Jason trying to act like he cares about your safety. You just wanted to punch him in the face. 

“And you guys should slow down with whatever you are doing” Steve said pointing at Patrick who looked scared and was covered in sweat. 

“I think you should look after your friends instead” , your last words to the kids.

Steve took the cart and hurried to the closest supermarket check-out. Thanks to the universe, there was no waiting line to pay. You slowed down him a little bit or it would look obvious that you want to leave the place.

– – 

Back in Steve’s car with all of the grocery bags in the back, you two are quiet. The silence was a little bit uncomfortable. The music of the radio was the only thing that kept the moment tolerable. Steve’s eyes were going from the road to the rearview mirror to check that Jason was not following you. He pushed the accelerator to the floor and was off like a shot in the road. You were outside Rick’s in less than 20 minutes. 

You barely waited for Steve to properly stop the car when you were already outside of it. You took some bags from the back and carried them inside the house. Steve parked where the car was not visible from the road. 

You shoved the door open, scaring your friends who were inside waiting for you. 

“What happened?!” Robin asked you anxiously. You throw the bags on the dining table and run back to help Steve. “Y/N!” she insisted. You didn’t answer until you got everything inside. 

Everyone stood up to help you. “Steve, what is going on?!” Dustin yelled at him. Both of you are looking for something. “Guys! What are you looking for?!” 

“We need something to hide Steve’s car!” you said desperately looking for something similar that could be used.

“Why, Y/N?” Eddie asked you, grabbing your arms to stop your movements. You escaped his grip. “Y/N, stop! Guys you are scaring me” Eddie put his hand on his hips exhausted. 

“What took you so long? Something clearly happened” Nancy told you how they were shitting bricks because the supposed short visit to buy groceries ended with both of you being outside for more than expected. They were having the worst theories and scenarios. 

“We were in the market, only a few things left and with Y/N we separated to make it faster. So I went to grab the cookies and she went to grab other things and once I spotted her, Jason and his group were talking to her…” Steve told the group the earlier events without blinking or taking a breath. Adrenaline is still going through his veins just thinking that Jason could have followed you. 

Everyone sighed at the mention of Jason’s name. Now Eddie was REALLY worried, wondering if Jason hurted you. 

“So I saw how Y/N was about to hit him or kill him with her stare, I don’t know so I assumed he was bothering her. Of course he asked about you…” Steve pointed at Eddie and the boys who are in Hellfire Club. Meanwhile you found a large piece of cloth to hide Steve’s car, and went outside to cover it. Eddie wanted to follow you but he wanted to hear what Steve was saying since he was the only one telling everyone what the hell is going on.

“Of course she lied and gave him the BEST poker face I’ve seen but he still didn’t believe her so she told him that she hadn’t heard about you in months but Jason still didn’t trust a single word so I stepped in and…” Steve still didn’t take a break between words describing everything to explain their entrance and what took them too long, while he took the groceries off the bags and placed them on the dining table.

“I don’t know how but he just left us in peace when we told him that Y/N was now dating me…” Eddie jumped at that, getting way too close to Steve, he didn’t look back at the leader of Hellfire because he was too into getting all out of his chest because he was as scared as you back in the market. “So I kissed her and Jason FINALLY left us in peace and…” 

“YOU KISSED HER?!” Eddie literally threw Steve to the nearest wall and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. You stepped inside the house just in time.

“Eddie calm down!” Dustin tried to pull back Eddie but failed in the try. The tiniest thing was going to upset Eddie because he’s been really fragile since the spooky death of Chrissy. He was freaking out, the last thing he needed was to hear Steve, ‘the king of Hawkins who Y/N used to have a crush on when they were younger’, kissed his girlfriend.

Steve started to get red from his tries to breathe properly. “Man I can explain”. If looks could kill Steve would be dead. He shouted at him that he could take her hand or just hugged her to make it look like they were dating. 

“Eddie let him go, please” your voice calmed him a little bit. He trusted you, and only you in this evil world. “Jason was really getting weird on me, this time I really needed help. It wasn’t like those times in school when I could take him down easily” you explained, approaching your boyfriend to rub the sides of his arms and take his hands off Steve’s neck. You are not afraid of Eddie, it's not a situation of 'look at me' so he doesn't hurt Steve. It's just that he just saw the most scary way someone could die, despite that Dustin told him that they believe what he said, it doesn't make sense to him ANY of what is happening in this shitty town.

“Exactly, exactly. What she says, listen to her. She was in danger, this WHOLE plan was in danger, almost got caught” Steve felt how he loosened his grip a little bit. He never thought he was going to be afraid of Eddie, well, when it comes to fights, Steve never wins. Eddie thought for a moment if he should let Steve go. He gave Steve the last death glare before letting him go.

Robin helped Steve to catch his breath, kneeled down to rest. “First and last strike, Harrington. Do you understand?!” Eddie pointed at him before hugging your figure. Steve nodded at him and muttered a low ‘yes’ to him like a scared puppy, thank God he’s never going to see how the kiss was. 

Eddie is not a violent person or a jealous boyfriend but due to the lately traumatizing events he can’t trust his brain and his temper, especially when it comes to Jason. “Did he hurt you, baby?” he asked you, looking at any sign that Jason put a hand on you. 

“I’m fine, don’t worry” you grabbed his face to kiss his temple. “Let’s go talk upstairs” you took his hand to lead him to the bedroom in the second flor and tell him everything, now properly and not like Steve did throwing the bomb at Eddie.

“I’m sorry, Harrington” Eddie offered his hand to him before leaving the group to be alone with you. Steve told him it was fine.

– – 

You closed the door of the bedroom behind you, “What’s in your mind right now?” you asked Eddie, sitting on his lap and rubbing his back. You know that nothing sweet was going through his head right now, but you are always there to help him. “Tell me, Eds” reassuring him it’s safe to tell you.

“I’m sorry, babe. I just want this to be over. I got worried that you took so long out there, I really thought that I lost you like the ways Chrissy and Fred lost their lives. I know it sounds paranoiac but I don’t know it’s not safe out there, then he mentioned Jason and I can imagine the whole armament he has and it got worse… Y/N I swear to God if he hurts you, I can’t lose you-” and he broke down the tears he’s been holding since you left his side to go for the supplies. He will never forgive himself if something happens to you.

You rested his head in your chest while you let him pour out his feelings. He hugged your figure, holding you tight letting his tears run free. His cold rings against the exposed skin of your back gave you chills.

He kept apologizing for his reaction and for wetting your shirt with his tears but you told him that it’s okay. You kissed the top of his head before you left his lap. You took his hand and lay back down with him in the bed, he hugged you from behind, “Thanks, I’m going to apologize again with Steve later”. Eddie took a scent of your perfume when he laid his head close to your neck, immediately feeling better. You turned around to look and hold his beautiful face, you placed kisses all over it. 

For the first time in days you heard him laugh. “Why did you leave his side in the first place?” Eddie asked you. The first thing they told you and Steve before leaving the house was to always stick to the plan.

“I had to borrow these” you gave him a playful smirk when you took the item that was in the back pocket of your pants. His grin wide, you read his mind. 

“Thank God, I left mine in my room and the ones I had in my van we ran out of it” he informed you. You gave him one box of condoms and you kept the other one. “But right now, I just want to kiss you” he admitted. 

This is unusual of him, since he’s always like a horny puberty boy. But you both always respect your time and space. Right now he needs another type of intimacy. “Of course, baby. Don’t worry, just tell me when you’re ready”. Meanwhile, you both started to make out since the only thing he wants right now is to kiss you.

He placed you on top of his lap, you straddled him and just broke the kiss to take off your shirt. “Can’t believe Harrington kissed those pretty lips” he looked at you. He wasn’t going to shut up about it in a long time. “Who’s a better kisser?” he teased you, he loves grabbing your ass when you are on top of him. 

You smacked his shoulder at his dumb question. "Eddie, come on!" but decided to play his game, “Mmmhhh I don’t know. I think I need more kisses to make a decision” you teased him back, slowly cheering him up to get his spirit back. 

“Okay, I took what I said before back. Now I’m in the mood” he flipped you to lay you down in the bed and now he was on top of you. He quickly took off his shirt and threw it somewhere in the bedroom. You laughed at his cocky behavior. 

You grabbed his face while he covered yours with his kisses, trailing down to your neck to leave a couple of marks, you panted when he kissed your sweet spot. “If he only knew what that pretty mouth can do''. He kept coming down till his motions were interrupted by the piece of cloth in your chest. He quickly got rid of it and left a couple more love bites in your breasts. “What about now, love? Who is a better kisser?'' He didn’t leave his attention from your pretty chest. 

You moaned at the feeling of his lips against your skin, “You are, Eddie”. He’s been the only one that can give you chills all over your body every time he touches you.

"That's my girl. I love you so much" he worships you all the time like the goddess you are. He just wanted to show you how much he needs you to comfort him after the traumatized events by holding you really close to his body and covering every part of you with his sweet kisses. 

– – 

“Do you think they are fighting?” Dustin asked Steve naively, who was helping him with dinner and placing the rest of the things into the shelfs. 

The boy couldn’t hear if you two were fighting or not due to the huge house Rick has. Thank God.

Till this point he should know how his D&D lead master acts when it comes to you. 

Steve gave him an ‘are you serious?’ look, but also he didn’t want to traumatize the boy by telling him the truth and how couples make up these situations. “By the gift Y/N bought Eddie in the market, I think they are going to be fine” he reassured the boy not to worry.

#eddie munson #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x y/n #eddie munson imagine #eddie munson x fem!reader #eddie munson fic #eddie munson stranger things #stranger things #stranger things fic #stranger things imagine #stranger things 4 #eddie my love #my writing

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - A Blah Week

May June 2023 Wk 1

Being a highly subjective assessment of one tiny corner of the interwebs. Organized by which ones (in each category) I’m enjoying most.

Ongoing Series - Thai

La Pluie (Sat iQIYI) ep 6 of 10 - It’s so damn cute. Seme is still sus... but cute. I didn’t even mind the pratfall since they clearly both wanted to take advantage of it. These two are great kissers - like MaxTul level. I am PLEASED. Meanwhile, sides have a drunken MOMENT. 

Be My Favorite (Fri YouTube) ep 2 of 10? - I’m enjoying it which is fucking with my head, trash watch here! 

Luminous Solution (Sat Gaga) ep 2 of 6 - Dome has aged so pretty! Do we think the café owner doesn’t want him because he is happy in love? I’m enjoying the high school story arc a lot, and I wish we were just watching that and none of the others (Dome or no Dome). I finally figured it out the actor playing Mai is from Manner of Death.

The Promise (Weds YT & WeTV) ep 10fin - Soap opera brother relationship suddenly? Also more not communicating and more separation? Just bullshit. The best part of the ep was the interstitial cat. It feels like this show dragged on forever I am so glad it’s over and I intend never to think about it again. Full review below (although I pretty much just said it all.) 

Step By Step (Tues WeTV & Gaga) ep 7 of 10 - no ep this week, no idea why. It better not be because of the ZeeNew freakszoids or I am banhammering with a will. Our Skyy 2 (Bad Buddy & 1k*) eps 13-14 - skipped it this week as it concludes next week so I’ll binge all 4 at once.

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

Our Dining Table AKA Bokura no Shokutaku (Japan Thurs Gaga) ep 9 of 10 - It’s just so good. I say it every week but it IS. Oh the running of the gays trope! Japan1 For us? How thoughtful. Awe, Yutaka’s confession in tiny was the best. SMILEY KISS! It took 3 BLs but Inukai Atsuhiro has finally actually kissed a boy. 

Star Struck (Korea iQIYI & Gaga) ep 5-6 of 8 - Oof this is such a hard show. Too much angst. It is a complicated story worth further analysis, but it’s too much for me and I don’t wanna dwell in it. Also, sweetie, you don’t get to cockblock the boy you rejected then invite him to sleep over, I don’t care how confused you are. Good for Hanjoon for standing up for himself, but holy shizz is this hard to watch. 

Vian the series (Vietnam YouTube ) - Cats are not caretakers. The neighbor is a cutie. Fun convo for a VBL - top/bottom & everything. Faen fatale showed up + a pratfall kiss and frankly I’m finding this show a bit dull now that the charm of the initial premise has worn off.

Naked Dinner AKA Zenra Meshi (Japan Fri Gaga) ep 8 of 12 - I never know what to say about this one. This was the dark separation doom episode. I was pretty blah over it. I’m just not engaged with this show. 

It’s Airing But ...

House of Stars (Thai Mon iQIYI) 12 eps - I bounced at ep 3. Will binge if told it is worth it at end.

Stay (Pinoy ????) 7 eps - It’s mostly in English and set in LA so I’m not bothering to hunt.

Let’s Eat Together AKA Aki wa Haru to Gohan wo Tabetai (Japan movie) cinema release means no inter distribution. Looks cozy: daily lives of college students and roommates who enjoy meals together, and a v codependent, adaptation of yaoi Let’s Eat Together Aki and Haru. I’ll keep an eye open for it but assume we can’t get it for now.

Takumi-kun Series 6: Nagai Nagai Monogatari no Hajimari no Asa (Japan Sun ????) ep 1 of 10 - NO ONE ASKED FOR THIS and no, I have no idea where to get it, why would I? (Say it with me everyone: Oh Japan, must you?*) 

Ended this week 

The Day I Loved You (Pinoy YouTube) ended. I have been reliably informed it’s better left a DNF.

My Story (Pinoy YouTube) ended. I bounced at ep 4. Someone tell me if I should bother with the rest?

Pure Vanilla (Singapore) - 10 min short on Gaga featuring a cafe, boss/employee, friends to lovers. It’s very sweet. Bit awkward acting. I love seeing real tats on my screen. I wish Singapore would give us a full proper BL. 7/10 RECOMMENDED WITH RESERVATIONS 

The Promise (Thai YouTube) - Although well acted this show dragged a too simple premise out into the ultimate manipulative miscommunication repeats of idiotic "why don’t you just TALK!?” Phu & Nan are childhood bffs through college (almost lovers) until Phu disappears. After looking/waiting for him, Nan gives up and self isolates, and the actual story takes place 10 years later. Phu’s “reason” and inability to say it out loud makes the whole show just frustrating, squandering good chemistry, and a stellar cast of multiple faen fatals (whose personalities would’ve made them better boyfriends). Seriously do not bother. What a damn waste of talent, time, and electronic bandwidth. Fatally flawed. 4/10 NOT RECOMMENDED 

Okay it ended a while ago but I finished it:

Make A Wish (Thai grey) - 6 part PNR (from Sammon - Manner of Death & Triage) about a doctor who can see the dead and strikes a bargain with a wish-granting irreverent tree angel - naturally they fall in love. Stars Fluke Natouch opposite not Ohm, but who cares bc Fluke has chemistry with everybody. Once again the Thai afterlife is incredibly bureaucratic but I enjoyed the premise and the unfolding of the story (it’s not predictable but still satisfying and with nice little twist). I like that the doctor is just gay af and has a fag hag bestie and everything. The cast is excellent but the comedic stylings are too overblown and tonally off. It had sad parts and did make me cry but is ultimately happy with a great sex scene, good smiley kisses, and all the agency. 8/10 RECOMMENDED 

Next Week Looks Like This:

Starting:

6/7 Love Tractor (Korea iQIYI) 8 eps - announced in 2022 from WATCHA (Semantic Error) I've been WAITING for this one. About a stressed-out law student who family obligations force into the countryside where a series of strange encounters and misunderstandings with his hunky young farmer neighbour. Will this be an extended version of Strongberry’s Some More? Or Korea’s take on Restart After Come Back Home? I'm chuffed. Country boy meets city boy is a very underused romance trope in BL.

6/9 Boys Love Omegaverse AKA The Boys Love sequel no one asked for (Japan movie) - everyone jockeyed to release the first ABO but it looks like Japan will take it. They do like to do all things BL FIRST. This seems to just be borrowing the branding of Boys Love, showing little resemblance to either original, since it's about 4 men in an idol group. (But could go very dark with that title. Boys Love is technically the first and one of the darkest BLs ever made.) Movie+Japan = no inter distribution.

Still Coming June 2023 

6/15 Tokyo in April AKA Shigatsu no Tokyo wa (Japan Gaga) 8 eps - Based on a yaoi, this is a reunion romance that takes place in an office. Japan does Our Dating Sim? Yes please.

6/22 About Us but Not About Us (Pinoy movie from 2022 on Prime) - A professor grieving the loss of his partner meets an ambitious literature student.

6/24 Why You (Khmer BL ????) - Billed as a horror romance, not sure if this is a movie or a series where it will air... nothing except that it exists.

6/24 Tie The Knot AKA Under the Same Sky (Pinoy movie on Prime) Trailer - I guess Prime is coming for our Pinoy BL? From OXIN Films (Rainbow Prince), announced for 2022 based on a true story, Briggs's family runs a bridal business but he has never had a chance to fall in love until he meets Shao, a groom to be.

6/25 Dinosaur Love (Thai iQIYI) Trailer 5 eps - from Ultimate Troop about a uni student, Rak, whose partner cheats on him with Rak's best friend. This gives bad boy hazer Dino an opportunity to hit on Rak at last. From The Yearbook people so I will not watch this as it airs. After Remember Me? Never again with them.

2023 forthcoming BL master post (see comments, some are inaccurate, NOT KEPT UPDATED)

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

From Make a Wish. 

Found my side dish. (Be My Favorite)

We asked this question literally the ENTIRE show. (The Promise) 

My point exactly! 

(last week)

Current Kpop earworm? BTOB on Killing Voice - honestly I’m ded, end this show, no one else can ever be this good. 

#this week in BL #bl news #BL gossip #upcoming BL #new BL #BL june 2023 #best BL #BL reviews #korean bl #thai bl #Japanese BL #live action yaoi #Rakutan Viki #gagaoolala #GMMTV #Vietnamese bl #Fluke Natouch #La Pluie #Luminous Solution #Manner of Death #The Promise reviewed #Bokura no Shokutaku #Star Struck the series #Vian the series #Zenra Meshi #Pure Vanilla #Singapore BL #Make A Wish reviewed #Love Tractor #Boys Love Omegaverse

[blizzardfluffykpop]

Bedroom Talks

Summary: At the end of summer before your junior year of high school. Your friend group reduces from a quartet to a trio. After college, the trio reduces to one and you’re left to face the city alone. On a lunch break you find yourself in a coffee shop, where you run into the first person you ever lost. And from there, your life turns upside down and he helps you through it all. He holds your hand and keeps you safe and makes sure you’re never alone. After all, that’s what best friends do, right?

Long Fic (Oneshot)

Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Slight Angst, Slow burn, Reunited! Childhood Best Friends to Lovers au

TW: In the beginning the reader is in a toxic relationship

Word Count: 40,163

Changkyun (I.M) X Reader

[Features: Best Friends! Hoseok & Hyungwon & the rest of OT7]

[Long A/n: Three things; firstly, Hoseok & Hyungwon are only a year older than Changkyun & the reader- but they went to school at the same time. Secondly, some rules will be explained in the fic but if you don’t know how to play Bullshit card game: The rules are simple. In order you lay the cards in turn face down from Ace to King on top of each other. When you lay a card down you say their ‘value’ whether or not that is the actual card. If you think someone is lying about the card they placed you call bullshit. And make them flip their card, if you were correct they pick up the pile. If you were wrong you take the pile. The goal of the game is to get rid of all of your cards. (It usually takes 3 players but you can play with 2- It’s a really fun game, if you ever get the chance to play, please do) Lastly, this was only supposed to be 3k and here we are- enjoy! Also, I hope you guys enjoyed Overdrive- I know I have!].

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Several years ago, you were a sophomore in high school. Your life was great. You have had three best friends since kindergarten: Changkyun, Hyungwon, and Hoseok. You did everything together, and they were always by your side. You always shared a class with one of them, so you were never alone. The four of you were always together, from doing homework to having dinner at each other's houses. It was the friendship of dreams. Sure, you had made other friends, but none of them compared to them. And you wouldn’t have it any other way. 

On the first day of summer, you were all hanging out in Changkyun's treehouse. When you guys finally fell into a comfortable silence, Changkyun cleared his throat. You all looked at him, and he said that he’d be moving away at the end of summer, and he wouldn’t be graduating with you three. You all waited with bated breath, hoping he'd say it was a joke. When it became clear it wasn't. The four of you were trembling with tears as you held each other. When you all stopped crying, you guys made a promise that no matter what happened, you'd stay together even if you were apart. The four of you would do your damnedest to make the most of your last summer together. From days at the beach to camping out, to movie nights, you made it a summer to remember. And when the day came for him to leave, you guys saw him off, and that was the last time you saw him in person.

Entering your junior year without him felt like you were all missing a piece. You’d find yourself looking for him in the halls. And you'd think you'd hear him calling your name. But he never was there, and you cry into your phone as you'd tell him how much you missed him, and he’d exchange the sentiment. The other two missed him just as much. And you three did your best to comfort each other, but it never filled that gap. At least, in your case, it didn’t.

It never clicked why you missed him more than your best friends did until you entered your senior year. You fell for him, but by then, the calls became fewer and fewer until they stopped. Hyungwon, Hoseok, and you graduated together. And you moved on, or at least you thought you did. You three moved into an apartment and went to college together. Something that the four of you had always dreamed of doing. It hurt realizing that what once was a quartet became the three musketeers. And by the time you got used to being three. They were off to pursue a mixture of everything on top of their modeling careers. And you were so proud of them, but you were left alone in the big city. Cities never sleep, and it never seemed daunting until that moment. And for the first time, since you were in kindergarten, you were completely alone, left to fend for yourself. You always had someone to lean on, while yeah, you could call them, it wasn't the same. It wasn't when Changkyun left and wasn't any different when they did. 

It wasn’t long before you found yourself in a toxic relationship. You were craving some attention and affection. Neither of which you found through him. But it was better than going to bed at night alone. At least, that’s what you told yourself. You missed your friends immensely, and nothing you did could fill the hole they left. You'd call them all the time, but that wasn't enough. Even surrounded by someone, you felt so alone.

He made you feel like you weren't good enough and that you couldn't do better. In your heart, you knew you could, but hearing it all the time made you believe it. All you wanted was to be held and to be told you were doing your best. But you never received that. All you got was cigarette smoke blown in your face. It was an allusion to the whole ordeal. That this was something you should be running away from. But the fog got harder and harder to cut through until you saw him again, Im Changkyun.

You met him on a day like the rest. You were leaving your job for lunch and stood waiting in line at this little coffee shop. When you heard the person in front of you whisper, “Fuck, where is it…” as they patted their pockets. Without a second thought, you came up and paid for them. You didn’t know you were paying for an old friend until you ordered your drink and looked over at him. “No fucking way,” you whispered, and he gasped as he got a good look at you, “(N/n)?” You couldn’t stop the tears from falling from your eyes as you looked at him for the first time in several years. He roped you up in a hug, and you held him tightly in your arms, and he scooted you both out of the line. You both pull back to grab your coffee, and he finds a booth where you sit across from each other. Through tears, you whisper, “I never thought I’d hear your voice, let alone see you again.” 

You look up to see him crying too. You reach over and grab his hand. He whispers, “I can’t believe it’s you… Why are you here? Aren’t you supposed to be managing Hoho and Wonnie?” You laugh through your tears, “That dream changed years ago, Kyunnie. You know I could never let you guys go.” He shakes his head, “You stayed in the apartment when they left, didn’t you?” You nodded, “It’s what we always talked about. I couldn't leave it.” He nods, “I’m so sorry I had to leave.” You shake your head, “Don’t be. You have no reason to be.” You look at the clock, “I only have forty minutes until I have to head back.” He nods, “That’s about the time I should return too.”

“Are you producing now?” He nods, “Yeah, are you managing finances somewhere?” You grin and nod, and he smiles, “I guess we made it then.” You smile, “I suppose so.” He asks, “So, are you with anyone now?” You make a face as you nod, and he gives you a stern look, “Why did you make that type of face?” You gulp, “Well, um… It’s not a perfect relationship.” He nods and rubs his thumb over the back of your hand. “You can talk to me about it. You know that, right?” You shake your head, “There's not enough time. Let me hear about you.” He nods before telling you how he works in a studio with his close friend. And how he remembered where he left his wallet. It was on his desk, and you laughed as you told him you had done that before. As the last ten minutes approached, you asked, “Do you have a new number?” He nods, and you exchange phones and put in your numbers. He walks out of the shop with you, and you head towards the left, and he goes right. “Text me!” You cheer, and he goes, “I will!” 

Like it was old times, you found yourself texting and talking with him all the time. He reminded you what it was like to laugh. You hadn’t laughed in such a long time. It was like a foreign feeling, a feeling that you readily welcomed. One that reminded you that you were so much more than what you had. Your guys' time coincided so well. While you texted Hoseok and Hyungwon every once and a blue moon. You were texting Changkyun all the time. A part of you came back when you found him again. It's when you start to see through the smoke. The smoke that was clouding your vision before is lying beside you.

Changkyun texts you one morning, “Hey, do you wanna hang out?” And you readily agreed, excited to see your best friend again, “Yeah, I can do lunch?” You told your boyfriend where you were going and told him with whom as you got ready for lunch. Even though you explained it well, he kept asking numerous questions. By the fiftieth one, you just wanted to roll your eyes as you put your shoes on. 

And when Changkyun rang the doorbell, that’s when he exploded. It wasn’t the first time you argued, but it was the first time you had done so in front of someone you cared about. You texted Changkyun you’d be another few minutes hoping he couldn’t hear what was happening behind the door. “You’re cheating on me, aren’t you!?” He accused you, and you were so confused, does rekindling with old friends equal cheating? And you said, “No.” And he called you all the names in the book. If you had more care in your system and didn’t have somewhere to be. You would be arguing back. He stops, and you tell him, “I’ll see you later.” With that, you open the door. What you didn’t expect to see was Changkyun standing right there. He immediately puts you behind him as your boyfriend exclaims, “Oh! So, this is who you’re with now?!” 

With a gruff voice, he said, “I don’t know what you’re fucking problem is. But yelling at your partner before they leave isn’t a way to get them to come back.” You could hear him shout something at you both as Changkyun shuts the door. He asks you to lock it, and when you make it inside the elevator, he asks softly, “You okay?” You nodded, not processing what just happened. You numbly followed after him until he asked, “What do you want for dinner?” You thought for a moment before saying, “Ramen.” He smiles, “Like old times, then?” You nodded and said cheerily, “I know a good place to get some!” He smiled and went, “Lead the way,” and you did. 

You took him to your favorite ramen place. It was down the street from where you lived. It opened up after the two moved out. You loved going there whenever you missed your trio of friends. It brought you comfort, but since you always ate alone there. You ended up imagining the three of them with you. Your boyfriend hated ramen, and you suppose that should have been the first red flag. 

Millie greeted you two with a smile, “(Y/n), you never bring anyone with you! Who’s this?” You smile, “This is Changkyun, my old friend!” She grins, “Well, Changkyun, you're about to eat the best ramen in town.” He nods, “Cool.” She leads you to your favorite table, the booth in the back. “Do you like anything special in yours?” He tells her, and she nods, “Okay, I’ll get your guys' order ready.” She grabs your drinks and places them in front of you before leaving to the back.

That’s when he asks, “Are you ready to talk about him now?” You gulp and look down at the table, “I never thought I’d talk about this with you or either of them. I was supposed to be rid of this before I saw any of you.” He nods and waits for you to continue, “You know it’s funny... The whole reason I dated him in the first place was for some attention and affection. And I never found either through him. It sucks that I do the chores by myself. I can't even ask for his help. If the sink gets full, he’ll maybe wash the one he needs. If something's broken, he’ll fix it after bitching about it. He’s a glorified bed warmer at this point.” He sighs, “I'm sorry you have had to deal with someone like him. You deserve someone who will be there for you and split everything with you." He pauses as you nod, "You know, for all that hassle, you could have gotten a dog instead.” You laugh and shake your head, “I never thought about it like that.” 

Millie brings over your bowls of ramen, “Here you go!” You smile, “Thanks, Millie!” And with that, she leaves, and you both chow down. And he whines, “Oh, how I’ve missed ramen.” You laugh and slurp your noodles before saying, “That’s a conversation I want to have!” He laughs, and you both contentedly eat your noodles. You finish your first bowl, and Kyun asks for another bowl for both of you. You wait for the next one, and he asks, “Do Hyungwon and Hoseok know?” You shake your head, and he sighs. You bow your head in shame, and you feel him lift your chin, “It’s okay. I just wanted to ask.” You look into his eyes, “I didn’t intend for this.” He nods, “I know. We all make mistakes. But it’s okay, 'cause I got your back again, and I’m not letting you fall through the cracks.” He slowly releases your chin from his palm as your next bowl arrives. 

You didn’t even realize you had damage from the relationship. The smoke was so thick it took a while to see through. But Changkyun was with you every step of the way. Which made you realize it wasn’t as hard as you made it out to be. You started to piece yourself back together. And before you knew it, you found the part of you that you were missing. But to change and move on and continue catering to the missing piece of you. You had to let go of the guy who no longer served you. 

When you realized you were more than what you were when you were with him. One thing led to another, and you were in a screaming match with your boyfriend. Things were ending fast. Your whole world was full of burning flames. You didn’t even notice the fire closing in on you. After all, you were getting rid of the spark. So, you didn't worry about the flames as you watched him pack his last box into his truck. He shouted to you that he had found someone anyways and didn't need you. He called you a few names as he hopped into his car. You rolled your eyes as he burned his tires off and out of the lot.

As you were about to turn in and fix everything disarranged, your landlord came up to you, “Hey, Mrs. Springer.” She sighed, “I know you’ve been a loyal tenant all these years. But considering what just went down, I have to ask you to move out by the end of next week.” You blinked at her, not believing your ears, “Wh-what?” She looks at you with ‘sorrowful eyes’ and says, “I don’t want any more disturbances of peace. And with you still living here, you may take him back. And we don’t need any more trouble like that here.” After everything, you wanted to crawl into your bed and cry in relief.

And now your landlord is adding another grievance onto your soul. “Okay,” is all you say before heading inside your apartment and slamming the door in her face. All the memories you tried to preserve here will be nothing more than memories of better times. You slink back to your room and redo your bed before finally breaking down and sobbing. After everything, that seemed to be your most reasonable decision. When you broke up with your so-called boyfriend, you thought that was the end of the fire. Little did you know that you only put out the spark, not the fire.

The next afternoon, Changkyun told you he had let Hyungwon and Hoseok know about your now ex. It was one thing to have a shitty ex. But you couldn’t bear to tell them you were out of a home too. You decided it was too early for ramen before you bit the bullet and decided to call around for a place to stay. At least for a week until you found something. You worked your way up from acquaintances to Hyungwon and Hoseok. Who are currently in two separate countries. You already knew it was useless to call them, but it was nice to hear their voices anyway. They promised to support you in any way they could, thousands of miles away. And the two of them scolded you for not calling them about your ex. They could have made accommodations for you by now. But on such short notice, they couldn't provide you with a roof over your head. 

So, with no options left, you held your finger over the dial button of the man who made you realize you were on fire in the first place. With a weary heart, you clicked it. Not giving yourself any more time to think about it. “Yeah?” He answers, and you sigh, “Um,... Well, you know how I broke up with him?” He hums, and you continue, “Well, um, he’s out of my life as he burned his tires off when my landlord approached me...” You stare at the carpet as you work your way up to say, “She wanted to end any disturbances of the peace. And because I'm associated with him. I uh will be out of a place to live at the end of the week.” You hear him say a soft, ‘oh’. You quickly follow up, “I don’t need a place for long, just enough to get another lease some-.” He cuts you off, “You’re welcome to stay with me as long as you like.” Maybe it was because of the smoke in your eyes, but you started crying as you hiccupped a “Thank you.” And with that, he asked, “Do you want to get ice cream?” 

And you agreed he picked you up for ice cream. He held you as you cried into your dessert. Your tears weren't for the jerk you left. They were for losing the apartment you had shared with your friends in college. When your cries became sniffles, he released you and checked that you didn’t need anything else. “You okay, big baby?” You nodded, and you both finished your treats, “You wanna go home?” You nodded to that too, too exhausted to speak. He held you as you walked back to his car. And when he got in the car, you reached for his hand, still wanting comfort. And he smiled and locked your hands together, “I’ll help you pack tomorrow.” You nod, “You don’t need anything before I leave?” You shake your head, ‘no’, “Do you want me to walk you up?” You nodded again, and he smiled, “Okay.” 

He walked you up, kissed the top of your head, and let go of your hand, “Have good dreams.” You whisper, “You too.” He nods, “Later, gator.” You muster up a smile, “Bye-bye, butterfly.” You unlock your door and clean up a few things before falling asleep. 

Without a second thought, he saved you from the flames. Holding you up as you cried, taking off all the decorations you put in your apartment to make it home. “You still have this photo?” He asks about the one Hoseok’s mom took of the four of you. You’re doing a handstand with both Changkyun and Hyungwon’s help. Hoseok is pointing and laughing at you three. His mom thought it was the funniest thing and printed multiple copies of it. You smile, “I have one more in a photo album.” He nods, “I still have mine. It's on my wall.” You point to the one the day before he left, “You have that one?” He nods, “I didn’t expect you to keep that one out.” You shake your head, “It was the last memory I got to have with you. I had to keep it close.” He nods, “Reasonable.” And carefully you put them into a box. 

You sigh as you reach the last one, “You’ve never seen this one.” He tilts his head, and you say, “It’s the day we signed our lease.” All three of you were holding the lease papers with bright smiles. “You guys looked so happy.” You nod, “Yeah. Remember how we always talked about sharing a place together? We were supposed to move into this apartment together...” He nods as he whispers, “I wanted to go to college with you three too.” You tell him, “We never stopped missing you. It was painful to lose connection with you. You were always a part of our conversations. We never let your memory fade.” He looks down at the carpet, “I'd always talk about you guys too. I always find a way to bring you three up, even if it wasn't intentional.” You grab his arm and bring him close, “How can I miss you even though you're right next to me?” He whispers, “I don't know... I still miss you even though you’re right here.” You stand there looking at that last photo for a while. Imagining what it'd be like if it went according to plan until you felt like moving again. 

And from there, it got easier, both physically and mentally. Because you had each other again, everything else didn’t have as many memories as those photos had. You put the boxes into the living room until you were ready to put them into your cars. You put away the last box in your car and went to see if you missed anything. After checking all the rooms, you found a mirror under the sink and brought it with you. While you were busy with that, Changkyun got your deposit back, stating that they were evicting you without proper notice. She grumbled as she wrote the check out for you, and with that, he walked back over to your apartment. 

You were looking up at the ceiling fixture, trying to take it all in for one last time. In a place that held so many good memories, it also held just as many bad ones. Yet, it's odd to leave it now until you spot Changkyun waving something with glee in his hands. “Look what I got~” He cheered, and you came over and looked, and you gasped at the sight. And you hugged him, “Oh, Kyun, I don’t know what I would have done without you. Thank you.” He grins and holds you, “It’s no problem. Now let’s get you to your new home.” You put the mirror on your passenger seat. And on the way over, you cashed the check, finally cutting another loss out of your life as you did. You split and wired the money between the two models before pocketing your third. 

With a box in hand, you both went up to his apartment. He unlocked it, and you followed him in, “I never really got around to decorating the place. But feel free to decorate and make yourself at home. After all, this is your home now too.” He had talked you into staying with him. After showing you the bathroom, he showed you the three bedrooms: one containing his studio setup, his room, and your new room. He let you take in your living quarters and smiled as he left to grab more boxes. You spun around the room, feeling free but also at home. You needed a change of scenery more than you realized. Without a second thought, you threw yourself back onto the bed. And when it squished beneath you instead of squeaked. You felt like a royal with a bed that welcomed you in rather than sprung you away. You giggled to yourself and heard someone else laugh, and you looked up to see him again. 

“Is the bed that squishy?” You nod, “Yeah, it’s so soft and welcoming… My last mattress was all springs and no filter.” He nods, “Ahh yeah. When I got this apartment, I made sure to buy squishy beds. Spring beds are not good for my back.” You laugh, “Mine neither.” You get up, follow him downstairs and grab the last few boxes. And put them up in your room. He looks at the clock, “You wanna order out?” You nod and pay for delivery, typing in a different address felt weird. But you shook it off as your stomach grumbled to enter everything faster. 

In less than fifteen minutes, it arrives. And Changkyun shows you the dining table, “Man, your apartment has all the amenities, huh?” He laughs, “Why do you say that?” You gesture to the table, “You were in it. We had a small kitchen and no dining room. I haven’t eaten at a table other than at a restaurant in years.” He lets out an ‘oh’ as he nods, “Well, now you can eat here whenever you like.” You nod. It doesn’t even feel real to think that this apartment is now yours too. You have a quiet dinner, both of you thinking, and once you both finish. You get ready to throw it out. Before he shakes his head, “You bought, so I’ll clean up. It’s only fair. We’ll split things as evenly as we can, okay?” Your jaw drops, forgetting that was an option. “But Kyun…” He shrugs, “No buts, don’t make me call Hoho and Won.” And with that, he steps on the lid opener and throws it away, and you don’t complain. 

He sits back across from you as you take it in. It's shell-shocking to be an equal to someone else again. You shake your head before he asks, “We never got to do this before, so how would you like to split the chores?” And you both discuss it for a while until it’s time to retire to bed, and you’re both satisfied with what you choose. You both bid each other good night. 

It surprised you how, after finding your clothes and getting ready for the night. You settled into bed and fell right to sleep. You woke up feeling well-rested and better than you had in the past year. The sun was glimmering through the curtains, and you felt at ease. You get up and go to the kitchen to make some coffee just to see Changkyun up and already making a pot of it. “You read my mind,” you rasp out, and he laughs, “It’s a good way to start the morning.”

You do the finishing touches to your coffee with things you brought from your old fridge. Changkyun asks, “You still make it the same?” You nod and ask, “Is it still two lumps of sugar in yours?” He nods, “Yeah.” You smile, “Some things never change.” You sit in your now designated chair and fall into a comfortable silence. You take in the birds chirping in the distance and feel at peace. After you finish your mug, you finally go, “Thank you.” He shrugs, “It’s no problem.” 

With a stretch, you get up and change for the day in the comfort of your new room. ‘I could get used to this,’ you think as you fix your outfit. You grab your things and head out the door, “I’ll see you later?” He nods, “You got the key, right?” And you pat your keys to notice only your car key on the ring, having returned your old apartment keys yesterday. You shake your head, and he gets up and heads to his keyset, “I meant to give you yours yesterday. But here’s your key! I’ll probably be home around 10 pm? Depending on when it all wraps up.” You nod, “I’ll see you later then.” 

Your drive is a bit longer to work but comparing where you live now to where you once lived. It was worth the extra gas mileage. Things are looking up. It seems like the flames are finally at bay, and maybe you'll see beautiful flowers bloom. Your day finishes with ease, and you drive back. You find yourself rushing up the stairs to your apartment. It’s been a long time since you felt excited to return home. You get home around 6 pm, unlock the door and put your shoes away. Make yourself a bowl of ramen and get comfortable on the couch. 

After eating and watching an episode or two, you head to your room, change and start decorating your room. Once you finish your second box, the clock strikes eleven-thirty, and Changkyun rolls in, “(N/n), you home?” You poke your head out, “Yeah!” You head out of your room and into the living room to see him placing a bag on the counter. You hear cans settle in the bag as you ask, “What'd you bring home?” He smiles, “Chicken and beer!” You grin, “Hell yeah!” He smiles, and you find the plates and get one for each of you. You set up your dishes and sit down at the table. 

“I don’t know if you have ever had this beer, but it’s my favorite, and I hope you like it too.” You smile, “I’ve never, but I’m sure it’s good if you’re recommending it.” He smiles, and you crack it open and try it, “Oh! I wasn’t expecting that!” He grins, “It’s kind of sweet, right?” You nod, “The pear and grape flavors are nice hints in it.” He agrees, and you both eat and drink your meal. You tell him, “This is wonderful.” He shakes his head, ‘Yes’, “It’s my favorite way to end my day.”

You finish your chicken as he does and take the plates and wash your dishes from earlier. Before coming over to see him still sitting there playing on his phone. He smiles when he notices you, and you melt into the chair and trace circles onto the tabletop. The beer starts to hit as you say, “I hope this table becomes a new constant in my life.” He laughs, putting down his phone for the moment, “Why’s that?” You shrug, “I don’t know, it’s just so nice and reminds me of what it’s like to have nice things.” He nods, “I hope it does, too, then.” You pick up your phone, and you both fall into a comfortable silence as you unwind from your days. 

“Do you want to see what I’ve done so far to my room?” He nods, “Sure.” He slips his phone into his pocket, and you lead him to the door and open it for him to go in. He takes in all the picture frames you set up and the change of bedding too. “You arranged them very nicely on the wall” You smile, “Thanks.” He laughs at a few photos before he points to a picture of Hyungwon and Hoseok, “Damn, can you really believe they’re models now?” You laugh, “Not at all. I still remember them eating crayons.” He shakes his head and laughs, “I was thinking of the time Hoseok cried to his mom about Hyungwon ‘bullying him’. All because he wasn't giving him pretzels.” You chuckle, “And then you and I stole Hyungwon’s pretzels and ate ‘em! Which in turn made Hyungwon cry to his mom.” He laughs, “Yeah! We were little meanies.” You nod, “But we were the youngest, so it’s only fair.”

He grins and goes, “Aw, look, it’s us!” It was a photo from your freshman year. You were both posing with your backs against each other for the first day of school. You whine, “We were almost late, and the two didn’t let it go all day!” He laughs, “They were just as despicable as we were.” You nod, “That’s what made us the perfect quartet.” He agrees, “Yeah.” He takes in your new bedspread, “That's very pretty.” You thank him and look at the clock, “It’s almost one.” He looks over at it, too, “That it is. Well, we should both go to bed then.” You nod. And he exits your room, and you think of the other half of the quartet as you tuck in for the night. 

The rest of the week is so peaceful. It's hard to think that at one time, you used to go to bed not feeling safe or comfortable. And now, you go to bed feeling at ease. It sucks that you went through that. You shake the thought away as you head into the kitchen and make a cup of coffee for both of you. You get ready to pour the coffee into your mugs when Changkyun comes flying in, “I’ll have to take it to go today. Joo needs me soon!” He tells you quickly as he throws on his hoodie. “Oh, okay!” “Sorry to break tradition.” You shrug, “It’s alright. It’s only a week old. Plus, I know that the record is reaching its due date. So let me get the to-go cup.” He nods, and you pull it out and make sure it’s clean before pouring him his cup. He adds his two lumps of sugar and hugs you before bidding you a good day at work. And you wish him luck on the record as he rushes out. You take your coffee into the living room and drink it while watching the news. 

For some reason, you don’t want to go to work, almost as if your gut knew something before you did. You shrug it off but drive carefully to work just in case. But that wasn't why you were feeling an ick as you punched in for the day, but you still can't shrug off the feeling. Because in a fire, if you don't watch the flames, they'll burn you when you least expect it. Your boss comes over, and you greet them kindly even though your gut is retching, “Good morning!” They smile before saying, “Good morning, (Y/n). Would you mind seeing me in my office?” You nod and follow them back.

You start praying that your feeling in your gut is because you sense a promotion. “I’m so sorry to inform you of this. I know you just got back on your feet. But you were one of the last ones hired here. And, well, there have been cutbacks, and I’m sorry, but you’re one of the firsts I have to tell this to.” You wish you could curl under their desk, wail, and refuse to leave until they say you can keep your job. But you know in your heart if you do you’d have a police escort out. You nod, “Until when?” They sigh, “The furthest out I can give you is until this next paycheck is out in five days.”

“What?!” They nod, “You couldn’t inform me sooner?! When did you know?” They gulp, “Last week, but you were just moving into that new place, so I didn’t want you fretting over this too.” You do your best to stay calm as you go, “But, this is my job, my livelihood. I can’t just-” They shake their head, “I’m sorry, Mx. (L/n), but there is nothing I can do.” If you didn’t need the money, you would have told them you quit in that instance. You grit your teeth and say, “Okay. I’ll stay until the next check is issued.” They nod, “Thank you for your cooperation. I’m sorry this must come at such a bad time, but I hope you can understand.” You nod and head out of the office, fuming. 

In a rage, you clock for your lunch early and rush out to your car to scream. You didn’t realize you were crying until your phone alerts you that you’ve been out in your car for thirty minutes. You wipe your tears of frustration, shake your head, and sigh. With your last thirty, you eat what you can of your lunch. You knew you could find another job. But you didn't want to burden Changkyun with all your problems. With haste, you decide you’ll do whatever you can to keep yourself afloat. So that you could continue to live in that lovely apartment with Kyun, even if it meant risking good rest. 

When you came home, you were determined to act like everything was fine, even if it felt like you were being scorched alive. But Changkyun saw right through you. He always has and always will. He sat next to you on the couch and waited until you were ready to open up. Telling him had to be the worst punishment because he understood. You may have known him since you were three. But how could he still accept you after all the problems you’ve brought recently? But Changkyun never saw it that way. He knew that if he were in the same situation, you would do everything to keep him safe. And while that was true, it didn’t make you feel any better. 

He opened his arms for you to lay in, and you laid into his chest and sobbed. It broke his heart. He never wanted you to feel this way. If he had the opportunity, he’d trade with you without a second thought. When you stopped crying, you sighed and whispered into his chest, “I promise you won’t have to worry about me. I’ll get a job at the restaurant two buildings down. And I’ll bartend. But don't worry when my last check comes in. I’ll have enough for this month. But I’ll be prepared for the next ones. You don’t have to worry, I promise. I just needed to cry about it.” All he did was hum. And you took that as an ‘okay' since he was probably tired from his production. 

What you didn’t know was that he was devising another plan. One that he was sure Jooheon would agree with. Considering they've been wanting to have someone take over the finances. You were the perfect fit for the bill. However, he knew you’d be stubborn. That was his biggest problem to face. But he knew with Hoseok’s and Hyungwon’s help. It’d be easy too. You stayed in his arms until you started feeling sleepy. He whispered, “You tired?” You nodded, and without a second word, he carried you up to the bathroom and brushed his teeth with you. 

You didn’t even get a chance to walk tiredly to your room before you were up in his arms again. When he pulls the covers over you, you whisper, “You know I’m grateful to you, right?” He nods, “I’ve known that for a long time.” You smile, “Good.” He kisses your forehead and gets up before walking out of your room. He says, “Whatever you decide to do, I’ll be behind you every step of the way.” You nod, and with that, you fall asleep. 

You go to work bummed out the next few days, and on company time, you apply to the bar and restaurant. Sadly, you wanted this last paycheck, so you had to show up. You show up but all the work you do is push your pencil back and forth as you count the ceiling tiles. Even if you were to work your ass off to keep this job, they would still fire you at the end of the week. So, it didn't matter, might as well spend it looking at cat memes. After all, they can't fire you again.

You come home, not wanting to be awake, and shower in the dark. You rinse away your troubles before drying off and changing into pajamas. You drag your feet to the kitchen and look in the fridge, hoping a beer could solve all your problems. Even though you knew it wouldn’t, the thought was comforting. You crack it open, and you don’t notice Changkyun sitting in his chair until you take your first sip. You close the door and look over at the table. Your mind takes a second to register he’s there. “Damn, I hope this isn’t a mirage.” 

He shakes his head and laughs, “Nope, very much real.” You sigh, sit across from him and put your head on the table. And let out a groan before greeting Changkyun. And he asks, “Do you want some pizza?” You nod, and he says, “Good,” and gets up from his seat and brings the box over. “So, how did applying to those jobs feel?” You sigh, “Uh,... nice.” He opens the box and pulls out a slice, “Do you think they would make you happy?” You’re at a loss for words because neither of those jobs would bring you joy. And you don’t have the energy to fabricate such a blatant lie, so you’re stuck to shaking your head no. 

You reach for a slice and munch on it, not knowing what to say. It takes everything in you not to break down and cry in front of Kyun again. You drink some of your beer as he asks, “If you had a better option, would you choose it?” You shrug, “I’m not sure, but I guess anything would be better than waiting on customers.” He goes, “I’m going to take that as a yes.” And that’s when he says, “Call off work tomorrow.” You blink at him, and he continues, “You have an interview at my studio.” You gasp, “What?” He smiles, “Well, the studio always needs help. You could sort the finances of the company. I know you were good at that. If not, I have more than enough to support us until you find something more suited to your tastes.” You can’t hold your tears back as you start sobbing. “I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.” He shakes his head at you, “As long as you’re happy, that’s the best repayment.” 

You get up from your chair and wrap yourself around him, and he carefully wraps his arms around you. He whispers, “This mirrors the other day.” And through your tears, you say, “Yeah, but this time it’s out of joy.” He holds you close until you’re sniffling. “You, okay?” You shrug, “I guess I’ll find out tomorrow.” He nods, “Let’s finish our pizza, yeah?” You wipe your tears and eat the other three slices. “Also... Hoho and Won called me to tell you to call them more.” You give him a small smile, “I’ll call them tomorrow.” He smiles, “Okay.” The two of you clean up your mess before retiring to bed. 

Early in the morning, you called your boss before going back to bed. After an hour, you got up and took a shower. You got dressed as you realized the flames were diminishing. You smiled before heading into the living room to find Changkyun sitting on the couch waiting for you, “You look nice.” You thank him, and he asks, “We got half an hour before your interview with the big bad boss.” You gasp, “He’s mean?” He laughs and shakes his head ‘no’, and you sigh in relief. He asks, “Do you want a tour of the place?” You nod, and he has you follow him out, and he tells you, “It’s just a five-minute walk there.” You say, “I always wondered why you never took your car to work.” He grins, “Best commute ever.” 

You smile, “What’s it like to produce music?” He smiles, “I get to express my deepest thoughts. But I also live my biggest dream. It’s more wonderful than I ever imagined.” You grin, “I always hoped you’d make it. I’m glad. Then is the studio you’re working at nice?” He nods, “Of course. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.” “Will you ever let me hear your pieces?” He teases, “You sure you haven’t already~” You roll your eyes, “Kyun-” He sighs, “Of course, I will.” You smirk, “Good.”

When you reach the building, the sign above says, ‘Honeycat Records,’ and you tell him, “That is the cutest name ever!” He smiles, “I’m glad you think so!” He opens the door, and you walk in, “Woah.” He holds out his hand for you to grab to show you around. And you link your fingers together as he shows you around the building. From the different practice rooms to the recording studios and even the bathrooms. “Oh, and my favorite place to be is here!” And it’s a little common area filled with vending machines and massive windows to take in the view of the city. “It’s beautiful, Kyun.” He smiles, “I'm glad you think the same. I come up with a lot of my ideas out here.” He looks at the clock, “It looks like it’s time to take you to meet the bosses.” You nod, not quite catching he said ‘bosses’ this time. 

Past the common area is a hallway with a door at the end that leads to an office. Instead of Changkyun showing you the door, he walks inside too. You shrug. He probably needs to see his boss for something too. And after peeking out from Changkyun’s back, you find the boss. He gets up from his chair, “Hey, Kyun. And you must be, (Y/n)?” You smile and shake his hand, “That’s me!” He gestures for you to sit down, and that’s when Kyun puts his glasses on. You start to sense something fishy as he sits across from you too. 

Jooheon smiles as he asks, “So, Mx. (L/n), what makes you qualified to apply here?” You smile as you tell him about your experiences and what qualifies you to be applying. And he hums, and Changkyun asks, "What type of work environment do you work best in?" You take a moment to think, not only is your best friend interviewing you, but he could also be tricking you. "I prefer calm work environments, but I can work well under pressure if needed." 

He takes a moment before nodding and turning to Jooheon, “This may be biased, Joo. But I think we found someone to take over our finances.” And Jooheon looks over at him and smirks, “Really? Because, funnily enough, I was thinking the exact same thing.” It starts to click before your eyes. You had the job before you even walked in. He pulls out your paper, “Well if you look here: at (Y/n)’s resume, you’d see that they used to be an accountant at a firm twenty minutes from here.” Jooheon nods, “Huh, and would you look at that? There’s a lot of experience here. We could use someone like that.” 

That’s when they both lock eyes on you, and Kyun asks, “So (Y/n), what do you say? Would you like to work here?” You blink and go, “Yes.” They exchange a look, “Well, looks like we won’t need to discuss further.” No interview could have prepared you for this one. When Joo says, “Welcome to Honeycat Records.” You nod your head and shake both of their hands. 

That’s when you three laugh, two from a job well done and you from relief. When the three of you stop laughing, Jooheon goes, “Kyun told me about you a long time ago.” You tilt your head, and he goes, “He talked about Hoseok, Hyungwon, and you all the time when we were teenagers. And when he ran into you while getting coffee. It’s like destiny made sure you guys would always be together.” You grin as he continues, “And then he told me about how you were always good at math and that you went to college for finances… And then that leads to now.” 

You nod, “Yeah.” He grins, “It’s sad to lose a job, don’t get me wrong. But it was like a gift for me because finally, a person in finance was looking for work. And someone I could trust already? Kyun told me, and I was already on board.” Changkyun laughs, “We hate doing finances, but it's a necessary evil.” You laugh and ask, “Any particular parts you find difficult?” Jooheon groans, “I had to come in early last week so everyone got their paycheck on time. It was my turn.” You laughed, “Oh, that’s like the easiest part of the job!” They gape at you, and you nod, “It’s making sure everyone has the right amount and that funds are going to the right spots on time that is the hardest part.” They exchange a look, “You mean like bills, right?” You nod, “A bit. Don’t worry. From here on out, I’ll take care of it.” They both sigh in relief, “Cool.” 

You tell them, “I want to thank you both. Kyun, thank you for always helping me. I promise to go above and beyond here. And Jooheon, thank you for approving me to work here too.” Jooheon smiles, “It's no problem. We needed an accountant. So you were perfect for the bill.” Changkyun smiles, “So, would you like to see your office?” Jooheon hops up as you nod, and the two of them lead you out. They walk out of the hallway to the common area, and on the left is a door. Jooheon goes, "Right beyond this door is your office.” And Changkyun hands you a new key, “Here’s your key.” You smile as you take it and see it’s not gold or silver. It’s in your favorite color. “You really think of everything, don’t you?” Changkyun smirks, “Always have.” 

They wait for you to open the door. And the first thing that catches your eye is a plaque with your name on it. You take it all in before Jooheon goes, “What do you think?” You look at the ceiling and then back towards them, “I couldn’t have dreamed of something better.” You turn around and capture Changkyun in a hug. And you look over his shoulder and ask Jooheon, “Can I hug you?” He grins, “Of course!” Kyun rubs your back before letting you go, and you hug Jooheon. He pats your back, and you release him from the hug. And Jooheon goes, “We'll show you how to access the program and like the passwords and whatnot.” You smile, “Cool.” 

They show you the basics and write down the passwords for you. And it’s like your old programming. The only difference is the names, salaries, and colors. But the same process, so that made for an easy transition. You ask a few more questions before going to figure out the programming. They sit back and let you do your thing. If you were to imagine what you would be doing after graduating with your bachelor's. Working at a record label that your best friend owns? That would not have been your first thought. Of course, it made sense because you were about to be their accountant. But it was odd to think that this is where you ended up. You always thought you'd work at a firm or an insurance company. But you couldn't be happier as you maneuvered through the site. 

Jooheon interrupts your thoughts with, “Looks like it’s time for lunch!” He says while looking towards his watch, and you ask, “Already?” He nods, “Come on, my treat, you two.” You smile, “Okay.” Things in your life have changed so fast it’s hard to comprehend what it once was. You close the door behind the three of you. And follow them down and out of the complex, where they lead you to a little restaurant next to it. The second you three enter, the host goes, “Jooheon! Changkyun! Welcome back! And who would this be?” You introduce yourself, “Well, welcome to Son’s, (Y/n)!” You thank them as they lead you three to a booth, where you scoot in. Kyun sits next to you as the host hands you a menu. 

You look at their menu-less hands and ask, “You guys have been here a few times, huh?” The two laugh, “Yeah.” They point out various things for you to try, “We’ve had pretty much everything on the menu. But we pretty much get the same thing nowadays.” You laugh, and the waiter comes over, “Hey guys! Oh, hello, who is this?” You smile as Changkyun introduces you as his best friend from the old days. You smile at him before looking at the cook, “I’ve heard a bit about you. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Hyunwoo.” You smile, “All good things, I hope? And it’s nice to meet you too, Hyunwoo.” He nods as he asks, “Do you need more time?” You shake your head ‘no’ before telling him your order, and he writes it down. “Are you not gonna ask us~” Joo teases and Hyunwoo blinks at him, causing the two to laugh as Hyunwoo heads back to the kitchen with a shake of his head. 

“You may recognize Hyunwoo’s singing voice~” Joo cheers, “Really?” You ask, and he nods, “Kyun said you watched the show a while back. It features his song, Now I Know.” You gasp, “No way.” The two grin, “Yeah, we produced it.” You nod, “Holy shit.” The three of you laugh. “We manage a lot of artists, and even if they only release a song or two, it’s still fun.” You nod, “No wonder you need an accountant.” They agree as you smile. You three talk for a while before Hyunwoo comes back with three plates. And you say, “I loved your OST. You have a beautiful voice.” He blushes as he puts your plate down, “You told them?” They nod, and Jooheon tells him, “We’re very proud of you.” His ears are red as he says, “Thank you.” And you smile, “It’s no problem.” He leaves, and you three eat your lunch. 

Hyunwoo calls from the kitchen, “What do you kids want for dessert?” Jooheon goes, “What do you have?” “Cheesecake and Brownies.” You gasp and go, “Both sound good.” And they cheer, “A slice of each for all three of us!” “Okay!” You smile, “This is the best meal ever.” They grin as he comes out of the kitchen and brings the plates. He gestures for Jooheon to move over, “Breaktime.” He takes off his apron and hangs it over the booth end.

“So, are you a new artist under Honeycat?” You shake your head, “No. I’m going to do their finances.” He smiles, “They’ve been looking for someone to take over that job for a little while now.” Jooheon nods, “I’m so glad. I don’t ever have to touch those numbers again.” The three of you laugh, and you go, “I’m excited to touch those numbers.” They grin, and Hyunwoo goes, “That means you're perfect for the job then.” You thank him as you dig into your dessert. “Oh, this is lovely,” you say after trying both. Hyunwoo lets out a ‘thank you' as he eats his dessert away. 

Jooheon and Changkyun have no work since they met their deadline. So they decide that the three of you should go home early instead of returning. Once you reach home with a full stomach and two new friends. You change into pajamas, lie on your bed, and call Hyungwon and Hoseok. “You won’t believe my day.” You can almost hear Hyungwon’s smirk, “I bet I can.” Hoseok laughs, “Yeah, Kyunnie told us his plans already.” You roll your eyes, “Can I tell you anyways?” In unison, they say, “Of course.” And you tell them about your wonderful day. And then they tell you about theirs, “Paris is so nice, but nothing can beat Vienna if you ask me.” And Hoseok goes, “I don’t think it can beat Glasgow, but sure.” You laugh at the two, “I don’t think any of that could beat here right now.” 

The two snicker, “Yeah, we’ll have to make a quartet reunion soon.” You nod and remember they can’t see it and go, “I miss you guys.” The two agree, and Hyungwon goes, “Well, why don’t we try to make plans for next month? The agency told me I had some time off next month.” Hoseok says, “I should have at least a week off next month. Maybe we can try to make it work?” “You guys finally have a coinciding schedule!?” The two laugh and Hyungwon goes, “Yeah, first time since graduating. Do you think next month will work out for you two?” You smile, “Let me see!” 

You hop out of bed, open your door and shout to Kyun, “Hey, do you think you want to see Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dum for a week next month?” You hear, “Hey!” On the line, you can’t help but snicker as Kyun shouts back, “Tell them hell yeah!” You smile, “You heard the man. I’m sure Jooheon will agree. Especially if I finish my work for that month early by streamlining it.” You head back into your room and flop onto the bed as Hoseok says, “That sounds lovely, and now I have to go. But I’ll text you three about the days I'm available?” You go, “Sounds good to me!” And Hyungwon agrees, and the two of you say, “Take care, Polar bear.” 

And when he hangs up, Hyungwon asks, “So when were you going to tell us about that jerk? If you had told us, we could have taken you in if you were in such a dangerous situation.” You look down at your carpet, “Honestly, I was so in my head about everything, I kind of even forgot I was there.” You can hear Hyungwon grumble, “I should have known.” You shake your head, “You know you wouldn’t have. Hell, Kyun found out by accident.” 

He groans, “I know. The only reason I'm happy you stayed there is because you found him again, for us. And I'm glad that he took you in. But we’re seeing each other more often to make up for it. I think I’ve missed your guys' physical contact.” You gasp, “Chae Hyungwon admits he misses the three of us and our physical affection. All on the same day?” You can almost see his eye roll as he goes, “Yes, so, before my manager comes and gets me out of this supply closet. Promise me you’ll tell us when something’s happening in your love life and in general?” You sigh, “I promise. You too.” And he asks, “Pinky swear?” You hold out your pinky and go, “Pinky swear.” And with that, you hear his manager open the door and find him. He says, “See you later, gator.” “Till then, Penguin.”

When the flames clear and the ashes settle down. You begin to see flowers sprouting up around you. Things were working out, and you stopped worrying. You leave your room and meet Changkyun on the couch, “Anything good on?” He nods, “There’s a documentary on wolves. You wanna watch it?” You nod, “Sounds good to me.” You grab your throw blanket from the couch. And wrap yourself in it and lean on the armrest. When the commercial cuts in, he asks, “Were you surprised?” You nod, “Yeah, but it was a pleasant surprise. I’m proud of you, Kyun.” He smiles, and you continue, “I always knew you’d do something cool with your music.” He says a small thank you and asks, “Do you think you’ll like it there too?” You agree, “Yeah, I think I will. Thank you for everything.” He grins and curls into his blanket, and the documentary comes back on. 

You guys talk about next month and what it’ll be like to have the gang back together for a week. “You know, I never meant to lose connection with you guys, right?” You wait for him to continue, “In my senior year, my phone was stolen, and I was devastated. I think I cried the whole night. We never needed to write our phone numbers down. And there wasn’t a possibility I could leave everything and go see you guys to get them...” He doesn’t notice the tears streaking down his face until you're holding him in your arms, “When we lost contact with you, it was like something inside of us died. And there was nothing we could do. The three of us didn’t have enough money to catch a flight. So, we were stuck too. I’m so sorry you went through all that.” He hides his face into your shoulder as he tells you, “It was hell spending my last two high school years with none of you. Yeah. I had Jooheon, but he couldn’t fill the spaces you guys left. But I guess he held me together until I could reunite with one of you.” You run your hands through his hair. 

“It was wild to leave what I had known. And then to come here after completing college and start-up in a city that was towns away from my hometown. It was like my heart was being tugged to go back. I didn’t even know if one of you stayed. After all, I thought you’d be managing Wonnie or Hoho by now, not doing this.” You hum, and he continues, “Joo was the one to suggest this city in the first place. But I agreed because it meant I could be closer to where I wanted to be.” You let out a shaky sigh as your tears start to flow, “I’m so glad you came back. Honestly, I was afraid I’d never see you again. I don’t know why I stayed here, but even if it meant pain, I’m glad I stayed. Because it means I got to be with you all over again.” 

He sighs, and you lean down and kiss his head, “You’re still using that rose shampoo?” He laughs, “Yeah.” You smile and sniff his head, “It reminds me of home.” He pulls back, and you look him in the eyes, “We have each other now. We don’t have to worry. It’s all going to work out.” He agrees and repeats, “We have each other.”

You release him from your arms, and he lies on his side of the couch again. You both finish watching the documentary on wolves, even though you missed a good portion of it. You and Changkyun yawn at the same time, which makes you both giggle. “Bedtime?” He nods and gets up from the couch, folding his blanket before throwing it over the backrest. You follow suit, and both of you tiredly walk to the bathroom. You brush your teeth together before going your separate ways. You flop down on your bed and fall asleep with ease. 

The next day, you call your job and tell them you won’t be coming in anymore and that they can mail you your last check. You felt free as you finished up the call. You sigh and notice the flowers in your heart are small. But they’re growing, and you couldn’t feel more proud. 

You walk out of your room to see Changkyun getting up at the same time as you, “Coffee?” He nods tiredly, and together you make a pot. You both make your cups before sitting and taking in the morning light. You rest your head on the table, and he asks, “Has it become your constant?” “Mmhm.” You make it halfway through your mug, “So, what are you doing at work today?” You smile, “Oh, some number calculations to see if everything is running proficiently. What are your plans?” He nods, “Cool. I hope you enjoy it. I'm making guides for a few songs to give to one of our idols.” You tell him, “I have no idea what that is, but neat.” He smiles as he explains, “It’s just a ‘how to sing to this song’ tutorial, and then they can improve or change it.” You nod, “That is nice, then.” He smiles and drinks the last sip of his coffee. He gets up and sees you finished yours too. And puts both cups into the sink, “I’ll meet you back here in thirty to walk over?” You nod, “Yeah, that sounds good.” 

You get up from your chair and stretch before looking out the window at the city. Even early in the morning, the hustle and bustle never stops. It's one of your favorite things that life is still moving on, and for once, it’s moving with you. You’re glad your life has changed, but it’s wild to think that over a month ago, you were with someone you didn’t love. In a place that no longer served you, everything was doom and gloom until he showed up again. 

And something else showed up too, your old feelings, ones you buried away years ago. After all, they were for someone you weren’t sure you'd see again. And now, you see him all the time. It’s hard to grasp that change. And that’s why it has taken you so long to realize you still like him more than a best friend should. You sigh as you move away from the pane of glass. Maybe you missed him and were trying to catch up on lost time. Yeah, that’s probably it. With a shrug, you head to your room to change into regular clothes and brush your teeth. As you walk back into the living room, you see him playing on his phone. And you smile as he gets up the second he sees you. The two of you put on your shoes before heading out. 

You unlock your new office with your key. And settle in and start on your calculations and deductions for the day. It goes smoothly as if you had worked on this same computer for years. There were a few bugs in the system. But you sorted them out by finally updating and restarting the computer. The poor thing probably hadn’t had proper rest since they bought it. You promise it that you'll take care of it. You give it a few minutes of rest before changing the background and color settings. You finally have to where you like it, and you can't help but smile at it. 

You do a few more things before you hear a knock on your door. “Yes?” “Can I come in?” You recognize Changkyun’s voice from a mile away. And you go, “Yeah.” He opens the door and groans, “I wanna go home!” You laugh, “Why?” “I’m tired.” “You only woke up three hours ago.” He pouts, and you laugh, “Does someone want lunch?” He keeps his pout on as he nods, and you laugh, “Cute, alright. I brought two packs of ramen with me for lunch.” He finally grins, “I figured you’d want it too.” He nods, and you lock up your office and head down to the breakroom.

Together you both make Ramen, and he goes, “Remember when Hyungwon made us some?” You shake your head, “Oh, please don’t remind me.” He cackles, “It was the worst!” Hoseok, Changkyun, and you vowed to never let him cook for you guys again. It took you until you were a senior in college to try something he made. And it was surprisingly good, you gave him a few more chances before you trusted him to cook for you again. Hoseok lets him but still watches him cook. 

"You'd like his cooking now." You say as you split the noodles into two different bowls and pour the broth over them. "Really?" He asks as he turns on the mini tv. And you nod, "He makes good tofu soup." He nods, "Interesting, ramen?" You shake your head, "I would rather not try that adventure again." He laughs, and you both watch the reruns of a cartoon while eating. 

You whisper, “This is some good ramen.” He slurps his noodles and says, “Hell yeah, it is.” You grin, and you say, “I want ramen~” “I really want ramen~” “You know what would be good right now?” In unison, you say, “Ramen.” And you two burst out laughing, “Man’s every other word when we wanted food back then was ramen.” He smirks, “Do you know what this ramen would be really good with?” You smirk back, “More ramen?” Which causes you both to giggle even harder. Once your laughter dies down, you both finish up your bowls and clean up. 

You part ways you go to your office, and he heads to his studio. And that’s how you spend the rest of your day. Since you started on a Thursday, it meant tomorrow was the weekend, and you were ready to spend it relaxing. You wake up and find a note on the table. “I’ll be back by 6 pm, depending on how long it takes to record today. See you later, gator!” Alas, Changkyun had to work. You smile and whisper, “Bye-bye, butterfly.” You go about your day by doing your chores before curling up and relaxing to one of your favorite shows.

Your month leading up to Hyungwon and Hoseok coming to visit was just like that. Working, hanging out, and relaxing; things that used to be too strenuous to do all on the same day. Now it came with ease, and you couldn’t feel happier. When it was late, and you probably shouldn’t be awake, you’d find Changkyun in his office, and he’d let you listen to some demos. And if you both grew tired of that, you’d call up the other two. Of course, whichever was up in the morning.

And as you laid your head against him and listened to Hoseok talk about the buttercup flowers he saw. You noticed the flowers blooming inside of you. And the butterflies that started to rise in your stomach. But for someone who you thought you had gotten over years ago. A guy who would lock arms with you as you walked to work. That would sit across from you at your dining table. Who laughed at all your silly jokes. The flowers were in bloom before you even knew. 

You fell in love with the little moments first, but your brain still second-guessed all your feelings. Because how could you move on so quickly? But to your gut, it made perfect sense. You never loved the last person you were with, but you always loved Kyun. It was just hard for you to see. The smoke had clouded your vision, but now you could see clearly. The only problem was you didn’t know if he felt the same, but you'd settle for being his best friend. Because your inner high schooler only ever wanted Changkyun back. Whether it was romantic or not. And you were still content with that, you supposed. At least in the way that you kept your feelings hidden away in the pages of your journal. 

You have three days before Hyungwon and Hoseok show up. During your break, Changkyun comes into your office. “Joo asked me what I was doing here and told me we shouldn't be here but out preparing for our best friends to visit.” You laugh, “You were out bossed?” He rolls his eyes before giving you a nod, and you pack up your pieces of paper and shut down your computer. You grab your things and say, “I’ll drive us.” He nods, and you both head back down and over to your car, “This is a first.” He says as he hops into your car. You both buckle in before you pull out of the lot and drive to the grocery store. Your radio plays oldies as you travel, and you hear him hum to them. It gives you a sense of peace and before long, you find you’re humming along to them too. In the corner of your eye, you notice how effortlessly beautiful he looks as he stares out the window. It almost makes you choke as you take him in as if looking at him for the first time. 

The grocery store wasn’t that far away but carrying that many groceries over a mile sounded like torture. When you get inside the store, you ask, “What do you think about a reunion cake?” As you see the sign for the bakery, he grins, “That sounds good.” You both head over and ask him, “What should it say?” He thinks before saying, “Maybe, ‘We’ve missed you’ or ‘Welcome back’ or something along those lines?” You go, “What about both?” He smiles, “That sounds perfect.” You make it over to the bakery and when the baker comes over. You tell them how you’d like the cake decorated: “Welcome back, Hoseok and Hyungwon. We’ve missed you both.” They nod as they write it down. They ask, “When would you like it for?” “Two days from now.” They continue, “What time?” He says a reasonable time for you two to get it before you pick them up. After that, you both walk around buying things like ramen, candles, streamers, and ice cream. 

He asks, “Oh, what was that thing we’d always get at Lolo’s before they closed?” You think back before going, “Their breadsticks! It was so cheap but so filling!” He grins, and you search for breadsticks that look like the ones you used to eat. You whine, “I wish they never closed down.” He nods, “That was the second worst winter of our lives.” You groan, “Yeah.” And you finish picking things up in your grocery cart. 

“Get on the end!” He cheers, and you rush and get on the front of the cart, and he takes off towards your car and rides it the rest of the way. Your giggle fills the air and don't stop until you both hop off the cart. You unlock the back and put the groceries into the car, and he takes away the cart and puts it into the cart corral. He comes back with a smile on his face as he clicks his seatbelt in, “Can you believe it?” You smile as you realize what he's talking about and shake your head, “No, honestly, it feels like a dream come true. Reuniting with them feels magical.” He grins, “It’s like the sun was on the horizon when we met back up, and now it’s shining upon us since we’re seeing them soon.” You nod, “I’m so glad it is.” Before you can shift it into gear, he puts his hand over yours and squeezes it, “This is real, right?” You smile, “Yeah,” and squeeze his hand back to make sure for yourself. You pull your hand away to shift into gear before holding his hand again. In the corner of your eye, you can see his brilliant smile as he squeezes your hands together. And you can’t help but smile all the way home. You both let go once you park the car in the lot. 

You hop out of the car, unload the groceries, and carry them to your shared apartment. You put everything away, leaving out the decorations. He picks up the first bag and looks inside, “Balloons or streamers? What do you want to do first?” You point to the streamers, and he finds a chair to stand on while you find some tape. 

After you both finish hanging up the streamers and blowing up the balloons. You turn to look at him after taking in all the decorations you’ve done so far, “It’s so pretty.” He nods, “I think so too.” You look above the tv and go, “Maybe we should make a sign for them? Like we bring it to the airport and hang it up when we get home?” He smiles, “That sounds lovely.” You grin and say, “Let’s do that tomorrow.” He laughs and agrees before asking, “Wanna make stir fry together?” You nod, and you both get up.

He cleans the rice while you start chopping up vegetables. He puts on a pot of water and cooks the rice. While he waits for that, he finds the wok, “Chicken or beef?” You hum, “Beef?” He nods, brings it out, and pulls out another knife and cutting board. You finish up the vegetables and put the rest away. He finishes cutting up the beef and puts it into the wok. He turns the other burner on and cooks them for a minute. And you scrape the first bit of veggies into it and turn off the rice. You put the last bit of veggies in and grab plates for the two of you. He finishes cooking the rest, and after you drain the rice, he mixes them and puts them into your bowls. You hand him his utensils, and you both head over to the table.

You go to eat before realizing what's missing, “Pop?” He nods, and you grab it, and he thanks you as you sit back down across from him. You pop open your can and finally wind down for the day. “What are you most excited about?” He smiles, “Talking to them about old times and catching up and showing them Son’s.” You grin as he gestures for you to answer, “That’s going to be so fun! I can’t wait to take them to the ramen shop. They've never been because it opened after they left. And I want them to experience it too.” He nods, “They’re going to love it.” You smile, and you finish up your meal. He takes your plate, and you get up and help him do the dishes. He asks, “Together again?” You nod, “Naturally.” 

You both go to work the next day, only making it an eighth way through before Jooheon comes in and kicks you both out. “What are you doing here!?” He asks as he spots you both in the break room, “Working?” And he pouts, “You should be preparing and getting lots of rest!” And you both laugh as he adds, “You also have to introduce me!” You nod, and Changkyun goes, “Of course.” You pat his head, “We’ll see you later then, Joo?” He nods, “Later. I don’t want to see you two unless there are two more with you.” You both laugh as he pushes you both out the door. 

You head home and make signs before relaxing for the rest of the day. You're playing on your phone while Changkyun plays games on the tv. You have your feet kicked up on the ottoman when Changkyun whines. You look up to see him lose in his game. And you do everything to hold back your snicker as you ask, “Oh did you lose, baby?” He nods with a pout, and you go, “It’s okay! You’ll get them next time!” He nods and goes back to his game, more determined to win. And you return to your phone looking through your different social media. You hear him cheer, and you give him a high five. After a while, you give up looking at your phone because Kyun is much more interesting to look at. His concentration, paired with his gaming, was fun to watch. You cheered him on as he played. When the chart comes up that tells the high scores, you both catch he’s in first. You jump up as he does, and you both cheer and smack your hands together.

You sit closer beside him and lay your head on his shoulder. As you both wait for the next round to start, you ask, “Want some victory delivery?” He nods, and you pull your phone back out and look over his shoulders. You scroll through your phone and ask which place he’d like and what he wants as you look through the options. After a bit, you place the order, “About twenty minutes until it gets here.” “Perfect, that means three more rounds!” He cheers, and you curl closer to him as you watch him shoot and hide. 

Three rounds pass, and he texts the chat that he’s leaving for the night. And he’ll see them when he sees them, you unfurl and get the delivery. Thanking the person with a few dollars before rushing over to the table and opening it all up. In unison, you both whine, “I’m so hungry!” Which causes you both to laugh before divining it up. You sink into your chair as you both eat your dinners. “Do you think they’ll like having dinners at our table like we do? Well, I mean... how I do?” And he nods, “I like our dinners at our table. And I’m sure they’ll like it. I’m not positive they’ll like it as much, though?” He finishes speaking with a shrug, and you whisper, “Well, as long as we like it, that’s all that matters.” He smiles and agrees, and you two go back to eating in comfortable silence. 

He throws away the containers, mirroring the first night you were here. You smile as he sits back down before it hits you, “Uh, how are we all sleeping?” He blinks and goes, “I didn’t exactly think about that?” You groan, “You know they’ll make us sleep on the floor, right? Because they’re like princes now...” He laughs, “I don’t think they’re like that-” You raise your eyebrow at him, “Well, maybe Hyungwon.” And you both laugh at that before he goes, “You could always sleep in my room?” You give him a look and whine, “And let the prince charmings have my room?” He laughs, and before you can say anything else his phone rings. 

He opens the video call and positions it so you’re both in the camera's view. Hyungwon greets you both when the phones ring and Hoseok joins in on the call. Hyungwon says, “I was just calling to say I’m on my way, but it seems like it's a reunion already.” And the three of you laugh, and Hoseok says, “Same here. What time do you land, Wonnie?” “About 9 am, you?” You pull out your phone and write that down as Hoseok answers, “9:15.” Changkyun goes, “About the same time, which means we all got an early morning.” The rest of you nod, “I’m going to nap the whole ride. We’ll see you guys soon!” “Later, gator!” “Bye-bye, butterfly!” “Till then, Penguin!” “Take care, Polar bear!” The four of you cheer your sendoffs before hanging up. “I guess that means we should head to bed now?” He nods, and you both head to the bathroom and brush your teeth together before heading to your rooms. You bid each other a good night, and with butterflies in your stomach, you do your best to rest. 

Before your alarm can even wake you up, you’re awake. You get up, knock on Kyun's door and scuff your feet until you reach the coffee pot. You put it on and grab two travel mugs, and that’s when you hear him scuffle along and drag himself into the kitchen. You whisper to him, “Next time, I hope they pick a later flight.” Not wanting to talk any louder in the morning light. He nods as you both make your cups. After you take your first sip, you look down at your pajamas and ask, “Do you think we should dress nicer?” He shakes his head, “Considering they’ll be in comfy clothes from a long flight? No.” You nod, “Cool.” You head back to your room and put on some socks and a hoodie before coming back down. He pulls on his socks and shoes by the door, and you put on your shoes. He hands you your mug as he picks up his keys. He leads you both downstairs, and you pull your hood over your head, not wanting to see the fluorescent lights so early. It's two hours before your usual time to get up and all you want to do is sleep. Even if it was to see your other two best friends that you both haven't seen in forever.

You get into his car and instantly melt into the seat. If it wasn’t for you sipping on your coffee, you’d be back to sleep. His radio kicks on at a louder volume than either of you were ready for, causing you both to gasp as he turns it down, “Sorry!” You laugh, “It’s alright.” And with that, he drives you both to pick up the cake. Once back, you put it away in the fridge and rush back down. Changkyun drives you to the airport and you finish your coffees on the way. 

He parks close to Hyungwon's gate, so you guys can drive quickly to Hoseok's gate. You check the time and say, “It’s 8:45, about fifteen before we see Wonnie.” Thankfully, you both had already placed the signs in his car. You grab the first sign as you get out and head toward the entrance where Hyungwon’s flight is landing. You see others waiting for their friends and family and see some signs too. Your energy finally comes up as you wait, and you turn to him, and he grins just as wide. And you both excitedly shake each other before catching your cool again. 

You both start seeing everyone begin to brim with happiness. And that’s when Kyun points to the flight landing, and you grab his hand in excitement and squeeze it. He squeezes yours right back before you both let go so you can hold the sign up. “Welcome back, Penguin! It’s so (n)ice to see you!!” It was short, simple, and a little funny. You both drew little snowflakes and penguins on it. And that’s when you see your best friend after two years. He’s dragging his suitcase along behind him. He has his coat draped over his arm and headphones around his neck. He looks into the crowd before you both wave at him, and he sees the sign and stops to laugh. And both of you grin, “It worked!” You whisper, and he smiles as you both meet in the middle and wrap your arms around him. “It’s so good to see you again!” You cheer, and Changkyun cries, “I’ve missed you!” And he holds you both as he says, “I’m so glad to see you both! I’ve missed you guys so much!” You grin, and you take his suitcase as Changkyun takes his coat. You both gesture for him to follow you so you can pick up Hoseok. 

Changkyun drives you three over after getting Hyungwon’s stuff in the back. It’s five minutes until Hoseok arrives when you get past the entrance. The three of you excitedly wait for your last friend, and you three catch the flight landing. And the three of you hold the sign this time. It’s like Hyungwon’s sign, but just as genuine, “Welcome back, Polar Bear! We’re beary excited to see you!” It has little polar bears and snowflake drawings on it too. You see a few people meet up with their families when Hyungwon catches a glimpse of him over the crowd. And he gestures for you guys to look around the family in front of you. That’s when you see Hoseok. He has a backpack strapped over his shoulders and a suitcase that follows him. His cap covers his eyes, almost making him unrecognizable. You three move over to be in his line of vision. And he sees the three of you, and you meet in the middle. He drops the handle and scoops each of you into a hug before pulling you three into a group hug, “Oh, how I’ve missed you three!” You laugh into his chest, “We’ve missed you too!” Hyungwon and Changkyun iterate something similar before separating from the hug. When Hoseok says, “The sign was so cute!” He sniffles before pulling you guys into another tight hug. You can’t help but sniffle too, and before you know it, you four are a pile of mush and tears. 

It takes the four of you a few minutes to recoup and wipe your eyes. Like before, you grab Hoseok’s suitcase, and Changkyun makes him take his backpack off as he takes it from him. You put his stuff next to Hyungwon’s things in the trunk. You all settle into the car and stare at each other, which causes laughter to erupt from you guys. Hoseok mutters, “It’s wild to see the whole gang back together.” And you all agree, and Changkyun goes, “I wasn't sure I’d see any of you again, and now? Here we are.” You nod, “I’m glad.” The other two agree, and Hyungwon whispers, “It only took. What? Seven years? But we’re back. How does that old saying go?” You smile and begin, “If you love someone, let them go,” Changkyun continues, “If they come back, it was meant to be,” Hoseok finishes, “If they never do, it never was.” Hyungwon nods, “That couldn’t be a truer statement to our friendship.” You all agree and sit there and bask in each other's presence. 

It takes a bit before Changkyun starts the car and drives the four of you back to the apartment. While you were excited to see each other, you were too tired to talk about everything. The four of you decided to rest and catch up after your naps. He parks, and you all get out and head back to the tailgate, and without another word, you’re all wrapped up in another hug. It felt so right to be together again like all the pieces of the puzzle were finally together. You stay like that for a couple of minutes before separating. Hoseok opens the tailgate, and you each grab something to take to the apartment. 

Hyungwon asks, “What does it look like?” And in unison, Changkyun and you say, “Home.” Which causes you four to laugh, and they follow you up. “It’s rather spacious and nice here.” Hoseok says as soon as he enters, and Hyungwon looks up and asks, “You did this for us?” You both nod, “We wanted you guys to feel welcomed.” The two grin and say, “We do.” You show them around while Changkyun hangs up the signs over the tv. He joins you three as you show off his office. “So, which room are we sleeping in?” Hyungwon asks, and you turn to Changkyun, not knowing what to say. He asks, “How do you want to?” They shrug, and Hoseok says, “Well, why don't we do it the way we had when we were younger?” He nods, “Yeah, we could do that. Which room looks nicer to you two?” They share a glance, “(Y/n)’s.” You groan, “I knew you two were going to say that!” The three laugh and Changkyun asks, “Alright, we’ll nap and get lunch together?” Hyungwon nods with a stretch, “Couldn’t ask for more.” 

You bid your room goodbye for the week. Mentally telling it how much you’ll miss your luscious blankets and pillows. When you reach Changkyun’s room, he asks, “Are you still okay sharing a bed with me? I could always sleep on the couch if you feel more comfortable. I know we haven’t slept together in quite a few years, so…” You think for a moment and think back to all the times you’d sleep over. And how you'd whisper secrets as Hyungwon and Hoseok were fast asleep on the air mattress below. Neither of you would get much sleep, but it was worth it. Those conversations were something you’d look forward to when you were younger. You nod, “Yeah, I’m fine with it. It’ll be like old times.” He grins, “Okay.” 

He rolls into bed first and lays closest to the wall. You join him and notice how much room you both have. While yes, you had a queen in your room, you didn’t share, so you never paid attention to it before. You ask, “Remember how we used to share your twin-sized mattress?” He laughs, “You’d always kick me in your sleep!” You laugh, “Yeah, but you’d also push me to the side until you had as much room as possible!” He shakes his head, “It was only fair!” You roll your eyes, “Sure, whatever you say.” You both laugh before falling into a comfortable silence. You close your eyes, grab your new pillow and snuggle into it. “See you in a bit.” He hums, and you fall back to sleep. 

You wake up before Changkyun, and a minute later, you shake him a little to wake him up. He blinks up at you, “Already?” You nod, and he groans, “I hope those two are ready to wake up.” You agree, “Me too.” Feeling refreshed after your nap, you get out of bed, head over to their door and wait for him to join you. 

You knock on your door and don’t hear anything. You groan, “Which one do you wanna wake?” “Hoseok.” “If you become his teddy bear, I will laugh.” He laughs, “You act as if Hyungwon won’t do the same.” You nod, “I know.” You slowly open the door and walk in. 

You walk to Hyungwon’s side while he walks over to Hoseok’s, “Hey, it’s time to wake up.” You whisper and shake Hyungwon’s shoulder, who groans, “Five more minutes.” You roll your eyes, “Of course.” You sigh, knowing if you don't let him, you’d get pouty Hyungwon. So, you sit back in your chair to hear Hoseok groan and make grabby hands at Changkyun. He does his best to avoid them before Hoseok reaches up and brings him in, which makes you laugh. You patiently wait the five minutes before returning to irritate Hyungwon awake. “Come on! You said five minutes!” He groans again, and you hear Changkyun rustling, trying to shimmy out of Hoseok's hold. You hold back your snickers as you shake Hyungwon some more. He grumbles, “Fine, you win.” And you cheer before noticing his eyes are closed and watch as he nestles back into his pillow.

You groan, “But you promised!” He opens one eye and says, “No, I did not. I just said five more minutes.” You gape at him as Changkyun finally wiggles out of Hoseok’s hold. You exchange a look with him, realizing what you have to do. You both grab the edge of the blanket and rip it from them before they can take hold of it. Hoseok whines and Changkyun goes, “Come on! I promise lunch will be good if you get up!” Hyungwon shakes his head and shoves his face deeper into his pillow, and Hoseok opens his eyes, “What kind?” “Ramen~” And with that, he’s up and out of bed. 

He gives you two a smirk before pushing Hyungwon off the bed. “Let’s get Ramen!” Hyungwon shakes his head and glares, “It’s always for Ramen and never for nap time.” The three of you laugh before you lend your hand to help him up. “If I have bruises by the end of the week, I am totally telling my manager who gave them to me.” Hoseok mimics him before exiting the room with his suitcase to change. You look at Hyungwon and say, “Out of my room!” Hyungwon gives you a look, “This is my room now.” You glare, “It was mine first.” “And?” “Changkyun said I could have it.” He raises a brow, “And it’s Mine and Hoseok’s until the end of the week.” You whine, and both of you turn to Changkyun, and he holds his hands up. “Uh, well, I’ll be getting dressed in my room.” You whine, “Fine. I’ll grab my clothes and leave.” He smirks and pats your head, “I win.” You mutter as you grab your clothes, “This was my room… I’ll miss you, baby.” And he laughs as he waits for you to leave. When you leave the room, Hoseok’s ready to go, so you change in the bathroom. “This feels demeaning, that damn man.”

You finish and join Hoseok on the couch, “How did you deal with him alone?” Which causes Hoseok to laugh, “We had very different schedules. I would see him like twice a week for breakfast.” You nod, “Fair enough. How often have you seen each other since you moved out of our old apartment?” “Once every three months. The first few months, we lived together until our managers started booking us in different countries.” You nod, “That sucks. We’ve lived in separation for so long.” He nods and pats your leg, “But we’re together again, and that’s what counts.” You smile, “Yeah.” “Let’s make the most of it.” “Okay.” With that, Changkyun comes in, Hyungwon follows, and you go, “You’re going to love the ramen shop. They opened up shortly after you guys moved out.” They nod, and you drive them over to the restaurant, talking about a bit of everything. 

You come in, and Millie goes, “Two more? You’re making friends like a bandit now!” You laugh, “They’re old friends, so not really.” She shrugs, “Good enough for me.” She shows you to the booth. And once you settle in, with you across from Hyungwon and next to Changkyun. Hoseok says, “I like the ambiance here.” Hyungwon hums in agreement, “I’m glad.” Millie asks them what they like in their noodles before ordering all four of your bowls from the kitchen. Changkyun says, “I can’t believe she remembered my order so fast.” You nod, “She’s the best.” He grins, and you four spend time catching up on each other’s lives. 

How Hyungwon’s next stop from here is Marseille, and Hoseok’s next stop is Berlin. Changkyun tells them about the artists he’s working with, Minhyuk and Kihyun. And the two gasps, “Oh my god, you work with them?” He nods happily, and Hoseok cheers, “We’re close with those two!” You gasp, you haven't heard those names in a while, “You’re close?!” They smile, and Hoseok says, “Oh gosh, it’s a small world." Hyungwon continues, "Next, you’re gonna tell us you've worked with Shownu.” Changkyun smirks, “Yes, we have. We go to his restaurant every week.” The two gasp, “No way…” 

You laugh, “How did you meet those guys?” Hyungwon smiles, “Hyunwoo was visiting Madrid at the same time as us. Shortly after making that OST, we had to talk to him about it.” Hoseok nods, “And Minhyuk and Kihyun perform at our shows every once and a while.” They ask if you met them before, “I only met them once and in passing.” They nod before realizing, “Didn’t you used to like-” You glare, “We do not talk about that.” Changkyun raises an eyebrow, and you try to shut them up as the bowls of ramen come back. 

You shake your head and go, “Don’t.” Hyungwon smirks, “Is it because of some old feelings coming up that you don’t want us to tell?” You gasp and think, ‘How the fuck did he figure that out,’ and he continues to smirk, “Well, you see…” He pauses to eat some of his noodles, “In college, this one here used to be a big fan of theirs.” You glare and kick him under the table, which causes him to groan. And Hoseok continues after finishing his bowl, “Yeah, they used to talk about how-” “I hate you.” “-much they looked up to them and how attractive they were.” Changkyun nods, “And you never said anything?” You quickly shove some noodles into your mouth to avoid talking about it. “I um- I kind of forgot? It hasn't really been relevant to my life? Other than listening to their music... And well, when we saw them last week... I didn’t want them to feel uncomfortable, and I uh…” Hyungwon continues for you as if he knew what you’d say, “I uh didn’t want you to know.” You glare and mutter ‘motherfucker’ under your breath as you eat your noodles. “And why’s that?” You look at him, “Because after I found out they worked underneath you. And since I had liked them prior, I thought it would make me lose my job.” He shrugs, “How would that make you lose your job?” “Isn’t it like a power thing? Like I work there?” And he shakes his head, “I was a fan of their music before they joined our label, too.” You gasp, “No way.” He nods, “Yeah. But probably not the same way you had liked them though.” You blush and finish your bowl. Hoseok already calling for another round. 

“So, who was your favorite?” Changkyun asks, “Uh, I was supposed to choose between them?” He nods, “Usually.” You shake your head, “I liked them both equally.” He gasps, “No way.” You gulp and grab your drink from the table and sip on it. Nothing is getting you out of these conversations, “That’s cute.” He says, and Hoseok giggles, “Right!?” As the two of them talk for a second, Hyungwon mouths, “Am I right?” You look over at Kyun before giving him a slight nod. He smirks and mouths, “Wicked.” You shake your head at him before Changkyun turns to you, “You want to get their signature sometime? I’m sure they would love to hear you were a fan too.” You blush, “Maybe?” He smiles, “I’ll take that as a yes.” 

The second bowl of noodles and you dive in, excited to be out of the conversation as Changkyun says, “Oh, Joo probably wants to meet you both tomorrow.” Hyungwon tilts his head and continues, “I became friends with him when I moved away. And we started Honeycat Records together. I'd always talk to him about you three, and since he’s already met (N/n), it’s your guys' turn.” They smile, “Sure!” You guys eat in peace from there until you receive another bowl. And you ask, “Can I get some more crackers?” Millie nods, “Yeah, sure!” She brings them over, and you pour them over your noodles. Hoseok says, “Like mom made!” You nod, “Your mom always makes the best ramen. How is she?” He grins, “You remember how she always wanted to own a ramen shop?” You nod, “With my first big paycheck, I got her a place to make it happen.” Changkyun asks, “Is she happy?” He grins, “Yeah, she loves it! She calls me all the time and tells me about her customers. It makes me so happy to hear her joy. Someday we have to visit. Maybe next time we hang out?” You grin, “I’d love that.” The other two agree, and you finish your bowl. 

After the fourth round, Hyungwon and you are full. Changkyun got through a fifth bowl before he tapped out. And Hoseok happily finishes a seventh bowl. Millie goes, “A man after my heart.” He smiles, “You guys make amazing ramen!” And she grins, “I’ll be sure to tell the chef!” He nods, and after sitting there and emptying your glasses. You go to leave and before you can stick your card in, Hyungwon has already tapped his card to the reader. “You devil, you’re our guest!” He shrugs, “Yeah, and I make more.” You gasp, “Changkyun pays me very well. Well, I mean, in a way, I pay myself, but I digress.” The three laugh, and he goes, “You do my taxes. You know I make more.” You exit the restaurant and grumble, “Yeah, and?” Changkyun gasps, “You do taxes too?” You nod and offer, “If you want me to do the label's I could?” He nods, “You do everything in finances, huh?” You smile, “I like numbers.” He grins before giving you puppy dog eyes, “Would you do mine?” You sigh before nodding. He cheers, and the two high-five him. And the three cheer, “We love a money-wise best friend!” You shake your head at them as you get in your car and head back home. 

Once you get out, Changkyun asks, “What do you guys say to cake and ice cream?” You speak for the trees as you say, “Oh fuck yeah!” The four of you rush up to the apartment, and you fix up the cake with candles which he lights. You turn off the lights, and the four of you gather in front of it and take photos of the cake. Together, you blow out the candles after making your wishes. Hyungwon cuts it up, Changkyun serves it, and Hoseok and you serve the ice cream. With your dessert in one hand and a drink in another, you gesture for them to follow you two to the table. You sit in your seats, Hoseok sits beside you, and you dig into your desert. You pick up your can and go, “This is the life.” And the four of you clink your cans together as Hoseok says, “To many more days like these.” And in no time, you guys finish your dessert and clean up after yourselves. 

Hoseok runs to his room and returns with a deck of cards, “What do you guys say to a few rounds of Bullshit?” You all nod in agreement. He shuffles the deck, “These cards aren’t marked, are they?” You ask with pointed eyes towards Hyungwon, “What?” The three of you glance at him, and you say, “We played so much with your deck that the eights ended up being an easy tell.” He puts his hands up, “Not my deck.” And Hoseok adds, “I bought this deck in Madrid.” You nod and see the letters ‘Madrid’ on the back of the cards. “Fair enough.” He splits it between the four of you. “Who’s first?” Changkyun quickly places his card down, “Ace,” and Hyungwon smirks, “Two,” and it goes on. Surprisingly, you have a four and eight. But you also have all four jacks, so when Hoseok goes, “Jack.” You smirk at him, “Bullshit,” before he smirks back and flips over his card, revealing a joker. Your jaw drops as you exclaim, “You didn’t tell me we were playing with jokers!” And Hyungwon gasps, “That means Changkyun has the other one.” He smirks, “Yeah.” You sigh as you pick up the deck, “Motherfucker.” The rest laugh as you angrily put the eleven cards in your hand. 

You put down the queen you now had in your deck. And find out Hyungwon and Changkyun lied too, and you glare at them. When Hyungwon lays down the Ace, Hoseok calls bullshit. He grumbles and flips over the card, revealing a ten, “It has a one in it…” You laugh a little, but not hard cause he only had to collect three cards to your eleven. It goes well after that, the four of you staring at each other to see if you had the same tells. Changkyun had changed a bit with a smirk every time he bullshitted. It isn't until he’s down to his last card that the three of you gang up on him as he smirks. The three of you chime, “Bullshit.” It isn’t until he has the final laugh as he flips his card over. Revealing the joker, making you all gasp, “You didn’t use it until the end?” He nods, sticking his tongue out as puts an “L” over his forehead, “Losersss!” You all groan as you split the deck into threes and battle it out.

Hyungwon calls your bullshit out, and before you can take the pile, Changkyun joins in again and takes your loss. “Thanks, Kyunnie~” He smiles, “No problem, (N/n)~” The other two roll their eyes, “You lying, little brats.” He whines as he realizes every turn you’ve been lying your ass off, not having any of the cards for the pile. You were hoping for the deck he picked up to save your consciousness a bit. But then again, it also helped you not collect more cards. 

You move through the game, and when you put down your last card. Changkyun quickly lays down a card so no one can call you out on your bullshit. Even though he knows you're lying through your teeth as you say, “Queen.” “King!” Hoseok gasps at him and throws his cards down, “You two are in it together, aren’t you!?” You smirk, “In it to win it, loser~ Second is the best.” Hyungwon groans, “Yeah, first is the worst.” You give Changkyun a smirky smile, and without a second thought, you blow him a kiss. He smiles and catches it, and puts it on his cheek. Hyungwon grumbles, “Sickening, really.” The three of them battle it out, and you ask if they want another round of beer, to which they all agree. 

You get them each a new can. And when it’s time for Changkyun to pick up his lies. He makes ‘pleading eyes’ at you, and you snatch up the cards. Hyungwon gasps, “You two are the biggest cheats.” You smirk, “You’re mad 'cause you didn’t think of it first, aren’t you, Wonnie?” He glares, “Yes.” With Hoseok’s help, he wins the next round, pulling the same move that Changkyun pulled for you. “Thanks, Hoho~” He pouts, “No kiss for me?” Hyungwon rolls his eyes and blows him a kiss, “Better?” “Way.” 

You played a few more rounds. Changing the order and going counterclockwise meant saving Changkyun’s ass. You'd call him out on his bullshit when the risks and rewards were low. But that didn't spare you from the other two. They both became ruthless. Hoseok comes in first, fair and square, and Changkyun, with your help, comes in second. The two of them let you battle it out, calling bullshit every other move until you both call for a truce. Hyungwon lets out a yawn which causes the three of you to yawn too. “Well, I don’t know about you kids, but it’s time for my beauty rest.” You sigh as the other two get up, “Yeah, like you need it." He shrugs, "I may not need it, but I like to have it." You yawn again, "I have no comeback for that." He laughs as he stretches, "You're just jealous cause you don't get to sleep on your mattress." You squint, "My bed loves me most. You keep talking. I'm putting peas under it, princess." He laughs, "You're not supposed to tell your evil plans before you execute them." You mimic him and follow him down the hall. 

You grab your clothes from your room before leaving him to it. As Hoseok exits, he gives you a cheeky smile, "You might not wanna go in there~" You groan, "Did you use the spray?" He nods, "Yeah, but give it some time to air out." You sigh, "I remember why I don't miss living with you two." He pouts, "But I thought you loved us." You squint, and he laughs, "I'm just kidding." Before running off, with a shake of your head into the bathroom to find he really was joking. You sigh and change into comfy clothes, and brush your teeth. As you do, you realize you'll be sleeping next to Kyun again. 

While earlier it was just a little nap, who knows what your sleepy self would do? Will you wake up tangled in Kyun's arms? No, he’s your friend, that wouldn't be possible. You shake your head at that thought. And with a sigh, you enter his room to find him already on his side of the bed. You climb in next to him, and he throws the blanket over the two of you. 

When you’ve settled into your pillow, he says, “I’ve missed hanging out with them.” You agree, “Me too. What was the best part of today?” He thinks for a minute, “Um well,... Probably picking them up.” You raise a brow, “Why?” He smiles, “For lots of reasons, but as that one song says, ‘Reunited and it feels so good.’” You giggle, “Yeah, it did feel like that.” He asks, “What about you?” You smile, “Eating ramen with them.” He nods, “Speaking of, do you still like Min and Ki?” You shake your head, “No, it was college me's fantasy, but I still like their music and whatnot.” He nods, “Oh, cool. Their music is pretty good if I do say so myself.” You say, “Why do you ask?” You see his cheeks turn a bit red, “No reason… I was just... wondering.” You nod, “Don’t worry, that crush came and went.” He smiles, “Cool.” You reach and turn off the bedside lamp, “Goodnight, Kyun.” “Goodnight, (N/n).” 

The sunlight filters in through the curtains in his room and wakes you up. It was just as you thought. It wasn't possible. You woke up on your side of the bed and him on his. You get up first and make coffee for the three of them, deciding that'd be an easier way to wake them. With the smell of coffee permeating everyone’s room, Changkyun wakes up first. He groggily goes, “Good morning.” And you greet him back as you pour coffee into four mugs. Hoseok comes in as you put your coffee together. Hyungwon follows shortly after tiredly wiping his eyes. The three finish their coffees their way and join you at the kitchen table. It’s too early to talk other than a simple greeting. Once you all have finished your coffee, Changkyun says, “Do you guys want to get a real breakfast?” You all nod eagerly, “Cool.” You get up from your spots and put your mugs in the sink. You grab your clothes from your room, not without muttering a few complaints. Which Hyungwon laughs at after Hoseok changes in the bathroom, you change too. 

Once you’re all in the car, Hoseok asks Hyungwon, “Remember when we used to drive them everywhere? How the times have changed.” You smirk, “Yeah, now we get to take care of our elders~” Hoseok gasps, “You wound me!” The four of you laugh and talk about various things as Changkyun continues to drive. Curiosity gets the best of you as you ask, “Where are you taking us?” He smiles, “Joo’s dad owns this pancake house. It's kind of far from where we live, but I think the three of you will like it.” You all agree that it sounds good, and before long, he turns and pulls in. “Alright, we’re here!” He cheers, and you all get out, and he gets a pager. “He doesn’t work here anymore. But he does own it.” He tells you three, and you all nod. And wait for your number to ring. 

When it does, the host leads you to a table and hands everyone a menu. You groan, “It all looks so good.” Hoseok goes, “Oh, I know what I want!” And he excitedly tells you three. Changkyun tells you what he’s getting, followed by Hyungwon. You take a few minutes to decide, and before the waiter comes over, you figure it out and tell the other three. They write down your orders, and they bring out your drinks first. Hyungwon asks, “So are we going to meet Jooheon today?” And you both nod, “What’s he like?” And Changkyun explains him best, and you add in your two cents. Hoseok cheers, “He seems lovely. No wonder you're friends with him!” You smile. And the waiter brings your food out, and you dig in. Hyungwon says between bites, “Yeah, I see why you recommended this. Not because Jooheon’s dad owns it. But because the food comes out quick, and it’s also delicious.” He nods, “It’s all his own recipes.” Hoseok says, “His dad and my mom have to become friends. Imagine the creations those two could make!” You grin and tell him, “That would be heavenly.” You finish your plates and order some muffins. Hyungwon gasps, “These are mammoth-sized!” You quickly butter it and try it, “Oh, and they taste as good as they look. My god.” You guys eat happily, and you slide your card over to Changkyun. And he quickly splits it between you two before either of them can pay. 

With a stomach full of a hearty breakfast, you head over to the studio. “You’re going to love it!” You cheer. Kyun tells them about restoring the building to what it was like now. Hyungwon goes, “Damn, that's amazing, Kyun.” He smiles, “Thanks.” They nod, and Hoseok says, “I’m sure we will. After all, if Kyun made it what it is today. It's sure to blow our minds.” You nod, and Changkyun thanks them again. He parks on the side of the street, and you all get out. 

You head in, and together you show them everything. When you reach the common area, you get excited, “Okay, Kyun’s room is nice, but I’d like to believe mine is cuter!” Kyun laughs as you excitedly show them the key and placard he made for you. “Oh! And look! I took a picture from home and put it here!” They all gather behind you, and Changkyun says, “I didn’t know you had this back here.” You smile, “Yeah.” Hoseok laughs, “That’s the treehouse! Oh, how I miss that place!” Hyungwon grins, “Was this the day where we staking out the best candy houses and ended up falling asleep up there?” You nod, “Yeah, and Kyun’s dad came out later that night and carried us all in.” Changkyun smiles, “Yeah, and by the time the four of us were back in. We were wide awake. And so we all made cookies together. With my parent's help, of course.” You laugh, “It was so much fun! I had just gotten my camera and was documenting everything.” Hoseok laughs, “You couldn’t stop taking photos. I’m sure our parents were grateful they had you.” You laugh, “I think we were what? Nine in this?” They nod, and you grin, “That’s why my studio is cooler. I have a cute photo of us in mine.” Changkyun rolls his eyes, “I have one taped to my computer.” Hyungwon shakes his head, “But this one is nicely framed.” You smirk, “Exactly!” 

You lock up your office, and he knocks on Jooheon’s door. “Joo, you in here?” You hear a rustle behind the door, and out comes Jooheon. You all scoot back, and he looks over you two, “Are these the last of the famous quartet?” You both nod and move over to the common area. You go to introduce them when Jooheon gasps, “Wait, your Hyungwon and Hoseok-! Are thee Hoseok and Hyungwon!?” You both laugh, “The ones and only.” He gasps, “When Minhyuk and Kihyun started out here, I booked them for your events a few times!” They grin, and Hoseok goes, “Yeah! You have! We’re actually friends with them!” That makes Kyun look at you, and you shake your head, and Jooheon goes, “I’m Jooheon. Sometimes they call me Honey or Joo. But feel free to call me whatever. It’s nice to meet such dear friends and lovely models.” Hyungwon says, “It’s nice to meet you too! We’ve heard lots about you.” You grin, and Joo goes, “All good things?” They nod, and he sighs in relief. Changkyun rolls his eyes, “Why would I ever say anything bad about you?” He pouts, “I don’t know, I worry.” You shake your head, “You’re too sweet.”

The five of you go over and sit down. Jooheon is next to Changkyun, who's next to you. A table away, on the opposite couch, are Hoseok and Hyungwon, “Do you guys do anything other than modeling?” Hoseok grins, “When I have the time, I draw.” And Hyungwon goes, “I like to take photos, rarely, but sometimes if the scenery is right, I do. And also for my social media.” He nods, and the two of you watch as they converse, and you grin. It’s so wonderful seeing your best friends like your other friends. You both join the conversation as they talk about their childhoods. Jooheon talks about his first phone and goes, “Do you think kids these days even know about slider phones?” You laugh, “Probably, only if it’s a hand-me-down. Hell, I didn’t even have one. I only had a flip phone. The cool kids had the sliders.” Hyungwon smirks, “I was a cool kid.” You shake your head at him. 

And that’s when Jooheon mentions, “Oh, Min and Ki are coming in today.” That causes the two across to eye you. And while the other two can’t see it, you flip them off, which makes them cackle. Changkyun furrows his brows at him, “I thought they weren’t supposed to be in for another two weeks?” Jooheon goes, “There’s a drama that requested their vocals, and so we should be seeing them any time soon. But don’t worry. They already know you’re not in for work.” Changkyun looks at you before he says anything, “That’s not a first but man... I wish the producers would alert us in advance.” Jooheon laughs and shrugs, “You know how they are.” And he nods. 

Speak of the devil, and the devil will appear. You hear their footsteps coming up the stairs. And you want to disappear. You hear one of them call, “Joo, you in here?” Jooheon goes, “Yeah, I'm in the common area! Come on in!” They agree, and you look at the two across from you in horror. They smirk at you, and all you want to do is curl up and hide. And turn invisible until you feel Changkyun’s thumb rubbing circles into the palm of your hand. You don’t know when he grabbed your hand, but it eased your nerves. 

Jooheon gets up and gives them both a hug which they return. That’s when they see the rest of you. And Minhyuk says, “Joo mentioned something about you meeting your friends this week. But you didn’t tell us you were friends with these two!?” Minhyuk instantly hugs Hoseok, and you think, 'Okay, I can slip out of here while they're distracted... I can make a break for it.' Watching as the four exchange greetings, Jooheon says, “It’s a small world, isn’t it?” You laugh, “Wait till you find out they know Hyunwoo.” He gasps, “No way.” You nod. That’s when all the attention is on you, and you realize you fucked up. You catch Hyungwon’s dastardly smirk before you catch what he says, “I think you would love to meet our best friend, (Y/n). They used to be a big fan of yours.” 

The two gasp and Minhyuk goes, “Really? We met you before. Why didn't you say anything?” You gulp and watch as they circle the couch in front of you. They sit down beside your two best friends. You feel Changkyun’s hand squeeze yours, and you squeeze it back for reassurance. And you say, “I didn’t want you two to feel uncomfortable.” Kihyun shrugs, “Kyun was a fan of ours. It didn’t bother us none.” You shake your head, “I uh but-.” Hoseok goes, “They used to like you~” If you could kill those two, you would… Which causes the two to smirk, “Really?” And Kihyun smirks, “Which one of us did you like more?” Trying to start a little competition, you look at your shoes wishing the ground would swallow you up whole now. “I liked both of you equally. I’d carry around your unit pcs.” Minhyuk gasps, “I didn’t expect that.” You nod, “Yeah. I was a big fan, and both of you were super cool. You guys are like the only idol group I ever followed.” 

Hyungwon goes, “Remember how we said we watched you perform when we were in college?” The two nod, “It was because of them.” Minhyuk looks at you, and you smile, “Your music was inspiring, and I was very thankful for it. So, I tried to see every show I could back then.” They thank you, and Kihyun asks, “Do you still like our music?” You nod, “I think it’s even greater now. And knowing you have these two in your corner. It made you guys gain incredible fame.” They grin, and Kihyun says, “Well, our new album won’t be coming out for a while… But would you like our last release signed?” Jooheon gets up as you gasp and clench Changkyun’s hand. “Um yeah… If that’s okay?” And after a moment, Jooheon returns with a white album and hands it to them. “Always prepared.” The three of you thank him. 

“You never signed anything for us.” Hoseok whines and Minhyuk gives him a look, “You said you didn’t want one.” Hoseok shrugs, “You have me there.” As Kihyun grabs a sharpie from the jar on the table, you go, “Don’t let them fool you. They were both excited when they saw you two perform at their runaway. And they even filmed it for me.” You smile over at your friends, and they grin back. Minhyuk smiles, “I’m glad you guys enjoyed our performance. Even if you won’t admit it.” Hyungwon shrugs as Kihyun finishes writing his message after signing the cover. He hands it over to Minhyuk. 

Kihyun asks, “Do you have a favorite song we’ve performed?” You nod, “I really liked your recent solo Youth and Minhyuk’s Ongshimi.” And Minhyuk looks up, “You know Honey made that song for me?” Jooheon grins, “It’s one of my favorites too.” You look over at Jooheon and high-five him for good taste. “I remember reading that Joohoney was the producer. It wasn’t until I was doing the payroll that I realized Jooheon and him were the same person.” That causes the six of them to laugh, and you smile, and Minhyuk finishes signing it. He lets it sit for a moment so it doesn’t smear before they both hand it over to you. 

And without a second thought, you immediately hold it close, “I’m going to cherish this forever.” Kihyun nods, “I had a feeling.” Minhyuk smiles, “Well, there’s more where that came from.” Kihyun smiles, “And considering you are friends with all these guys, I bet we’ll be friends too.” You blush and feel your Changkyun squeeze your hand. “I’m honored just to be your guy’s acquaintance.” You smile and look down at Kyun’s and your hands. 

That’s when Jooheon goes, “I’d hate to interrupt, but if we don’t get into the studio now. Minhyuk will miss his cologne photoshoot.” Minhyuk groans, “I forgot about that.” And the other six of you whine to Jooheon, “I’m sorry, I really want to talk to you all too. But we have work today, and you guys don’t.” You all pout at him, and he musters the cutest pout right back. You all gasp at him, and Hoseok says, “You didn’t tell me he was a master at being cute.” You shake your head, “I didn’t know!” Changkyun apologizes, “I forgot.” Which causes Jooheon to pout more and speak in the cutest voice, “How could you forget how cute I am?” Which causes Kyun to pinch his bridge with his free hand. You all laugh, and the three get up, and Kihyun says, “It’s nice to meet a loyal fan.” You hold out your free hand, and they both shake it. If you were unhygienic, you’d never wash your hand again. You thank them for everything. And your best friends tell them it was good to see them again before they’re off to the studio. 

The three of them shoot a look at you as you hold your album tightly. And Changkyun speaks up, “So are you going to read the messages they wrote, or?” You nod. And feel him let go of your hand, and you immediately miss the contact. “I know we talked about it before, but honestly... I never expected to meet them more than in passing. I was planning to lock my studio or make a run for the door whenever they came in for recordings and whatnot.” The three laugh and shake their heads at you. 

You sigh, “This is surreal.” You trace around their signatures before flipping through to find Kihyun’s first. “To (Y/n), one of our first fans! Thank you for your continued support. We appreciate it! We hope we can continue to inspire you. And please support our next album too! I hope our friendship blossoms like our friendship with your best friends. Anyway, until then, please take care, and know you’re doing well, even now.” You resist the tears that spring up. And the three coo at the message, and Hoseok goes, “Oh, that was so cute.” You nod, and Hyungwon goes, “I hope they become your friends too.” You gulp, “I could have never imagined this was a possibility when we were in college.” They sympathize with you, and you continue looking through the album. Admiring each photo as you decide to display this next to your photo frames.

You finally make it to the page Minhyuk signed and see his message, “To (Y/n); thank you for supporting us all these years. It’s nice to have loyal fans. We appreciate it. I’m sure Kihyun has already said it, but maybe someday we can be friends too. Anyway, we’ll do our best to continue to inspire you! So, I hope you enjoy our next album too! Until then, fighting!” You wish to cry as you read it aloud, and they coo at this message too. You flip through the rest of the pages before finding the photocards in the back. You grin at all three, two solo and one unit. And you can’t help but hold the unit card to your chest. “This is so cute.” You say before showing them all three. Changkyun tells you they’re cute. And you take time to look at the CD’s art too. 

You close the album after keeping the unit card out. It’s unreal to believe you just met your idols. You pull out your wallet, and the three of them look at you questionably. And you pull out your driver's license and pull out a picture of the three of them lying on top of each other. And bring out an old Minhyuk and Kihyun pc. Hoseok asks, “I thought you said you didn’t like them like that anymore?” You sigh, “Um, I don’t, but... I used to look at their photocard and think, if they could make it and be okay. Then so could I.” And Changkyun smiles, “Oh, that’s so cute.” You blush, “I guess.” And you put the newest pc in front of the old one before putting the rest back in order into your wallet.

You hold the album close to you, and Hyungwon asks, “Are you okay?” And you shake your head, “I can’t believe you guys told them all that.” And Kyun goes, “I didn’t.” You roll your eyes, “Yeah, but those two devils told my secrets. I was going to take those to my grave.” Hyungwon smirks, “Yeah, but it helped you get a personally signed album~” You glare, “I thought about murdering you both.” Hoseok shrugs, “Fair enough.” You shake your head at them, “But seriously, thank you. It's all thanks to you three. I lived college me's dream." You sigh, "I can’t believe I met and talked to them.” They grin, and Changkyun nudges you, “And they want to be your friend too! That means someday we can all go to lunch together.” You put your head on the table, “Too soon. That’s too wild for me to process.” The three of them pat your head, and when you get up, Hyungwon asks, “Anyone else hungry for dinner?” 

You nod, “That sounds lovely right about now.” You hold the album tightly to your chest, and the three of you walk down the stairs when a door to a studio opens. And you hear three, Bye-byes, and you all cheer your goodbyes. And your heart nearly beats out of your chest. The four of you make it into the car as you strap yourself in. Changkyun asks, “Where to?” And Hoho goes, “Do they still have that steakhouse on 57th Street?” You shrug, “I don’t know. I haven’t been there since you two moved out.” Won says, “We can always try.” Kyun nods, “If not, there is always the franchise one.” You all agree and head over to 57th Street, which to your surprise, is still open. “I wonder if it’s just as good now.” Changkyun says, “I would have no idea.” You all look at him, “You’ve never been?” He shakes his head no, “Well, you’ll enjoy it.” He smiles, “Okay.” You carefully hide your album under the seat before joining the other three waiting to be seated. 

After about twenty minutes, you're seated at a table. You take time to look over the menus, and Changkyun asks questions about each. And Hyungwon tells him the best options and Hoseok mouths, “I saw your hands earlier.” You look at him in shock, “Is Hyungwon correct?” You tilt your head, “that you still like him?” You spare a glance, “How do you figure that?” Instead of continuing your silent conversation, he laughs. Which causes the other two to look over, and you blush a deep red but cover it up with a shrug. They go back to conversing about the cuts of steaks. And he mouths, “You made sure he knew you only loved Min and Ki in the past~.” You shake your head and mouth back, “It’s the truth.” He smirks, “Ah, but not denying you reassured him.” He continues as you glare, “The way you two played last night. I think he feels the same.” You roll your eyes, “That’s just how friends play.” He looks at Hyungwon, “Really? Because did you see me saving his ass?” You roll your eyes, “Whatever.” He shrugs, and you do too, and that’s when Changkyun tells you he’s going to get the New York strip steak. 

After the waiter takes your drink order, you guys fall back into a regular conversation. You say, “It hasn’t changed much since we first started coming here.” And the two across from you agree, and Hoseok goes, “I just hope they didn’t change their seasoning recipe.” You nod, “Oh, Kyun, wait till you try their seasoning. It’s delicious!” He grins, “I can’t wait.” Your drinks arrive, and you order your food. Once the waiter leaves, Hyungwon cheers, “To a great meal!” And you all clink your glasses before taking a sip. You ask, “So what did you think of Joo?” Hoseok grins, “He seems friendly. He’s cute and also a great conversationalist.” And Hyungwon continues, “He is also very professional. But he knows how to separate those things. I admire that.” Changkyun smiles, “What did you think of our building?” Hoseok smiles, “It’s so nice. You guys really take care of it.” And Hyungwon says, “It seems very comfortable too. Especially the common area. I like that it looks over the city.” You both grin, and Won tells you, “My favorite office was yours.” You smile, and Hoho tells Kyun that he likes his studio best. “Always evenly split.” 

And that’s as far you guys into your conversation before your food comes out. You wait for the steak sauce, and you guys eat your meal peacefully, and Hoseok says, “It’s just as delicious as I remember.” The two of you agree, and Changkyun goes, “This is really good.” You three nod, and you continue eating, and the waiter comes back to check on you. And without anyone noticing, Hoseok passed along his card to pay for the meal. When the waiter comes back after five minutes with it, that’s when you all notice. You gasp, “You little-” He smirks, “I’m quick.” Which makes the rest of you grumble. And to settle it, Hyungwon goes, “How about next time we split it between us?” You all agree and finish up your food. 

You make it to the car, pull your album back out, and lay it on your lap before asking, “You know what sounds good right now?” And Changkyun goes, “Cake and ice cream?” You nod, “You read my mind.” And the other two agree as he drives you all back after cake and ice cream on full stomachs. The four of you retire to bed early. Of course, after putting your album on display in your room. You join him in bed, and he asks, “Was it fun?” You stretch as you ask him, “What?” He smiles, “Meeting your idols?” You shrug, “Kind of, but more terrifying than fun. I’m glad you held my hand back there.” He nods, “That makes sense. I could tell you were about to jump out of your skin, so I wanted to comfort you.” You laugh as you shake your head, “Thank you.” You nestle into your pillow and ask, “Have you ever met any idols that left you stunned like that?” He shrugs, “I don’t think any idol has ever left me stunned.” You let out an “Oh.” He smiles, “But there have been people that have stunned me.” You ask, “Really? Like whom?” He smiles, “Joo, he stuns me with his cute acts. Won stuns me with his effortlessness. Hoho with his genuineness. And you stun me a lot too.” You nod with a yawn, and he tells you, “Go to bed. We can talk about this some other day.” You give him a tired smile and turn off the light. And once your head hits the pillow, you’re out like the light. He stays up for a few making sure you're asleep before he says, “You’ve stunned me in ways I couldn’t describe until I was older. And now, you still do, in every way possible.” 

You’re shaken awake by Changkyun when you open your eyes. He says, “Hey, sleepyhead.” You smile, “Hi, Kyun.” He smiles, “Sorry I didn’t wake you up until after the three of us had coffee, but you seemed too peaceful to wake up.” You shrug, “It’s okay, thank you, I needed the extra rest. Plus, you guys need your separate time to catch up too.” He nods, “Hoseok wants to have a movie marathon. Are you up for it?” You give him a smile and nod, and he hands you a mug of coffee. “I made this a moment ago and figured you’d want some before you got up. You can join us when you’re ready.” You smile and thank him. And with that, he leaves you alone in his room. You take it all in, from the smell of his comforter to the photos on the wall. His closet is a mess, but you smile as you sip your coffee and wonder what it'd be like to sleep with him in here all the time. You think about waking up to him kissing your forehead and waking up curled in his arms. And before you know it, you’ve finished your cup of coffee. 

You get up and shower before joining them in a new pair of PJs, “You missed the first Spiderverse movie.” You shrug, “That’s alright. I've seen it before.” And they all pout, “Without us?” You roll your eyes, “Uh, was I not supposed to watch my favorite superhero when he comes out with a new movie?” Hoseok nods, “Valid points, but without us?” You shake your head at them before settling between Hoseok and Hyungwon. Changkyun hands you a bowl of popcorn, and Hyungwon picks the second movie. “The Notebook?” He nods, “It’s my favorite.” You three groan, “We know.” He grins, “You guys like it too.” The three of you nod, “Yeah.” And you all get comfortable watching the movie. It’s so beautiful and perfect until it isn’t, and you’re all crying and handing each other tissues. Changkyun whines, “Hyungwon, how do you convince us to watch this every time?!” When the ending credits finally come on, you’re all sniffling and wiping your eyes. 

Hoseok, the worst of you all, you all hold him and wait until he’s recovered. Before you ask, “Are we all good?” You hear hums of agreement, and Changkyun grabs the remote and picks Ice Age. “Something nice for all of us to reminisce on.” The three of you laugh and agree that's exactly what you need after that movie. You stretch out and put the empty bowl of popcorn on the coffee table. The three of you kick back, relax, and speak the lines as you remember them. You go first with, “A dandelion? Must be the last of the season!” And Hoseok goes, “Carl,” And Hyungwon chimes in, “Frank, calm down.” And Hoseok says, “He’s ruined our salad.” And you do your best to reiterate the pinecone speech, which causes them to burst out laughing. 

Changkyun narrating all of Diego’s lines had to be the highlight of the movie. “Do we have to get a newsflash every time your body does something?” "Sid!?" When it ends, the two of you decide to tease him, and you say, “The big bad tigey-wigey knows all the lines?” Hyungwon goes, “Oh, poor tigey-wigey.” And he rolls his eyes, “You guys are just jealous that I know more lines!” You shake your head, “Am not.” Hoseok shakes his head and says, “I’m going to pee. You three sort yourselves out.” You laugh, and Changkyun goes, “This tigey-wigey bites- and remember, Jumbo won’t always be there to protect you.” You squint, “Is that a threat, Diego?” He smirks, and before you can even register it. He’s pulled you towards him, acting like he’s going to bite your neck, “A promise.” And you whine out to Hyungwon, “A tiger, help! Help! He’s got me.” And Hyungwon bursts out into laughter, which causes you both to laugh. “Hoseok, you missed it!” That’s when you hear him from the hall, “No, I didn’t! I got it all on film.” You both gasp as he smirks, “I really had to pee, but I knew I couldn’t miss this.” You all laugh, and Hyungwon goes, “Send me!” “Already done!” 

You hear a ping, and he smirks, not checking his notifications, “You guys will see it someday~.” You both groan as Changkyun releases you. You sit up but don’t move from your spot next to him. After Hoseok returns from the restroom Hyungwon refills his popcorn bowl. You choose Men In Black, which leaves you all giggling and watching in suspense as if seeing it for the first time. Changkyun goes, “Oh, you know what would be good after this?” And the three of you say in unison, “Rush Hour.” He nods, “Exactly.” 

And seamlessly, you transition to that movie. You lay your head on Changkyun’s shoulder and are surprised to find how comfortable they are. And you sigh, without a second thought, you snuggle in. You hear him whisper, “Comfortable?” And you nod and watch as Carter meets up for a deal on some C4. The movie ends before you know it, and that’s when you all notice how dark it is in the living room. Hyungwon and Changkyun both turn on the lamps beside them. And you get out of your comfortable position, and Hoseok says, “What do guys say to pizza and wings?” You all agree and pool your cash to pay together for once. 

Hyungwon chooses the next movie before joining in and filling up his plate as he grabs his last slice of pizza. He asks, “Do you remember when we stayed up all night playing video games on Changkyun’s new console?” Changkyun laughs, “We ordered so much pizza that night.” You groan, “I never thought I could get tired of pizza until then.” Hoseok whines, “I couldn’t eat pepperoni pizza for months.” You all laugh, and Hyungwon says as he had back then, “Let’s never do that again.” And you all agreed as if it were sophomores in high school again. 

You guys arrange so both you and Hoseok get an armrest with Changkyun and Hyungwon between you both. Hyungwon asks, “Toy Story?” And Hoseok nods as he starts the movie. You ask, “It’s a good movie. But it has its sad parts. Do you guys want to cry or something today?” You see Hyungwon shrug over Changkyun’s shoulders, “Not really, I just like these movies.” Hoseok nods, “They’re classics.” “Exactly.” 

At the mention of pizza planet, you all hold up your pizzas, which makes the four of you cackle. Hyungwon repeats the little alien toys' lines, “A stranger! From the outside!” You all ‘ooohhh’ and Hoseok does his best impression of Buzz until you all start chanting, “The Claw!” As the claw reaches down and grabs the aliens. 

Hoseok picks out the next movie after you all clean up. You see the preview of Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. You grin, “Now, this is right up my alley.” Hoseok smirks, huffs on his hand, and rubs his hand on his chest as if he was polishing off his idea. You shake your head at him before settling into the seats you had before, with you next to Changkyun. You’re halfway through the movie when Hyungwon stretches over the three of you. “Oh yeah, this is way more comfortable.” The three of you shake your head at him, “Really?” He shrugs, “You guys are just as comfortable as I remember.” You roll your eyes, “You’re only saying that, so we’ll let you lay on us.” He shrugs again, “Maybe.” You let out a collective sigh before going along with it. 

It takes a while before you decide to get comfy too. And lay your head against Kyun’s shoulders. And you agree with Won’s earlier sentiment that this is way more comfortable. You catch Hoseok scooting the ottoman closer to kick his feet onto it before settling back. After a while, you feel Changkyun’s head on yours. You smile and reiterate his earlier question, “Comfortable?” And he hums in agreement. Hoho hands him the remote as the movie comes to an end. He chooses “Black Panther” before handing the remote over to you, which you lay beside your lap. 

You hear Hyungwon yawn, and you all look over at him. And he shrugs before turning back to watch the movie as he says, “I’ve always loved this movie.” You all agree, and it’s not long before you notice Hyungwon sleeping peacefully on top of the three of you. He seems too content, and you watch as signs of sleep start to hit Hoseok, but he fights it until the end of Black Panther. You decide on Tinker Bell, click it on, and watch the beginning with earnest. 

After the beginning, Changkyun gestures for you to look over. And you watch as Hoseok’s head falls forward before he regains consciousness. Just for sleep to win him over, and he falls asleep. You both snicker, “Those two could never make it the whole night.” He laughs, “What do you say we put those two to bed after this?” You nod, “Sounds like a plan.” You both watch as Tinker Bell falls in love with her gift. You whisper, “Oh, it’s my favorite part.” He smiles, “Tink going to the mainland?” You nod, and you both watch and hum along to the song that plays as the fairies travel to the mainland. And you grin as Tinker Bell delivers the tiny dancer to Wendy. 

Once the ending credits come up, you lift Hyungwon’s legs so you can get up. “Do you think we’ll have to lug him?” With a sigh, you both nod. He carefully grabs him off of Hoseok, and you carry his legs. Thankfully, their room (your room) was the closest to the living room. You both let out a sigh of relief when you get to drop him on the bed. Hyungwon mumbles, “Your delivery service was a four out of ten.” You glare before turning to Changkyun, “Next time, I’m dropping him.” The two of you laugh as Hyungwon flips you off and snuggles into his pillows. You both come back to see Hoseok starting to blink awake. You both help him up and lead the tired man to his bed, “You okay, buddy?” He nods and thanks you both before curling under the blanket. 

You both come in and plop down next to each other on the couch, “What sounds good?” He shrugs, grabs the remote, scrolls through, and points out, “Howl’s Moving Castle?” You nod, and he clicks it on. And you turn off the lamp closest to you, and he does the same. You grab your blanket, and he pulls his quilt over him. When you look over at Kyun, you let out a yawn which causes him to yawn. And you both snuggle into your blankets, slowly snuggling into your sides of the couch. You make it halfway through another movie before you start drifting off. You wake up and catch a few glimpses of A Knight’s Tale every time. You try to stay awake each time your eyes open because it’s one of your favorites. But the sandman succeeds again as you fall into a deep rest.

Surprisingly, you wake up with your head on a pillow and find yourself in Kyun’s room. You blink over and catch the time on the clock, three am. You turn over and notice Kyun’s eyes are open. “Hi,” He smiles, “Hi.” You ask, “Did you carry me in here?” He nods and whispers, “I couldn’t believe you fell asleep through A Knight’s Tale.” You softly groan, “I know. I missed the part where he’s taught to dance and then dances at the ball.” He laughs, “We can always watch it again.” You pout, “Not the same.” He raises his eyebrow, “How? You’d still be watching it with me.” You whisper, “I wanted to watch it with you tonight.” He does his best to hold in his laugh as he runs his hands through your hair, “It’s okay. There’s always next time.” You nod, a little defeated, “Okay.” He rolls his eyes, “It’s okay, big baby.” And you still pout a bit, and he barely whispers, “Your lips look kissable.” You think you mishear him. You have to have misheard him. After all, it's three am. He couldn't have said what you thought he did. As you blink at him, he gulps, “Can you believe how dismissible Won was of us?” That makes more sense to your tired mind, “Yeah, he’s a meanie.” He laughs, “At least Hoho accepted our help.” You nod, “Yeah, he’s a sweetie.” You settle more into your pillow and try to stay awake again as you look over Kyun’s features. You fail again, and Changkyun lets out a sigh of relief and mentally pats himself on the back, “Good save. Good save.” 

It’s eight in the morning when you wake up again. You’re facing away from Changkyun. You sit up, look over and see how peaceful he looks sleeping. Your heart flutters for a few moments before you get up and watch as Changkyun reaches out as if he was looking for you. You let out an “Ooh,” before placing your pillow in his searching arms. He instantly nuzzles into the pillow and goes back to sleep. Your heart can’t take the cuteness. You shake your head and walk to the kitchen to see Hoseok drinking a glass of orange juice. You whisper, “You’re up early.” He startles a bit, which makes you snicker, and he rolls his eyes, “I should have known it was you and not a ghost.” You laugh even harder as you pour a glass of orange juice for yourself.

You sit beside him and ask, “Do you like this table?” He nods, “It’s nice.” You grin after you drink some of your juice, “Cool.” He asks, “Do you and Kyunnie always sit in the same spots?” You nod, “It’s kind of our tradition. This table became a constant before I knew it.” He smiles, “That’s sweet.” You’re surprised when you hear someone start to slink in. Both of you turn to see Hyungwon, “You guys have chocolate syrup?” You nod, “Pantry, 2nd shelf.” He grabs a glass, the bottle of syrup, and the milk. “What are you two talking about?” You tap your finger on the table and say, “This table.” He smiles and looks back, “Well, it is a very nice table, mahogany, right?” You nod as he turns to stir his drink together. He joins you in his seat, “Kyunnie was saying how you hoped we’d like the table.” You laugh, “Yeah, it’s my favorite place.” He nods, “Make sense.” 

The three of you relax in the peaceful morning. It felt right being with the two again. You break the silence, “It’s weird to be with you two at a breakfast table in the morning and not doing homework.” The two laugh and Won goes, “I was thinking the same thing.” Hoho says, “I was thinking about how no one is rushing around as they eat breakfast.” The three of you laugh, and you go, “But it feels right.” They nod, and Hoho smiles, “It’s nice to be with you guys and not working on a silly project.” You both smile, and Hoseok reaches his hands out to the both of you, and you both hold them. Hyungwon tells you both with a smile, “I’m glad we’re together again. And I’m glad we have Kyun now too.” You smile, “All the wrongs are now right.” He grins, and you hear Changkyun come into the kitchen. It now feels complete, as if you discovered the missing puzzle piece. And put it in the empty space. 

When he sits down with his apple juice, he raises an eyebrow. And Hyungwon and you both reach out for his hands after puts his glass down. You say, “You’re our missing last piece.” He gives you three a faint smile as he links your hands. Hoseok adds, “Yeah, I think college would have been better with you.” And Hyungwon says, “We’ve missed you.” Changkyun’s tears fall as he says, “I’ve missed you guys so much. I know we’ve held and talked to each other about it. But I feel so much better with you guys at my side.” You nod and use the sleeve on your shoulder to wipe your tears. You look up and whisper, “I can’t believe you two will leave in three days.” Which causes the rest of them to groan, “It’s unfair.” Hoseok whispers, “We have each other now, and that’s what matters.” Changkyun nods, "I’m never letting go.” You all echo his sentiment and stay like that for a while. 

It’s real. You’re back together again. Maybe not for as long as you’d like, but after a long separation, it means more than words could express. And at that moment, you four agree to see each other at least once every month. Even if it was only for an hour: that would be enough. When you guys finally recoup and let go of each other’s hands. You drink your refreshments in peace. 

Hyungwon looks at the weather, “Do you guys want to go bowling later?” Changkyun nods, “Yeah! We haven’t done that in forever.” You and Hoseok agree too. Which causes you to ask, “Who wants ramen for breakfast?” The three of them cheer, “Me!” The four of you laugh as everyone helps out. Changkyun and Hyungwon set the table, and Hoseok and you make a big pot of ramen. 

Once the two of you finish up the ramen, Hoseok sets the pot on the trivet, and you all serve yourselves. Hyungwon says, “Your mom still makes the best ramen, but your guys' is a close second.” Changkyun hums in agreement, and you both thank them. And you tell them, “Can’t outdo the queen.” And Hoseok nods as he eats his food. You grab some more, and Changkyun asks, “Are there any shops you want to go to?” After Hoseok finishes his next bite, he says, “You know that record store across from the coffee shop you two met again at?” You shake your head, “I’ve never been.” And the other two agree, and he tsks, “And you people say you like music.” You all roll your eyes at that as you scrape your bowl. “Won, you remember that Silk Sonic record I got for you?” He hums, and Hoseok says, “That’s where I got it from.” He lets out an ‘oh’ as he grabs more ramen from the pot. You shrug, “That sounds fun. What about you, Won?” He thinks for a moment, “The film developing store.” You smile, “You took photos?” He nods, “You weren’t. So I stepped up.” You laugh and Changkyun goes, “(N/n)?” You shrug, and you ask him, and he shrugs back. You both laugh at having the same answer. You finish your bowl before getting up to change. 

Once you’re all set, you and Changkyun play rock paper scissors to see who’ll drive. And you win! So, you all hop into your car, and Hoseok directs you to the record store. You park in the lot across from the coffee shop, and you all head in. The worker greets you, and you split up as if you four were looking for clues. You weren’t interested in the albums, having enough under your bed collecting dust. In the back of the store, you find shelves full of cassettes. They were more compact and easier to play on the go. While not as convenient as CDs, they were portable. Unlike the vinyls, the other three were digging through.

It isn’t long before you’re sitting in front of the shelving unit. Shortly after sitting, you find one that catches your eye. An old artist that your parents would always play. You check out the cover art and see a few tracks you know. You put it beside you before looking at the rest of the shelves. You dig through the fifty-cent bin. And find another one you'd like so you put it into your pile. Hoseok waves to you as he heads upstairs to where the more prolific vinyls are, and you continue your search. You've added a few more to your pile. As you continue to look, you realize you've worn out the shelves of artists you like. But continue looking in case you passed over one you might want. You come up empty as you hear someone clear their throat and look up to see Changkyun. He bends down and asks, “Do you want to get a pastry with me while they look for vinyls?” You smile, “You read my mind.” You grab his hand, and he helps you up. You pick your tapes up off the floor as you show him your finds. He shows you the two vinyls he found. You pay for your items. And you both check to see if they would catch you two sneaking out. With Hoseok upstairs and Hyungwon lost in his own world listening to an album on the record player. You were free to sneak off.

And as soon as you’re out of the store, you’re giggling like two teenagers sneaking out to see each other. You walk across the street together, and you both get a pastry and before you can pay, he already has. You go to object about it, and he winks, which makes butterflies erupt in a storm in your stomach. So, you let it slide, and unlike the last time you were here, you felt like you were on a date. And your heart gets all giddy at the thought, but your brain quickly rationalizes it. Once the barista serves them up, you sit at a table across from each other. You ask, “Can I have some of yours for some of mine?” He nods, and you split your pastries down the middle before exchanging them. 

You whisper to him, “I feel like a teenager sneaking out of my parent's house to be with you.” He whispers, “I feel the same way.” You both blush as you eat your desserts. At the idea he might like you too, you go to speak up, “I think-” Just to get cut off by Hyungwon, “I had a feeling we’d find you two here.” You sigh. Of course, the interruptions would find you. You shoot them a glare as they scoot you both into the booth. Hoseok pouts, “Thanks for the invitation, meanies! You could have asked if we wanted pastries too!” You both roll your eyes and watch as they cut your delicious pastries into fourths. You mutter, “You’re lucky we’ve been sharing since preschool,” Hyungwon smirks, “Or what?” He whispers to you, “Your boyfriend would get me~?” You twitch and kick him underneath the table. And see Hoseok and him both wince at the same time. You two laugh at their reactions. You don’t know what brought him to hit Hoseok, just like he doesn’t know why you kicked Hyungwon. And Hoseok goes, “I see we’re wanted here.” Changkyun rolls his eyes, “Yeah, you’re wanted, alright… Just not for the right reasons, Hoho.” You snicker, and Hyungwon laughs, “The same goes for you, pretty boy.” He immediately pouts, “You make the term pretty boy sound mean.” You smirk, “It was my intention.” Which causes him to pout even more, and you both apologize to them before finishing up your halved treats. 

Out the door, Hyungwon points to the film-developing store he was talking about, and you follow him in. He asks if he can send more in over the next few days, and the shopkeeper agrees. And Won gives him the film he has on him now. With a pickup for all his photos two hours before the flight takes off, you all head back to your car. Hoseok points out, “It’s 1 pm.” You smile, “Time flies when you’re having fun.” He nods, and you guys are off to the bowling alley when Changkyun spots a food vendor. And asks, “You guys still like cheese-filled bread?” Everyone cheers, “Hell yeah!” And you immediately pull over, and he hops out of the car and waits in line. You whine, “I haven’t had cheese-filled bread in so long.” Hyungwon groans, “It sounds so good.” You nod, and Changkyun bounds back with the treats in his hand. And Hoseok goes, “Last time we had this kind of bread, it was when we were kids visiting the city.” Changkyun gasps, “Oh my god, that was the day we lost our tour guide! And we wandered around the city because we knew where the bus was!” You laugh, “That was probably very dangerous for us to do,” Hyungwon shrugs, “We were kids. How were we supposed to know it was dangerous to leave the tour guide?” Changkyun laughs, “It's almost like our teachers told us never to stray too far behind our guides.” You shake your head, “Nah, we weren’t listening to that. We were too busy lollygagging and talking about, what was it?” Hoseok smiles as if it was yesterday once more, “Bunnies.” 

After taking your first bite of cheese bread, you check the traffic and pull onto the road. Hyungwon asks, “Weren't you obsessed with those for a month?” He nods, “I still like ‘em.” Changkyun says, “How did we make it to the bus without them noticing we were gone?” You go, “Oh, that’s easy. We saw the kids starting to line up. And because kids aren’t good at lining up in a straight line, we snuck into the middle.” Hoseok goes, “Cheese bread and bunnies are still worth getting sidetracked for.” You all agree, and at the red light, you concentrate on trying to eat the treat. And you finish it by the time you’re stopping at the next red light, and Kyun takes your wrapper away. You smile at him, “Is it two more streets before the bowling alley?” Hyungwon goes, “One, you took the shortcut.” You nod, “Oh, okay.” Changkyun goes, “Didn’t you work at the alley?” He nods, “Best winter of my life.” 

On the next light, you turn and see the bowling ball and pin signage and pull in. You park close to the door and ask, “Do you still have a custom ball?” He nods, “Yeah, I believe Michelle kept it the back for me 'cause she knew I wouldn’t need it while traveling the world.” He smiles as he opens the door for the three of you to enter. You walk in, and he goes, “Smells just like I remember, polishing cream and varnish.” He walks in front of you, and a little lady greets the four of you. She gasps when she sees Hyungwon, “I never thought you’d come back in!” He grins, “Hi, Shelly!” She tells him to give her a moment before she goes into the back and pulls out a red and black ball. “Your thirteen-pounder!” Engraved above the finger holes is “Won-won.” And you three giggle, “I haven’t seen you two in a long while.” She says as she points at Hoseok and you. She points at Changkyun and asks, “And who are you?” “I’m Changkyun.” She smiles, “I’ve heard a lot about you.” Hyungwon smiles, “You still remember those conversations?” She laughs with a nod, “I may be old, but I’m not that old.” 

She smiles and asks Kyun, “What’s your shoe size, dear? I already know these kids’ sizes.” He tells her, and she pulls out all four pairs. “Lane 7 work?” You all nod, and she smiles, “Alright, have fun, kids.” She sends you four off, and once you reach the lanes, the three of you look for your balls. And Hyungwon puts in everyone’s nicknames; Won-won, Bunny, Kitty, and Gator. You return with a green ball; you pout as you place your ball into the rack, “I’m going last… But at least the nickname is fair.” He grins, “You’re always our gator.” Changkyun goes, “Kitty?” He nods, “Not enough room for Butterfly or Polar Bear, so I went for some school nicknames.” He shrugs, “Okay, fine.” He puts his purple ball into the rack, and Hoseok shows off his pink pearled one as he returns. “I’m Bunny!” He cheers, the only one enthused by his name and placement on the board. 

Hyungwon bowls first, and with little effort, he gets a strike. And leaves the rest of you gawking, and he smirks, “You three are going to catch flies.” Changkyun mutters, “Way to show us up.” Hyungwon goes, “Want to repeat that to the class?” He coughs, ‘fucker’ and Hoseok does well with a spare as Hyungwon finishes gloating. Changkyun tries to spare his 7-10 split but only knocks one down and comes back pouting. It’s been a while since you’ve bowled, but you don’t do too bad. And without much effort, you're able to spare it.

Unsurprisingly, Hyungwon wins the first round. You barely beat Changkyun by a point with Hoseok in second. Knowing you'd play last, you get everyone a pop before sitting back down. Changkyun started sulking since he lost. You smile at him, and under the table, you squeeze his hand, “It’s okay.” He nods and gets up for his turn as you crack open your pop. And he strikes, and you all cheer for him, his first strike in twelve rounds. You all high-five him. And on your bowl, you get another spare. You’re happy with it, and Hyungwon continues striking you three out. Hoseok whispers while he’s up, “He wasn't this good when we'd bowl with him when he first started here.” You shake your head and whisper, “He probably watched pro bowlers and got tips from them.” Changkyun sighs, “Man’s gifted at nearly everything.” You both laugh, and Hyungwon returns after a spare, “I learned from Shelly.” You all, ‘ooh,’ and he smiles, “She’s been playing since she was five. She played in pro leagues until she opened her own bowling alley.” You ask, “You loved working here, didn’t you?” He nods with a fond smile, “Yeah.” 

You guys play a few rounds, and the results stay relatively the same with you and Hoseok switching between who's second and third every other game. It isn’t until a few rounds later that Changkyun pulls off an impossible feat. After some pointers from Shelly and Hyungwon: he comes in second. You all cheer, gather around him and lift him up. He immediately whines, “I’m not in first place, though!” And you three laugh, “Second is the best!” He shrugs before joining in with you guys, and Shelly calls from the back, “You did well, kid!” Hyungwon goes, “See, even Shelly agrees!” He grins before asking, “Can you put me down now?” You all nod and set him down, and ruffle his hair. 

You guys eat some fries before playing another round. Changkyun asks, “Why do bowling alley fries always taste better?” Hoseok shrugs, “Same reason food tastes better when eating with friends.” That answer satisfies the three of you, and you finish up your fries before playing another round. Hoseok beats Changkyun by a point, making him come in second and you in last. Which causes him to pout, and the three of you coo, “It’s okay. You did well, baby.” He nods, and you all hug him, and Hyungwon waits for his turn, the victory hug. You pull him in and cheer for him before deciding you're tired of bowling. After changing back to your shoes, you put your balls away, and Hyungwon hands his ball off to Shelly. You return your shoes, and she thanks you for the entertainment and charges you half of what you paid. Hyungwon doesn’t accept that and has her take the other half as money for a good meal out on the weekend. She smiles at him and thanks him as she pockets it. 

When you start driving back, it’s 10 pm, and Changkyun hooks his phone up to your radio and plays an old playlist. One that the three of you instantly recognize and start singing along to, and when pauses to transfer to the next song. Hoseok goes, “I haven’t heard this playlist in forever!” It was the playlist he made for the four of you. So you could enter high school with a soundtrack for your next four years together. Of course, it didn’t play out like that, but it was still well-intentioned. You roll down the windows, and Changkyun turns up the volume. And the four of you sing along to it loudly, even at red lights next to other cars. It felt so right as if the playlist had come full circle. The four of you scream, “If it makes you happy, it can’t be that bad!” Laughing as you pass through another green light. 

When you pull into the parking lot, you’re down to the last two songs on the playlist. You roll up the windows, turn off the car, and turn to face each other. And sing the songs softly, and as the last note rings out, you all unbuckle and get out. Changkyun says, “It’s come full circle now.” You all agree and head up to the apartment. It isn’t until you enter the living room that you feel the tiredness seep into your bones. Hoseok lets out the first yawn, and the rest of you follow. You lose the race to the bathroom and end up in third place, with you and Hoseok waiting for the other two to finish. You tell Hoho it’s sparkling clean for him on the way out, “Thanks for not stinking it up.” You roll your eyes, “How was a shower supposed to stink up the house?” He shrugs, “That’s not for me to know.” You laugh and shake your head at him before knocking on the door to Kyun’s room. 

He tells you to come in, and you yawn as you enter, stretching your arms out from you. “I’ve never been happier to see a bed in my life.” He laughs, “Really?” You yawn, “I’m so tired.” He smiles, “Too tired to talk?” You shake your head, 'no,' he smiles, “Cool.” And you crawl in after he moves over to his side. “What do you want to talk about?” He smiles, “I just wanted to thank you for encouraging me earlier.” You smile, “That was nothing, plus you did all the work.” He shrugs, “I suppose.” You move down until your head hits the pillow, “Thanks for getting me out of there. I was so bored looking at the cassettes I already looked over. I didn’t know how much longer I could feign interest.” He laughs, “That would have interested me when I was younger, but I own the music I want to hear on my phone already.” You laugh, “Right!?” He grins, “The physical media is nice, but as you said, I could only feign interest for so long. I’m so glad you were ready to leave too.” You laugh, “Your blueberry pastry was good, of course, what I got to eat of it.” He laughs, “Your strawberry tart was good too. Even if I only had a bite of it.” You shake your head, “They’re despicable.” He nods, “And they’re our best friends.” You grin, “Yeah, they are.” He smiles, and for some reason, when you turn to look him in his eyes. You can’t look away. 

When you do, you shift your eyes to the light and notice it’s still on, “Good night.” You say as you flick it off, and he says it back. In the dim moonlight, he asks, “Do you ever wonder if we lie past the line of best friends?” You look back in his direction at his question, “Yeah, but I don’t think there’s a perfect descriptor to explain it.” He nods, “When I figure out what that is, I’ll let you know.” You smile and agree, and he smiles back. And with that, you fall asleep facing each other. 

You wake up just before Changkyun, thinking about what you had talked about last night. If you were right, he meant what you thought. You guys have always laid past that. The lines between you have always been blurred. Always taking care of each other in ways you wouldn’t take care of Hoseok and Hyungwon. But did that mean he liked you the way you liked him? Or if it was just that? You’d always lay past the bounds of what being best friends meant, but never be anything more? You sigh and shake your head at that last thought, wanting to be hopeful. Changkyun wakes up with a yawn. “Good morning.” He says all groggily, and your heart skips a beat. Maybe you wished that what Hyungwon said yesterday was true, that he was your boyfriend. But what you feel for Kyun is more distinguished than that. You weren’t just seeing him to see if he worked out for you. You knew he was made for you as you were made for him: the perfect pair. You tell him, “Good morning.” As you stretch out, the word you were both looking for lays on the tip of your tongue. Just before you can say it, the door opens to reveal Hyungwon.

It leaves you as fast as Hyungwon sits at the foot of the bed. “Hoseok is talking to Kihyun and Minhyuk. I think Jooheon is on the line too? I don’t know. They’re being too loud for the morning. So, I came in here for some peace and quiet.” You both laugh. And you ask, “What are they on about?” And he goes, “I think they’re arranging dinner plans.” He lays back on the bed, and Changkyun pouts, “Without us?” He shakes his head, “Oh no, we’re definitely included.” You blink, “Uh, but I don’t even know Minhyuk and Kihyun that well.” Changkyun pats your shoulder, “It’s okay.” You nod, and Hyungwon says, “They told us they liked your first impression, and plus you’re one of us. That's good enough for them.” You give him a look, “I don’t think that’s how that works.” Hyungwon shrugs, “Friendship is weird.” You both shrug at that, knowing he was right since you were living testimonies to that statement. He continues, “Just because you like their music or liked them doesn’t mean you can’t be friends.” You nod, and he goes, “Can I rest now?” You both laugh and nod at him. 

Hoseok comes in thirty minutes later to find Hyungwon napping at the end of Changkyun's bed. And to you and Kyun sitting close together watching a video on your phone. He tilts his head as he asks, “Good morning?” The three of you look over towards him, “Morning.” He has you scoot in closer to Kyun as he sits beside you. “Kihyun called.” The three of you nod, “We heard.” He continues, “Minhyuk was in the same room, and they added Jooheon to the call. I guess Jooheon is our friend, too, now?” Hyungwon goes, “He’s our friend like Min and Ki are (N/n)’s.” He nods, “Yeah, that’s a good way to describe it.” Changkyun asks, “So, dinner?” He smiles, “Yeah, they want us to meet up at Son’s. If that’s okay? Hyunwoo isn’t working. So, he’ll be able to join us too.” Hyungwon smiles, “Like one big happy family, then?” He nods, and Changkyun looks at you, asking if that’s okay, and you nod. Kyun speaks for the two of you, “Okay, we’re in.” 

Hoseok gets up and holds his hand out to you, which you gladly accept, and he pulls you out of bed. Hyungwon groans as he gets pulled up by Hoseok. He offers his hand to Changkyun after he scoots closer. Once you’re all up, Hyungwon asks, “Do you guys have pop-tarts?” You nod, “I always keep ramen and pop-tarts in our pantry.” You follow them down the hall and pull out the variety box, “What flavor?” Kyun asks for blueberry, Won wants Cherry, and Hoho asks for Strawberry, and you pull out yours. Thankfully, you have a 4-slice toaster. So, you can make two packs at a time. 

Once they're finished you join the other three at the table. And slump into your chair and sigh, “It’s nice to be back in this chair.” The three smile, already knowing the reason. You eat your pop-tarts, and Changkyun asks, “What do you want to do in the meantime?” Hoseok goes, “Laze around?” Hyungwon lets out a yawn, “Sweet.” You agree that sounds perfect, and Hoseok puts the plates in the sink. You look over at Changkyun and look towards the sink, and he nods. While the two head to the living room to find something to watch, you clean the dishes together. As you put the plugs in, you say, “It’s surprising how many dishes we can go through even though we haven’t really been here all week.” He laughs as he fills up the sink with soapy water and agrees. 

You fill your sink with rinse water, and he hands you the soapy dishes, and you run them through the rinse water. And put them on the rack. Changkyun places his hands in his water, and soap flies up at you both, causing you two to splutter. You flick off the bubbles onto him, and he squints but shakes his head before handing you the next clean dish. You didn’t intend to splash him when you put the bowl into the water, but you did. “Oh, it’s on!” And he splashes you with his soapy water, and you spray him back with your water. 

You two childishly splash water at each other until you're both soaked. You sigh as you peel your shirt away from your skin. And notice Kyun doing the same thing. You laugh at each other before finishing up the dishes and draining the sinks. You leave them to dry as you drip water onto the floor. You pass through the living room. They both chuckle, and Hoseok goes, “Did you guys go through a tidal wave?” And you both point at each other and cry, “They started it!!” Which causes the two to laugh even harder as you both change in your separate rooms. 

With new shirts on, you join the two in the living room. Changkyun asks, “What are you watching?” Hyungwon shrugs, “I haven’t been watching.” And Hoseok goes, “I think it’s a cowboy show? But I haven’t figured it out. There is so much going on that I haven't caught on to it.” You nod as you both sit in between them. It’s the space bounty hunter cowboys, and you recognize it immediately, “It’s Cowboy Bebop!” Changkyun nods, “We watched this together.” Hyungwon raises an eyebrow, “When?” You smile, “Remember when you both went to the 8th-grade dance without us?” Hoseok nods at that, and Hyungwon raises an eyebrow, “You mean the one you two didn’t want to go to?” You shrug, “Tomayto, tomahto.” He shakes his head, “Whatever. Anyway?” Changkyun smiles, “I had rented the series, and since (N/n) was into anime then, I asked if they wanted to watch it with me.” You smile, “Yeah, we stayed up til one in the morning watching it.” Hoseok coos, “That’s so cute. But we liked anime then too!” You squint, “Would you have really missed a night of dancing?” Both of them shake their heads, and Changkyun goes, “See.” The two of you settle into watching the fourth episode, and the other two go back to their phones. 

The episode ends, and it starts playing a different series. So, you change the channel to something you can all watch: a museum mystery show. Hyungwon asks, “Is it really a mystery when the plague in front of the 'mysterious' object tells you all about it?” You laugh, “Do you really want to read that instead?” He shrugs, “You have me there.” It plays for another two episodes before Hoseok goes, “We should get ready to see them.” You all agree. You wait your turn to change after getting your clothes out of your room. Hoseok is taking longer than usual. You sigh as you wait by the door, and Changkyun comes out dressed nicely. “You wanna change in my room?” You nod, and he leaves you to sit on the couch. It feels different to change in his room. It felt as though you were more exposed than you were. Maybe it was because of the angle of the mirror? No, you shake your head, it was because you were changing in his room. And even though he wasn’t in there, it felt like a rather intimate act. 

You quickly change, shake the feeling away and throw your clothes into the hamper. You find Changkyun playing on his phone. And you sit down next to him, pulling out your phone. He looks over at you, “You look nice.” You give him a small smile as you compliment him back. “Nervous?” You nod a little, “I’m okay. I know they’re real people. But uh it feels unreal to believe I’d be sitting and eating with them.” He nods, “Yeah, I can understand.” He pats your thigh, “It’s going to be okay, though. I’ll sit beside you the whole time.” You smile, “Thanks.” He nods and pulls his hand away to type. Hoseok comes to join you guys next, “He’s still changing?” You both go 'uh-huh,' and he says, “He acts like he’s getting ready for a hot date.” You laugh, “Maybe he is~” Which makes them both laugh. “You guys are mean. Can’t someone look nice?” The three of you shrug as he exits your room, “If you’re wondering, I couldn’t find this shirt and dug through my suitcase three times just to find it on top.” You laugh, and he rolls his eyes. Kyun asks, “Did you have your contacts in?” He sighs, “That’s what I was forgetting.” He goes back into your room and comes back out shortly after. Hoseok asks, “See better?” He nods, and when you all get up, Changkyun asks, “You guys ready for the walkover?” You all agree, and Hoseok says, “I didn’t know Hyunwoo’s restaurant was so close!” 

Changkyun smiles, “When Jooheon and I bought Honeycat and started working inside it. We’d come here all the time. He asked us about our building, and we showed him around, and then he told us he sang a bit. And from there, it’s been history.” You all smile, and he grins as you pass the label out strolls Jooheon. You guys stop to greet him, “Good to see you guys!” And you all cheer, “Nice to see you again!” He grins, “I was just telling them about Son’s.” Jooheon goes, “Did you know it’s his family’s restaurant? It goes back several generations. He’s just running it for now. Until his cousins return from their long honeymoon.” Hyungwon, Hoseok, and you shake your heads, ‘no,’ and he smiles, “He’s the best for a reason.” You all hum in agreement and continue over to the restaurant. 

You fall behind as you realize you’re about to see people you used to dream of. Changkyun notices your absence and slips back, and you muster the best smile you can. He goes, “You’re alright. They’re not going to bite.” You look at him, “You sure?” He nods and gives you a hug which you gratefully accept. It eases your nerves a bit before you both catch up to the other three and before they can notice you’re both gone. The three waiting for the five of you are already sitting down. They wave and get up from their chairs to let you all file in. You gulp, and before you can choose where you’re sitting. Hyungwon puts you between him and Changkyun, with Minhyuk on his side. You let out a breath as you look at the table. Hyunwoo is across from Changkyun, next to Jooheon, and across from Minhyuk is Hoseok, leaving you sitting in front of Kihyun. He gives you a big friendly smile which you do your best to reciprocate. 

The table is split pretty evenly between those who have menus in their hands and those who don’t. You wait for someone to speak up after figuring out what you want. And Minhyuk starts the conversation up, “What's everyone eating?” After Hyunwoo and Kihyun give their answers, so do you, and everyone else follows. And before you know it, you’re in a conversation about what food is best and where with Kihyun and Hyunwoo. It was wild to think a few days ago that you never dreamed of even knowing him past a passing glance or two. And now here you were, conversing with him. You expected to have conversations with Hyunwoo, Jooheon, and your best friends. You didn't expect the same with Minhyuk and Kihyun. And now you are, and it feels nice. A few minutes pass before one of Hyunwoo’s coworkers comes over and asks, “Joo, Woo, Kyun; same thing?” They nod, and then they turn to ask each of you. You all pass your menus to the waiter, and they thank you before heading to the kitchen.

Changkyun is talking with Jooheon and Hyunwoo when Kihyun asks, “What got you into financing?” You smile, “A few things; when I was younger, I always said I was going to be Hoseok's and Hyungwon's acting manager. And then our dreams changed, and I was the only one good at math in the bunch. Don’t get me wrong. They passed their classes. But they didn't get A's without my help.” He laughs, “And lastly, I really like working with numbers. It just makes so much sense to me. What made you want to become an idol?” He smiles, “I always loved singing when I was younger. My brother did too, he was unsuccessful, so my parents worried I would be too. It dampened my outlook, but I always participated in choir. And when I met Minhyuk, we ran after our dreams together.” He looks at him and smiles, “I’m glad I met him.” You look at each of your best friends, “Yeah, I know what you mean.” 

The waiter brings your drinks out, and Jooheon gets up and cheers the eight of you, “To our future endeavors! And to our friendships, new and old; may they last forever.” You all clink your glasses together before taking a sip. It’s not long before your guy's food arrives. You look over at Changkyun to find him looking at you. He gives you an ‘I told you so’ type of look, and you smile at him, grateful for his comfort leading up to this night. You guys dig into your food, and you feel content. As Hyungwon said, having good food with friends makes the food more delicious. Hyunwoo asks you about pets you’ve had. And you happily tell him all about them and ask him about the pets he’s taken care of, which leads to Jooheon talking about the various animals he has kept. Which causes the rest of them to share their pets and experiences with animals too.

After you finish your meal, you watch everyone talking animatedly. And it brings joy to your heart. Hyungwon signals to you he's going to the restroom. And when he gets up, Minhyuk scoots over. “I haven’t got to have a proper conversation with you all night!” You laugh, and he asks, “Who was the worst boss you've ever had?” Of all the questions he could ask, you didn’t expect that one. But you give it some thought, “His name was Mr. McGee. I got the job after graduating high school at this ice cream shop. It was summer, right?” He nods, and thinking back on it makes you groan, “On Saturdays, one of the busiest days of summer. I’d be scheduled alone for the first two hours we were open. And since we opened at 3 pm, everyone was getting out of sports by four. I was struggling. And if I had ‘the audacity’ to request someone else to work with me. He’d have a conniption fit! Needless to say, I worked like three weekends before quitting and finding something else.” He laughs, “Damn, he sounded awful!” And you ask him, and he tells you, “I only worked two jobs before this one. But the first one, I quit pretty fast like you. I worked for Mrs. Robinson. She had me doing four jobs; delivering, serving, cooking, and counting money. But she only paid me for delivering! After a month, I quit without even a notice.” You gasp, “That’s rotten! I would have quit sooner!” 

He nods, “She wasn't as bad as Kihyun’s old boss, though.” Kihyun, hearing his name, looks up before he realizes what he uttered afterward. Which causes him to let out a groan, “Mr. Park!” You laugh, and he tells you how he ran ragged from getting this man's coffee and doing his paperwork. And after every time, he finished his last task instead of a thank you. Mr. Park would ask, “Can you do this for me, Mr. Yoo?” “Yes, sir. Right away, sir!” He sighs, “I was so good for the promotion, and for what? Just for me to get no thanks, no promotion, and measly paychecks?! Oh, that was awful.” You look at Jooheon and Changkyun before saying, “We have the best jobs in the world now, thanks to them.” The two look over and grin. And Jooheon goes, “Without you guys, we wouldn’t have a company to run.” You all smile, and Hyungwon coughs, “My chair, Minnie.” 

He pouts, “I was just getting to the fun part.” “Yeah, and I was just to the good part of my food.” Minhyuk rolls his eyes before moving back and letting Hyungwon have his seat back. Behind his back, you say, “We can always talk later!” He grins, and you both stick your tongue out at Hyungwon, which causes the rest of the table to laugh. Hyungwon squints at the two of you, “You guys are so nice to me.” And both of you mock him, causing you both to laugh. He rolls his eyes, and you find yourself talking with the three of them after Hyungwon finishes the 'best part' of his meal. 

You’re not sure how long you’ve spent in the restaurant, but your guy’s conversation never dies down. You only pause when one of his coworkers comes over, “Hyunwoo, you can lock it up, right?” And he nods, and you hear the door close for the last time. You continue talking about everything together. It feels like you’ve known them all for years rather than only knowing three of them for that long. It isn’t until Jooheon yawns that Hyunwoo says, “Maybe we should all head home. And try to meet up again? Of course, when we’re all in town.” You all agree before tidying up. While waiting for Hyunwoo to lock up, you guys start another conversation. The eight of you walk out of the restaurant laughing. You start saying your goodbyes and exchange phone numbers with Hyunwoo, Minhyuk, and Kihyun. All of you promising to keep in contact. “See you guys later!” Jooheon and Hyunwoo leave first after exchanging their number with Hyungwon and Hoseok. The five of you have one last conversation before both Minhyuk and Kihyun have to leave.

You walk home all giddy with your best friends. “So, do you feel comfortable with your idols?” You smile, “I can’t believe we’re friends now.” They ruffle your hair, “We always knew you would be!” You all laugh and make your way back up to the apartment. Changkyun asks, “You guys want some ice cream and cake?” You all cheer, and he goes to the freezer and serves up the ice cream onto the plates you grabbed. And Hoseok cuts up the cake that Hyungwon serves. 

As you eat, you realize the flowers in your heart are in full bloom, and you can see their colors. You felt healed in ways you couldn’t explain, but you could feel it to the nth degree as you laughed at Hyungwon. Who was growing tired by the moment with each bite he ate. He misses his mouth, which causes him to blink back awake. Hoseok wasn’t fairing much better as he leaned on his elbow, drooping to sleep with every other bite. You finish your ice cream to see Changkyun blinking back sleep. You don’t know why you feel so awake. Usually, after being around people you didn’t know, it would tire you out. But you feel energized, unlike your friends, who are about to pass out. You ‘ahem’ and everyone blinks their eyes open, “Finish your last bite and go to bed.” They nod tiredly, and you clean up after them. As they all drag themselves to bed, you look out the window. 

The sky is littered with thousands of stars, and the city is sparkling like a million suns. You look up and whisper a few thanks for how your friends came back. About all the friends you made, for the new job, and for the new life you got. It’s rare someone gets the opportunity to start anew, but you did. You continue watching the cars fly by, and the planes take off from the airport. You sigh in contentment; the ashes became the perfect fertilizer for your flowers. 

You must have stayed there for an hour watching the world turn. When you feel a blanket wrap around you, you finally feel tired. Changkyun asks, “What are you looking at?” You smile as you look over at him, “Everything and nothing at all.” He nods and looks out at it himself as you hold the blanket around you. “It’s pretty, you know?” You agree, “It is.” You stay like that for a while before he asks, “Are you ready to come to bed?” You give him a nod, and you both walk carefully in your shared blanket to his room. “Do you need to change?” You nod, and he heads to his drawers, “So you don’t have to wake them up.” You smile, thank him, and drag yourself to the bathroom. 

You hold his clothes in your hands, and it dawns on you that he gave you his clothes to wear to bed. While it meant nothing, it meant everything to your heart, just like looking out at the city. You change into his clothes and smile as you look in the mirror before doing the rest of your nightly routine. You come back and see him tiredly waiting for you to come in. He holds his arms open, and you tilt your head, “Come on, I’m tired and need my sleeping buddy.” You laugh, and without another word, you slip under the covers and into his arms. Sleep takes you at that moment. Yeah, the lines were blurred a long time ago, but you’ve both just come to accept them. 

You wake up to the sounds of two people snickering. But you don’t open your eyes as you hear Changkyun softly telling the two off. You can’t tell what they’re saying, but you know it probably has to do something with you lying in his arms. But you keep your eyes closed, hoping they'd grow quiet so you could go back to bed. Sleep doesn’t take you back, just as they don’t stop whispering. You sigh and open your eyes. “What are the three of you talking about?” You see Changkyun smiling at you, “Nothing in particular.” You sigh, “Could you have had this ‘nothing in particular’ conversation in the other room?” You hear Hoseok laugh, “Maybe, but it wouldn’t have been as fun as it is now.” Changkyun gives him a pointed look, and you shake your head, “Whatever.” 

You relish in Changkyun’s warmth for a little longer before you get up. You slip out of bed and look at the clock noticing the date, “Oh,... It’s our last full day together.” They nod, “Yeah, that’s why we were trying to wake you guys up.” You hear him grumble, “It worked,” from behind you, and you can’t help but laugh. You follow the two out, “Ooh~ You’re wearing his clothes. Did something happen?” You glare, not in the mood for their antics so early in the morning, “Yeah, you guys went to sleep too early for me to grab clothes from my room to change into.” Hoseok puts his hands up in defense, and you roll your eyes as Hyungwon goes, “If you say so.” With a shake of your head, you go to your room and change in there for once. 

You sigh and regain your ability to think as you head out of your room, “You wanna get coffee at the coffee shop?” You smile, that's something you can do so early in the morning. You nod, and the three of you head to Changkyun’s car since you drove you guys last. And listen to the three converse, too tired to engage with them. Maybe you shouldn’t have stayed up that late. But it felt so peaceful that you couldn’t pass up that moment of solitude. When you finally get your coffee and have your first bite of pastry. You finally feel your actions catch up to your mind. Changkyun sits diagonally across from you, and you lay your head on Hyungwon as you cover your mouth to yawn. He mouths, “Tired?” you nod, and Hoseok says, “You stayed up later than usual.” You raise your eyebrow, waiting for him to elaborate, “We got home at one am. You stayed up till three.” You go, “Oh.” And the three nod, and you finish your pastry and order another coffee. 

“Thanks for getting me last night.” He shrugs, “It’s no problem. It didn’t feel right without you.” You don’t see the eyebrows raise at that as you smile at him. You’re halfway through your second coffee when Hyungwon goes, “I’m going to drop off the last of the film. Just remind me to pick it up tomorrow morning.” You all nod at him as he gets up and heads to the photography store. Changkyun and Hoseok continue the conversation they were having once he leaves. And you readjust in your seat as you feel awake. “So, what are we talking about?” Hoseok smiles, “How long it would be for Hyungwon to return.” You nod, satisfied with that answer even though you had a feeling that wasn’t it. As you scroll through your phone, you hear the word. “Love,” and it clicks. That’s the word you were searching for! You don’t say anything, but you keep it in mind. Butterflies swarm in your stomach as you realize you're in love with Changkyun. And while you knew it, now you knew he loved you back once you put all the context clues together. You hide your smile as you continue to scroll through your phone. 

Hyungwon comes back, “What did I miss?” You shrug, and the two answer for you, “Nothing.” And he asks, “What do you guys wanna do today?” You smile and ask, “You guys want to look through old photo albums?” They nod, and Changkyun goes, “Breadsticks, takeout, and beer?” You agree, and Hyungwon adds, “Take out from a seafood place?” You all agree, and Hoseok says, “And a few rounds of cards?” You all nod, and Changkyun takes the three of you back home. Hyungwon places a scheduled delivery from a seafood place you all like. You pull out the breadsticks and get the oven ready. As you put them on a tray, Hoseok gasps, “Oh my god, you bought breadsticks that look like Lolo’s?” You nod and go, “I hope they taste as good!” 

While those bake, you go to your room and find your childhood photo album. Hyungwon grabs his college and travel photos. Hoseok finds his small traveler album. And Changkyun comes back with his solo adventures. You all pile them onto the living room ottoman and go, “Let’s look at the ones where we are all together first.” They all agree, and the oven dings. Hoseok pulls out the breadsticks, puts them on a plate, and brings them over. You thank him, and Hyungwon goes, “These look like one’s we’d order from Lolo’s!” You all nod as you each grab one and try it, and Hoseok continues, “They taste just as good too!” You all hum in agreement, and Changkyun opens up the album. You munch on the breadsticks as you look through the photo album, cooing at everyone’s kindergarten photos. Hoseok taps excitedly on the page, “This is the first day we all hung out!” You nod and flip the page revealing more from that day, “Hyungwon’s house was huge!” He nods, “I would get lost in there all the time. Grandpa’s house was confusing as a kid.” Changkyun laughs, “I was so thankful to run into your grandpa after using the restroom. I got lost going back to the living room that day!” You all laugh and continue looking through the pages. 

From school trips to park adventures to beach days. You guys were always together until that last day of summer. You don't know who sniffles first, but you shook with tears as you flipped the book closed. You sit there for a moment and cling to each other. Murmurs of, “It's okay...” “We have each other now” “It's alright...” “We've made it back to each other." When the four of you realize that's in the past, Hyungwon opens his photo album.

Changkyun is the first to speak up, “I didn’t expect you guys to look so sophisticated for your first day.” Hyungwon laughs, “It was our first day. Of course, we looked nice! It's the first impression that counts.” He shakes his head and pulls out his album, “I woke up late the first day, and Joo took a photo of me walking out the door! I look like a frazzled mess!” Hoseok gasps, “We should have never let you go out into this world alone!” You guys finish your breadsticks as he groans, “I looked nicer the second day!” He points to the outfit he has on the second page. Hyungwon shakes his head, “You look like a kid still learning how to dress.” He pouts, and you all coo, “It was nice!” He squints, and you go, “You look like a college kid!” Which makes him pout more, “That did not help.” 

After ruffling his hair, you continue flipping through your college adventures together. “No way you three went to a frat party?!” Hoseok laughs, “We had to carry this one home that night-” They both pointed at you, “No one told me that the punch was spiked! I just thought it was spicy.” Changkyun cackles, “How much did you drink?!” You groan as Hyungwon says, “You’d think a sponge had soaked up that punch.” You sigh, “I was really thirsty. And I couldn’t reach the kitchen because of all the bodies. So that was the next best thing. I didn’t drink alcohol for a month after that.” Changkyun pats your head, “Oh, poor baby.” You pout. And he tells you, “If it makes you feel any better, I puked my guts up after my first-time bar hopping.” You give him a smile and nod, “That helps a bit.” 

You finish your college days with your graduation photos and flip the book closed. And Changkyun continues with his. “We had originally lived in a dingy apartment together. When we finally started making money, we moved out and into the places we live now.” You all nod and listen to him as he shows the photos and all the renovations done to the building. He grins, “This is the day Joo and I opened the label to the public.” He flips to the next page showing a photo of Jooheon, Minhyuk, Kihyun, and him. He smiles, “Ki and Min were the first ones to sign to our label.” Hoseok asks, “How did you manage that?” He grins as he tells the story, “Joo was reaching out to everyone who didn’t have a label that he knew. We were having no luck. And then we got a call from Minhyuk. They were looking for a label that would push them to the next level.” You all nod as he continues, “So the next day, we talked it over... That was it. And soon, everyone wanted to sign with us.” Hyungwon goes, “And now, you guys are what? A multi-million dollar company?” He nods, “Most of it goes to our artists, though.” You agree, “If I were an aspiring artist, I’d be begging to get into Honeycat.” 

You guys move on from his album to Hyungwon’s and Hoseok’s adventures as models. Hoseok smiles, “This was my first shoot with Gucci.” And Hyungwon says, “And this was my first with Dior.” They turn to show you both, “And we posed for Chanel together!” You both nod as they show you various landmarks and forests, along with all the beautiful clothes they got to wear. Changkyun asks, “Didn't you guys both model for W?” They nod, and he cheers, “I own that magazine!” And you all gasp, “You do?” He nods, “I remember being stunned looking at the photo of you two. I picked it up and bought it- hold on!” He rushes to his room and returns with the magazine in his hand. And he shows the image, “I was so happy to see you guys again, even though it wasn’t physical. I was happy to see you guys made it.” They smile as they tease, “You want our signatures~” He shakes his head, “I don’t need that when I have the real deal.” The two wrap him up in a hug, and you smile at them, secretly taking a photo of them. 

You guys finish up their albums, and together you four clean up and go to the dining room to play cards. Hoseok and Changkyun grab snacks to eat while you play card games. You get everyone a beer and sit in your ‘assigned seats’ . Hoseok hands you the deck. After shuffling and debating what game you all were going to play. You start with a classic: Rummy. After an hour, Hoseok wins the first game with a perfect score of five hundred. You guys decide to play another game of Rummy. It takes several rounds, but Changkyun cheers as he wins. Hoseok comes in second, and Hyungwon and you tie for third place. And you whine, “Shouldn’t the scorekeeper be allowed to have fifty-five extra points?” The others laugh and shake their heads at you, “Well, can’t say I didn’t try.” 

Changkyun gets another round of beers, and Hyungwon asks, “Go fish?” You all nod, find the jokers, and put them aside, and he deals out five cards and spreads the rest on the table. You look through your hand and find an ace, a ten, one six, and two fours. You place your match down, and Hoseok lays two matching sixes down. Hoseok asks, “Kyun, do you have any sevens?” and Changkyun hands him his seven. After putting them down on the table. He asks, “(N/n), do you have any queens?” You shake your head and say, “Go fish!” You ask Hyungwon if he has any sixes, and he tells you to go fish, and you pick up another ten. Changkyun asks Hyungwon if he has any fours, and he hands his four over. He asks Hoseok if he has any fives, which he hands over. And then he asks you if you have any nines, and you tell him to go fish. 

Hoseok snickers as he asks, “Kyun, do you have any nines?” Changkyun groans as he hands it over. And then he asks Hyungwon if he has any queens and has to fish for a new card. Hyungwon smirks as he asks, “Kyun, do you have any twos?” He nods and hands it over to him, “I knew it.” He guffaws, “How?!” And he goes, “I saw you pick it up. (N/n), do you have any eights?” You shake your head, and he picks up another card. You put down your pair and ask Hoseok if he has any aces, and he tells you to go fish. Changkyun asks if you have any kings, and you just fished it from the pond. So, you sigh as you hand it to him, and he picks up five more cards. Hyungwon smirks at you when it's his turn again, “(N/n), do you have any aces?” You sigh and hand it over to him, and he asks Kyun if he has any jacks, to which he hands it over. He asks him again for any eights, and Kyun smiles as he can finally say go fish for the first time in a while. 

The game goes for a while, but for the first time all night, you win the game! You cheered as you counted up your eight pairs. Hyungwon came in second with seven, Changkyun was in third with six, and Hoseok ended with five matches. You guys finish another round of go fish when the doorbell rings. The four of you hopped up from your chairs; Hyungwon went and got the food, Hoseok got the plates, and you and Changkyun cleaned up the table. After serving up your meals, you all head to the table. And Changkyun shuffles the deck and splits it between the four of you. Hoseok goes, “Bullshit again?” He nods, “Best game to play while distracted~.” 

You start first, even though you don’t have an ace in your hand. No one ever suspects the first player. In reverse, Hoseok goes next, and you’re too busy eating to notice it’s your turn. “What number?” “Five” You nod and lay down a five. Hoseok goes next, and just before Hyungwon sets down his card, you notice him trying to hold back his grin. “Bullshit.” Hyungwon retracts his hand, and Hoseok flips over the ‘six,’ revealing a ten. You smirk as he looks through the cards. And he goes, “(N/n), lying even in the first round!?” You giggle with a nod, and you continue playing and eating. No one pays attention until the four of you notice the size of the pile. You eat your seafood, hoping no one will call your bullshit out as you lay a jack down and call out, “Queen,” and Hoseok places his card down. None of you are brave enough to call each other out until Hyungwon says the card he was putting down instead of Ace. He calls “four,” and you all giggle, “You mean Ace?” He blinks, “Fuck yeah, that’s an ace, I can assure you.” Changkyun smirks and bites the bullet, “Bullshit.” And he groans and flips over the card revealing the four. 

He picks up at least thirty cards, “Now. I’ll know if you’re lying.” He sorts them real fast between bites. “You guys are the worst… You were all lying to me, and the one time I didn’t lie, that’s when you caught me!?” You all laugh, and Changkyun goes to put down his ‘two,’ and Won says, “You better put that back.” You make eyes towards Kyun and place down your 'three'. “Bullshit.” You gulp, not even thinking about messing with the man with half of the deck, and grab it back up. Hoseok says, “Four,” Hyungwon squints before placing his verified five down. He finally lets you both off the hook. Until it reaches Hoseok again, he tries to place down an ‘eight’ and immediately gets a “Bullshit” call. He flips over his card, revealing a seven, “It was close.” Hyungwon squints, “Uh huh.” 

While Hyungwon is distracted, taking a sip of his beer and placing his card down: the three of you quickly lay your cards down in succession. Hyungwon questions, “Is that a Queen?” “Hell yeah, it is.” He takes the answer and places his card down as Hoseok lets out a sigh of relief. “Do you have any threes?” You nod and secretly switch your card out with his for your next hand. Changkyun holds in his laugh as he catches the two of you doing it. “But that’s clearly bullshit?!” Won whines as he has the monopoly of twos after Hoseok rapidly places his three on top of your ‘two.’ “I believe (N/n) wouldn’t lie. Would you, Kyun?” He shakes his head, and the three of you laugh. 

“I hate all three of you.” You laugh, “Uh-huh, and then you’ll be all over us when it’s time to go home.” He rolls his eyes and puts his card down. He finally gets to put his two down and mellows back out after you pick up the pile after trying to call him out on his lying. Hoseok goes, “I told you he was telling the truth.” You roll your eyes, “Just cause he has twenty cards does not mean he’s telling the truth.” He smirks, “Right you are. Look at your hand.” You gasp and point at him, “You-!?” And he cackles, “I knew calling you three out every other second would make it seem like I was telling the whole truth.” Hoseok groans and throws his cards face down. “You cheater!” Hyungwon cackles even harder, “Don’t hate the player~ Hate the game!” He sits back down, “Meanie- I know this is bullshit, but jeez.” Changkyun just shakes his head at the three of you.

You guys finish your plates and grab the snacks again after Changkyun wins. You all sigh in relief before cleaning up the cards. You ask, “What do you guys say to some old-fashioned video games?” They all nod, and you all pile into the living room. After a few rounds of Mario Kart, various Wii sports games. You are all shocked to find out that Hyungwon sucks at Wii Bowling, “Yeah, but this game doesn’t require skill!” Hoseok shakes his head, “Don’t be a sore loser.” And you laugh as he pouts, and you ruffle his hair. When he gets a strike, he takes a shot of whiskey. Which makes him do a silly little dance, and you all cheer for him with your beer cans. 

None of you wish to go to bed as you continue playing games throughout the night. Even after everyone has yawned more than a few times, you still don’t move from your position on the couch. None of you want the day to end because it would bring tomorrow's afternoon faster. Hoseok yawns and stretches his arms out. And wraps them around Changkyun and you; “What do you guys say to a blanket fort so we can stay together tonight?” You smile, “That sounds perfect!” And you guys drag your mattress into the living room and connect it to the couch’s pullout. You guys work hard putting it all together with blankets strewn all over it and pillows littered throughout it. Satisfied with your handy work, you all giggle and high-five. 

Hoseok whispers, “Last time we made a blanket fort was when we were fourteen.” You nod, and Hyungwon says, “We made cookies and stayed up all night watching anime and eating cookies.” And Changkyun asks, “What do you guys say to cake and ice cream in bed instead?” You all agree and get changed for bedtime. The four of you decide on a movie together before getting your dessert. You guys crawl in carefully, not wanting to have ice cream all over the blankets you just laid down. You sit on the end next to Hoseok, and Changkyun sits between him and Hyungwon. Changkyun unpauses the movie, and you all intently watch it. 

It had to be the perfect way to end your vacation with your best friends. Changkyun finishes his first and puts his plate at the end of the mattress. And the rest of you pile your plates and forks on top of his. Hoseok takes the trash in and asks if anyone needs anything while he is in there. And you all shake your heads as the tiredness finally takes over. He joins you guys, and you all lay down, grab your separate blankets, and cozy into them. You try to fight the sleep and stay in the moment, but it wins you over with only a quarter of the movie left to go. 

You wake up with a heavy feeling in your chest. As you sit up, you notice the other three waking up too. “Morning,” you whisper and hear whispers of it back. You all take a little while to come to your senses. And Hyungwon, with a rasp, asks, “Cake and coffee?” You all agree and make the awkward shuffle out of the fort. You smile as you look back over it. It held up well for such a late-night craft. You cut into the cake and serve it onto everyone's plates as Changkyun makes everyone a cup of coffee. 

You all make your way to the table. A somber feeling takes over the four of you as you realize today is the day of parting. Changkyun speaks up first, “So what are your plans in Berlin, Hoho?” Hoseok grins as he tells him, “First, I’m going to sleep the whole first day there, then take in the sites the next day. And then I’m off to model for Men’s Health.” You nod, and then Kyun asks, “What are your plans in Marseille, Won?” Hyungwon finishes his bite of cake before answering, “About the same as Hoho. But I’m going to be modeling for Single’s magazine.” You eat your cake before looking at the two of them, “What time are your flights?” Hoseok sighs, “2:15 pm.” You look over, and Hyungwon says, “2 pm.” You both nod. You see it’s 10 am, and you sigh, only four more hours with them physically. 

Hoseok puts the dishes in the sink after you all finish everything. “We have to pack…” You nod, and the two of you follow them to 'their' room, “You know, I’m going to miss you guys sleeping in my bed.” They nod, and Hoseok whispers, “It’s weird to think you guys were only a door away.” And Hyungwon continues softly, “And now we’re going to be hundreds of miles apart again.” You collectively gulp back your tears. You and Changkyun sit in front of the door watching the two of them pace around and collect all their things. Changkyun whispers, “I never thought I’d have to say goodbye to them again.” You nod, “I thought when we’d get back together. It’d go back to how it was and stay like that.” You put your head on his shoulder as he says, “I thought that’s how it would be too.” When they finish collecting their things, they come over and sit across from you guys. 

You all grab hands, and Hoseok goes, “Let’s promise to see each other every month.” You agree, and Changkyun says, “And to not lose connection, no matter what happens.” With sad smiles, you all nod. Trying not to cry, you whisper, “Let’s talk about everything with each other.” They all nod, and Hyungwon goes, “Let’s always be together even when we’re apart.” You all agree through sniffles and bring each other for a hug. No words are needed to express how much you'll miss each other. When all of your tears dry, they gather their bags, and you take them down together. 

You stare at the tailgate as you shut it, as though you were sending them off now. Hyungwon breaks the silence first, “We’ll have to get the last of my photos developed.” You all nod before getting into Changkyun’s car. The radio plays softly in the background. A comfortable silence envelopes the four of you like a sweater in December. He parks in front of the film place, and you all decide to wait in the building with him, not wanting to be apart from each other. It doesn’t take long as they return with a box of photographs. Hyungwon looks through them and smiles at a few before he nods and pays for them. He has them wrapped in a particular fashion. And once it's completed. He holds the bundle to his chest and thanks the person behind the counter. And they tell the four of you to have a good day. 

You look at the clock and whisper, “It’s almost twelve.” They all nod, and Changkyun drives you guys to the airport. They talk about where their gates are and realize they have the same entrance. That means you won’t have to separate before their time to depart. You all smile at that, and Changkyun waits until a car pulls out of the upfront parking space before parking in it. You all turn back, and Kyun sighs, “Do we have to?” You all pout, and Hoseok says, “If we didn’t have to, leaving would never cross my mind.” And Hyungwon agrees. You all sigh at the situation before getting out of the car one last time together. Hoseok pulls his backpack on as Hyungwon wraps his headphones around his neck. They both pull their suitcases out together before the four of you begin the short venture to the airport. 

You guys move to the side to talk and wish each other off. Hyungwon, having a little bit of an earlier departure, goes first. Out of his pocket, he pulls out two packets. He has you open your hands and places the packets into your palms. He tells you, “I got you double the copies 'cause I know you like to put them in photo albums and into frames.” You hold back your tears as you hold them close. You whisper with tears starting to fall, “I’m going to miss you, you know that, right?” With tears in his eyes, he nods, “But this time, we’ll only be a flight away. Our schedules are more flexible now, and we'll be able to see each other more.” You nod, wrap him up in your arms, cry into his chest, and do your best to tell him, “Thank you. I’ll see you soon. I promise.” He holds you close and runs his hands through your hair. You both let go before he moves over to Changkyun, and you wipe your eyes.

He hands him a packet of photos, “I can’t wait to see how you’ll decorate your walls with them.” Changkyun shakes his head as he looks down, “I don’t want you to leave. I want you to see my wall art in person.” He nods, and Changkyun pulls him into a tight hug, “I promise I’ll come back. And I'll see your wall art in person. We won't be separated for long ever again.” When they pull away, he walks over to Hoseok who’s already shedding his tears. And he hands him his pouch of photos, “I can’t wait to see how you collage this.” Hoseok wraps him up tightly, “I’ll see you in Paris?” Hyungwon hums a ‘yes’ as he puts him down. When they part, all of you wrap the tall man up into one last tearful hug, “We’ll see each other soon.” He nods as he starts to walk away. You all shout, “Till then, Penguin!” He smiles, and the four of you wave until you can no longer see each other. 

Hoseok stands in front of you both, “I sent you guys the video as a parting gift.” You both shake your head at him. And you whisper, “You didn't have to.” He smiles through his tears. And he nods, “I did, and I'm going to miss you guys so much more now.” He picks Changkyun up for a hug first as Kyun tells him how he wishes he would stay too. And Hoseok wraps him up tighter, “I won’t be gone for long, and nor will Hyungwon, I promise.” He sets him down and opens his arms, and you crash into them as he picks you up. He whispers, “I know you promised before, but please promise to talk to us about everything.” You promise him and tell him that you’ll miss him. And once he sets you down. He brings you both into a hug and tells you both, “We have each other, and we’ll see each other soon, I promise.” He pulls away and gets about a foot away when you two shout, “Take care, Polar Bear!” He leaves in the opposite direction, with you three waving until you can no longer see each other. 

You wipe your eyes again and look over at Changkyun to see him doing the same thing. Without another word, you grab his hand and squeeze, “Let’s go home, Kyun.” He smiles, and you both walk out of the airport. It’s so quiet on the walk back, but it's not uncomfortable it's unusual. You were so used to chatting with the other two that when it went back to just the two of you. It felt lonely. The rain in your flowery meadow starts pouring as you miss your friends dearly. You only release his hand to get in before he pulls your hand back into his. He whispers, “I can’t believe we won’t see them for another month.” You sigh but give him your bravest smile, “But it’s only a month this time.” He nods, “Yeah, it's only a month. We’ll have each other until then.” You squeeze his hand as he drives home. 

You come home to streamers, a blanket fort, and huge signs, and it hits you full throttle again. You put your head into Changkyun’s chest and cry. He wraps his arms around you as he cries into your shoulder. It was an intense feeling of longing and separation, even though you knew you'd be seeing them again soon. It still broke your heart. When both of your cries turn into sniffles, you part and walk over to the kitchen table. You guys don’t say anything as you move around to make ramen. As you eat the noodles, it comforts you endlessly in the ways only ramen can do. The rain in your heart turns to sunshine. And the flowers see their first rainbow as your heart comes to terms with it all. 

After an hour or so, you both work on dismantling the pillow fort, and you return your mattress to your room. You take time to redo your bed with fresh bedding. And place your two packets of photos on your dresser beside your signed album. You come back out to see Changkyun pushing in the couch’s pull-out. You pitch in and help him, and from there, you both take down the decorations. Once you finish, you sit beside each other. You guys watch an alligator documentary together. Your phone rings with a group call from the two you were missing. You answer and prop it up so you both can talk to them. You guys talk until it’s time for them to turn off their phones. Changkyun lays his head on your shoulder, “I know it’s not going to be long, but it doesn’t make me miss them any less.” You hum and reach your arm around and rub his shoulder. “Me too.” You guys watch a happy little cartoon to take your minds off it. 

When you both yawn and decide to go to bed. You get changed in your room and realize you can sleep here for the first time in seven days. And if you heard that seven days ago, you would have been ecstatic. But now, as you look down at your bed, you don’t wish to divulge in the plushness. It’s not the same, and you know it. You lay down and try to get comfortable. It feels as though rocks are underneath you. It causes you to toss and twist into uncomfortable positions to relax. But nothing is working: and you know it's because he's not there. You sigh and play on your phone to take your mind off of it. But after an hour, you’re done. You can't take it anymore. it’s not until you get to his door that you realize what you’re about to do. You shake your head, ‘It’s just for tonight,’ as you go to knock, the door opens. He blinks in surprise before smiling at you. And you ask, “Can I sleep in here?” He nods, “I was about to ask you to. It feels weird without you.” 

He lets you in, and you laugh, “I couldn’t get comfortable no matter how hard I tried to.” He nods before getting in first. You follow in after him and immediately feel at ease. You sigh and fluff up the pillow under your head. You stare at each other, and your brain races with tons of thoughts. You click the light off, and he reaches for your hand, which you give him. He intertwines your fingers, and you smile. And he says, “I figured it out.” You go, “Me too.” And with a deep breath, he tells you, “The word I was looking for is love. It knows no bounds. It has no time constraints, and it’s limitless. I think I’ve always loved you. I didn’t always have a name for what I felt, but I know that’s what I’ve always felt for you.” You bring his hand up and place a kiss on his knuckles before saying, “I think I've always loved you too. I realized that was the word we were looking for when you and Hoseok were talking.” He smiles, “I realized it as I came out of my room to find you looking at the cityscape.” You grin, and he pulls you closer to him. And like that night after looking at the cityscape together, you both wrap up in each other’s holds.

You whisper, “I love you,” and he whispers, “I love you too.” And you both fall asleep feeling at peace. In the morning, when you're still in bed, you both call up Hyungwon and Hoseok, who cheer. Hoseok yells, “I’ve been waiting for this moment for wayyy too long!” And you both laugh, and Hyungwon shouts, “The romance of the century!” You shake your head as the two chatter about you guys finally being together. You lean back against Changkyun’s chest, and he holds you in his arms and puts his chin over your shoulder. Hoseok goes, “Screenshotted babies!” And Kyun smirks before kissing your cheek, which causes them to coo and you to turn red. After a few more minutes, you hang up, and he asks, “Coffee at the café, baby?” You go, “Pet names already, Babe?” He giggles, and you grin before getting dressed. 

He drives you both to the cafe and holds your hand the whole way. You swing your arms back and forth as you walk in. As you wait in line, you ask him, seeing if he feels the same way, "This isn't our first date, is it?" He nods, "No, but officially it is." You smile as you get a tea and a pastry, and he gets the same. You head over to a table that looks out onto the street. You split your treats in half and exchange them as he says, "This is where we first saw each other again." You nod, "Do you consider the time we snuck off to be our first date, then?" He smiles, "Yeah, until those two interrupted us." You laugh as you continue, "Our first date has been here twice." You both grin and he says, "Few can say they went on a first date twice with the same person." You nod, "But we can." He agrees, and you eat in peace. 

When you finish your cherry pastry, Changkyun goes, "Joo is going to be so excited when he finds out." You laugh, "I can't wait to hear his reaction." That's when your phone dings with a new message. You unlock and laugh as you read it out loud to Kyun, "I knew you two liked each other! Kiki didn't believe me!" The two of you laugh as another message comes from Kihyun, "Minnie is lying. I told him you were holding hands when we met you. But he didn't believe me!" You both laugh, and he continues, "But congratulations! I'm glad you two are together!" You get another notification from Minhyuk, "Anyways, congrats, you two!" You text them your 'thank you's. You finish up as he calls up Jooheon and puts him on speaker. "Oh my god! I knew it was only a matter of time! He'd talk a lot about you and your best friends. But he didn't talk about them in the light he did about you." Changkyun turns bright red as he goes on, and you giggle. And Kyun whines, "I'll see you tomorrow, Joo?" Jooheon agrees, "I'll see you both tomorrow! Have a fun evening, you two love birds!" 

Once you guys leave the cafe and return home, he goes, "I can't believe this is all real." You nod as you set your things down, "Yeah, it's unreal. Isn't it?" You turn back to talk to him to see him standing right in front of you. He asks, "Usually, when something feels like a dream, you'd pinch someone, right?" You agree and look into his eyes as he goes, "Maybe instead of a pinch, just to make sure it's real..." He trails off as he looks down at your lips and back into your eyes, and you go, "We kiss?" He smiles, and you wrap your arms around him, and he leans in and captures your lips in his. 

When you pull away from each other, he whispers, "Yeah, this is real." Breathlessly you ask, "Wanna do it again?" He nods, and you kiss him for the second time. He leads you back to his room, and as Jooheon said, you had a fun evening together.

—---

On your first anniversary of being with Changkyun. Hoseok calls you two up and cheers, “We have a surprise for you two!” You tilt your head and look over at Kyun, asking him what could be in store for the two of you, and he shrugs, unsure. You hear a knock on your apartment, figuring the two of them delivered you guys something silly. You both get up to see what it is and see them standing before you. They wrap you both into a hug and when they release you, you ask, “I thought we weren’t seeing each other until the 15th?” Hyungwon smirks, “You’ll be seeing us more than that.” You give Changkyun a look, and he shrugs. Still not sure what they were hinting at. They gesture for the two of you to follow them over to the abandoned apartment next door. Changkyun catches on first and goes, “No way.” Hoseok smirks and flashes a key at the two of you before opening the door. In shock, you gasp, put a hand over your mouth and see Changkyun doing the same thing. 

Hoseok says, “Yes, way,” as he pushes the two of you in front of him into the newly opened apartment. “It looks like ours but opposite?” Hoseok says, “Yeah, our offices are connected. But that’s about it.” You nod with tears filling your eyes as you bring them into your arms. You cheer, “This is the greatest anniversary gift ever!” The four of you become a puddle-like mess as the four of you cry. Hyungwon tells you both, “We might be out and not here all the time, but this is home.” Changkyun says, “This is all younger me ever wished for.” Which makes the four of you cry harder. 

Being able to visit your best friends whenever your heart desired? Felt unbelievable but magical. It's something you always begged and wished for as a child. And now, you were living those dreams. Sure, they had work. And they'd be in other cities, but when they returned, it felt like a piece of you came back. Everything was right in the world, and the flowers in your garden blossomed. When you were a junior in high school, all you wanted was for Changkyun to be back. And when you graduated college, Hyungwon and Hoseok left. All you wanted was for them to be back in your life again. You prayed to stars that somehow, some way, you'd be together again. Not only did the stars grant your wish, but they also made it better than you dreamed of. And you wouldn't have it any other way.

"(N/n), you coming?!" You hear Hyungwon interrupt your thoughts. And you go back to the task at hand. You empty the popcorn into two big bowls and feel someone wrap their arms around your waist. "Hi, Kyun." He puts his face into your neck, "What are you thinking about?" You smile, "How lucky I am." He smiles and kisses your neck, "I think I'm luckier." You raise an eyebrow, "How so?" He smiles as he turns you around, "Because you came back to me." You grin and look into his eyes, "I guess you are pretty lucky." He laughs before kissing you, and you laugh as you kiss him back. You hear someone enter the kitchen, "Okay, love birds, very cute. But I'd like to eat my popcorn now." Hoseok sighs as he reaches behind you. And he walks into the living room as you both part, "Wonnie! They're kissing again!" Hoseok whines, and you both chuckle at him. And you kiss Kyun's nose and ask, "Wanna join them?" And hear Hyungwon cry, "Will you two come in here! I'm gonna start the movie without you!" He laughs and nods, "We can't miss movie night with our best friends." You agree, "You're right." And before you can leave the kitchen, he pulls you in for another kiss. You both giggle as he goes, "What? One kiss is simply not enough with you." You shake your head and kiss him again. Good thing the beginning of the movie was a credit sequence as you finally sit down next to your best friends. 

It felt right to be together again. Your relationship with Changkyun is like a summer breeze in your flower field. The lines between you blurred between lovers and friends. But now it was clear there were no limits on the love you held for each other, and there never would be. In the fire he held your hand and helped you until you escaped the flames. He watched as the ash settled, the smoke cleared, and the flowers bloomed. And you helped his heart do the same. His gray skies became colorful again when you came back into his life. Like a piece of watercolor work, going from a sketch to a beautiful painting. And reunited, your worlds blossomed and grew together. Before you knew it, your two best friends came back. And now live right next door. Well, most of the time. Everything that was wrong became right again.

#changkyun #changkyun x reader #i.m x reader #i.m #long fic #monsta x #monsta x x reader #monsta x fluff #changkyun fluff #i.m fluff #kpop x reader #kpop fluff #kpop #changkyun x you #i.m x you #fluff #changkyun fanfiction #changkyun fic #i.m monsta x #changkyun monsta x #mx #mx x reader #mx fluff #mx fanfic #mx changkyun #mx i.m #reader x monsta x #monsta x fanfic #monsta x fic #i.m fanfiction

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for laughing about my high school bully being trapped in a loveless hetero relationship? So my best friend and I were bullied a LOT in school. The biggest claim that was made was that we were lesbians and a couple so we got a lot of hateful anti-gay bullshit thrown at us. Now we were not a couple, and while I'm bi, she isn't even gay. We both figured that denying being a couple would just make things worse and we honestly really didn't care that people called us lesbians because the bullying was limited to words. Time passes, we graduate, move out of state, and decide to become roommates. We lived together for a few years until I met my husband and my best friend decided to move back home to further her education. My best friend runs into one of our high school bullies at her new college. This girl tells my friend that the whole time she was bullying us she was secretly in the closet. She also tells my friend that seeing our "relationship" work make her believe in love again and, while she wasn't out to her family, she was living her truth on campus. My friend was like "Good for you but I'm not gay, and *me* is married to a man." The girl paled and left right afterwards. My friend told me about this and I was like "Wow that's wild." but I didn't really think too much on it. Then a few months ago, like 2 years after their conversation, I saw a Facebook announcement that this girl was marrying a man. I called my friend up and was like "Holy cow did you see that *this girl* is marrying a dude?! I thought she was gay?" My friend was like yeah and according to the local LGBT+ community gossip this dude is also super closeted and they're just getting married to keep their families off their asses. Honestly I had a laugh and a bit of a comment about Karma being a bitch, but now I can't help but think AITA?

What are these acronyms?

#aita #am i the asshole