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blindmortal · 2 days ago

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over 100 interactions on this post?? i'm actually screaming inside!!! thank you so much to everyone that enjoyed not for sale (❁´◡`❁) i'm still new to posting fics on this platform, so even the smallest interactions send me to the moon and back!

thank you so much angels <3

───── not for sale 박종성 p.js

༉‧₊˚. Jay spent his entire life with his every wish being fulfilled, but what happens when he meets a girl that is not as easily swayed by the endless riches that surrounded his life? ★ rich boy! jay park x fem!reader. fluff & w.c 3.2k ; jay pining, skinship, kissing (?)

─── ɴᴀᴠɪɢᴀᴛɪᴏɴ

If you had told Jay from a few months ago that money couldn’t buy its way through everything, he would’ve laughed at you and tossed a wad of cash in your face. Those crisp green bills had been his ticket to getting whatever he wanted for as long as he could remember. As a child, they bought him toys and books; as he grew older, they secured him clothes, watches, and even the illusion of friendship. Everything could be fixed with money; after all, in this capitalist society, wasn’t that what everyone prayed for?

How naive he’d been to believe in such a fallacy. Because now, staring at you—your animated figure effortlessly taking orders behind the café counter—he realized that some things had no price tags. No amount of money could ever afford something as invaluable as your attention.

Not that it stopped him from trying. Each advance, no matter how many thousands they cost, was met with the same polite rejection—a small smile and a bow of your head.

It only made his heart greedier for you, knowing that material things couldn’t sway you the way they did so many others. To know you would rather work until your hands bled than accept empty charity. The kind of hard work and determination Jay had never known—never needed to know—because the world had always bowed at his command. Now, it allured him more than anything else ever had.

He moved to you now, and he swore you huffed an exasperated sigh before that plastic smile took over your features.

“Jay! Always good to see our loyal regular,” you chirped, your voice bright and practiced, and Jay bit back a chuckle. He knew you didn’t mean a word of it.

After all, he’d probably driven you up the wall with the sheer number of gifts he’d brought over the past few weeks—each one met with an increasingly strained smile and, if he wasn’t mistaken, a faint twitch of your brow. The last one had even earned you a stern lecture from your manager about “workplace professionalism,” something Jay definitely hadn’t intended to jeopardize.

Still, he couldn’t help himself. How else was he supposed to get your attention? He might’ve been the café’s biggest spender—your manager’s favorite customer by default—but the thought of being just another nameless face in your sea of patrons didn’t sit well with him.

So here he was, standing in line yet again, ready to order more coffee than anyone reasonably should, all for the fleeting moments of your undivided attention.

"Always happy to see you, pretty," he replied smoothly, flashing a smile that could probably charm the entire café.

You cocked your head, your eyes narrowing slightly as you took in his unusually minimal appearance. Sure, he was still in his usual outfit—a black dress shirt left slightly unbuttoned at the top, paired with sleek black pants and polished shoes. The dainty silver chain resting against his collarbone caught the light just enough to draw attention, and you’d be lying if you said the man wasn’t ridiculously attractive. But beauty wasn’t everything, you reminded yourself. God forbid you fall for someone who was all riches and no substance.

Still, something was off. For once, he wasn’t lugging in a huge bag stuffed with overpriced gifts—a luxury handbag, an extravagant piece of jewelry, or whatever else his bottomless bank account could conjure up. Gifts that always came with a sheepish grin and a lame excuse about how they "just happened" to catch his eye.

“I’ll take the usual,” he said, already pulling out his wallet to retrieve his black card. He handed it to you with a practiced ease, but his fingers lingered as they always did, hoping to come in contact with yours.

And while you usually avoided his touch, this time, you let your fingers graze his, biting back a smile when his eyes widened ever so slightly at the contact. The reaction was immediate—a faint dusting of pink rising to his cheeks, his composure faltering for just a moment.

“Be right with you,” you said with a wink before disappearing to prepare his order, leaving him standing there with the unmistakable look of someone who’d just had their entire day made.

You reappeared at the counter, placing a collection of drinks that looked like they were meant for half his employees—or maybe an entire office—each one arranged with the kind of care only you seemed to give to something as simple as a coffee order.

Okay, Jay, you got this. How hard could it be?

He huffed a breath, trying to shake off the nerves before locking eyes with you, and he felt his entire composure falter. God, you were gorgeous. Even in that moment, when your appearance was slightly unkempt from running around all morning—tending to a rush of customers, preparing drinks, your hair falling loosely around your face, cheeks flushed from the exertion—you still looked more like a vision than any woman he’d seen, even on the red carpet. Your uniform, with a small coffee stain on the hem, only made you seem more real, more you, and somehow, that made you even more captivating.

“C-could I, you know—” he stumbled, his palms suddenly clammy as he mentally slapped himself for sounding like a fool. “Could I get your number?”

For all his wealth and success, this was the first time he realized it wasn’t enough to win you over. All those gifts, all the luxury, had gotten him nowhere. But something about the way you carried yourself, how genuine you were—it had drawn him in, teaching him that you craved something real.

You tilted your head, blinking slowly at him, a teasing hint in your eyes. “Is that too direct?” he blurted, heart racing in his chest. “I’m sorry, I—I didn’t mean to—”

His words faltered, and the self-consciousness surged again. But then you laughed—soft and genuine—and the sound knocked the air right out of his lungs.

With a smooth, fluid motion, you grabbed a pen, your fingers brushing against his as you scribbled something down on a small sticky note. You slid it across the counter with a knowing smile, your eyes meeting his for a brief, electrifying second before you turned, moving gracefully to tend to the next customer.

For a moment, he just stood there, the note in his hand like it was a prize he had no idea how to claim. He looked back at you, your smile a bit wider now, a slight bounce in your step as you moved to make an order, and he swears he melts into a puddle right then and there.

"Your father is like, the richest man in the country, and you're asking where me where you should take her out to?" Jake couldn't help but scoff at his friend who had showed up banging on his office door for a so-called emergency meeting — deciding how to ask out the pretty barista from the cafe down the road. "Doesn't your dad take your mom out to a fancy Michelin-starred restaurant like, every week? Just take her to a place like that, any girl would kill for the opportunity."

Jay groaned, rubbing his temples. "You don’t get it, dude. She’s not just any girl. I’ve literally bought her every single Birkin, but the one day I decide not to show up with some extravagant gift, she actually gives me her number." He let out a frustrated breath. "I'm sure the last thing she wants is a fancy dinner. I just want to show her I’m more than just a walking ATM.”

Jake raised an eyebrow and took a sip of the coffee Jay had bought him. He thought for a moment, humming softly before snapping his fingers, a grin spreading across his face.

“Why not just go for one of those cheesy dates you see in dramas? Like... go to an arcade, or the library. Didn’t you say she reads on her breaks?”

Jay’s eyes widened, and before he even knew what he was doing, he was jumping over the table to give Jake a bear hug, sending some of his files tumbling to the ground. “You’re a genius! Oh my god, why didn’t I think of that?”

Jake laughed, nearly choking on his coffee as Jay squeezed him tighter, clearly a bit too eager. “Alright, alright, take it easy, dude,” he said, pushing Jay off with a chuckle. "You shouldn't keep her waiting too long, otherwise she might think you're nothing but a flirt."

He nodded, pacing around Jake's office with a barely contained smile.

“Okay, okay,” Jay muttered to himself, more to calm the flurry of thoughts racing through his mind. “Arcade, library... maybe we can grab ice cream after? No, that’s too casual—focus, Jay, focus.” He turned to Jake, who was watching him with an amused expression. “I need to make this perfect. What if she thinks I’m being too cheesy? Or, worse, that I��m doing it because I can’t afford the usual expensive stuff?”

Jake rolled his eyes but couldn’t hide his smile. “Dude, you’re overthinking this. Just be yourself—that’s the whole point. She already gave you her number without all the flash. You think she wants some over-the-top, lavish date? Just keep it simple, keep it fun, and she’ll love it. Trust me.”

Jay’s heart seemed to slow down as Jake’s words sank in. For the first time, he felt a little less frantic, a little more sure of himself. “Yeah... you’re right. Alright, arcade it is.”

He grabbed his phone, already starting to search for the closest arcade, his fingers typing faster than his mind could catch up. “I’m gonna make this work,” he muttered to himself with determination, his earlier anxiety melting into a sense of purpose.

Before he could register it, he hit send on the message asking you out to a casual arcade date, with hopes of a small totally not fancy lunch at the restaurant nearby.

The delivered turned to read in a matter of minutes, followed by you agreeing... with a heart emoji.

Jay passed out on the spot.

Jake had barged into his room a few hours ago, quickly admonishing Jay as he eyed his collection of suits and dress shirts to select an outfit for the date.

"What part of 'casual date' does your rich-boy brain not comprehend?" Jake groaned with an exaggerated sigh, yanking Jay’s crisply ironed clothing from the rack and shoving it into his closet. He sifted through Jay’s selection of sweaters and t-shirts, throwing one of the more laid-back options at him.

Now Jay stood in front of the arcade, dressed in a plain white tee, green cargos, and a grey sweatshirt loosely tied around his neck. His sneaker-bound feet tapped restlessly against the pavement, eyes glued to his phone as he reread your text from five minutes ago saying you were on your way.

What if you backed out? What if you thought he was too much of a joke? Too flashy? His stomach churned with anxiety, but he quickly squashed the thoughts down, trying to steady his racing pulse. No, you’re coming. You’re not ghosting me.

He scanned the area, looking for that familiar figure, the one who made his palms clammy and his heart race whenever she smiled.

Then he heard it: his name, spoken with your soft voice, followed by the faintest giggle. His head whipped around, and his jaw nearly hit the ground when he saw you.

Jay's breath hitched in his chest as he took in your appearance. There was something about seeing you outside of the confines of the café, without the apron and the hurried bustle of coffee orders, that made his heart beat harder. You looked so effortlessly perfect—like you belonged in an entirely different world. Your loose braid framed your face just enough to accentuate the soft curve of your jaw, and the way the long skirt fluttered around your legs made you seem almost untouchable, like a scene from a movie.

He hadn’t realized he’d been staring until you stepped closer, your giggle causing him to snap back to reality.

"Jay? Earth to Jay," you teased, the playful smile on your lips only making his heart race even more.

"Uh, yeah, yeah, sorry." He rubbed the back of his neck, trying to hide the flush creeping up his neck. He had to stop doing this—acting like a nervous schoolboy every time you were near. "You look... wow. I mean, you look great. Not that you don't always look great, but—"

You laughed, cutting him off before he could make things worse. "Relax, Jay. It’s just a casual date, right?"

A wave of relief washed over him, but the anxiety was still there, lurking beneath the surface. “Right. Casual. Uh, so—" He gestured awkwardly toward the arcade behind him, trying to shake off the nervous energy, "Let's go?"

You raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by his nervousness. "You sure you're ready to take me on?" you teased, a playful edge in your voice that made his heart beat just a little faster.

Jay shot you a grin, trying to mask the nerves that threatened to spill over. "Oh, I'm more than ready." He motioned for you to follow as he led the way into the arcade, his sneakers squeaking slightly against the polished floor.

Inside, the sound of flashing lights and game machines filled the air, but Jay's focus was completely on you. Your laugh echoed in his ears, making everything else fade into the background. This wasn’t how he’d expected his night to go—he had imagined something more polished, more "Jay," but standing here, with you by his side, felt far more real than anything else ever had.

He gestured to a nearby claw machine, his nervous energy still present, but slowly starting to fade. “Alright," he said, trying to sound confident. "These machines are completely rigged, but the first person to get one in three tries gets a wish. Fair warning, though—I’m a master at cheating the system."

You smirked, unfazed by his challenge. "If I get it on the first try, I win." He scoffed at your brazen attitude, but agreed nonetheless.

Moving towards the claw machine, you pushed in a few coins, cracking your knuckles before fiddling with the controls. In no time, the claws were enclosed on your target—a small brown teddy bear with a tiny bow tied around its neck. The claw gripped it perfectly and dropped it into the bin. You squealed, your excitement bubbling over as you rushed to pick up your prize. Holding it close to your chest, you beamed at Jay, the playful victory shining in your eyes.

Jay blinked, his jaw slightly dropping as he stared at the teddy bear in your hands. “You actually got it,” he said, incredulous but impressed. “Okay, okay, you win this round.”

You grinned, relishing the moment. “Told you I was good.”

With a dramatic sigh, Jay shook his head. “I guess I’ve been outmatched.” But the smirk on his face told you he was anything but disappointed. "Come one, let's try something else."

The day stretched on as the two of you moved from game to game, the playful banter between you flowing more easily with each passing minute. For once, Jay wasn’t thinking about his wealth, his status, or the expectations that weighed him down. He was just here, with you, and it felt more genuine than anything he’d ever experienced before.

You were even more refreshed by his attitude than he was. To think this was the same guy you'd mistaken as selfish and cocky, often mocking him to your friends whenever they would call out your rejection to his advances. The giggly Jay, the Jay with his lopsided smile, the Jay that had ice cream trickling down the corner of his mouth was no where near what you had imagined. And you could honestly get used to it.

"Oh, you cannot be serious," Jay groaned, wincing at the picture of him mid-blink with a derpy smile. You couldn’t help but laugh, staring at the photo strip you had just received from the booth. His eyes were half-closed, his grin more goofy than anything, and the next frame didn’t fare much better, showing him with his mouth wide open, mid-laugh.

You were laughing so hard, your shoulders shaking with amusement. "Oh, this is gold," you teased, holding the photos up between you. "This one's going straight to my wall."

Jay groaned in mock embarrassment but couldn’t help the small chuckle that escaped him. “You’re evil. You’ve got to promise me you’ll never show anyone these. I’ll never live it down.”

“I don’t know,” you teased, “they might make a good conversation starter." You winked, slipping the strip into your pocket. “Besides, they’re kind of cute.”

His cheeks flushed slightly, a rare vulnerability flashing through his usual confident demeanor. "You're lucky I like you," he muttered, but the soft smile he wore said otherwise.

You nudged him playfully as you both continued walking toward the exit. "Well, I’m glad I’m not the only one getting embarrassed today."

Jay shot you a look of mock betrayal. "You were the one who dragged me into that booth, remember?"

“I know,” you said, grinning up at him. “But look at the fun we had.”

Jay glanced at you for a moment, his usual charm making a reappearance. “Yeah, yeah, I guess you're right.” He took a deep breath and gave you a more sincere smile. “Thanks, by the way. For giving me a chance, coming out with me."

You returned his smile, feeling your heart warm at the sincerity in his voice. "You know why I said yes?"

Jay raised a brow, waiting expectantly for you to continue.

"I thought you were a bit stuck up for a second, I won't lie. I thought you were one of those rich boys that think they can buy their way through everything, that girls are only worth as much as expensive purses and extravagant dinners. But when you came to the cafe last time empty handed, and asked for my number so shy, i thought there was more to you than that."

Jay’s smile faltered for a moment, the weight of your words settling in. He hadn’t realized just how much of that “rich boy” reputation had stuck to him until now. It stung a little, but hearing you acknowledge the change—it made him want to prove you right.

“I didn’t mean to come off that way,” he admitted, his voice softer now. “I just... I’ve always known how to use what I have to get what I want. But with you, I felt like I needed to do something different.”

You tilted your head, the corner of your lips lifting in a small, thoughtful smile. “I’m glad you did. It’s nice seeing the real you.”

Jay chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck as if embarrassed by the honesty. "Well, I’m still trying to figure that out." He looked at you with a playful glint in his eyes, trying to shift the mood back. “So, what do you say we go out for lunch? I know a place—nothing fancy, promise—but I owe you a proper date.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” you said, moving to walk out of the exit before stopping and turning back to him.

"Can I use my wish?"

Jay blinked, slowly nodding at you. "Of course," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

You grinned, stepping onto your toes to press a soft kiss on his cheek. “Let’s go on another date. This time, it’s on me.”

Jay’s mouth fell open and he felt the heat consuming his body, creeping up his neck and spreading across his face. Oh he could die a happy man right now. He blinked at you, rendered completely speechless.

You giggled, enjoying the way he seemed to freeze, before you pulled him by the hand, guiding him out the door. “Come on, let’s go.”

210125 © blindmortal 2025. do not copy, translate or upload any of my works without my permission

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blindmortal · 3 days ago

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i fear we are just connected ≡(▔﹏▔)≡ no but really, those songs/artists really match them - it's literally meant to be

also, me and @blindmortal sharing one braincell

#i guess this means i need to do an olivia rodrigo inspired hoon fic #and day6 for jay?#﹫fate yaps

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blindmortal · 7 days ago

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wish to be notified for every release? join my taglist ! <coming soon>

✶ fell in love with the shooter → p.js

SYNOPSIS ﹒ Agent Park 'Jay' Jongseong has dedicated half his career to hunting the elusive vigilante known only as Lynx—a shadow in the city's underbelly who always slips through his fingers. As crime spirals out of control, desperation pushes Jay to trust an enigmatic informant, Min-ji, who promises to deliver answers. But as Jay inches closer to the truth, the lines between ally and adversary blur. When the mask comes off, Jay is forced to confront a devastating question: can betrayal ever be justified, or has he been chasing the wrong enemy all along? GENRE ﹒ cat-and-mouse chase, enemies to lovers, law enforcement au, angst — ⚠ mentions of violence, gore, injuries, swearing.

✶ wii you marry me? → l.hs

SYNOPSIS ﹒ Getting accepted to Nexus & Co. felt like the start of something amazing—until you met Lee Heeseung. Quiet, brooding, and annoyingly perfect, he seemed impossible to approach, let alone get along with. But the longer you worked together, the more you started to see through his polished exterior. Turns out, behind the enigmatic front is a guy who spends his nights gaming and yelling at his screen. When an unexpected gaming rivalry sparks between you, Heeseung becomes less of a mystery and more of a problem—especially when you realize you might actually like the loser who just beat you at Mario Kart. GENRE ﹒fluff, romance, co-workers to lovers, loser!heeseung agenda — ⚠ horrible flirting, kissing, skinship, heeseung being an embarrassment

✶ only if you say yes → y.jw

SYNOPSIS ﹒ Yang Jungwon has mastered perfection: the ever-smiling, ever-helpful student body president adored by all. But when the new girl walks in—stoic, sharp-tongued, and with a presence that silences the room—he’s thrown off his axis. While everyone else keeps their distance, Jungwon’s curiosity gets the better of him. He’s determined to melt her icy exterior, but she’s equally determined to stay far, far away from his relentless cheer. Yet the closer he gets, the harder it becomes for her to ignore the warmth he brings—or the chaos he leaves in his wake. All he wants is to be hers... but only if she says yes. GENRE ﹒grumpy x sunshine, highschool au, he fell first and fell harder, fluff — ⚠ jungwon is insufferable, kissing, skinship

✶ my chemical romance → p.sh

SYNOPSIS ﹒ Y/N worked hard for her spot at a prestigious university, earning acceptance into a biochemistry program after graduating as salutatorian—narrowly losing the coveted valedictorian title to none other than her high school rival, Park Sunghoon. Determined to leave the rivalry behind, she enters university ready for a fresh start, hoping for a peaceful academic life without any more Sunghoon-induced drama. But as fate would have it, Park Sunghoon isn't done with her just yet. When they are reluctantly paired as lab partners for the entire year, Y/N realizes that the rivalry she tried to escape might just be the thing that keeps her on her toes… and maybe even closer to the last person she ever expected to be with. GENRE ﹒ academic rivals, university au, rivals to lovers, enemies to lovers, romance — ⚠ mentions of familial pressure, slight angst, chemistry yap, kissing

#﹫fate navi #﹫fate wips

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blindmortal · 9 days ago

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Show Must Go On

pairing: secret softie!park jongseong x reader

genre: high school au; crack, comedy, fluff

synopsis: When you told the waitress to give your compliments to the chef, you didn't expect the chef to come out and thank you personally, and you really didn't expect the chef to be your classmate Park Jongseong. Realizing how bad this could be, he has you keep it a secret. That shouldn't be too hard for you to do he thinks, but you're full of surprises- and slip-ups.

before you read: character profiles | sunghoon series

warnings: language, loser enhypen

word count: 2.7k

tag list (open): @ancnymcnzjy @melancholy-z @lamin143 @soobinbunnie5 @benny1989fredd @bbsantc

note: part 2 of my and scene! series, loosely based off en-drama.

Entry 001: 22/05/24

Believe it or not, but Park Jongseong wakes up at 5 am every morning, and has done so for the past three years of his life. His friends would have a fit if they heard that, as he was notoriously known for running late to class every single day.

His teachers wouldn’t believe him either, as Mr. Lee himself has chased Jongseong down one too many times for trying to sneak into first period half an hour late by hopping the side gate.

(Riki’s stupid April Fool’s prank had him up at 3 am, his dad thought he was going crazy for how early he was up that day.)

But it wasn’t like he was doing crimes or wasting time before school. No, Jongseong was busy working his ass off at the restaurant his family owned, prepping the kitchen before they opened at 7:30 am sharp.

“Fresh eggs are beautiful, aren’t they?” His mother smiles as Jongseong helps his father carry in the mounds of cartons of eggs the delivery driver just dropped off. She’s holding one of the brown eggs, admiring its color.

“They are,” He nods with a gentle smile. She chuckles and ruffles his bed hair. “Let’s go, we still need to wash and chop the cabbage for kimchi.” She tells him, and he follows her deeper into the kitchen.

Jongseong’s mornings were usually pretty peaceful. He and his parents prepare the restaurant for a long day ahead: making a fresh batch of kimchi to ferment, restocking ingredients, cleaning and pre-cutting meat, washing any leftover dishes, tidying up the restaurant- you name it, he’s done it.

He took pride in knowing he’s able to help and create not only delicious meals, but an enjoyable atmosphere for people to eat in.

“You better hurry, you still need to get ready for school.” His mother urges. They’d returned home to eat their own breakfast. Jongseong shovels his food down his throat (his mom made him scrambled soft tofu and eggs over rice).

“And didn’t you say you’ve still got some Biology homework to finish?” His dad asks, washing a plate.

His eyes widened. He did have a page left in his workbook. Crap.

“Gotta go bye!” Jongseong swallows the rest of his food, downing his drink in seconds before placing his dishes in the sink. “Don’t forget to brush your hair!” he hears his mother call, before he dashes upstairs to his bedroom.

15 minutes later Jongseong showered, changed out of his dirty work clothes into his school uniform, and is now struggling to blow dry his hair while simultaneously brushing his teeth.

He checks the clock, it’s 7:42. He had 18 minutes to get to school. If he ran, he could catch up to the guys, and maybe convince Jaeyun to help him with the last page of his Biology homework during lunch.

He rinses his mouth, and runs back to his room to stuff his books and binder into his bag. At the front door, he trips on his way out while slipping on his shoes.

Jongseong runs across the street, barging into the already bustling restaurant. He waves to a few regulars who greet him cheerily. “Mom?” He leans against the counter, calling out for her.

“I’m here! I made you lunch too,” She holds up the neat looking container, and he happily places it into his bag. “Have a good day at school alright? Don’t be late, I don’t know if I can handle another call from the office about you being tardy,” She warns him.

“Thanks, I’ll be fine,” He assures her. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

His mother nods, and pats his head. “Be safe, I love you.” She gives him a hug and kisses his cheek. Feeling embarrassed, he blushes, reeling back (he’d wipe his cheek if it weren’t for the fact he knows his mom would complain).

“Okay, see you later,” He grins, walking out.

“Bye son!” His dad cheers, sticking his head out from the kitchen window. Jongseong laughs before ducking out back onto the street.

He dashes down the road, running through smaller streets and alleys as fast as he can. His watch reads 7:50, he’s gonna need to speed it up. Jongseong decided to take a shortcut, sprinting through a park to save him some time.

“Hiya mister!” One of the little kids shouts as he goes down the slide. Jongseong chuckles and gives him a big wave as he darts past.

Going back on the main road, Jongseong decides to climb a fence and he’s happy to see on the other side a group of familiar boys, walking leisurely a few meters ahead. Perfect.

Jongseong leaps, landing a bit roughly, not bothering to dust himself off before jogging over to join his friends.

“Thought you’d never show,” Sunoo greets. “You need to stop sleeping in,” Sunghoon lectures. Instead of arguing, he just nods, rolling his eyes.

“Where’s Jungwon?” He asks, looking at the group to realize his best friend was nowhere to be found.

“What do you mean?” Heeseung looks at him, confused. “Jongseong has been late all week, he doesn’t know.” Riki answers.

“Remember Jungwon's president now? He has to come to school early,” Jaeyun fills him in, as they enter school through the front doors. With a groan, Jongseong nods, he’d forgotten about that.

Elections were last Friday, and two days ago on Monday, the results were posted. Jongseong had lost the position he wanted as Treasurer.

While initially upset, Jongseong saw the silver lining of it all. He had no idea how he would be able to juggle being on the student body council, and help his parents with the restaurant (on top of his grades… yikes).

Jungwon on the other hand, had miraculously won the position as Student Body President, his biggest fears coming true.

“They won’t even let me pass it off to Euijoo,” Jungwon sighs as he calls Jongseong a few nights ago. “I don’t even want to be president, Euijoo does! This has to be rigged, my speech was horrible. I literally told people to not vote for me!”

“So do we actually know if the votes were rigged?” Jongseong follows Jaeyun to his classroom. “Dude, Jungwon’s super popular. He’s friendly to everyone, funny, good looking, and down to earth. Who wouldn’t vote for him?”

“He’s like a breath of fresh air compared to all the uptight and strict past presidents” Sunghoon pops into the conversation. “Or at least that’s what my girlfriend told me.” He shrugs. “Oh geez, here we go again,” Jaeyun rolls his eyes.

Ever since Sunghoon got a girlfriend, he’s been insufferable. They’ve been dating for a total of one week and Sunghoon has made it very very apparent that he believes he’s the chosen one.

Before Sunghoon can argue, his girlfriend arrives, tackling the boy in a hug and distracting him for his friends. “Anyways” Jongseong clears his throat. “Jayeun, think you could help me finish my Biology homework at lunch?” The other boy eyes him, looking uninterested. “Do I have to?”

Jongseong huffs. “I’ll buy you a Yakult.” Jaeyun looks tempted. “Buy two and I’ll help.” Jongseong gives in, sighing with a nod while his friend smirks triumphantly. The warning bell rings and Jongseong begins to depart back to his class.

“And make sure they’re nice and cold!” Jaeyun calls out. Jongseong doesn’t even turn around as he gives him a thumbs up.

“Can’t you just do the entire thing for me?” Jongseong whines. “Not unless you buy me one more Yakult.” Jaeyun teases. Like hell he’d pay for another tiny overpriced yogurt cup, even if it was supposed to be good for you.

“Give me that,” He swipes his workbook back, trying to focus while Jaeyun laughs at him.

“Biology isn’t that hard,” Riki says as he takes a bite of his food. “Remind us again what’s your rank in your class?” Jongseong asks as he scribbles down an answer. Riki goes quiet, mumbling obscenities as Sunoo cackles at him. “He’s like five away from last,”

Someone suddenly throws their tray down onto the table, catching everyone by surprise.

“Look who finally arrived!” Riki’s mood flips and he graciously stands to bow, hands pointing to the empty spot beside him. “Your seat, your majesty!”

Jungwon doesn’t look the least bit excited as he sits down.

“Hey, we saw you on the intercom this morning! Good job on the announcements,” Heeseung smiles. “Thanks.” Jungwon’s eye twitches.

“That was so funny,” Riki begins to laugh. “Dude, Riki C and I were gonna piss our pants.”

Jungwon’s eyes turn sharp, he suddenly grabs Riki by the collar, scaring everyone at the table.

“I know where you live Nishimura, I will hunt you down and personally make your life a living hell. Your sister told me you still sleep with your baby blanket. Don’t test me.” Jungwon growls, and Jongseong has to step in and pull him away.

“Okay, calm down prez, you’ve got an entire cafeteria watching you.” He reminds his best friend. (Riki clutches his throat as he moves to sit next to Heeseung. The senior comforts him, petting his hair and whispering soothing words.)

Jungwon settles, now moping as he picks at his food. “If I have to sit through one more boring ass meeting, I don’t know what I’ll do, but I’m going crazy.” Jongseong eyes him as he finishes his workbook, stuffing it into his bag and pulling out the lunch his mom packed.

“Looks like I dodged a bullet,” He jokes, only to receive a glare from Jungwon. “Sorry,” he mumbles.

“Don’t stress out too much,” Heeseung says. “If you want, I can ask my sister to help you out. She’s the new secretary.”

Not only Jungwon, but the entire table, is silent as they stare at Heeseung for a total of seven seconds.

“Your sister is Lee Yunah?!” Jungwon hisses, voice lowering as he mentions the girl’s name.

“Yeah,” Heeseung frowns. “You guys didn’t know? Everyone says we look alike.”

But no one seemed to hear him, everyone was confused how someone so nice, friendly, and popular as Lee Yunah, was related to… well, Heeseung.

“I sit across from her in class, we talk all the time, she’s never mentioned you were her brother.” Sunoo looks shocked.

“I don’t know, we don’t really interact at school since we’re in different grades, so maybe that’s why?” Heeseung shrugs, continuing to eat his food.

That was definitely not the reason why.

“I think I can talk to her myself,” Jungwon mumbles. Heeseung doesn’t seem bothered.

“Hey!” Jaeyun suddenly speaks up. “I don’t have practice today, you guys wanna go to the arcade after school?”

Heeseung looks ecstatic at this. “Sure! I’d love to go!” Riki also looks more cheerful.

“Yeah, can my girlfriend come?” Sunghoon asks. “Eh, why not? She’s probably better at games than you anyways.” Jaeyun snickers while Sunghoon glares.

“Well I can’t, I’ve got to paint my tree.” Sunoo sighs. “Paint your what?” Jongseong swears he heard him wrong. “My tree costume. You guys do remember I'm Tree number two in the musical, right? We’re doing Wizard of Oz.”

“Oh really? I just thought you just really liked plants all of a sudden.” Riki admits and Sunoo rolls his eyes.

“Well, I’ve got another meeting after school. So I can’t. We’re gonna discuss appropriate and inappropriate ways to wear our uniforms.” Jungwon looks distressed.

“What about you Jongseong? Wanna go?” Jaeyun looks hopeful at him.

Jongseong’s lips grow into a thin line as he winces. “Can’t. I’ve got baseball.” He lies.

The other boys (minus Jungwon) groan in unison. “Your baseball league is crazy, practice every day, including weekends?!” Jaeyun exclaims.

“We haven’t been to any of your games, you never invite us.” Sunghoon complains. “And when you do, we’re always busy or the game gets canceled.” Sunoo points out.

“I bet you it’s because he’s so bad he keeps getting benched. Doesn’t want us to watch him sit all day.” Riki chuckles. Jongseong doesn’t do anything but sigh.

“Sorry, but they’re really strict. Maybe one of these days you'll see me play.” He feigns sadness.

“Quick question, which arcade are we going to?” Heeseung asks. As the boys turn their attention back to their afternoon plans, Jongseong glances at his best friend.

Jungwon looks at him disapprovingly.

He wonders for how much longer he can keep this little lie up.

He’s chopping up some scallions when his mom bursts into the kitchen.

“Son! I thought I told you to go home and finish your homework?” She places her hands on her hips.

“I already finished my homework.” Jongseong fibs.

“Really? Or are you just lying so you can help out tonight?” She eyes him.

“Okay I didn’t.” He tells the truth. His mother does not seem happy with that. “But you and dad need help. Chef Jiyoung has already left, and Chaeyoung and Minjoon are off. I can cook while you and dad serve. Plus my homework isn’t that hard, I can do it before I go to bed.”

His mom sighs, mumbling something about how he stresses her out sometimes. Jongseong has a feeling he’s about to be lectured.

“You’re such a good kid, you know that?” She surprises him by ruffling his hair. His worries subsided.

“And you’re a good mom.” He tells her, feeling shy. “Here’s table 6’s order.” He hands her the plate of food before she can get sappy with him. As she walks out to serve the food, his mother wears the biggest smile.

Jongseong continues his shift, cooking every meal his family throws at him with ease. He always loved to cook. It first started out from just watching his parents, it fascinated him how simple ingredients could become the best meal he’s ever eaten.

When he got older, he began to help around the kitchen. Jongseong found it fun to learn the process of each dish, and enjoyed it even more when the food came out delicious.

Now he’s a master in the kitchen, whipping out dishes without as much as a glance at the recipe. His dad would even argue Jongseong was a better cook than him now.

It’s the end of the night, and Jongseong is cleaning up the kitchen when his parents come in chuckling.

“Son! You’ll never guess what happened. Your dream came true!” His dad chortles. Jongseong looks at him confused. “What do you mean?”

“Remember when you told us you’d always wanted to go out and personally thank a customer for enjoying your food like they do in the movies? Well, it’s happened! A lovely young lady wanted us to give her compliments to the chef, you!” His mother beams.

Jongseong stands there, baffled. He’d told his parents that silly dream when he was eight years old after watching Ratatouille for the first time.

“That’s cool.” He nods. “You should go out there, say thanks. She was very sweet.” His mom encourages.

“Uh, I don’t think so, that’s-“ “Oh son please! She’s the last customer of the night, there’s no one else out there. Don’t be embarrassed.” His dad pushes.

“Plus, she’s very pretty! You should be excited such a pretty girl enjoyed your cooking.” His mom acts as if that’s the biggest accomplishment he’s ever achieved.

His parents look at him eagerly, and Jongseong gives in, sighing as he unties his apron. “Fine, but I’m never doing this again.” He grumbles, much to his parents' delight.

He brushes himself off, running a hand through his hair as he steps out to the front. He spots the person sitting in the booth, their back facing him.

With a deep breath, he approaches.

“Hi, I heard you really enjoyed your meal. I wanted to thank you, I’m the chef.” He states, as he walks over, trying his best to sound joyful. “Is there anything I can do to-“

“Jongseong..? You work here?” The person interrupts.

He finally looks and Jongseong immediately realizes he’s fucked up, since the person he’s just walked up to was you, L/n Y/n, the new Student Body Treasurer.

Why is he screwed? That's because EN-High students aren’t allowed to have jobs, and you’ve caught him red-handed.

Jongseong’s life was ruined the moment he saw you.

Entry 002: 23/05/24

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blindmortal · 10 days ago

Text

── .✦ WORTH THE WAIT (l hs)

PAIRING: non-idol! heeseung x fem! reader

SYNOPSIS: you thought transferring to a new high school for senior year would be a nightmare. who knew you would end up with a genuine group of friends and a boy in need of finding himself again?

GENRE: i hate everyone but you , grumpy x sunshine , high school au , angst if you squint , comfort , healing , fluff — WC: 9.2k — TW: swearing , mention of family issues and toxic behaviors , brief mention of alcohol and violence , slightly suggestive , skinship — enhypen members all have the same age , english is not my first language ! , this is a work of fiction and doesn’t reflect the idols in real life ! — library! — perm taglist open !

a/n: a little something i made a while ago 🤭🤭 hope you enjoy!!

────

HIGH SCHOOL WAS ALREADY PRETTY CHALLENGING AS IT WAS, BUT BEING THE NEW KID IN YOUR SENIOR YEAR WAS EVEN WORSE.

People already knew each other, and they had their own friends and routines. That’s why you hadn’t been expecting much from this last year. However, you were quickly proven wrong when Kim Sunoo—the friendliest and most cheerful student in your grade—was assigned to give you a tour of the school. He showed you every single angle inside and outside the building and pointed out the people you should stay away from at all costs and never, ever trust, unconsciously making you feel even more nervous.

At one point in your tour, you bumped into Yang Jungwon—the student council president—who warmly introduced himself and invited you to sit with his and Sunoo’s friend group. You were hesitant at first. You didn’t want to look like an intruder or be pitied as the new kid who would end up with no friends throughout her senior year. You could already imagine their awkward smiles and weak attempts at getting to know you. Not only that, but you were already overthinking the aftermath: you were sure it would be a one-time thing, that after your first day, they wouldn’t invite you again, making up flimsy excuses to avoid any future awkward encounter with you.

When you sat at their table, five boys were curiously staring at you. Jay, Jake, Ni-Ki, and Sunghoon happily greeted you, while the one called Heeseung merely glanced your way, an unreadable expression on his face. But other than that, the rest of the guys tried their best to make you feel at ease, cracking lots of jokes while also getting to know you.

You were pleasantly surprised; that was definitely the last thing you had been expecting. In all the case scenarios you had overthought in your mind, there hadn’t been a single positive one. You had been so negative and convinced that they wouldn’t like you, that you didn’t consider they might actually want to be friends with you.

And now there you were, a few months later, laughing with your new group of friends, sharing notes, and going to watch each other’s sports competitions. After that first lunch together, you and the other boys were already inseparable. All of them, except one: Lee Heeseung.

You weren’t sure what his problem was. He just didn’t seem to like you—or anyone else for that matter—except for the boys. He always had a stoic look on his face and glared at whoever tried to get near him. He was really quiet and would only talk with his friends. From what you had heard around, a lot of girls seemed to swoon over him, but no one would ever dare approach him because of how intimidating he looked. And you had to admit that they had a point: Heeseung was indeed very good-looking, probably one of the most attractive guys you had ever seen; yet, a death glare from him was enough to send chills down your spine.

Jay and Jake, his closest friends, reassured you from day one about his behavior: “Don’t worry, it’s not your fault. He acts like that with everybody. He’s just… been going through a lot, you know? He hasn’t always been like this, I think he just needs some time.” And also: “Yeah, so don’t take it personally. But if I can ask you a favor, please don’t act differently with him. Just be yourself, even if he doesn’t give you a reaction. I promise he will warm up to you, too.” And that’s what you did. You always greeted him and would sometimes ask him how he was doing or school-related questions. His responses were always short and dry, but at least he would answer and look at you with a less stoic expression. To be completely honest, you weren’t too confident about him ever warming up to you, but you kept trying, your friends’ words often echoing in your mind.

Little did you know, things were about to change completely.

────

WHEN YOUR HISTORY TEACHER ASKED YOU TO MEET HER AFTER SCHOOL, YOU CERTAINLY WEREN’T EXPECTING TO END UP SITTING IN FRONT OF HER DESK, NEXT TO NONE OTHER THAN LEE HEESEUNG.

“I’ll keep it short, since Heeseung is well aware of the reason we’re here,” Mrs. Kim broke the tense silence. “___, since you’re the best student in my class, I was hoping you could be his tutor.”

Your head snapped to your right, catching a glimpse of tension in his features, but it was quickly replaced by his usual indifferent demeanor.

“It won’t be for long, just enough to reach an average score, at the very least,” she added, sensing your hesitation.

Her look was hopeful, and you knew how much she trusted you. You didn’t want to disappoint her or refuse, even if the idea of working with Heeseung—out of all people—didn’t exactly put you at ease.

“Alright, if you think I could be helpful, then I guess I can give it a try,” you finally agreed, causing your teacher to break into a bright smile.

“Perfect!” she clapped her hands. “Then it’s settled. Heeseung, I’m counting on your collaboration,” she warned him, and he barely nodded in response.

You and Heeseung were the only ones still walking through the school hallways, the silence between you two so awkward and heavy with tension that you started to physically feel the need to end it.

“So, when are you free to meet up?” you tried asking, but received a blank stare in return. “Okay… well, let me know, I guess…” you trailed off, and grimaced bashfully. “Have a nice day…” you mumbled, eager to escape the awkwardness of the situation.

Once you were outside the building, you finally let out a relieved breath and started second-guessing your decision. How were you supposed to tutor him if he wouldn’t even talk to you? However, later that day, you were caught off guard by a message notification.

hi, this is heeseung. i asked sunoo for your number

i’m free every friday after practice, but if we need more days i’ll find another one i guess

hi, heeseung! friday is perfect! i think we can start with only one day and eventually add another one if you need it. let’s meet in the library?

👍🏻 i’ll be there after 4pm

great! have a nice evening :)

read

Friday arrived in an instant, and while you waited at one of the library’s tables, you couldn’t help but fidget with your hands. How was it going to go? Would he even show up? Was he going to collaborate? All your worries were soon interrupted by the sound of quick footsteps approaching. As you raised your head, your gaze immediately landed on Heeseung’s figure confidently strolling toward you. There was something in the way he carried himself that made him so attractive and eye-catching. Plus, the fact that his hair was still damp—probably because he had just showered after practice—made you acutely self-aware of how you were reacting to the sight of him.

He silently sat down in front of you and greeted you with a small nod, while you offered him a small smile.

“So, what do you need help with the most?” you asked, opening your textbook while he fished his out of his bag.

“I don’t know. Maybe the last stuff,” he mumbled, keeping his eyes glued on the pages.

You took a deep breath but did as he asked, starting to summarize the last topic that Mrs. Kim had explained in class, while Heeseung kept blankly staring at you. You could feel his eyes glued on you, making you self-conscious and a little flustered. Glancing up at him a couple of times, you noticed he looked like he wasn’t even listening to you. After a few more minutes, you couldn’t take it anymore. You suddenly stopped speaking, raising your head swiftly to make direct eye contact with him. He tried to hide it, but you still caught the flicker of surprise in his eyes. It lasted a mere second, but it was there.

“Is there something wrong?” you asked bluntly, irritation starting to bubble up in your chest.

“Nope,” he muttered, averting his gaze.

“Then why do you keep staring at me while you’re clearly not listening to a single word I'm saying?” you raised a brow, your patience running thin.

“I’m not staring at you…” he mumbled, his eyes traveling around the room to avoid yours.

“Are you messing with me?” you questioned honestly, a frown forming on your face.

And why in the world was he finding it almost cute?

“No?” he scoffed, finally making eye contact, while the softer glint in his gaze caught you off guard. “Uhm… I just don’t understand half of the things you’re talking about…” he scratched the back of his neck and diverted his stare once again.

At that moment, Heeseung truly wished he could disappear to avoid the wave of embarrassment he had caused himself. He was too proud to admit that he needed help—let alone that he didn’t know anything about the subject. He was afraid of looking dumb in your eyes—even though he knew you probably didn’t think highly of him anyway—and that you would judge and belittle him. After all, that’s what he was used to hearing every single day. How could it ever be different with you? But what he was not aware of—because he had never made an effort to get to know you—was that you were the complete opposite of what his mind had convinced him you were. And your response proved it.

“Oh, you could have interrupted me! Do you maybe want to tell me the topics you do know? So we can start from there,” you suggested, tentatively but still with a soft tone.

Your kindness caught him off guard for a moment, making him wonder why you were being so nice despite how cold he’d always been. That wasn’t how things were supposed to go, not according to what his mind had prepared him for. You were supposed to laugh at him, get mad, yell even, and tell him loud and clear how stupid and hopeless he was. The sound of your voice calling his name snapped him out of his thoughts, making him realize that he still hadn’t answered you.

“Oh, uhm… yeah. Okay,” he quickly nodded.

That day, you two had the longest conversation you’d ever had in the last few months—even though it was about wars and past governments.

────

YOU AND HEESEUNG INEVITABLY STARTED TO SPEND MORE TIME TOGETHER, MEETING TWICE A WEEK FOR HIS TUTORING SESSIONS.

You weren’t expecting to magically form a friendship with him—you knew that wouldn’t be so easy. But still, you had noticed subtle changes in his behavior. For example, he started greeting you with an actual ‘hello’ instead of his usual nod. He would crack a small smile when you told jokes to ease the boring studying; and he would give you a small wave when crossing paths in the hallways.

To most people, these gestures would be considered completely normal. But for you—knowing how Heeseung used to be—they meant a lot more. And of course, your friends started to notice these changes too, and they were quick to question you.

“So, what’s the deal between you and Hee? Are you finally friends?” Jungwon was the first to bring up the topic during lunch.

“No, not really. But at least he doesn’t ignore me anymore. I think we’re getting a bit more familiar, but that’s about it,” you shrugged casually.

“Nothing else?” Sunoo mischievously wiggled his eyebrows, making you scoff and playfully roll your eyes.

“Nope. And I think you should watch fewer K-dramas. I’m saying this for your own good, really,” you teased with a smile.

“But seriously, that would make so much sense! I’m already envisioning the ‘grumpy x sunshine’ trope with you two. It would be so cute!” he clapped his hands in excitement.

“I think it’s a little too soon for that, but who knows? I don’t despise the idea, either,” Jake chimed in.

“Anyways, as you know, Heeseung is at home with the flu. Why don’t you go visit him?” Ni-Ki was quick to change the subject.

“What? Why me?” you furrowed your eyebrows in confusion.

Now, there was a tiny, little, minuscule detail you weren’t aware of. A few days before, the guys had had the same exact conversation with Heeseung, but the outcome had been surprising, to say the least. He pretty much said the same things as you—maybe a little drier—but what his long-standing friends were able to catch was how his ears turned a deep shade of red the moment you were mentioned, and the way he avoided eye contact with everybody for the entire conversation. And if that was normal behavior for him when interacting with other people, it certainly wasn’t with his group of friends. So, after picking up on these little hints, the guys concluded that Heeseung was most definitely developing a crush on you—and he probably wasn’t even aware of it himself yet. And that’s why Ni-Ki had made that suggestion.

“Because in this way, you can pass him your notes. Yours are way better than all of ours. Plus, it’s your chance to talk about the tutoring,” Jungwon was quick to intervene, hoping he was being convincing enough.

“Can’t I just leave them with you, and you’ll give them to him?” you reasoned.

“No!” Jake blurted out, making you flinch at the suddenness. “I mean, we can’t, because we all have training, you know?”

“But you—” you tried to protest, not fully convinced by their reasons.

“Just do us this favor, please! I’ll buy you ice cream tomorrow after school, deal?” Sunghoon cut you off, making you perk up at the proposition.

“Okay, deal. You know I can’t say no to free food,” you huffed, making the others cheer.

────

AND SO THAT’S HOW YOU ENDED UP STANDING IN FRONT OF HEESEUNG’S DOOR.

Were you supposed to ring the doorbell? What if he was sleeping? Or his parents were home? You would have sent him a text—if only your phone hadn’t run out of battery.

“Excuse me, do you need help?” a voice startled you from behind, cutting off your train of thought. Spinning around, you came face-to-face with a guy who looked a few years older than you—probably a college student.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I was about to ring the doorbell. I’m here for Heeseung,” you explained.

At the mention of the name, the stranger’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Heeseung? He’s sick right now… Wait, are you two friends or something?”

“Uh, not really. We’re classmates, but his friends are my friends too. I’m just here to drop off my notes for him,” you clarified.

“Oh, I see. Then, come on in!” He gave you a friendly smile and stepped aside to let you in. “Oh, right—I didn’t introduce myself! I’m Heeseung’s brother,” he added, showing you into the house.

“I’ll get him for you. He’s probably resting in his room.”

“Wait—I can leave the notes with you if you prefer. I don’t want to bother him if he’s not feeling well,” you suggested, feeling a pang of guilt at the thought of disrupting his sleep.

“Don’t worry; he’ll be happy to see you. I haven’t seen him with anyone who wasn’t one of the boys in a very long time…” he mumbled more to himself, but loud enough for you to catch. “Anyway, I’ll be right back!” He then jogged up the stairs, leaving you confused and alone in the living room.

As you waited awkwardly, you let your eyes wander around the space. The interior design looked modern and minimalistic, in shades of white and gray. It sure was aesthetically pleasing, giving the idea of something well-thought-out. Yet, it felt cold and somewhat impersonal. One thing you could immediately notice was the absence of any family portraits or personal items, although they could have been in another part of the house. After all, you didn’t know much about Heeseung’s life.

“Hey, ___! You can come upstairs!” His brother’s voice echoed down the stairs.

You found him standing by an open door. Inside, you could see Heeseung sitting up on his bed with his back against the headboard. He was wearing a gray hoodie, his hair was tousled, and he looked much paler than usual. But somehow, he still managed to look effortlessly good.

“Hi,” you greeted with a small smile, to which he replied with one of his usual nods.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice low and hoarse.

“The guys asked me to bring you my notes since they were too busy to do it themselves,” you explained, setting them down on his desk.

“Oh. Thanks,” he murmured.

“How are you feeling?” you asked with genuine concern.

“I’m already feeling better. It’s not that bad. I think I’ll be fine in a couple of days.”

“That’s good to hear,” you smiled in relief. “Well, I think I’ll head home then. I don’t want to disturb your rest any longer.”

Somehow, Heeseung didn’t like the thought of you leaving. Having you there with him made him feel a lot calmer and at ease.

“Wait!” He blurted out. “You can… stay for a while. If you want?”

“Uhm, yeah. Of course,” you nodded in surprise, feeling heat creeping up on your face.

You sat down in his desk chair and let your curiosity wander around his room. It was very minimalistic, and a bit empty, but with a personal touch—like a shelf of vinyl records you recognized, a gaming setup, and a collection of mechanical keyboards. But what you didn’t expect to see was a digital piano in one corner of the room.

“You play?” you asked, amazed, nodding toward the instrument.

He followed your gaze and smiled faintly. “Yeah. I’ve been playing since I was a kid. Do you play any instruments?”

His sudden openness threw you off for a second, but you quickly recovered and shook your head. “No, but I wish I could. I think it’s so cool.”

He was about to say something else when the sound of the front door slamming shut and of two people arguing made the both of you jump in fright. You soon made out the voices to be of a male and a female, probably his parents. Suddenly, you felt out of place and like you were intruding on something too private. You glanced at Heeseung and noticed how his expression had turned somber and his jaw had clenched. You could sense his discomfort, and that somehow made your heart ache. You didn’t know how to manage the situation, and the noise downstairs was only getting louder. That was until an idea popped up in your head.

“I saw you have some The Weeknd vinyls,” you pointed out, your voice breaking the tense silence.

“Huh? Oh, yeah. He’s one of my favorite artists,” he nodded, distracted.

“Mine too! Have you listened to his new album, yet? It just came out.”

“No, I haven’t had enough time. And then I got sick and completely forgot about it,” he sighed, then flinched when he heard his father’s voice increasing in volume.

“Why don’t we listen to it right now?” you suggested, offering him a genuine smile.

And he could sense it, all the sincerity in your words. There was no pity in your eyes—only concern and warmth. And that startled him. Because why were you being so kind and considerate when he had barely treated you like a friend?

There was a moment of silence between you two, in which you communicated with your eyes. His were expressing remorse, shame, and embarrassment, but also something more intimate. Something like a plea, a cry for help. Yours were trying to tell him that it was okay, that you were there, and that it wasn’t his fault. He was feeling too much, too overwhelmed and vulnerable under your compassionate gaze. He was sure that if he had tried to talk, his emotions would have betrayed him, making his voice shake. So he opted for vigorously nodding his head.

“My phone’s dead, though,” you admitted sheepishly.

He chuckled, causing you to almost loose your breath. It was the first time you’d seen him truly smile with you, not just his friends. And for some reason, it made you feel special.

“I’ll use mine. Come sit,” he patted the spot next to him.

And so, that’s how you spent the rest of the afternoon—listening to your favorite artist, while the bond between you two took a new turn.

────

HEESEUNG WASN’T OKAY, AND YOU COULDN’T FIGURE OUT WHY.

Over the past week, you noticed how his behavior abruptly shifted, going back to his cold and distant self. He started ignoring you, and ditching your tutoring session without even letting you know beforehand. If this had happened when you first met him, you wouldn’t have thought much about it. But after the past few weeks, where you had the opportunity to see a glimpse of who Lee Heeseung truly was—you couldn’t ignore it and pretend it was fine.

So, you tried asking your friends, but they were as clueless as you. Or so they pretended to be. You could sense they were hiding something from you, and you were determined to find it out.

“Is it maybe… because of his family?” you to let out hesitantly.

“Huh?! You know about it?!” Jake was the first one to jump at your question, pure bewilderment on his face.

“Wait—what? When? How? Did he willingly tell you?” it was now Jay’s turn to be shocked.

“How long have you known?” Jungwon questioned instead.

“What’s with these reactions?” you chuckled nervously. “Is it that crazy that I know about it?”

“Nobody has ever known outside of us. And even in our case, it took years before he told us.” Sunoo explained.

“So, how did you find out? And when?” Sunghoon pressed, eager to know the details.

“Well, he definitely didn’t tell me willingly… it was the day I went to visit him while he was sick—when you guys asked me to bring him my notes. I met his brother, by the way, and he showed me to Heeseung’s room. But after a few minutes, his parents came home and… well, I think you can imagine the rest.”

There was a moment of tense silence, before Jay finally spoke up again. “And what did you do after that?”

“I offered to listen to the new The Weeknd’s album with him since I saw he had one of his vinyls on the shelf. You know… the whole situation was pretty uncomfortable, and I just wanted to help.”

“That’s what happened, then. That’s why your friendship seemed to develop out of the blue.” Sunghoon pointed out.

“Yeah, I guess so. But now, are you going to tell me what’s going on with him?”

At first, no one dared to speak, and you could see the hesitation all over their faces. It was Jungwon to finally find the courage to spit it out. “His parents are getting a divorce.”

After school, you decided to head to the convenience store near your neighborhood, and went straight to your favorite aisle: ramyeon. You were scanning the different packages, pondering over which one you were craving the most, when you noticed a figure stopping dead in their tracks. You turned towards the person, and your gaze met a very familiar one.

“Hee?” you whispered, your eyebrows raised in surprise and your eyes flashing with recognition and longing, throwing him off guard.

He didn’t move and didn’t say anything, he just kept staring at you with an unreadable look. But you could still see the fatigue and sadness in his features. His eyes looked almost empty, the dark circles underneath them a clear proof of how little he must have been sleeping, and they didn’t have that particular spark you had recently started to get used to.

“I—” he tried to mumble something, but the words died down in his throat.

He couldn’t understand what was happening to him, why his body was reacting that way upon seeing you. He felt paralyzed, and a sudden urge to cry. Plus, the way you were looking at him—so soft and caring—made him want to run away, and at the same time, to clutch to you like you were his lifeline.

“Are you busy?” You broke the silence. “I was about to buy some ramyeon, wanna join me?”

Your smile was so genuine and full of affection that he couldn’t bring himself to refuse. So he just nodded his head, still unable to properly talk, and slowly approached you. You ate in a comfortable silence at one of the convenience store’s tables, until Heeseung finally found the courage to break it.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, his eyes still fixed on his food.

“It’s alright,” you smiled reassuringly, although he wasn’t able to see it.

“It’s really not,” he let out a deep breath, head hanging low.

“I know, but it will be,” you reached out to place a hand on his arm, but only for a few seconds, afraid it would make him uncomfortable.

Little did you know, your fleeting touch set his heart on fire and made him crave more. Then, realization hit him.

“You know…” he barely let out.

“I guess I do…” you admitted carefully. Seeing his muscles tense, you quickly felt the need to reassure him. “Look, I’m not going to beg you to talk to me or open up. I just want to be there for you, even if we’ll end up in silence like this. Just… don’t shut me out, please,” your voice gradually dropping.

He stayed quiet for a long moment, trying to process your words. “Okay… I promise.” he finally looked you in the eyes. “Also, I’m sorry for skipping the last few days of tutoring without saying anything… we could go to my place after this and study for a bit. If you are free…”

“Are you sure?” you double-checked, a hint of surprise in your voice.

“Yeah, I owe you.” he nodded with resolution.

“You don’t owe me anything, silly. But if you insist, then let’s do it!” you grinned, successfully causing a small tug at the corner of his lips.

────

AS SOON AS YOU STEPPED INTO HEESEUNG’S HOUSE, YOU WERE GREETED BY THE SIGHT OF HIS PARENTS ANGRILY STARING AT THE BOTH OF YOU.

“Oh, so that’s what you’ve been up to? Messing around while you let your grades drop and make us worry where you disappear to all day?!” his mother snapped at him, sending a disgusted look at your way in the process.

“Please, not now,” he lowly mumbled, only fueling their nervousness.

“Not now?” It was now his father’s turn to spit venom to his son. “Then when? When it’s too late, and you’ll be a high school drop out? We told you, we don’t want a failure in our house!”

You immediately glanced at Heeseung out of concern, but his expression was unreadable.

“Why did you bring a girl home anyway? Thought we wouldn’t be here?” the woman humorlessly chuckled.

“We’re here to study…” Heeseung mumbled in embarrassment, his gaze fixed on the ground.

“Study? With a girl? Seriously, do you think we’re stupid?” the man took a few steps forward, his gaze dark with pure resentment.

You immediately took ahold of Heeseung’s hand, squeezing it reassuringly. And he squeezed back even harder.

“Yeah, you’re right. We didn’t actually want to study, so we’ll leave now,” he let out in defeat, dragging you out of the house and leaving behind his parents’ yelling.

The two of you roamed the streets in complete silence, letting the cool evening air hit you. It wasn’t long until you realized you were nearing your neighborhood.

“Wanna crash at mine tonight?” you broke the silence, turning your head to the side to look at him.

“I can’t…” he shook his head.

“Why not?”

“What about your parents?” his eyebrows furrowed in concern.

“My dad’s super chill. He’ll understand, don’t worry,” you smiled reassuringly, squeezing his hand once again.

“Okay…” he finally gave in, stroking his thumb against your knuckles.

“I’m home!” you called out, closing your front door behind you and gesturing for Heeseung to follow you.

“Sweetheart, why did it take you so long? I was starting to—“ your father’s voice trailed off as he took notice of the boy standing awkwardly next to you. “And who is this?” he asked with curiosity.

“This is my friend, Heeseung. The one I’ve been tutoring, remember?” you explained, and Heeseung tried to hide his surprise upon hearing that you had mentioned him before to your dad.

“Ohh, right! Nice to meet you!” The man grinned at Heeseung, catching him off guard. “Are you joining us for dinner?”

He hesitated, but you were quick to explain the situation on his behalf. “Actually, I wanted to ask if he could spend the night here. It’s because of… some serious personal stuff going on.”

“You want a boy to stay over?” your dad squinted in suspicion at the both of you, but there was no harshness in his tone.

“I’m really sorry to bother you, sir,” the boy was quick to apologize, slowly getting flustered. “I completely understand if you don’t want me to. I can find another place to go—“

“Let me ask you one thing, Heeseung,” your father smiled calmly.

“Of course, sir,” he nodded solemnly, almost holding his breath in anticipation.

“Are you perhaps my daughter’s… how do they call it now… Oh, right! Are you in a ‘situationship’ with my ___?” the man bluntly questioned with an amused look, making the two of you almost choke on your own saliva.

“Dad?!” you exclaimed, flustered, perfectly knowing he was trying to mess with the two of you.

“No, sir!” Heeseung was quick to clarify, the tip of his ears turning crimson. “We’re just friends. We hang out with the same group of people, that’s it.”

Your dad knowingly smirked at your reactions, and nodded in satisfaction. “Good. Well, what are you waiting for, ___? Show him the guest room!”

“Really?! Thank you so much, dad!” your eyes lighted up, and you rushed over to give him a quick hug.

“Yeah, yeah,” he waved her off, sending Heeseung a sly wink.

During dinner, your father asked Heeseung a few casual questions, just to get to know him a little better, and then, decided to give you some privacy. From the living room, he stopped a few minutes to observe the two of you—like how you spoke to and looked at one another. It was all clear to him. You were the only clueless ones. That’s why, when you left to the bathroom, the man used it as an opportunity to talk more sincerely to your friend.

“You look exhausted, boy. Have you been sleeping properly?” He showed genuine concern, something Heeseung hadn’t felt in a long time.

“Not really. Recently, it’s been rough at home…” he decided to open up, feeling as at ease as he would usually be in your presence.

“I’m really sorry to hear that. Is there something I can do to help you?” he offered with sincerity, making Heeseung heart swell.

“This is all I need right now. Just… having someone who cares and worries about me,” he lowered his head, feeling vulnerable for saying it out loud.

“You know, my ___ is so precious to me, she’s all I have left. But I wouldn’t mind helping someone else out, what do you think?” he chuckled lightly, patting the guy’s shoulder in affection. “Pretend I never told you this, but ___ talks a lot about you. I remember when she would complain about you ignoring her, and then it all shifted to her coming home saying how worried she was and wondering what she could do to make you feel better. She really cares about you.”

“I care a lot, too…” he mumbled, a bit embarrassed.

“So… you like her, right?” the man lightly smirked, causing Heeseung to panic.

“What? No! I swear we’re just friends…” he tried to deny it, but his completely flustered state betrayed him.

“Don’t lie to me, boy,” he chuckled I amusement. “I have enough experience to know the difference between a love-struck look and a platonic one.” Then his tone softened, and turned serious. “It’s okay if you do. I approve of you, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“It’s not that… I mean, thank you for trusting me,” he let out a shy laugh. “But… I’m not sure, yet. I’m dealing with a lot right now, and my emotions are all over the place. That’s why I’m keeping my distance—romantically speaking. I don’t want to involuntarily hurt her. So I’ll stay as a friend, and with time I hope I’ll be able to figure it all out.”

“I understand. Take your time, son. You’re a good guy, I hope things will get better soon.”

“Thank you, it means a lot,” Heeseung nodded, his voice full of gratitude.

────

YOU WERE READY TO GO TO BED, ALREADY TUCKED IN YOUR WARM COVERS, WHEN YOU SUDDENLY HEARD A SOFT KNOCK AT YOUR BEDROOM DOOR.

“Come in,” you called out.

Heeseung stood awkwardly by the door, fidgeting with his hands.

“Hee, what are you doing here?” you whispered softly, sitting up.

“Sorry… did I wake you?” he asked quietly, and you could see the distress on his features.

“No, you didn’t. Is something wrong?”

“I can’t sleep… sorry, it sounds so stupid. I didn’t mean to bother you, I’ll just go—" he started to ramble, already taking a step back.

“Stay,” you quickly interrupted him.

“Huh?”

“Come here.” You patted the empty space next to you on the bed.

He hesitated at first, but he soon found himself adjusting under your covers with his back pressed on the headboard.

“What’s wrong, Hee?” you turned to face him, observing his side profile.

Before he could even process it, a few tears fell from his doe eyes, followed by many more, until he was shaken by uncontrollable sobs. He quickly covered his face with his hands, feeling too ashamed. You were caught off guard, but instinctively wrapped your arms around him, pulling him close. You then moved his head to rest on your chest, and delicately combed your hand through his hair. You let him pour everything out, while he clutched your waist as if you could disappear at any moment.

When he calmed down and finally lifted his head, he tried to avoid your gaze at all costs. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to—"

“Why are you apologizing? Are you feeling a bit better now?” you slowly raised a hand to his face, drying the last few tears with your thumb.

“Yeah, but I wet your shirt,” he mumbled in embarrassment, causing you to chuckle endearingly, and brush his hair back.

“You can cry on me anytime, Hee,” you replied with honesty.

He stopped to think for a second, and wondered what he had done to deserve someone like you in his life. “Why have you always been so nice to me?” He blurted out, unable to wrap his head around it. “Even when I barely spoke to you?”

You smiled, subconsciously shifting closer. “Because I knew there was more to you than what you were showing. An example was seeing you with your friends: you are a completely different person with them.”

Heeseung’s cheeks flushed. “I’m sorry about that, by the way.”

“Stop apologizing,” you shook your head.

“I can’t, I feel like everything is my fault… always,” he barely whispered, his eyes turning sad and making your heart ache.

“It’s not your fault,” you stated firmly. “Like it’s not true that you are a failure, or that you’ll become one. It’s not academics that make you a better person, but what you carry inside. And after getting to know you, I can confidently say that you’re an amazing person. And a great friend, too.”

“You don’t have to say it just to make me feel better…” he tried to deflect your kind words.

“You’re considerate. You always show how much you care about your friends through your gestures. You’re pure—your intention and your thoughts have no malice, ever. You are passionate and so talented in basketball and music, I’m always left speechless when I see you in your element. I always find your presence comforting, and I feel at ease with you. But most importantly, you make people feel safe, Heeseung. That’s one of the best qualities to have.”

Upon hearing your words, he swore his heart was about to burst out of his rib cage, and he could feel tears pricking at his eyes. Without thinking, he pulled you in a tight embrace, shifting your body to lay on top of his.

“You’re unbelievable,” he whispered in your ear, his warm breath sending goosebumps through your back.

“I’m just telling the truth,” you whispered back.

“Thank you, you’re an angel.”

You chuckled, and left a small kiss on his temple.

“Can I stay here for a little longer?”

“As long as you want.”

────

“DUDE, YOU HAVE TO SHOOT YOUR SHOT AFTER THIS,” JAY’S EXCITED VOICE RANG THROUGH THE LIVING ROOM.

Heeseung’s friends were all gathered at his apartment for a movie night. While waiting for you to arrive—since you were stuck in traffic—they had successfully pressured Heeseung into spilling what they’d been dying to hear all along.

“Like, you slept together and even met her dad?!?!” Sunoo repeated with wide eyes.

“Not together, just in the same bed,” Heeseung tried to explain, but his friends were way too excited to hear what he was saying.

“On a serious note, though, you have a huge chance with her. If you like her, go for it,” Jay honestly advised.

“Starting tonight,” Jungwon added, a sly glint in his eyes. “Sit next to her, and when the time’s right, just start cuddling.” He wiggled his eyebrows.

“I’m not going to do that,” Heeseung chocked out, the tips of his ears turning bright red.

“Why not?” Ni-Ki teased. “Are you shy?”

“I mean… the last girl I dated turned out to be one of my worst nightmares. And I don’t know what I truly feel. I don’t want to lead her on,” Heeseung confessed honestly.

“First of all, ___ is not your ex—that girl was truly insane,” Jungwon replied promptly.

“And what do you mean you don’t know how you feel? Bro, you talk nonstop about her,” Jake added with an exasperated sigh, followed suit by Sunghoon. “And you look at her like a lovesick puppy. Seriously, you make me nauseous sometimes.”

Heeseung bashfully cleared his throat, struggling to defend himself, but before he could reply, the sound of the doorbell saved him from further teasing.

There you were, making your entrance with your usual bright smile lighting up the whole room. Heeseung’s heart skipped a beat as he watched you greet everyone, and side hug Ni-Ki. They all knew Ni-Ki was your favorite—you adored him like a little brother.

Then, your attention finally shifted to Heeseung, and he could swear your smile got even wider. You waved, but your brows instantly furrowed in concern the moment you noticed his flushed cheeks.

“Hey, Hee. You okay? You look really flustered. Are you sick?” you asked, stepping closer with concern etched on your face.

The others exchanged amused glances, while Heeseung’s ears turned even redder.

“Uh.. no, yes—yeah, I’m okay,” Heeseung stammered, overwhelmed by the sight of you, your proximity, your attention solely focused on him, and his friends not-so-quietly snickering in the background.

You moved even closer, stopping only a few centimeters away. “You sure? Let me see—“ You raised your hand and gently placed it on his forehead to check his temperature.

“You’re quite warm,” you stated, locking eyes with him. “Are you sure you’re not sick?”

Heeseung got weak in the knees because of your gaze. He softly grasped your wrist, lowering your hand but not letting it go. You confusedly glanced between him and the others, not knowing what to do.

“Hee?” you called out tentatively, snapping him out of his trance.

“What—oh! I’m sorry,” he muttered, releasing your hand as he scratched the back of his neck out of embarrassment. “I’m fine, just a bit warm from the heater. You know?” He awkwardly chuckled.

You looked at him, unconvinced, but decided to let it slide. “Okay, if you say so…”

You then moved to the couch, where the others were already setting up the snacks and getting the tv ready for the first movie of the night. Heeseung silently followed you and swiftly plopped down on the couch, leaving one last free seat next to him. In his mind, he started praying you would sit right there. And maybe, that night, luck was on his side.

“Can I sit here?” you softly asked, standing in front of him with a bowl of popcorn in your hands.

“Sure, come here,” he smiled, patting the spot next to him.

You nodded, and Heeseung took the bowl from your hands, placing it on his lap.

“Let me hold this, so you can be more comfortable.”

You looked at him with a glint of surprise in your eyes and smiled gratefully. “Oh, sure. Thanks.”

The movie started, and Heeseung tried his best to stay focused on the animations on the screen. Unfortunately, his effort were in vain as soon as his gaze wandered to your focused face. Every time you lightly giggled at something funny, his heart would skip a beat. The same thing happened when you moved slightly in your seat to get more comfortable, your knees and shoulders brushing against his. Since the lights in the living room were turned off, his crimson ears went unnoticed, but his stiff posture didn’t.

You slowly turned toward him, leaning in just enough to whisper in his ear without disturbing the others. “Are you sure you’re okay? You look really tense,” you asked, your voice laced with concern.

Your warm breath fanned on his neck, sending a wave of tingles down his spine. He had to muster all his self-control not to let out a groan of frustration.

He faced you as well, locking eyes. “Yeah… just thinking,” he trailed off, fidgeting with his hands.

“Is it because of… you know?” you tentatively asked, not wanting to bluntly refer to his family issues.

The look he gave you was so full of fondness that your heart skipped a beat. “That… and other stuff,” he admitted. “But don’t worry, having you here next to me makes everything fade away.” He smirked faintly, but you could see the honesty in his eyes.

“Oh yeah?” you chuckled, taken aback. “Then I’m glad to be right here, right now.”

In a bold move, you leaned into his side, resting your head on his shoulder. You sensed his muscles tense for a second before he quickly swung his arm around your shoulders, pulling you closer and allowing your head to rest on his chest. Then, he began rubbing your arm gently, leaning closer to whisper in your ear.

“I saw you shivering. You could have told me you were cold. I would have cuddled with you earlier.”

You didn’t miss the teasing tone in his voice, and you let out a surprised chuckled. You were pleasantly surprised upon seeing this bolder version of Heeseung.

“Next time I’ll let you know sooner,” you sweetly murmured back, draping an arm around his waist and snuggling closer to his chest.

Being so close—and with your ear pressed against his chest—you could perfectly hear his fast heartbeat. It soothed you and reassured you, since yours was at the same speed.

Unbeknownst to the both of you, your friends had been silently watching your interaction, exchanging amused glances and giggling quietly in near victory. Heeseung was slowly growing more confident, and that was all that mattered to them. Despite their endless teasing, they wanted nothing more than to see their two friends finally happy together.

When the first movie ended—and everyone took it as a chance to take a break—Heeseung delicately removed his arm from around your shoulders, causing you to sit up straight, too.

“___, can I tell you something?” His voice was low, almost hesitant.

You nodded, feeling the sudden nervousness in his tone. You knew Heeseung wasn’t the type to open up easily, so whenever he did, it was always something important.

“Let’s go out to the balcony for a moment, yeah?” he suggested.

“Sure.”

He took your hand and led you to the glass door, stepping into the cool night air.

“I…” Heeseung sighed, looking away from you. “I want to be honest with you. I’m not sure of a lot of things—including my feelings. But whatever it is I feel when I’m with you, it makes me… a little more sure of what it could all mean.” He finally looked at you, his eyes full of uncertainty and rawness. “I care about you. A lot. And I don’t want to ever hurt you.”

Your heart fluttered at his words as you gazed at him with pure adoration, making his knees feel weak.

You took a step closer, the tip of your noses almost brushing against one another. “Heeseung…” you whispered. “You don’t need to have everything figured out right now. I’m happy enough to be with you, however you need me.”

Without thinking, you cupped his cheek and placed a soft kiss—a little too close to the corner of his mouth. Heeseung’s breath itched in his throat, making you faintly smirk up at him with a mischievous glint in your eyes. His face was flushed, but his gaze held an intensity you had never seen before.

“Don’t be a tease,” he huffed out a laugh, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear.

In return, you leaned in even closer, so close you could feel his warm breath against your lips. The longer you stayed in that position—your gazes flicking back and forth between each other’s lips and eyes—the quicker his breathing became. His eyes were almost pleading you to do something—anything.

You softly brushed a strand of hair from his face, making him shiver and instinctively close his eyes with a strained sigh. “What do you want, Hee?” you cooed, your voice laced with a playful teasing tone.

As if something finally snapped inside of him, Heeseung firmly yet gently grasped your hips, pulling you flush against his chest. “You’re a menace,” he muttered lowly, his lips too close to yours.

Then your teasing gaze softened as you wrapped your arms loosely around his neck. “Seriously, though. There’s no pressure. Take all the time you need, I’m not going anywhere.”

He smiled, full of gratitude, reaching for your face to stroke it affectionately. “I know. And I really appreciate it. Thank you.”

For a few more minutes, you stayed like that, basking in each other’s presence and feeling the quiet shift in your bond.

However, the peaceful and intimate moment was interrupted by the loud, teasing voice of Sunghoon coming from the glass door. “Lovebirds! The next movie is about to start. Are you coming or what?” He smirked playfully while the others peeked over his shoulders with equally mischievous grins.

“Were you spying on us?” you giggled, unable to be annoyed at them.

“Yes,” Jake nodded without hesitation. “By the way, we saw the way you two were looking at each other,” he wiggled his eyebrows in a suggestive manner, making you and Heeseung inevitably flustered.

“Seriously,” Jungwon added with a knowing smirk. “You’re so lovesick it’s almost nauseating. If you’re gonna put us through this, at least do it right and stop being so shy about it.”

Your eyes widened at his boldness. “Hey! Nobody forced you to spy on us!” You exclaimed, playfully pointing an accusatory finger at him.

Next to you, Heeseung was practically frozen, too embarrassed to utter a single word. He leaned closer to your ear, his voice low and uncertain. “I swear, I didn’t mean for them to see…”

You glanced at him, waving him off with a reassuring grin. “Don’t worry about it. They’re just being idiots.”

“Yeah,” he muttered under his breath, while his hand—still resting on your waist—nervously traced imaginary patterns on your hip.

You didn’t mind your friends’ teasing—you knew it was their own way of showing their affection. But you also knew that Heeseung was still not used to being so open about his feelings. You could clearly sense the uneasiness in his stance, and wanted nothing more than to end it for him.

“Guys, I promise we’re just friends, for now. If it changes, you’ll be the first to know. Deal?” you said with a smirk, though you couldn’t hide the warmth on your cheeks.

Jay raised an eyebrow. “For now, huh? Okay, okay. That’s good enough, I guess…” He then winked at Heeseung. “Glad you’re finally stepping up your game, man.”

Heeseung groaned loudly, letting his head fall onto your shoulder to hide his embarrassment. You couldn’t help but laugh with endearment at the way he was reacting.

“You guys are the worst,” you scoffed, shaking your head while softly caressing Heeseung’s hair.

You eventually went back inside, watching the next movie in each other’s arms. Thankfully, your friends refrained from further, and Heeseung seemed to be more relaxed. You were both still figuring things out, but there was no rush. Whatever it was between the two of you, you were happy with how things were developing—slowly, but steadily.

────

THE NEXT TIME YOU HUNG OUT WITH THE GROUP WAS ON A PARTY ON FRIDAY, HOSTED BY ONE OF THEIR MANY FRIENDS.

As you stepped inside, the house was already packed with people, the loud music almost making your ears ring, and the strong smell of alcohol lingering in the air. Looking ahead, you immediately found Heeseung’s gaze already trained on your figure from across the room.

On cue, the others noticed you as well, and Jake was the first one to stroll over with a big, warm grin.

“You made it!” he exclaimed happily, throwing an arm around your shoulders to lead you to where the group was gathered. Your eyes drift back to Heeseung, and you could notice a new glint in his eyes. His jaw was set, and his brows were furrowed as he sent daggers toward his best friend.

And you quickly realized why: Jake still had his arm loosely around your shoulders. You smirked in amusement, while an idea popped in your head. Without once breaking eye contact with Heeseung, you looped your arm around Jake’s waist, watching attentively how his eyes grew darker.

Ever since your intimate moment during the movie night, you and Heeseung became even closer, flirting at any given moment and almost acting like a real couple. At this point you had no doubt that he felt exactly the same way, but you knew he was scared. So you thought that maybe a little push could help him out.

Jake noticed your exchange, and huffed in amusement. “You’re a menace. Don’t let him beat me up, please,” he leaned closer to your ear, so that you could hear him over the loud music, but also giving in to your little plan. Next thing you knew, Heeseung was abruptly leaving the group and heading towards the kitchen.

You followed him with your eyes, taking in the sight of him. There was something in the way he moved—or even just stood still—that brought all the attention to him. He was eye-catching, impossible to miss even in such a crowded place.

Jake nudged your side, drawing your attention back to him. “Go,” he said with an amused grin. “Before he’ll loose his mind and take it out on me.”

You laughed, and quickly thanked him for playing along before heading toward the kitchen.

There he was, leaning against the counter with a drink in his hand, his sharp gaze still fixed on the spot where you and Jake had been just moments before.

You leaned beside him, your elbow resting on the marble countertop as you looked up at him with a sly smile.

“Having fun?” he asked, tone sharp and jaw set tight as his gaze focused on a random corner of the room.

You laughed softly, shrugging. “I guess I am.” You then gently grasped his chin, tilting his head so that your eyes could meet. “But I bet I would have way more fun with you.”

His facade cracked immediately, proving how much control you had over him. His eyes were wide and the tips of his ears were turning crimson.

“You… you can’t just say things like that,” he muttered, brushing his hair out of his face in frustration.

You smirked, leaning closer to his ear. “Why not?”

That was it.

In one swift motion, Heeseung spun you around, pinning you against the counter. His hands firmly gripped your waist, and you responded immediately by grabbing the collar of his shirt to pull him closer until your chests were touching.

“Because it’s hard to resist you when you do,” he murmured, voice husky and eyes hooded as they dropped on your slightly parted lips.

Your heart swelled at his words, and now it was your turn to feel heat creeping up your neck. Heeseung had no idea how much power he had over you as well.

But then his gaze softened, and he reached up to gently stroke your cheek. “Can I tell you something?” he asked, his voice much quieter.

“Of course,” you nodded.

“I’ve been thinking a lot about… us,” he began, his tone a bit hesitant as he tried to put his thoughts into words, contrasting the bold actions of a few moments before. “And I just—I think…no, I’m sure I’ve fallen for you.” His voice was charged with vulnerability, something you weren’t quite used to but that you didn’t mind in the slightest. “It’s so scary,” he continued, admitting it in a bashful whisper. “But I can’t keep pretending I don’t feel… like I’m on fire whenever you’re near. I don’t want to push you away anymore.”

Your breath caught in your throat. Those were the words you had been waiting to hear for so long. A smile tugged at the corner of your lips. “I’ve fallen for you, too,” you confessed softly.

Relief washed over Heeseung’s face as he cupped your face. “I’m ready,” he said firmly, looking in your eyes with the love and resolution. “If you’re okay with it, I’m ready.”

Your heart threatened to burst out of your ribcage, but you tried to kept your composure, nodding with a bright smile. “Of course, Hee. It’s more than okay.”

For the first time, there were no more unspoken words, no more hesitation, no more running away. It was finally you and him, and what the future would hold for you.

────

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blindmortal · 10 days ago

Text

playful banter?? office romance?? rivals to lovers?? i am on my knees for you

Love on The Line - LHS

pairing: lee heeseung x f!reader summary: At BrightSpark Solutions, your rivalry with the playful Heeseung turns into unexpected sparks during a high-profile project. Between late-night brainstorming, office pranks, and your brother’s matchmaking antics, love starts to bloom in the chaos. warnings: includes kissing, playful flirting, tension, bickering, teasing, playful banter, reader has a younger brother and he calls her "Noona" genre: romance, co-workers to lovers wc: 14.6k

likes and reblogs are highly appreciated!

The fluorescent lights of the BrightSpark Solutions conference room buzzed softly as the clock struck 10 a.m. You sat at the large glass table, fingers laced neatly in front of you, a small stack of notes by your side. The morning coffee rush had left the faint scent of vanilla lattes and caramel macchiatos lingering in the air, but you were too focused to notice. Across the table sat Lee Heeseung, leaning back in his chair with a relaxed smirk playing on his lips, a complete contrast to your poised demeanor.

The weekly team meeting had always been competitive, but today was different. The stakes were higher. Manager Kim had dropped the bombshell just a day earlier—a high-profile client was considering hiring BrightSpark to handle their next major marketing campaign, and the responsibility of landing the deal would likely fall on whoever impressed him the most during today’s meeting.

You weren’t about to let Heeseung, your biggest rival, take that win.

“Alright, let’s get started,” Manager Kim announced, his authoritative voice cutting through the murmurs. He adjusted his glasses, glancing around the room. “As you all know, this potential client could be a game-changer for us. I want to hear your ideas. Impress me.”

You cleared your throat and stood, clutching the edge of your laptop. “I’d like to go first.”

“Of course you would,” Heeseung quipped, leaning forward slightly, the corners of his lips twitching in amusement.

Ignoring him, you clicked on the first slide of your presentation. “My concept focuses on storytelling. This campaign isn’t just about selling a product; it’s about connecting emotionally with the target audience. I’ve outlined a multi-platform strategy to build a narrative that resonates with them.”

You went on to explain your vision, your voice steady and confident. The room was quiet, except for the soft tapping of someone taking notes. Manager Kim nodded occasionally, his expression unreadable.

As you finished your presentation, you glanced briefly at Heeseung. His smirk was gone, replaced with a raised brow and a look of mild interest.

“Thank you,” Manager Kim said as you sat down. “Heeseung, you’re up.”

Heeseung stood with a casual air, pushing his chair back with his foot and sauntering to the front of the room. He didn’t even bother with notes; he simply pulled up his presentation, hands in his pockets as he addressed the room.

“My approach is simple,” he began, his voice smooth and confident. “People don’t want to feel like they’re being sold something, they want to feel involved. This campaign should be interactive, something that makes the audience feel like they’re part of the brand.”

His presentation was polished, and his ideas were bold and innovative. You hated to admit it, but he had a way of commanding attention effortlessly. The way he gestured, his sharp wit, and his subtle confidence was infuriating how good he was at this.

As he wrapped up, he shot you a quick glance, his smirk back in full force. You looked away, frowning slightly.

“Both excellent ideas,” Manager Kim said, his hands clasped in front of him. “But I think this project requires something a little… extra. That’s why I’m assigning both of you to work on it together.”

Your heart sank.

“What?” you blurted, your voice soft but incredulous.

“Sir, with all due respect,” Heeseung began, trying to hide his own surprise.

Manager Kim raised a hand to cut him off. “You’re both BrightSpark’s best. This client is too important to risk on just one perspective. I want both of you on this.”

You exchanged a quick glance with Heeseung, who looked equally displeased.

“This isn’t up for discussion,” Manager Kim added. “I expect results. You’ll have your first joint brainstorming session tomorrow morning. Dismissed.”

Back at your desk, you buried your head in your hands, groaning softly.

“I’m guessing the meeting didn’t go as planned?” Chaewon’s voice came from beside you.

You glanced up to see your best friend leaning against your desk, her auburn hair tied into a short ponytail. She held a cup of coffee in one hand and a knowing smile in the other.

“Manager Kim wants me to work with Heeseung on the campaign,” you muttered.

Chaewon’s eyes widened. “What? Him?” She slid into the empty chair beside you. “This is going to be so entertaining.”

“For who? Because it’s definitely not me,” you grumbled.

“Oh, come on,” Chaewon teased, nudging your shoulder. “It’s not like he’s terrible to look at. And admit it, you secretly like how much attention he gives you.”

Your cheeks flushed. “He does not give me attention. He’s just, ugh, Heeseung!”

Chaewon laughed, clearly enjoying your misery. “You know, the way he argues with you all the time? Classic flirting behavior.”

You shook your head, refusing to let her words get to you. “It’s not flirting. Heeseung just likes to win.”

“Mm-hmm,” she said, clearly unconvinced.

Meanwhile, across the office, Heeseung was slouched at his desk, tossing a stress ball in the air. Jay perched on the edge of the desk, watching him with amusement.

“So,” Jay said, dragging out the word, “you’re working with her now?”

“Don’t remind me,” Heeseung muttered, catching the ball and squeezing it in frustration. “She’s so annoyingly perfect all the time.”

Jay raised an eyebrow. “Perfect? That’s an interesting word choice.”

“You know what I mean,” Heeseung said quickly. “She’s always so calm, so composed. Like nothing ever rattles her. It’s infuriating.”

Jay smirked. “Right. Infuriating. And the fact that you bring her up in every conversation has nothing to do with the fact that you like her?”

Heeseung scoffed. “I don’t like her. I just…” He trailed off, searching for the right words. “She’s… competitive. It’s fun to challenge her, that’s all.”

“Sure, sure,” Jay said, clearly unconvinced.

“Besides,” Heeseung continued, tossing the stress ball back into the air, “she probably hates me.”

Jay laughed. “Hates you? Dude, she wouldn’t argue with you so much if she didn’t care. Trust me, she likes you.”

Heeseung frowned, his mind drifting back to the way you’d looked at him during the meeting—frustrated, sure, but there had been something else in your eyes. He quickly shook the thought away.

As the day dragged on, you tried to focus on your other tasks, but your thoughts kept drifting back to the campaign, and to Heeseung.

How were you supposed to work with him? He was charming, sure, but also insufferable. Every interaction with him felt like a battle, and yet, there was something oddly exhilarating about it.

“Stop overthinking,” you muttered to yourself, pushing the thoughts aside. Tomorrow was going to be a long day, and you needed to be prepared.

The next morning, you arrived at the office earlier than usual, determined to set the tone for your first brainstorming session with Heeseung. Armed with neatly typed notes and a freshly brewed coffee, you claimed one of the small meeting rooms. The space was bright and organized, with a whiteboard on one wall and a sleek table in the center. You placed your materials in the exact center of the table, ensuring everything was perfectly aligned.

Ten minutes later, the door swung open, and Heeseung strolled in, late as usual. He carried nothing but a pen tucked behind his ear and an air of casual arrogance that immediately set your teeth on edge.

“You’re late,” you said, glancing pointedly at the clock.

“Fashionably late,” Heeseung replied, flashing you a grin. “You didn’t miss me that much, did you?”

You ignored the comment, gesturing toward the seat across from you. “Let’s get started.”

Instead of sitting where you’d indicated, Heeseung plopped into the chair right next to you.

“What are you doing?” you asked, narrowing your eyes.

“Sitting,” he said innocently. “Why? Do you have assigned seating too, Ms. Control Freak?”

Your jaw tightened. “I am not a control freak.”

“You’re totally a control freak,” he said, smirking as he leaned back in his chair. “Look at this.” He gestured toward the neatly arranged notes in front of you. “Your papers are color-coded, for crying out loud.”

“It’s called being prepared,” you shot back. “You should try it sometime instead of showing up with nothing but that ridiculous smirk.”

“Ouch.” Heeseung placed a hand over his heart in mock offense. “You wound me.”

You rolled your eyes, but you couldn’t help the small smile tugging at your lips. Despite his infuriating demeanor, there was something oddly endearing about how easily he got under your skin.

The session quickly turned into a battle of wills.

“We should focus on a digital-first approach,” you argued, jotting ideas onto the whiteboard. “The client’s audience is primarily online, so that’s where we need to meet them.”

Heeseung leaned back in his chair, twirling his pen between his fingers. “Sure, but that’s obvious. If we want to stand out, we need to do something unexpected. How about guerrilla marketing? Something bold and interactive.”

“Interactive campaigns are risky,” you countered, turning to face him. “What if it flops? We’d waste the client’s budget.”

He shrugged. “Sometimes you have to take risks. Not that you’d know anything about that, Ms. Play-It-Safe.”

You crossed your arms, glaring at him. “And sometimes you need to be practical, Mr. Half-Baked-Ideas.”

For a moment, the two of you simply stared at each other, the air between you crackling with tension. Finally, Heeseung broke the silence with a chuckle.

“You’re really something, you know that?”

“Is that your way of admitting I’m right?” you asked, raising an eyebrow.

He shook his head, still smiling. “Not a chance.”

Just as you were about to fire back a retort, a small voice called out from the doorway.

“Noona!”

Your heart melted instantly as you turned to see your younger brother, Minjun, standing in the doorway with a wide grin. He was clutching a small stuffed bear in one hand, his backpack slung haphazardly over one shoulder.

“Minjun?” you said, surprised. “What are you doing here?”

“Mom had a meeting nearby, so she said I could come see you after school,” he explained, walking into the room. He paused when he noticed Heeseung, his big, curious eyes taking in the stranger.

“Who’s that?” Minjun asked, pointing at Heeseung.

Heeseung smiled, leaning down to Minjun’s level. “I’m Heeseung. And you must be Minjun, right?”

Minjun nodded, looking delighted. “How did you know my name?”

“She talks about you all the time,” Heeseung said, shooting you a sly glance.

You felt your cheeks heat up. “I do not.”

“Yes, you do,” Heeseung said with a laugh.

Before you could argue, Minjun walked up to Heeseung and held out his hand. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Heeseung.”

Heeseung grinned and shook the tiny hand, his usual teasing expression softening. “Nice to meet you too, Minjun.”

To your utter surprise, Minjun didn’t let go of Heeseung’s hand. Instead, he tugged on it, looking up at him with wide eyes. “Do you work with my Noona?”

“I do,” Heeseung said.

“Is she a good worker?” Minjun asked, tilting his head.

Heeseung laughed, glancing at you. “She’s… very good at what she does.”

“See, Minjun?” you said, ruffling his hair. “Even Heeseung can admit I’m good at my job.”

Minjun nodded seriously, still holding onto Heeseung’s hand. “I like you,” he declared.

You blinked in shock. “Minjun!”

“What?” Minjun said innocently. “He’s nice.”

Heeseung chuckled, his ears turning slightly pink. “Thanks, buddy. I like you too.”

Minjun’s unexpected visit completely derailed the rest of the meeting. He insisted on sitting on your lap while you worked, occasionally chiming in with his own “ideas” for the campaign, which mostly involved adding superheroes and dinosaurs.

Heeseung, to his credit, played along, even sketching a quick dinosaur on the corner of your notes to make Minjun laugh. You couldn’t help but notice how gentle he was with your little brother, his usual sarcasm replaced with genuine warmth.

By the time your mom came to pick Minjun up, the entire office was buzzing about your “adorable little brother.”

Later that afternoon, you were tidying up the meeting room when Sunghoon and Yuna walked in.

“So,” Yuna said, leaning against the table with a smirk, “what’s going on with you and Heeseung?”

“Nothing,” you said quickly, glancing up from your notes.

“Really?” Sunghoon said, raising an eyebrow. “Because the way he was looking at you earlier… pretty suspicious.”

You rolled your eyes. “He wasn’t looking at me.”

“Yes, he was,” Yuna said, grinning. “And don’t even get me started on how cute you two were with Minjun.”

“We weren’t being cute,” you insisted.

“Oh, please,” Sunghoon said. “If you guys aren’t dating yet, it’s only a matter of time.”

“Exactly,” Yuna added. “You’d make such a cute couple.”

You sighed, shaking your head. “Can we not do this right now?”

“Fine, fine,” Yuna said, holding up her hands. “But don’t say we didn’t tell you.”

As they left the room, you couldn’t help but wonder if there was any truth to their teasing.

Meanwhile, Heeseung was back at his desk, staring at the tiny dinosaur he’d doodled on your notes. He smiled to himself, thinking about Minjun’s wide-eyed innocence and the way you’d softened around your little brother.

Jay walked by and raised an eyebrow. “Why are you smiling like that?”

“No reason,” Heeseung said, quickly flipping the page.

Jay smirked. “Uh-huh. Let me guess… it’s about her?”

“Shut up, Jay,” Heeseung muttered, but the smile lingered on his lips.

The office was eerily quiet at night, the usual hum of conversations and ringing phones replaced by the steady ticking of the wall clock. The overhead lights cast a warm glow on the small meeting room where you and Heeseung were holed up, brainstorming for the campaign. The faint aroma of coffee lingered in the air, mingling with the sound of your pen scratching against paper.

It was well past office hours, but neither of you seemed eager to leave. Or maybe, neither of you wanted to admit defeat by calling it a night first.

“I still think we should focus on the customer journey,” you said, jotting another note onto the whiteboard. “If we can show the client how their product fits seamlessly into their audience’s lives, it’ll be a win.”

Heeseung leaned back in his chair, arms crossed as he studied your work. “It’s not bad,” he admitted, though his tone made it sound like he was giving a grudging compliment. “But it’s missing something dynamic. What about an experiential element? Something that makes people feel like they’re part of the brand.”

You turned to him, raising an eyebrow. “You mean like that VR campaign you suggested earlier?”

“Exactly.”

“That was a terrible idea, Heeseung.”

“Was not.”

“Was too.”

He chuckled, leaning forward and resting his chin on his hand. “You’re lucky you’re cute when you’re bossy.”

You froze, the pen slipping from your fingers and clattering onto the table. “Excuse me?”

Heeseung grinned, clearly enjoying the way your eyes widened and your cheeks flushed. “I said you’re lucky you’re cute. Why? Did I catch you off guard?”

“N-no,” you stammered, looking away quickly.

“Hmm,” he said, tilting his head. “You’re staring at me a lot tonight, you know. Should I be worried you’re falling for me?”

Your head snapped back toward him, horrified. “I am not!”

The words tumbled out so quickly that they sounded more like a squeak, and Heeseung couldn’t help but laugh. The sound was warm and genuine, not his usual teasing chuckle, and for a moment, it caught you off guard.

“Relax,” he said, still smiling. “I’m just messing with you.”

You frowned, though the heat in your cheeks gave away your flustered state. “You’re impossible.”

“Yeah,” he said, his voice softening. “But you’re fun to mess with.”

The conversation shifted as the brainstorming stalled, both of you leaning back in your chairs and staring at the whiteboard covered in half-formed ideas. The quiet of the room wrapped around you like a cocoon, making the usual tension between you feel strangely less sharp.

“I’ll admit,” Heeseung said after a long pause, “this whole ‘teamwork’ thing isn’t as bad as I thought it’d be.”

You glanced at him, surprised by his sudden honesty. “Really?”

He nodded, his gaze fixed on the whiteboard. “Don’t get me wrong, you’re still a control freak.”

“Thanks,” you said dryly.

“But…” He hesitated, fiddling with the pen in his hand. “You’re also… good at this. Like, really good. It’s kind of annoying how much you seem to have it all together.”

You blinked, caught off guard by the rare glimpse of vulnerability in his voice. “I don’t, though,” you said quietly. “Have it all together, I mean.”

He finally looked at you, his usual smirk replaced with a softer expression. “You seem like you do. Always calm, always prepared. Meanwhile, I’m just… faking it most of the time.”

You tilted your head, studying him. “You? Faking it? You’re one of the smartest people I know, Heeseung. You’re always so confident.”

He laughed bitterly. “Yeah, well, confidence is easy to fake when everyone expects you to be the best. You don’t have a choice but to keep up the act.”

For a moment, the air between you grew heavier, the weight of his words settling over you. You’d always seen Heeseung as this untouchable force—effortlessly talented, infuriatingly self-assured. But now, you realized there was more to him than the arrogant façade he wore so well.

“I get it,” you said softly. “The pressure to prove yourself. To be perfect all the time. It’s exhausting.”

Heeseung looked at you, something unspoken passing between you in the quiet. “I didn’t think you’d understand,” he admitted.

You offered him a small smile. “I’m not as put-together as you think, Heeseung. I just try hard to look like I am.”

The corner of his mouth lifted slightly, and for the first time, it felt like you were truly seeing each other—not as rivals, but as two people navigating the same struggles.

The moment was broken when Heeseung stood suddenly, stretching his arms above his head. “Alright, enough of the deep stuff,” he said, his usual playful tone returning. “I’m grabbing coffee. Want one?”

You nodded, grateful for the distraction. “Black, please.”

“Got it,” he said, heading for the door.

As soon as he left, you let out a breath you hadn’t realized you’d been holding. Your heart was still racing from the unexpectedly candid conversation, and you couldn’t shake the image of his soft smile from your mind.

In the hallway, Heeseung passed by Chaewon and Jay, who were chatting near the coffee machine. They stopped when they noticed him, exchanging knowing looks.

“Heeseung again?” Chaewon whispered, glancing toward the meeting room.

Jay grinned. “I’m telling you, something’s definitely going on with those two.”

Chaewon giggled. “They’ve been spending a lot of time together lately.”

Heeseung cleared his throat loudly, and both of them turned to face him, their expressions suspiciously innocent.

“Can I help you?” Heeseung asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Nope,” Chaewon said sweetly, though the glint in her eyes gave her away.

“Just making an observation,” Jay added, smirking.

“Right,” Heeseung said, grabbing two cups of coffee and heading back to the meeting room. He could still hear them whispering behind him, but he chose to ignore it.

When he returned, you looked up from your notes, offering him a small smile as he handed you your coffee.

“Thanks,” you said, your fingers brushing his briefly as you took the cup.

“No problem,” he said, sitting back down across from you. “Ready to get back to it?”

You nodded, though your mind was still reeling from everything that had happened that night.

As the two of you returned to brainstorming, the air between you felt lighter somehow, the sharp edges of your rivalry softened by the quiet understanding you’d found. For the first time, you wondered if maybe, just maybe, working with Heeseung wouldn’t be so bad after all.

The office had officially descended into chaos—or at least, that’s how it felt when Heeseung started leaving silly notes on your desk.

The first one appeared on your keyboard: “Are you sure you’re not a control freak? Just checking.”

You stared at the note, dumbfounded. You immediately turned to see if he was lurking nearby, but he was nowhere in sight.

Annoyed, you crumpled the note and tossed it into the trash, but the smirk on your face betrayed your amusement.

The next day, another note: “Hope your coffee’s as perfect as your ideas. Oh wait, it’s probably not.”

You groaned. It was getting ridiculous. But rather than letting it slide, you decided it was time to strike back.

When Heeseung stepped out for a meeting, you quietly swapped his coffee cup for a decaf. It was a small thing, but you could already picture the look on his face when he took that first sip.

Heeseung retaliated with little acts of sabotage—stealing your pens, hiding your notebooks, and even changing your desktop wallpaper to a picture of a cat in a business suit.

“Really, Heeseung?” you asked, staring at the screen.

“What?” he said, looking entirely too pleased with himself. “It’s a professional look.”

The office watched the pranks unfold with great interest, enjoying every moment of the harmless back-and-forth. Sunghoon and Yuna had taken it upon themselves to organize bets, placing wagers on who would confess their feelings first.

“Heeseung’s gonna crack first,” Sunghoon declared confidently, sipping his coffee. “You can tell by how often he looks at her.”

“You think?” Yuna raised an eyebrow. “I don’t know, he’s pretty good at pretending like he’s not interested. But she’s definitely more than a little soft on him.”

The two of them exchanged glances, and you could hear the faint whispers whenever you and Heeseung passed by. It was a weird mix of fun and embarrassment, and you were trying your best to ignore it.

One afternoon, the tension between you and Heeseung reached a new peak. You were deep into a debate about the best direction for the campaign.

“I’m telling you,” you said, tapping the whiteboard with your marker. “This is a great idea. It’s fresh, it’s bold, and it speaks directly to the target audience.”

“Fresh, bold, and completely impractical,” Heeseung shot back, leaning in with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “You’re missing the whole point. This campaign needs to stand out. Not be a snooze fest.”

“It’s not a snooze fest!” you argued, frustration bubbling up. “It’s grounded in reality!”

Heeseung’s lips twitched into a teasing grin. “Reality’s boring.”

The banter between you both had always been playful, but this time, something was different. The words you exchanged seemed to hang in the air longer, and the intensity of your rivalry felt almost… charged.

You were so focused on arguing that you didn’t notice the loose cord at your feet until it was too late.

One second, you were standing tall, passionately defending your idea. The next, your foot caught on the cord, sending you tumbling forward.

“Heeseung!”

Your heart leapt into your throat as you felt yourself falling, bracing for impact. But before you could hit the floor, a pair of hands shot out and caught you by the waist.

Heeseung’s grip on you was firm, but his breath was shallow as he steadied you. You could feel the warmth of his body so close to yours, and for a moment, neither of you moved.

You blinked up at him, suddenly aware of how close you were. His face was inches away, his breath mingling with yours. His dark eyes were wide, caught off guard by the accidental intimacy.

“I… uh… you okay?” he asked, his voice sounding oddly strained.

“Yeah… I think so.” You felt your face heat up, but you couldn’t look away. Heeseung’s hands were still on your waist, and your heart was pounding in your chest.

Neither of you seemed to know what to do next. It was as though the world had slowed down for that brief, accidental moment, leaving both of you caught between the lines of rivalry and something else—something neither of you were ready to confront.

Before you could fully process what had happened, Heeseung cleared his throat and gently let go of you.

“Guess I should watch where I’m going,” you said quickly, stepping back and trying to act like nothing happened.

“Yeah, or maybe I should’ve made sure you didn’t trip over that stupid cord,” Heeseung muttered, running a hand through his hair. His usual teasing grin had faltered slightly, replaced by an uncertain expression.

You weren’t sure what to make of it. The moment felt too real.

“So…” you said awkwardly, clearing your throat. “About the campaign.”

Heeseung nodded, his usual smirk creeping back. “Right, back to work. I’m still not convinced by your idea, though.”

“Of course you’re not,” you said, trying to play it cool, though your heart was still racing.

But despite the playful banter, neither of you could fully shake the electricity in the air. It was like something had shifted between you, even if neither of you wanted to admit it.

As the day wore on, the office chatter grew louder.

Chaewon stopped by your desk, raising an eyebrow as she watched you and Heeseung from the corner of her eye.

“Is it just me, or did something happen between you two?” she asked, a sly grin on her face.

“Nothing happened,” you said quickly, too quickly.

Chaewon smirked. “Uh-huh. Sure. Keep telling yourself that.”

Jay appeared beside her, and the two exchanged a knowing look.

“So, who’s gonna confess first?” Jay asked, crossing his arms.

You shot him a glare. “We’re not confessing anything.”

But as you glanced toward Heeseung, who was now looking at you with an unreadable expression, you couldn’t help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, the lines between rivalry and

The conference room was filled with the low hum of conversation as your team prepped for the big client presentation. BrightSpark Solutions had landed a high-profile meeting with a new client—a startup that had just secured major funding and was looking to revamp its image. This could be a game-changer for the agency, and the pressure was on.

You were ready, dressed in your best professional attire, your notes organized and the presentation slides perfect. But as you made final adjustments to the projector, you couldn’t help but notice the charming man who had just walked in. His name was Eunwoo, the CEO of the new client, and his bright smile seemed to light up the room.

Eunwoo was tall, with well-groomed dark hair and a tailored suit that fit him perfectly. He was charismatic in that way that made everyone in the room immediately pay attention, but he seemed particularly fixated on you. He flashed you a warm smile as you caught his eye, and you offered a polite one back, keeping things professional.

“Shall we get started?” you asked, gesturing to the presentation board.

“Oh, I’m sure this will be impressive,” Eunwoo said smoothly, his voice rich with charm. “But I’m more interested in getting to know you, personally. What do you think of the future of marketing?”

Your eyebrows shot up, caught off guard by his directness. “Well, I think it’s about understanding people more deeply. It’s not just about selling a product, but creating a connection with your audience.”

Eunwoo nodded thoughtfully, his gaze lingering just a little too long. “I couldn’t agree more. It’s refreshing to meet someone with such a deep understanding of what really matters. Maybe you could give me a personal tour of your thoughts sometime.”

The remark was playful, almost flirtatious, and it made you feel a little uncomfortable, though you kept your composure. You had dealt with flirtations before in this line of work, but something about Eunwoo’s attention made you uneasy—especially when you glanced over at Heeseung.

His posture had stiffened, and there was a small crease between his brows as he watched Eunwoo and you interact. Heeseung wasn’t usually the type to be visibly bothered by anything, but now he looked unusually tense.

You turned your attention back to the presentation, trying to focus. “Well, let’s get started,” you said, moving ahead with the first slide.

The meeting proceeded without further incident, but the entire time, you couldn’t shake the feeling that Eunwoo was paying you an unusual amount of attention. And each time he directed a compliment your way, you noticed Heeseung’s gaze shifting between you and the CEO, his eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched.

After the meeting, the team gathered in the break room to debrief.

“Great job, everyone,” Manager Kim said, though his attention was clearly focused on the next steps. “We’ll know the client’s decision soon. For now, enjoy the break.”

The team scattered, but you found yourself cornered at the coffee machine by none other than Heeseung, who had been unusually quiet throughout the meeting.

You turned to face him, raising an eyebrow. “What’s up? You’ve barely said a word since the presentation.”

Heeseung’s expression was neutral, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes. “Nothing,” he muttered, his gaze dropping to the cup in his hands.

You shrugged, not sensing anything wrong. “You’re being weird.”

“I’m not being weird,” Heeseung shot back, though his tone was a little sharper than usual.

You frowned. “Okay, then. Whatever you say.”

You poured yourself a coffee, turning to leave the break room, but Heeseung’s voice stopped you.

“I don’t get it,” he said, almost to himself. “Why was he so… interested in you?”

You turned back, confused. “Eunwoo? He’s just being friendly. It’s part of the job. We’re all supposed to impress the client.”

Heeseung shook his head, his jaw tightening. “No, it’s more than that. He was flirting with you.”

You blinked, taken aback by his bluntness. “What? No, he wasn’t.”

Heeseung’s eyes narrowed. “He was. He was way too interested in you.”

You laughed nervously, unsure of how to react to the sudden tension. “He’s just a charismatic guy, Heeseung. You know, it’s part of his charm.”

Heeseung didn’t respond immediately, his gaze locked on you with a strange intensity. There was something about the way he was looking at you—something almost… possessive.

“Well, he’s got nothing on me,” Heeseung muttered, almost under his breath.

You raised your eyebrows, still not fully understanding the shift in his demeanor. “What are you talking about?”

But Heeseung didn’t answer. Instead, he grabbed his own coffee, took a deep sip, and started walking back toward his desk without another word.

The rest of the afternoon passed in a haze. Every time you tried to approach Heeseung, he was either too busy with work or too lost in his thoughts to acknowledge you. It was as if the playful, teasing side of him had disappeared completely, replaced by an almost… cold detachment.

Chaewon, noticing the change in Heeseung’s behavior, sidled up to you during lunch. “Something’s off with him today,” she remarked, glancing over at Heeseung, who was absorbed in his laptop screen.

“I know, right? He’s been weird since the meeting,” you replied, picking at your salad absentmindedly.

“Do you think… he’s jealous?” Chaewon asked, her voice lowered as if she were sharing a secret.

“Jealous? No way. Heeseung’s not like that,” you scoffed.

But even as you said it, a small part of you couldn’t deny the possibility. The way Heeseung had reacted to Eunwoo’s attention, the way he seemed to care more than he let on—it all felt different.

Chaewon raised an eyebrow. “I’m just saying, it’s a possibility. I mean, who else would have the nerve to act like that if not someone who’s a little jealous?”

You sighed, trying to brush off her teasing. “Please, I’m sure it’s nothing.”

Chaewon didn’t look convinced, but she didn’t press the issue. “You’ll figure it out eventually,” she said with a grin. “I’m just saying, I can see it.”

Later that day, you caught Heeseung sneaking glances at you from across the office. Every time you looked up, his eyes would flicker away, as if he’d been caught doing something he wasn’t supposed to. It was almost like he was… waiting for you to make the first move.

It didn’t make sense. Why would Heeseung be acting like this? He’d always been competitive, sure, but this was different. He was acting like you belonged to him in some way—and the strangest part was, you couldn’t figure out if you liked it.

As the day wound down and the office began to empty out, you found yourself standing at your desk, collecting your things for the evening. Heeseung was still there, sitting at his desk, his focus seemingly entirely on his laptop.

Just as you were about to leave, he stood up abruptly.

“I’m not gonna let him get away with it,” he muttered, almost to himself, but loud enough for you to hear.

You blinked, puzzled. “What?”

Heeseung looked up at you, his eyes intense. “I’m not gonna let that CEO keep flirting with you. You’re my—”

He stopped mid-sentence, realizing what he was about to say. His expression changed quickly, and he cleared his throat, looking away. “Never mind. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

And with that, he walked out of the office, leaving you standing there, your heart racing from the unexpected exchange.

What had just happened? Was Heeseung… jealous?

It had been an unusually quiet morning at BrightSpark Solutions. Heeseung wasn’t teasing you, no pranks had been played, and he hadn’t made a single sarcastic comment. For some reason, that unsettled you more than the usual chaos.

You were at your desk, editing a campaign brief when a familiar, high-pitched voice broke through the office noise.

“Noona!”

Your head snapped up just as Minjun came barreling toward you, his backpack bouncing as he ran. His cheeks were flushed from the cold air outside, and his smile stretched from ear to ear.

“Minjun!” you exclaimed, standing up just in time to catch him in a hug. “What are you doing here?”

“Chaewon-Noona said I could visit since school got out early,” Minjun chirped, his innocent eyes sparkling. “I missed you!”

Chaewon peeked her head around the corner, grinning. “He begged me. I couldn’t say no.”

You smiled warmly, ruffling Minjun’s hair. “Well, I’m glad you’re here, but you know the rules, no causing trouble, okay?”

Minjun nodded obediently before turning to look around the office, his eyes wide with curiosity. That’s when he spotted Heeseung, who was walking toward your desk with a coffee in one hand and a small bag of snacks in the other.

“Is that for me?” you asked, surprised, as Heeseung placed the items on your desk without a word.

“Don’t read too much into it,” he said casually, though there was a flicker of something softer in his expression. “You skipped breakfast again, didn’t you?”

Before you could respond, Minjun piped up, his voice loud and cheerful. “Is he your boyfriend, Noona?”

The office went dead silent.

You froze, your cheeks flushing instantly. “Minjun, what are you talking about?”

Minjun tilted his head innocently, pointing at the snacks. “He brought you food! That’s what boyfriends do!”

The room erupted into laughter, and you could feel every pair of eyes on you.

Heeseung, however, didn’t miss a beat. He crouched down to Minjun’s level, a playful smirk tugging at his lips. “You caught me,” he said, winking. “I’m her boyfriend. What gave it away?”

Your jaw dropped. “Heeseung!”

“What?” He straightened up, looking entirely too pleased with himself. “The kid’s got great instincts.”

Minjun clapped his hands together, delighted. “I knew it! You’re a good boyfriend, hyung.”

You buried your face in your hands, mortified. “Minjun, he’s not-”

“Now, now,” Heeseung interrupted, grinning. “Let the kid believe what he wants. It’s harmless.”

Harmless? Your heart was racing, and your face felt like it was on fire. Harmless was the last word you’d use to describe this situation, especially when you could hear Chaewon and Jay whispering behind you.

The rest of the day was a blur. Word spread quickly, and before long, your supposed “relationship” with Heeseung became the talk of the office. Everywhere you went, coworkers gave you knowing smiles, and Sunghoon even had the audacity to ask if wedding bells were in your future.

“Don’t let it get to you,” Chaewon said, trying to stifle her laughter. “Honestly, it’s kind of cute.”

“It’s not cute,” you grumbled, glaring at her.

Chaewon shrugged, clearly unbothered. “If you ask me, Heeseung didn’t seem too bothered by it.”

That comment stayed with you as the day went on. Was Heeseung really unbothered, or was he just better at hiding his feelings than you were?

By the time the workday ended, Minjun had already declared the office his second home. He’d charmed everyone, from the interns to Manager Kim, and even managed to coax a laugh out of Yuna, who rarely broke her professional demeanor.

When it was time to leave, Heeseung surprised you by offering to walk you and Minjun home.

“It’s getting late,” he said, shrugging as if it were no big deal. “And I wouldn’t want Minjun to get tired on the way.”

You hesitated for a moment but ultimately agreed. Minjun was practically bouncing with excitement, holding Heeseung’s hand as you made your way out of the office.

The walk home was surprisingly peaceful. The streets were quieter than usual, and the cool evening air felt refreshing after a long day.

Minjun was full of energy, peppering Heeseung with questions about his job, his favorite foods, and whether or not he liked superheroes.

“I’m more of a villain guy,” Heeseung said with a smirk, causing Minjun to gasp dramatically.

“You can’t be a villain, Hyung! Noona needs a hero!”

Heeseung laughed, a warm, genuine sound that made your heartache in the best way.

“Alright, fine,” he said, ruffling Minjun’s hair. “I’ll be the hero, just for you and your Noona.”

You glanced at him, surprised by how naturally kind he was to Minjun. It wasn’t the first time you’d seen this side of him, but it still caught you off guard. Beneath all the teasing and arrogance, there was a softness to Heeseung that he didn’t let many people see.

When you finally reached your apartment, Minjun was yawning, his earlier excitement fading into sleepy contentment.

“Thanks for walking us home,” you said, unlocking the door.

“No problem,” Heeseung replied, his hands in his pockets. He glanced down at Minjun, who was leaning against your side. “Get some rest, kiddo. Being a matchmaker must be exhausting.”

Minjun giggled, his voice muffled by your coat. “Goodnight, hyung.”

As you ushered Minjun inside, you turned back to Heeseung one last time.

“Goodnight,” you said softly.

Heeseung smiled, his usual smirk replaced by something softer. “Goodnight, control freak.”

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t help the smile that crept onto your face. As you closed the door, you realized something had shifted between you and Heeseung.

It wasn’t just rivalry anymore. It was something more, something you weren’t quite ready to name—but something you knew you wouldn’t be able to ignore.

The client meeting had gone surprisingly well. Even Heeseung, who usually found something to nitpick, seemed impressed. You were feeling pretty good about yourself as the two of you left the client’s office building and stepped out onto the busy downtown street.

But as you glanced up at the darkening sky, your optimism began to fade. The once-pleasant afternoon had given way to ominous clouds, and the air was heavy with the promise of rain.

“We should hurry,” you said, quickening your pace.

Heeseung, walking leisurely beside you, shoved his hands into his pockets. “Relax, it’s just a little rain. You’re acting like it’s a hurricane.”

You shot him a look. “You say that now, but I’ll be the one stuck listening to you complain when your shoes get wet.”

Heeseung smirked, clearly unbothered. “I don’t complain. I just… make insightful observations.”

Before you could respond, the first drops of rain began to fall, quickly escalating into a full-blown downpour. People on the street scrambled for cover, and you grabbed Heeseung’s arm, dragging him toward the nearest coffee shop.

The small café was cozy and crowded, filled with people seeking refuge from the rain. You managed to snag a table by the window, the two of you sitting across from each other as the rain pounded against the glass.

“Great. Now we’re stuck,” you muttered, shaking the water off your jacket.

“Could be worse,” Heeseung said, leaning back in his chair. “At least we have coffee.”

You sighed, brushing your damp hair out of your face. Heeseung had already ordered for both of you—your usual latte and his preferred black coffee—and was now watching you with an amused expression.

“What?” you asked, narrowing your eyes.

“Nothing,” he said, though his grin suggested otherwise. “You just look very… flustered.”

“I’m not flustered,” you said quickly, though you could feel the heat rising to your cheeks.

Heeseung raised an eyebrow. “You sure? Because you’ve been glaring at me since we sat down.”

You rolled your eyes, taking a sip of your latte to avoid responding. The truth was, being stuck with Heeseung in such close quarters was throwing you off more than you cared to admit.

By the time the rain finally eased up, it was nearly evening, and the streets were still slick with water.

“Let’s go,” you said, standing up and grabbing your bag. “We’ll miss the last bus if we wait any longer.”

Heeseung followed you outside, where the rain had slowed to a light drizzle. You were about to start walking when he reached into his bag and pulled out an umbrella.

“Since when do you carry an umbrella?” you asked, genuinely surprised.

Heeseung shrugged, opening the umbrella with a practiced motion. “What can I say? I’m full of surprises.”

The umbrella was just big enough for two people, and you hesitated for a moment before stepping under it. Heeseung tilted it slightly to make sure you were fully covered, and you tried to ignore the way your shoulders brushed as you began walking.

The streets were quiet, the sound of rain and your footsteps the only noise. You were both silent at first, but the tension between you was palpable.

“Why are you so quiet?” Heeseung finally asked, glancing at you.

“I’m just tired,” you replied, though that wasn’t entirely true. Being this close to him was making it hard to think straight.

Heeseung chuckled softly. “Tired, huh? Or are you still mad about earlier?”

You frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“At the meeting,” he said, his tone light but teasing. “You got all defensive when I said your presentation was ‘too polished.’”

You stopped walking, turning to face him. “Because you always have to find something to criticize. Why can’t you just admit when I do a good job?”

Heeseung blinked, caught off guard by your sudden outburst. “Hey, I didn’t mean it like that. I was just joking—”

“That’s the problem!” you interrupted, your voice trembling slightly. “You’re always joking. You never take anything seriously.”

Heeseung’s grip on the umbrella tightened, and for a moment, he looked like he was about to argue. But then his expression softened, and he let out a frustrated sigh.

“I take you seriously, okay?” he said, his voice quieter than before.

You stared at him, stunned into silence.

“I take you seriously,” he repeated, his gaze meeting yours. “Probably more than anyone else.”

The weight of his words hung in the air, and you didn’t know how to respond. Before you could say anything, Heeseung cleared his throat and looked away, his usual smirk creeping back onto his face.

“Anyway,” he said, shifting the umbrella slightly, “let’s get going before you catch a cold.”

The rest of the walk was quiet, but the atmosphere between you had changed. You couldn’t stop thinking about what Heeseung had said, the sincerity in his voice lingering in your mind.

When you finally reached the bus station, Heeseung held the umbrella over you until you were safely under the awning.

“Thanks,” you said softly, your heart still racing.

Heeseung nodded, his usual playful demeanor returning. “Don’t get used to it.”

You rolled your eyes, but the small smile on your face betrayed you. As you boarded the bus, you couldn’t help but glance back at him one last time, wondering if there was more to Heeseung than you’d ever realized.

The morning started as it always did—with a new wave of gossip.

“Did you hear? Apparently, they walked home together last night.”

“Are they actually dating? Or is it just Heeseung being… Heeseung?”

You sighed as you overheard the whispers from the interns near the coffee machine. It had been like this for days, ever since Minjun’s “boyfriend” declaration. No matter how many times you denied it, the rumor mill at BrightSpark Solutions only seemed to churn faster.

“Heeseung brought her coffee again this morning,” Yuna muttered to Sunghoon, who was pouring sugar into his tea. “That’s not normal coworker behavior, right?”

“Definitely not,” Sunghoon replied, grinning. “I’m putting my money on him confessing first.”

You tried to tune them out as you made your way to your desk, but it was impossible to ignore the smug look on Chaewon’s face as she leaned over your cubicle.

“So,” she began, resting her chin on her hands, “how’s the office power couple doing today?”

“Chaewon,” you groaned, dropping your bag onto your chair. “Please stop.”

She smirked, undeterred. “I’m just saying, you two have been spending a lot of time together lately. And the way he looks at you—”

“There’s nothing going on,” you said firmly, though your cheeks betrayed you by flushing pink.

Chaewon raised an eyebrow. “Sure there isn’t. But for the record, I think you two would be adorable together.”

Before you could respond, Heeseung strolled into the office, his usual confident stride turning more heads than you cared to admit. He flashed you a lazy grin as he walked by, and you quickly looked away, pretending to be engrossed in your laptop.

Chaewon snickered. “Yup. Totally nothing going on.”

By lunchtime, the gossip had reached ridiculous levels. Even Manager Kim, who was usually oblivious to office drama, commented on how “well you and Heeseung have been working together lately.”

But the real chaos began when Chaewon and Jay decided to intervene.

“We need to speed this up,” Jay whispered as the two of them huddled near the printer.

Chaewon nodded, her eyes gleaming with mischief. “Agreed. It’s painfully obvious they like each other, but neither of them is going to make the first move.”

Jay grinned. “I have an idea. How do you feel about supply rooms?”

You were in the middle of reviewing campaign drafts when Chaewon appeared beside your desk, looking unusually serious.

“Hey, can you help me grab some supplies from the storage room?” she asked.

You frowned. “What do you need? I can grab it for you.”

“No, no, it’s fine,” she insisted, waving her hand. “I just need an extra pair of hands. It’ll only take a minute.”

Reluctantly, you followed her to the supply room, which was tucked away in a quiet corner of the office. When you stepped inside, the shelves were packed with office supplies, and the faint smell of cardboard lingered in the air.

“What exactly are we looking for?” you asked, glancing around.

“Uh, paper clips,” Chaewon said vaguely.

You turned to ask her where they were, only to find her standing in the doorway with a sly smile.

“Chaewon, what are you—”

Before you could finish, she shut the door and turned the lock.

“Good luck!” she called through the door, her laughter echoing as she walked away.

“Chaewon!” you shouted, jiggling the handle. It wouldn’t budge.

Just then, you heard footsteps behind you, and you turned to see Heeseung standing in the middle of the room, holding a box of printer paper.

“What’s going on?” he asked, looking genuinely confused.

You groaned, leaning your forehead against the door. “Chaewon locked us in.”

Heeseung raised an eyebrow. “Locked us in? Why?”

“Because she’s Chaewon,” you muttered. “And because everyone in this office has apparently decided that we’re their new favorite soap opera.”

Heeseung chuckled, setting the box down on a nearby shelf. “I mean, can you blame them? We are pretty entertaining.”

You shot him a glare, but he just smirked, clearly enjoying your frustration.

For the next fifteen minutes, the two of you tried everything to get the door open, from picking the lock with a paperclip—to calling Jay, who conveniently “couldn’t hear his phone.”

“This is ridiculous,” you muttered, sitting down on a crate.

“Agreed,” Heeseung said, leaning against the wall. “But hey, at least it’s not the worst place to be stuck. We’ve got snacks.”

You followed his gaze to a shelf stocked with granola bars and bottled water, and you couldn’t help but laugh despite yourself.

“Glad to see you’re making the best of this,” you said dryly.

Heeseung shrugged, his expression softening. “You should try it sometime. Not everything has to be a big deal, you know.”

You rolled your eyes but didn’t respond. The truth was, you were starting to envy Heeseung’s ability to stay so relaxed in any situation.

As the minutes ticked by, the silence between you grew heavier. You found yourself stealing glances at Heeseung, wondering—against your better judgment, what he was thinking.

Finally, he broke the silence.

“You’re awfully quiet,” he said, tilting his head. “What’s on your mind?”

“Nothing,” you lied, fidgeting with the hem of your sleeve.

Heeseung raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. “Come on, you can tell me. We’re stuck here anyway.”

You hesitated, debating whether or not to say anything. But the weight of the gossip, the teasing, and your own swirling feelings finally got to you.

“Do you ever… wonder if people are right about us?” you asked softly, not meeting his gaze.

Heeseung blinked, caught off guard by the question. “Right about what?”

“About… us,” you said, your voice barely above a whisper.

For a moment, he didn’t say anything, and you immediately regretted bringing it up.

But then he smiled, his expression unusually sincere. “Well, I can’t speak for them,” he said, “but I know what I think.”

You looked up at him, your heart pounding. “And what do you think?”

He opened his mouth to respond, but just then, the door creaked open, and Jay’s grinning face appeared.

“Sorry to interrupt,” Jay said, clearly not sorry at all. “But Chaewon said I had to let you out eventually.”

You quickly stood up, brushing past Jay without a word. Heeseung followed behind you, his usual smirk firmly back in place.

“Let’s call this a draw,” he said, leaning down so only you could hear. “For now.”

The office was eerily quiet at night. Most of your coworkers had already left, the usual hum of conversation and clatter of keyboards replaced by the steady ticking of the wall clock.

You glanced at the time—9:14 PM.

“Remind me why we’re still here,” you mumbled, rubbing your tired eyes.

Heeseung, sitting across from you at the shared desk, looked up from his laptop with a mischievous grin. “Because we’re perfectionists. Or at least you are. I’m just here for moral support.”

You shot him a look. “Moral support? You’ve done nothing but steal my snacks and make fun of my color schemes.”

“I call it constructive criticism,” he said, leaning back in his chair.

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t suppress a small smile. Despite his teasing, Heeseung had actually been helpful tonight. The campaign you were working on was one of the biggest projects of your career, and his sharp eye for detail had saved you from more than one embarrassing mistake.

Still, working late with him came with its challenges—namely, how effortlessly he managed to get under your skin.

The two of you had been at it for hours, but the atmosphere had shifted as the night wore on. The usual bickering gave way to something quieter, more comfortable. At some point, Heeseung had moved his chair closer to yours, and now you were sitting so close that your elbows brushed whenever you reached for something on the desk.

“Okay, hear me out,” Heeseung said, breaking the silence. “What if we scrap the entire tagline and go with something simpler? Like, ‘Bold ideas for a bold future.’”

You looked at him skeptically. “That’s… not terrible. But it sounds like every other campaign ever made.”

Heeseung feigned offense, clutching his chest dramatically. “Wow. Remind me never to share my brilliant ideas with you again.”

You laughed, shaking your head. “I’ll take your ideas seriously when you take mine seriously.”

“I do take you seriously,” he said, his tone softening. “I wouldn’t still be here if I didn’t.”

The sincerity in his voice caught you off guard, and you found yourself meeting his gaze. For a moment, neither of you said anything.

“Anyway,” Heeseung said after a beat, breaking the silence. “How’s this for an alternative tagline: ‘BrightSpark—lighting up your tomorrow’?”

You groaned. “That’s even worse. Were you trying to make it sound like a toothpaste ad?”

Heeseung burst out laughing, and you couldn’t help but join in. The sound of your laughter filled the empty office, and for a moment, you forgot about the project, the deadlines, and everything else.

As the laughter died down, you realized how close Heeseung had leaned toward you. His elbow rested on the desk, his chin propped on his hand, and his eyes were fixed on yours with an intensity that made your heart race.

You froze, suddenly hyperaware of the small space between you. The playful teasing in his expression had been replaced by something else—something that made your stomach flutter.

“Heeseung,” you said softly, your voice barely audible.

He tilted his head slightly, a small smile playing on his lips. “What?”

“I—” You didn’t know what you were going to say, and before you could figure it out, the moment was interrupted by the sound of the office door opening.

“Hey, are you guys still—oh.”

You turned to see Sunghoon standing in the doorway, a folder in his hand and a curious look on his face.

“Am I interrupting something?” he asked, though the smirk tugging at his lips suggested he already knew the answer.

“No,” you said quickly, scooting your chair back. “We were just… working.”

“Right,” Sunghoon said, clearly unconvinced. He walked over to your desk and set the folder down. “Manager Kim wanted me to drop this off. Something about final approvals.”

“Thanks,” Heeseung said, his tone casual, though you noticed he avoided looking at Sunghoon.

Sunghoon lingered for a moment, glancing between the two of you before finally walking away.

As soon as he was gone, you let out a frustrated sigh.

“Well, that was awkward,” you muttered, avoiding Heeseung’s gaze.

He chuckled softly. “It’s Sunghoon. Everything he does is awkward.”

Despite yourself, you laughed. But the charged moment from earlier still lingered in the back of your mind, making it hard to focus on anything else.

The two of you worked in relative silence for the next hour, though the atmosphere felt different. Every time Heeseung leaned closer to point something out on your laptop screen, your heart skipped a beat, and you couldn’t stop wondering if he had felt the same tension as you had earlier.

By the time you finally wrapped up for the night, it was nearly midnight.

“Ready to call it a night?” Heeseung asked, stretching his arms over his head.

“Definitely,” you said, packing up your things.

As you walked out of the office together, the cool night air was a welcome relief from the stuffy office.

“Thanks for sticking around tonight,” you said as you reached the subway station. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”

Heeseung smiled, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Anytime. But don’t get used to it.”

You rolled your eyes, but the teasing tone in his voice made you smile.

As you went on the bus, you couldn’t shake the feeling that something between you and Heeseung had shifted—and that it was only a matter of time before things changed even more.

The evening started like any other, with you rushing home after work, exhausted but relieved to finally relax. Minjun had been unusually quiet during dinner prep, which should have been your first clue that something was up.

“Minjun,” you called from the kitchen, where you were chopping vegetables. “Can you set the table? Dinner’s almost ready.”

“Okay!” he chirped from the living room.

It wasn’t until the doorbell rang that you realized he was up to something. You frowned, wiping your hands on a towel. “Were we expecting someone?”

Minjun poked his head around the corner, grinning mischievously. “I might’ve invited someone over.”

Your heart sank. Minjun had a habit of inviting his friends over at the worst possible times—like the time he brought three classmates home right before your big presentation, leaving you scrambling to entertain them.

“Who did you invite?” you asked warily.

Before he could answer, the doorbell rang again, and Minjun darted to open it.

“Hi, Heeseung!” Minjun’s excited voice echoed through the apartment.

Your stomach dropped.

“Minjun!” you hissed, rushing to the door just in time to see Heeseung step inside, a bemused smile on his face.

“Hope I’m not intruding,” Heeseung said, holding up a bag of takeout desserts. “Your little brother insisted I come over for dinner. Said you needed some company.”

You glared at Minjun, who was bouncing on his toes like he’d just pulled off the prank of the century. “Minjun, you can’t just invite people over without telling me!”

“But you’re always talking about him,” Minjun said innocently. “And he brought cake!”

Heeseung laughed, clearly amused by the situation. “I promise I didn’t mean to crash your dinner. I can leave if you want.”

You sighed, pinching the bridge of your nose. “No, it’s fine. You’re here now. Might as well stay.”

Dinner was… chaotic, to say the least.

Minjun, thrilled to have Heeseung as a guest, spent the entire meal peppering him with questions.

“So, Heeseung,” Minjun began, his eyes sparkling with curiosity, “do you like my Noona?”

You nearly choked on your rice. “Minjun!”

“What?” Minjun said, blinking innocently. “He’s always nice to you. And he brings you coffee. Isn’t that what boyfriends do?”

“Minjun, that’s enough,” you said firmly, your cheeks burning.

Heeseung, however, took it in stride. He leaned back in his chair, a playful grin tugging at his lips. “I mean, your Noona’s great. Who wouldn’t like her?”

Your eyes widened, and Minjun gasped dramatically. “So you do like her!”

“Minjun!” you exclaimed, wishing the ground would swallow you whole.

Heeseung laughed, clearly enjoying your discomfort. “I didn’t say that. But for the record, your Noona is pretty amazing.”

You stared at him, too flustered to respond. Minjun, meanwhile, was grinning like he’d just solved the mystery of the century.

As the meal went on, Minjun’s questions only got worse.

“When are you getting married?”

“Minjun!”

“How many kids do you want?”

“MINJUN!”

Despite your mortification, Heeseung handled it like a pro. He answered Minjun’s questions with good-natured humor, all while sneaking in compliments that made your heart race.

“She’d make an amazing partner,” he said at one point, glancing at you with a soft smile. “She’s kind, hardworking, and always looking out for the people she cares about.”

You froze, unsure how to respond. Was he just playing along for Minjun’s sake, or did he actually mean it?

After dinner, Minjun insisted on showing Heeseung his favorite video game, leaving you to clean up in the kitchen. You were halfway through washing the dishes when Heeseung appeared beside you, rolling up his sleeves.

“You don’t have to help,” you said, glancing at him.

He shrugged, grabbing a dish towel. “I want to. Plus, it’s the least I can do after crashing your dinner.”

You smiled despite yourself. “This was all Minjun’s idea, you know.”

“I figured,” he said, laughing. “The kid’s a natural matchmaker.”

You rolled your eyes. “Don’t encourage him.”

For a while, the two of you worked in comfortable silence, the sound of running water and clinking dishes filling the room. But as the last plate was dried, Heeseung spoke, his voice softer than usual.

“You know,” he began, folding the dish towel and setting it aside, “Minjun’s not wrong about everything he said tonight.”

You froze your hands stilling over the sink. “What do you mean?”

He leaned against the counter, his gaze steady and unwavering. “I mean, he’s right about you being amazing. And about me liking you.”

Your heart skipped a beat. You turned to face him. “Heeseung, I—”

“I’m not saying it to make you uncomfortable,” he added quickly, his usual playful grin replaced with something more sincere. “I just… I feel like I’ve been dancing around it for too long, and Minjun kind of gave me the push I needed. You don’t have to say anything, but I wanted you to know.”

You stared at him, your mind racing. Heeseung liked you? Heeseung—the same person who teased you relentlessly and called you a control freak—actually liked you?

“I… don’t know what to say,” you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper.

Heeseung chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “You don’t have to say anything right now. Just think about it. And, for the record, I think Minjun would make a great best man someday.”

Your cheeks burned, but before you could respond, Minjun bounded into the kitchen, holding a controller.

“Heeseung, come play with me! I need someone on my team!”

Heeseung straightened up, giving you one last smile before turning to Minjun. “Alright, little man. Let’s see what you’ve got.”

As the two of them disappeared into the living room, you leaned against the counter, your heart pounding.

Heeseung liked you.

The morning started like any other at BrightSpark Solutions: the hum of conversations, the rhythmic clicking of keyboards, and the faint aroma of coffee wafting through the air. But for you, there was a noticeable difference—Heeseung.

Ever since his unexpected confession at your apartment, things between the two of you had been different. Not awkward, surprisingly, but more… charged. His teasing had taken on a softer edge, and you found yourself smiling more often, even when he was being his usual annoying self.

Today, he was seated at the desk beside yours, balancing a pen on his finger while waiting for his files to load.

“Hey,” he said, leaning slightly toward you, the pen rolling off his hand. “Do you think we should pitch the ‘Bold Futures’ tagline today? Or do you want to play it safe with the original idea?”

You barely glanced up from your laptop. “The ‘Bold Futures’ tagline is a death sentence. Stick with the original.”

He grinned, resting his chin on his palm. “You’re so confident. It’s honestly intimidating sometimes.”

You arched an eyebrow, finally meeting his gaze. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“It’s not,” he said smoothly. “It’s actually kind of hot.”

Your breath hitched, and you quickly looked away, your face warming. “Heeseung!”

“What?” he said, laughing softly. “Am I wrong?”

Before you could respond, he casually reached over and tugged the pen from your hand.

“Hey!” you said, glaring at him.

“You’ve been clicking this for the past five minutes,” he said, spinning the pen between his fingers. “It’s distracting.”

“It’s my pen,” you shot back, reaching for it.

Heeseung smirked, holding it out of your reach. “Not anymore.”

You stood up, trying to grab it, but he quickly leaned back, holding the pen over his head.

“Lee Heeseung!” you said, half-laughing, half-annoyed.

“What’s the magic word?” he teased, his grin widening.

“Give. It. Back.”

“Close, but no cigar,” he said, enjoying himself far too much.

You reached for the pen again, leaning across the desk, and your fingers brushed against his hand just as your coworker Sunghoon let out an exaggerated cough.

You froze.

Slowly, you turned to see half the office staring at you, some with raised eyebrows, others barely suppressing laughter.

The moment was short-lived, though, because Manager Kim stepped out of his office, his sharp gaze zeroing in on you and Heeseung.

“Lee, Y/N,” he called, his tone stern.

You and Heeseung straightened up immediately, the playful atmosphere evaporating.

“Could you come to my office for a moment?”

“Yes, sir,” you both said in unison, shooting each other a look as you followed him into the glass-walled room.

Manager Kim folded his arms, leaning back against his desk. “I’ve been watching you two lately,” he began, his tone measured but firm. “You seem… very comfortable with each other.”

Your stomach sank.

“I don’t mind a little camaraderie among coworkers,” he continued. “But this project is too important to risk any distractions. So, from now on, you’ll be working on separate tasks. Understood?”

Your eyes widened. “Separate tasks?”

He nodded. “Y/N, you’ll focus on the visuals and presentation materials. Heeseung, you’ll handle the copy and client communication. Report directly to me if you need clarification.”

“But-” you started to protest, only to be cut off by Heeseung.

“Understood, sir,” he said smoothly, his expression neutral.

You glanced at him, surprised by his calm acceptance. Manager Kim dismissed you both, and as you walked back to your desks, you couldn’t help but feel a pang of frustration.

The next few days felt… wrong.

You missed the easy banter and playful arguments that had made working with Heeseung bearable—even fun. Without him by your side, the office felt dull, the silence almost oppressive.

Every time you glanced over at his desk, you found him hunched over his laptop, headphones in, completely focused on his work. He didn’t even glance your way, and it stung more than you cared to admit.

Chaewon, ever observant, noticed your foul mood almost immediately.

“Okay, spill,” she said, sitting on the edge of your desk during lunch. “Why do you look like someone stole your puppy?”

You sighed, poking at your salad with a fork. “It’s nothing.”

“Uh-huh,” she said, clearly unconvinced. “Does this ‘nothing’ have anything to do with Heeseung?”

You looked up sharply, and she smirked. “Thought so. What happened?”

“Manager Kim split us up,” you admitted. “We’re working on separate tasks now.”

“And you’re sad because…?”

“I’m not sad,” you said quickly, but Chaewon raised an eyebrow.

“You miss him,” she said matter-of-factly. “Don’t even try to deny it.”

You opened your mouth to protest but closed it again, realizing she was right.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the office, Jay was having a very similar conversation with Heeseung.

“You’ve been weirdly quiet lately,” Jay said, leaning back in his chair. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” Heeseung said, typing furiously on his keyboard.

Jay snorted. “Right. And I’m the CEO of BrightSpark. Come on, man, talk to me. Is this about Y/N?”

Heeseung paused, his fingers hovering over the keys. “Manager Kim split us up.”

“And?”

“And it’s… annoying,” Heeseung admitted. “I’m used to working with her. Now it feels like something’s missing.”

Jay chuckled. “Look, just hang in there. Knowing Y/N, she’s probably just as miserable as you are right now.”

By the end of the week, you couldn’t take it anymore. You missed Heeseung’s annoying jokes, his ridiculous nicknames for you, and even the way he stole your pens.

As you packed up for the day, you glanced over at his desk one last time. He was still there, his head bent over his laptop.

Taking a deep breath, you walked over and tapped his shoulder.

Heeseung looked up, surprised. “Hey.”

“Hey,” you said softly. “I, uh… I just wanted to say that I miss working with you. It’s weird, not having you around.”

His expression softened, and for the first time all week, you saw a hint of the familiar grin you’d missed so much.

“Yeah,” he said, his voice equally quiet. “I miss it too.”

For a moment, the two of you just stood there, the unspoken understanding between you saying more than words ever could.

As you walked out of the office together, you couldn’t help but smile.

TYPING THING

The office was unusually quiet for a Friday afternoon, with most of the staff either wrapping up for the weekend or grabbing coffee to get through the last stretch of the day. You were at your desk, double-checking slides for the upcoming client presentation, your focus unwavering.

Heeseung, on the other hand, wasn’t nearly as productive.

For the last twenty minutes, he’d been sitting at his desk, staring at the small piece of paper in his hand. Scribbled on it were the words he’d been too chicken to say out loud:

I like you. More than I probably should. But I think you’re amazing.

Heeseung read the note for the fiftieth time, his nerves getting the best of him. It wasn’t grand or overly poetic, but it was honest, and it was him. He figured that might be enough.

He cast a glance at your desk. You were so absorbed in your work, your soft voice barely audible as you answered a question from Yuna. Heeseung felt his heart skip a beat, and before he could overthink it, he folded the note and slipped it into your desk drawer when no one was looking.

“Step one complete,” he muttered to himself, quickly returning to his desk and pretending to work.

Later that evening, you packed up your things and headed out with Minjun, who had insisted on meeting you at work. Heeseung had ruffled Minjun’s hair on the way out, earning a cheeky “Bye, hyung!” that left Heeseung smiling to himself.

But what neither of you noticed was that Minjun, curious as ever, had opened your desk drawer while waiting for you. He’d seen the folded piece of paper and thought it was a doodle Heeseung left for him (a habit Heeseung had developed during Minjun’s office visits). Without a second thought, Minjun tucked the note into his pocket.

The next morning, you were seated at the breakfast table, sipping tea as Minjun bounded into the room, holding a piece of paper.

“Noona!” he chirped, waving it in front of your face. “Look what I found in your drawer!”

You blinked, setting your mug down. “What is it?”

Minjun handed it over proudly, and your stomach did a backflip as your eyes scanned the words.

I like you. More than I probably should. But I think you’re amazing.

Your heart raced. You immediately recognized Heeseung’s handwriting.

Minjun grinned innocently, leaning on the table. “Is it from your boyfriend?”

“W-What?” you stammered, feeling heat rush to your cheeks.

“Isn’t it from Heeseung Hyung?” Minjun asked, tilting his head. “He’s always smiling at you. And he brought you snacks the other day. That’s what boyfriends do, right?”

You couldn’t decide if you wanted to laugh or hide under the table. “Minjun, it’s not–he’s not-”

Minjun pouted. “But I like him. Can’t he be your boyfriend?”

You sighed, folding the note and setting it aside. “It’s complicated, okay?”

“Why?” Minjun asked, his wide, innocent eyes making your heartache. “Do you not like him?”

Your face burned. “Minjun, eat your breakfast.”

Minjun grinned knowingly, taking a big bite of toast. “You do like him,” he mumbled through a mouthful of food.

You groaned, covering your face with your hands. This was not how you imagined starting your weekend.

Meanwhile, Heeseung was at home, pacing his living room.

“She’s going to see it today,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair. “And she’s either going to think I’m sweet or an idiot. Probably an idiot.”

Jay, who was lounging on Heeseung’s couch, looked up from his phone. “You’re overthinking it. She’s definitely going to think it’s sweet.”

“You don’t know that,” Heeseung shot back.

Jay shrugged. “Okay, but let’s say she does like it. Then what?”

Heeseung froze. “I… don’t know. Confess, I guess?”

Jay smirked. “You ‘guess’? Come on, man, you’ve been pining after her for months. You need to have a plan.”

Heeseung groaned, flopping onto the couch beside Jay. “Why is this so hard?”

“Because you’re making it hard,” Jay said. “Just tell her how you feel. Worst-case scenario, she doesn’t feel the same, and you move on.”

Heeseung glared at him. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

Back at your apartment, you stared at the note again, Minjun’s words echoing in your mind.

Was it possible that Heeseung really felt that way? The thought made your chest tighten, a mix of excitement and nervousness bubbling up inside you.

Chaewon’s voice rang in your head: You miss him. Don’t even try to deny it.

With a deep breath, you grabbed your phone and opened a text thread with Heeseung.

Hey, are you free later? I think we need to talk.

Your finger hovered over the send button for a moment before you hit it, your heart pounding.

Seconds later, the “typing…” bubble appeared, and your stomach flipped.

Yeah, of course. Is everything okay?

You smiled faintly. That was so like him—always checking in.

Yeah. I’ll let you know when I’m free.

As you set your phone down, Minjun peeked over your shoulder, his face lighting up. “Are you texting Heeseung Hyung?”

You gave him a look. “Don’t you have homework to do?”

Minjun grinned. “Nope! Can I invite him over for dinner again?”

You sighed, ruffling his hair. “Maybe.”

Minjun beamed, clearly pleased with himself. As he darted off to watch cartoons, you shook your head, a small smile tugging at your lips.

Minjun might have been a little troublemaker, but you had to admit—his matchmaking skills weren’t half bad.

The afternoon passed in a blur of anxious thoughts and restless pacing. You had texted Heeseung again, asking him to meet you at a quiet café near your apartment. It was a neutral, low-pressure spot, perfect for whatever this conversation would turn out to be.

As you sat at a corner table, fiddling with the edge of your cup, you tried to mentally rehearse what you would say. But every time you formed a sentence in your head, it sounded either too vague or too awkward.

The sound of the bell above the door snapped you out of your thoughts. Heeseung walked in, scanning the room until his eyes landed on you. He smiled, his usual confidence tempered with a hint of curiosity.

“Hey,” he said as he slid into the seat across from you. “What’s up? You seemed… serious.”

Your heart pounded. He looked too good in his casual hoodie and jeans, his hair slightly tousled as if he’d just rolled out of bed.

You forced yourself to smile. “Thanks for coming. I just—there’s something I need to ask you.”

Heeseung tilted his head, leaning forward slightly. “Go ahead.”

You reached into your bag, pulling out the folded note Minjun had so helpfully delivered. Placing it on the table between you, you said, “I think this is yours.”

His expression froze. For a moment, he stared at the paper as if it were a live grenade. Then, with a nervous laugh, he picked it up.

“Ah… so you found it,” he said, scratching the back of his neck.

“Actually, Minjun found it,” you said, unable to hide your small smile. “He was convinced it was from my ‘boyfriend.’”

Heeseung groaned, covering his face with one hand. “Of course he did.”

You bit your lip, watching as he slowly set the note down. “Is it true? What you wrote?”

Heeseung took a deep breath, his playful mask slipping for a moment. “Yeah, it’s true.”

Your eyes widened slightly. You had expected him to dodge, to brush it off with a joke, but here he was, being completely honest.

“I’ve liked you for a while now,” he continued, his voice softer than usual. “I just… didn’t know how to tell you. And I wasn’t sure if you felt the same.”

Your heart felt like it was doing cartwheels. “Heeseung, I—”

He cut you off, his gaze meeting yours. “You don’t have to say anything if you don’t feel the same. I get it. I just needed you to know.”

The sincerity in his voice made your chest ache. You took a shaky breath, your voice barely above a whisper. “I do feel the same.”

Heeseung blinked, his surprise evident. “You… do?”

You nodded, your cheeks burning. “I didn’t realize it at first, but… I think I’ve liked you for a while, too.”

For a moment, neither of you spoke, the weight of the confession settling over the table. Then Heeseung’s lips curved into a grin.

“So… does this mean Minjun was right?” he teased, his confidence returning. “I am your boyfriend now?”

You rolled your eyes, but you couldn’t help the smile tugging at your lips. “Don’t push your luck.”

He laughed, leaning back in his chair. “Too late. I’m never going to let Minjun live this down.”

You shook your head, but there was no denying the warmth that spread through you at the thought.

When you walked through the door later that evening, Minjun was waiting in the living room, his face lighting up the moment he saw you.

“Did you see Heeseung Hyung?” he asked eagerly.

You sighed, ruffling his hair. “Yes, Minjun, I saw him.”

“And?”

“And… you were right.”

Minjun’s eyes widened. “So he is your boyfriend now?”

You groaned, but your blush gave you away. “Go do your homework!”

Minjun darted away with a triumphant grin, leaving you to collapse onto the couch, your heart still racing.

This wasn’t how you had imagined things unfolding, but as chaotic as it had been, you couldn’t help but feel like everything was exactly as it should be.

The day of the big project presentation had finally arrived, and the energy at BrightSpark Solutions was electric. After months of brainstorming, late-night revisions, and a few too many arguments that had led to your newfound relationship, it all came down to this moment.

You were pacing the hallway outside the conference room, clutching a printed copy of the pitch deck. Heeseung leaned casually against the wall, watching you with an amused smile.

“You’re going to wear a hole in the carpet,” he teased.

You shot him a glare, though your lips twitched with a smile. “This is huge, Heeseung. What if something goes wrong?”

“Nothing’s going to go wrong,” he said confidently, stepping closer and gently prying the deck from your hands. “We’ve practiced this a hundred times. You’ve got this. We’ve got this.”

You sighed, the warmth in his voice calming your nerves. “You’re way too relaxed.”

He smirked, leaning down slightly. “That’s why we make such a great team. You worry enough for both of us.”

You rolled your eyes, but your heart fluttered. Even now, his confidence was annoyingly reassuring.

Inside the conference room, the air was thick with tension as the high-profile clients took their seats. Manager Kim gave you both a firm nod before signaling for you to begin.

As the presentation unfolded, you and Heeseung fell into a seamless rhythm. Your calm, explanations paired perfectly with his engaging, charismatic delivery. The clients nodded along, visibly impressed by the visuals and strategies you’d spent countless nights perfecting.

By the time the Q&A session ended, the clients exchanged a few whispered words before standing.

“This is exactly what we were looking for,” one of them said with a smile. “We’re excited to move forward with BrightSpark.”

Relief flooded you as the room erupted into polite applause. You glanced at Heeseung, who grinned and gave you a small thumbs-up.

The second you stepped out of the conference room, you let out a breath you didn’t realize you’d been holding. “We did it,” you whispered, leaning against the wall.

Heeseung stood beside you, his grin widening. “No, you did it. You were amazing in there.”

You shook your head, still catching your breath. “We both did it. This wouldn’t have happened without you.”

Heeseung turned to face you fully, his expression softening. “Well, I’m proud of us. But mostly, I’m proud of you.”

Your heart skipped a beat at the way he was looking at you—like you were the only thing that mattered in the world. The noise of the office faded into the background as he stepped closer.

Before you could overthink it, Heeseung tilted his head and whispered, “Can I kiss you?”

Your breath caught, and you managed a small nod.

Heeseung leaned in, his hand gently brushing against yours as his lips met yours in a kiss that was both soft and electric. For a moment, everything else disappeared, and all you could think about was how right this felt.

The door to the conference room burst open, and the sound of cheering snapped you back to reality.

“Congratulations!” Chaewon shouted, leading a group of coworkers who had clearly been eavesdropping.

You and Heeseung jumped apart, your faces turning bright red as the group flooded into the hallway.

“Oh my god,” Yuna squealed. “Were you guys just kissing?”

“I knew it!” Jay crowed, pointing at Heeseung. “You owe me twenty bucks!”

Heeseung groaned, running a hand through his hair. “Seriously? You guys couldn’t give us five minutes?”

Chaewon smirked, crossing her arms. “Not a chance. Besides, it’s about time you two got together officially.”

You buried your face in your hands, utterly mortified. Heeseung, however, quickly recovered and slung an arm around your shoulder.

“Alright, alright, let’s hear it,” he said, grinning. “How many of you had bets going?”

Nearly everyone raised their hands, much to your dismay.

“I hate all of you,” you mumbled, though you couldn’t stop the small smile tugging at your lips.

As the celebration continued, you found a quiet moment with Heeseung near the break room.

“Well, that wasn’t exactly how I pictured our first kiss,” you admitted, your cheeks still warm.

Heeseung laughed, brushing a strand of hair out of your face. “Yeah, but it’s kind of perfect, isn’t it? Pure chaos—just like us.”

You smiled, leaning into his touch. “I guess I can’t argue with that.”

Heeseung’s gaze softened, and he laced his fingers with yours. “For what it’s worth, I wouldn’t change a thing.”

As the sound of your coworkers’ laughter echoed down the hall, you realized he was right. It wasn’t perfect, but it was yours. And that made it more than enough.

BrightSpark Solutions buzzed with its usual energy, but this time, it was different. The project that had brought you and Heeseung together had long since been wrapped up, earning the company not only a high-profile client but also a glowing reputation. However, the real headline—according to the office gossip mill—was that the two of you were now officially dating.

As you walked into the office hand in hand with Heeseung, the sound of mock cheering and applause greeted you.

“Oh, look! The lovebirds have arrived,” Jay called out, grinning from his desk.

Yuna leaned over, cupping her hands around her mouth. “Should we throw you another party, or is it too soon?”

Chaewon gave a dramatic sigh. “Honestly, it’s exhausting watching you two be so cute all the time.”

You rolled your eyes, your cheeks flushing. “I don’t know why you guys are so obsessed with us.”

“Because you’re finally together after months of unresolved tension!” Yuna exclaimed, throwing her hands up. “Do you know how hard it was to watch that? It was like a slow-burn romance novel, but with fewer cliffhangers.”

Heeseung laughed, slinging an arm around your shoulders. “Admit it, though. It was worth the wait.”

Jay pretended to gag. “Ugh, save it for after work. Some of us are single, you know.”

Later that day, Minjun made his usual post-school visit to the office, bouncing in with the enthusiasm only a child could muster.

“Hi, Noona! Hi, Heeseung hyung!” he greeted, skipping over to your desk.

“Hey, buddy,” Heeseung said, crouching down to Minjun’s level. “What’s up?”

Minjun puffed out his chest like he had an important announcement. “I told my teacher that I have a new brother now.”

Your jaw dropped. “Minjun!”

“What?” he said innocently. “You told me Heeseung Hyung is your boyfriend, and boyfriends are basically brothers, right?”

Heeseung bit back a laugh, clearly enjoying your embarrassment. “I mean, he’s not wrong.”

Minjun beamed, clearly proud of himself. “And when are you getting married? Can I be the ring boy? I’ll wear a suit!”

The office erupted into laughter, Chaewon and Jay practically falling out of their chairs.

“Minjun, we’re not—” you started, but Minjun wasn’t done.

“And after that, are you gonna have kids? Can I help name them? I think ‘Superman’ would be a good name if it’s a boy.”

Yuna choked on her coffee, while Heeseung leaned against your desk, absolutely loving the chaos. “Superman, huh? That’s a lot to live up to.”

“Stop encouraging him!” you hissed, swatting his arm.

Minjun, undeterred, turned to Heeseung. “You’ll marry her, right? You like her, don’t you?”

Heeseung crouched down again, grinning. “Of course I like her. But marriage is a big step, little guy.”

Minjun frowned, clearly unimpressed with that answer. “Well, hurry up. I want cake.”

That evening, after work, you and Heeseung walked Minjun home. He skipped ahead, humming to himself, clearly plotting your wedding and future children’s names in his head.

“I think your brother’s going to start planning the menu next,” Heeseung said, smirking.

You groaned. “He’s out of control. I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be. I think it’s cute,” Heeseung said, bumping your shoulder with his. “Besides, he’s got good taste. You’d make a great wife.”

You stopped in your tracks, turning to face him. “Are you serious right now?”

Heeseung shrugged, his grin widening. “What? Can’t I be honest?”

You stared at him, flustered, before Minjun called from up ahead. “Hurry up, lovebirds! I don’t want to miss my cartoons!”

Laughing, Heeseung grabbed your hand and pulled you along.

Back at BrightSpark, life continued as it always had—only now, you and Heeseung were the unofficial couple everyone rooted for. You still bickered over small things, like who got to control the music during late-night work sessions or whose turn it was to grab coffee. But at the end of the day, it was clear to everyone that you were both undeniably happy.

Minjun, of course, took full credit for your relationship, often reminding anyone who would listen that he “made it happen.”

During one particularly busy afternoon, he visited the office yet again, walking straight up to Manager Kim and asking, “When are Noona and Heeseung Hyung getting married? They’re really slow.”

Manager Kim, barely holding back a laugh, turned to you and said, “You know, I think your brother might have a future in project management.”

Chaewon leaned over and whispered, “Or matchmaking.”

You groaned, but as you glanced over at Heeseung, who was busy playfully arguing with Minjun about superhero names, you couldn’t help but smile.

It wasn’t perfect, but it was yours—and that made it all the more special.

lmk if there are any mistakes and please like, reblog, and comment it is appreciated very much

#﹫fate reblogs

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blindmortal · 11 days ago

Text

I AM SO GLAD YOU DID NOT SCRAP THIS CAUSE I THINK I JUST FOUND MY NEW COMFORT FIC

꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱₊˚⊹ THE BETTER

ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁 { PAIRING; jungwon x reader, GENRE; fluff, one shot, WC; 2.3k, A/N; i almost scrapped this... i hope it's as cutie as i tried to make it... special shoutout to @hoonieyun because i finished this with her encouragement. also! tysm for 500+ followers! you guys are so kind. ilysm. }

what kind of girlfriend would yang jungwon have?

the answer seems obvious enough.

someone as kind and pure as jungwon deserved someone just as sweet. someone who smiled as brightly as he did, whose eyes sparkled like his did–someone that radiated the same loveable energy that attracts everyone to him.

but, in reality? you, as jungwon’s current (and first) girlfriend, were sort of a far cry from jungwon.

you weren’t cruel by any means, but you were blunt. you hated sugarcoating words and definitely didn’t go out of your way to make people feel comfortable. if people asked for your input, they should be expecting your straightforward, honest answers—not your fault if they didn’t like it.

if people compared jungwon to ragdoll cat—likeable, friendly, and cute—they’d probably say you’re like the black cat that’s historically considered unlucky and an omen. but, somehow, you two worked.

of course, people were always questioning your relationship.

when you two worked at the same cafe during your college years, there was a clear difference in how you treated customers. you weren’t particularly rude, just not cheerful like jungwon.

“i have two iced lattes for kiki!” jungwon happily shouted, pushing the two drinks out. the girl who picked up her shyly smiled at jungwon, only wavering when she noticed your dead stare at her. after that, she hurriedly away to her friend. you watched as they both giggled and glanced at jungwon wiping down the espresso machines.

“you’re too friendly,” you sipped your drink, glaring at the bashful girls.

jungwon smiled and turned to you with a teasing look. “it’s why i make more tips than you.”

you rolled your eyes, leaning back on the counter. jungwon placed himself next to you after throwing the rag in the bucket.

“you seem grumpier than usual,” jungwon poked at your side. “anything i can do to make it better?”

“be less cute,” you muttered, words slightly disappearing in your drink.

jungwon laughed before peaking his head into your view. you immediately softened at his pretty face.

“if i were any less cute, you wouldn’t put up with me.”

you snorted as you chucked your empty cup into the bin. you busied yourself, organizing the misplaced powders and syrup bottles. jungwon followed a step behind you, weaving from either side of you to get your attention. when he stuck his face too close to yours, you pushed him away before glancing around you.

“we’re at work,” you whispered.

jungwon shrugged. “it’s not like the boss doesn’t know. i told him that i applied because of you.”

before you could reply, the same girl—kiki—came up to the counter. you stepped forward.

“what’s up?”

she frowned ever so slightly before clearing her throat. “do you think i could talk to the other barista?”

you raised your eyebrow. “i could help you just as much as he can.”

her lips formed a straight line before jungwon cut in. “how can i help you?”

you resisted letting your eyes roll for the nth time, returning to organizing the counter.

“i was wondering if you were free after your shift?”

you barely managed to disguise your laugh as a cough. jungwon pouted at you before looking back at her. “i’m actually getting lunch with my girlfriend! she’s been wanting to try this new brunch place and i promised to take her.”

the girl blinked, disappoint clear on her face. “oh. i hope you enjoy your lunch then.”

before you could move further away, jungwon pulled you into his side with a bright smile. “we will!”

disappoint made way for shock, her eyebrows raised. she didn’t say anything more, returning to her friend who excitedly awaited for news. you could see them exchange words before glancing back at you and jungwon, who was still holding onto you. you pushed yourself free and flicked his forehead.

jungwon winced at the twinge of pain and rubbed the spot. “hey! you’d think you’d be proud of me for mentioning you within 10 seconds of the conversation.”

“i told you we’re at work,” you lightly scolded. “do you want to get us fired?”

“the boss would never fire me,” jungwon cheekily said.

you knew it was true, so you just declined to respond. you made your way around the counter, choosing to clear dirty dishes and wipe down tables. jungwon shook his head smiling and finished up the work you left behind.

“that’s his girlfriend? no way. she’s like– a bitch.”

your ears twitched. you’re used to this unfortunately. from strangers to friends to family, everyone couldn’t believe that someone as sweet as jungwon would be with someone like you—someone a little mean (though, you resent that because you’d like to think you’re nice to people… you like).

“right? i don’t get it. she looked like she was ready to rip my head off for just ordering. like—sorry for making you do your job.”

“he deserves so much better.”

you agreed. not that you’d ever voice that to jungwon again. you say again because, in the early stages of your relationship, jungwon made it very clear that it doesn’t matter what anyone else thought—you were the better everyone wanted for him. you didn’t really see it but, after seeing how upset he’d get during those conversations, you stopped bringing it up.

you clenched your jaw, fingers gripping the dirty dishes, as you walked to the back. when you returned to the front, jungwon stopped you with a small smile and covered your ears. you frowned in confusion.

“don’t listen to them,” jungwon murmured, removing his hands for your ears to tuck the stray hairs behind your ear. “you’re exactly who i want to be with for the rest of my life.”

a blush burned your cheeks. maybe, just this once, you will ignore what others are saying.

it didn’t stop there though. those types of comments followed you into your adult life.

you made quite the reputation for yourself in your office. you were ambitious from the start and managed to make your way into a team leader position pretty early on in your career. but, it didn’t come without some office rumors about your character.

y/n’s harsh. she’s so cruel. i heard she blackmailed the manager for her position. y/n will rip you apart for any minor mistakes. interns, beware. the list goes on. you felt like they were unwarranted. what else did they expect in a high-profile company? your clients expected quality work that was free of mistakes. of course you were going to point out flaws. again, was your delivery cushy and sweet? no. but, they shouldn’t expect criticisms wrapped in pretty words.

their… opinions weren’t limited to work though. when jungwon stopped by your office to pick you up for lunch, they had plenty to say.

“hey,” he greeted cheerfully, stepping into the room with that effortless charm that drew everyone’s attention. your coworkers peered from their desks curiously, wondering how you interact with this stranger.

you glanced up from your desk, surprised to see him. “what are you doing here?”

“i finished all my errands early and thought i’d take you out to lunch,” he said, tilting his head cutely. “i can wait for you to finish up!”

you nodded, glancing at the papers on your desk. “give me 15 minutes.”

he gave you a thumbs up before softly whistling, looking around the office. jungwon walked over to the wall of excellent employees and grinned at your pictures hanging. he glanced at your coworkers, some having returned to their work. curious, he peaked over one of their shoulders. they jumped a little after noticing his presence.

he smiled sheepishly. “sorry.”

within minutes, he has the whole office laughing with him. when you finished reviewing the last proposition, you were met with the sight. you smiled softly. jungwon never failed to impress you with his ability to charm people.

you got up from your desk and walked over. “hey, i’m ready if you are.”

your coworkers’ laughs died down at your presence, a couple creeping back to their desks.

“i was just telling them about the first time we met!” jungwon laughed.

your eyebrow quirked. “when you fell into the fountain?”

he nodded as he reached to carry your bag. “still hard to believe you agreed to go on a date with me after that.”

you could practically hear the gears turning in your coworkers’ heads as they processed his words.

“you’re her boyfriend?” one asked.

jungwon grinned, clutching the straps of your bag. “yup! i’m a lucky man.”

“i think she’s the lucky one,” someone muttered under their breath.

you sighed and pulled jungwon towards the elevator, choosing to ignore their comment to go get lunch faster. jungwon waved goodbye as you entered the elevator.

before the elevators fully closed, you could make out someone saying, “someone as terrible as her with someone as kind as hi–”

you shut your eyes, performing breathing exercises you learned at the company’s mental health seminar. you could feel jungwon pull you into his arms before he peppered kisses all over your face. his attacks didn’t stop until you were giggling from how his kisses tickled.

“they don’t know anything,” he said, planting a final kiss on your lips. “they don’t know about how my girlfriend is the kindest person al–”

you covered his mouth before you exited the elevator. “not so loud. can’t have people knowing i’m a softie.”

jungwon kissed the palm of your hand, clasping it with his own as you walked out of the building. after years of being with jungwon, his pro-y/n propaganda got through to you, much to his delight.

but, even after all those years, jungwon’s friends still didn’t understand your dynamic.

“okay, real talk,” jake said during a game night at your apartment, gesturing between the two of you. “how do you two even work?”

“what do you mean?” jungwon asked, tilting his head like a confused puppy.

“dude, you’re like the nicest guy i know—i’m talking nicer than the grandmas that feed pigeons—and y/n is…” jake trailed off, glancing at you nervously.

“go on. say it,” you droned with no real heat, crossing your arms.

“intimidating? but, you know, in a cool, really chic way,” jake said quickly.

jungwon laughed and wrapped his arms around you. “it works because she likes me just the way i am. a nice loser that is way too nice sometimes.”

sunghoon’s eyebrows furrowed. “blink three times if you’re scared.”

jungwon puffed his cheeks in annoyance. “she’s not scary, man. she’s the sweetest, shyest, prettiest, most lovable–”

you covered his mouth, your face burning in embarrassment. “that’s enough.”

jungwon pulled away from your hand with the biggest grin. “see?”

jake snorted and nudged sunghoon. “maybe jungwon’s the one scaring her.”

you all laughed and, tactfully, they never questioned you guys again.

sometimes, though, it still bothered you. why was jungwon—someone who was sunshine-incarnate—with you–grumpy in female form?

one night, as the two of you cleaned up after a dinner party, you asked him directly.

“why do you put up with it?” you asked, your voice quieter than usual.

jungwon looked up the dishes, bubbles somehow making their way onto his hair. “put up with what?”

“all the comments,” you said, rearranging the centerpiece. “the questions. people saying you could do better…”

he frowned and shut off the water, shaking off the gloves. “do you still think there’s better than you?”

you hesitated, caught off guard by his sincere stare. “it crosses my mind from time to time?”

jungwon shook his head, stepping towards you and pulling your hands into his. “there isn’t,” he said firmly. “there’s no one in this world better for me than you.”

you tried to pull away, feeling ashamed for feeling this way after all these years, but he held on.

“i like that you don’t pretend to be someone you’re not,” he continued. “i like that you’re honest, even when the truth is hard to hear. and i like that you don’t care about flattering others, because it means even more when you do compliment people.”

your chest tightened, his words sinking into the cracks you tried so hard to hide.

“i also like that you don’t care if people know how truly kind you are, because i know. i see it every day. i see it in the way you prepare my morning coffee, even though you’re the one that has to go to work. i see it in the way you put yourself in between the street and grandmas, in case something happens. i see it in the way you keep working after everyone’s clocked out to make sure your proposition doesn’t get rejected. i see it. i see you.”

at this point, tears blurred your vision. “but, you can do so much better,” you muttered, blinking the tears away.

“you are that better. you make me wanna be better,” he said with a grin, pulling you into a hug. “it’s okay if the world keeps talking. it gives me an excuse to fire back and talk about my super cool girlfriend.”

a laugh escaped you as you rubbed your face into his chest, a smile creeping onto your face. “you’re ridiculous.”

“and you love me for it.”

you really did. you loved him so much. but, according to jungwon, probably not as much as he loved you.

so, what kind of girlfriend would yang jungwon have?

someone who challenged him to be better. someone who didn’t sugarcoat things, who kept him grounded. someone who loved him so fiercely, even if they didn’t think they should be the one receiving his love. where others saw questions, he saw answers. you were it for him. and, hopefully, the ring sitting in his desk drawer was enough to prove it to you.

disclaimer: this, in no way, reflects the idol. this is purely fiction. ✧ comments and reblogs are appreciated! ✧ give my other works a read too! come chat! (˶ˆᗜˆ˵)

tagged; @en-dream @heeheesang @bamguetismee @httpenhoon @r1kification

#nana reblogs #this might be my favourite fic ever #i absolutely love sunshine x grumpy you've got my heart with this fic dude #﹫fate reblogs

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blindmortal · 11 days ago

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───── not for sale 박종성 p.js

─── ɴᴀᴠɪɢᴀᴛɪᴏɴ

Not that it stopped him from trying. Each advance, no matter how many thousands they cost, was met with the same polite rejection—a small smile and a bow of your head.

He moved to you now, and he swore you huffed an exasperated sigh before that plastic smile took over your features.

“Jay! Always good to see our loyal regular,” you chirped, your voice bright and practiced, and Jay bit back a chuckle. He knew you didn’t mean a word of it.

So here he was, standing in line yet again, ready to order more coffee than anyone reasonably should, all for the fleeting moments of your undivided attention.

"Always happy to see you, pretty," he replied smoothly, flashing a smile that could probably charm the entire café.

“Be right with you,” you said with a wink before disappearing to prepare his order, leaving him standing there with the unmistakable look of someone who’d just had their entire day made.

Okay, Jay, you got this. How hard could it be?

“C-could I, you know—” he stumbled, his palms suddenly clammy as he mentally slapped himself for sounding like a fool. “Could I get your number?”

You tilted your head, blinking slowly at him, a teasing hint in your eyes. “Is that too direct?” he blurted, heart racing in his chest. “I’m sorry, I—I didn’t mean to—”

His words faltered, and the self-consciousness surged again. But then you laughed—soft and genuine—and the sound knocked the air right out of his lungs.

Jake raised an eyebrow and took a sip of the coffee Jay had bought him. He thought for a moment, humming softly before snapping his fingers, a grin spreading across his face.

“Why not just go for one of those cheesy dates you see in dramas? Like... go to an arcade, or the library. Didn’t you say she reads on her breaks?”

He nodded, pacing around Jake's office with a barely contained smile.

“Okay, okay,” Jay muttered to himself, more to calm the flurry of thoughts racing through his mind. “Arcade, library... maybe we can grab ice cream after? No, that’s too casual—focus, Jay, focus.” He turned to Jake, who was watching him with an amused expression. “I need to make this perfect. What if she thinks I’m being too cheesy? Or, worse, that I’m doing it because I can’t afford the usual expensive stuff?”