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staytheb · 4 years

Text

Foundation

Pairing: PTG’s Hui x OC [Sieun] Genre: slice of life, slight fluff, slight angst Word Count: 5,158 Summary: Sieun missed Hwitaek doing the little things in their relationship, but she suddenly founds that that it was built on a foundation of lies. Will Hwitaek be able to start a new slab or will the original foundation just stay put?

Warning: semi-proofread. lol some swear words.

hi again. this is another work, Little Things, re-done and felt that Hui fitted this piece. i think it’s also because of his enlistment, ptg first win, and the whole [we:th] album just making me feel some way to get this out lol although ofc it’s just a re-written piece. anyways, song was inspired by Stevie Hoang’s Little Things. again don’t know anything about others views on relationships and the likes, so this is just based on my own view and the song. but yeah, the title is meh once again, lol anyways, happy reading and kthxbai, Admin Lia~

Sieun patiently sat at the table for two at the restaurant her boyfriend, Hwitaek, had reserved for the both of them for her birthday several months prior. Still though with each passing minute she grew anxious as Hwitaek was already twenty minutes late. Sieun sent him a few text messages and even had tried calling him on several occasions, but the call went straight to voicemail. She knew her boyfriend was bad at replying back, but she figured that at least calling him would get a faster response. It didn't.

Sieun sighed as she avoided gazing around at the other patrons feeling slightly embarrassed of the thought that she may have gotten stood up. Her anxiousness grew with the thought that Hwitaek may have forgotten about their plans for tonight as the time continued to tick on by. Still, Sieun kept positive while thinking that Hwitaek was just buying her flowers or some other birthday gift that delayed his arrival. Even if it was beginning to become an hour of waiting now. Sieun sighed softly taking another sip of her melted ice water.

Sieun checked her phone for the nth time tonight, but still there was no response from her boyfriend. She slowly breathed in and out to calm her nerves and was just hoping that nothing had happened to him and that he was just running very super late now. Maybe he was buying her a lot of things to make up for it or something along those lines. These were the same words she told herself to reassure her anxious heart and mind. Being late was better than not showing up, right? Sieun trusted Hwitaek and wanted to continue to do so.

"Hello, ma'am."

The same waiter that tended to her since she came in had come to check in on her again for the fifth time tonight.

"Are you sure you wouldn't like to order something while you continue to wait? Like another drink, perhaps?"

Sieun cast her a polite smile already deciding what to do.

"Um, I guess just more water and maybe an order of the snow crab to go, please?"

"Will do. Anything else for you, ma'am?"

"Oh, yes. A slice of carrot cake to go, too, please."

"Will do, ma'am. Your order will be with you shortly."

"Thank you so very much."

~~~~~~~~~~

Sieun had contacted one of Hwitaek's roommates, Jinho, upon returning to the university's campus. Jinho had informed her that Hwitaek has been at the music department working on a project for the past several hours. Sieun had thanked him and made her way over to see her boyfriend. She knew that Hwitaek was majoring in music and that the current project was a major deal for him to pass this semester. So if he couldn't celebrate her birthday at the restaurant, then Sieun was going to celebrate it with him in one of the music rooms.

Sieun thought that as long as she was spending time together with him, then that's all that really mattered to her in the end. Just like when it was his birthday a few weeks ago they couldn't celebrate it together just the two of them. It was mainly due to another school project he was busy with. Even though they did hang out some time after, but it was cut short due to his friends needing him for something. So when Sieun appeared outside of the music room that Jinho had informed her that Hwitaek would be in, she didn't expect her boyfriend to have company.

She spotted Hwitaek with his ex-girlfriend, Soojin, upon entering the room when she didn't receive a response when she had knocked on it. Sieun didn't mind that the two continued to hang out on campus or contacted one another as she trusted her boyfriend. Still though there was something inside of Sieun that irked her a tad bit when she witnessed how close they still were. Physically and socially although Sieun wasn't sure if this could be called a twinge of jealousy. Soojin and Hwitaek were going over some music sheets and hadn't noticed Sieun's presence yet.

"It's awesome, Hui! Thank you so much!"

Soojin exclaimed with glee as she threw her arms around Hwitaek in gratitude before releasing him.

"No worries, Cherry. You're welcome."

Hwitaek smiled at her while moving a few strands of Soojin's hair from out of her face and behind her ear.

"I'm glad to be of help."

Maybe it was jealousy after all as Sieun suddenly felt a small pang within her chest at the two using nicknames and the actions were displayed before her. Sieun couldn't remember the last time that Hwitaek had done that to her or even the last time that they'd shared simple gestures. As a matter of fact, Sieun couldn't remember if Hwitaek had ever called her name in such an affectionate manner like he had just called Soojin by her nickname. Since she and Hwitaek started dating the couple had always used their given names with one another. The last time she had let slip in calling her boyfriend 'Hwi', Hwitaek had given her a weird look and Sieun never had let that name slip out since.

"Alright, Hui, I think that's it for now. See you tomorrow again and at the same time?"

Soojin suggested to the male while putting her things away and standing up with Hwitaek doing the same.

"Yup. See you tomorrow at the same time, Cherry."

When the duo turned towards the door to leave they froze in their spot upon seeing Sieun standing there a bit awkwardly.

"Uh, hi." Sieun greeted with a small smile and wave. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

"How long have you been standing there?" Hwitaek asked, suddenly feeling guilty for some reason he didn't know why.

"Oh, not that long." Sieun replied nonchalantly.

"Anyways, see you, Hui." Soojin bid Hwitaek a goodbye while walking passed Sieun with a polite smile. "Bye-bye, Sieun."

"Bye-bye, Soojin." Sieun bid the female goodbye with a polite smile as well.

She quickly turned her attention onto her boyfriend and softly made her way towards Hwitaek while placing the bag onto one of the tables when she neared him.

"Since you couldn't make it I thought we could have dinner here instead."

"Make it where?" Hwitaek asked with a confused face. "Was there something planned for today?"

Sieun paused in opening the large container filled with the snow crab inside and slowly cast her boyfriend a hurt look.

"Yeah, Hwitaek. You were the one that had planned it months ago. I tried calling and texting you, but you didn't reply back."

"Oh, about that. The battery died and I didn't have a charger on me to charge my phone. Sorry, Sieun." Hwitaek apologized in an indifferent tone while shrugging as he looked at her blankly. "I don't really remember what I planned tonight. Was it something important?"

Looking down at the food blankly, something within Sieun finally cracked as this conversation was similar to what they had prior to Hwitaek's birthday. It was like he stopped being a boyfriend and he seemed more distracted and acted like the two of them weren't even in a relationship. Or better yet, it seemed like Sieun realized that Hwitaek had stopped doing all the little things that she had appreciated in their relationship even before his birthday.

Sieun never cared for the expensive jewellery he would buy her saying that they were a girl's real best friend. Nor did she care for the fancy restaurant dates he took her out to just to impress her still. Sieun also didn't mind the constant large hang outs with his friends when it was just supposed to be the two of them on their date. Still though she honestly missed the other little things that Hwitaek used to do for her. Those special times that the two of them shared with just each other and away from everyone and everything else.

Like when he randomly buys her flowers to surprise her and tell her the meaning behind them that he learned from the florist. Or how he would call her beautiful every once in a while. Or when he would just casually hold her hand out of the blue or do things to simply put a smile on her face. Sieun missed the times when Hwitaek would call her in the early hours of morning or in the middle of the night to just hear her voice and talk about anything and everything. Thinking back on it all, Sieun wondered if she was someone that Hwitaek still needed in his life.

"When did you stop?" Sieun suddenly asked Hwitaek while continuing to stare at the food before her.

"Stop what?"

Hwitaek was still not aware of the situation that was happening between them. His attention apparently wasn't even on Sieun as it was instead on the music stand. Sieun sadly gazed up at him and elaborated her question.

"When did you stop doing all the little things in our relationship?"

Hwitaek swiftly glanced at Sieun and upon seeing his girlfriend's expression, he unconsciously swallowed down the lump that had somehow appeared within his throat.

"To be honest, Sieun, I really don't remember."

He admitted with a half-shrug and nonchalant manner not really thinking about his next words properly.

"I only did those things in the beginning because of the bet."

"Bet?"

Sieun cast Hwitaek a confused look before furrowing her eyebrows in thought and narrowing her eyes at her.

"What bet, Hwitaek?"

Hwitaek immediately froze upon revealing the truth and why he initially pursued Sieun in the first place. He avoided looking at her now and didn't continue on the topic.

"This is what your roommates and other friends discreetly meant, isn't it?"

Sieun scoffed a moment later after Hwitaek stayed quiet. Now everything made sense to her after hers and Hwitaek's two years of being in a relationship.

"All the times we hung out at those parties of your roommates and all of your friends wanted me to get drunk just so I could spill anything that was going on between us. All the times they would cast me weird looks whenever they ask personal questions about how far we've gone, what our relationship status was, and if there's been anything weird or unusual between us."

Sieun let out another scoff feeling heated at all this realization.

"All of their quiet giggles and laughter. All of their judging and sneak looks. All of it because they knew that our relationship was built on a foundation of lies, Hwitaek. Lies worth two years on your part, Hwitaek."

"C'mon, Sieun, that was just the beginning of our relationship. It's different now." Hwitaek reasoned while gazing up at her although he knew that it didn't sound all that convincing.

"The only difference now is that I now know the real reason you dated me, Hwitaek. A bet. A fucking bet for two fucking years of our relationship between me and you were filled with your dishonesty from the get-go. Why bother when you stopped being interested since you can't recall why you stopped doing the little things in the first place?"

"I don't know."

Hwitaek lamely answered, but had avoided all eye-contact with Sieun.

"Right, you don't know."

Sieun scoffed.

"Did you get a kick out of knowing that I honestly liked you, yet you couldn't even bother giving me just a small bit of it yourself?"

Sieun shot him a disgusted look.

"Was I just some play thing for you to mess around with after breaking up with Soojin? Or did you guys even break up in the first place? Was I just some side piece for you to have fun with out of boredom? A complete joke for yours and friends' entertainment? Is that why you've been forgetting all of our plans? Our anniversary? Your birthday? Even my birthday? Is she still the one you need instead, Hwitaek?"

"Stop, Sieun. Just stop. Don't be ridiculous." Hwitaek tried to reason as he rolled his eyes. "It's not even like that, okay?"

"I'm not being ridiculous, Hwitaek."

Sieun spat back with a huff before calming herself down and speaking again.

"Well, she's beautiful."

Sieun commented upon Soojin with no ill intentions to her words, but there was a sadness to her tone of voice now.

"I hope she makes you happy again because clearly I could never or ever."

She let out a slow breath upon saying her next set of words.

"The proof is still in the way you look at her that you never did at me and how you call her name. Even though we've dated for two years and you told me those same words and called my name, I never once felt beautiful or loved in your eyes and I now know why."

She cast him a sad smile.

"It was because whatever we had between us was built on a foundation of lies for those two years due to one of us. Goodbye, Hwitaek."

Sieun cast Hwitaek one final look void of emotions before turning around. Hwitaek watched Sieun leave with a heaviness in his heart that he couldn't quite explain. Once she exited the room he finally glanced down at the containers that Sieun had left behind. He tentatively lifted the lids to reveal one of his favorite foods and the other a slice of her favorite cake. He closed his eyes while groaning regretfully. Hwitaek just remembered that today was Sieun's birthday and they were supposed to celebrate it at the restaurant he reserved for the two of them.

~~~~~~~~~~

Sieun returned to her dorm that she shared with three other girls, Jina, Jihoon, and Seowoo, who were like close friends and sisters to her. So when one of them asked about her birthday celebration, they all grew concerned upon the blank expression on Sieun's face.

"What's wrong, sweetie?" Jina asked as she pulled Sieun to sit on the couch beside her.

Seowoo took the spot next to her with Jihoon sitting beside her.

"Yeah, did Hwitaek not get you the most delicious carrot cake or what?" Jihoon mused before being scolded by Seowoo.

"It's not about food, Jihoon. It's something else."

"Then what could it be?"

Jina kneel in front of Sieun while taking her face into her hand to analyze Sieun's face better.

"You guys broke up, didn't you?"

The other two gasped while Sieun nodded absentmindedly.

"I'm not someone he needed. He never loved me. Our relationship was nothing, but lies." Sieun explained in a monotone voice although her eyes glazed over. "The little things I cherished the most meant nothing in the end."

And before the others could respond or offer words of comfort, Sieun burst into quiet sobs as she leaned towards Jina in comfort. Her friends enveloped her into their embrace to console their heartbroken friend quietly.

~~~~~~~~~~

Hwitaek returned back home and made his way to his room while unconsciously ignoring his roommates until Jinho stopped him just outside his room.

"Hey, did Sieun find you?" Jinho asked in a hushed tone.

"What?"

Hwitaek snapped out of his daze and stared at Jinho.

"What about Sieun?"

"Did she find you? She seemed worried when she stopped by here earlier."

"Yeah, she did."

Jinho cast his friend a worried look.

"Are you okay? You seem distracted and out of it right now."

"We broke up."

"Wait, what? Y'all broke up?"

Hwitaek let out a breath as he ran a free hand through his hair as the other hand held the bag that Sieun had forgotten or not.

"Sieun broke up with me."

"I thought everything was going well between the two of you despite how everything first started out."

Jinho looked at his friend closely.

"No?"

"Yeah, well, it's my fault."

Hwitaek sighed.

"I honestly didn't think it would turn out like this, Jinho."

"Seriously? Your guys' relationship was built on a foundation of lies, Hwitaek."

Hwitaek laughed in disbelief upon hearing the familiar words again.

"Sieun said the same thing."

"Honestly, bro, I did warn you about going through with this bet in the first place. Sieun is a good person and genuinely liked you."

"I know, man, I know. I fucked up."

"Bet or no bet, Hwitaek, but would you have still dated Sieun? Do you even have some sort of feelings for her after dating for two years? Or was your breakup with Soojin still lingering in your mind all this time?"

Hwitaek took a moment to actually think about his feelings for Sieun as he weighed every memory and moment he had shared with her over the past two years after his breakup with Soojin. He did admit that he didn't really like Sieun like that at first. Sure he thought she was pretty cute despite not being exactly his type and different from Soojin, but as the days passed it changed bit by bit. Hwitaek actually got to know Sieun better and she was more than what he had initially thought of her as.

When Hwitaek had first met her, Sieun was awkward, shy, and a quiet person. Later by others he heard that she was also sweet, friendly, and reserved. Still, beyond that she was just so much more when he took the effort into getting to know her better. To Hwitaek he learned that Sieun was clumsy, weird, attentive, considerate, and thoughtful. She would fix his hair when it was out of place. Or mess it up when it was too perfectly in place. She would pack him meals when she had the free time and even make his favorites.

Sieun knew what words to say to him whenever he felt some type of way or a certain mood while working on his music related assignments or just about life in general. She would even massage his shoulders when he was stressed. Rubbed his back when he was upset. Or play with his hair when they hung out to have a lazy day. She even called him cute every now and then even though it caused him to become shy or fluster. Sometimes they held deep and meaningless conversations and it was never a bore talking to her. They could start several topics and go off on tangents, but they would still be able to finish them all and if not then the next day.

Her good morning and good night texts always brought a smile to his face and he would even look forward to them to find a way to respond to them with sincerity. The way Sieun's hand fit into his whenever they held hands. The way her smiles always made him smile knowing that she was happy and that itself would make him happy. Everything about her cheered him up instantly and would even brighten his day if he ever had a bad one. Sieun gave his life little things to appreciate upon the end of the day.

Hwitaek now realized that it was all the little things that made their relationship thrive and bloom into something beyond what it had initially started out as. The little things he tried so hard to learn and do to get Sieun to fall for him in the first place. The little things that he thought didn't really matter or mean anything in the end. All the times they used to share with each other were all the small things that Sieun needed the most. The small things that made her happy and appreciated because they were all shared and done with him.

It was the little things Sieun had asked him on why he stopped doing. Eventually, Hwitaek stopped doing them because he thought he didn't deserve her love. Didn't deserve Sieun herself with how he lied and she earnestly loved him wholeheartedly. It was why he began distancing himself as much as possible. So much that he began hanging out with Soojin again in hopes that the feelings for Sieun would dissipate on its own accord. Or that Sieun herself would slowly start to hate him and break it off instead. So then, when she finally did it didn't make him any happier with the end results. It left a real bittersweet taste in his mouth.

He blamed that stupid bet. He blamed his own stupid ass for even going through with it. A bet to show that he didn't need Soojin and that he could move on without falling back on her. To prove that he could be committed to another person for longer than a few months unless the other person broke it off and he would have won. A bet he realized too late was just honestly stupid and made no sense on his part. Hwitaek wondered how he could be that messed up in the head to play around with another person's feelings and only care for his own satisfaction without any consequences.

He shook his head thinking how he had manipulated Sieun's feelings for him to just prove that he could move on and away from Soojin. But then when the feelings became real for Sieun, he ended up going back to Soojin to let Sieun end it with him instead. He was so pathetic. He really was a jerk. What's the whole point of it all if a loving relationship between two people was built on a foundation of lies. So coming to a conclusion, Hwitaek realized that he did indeed need Sieun in his life and wanted to continue to be a part of hers until the end.

"Yo, Hwitaek?"

Jinho snapped his fingers in front of Hwitaek's face to get his attention as he's been calling his friend's name for quite some time.

"Hwitaek."

"Hmm?"

Hwitaek hummed coming back to his senses.

"What?"

"I thought I lost you there. You good?"

"Yeah, yeah. I just realized what I need to do."

"Good, because I was gonna comfort Sieun myself if you weren't gonna do it." Jinho mused as Hwitaek rolled his eyes.

"Haha, you're so not funny, but thanks, Jinho."

"Any time, but go."

"Oh, right."

Hwitaek turned around rushed out of his home with the other roommates calling out to him wondering where he was going while looking over at Jinho questioningly. Jinho shrugged, not giving them an answer as to let them not get involved and for Hwitaek to take care of what he needed to do.

~~~~~~~~~~

Sieun was currently distracting herself by putting all the things that Hwitaek had given her over the course of their relationship into grocery bags. So far she had filled up two and was working on her third one. Her friends had retired to their rooms after Sieun cried herself enough and reassured them that she was okay for the time being and just needed time for herself. So they left Sieun alone to do her own thing and heal in her own way for the time being.

Sieun's eyes caught sight of the heart-shaped necklace on her night stand that Hwitaek had given to her on Valentine's Day earlier this year. It was the first piece of jewellery she fell in love with as it wasn't one of those sparkly pieces that Hwitaek usually gifted her with. The necklace was a simple piece she had spotted at a flea market one day when the two were on a day date and had made a comment about it. When she returned to the stall to purchase it the next day it was gone. So when Hwitaek surprised her with it on Valentine's Day she cherished it since.

A few knocks sounded at the main door breaking Sieun from her thoughts. She quickly left her room to tend to the person at the door as she didn't want whoever it could be to disturb her friends' sleep or the neighbors. She looked through the peephole, but only saw some dark sea green balloons with black writing on them and a person obscurely hiding behind them. Sieun wasn't sure who it could be and was for sure not going to open the door just in case it was some random lunatic until she recognized the voice a moment later.

"It's, Hwitaek."

Hwitaek introduced himself and Sieun's breath hitched for a moment before returning back to normal. Hwitaek continued to speak realizing that him hiding behind a bunch of balloons would give off the wrong impression if viewed from the opposite side.

"May I speak with Sieun, please?"

Sieun psyched herself up to keep herself together before letting out a slow breath and eventually opened the door for Hwitaek. Before she could say something Hwitaek automatically handed the bouquet of balloons one by one as she read out loud what he wrote.

"I'm sorry. I'm an idiot. Please forgive me."

She looked over at an apologetic Hwitaek and felt touched, but she wasn't going to forgive him that easily.

"Just because you apologize with my favorite color do-"

She was interrupted when Hwitaek produced a bouquet of three colored camellias from somewhere and presented them to her. Sieun stared at her favorite flowers which symbolized faithfulness and longevity as one meaning. White were given to someone who's well-liked in adoration. Pink symbolized a longing for someone who's missed while red meant desire and passion. Sieun realized that Hwitaek wanted to continue their romantic love for one another, yet she didn't want to be persuaded so easily.

"Thank you for the lovely flowers, Hwitaek."

Sieun tenderly took the bouquet in her free hand as the other was occupied with the strings of the balloons.

"But it's st-"

She was once again interrupted when Hwitaek presented the bag from the restaurant she had left from earlier.

"I know it doesn't make up for everything I've done, but I know that it meant a lot to you since you even got me my favorite food."

Hwitaek offered her the bag and Sieun took it into her left hand, already holding the balloon bouquet. Before she could comment on it Hwitaek had somehow held up a Samoyed a moment later and she wondered where he had gotten the dog from as she didn't even hear it or know that it was close by.

"Aww, you're beautiful." Sieun cooed while petting the dog's face after having placed the bouquet into the crook of her left arm and running a hand through his fur.

"I hope he makes you happy," Hwitaek commented with a small smile upon seeing the lovely expression on Sieun's face, "Even though I would like to be the one that could do that for you again if you'd let me, Eun."

Sieun frowned upon hearing how he had called her with a shorter form of her name.

"Did you just call me, Eun?"

"Um, yeah."

"Why?"

"I thought we could grow closer."

"But you gave me a weird look when I called you 'Hwi' three months after we started dating."

"Oh. Well..."

Hwitaek grew shy.

"I didn't know how to respond back."

"You could've just called me 'Eun' then."

"I panicked."

Hwitaek admitted as he cast her a sheepish gaze.

"I came to like you more as each day passed, but because it started out as a bet and you being so pure of love and affection it scared me. Then the little things started popping up over time and I didn't know what to do."

"Then what are you doing here now, Hwitaek?" Sieun asked him with a tired sigh. "Did you lose your bet and now you're re-doing it?"

"No, Sieun. None of this has nothing to do with the bet. I realized that I need you in my life and that you're the one I've grown to like these past two years. I want to continue my life with you a part of it and me a part of yours." Hwitaek confessed.

There was a pause before Hwitaek spoke again with a firmer tone.

"And the way I look at Soojin isn't proof that I still like her more than you, Sieun. You don't see the moments of how when I look at you, my mind immediately freezes and I forget how to breathe or function. I go numb and stupid. I get tongue-tied when I talk about you with the other guys and protective when they start teasing me about you."

Sieun didn't know how to respond or react to his confession. She also didn't miss the way his facial features softened and became shy.

"When I look at you, Sieun, I see this blank canvas that I eventually want to fill up with you by my side. Maybe a little place of our own with a dog and me coming home to your delicious meal. Or you visiting me at my studio and listening to a song that I'm composing while thinking of you. It's endless possibilities, but I always see you by my side in those possibilities."

Sieun held up her right hand to stop Hwitaek from talking.

"Okay, like that's cool and all, but you're speaking of a future that's still in the way of the future, Hwitaek."

She shot him an incredulous look.

"I'm still trying to pass my statistics class this semester to which I still don't think I need for my major, but whatever."

"I still mean what I say, Sieun. I want to make right what I have wronged and if I need to spend the rest of my life to do that, then I will."

Sieun shot him a small smile.

"Okay, Hwitaek. We can start again, but you're on probation."

Hwitaek's jaws dropped as he almost dropped the Samoyed.

"For how long?"

"Until you returned Crayon here back to his owner at LovelyDog's Cafe & Shop."

"Wait. How did you know?"

"Seowoo's dating someone that works there and she would dog sit Crayon here from time to time."

"Oh, then we can adopt our own and name it later."

"Alright, just wait a moment."

She held up the same hand and gave him a look.

"How about we start slowly again. We can have a date after Chuseok."

"That long?"

"Yes. If you can wait that long, then I can accept that you're serious and I can learn to start trusting you again."

Hwitaek nodded eagerly.

"Okay, okay. I am serious and trusting is all about building that foundation without lies."

Then frowned.

"What about your birthday?"

"I still have next year to celebrate it with you."

"Okay, but..."

"But, what?"

"I promised the owner that I would dog sit Crayon here for the night. Do you wanna help me take care of him?"

Sieun rolled her eyes, but a smile was evident on her face as she stepped back and invited Hwitaek and Crayon inside.

"Sure. We can even have a late dinner. Our foundation has to start somewhere."

#staytheb #pentagon scenarios #lee hwitaek #hui

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