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inkjam-moon · 14 days ago

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Good Enough (M)

Summary: When a strange man named Seokjin shows up in your life, you have to figure out if legends are really just well kept secrets.

Pairing: Seokjin x Reader

Genre: fluff, smut, historical AU

Word Count: 22.2k (I have nothing to say.)

TW: drowning mention, ghosts, death mentions, sex, cunnilingus, that's pretty much it, nothing crazy

AN: There wasn't a good place to split this IM SORRY IT'S SO LONG i hope you like, Happy birthday Jin 💜 (this was literally based on one sentence from a dream i had and a drawing i saw of Jin BAHAHA)

There once was a lake.

This lake was covered in lotus plants. The fastest way across this lake was by boat, but only those that were trained were able to navigate the surprisingly tricky waters without getting caught in the lotuses. You see, the flowers drift and the waters change every day, so you can’t just memorize a certain route, only those that know how to recognize a safe route are able to cross. This knowledge has been handed down through select families for generations.

There are many stories surrounding the origins of the lotus pond; Some say it was placed there by the gods to split the land in half. Some say the pond was put there as a challenge of wisdom, that only the smartest and bravest are able to make their way across. Some say that each lotus represents one of the lives claimed by the deadly waters. The most popular stories involve mulgwisin, or water ghosts, of course. What is a body of water without a few ghosts?

The most famous story has to be that of the Lost Lover.

A long time ago, before the world we know came into existence; during the time of the three kingdoms, there was a city in Goguryeo. In the outskirts of that city, there were two small villages, and between those villages, laid a lake.

One night, on the winter solstice, two lovers from the different villages agreed to meet at the pond at midnight where they would marry themselves under the light of the rare full moon solstice.

One of them arrived on time, and decided to row out to the center to wait for his beloved, however, as he sat and waited, his small boat was caught. He could not escape the labyrinth of flowers. He decided to jump in the water, hoping to get an eye on the problem and untangle his vessel, however, his body was quickly rendered useless by the icy water. He was wrapped in the endless array of stems, and it wasn’t long before he was dragged beneath the surface and drowned. His lover never found him.

They say that on the full moon, the lost lover can be seen at midnight, around the lake, forever looking for the love of his life.

“Father, that’s absurd.” You state as your mother tucks your hair under your borrowed hat. “Of all of Goryeo, why would they marry in the center of the lake? And in winter?”

“This girl doesn’t have a romantic bone in her body.” Your mother states as she finishes tying the hat in place. “There. That should do it.”

“She looks great.” Your father beams at you.

“I suppose it’s a good thing she’s always looked like a boy.”

“Mother…” You groan, adjusting the green jeogori which is slightly too big for you. Your mother simply shakes her head and walks over to the small kitchen.

“You remember what to do?” Your father asks, his face creased with worry.

“Yes, I promise. I remember everything you taught me.”

He reaches out and takes your hand. “Okay, don’t forget to lower your voice too.”

“Right.” You nod as the sun begins to peek over the horizon of Hanyang. “I’ll be going then. I’ll see you tonight.”

Your parents both wave goodbye as you make your leave, beginning the trek down the dirt road to the lake.

On the next full moon, about a month later, you sigh as the last passenger gets off; Mr. Han always talks your ear off on the trip and you can’t help but be glad you’re done for the night. All that’s left now is to head back to the other shore and then make your way home.

As you untie the rope that holds your boat steady against the small dock, you look up at the large plum tree that has made its home against the shore since before you were born; noticing, for the first time, a man leaning against it, who happens to be looking directly back at you. You can’t see him very well, his face hidden by the shadow of the tree in the moonlight, but you’d guess he’s about your age.

“Do you need a ride?” You ask, holding the rope tightly in your hands. He points to himself and you nod. He emerges from under the tree, walking over towards you and you’re immediately struck by his beauty. His long dark hair is pulled back out of his face, a blue and purple headband keeping it off his forehead. His face is a little dirty, and so are his hands and clothes, but he’s probably just been working on a farm or a rice paddy all day, just like everyone else on this side of the lake.

“You… Are you speaking to me?” He breathes, speaking so low you almost can’t hear him.

It takes you a moment to stop staring at his gorgeous face, clearing your throat before you look up and down the shoreline, to see all of your other passengers have already disappeared on their way back to their homes. “You’re the only one here?” You tilt your head in confusion. “Who else would I be talking to?”

He looks around to see it’s true, you’re the only two left on the beach. “Sorry, it’s just… People don’t usually speak to me.”

“Do you need a ride or not?” You repeat, gesturing to the boat.

“That would be great, but uh… I don’t have any money to give you.”

“The government pays me.” You think for a second. It doesn’t seem like he’ll try to hurt you, at least not while you’re dressed like this. “I have to go back east anyway.”

“Really?” He looks up across the water. “You know how to cross?”

“It’s my job.” You sigh as you climb in, holding the boat against the dock and looking back up at him expectantly. He stares at you blankly for a moment before you raise your eyebrows. “Are you coming or not?”

“O-oh, sorry.” He stutters before climbing into the boat with you. He helps you push off and then watches as you begin to row, carefully and methodically, across the water and back toward the eastern shore.

“So,” He starts after a few minutes. “I haven’t seen you before.”

“Likewise.” You state.

“What happened to the old man that used to paddle the boat?”

You look over your shoulder as you navigate a tight space between the expanse of lotus blossoms. “That would be my father. He’s… taking a break.” You lie like you have been since you took over for him. You can’t tell anyone that your father is actually very sick, and possibly on the verge of dying and you had to take his place in order for your family to stay afloat. Who knows what would happen. If people started asking questions, you could be found out and thrown in jail, or worse, you could be killed. Women aren’t supposed to have important jobs like this. And posing as a man could have dire consequences. “He had some important business to attend to in Yuan.”

You’ve reached the center of the lake and wish the man would stop asking questions. You look up to see him skim his hand across the small waves made by the boat and study him for a moment. He has rather broad shoulders, and is a bit on the taller side. His face is truly beautiful, his eyes are shaped like almonds, his nose is perfectly proportioned and his lips are nice and plump, balancing his features nicely. His hair is long, sitting collected on top of his head in a typical knot and he wears clothes you haven’t really seen before; they look as though they’re from a different time. He looks up and sees you studying him, to which you immediately turn away, turning your focus back to the real task at hand; getting you both to shore.

“What’s your name?” He asks, tilting his head as he looks you over.

“Doyoon.” Another lie.

“Interesting.” He mumbles.

“Why is that interesting?”

“No reason.” He shrugs. “It’s just that ‘Do’ means ‘path’ or ‘road’.”

“Yes?” To be honest you just picked it because your father’s name is Dojoon, but now you can see the irony.

He simply shakes his head. “I’m Kim Seokjin.”

“So are you? Precious and rare?”

He smiles at this. “I like to think so. How old are you?”

“This is my 28th year.”

“Me too! I turn 29 this winter!”

“Ah, I turn 29 in the spring.”

“So you are a bit younger then.”

Just then, the boat jolts as it hits the shore, signaling your arrival back on the eastern side. You were so busy listening to him you didn’t even realize you were already here. You quickly jump out, gesturing for him to do the same before you begin to drag the boat over to the dock. When he sees what you’re doing, Seokjin helps you situate the boat until you get it secured.

“Do you always do this by yourself?” He questions as you finish tying the rope.

You nod. “Unless I have a passenger coming to this side for the night, but that doesn’t happen a lot. And they don’t usually help me, so, thank you.”

He offers you a smile as you stand up. “Of course. How long will you be doing this?”

“For a while I assume.” You smack your hands together to clean the dirt off of them before wincing at one of the painful blisters on your left palm. Your hands still haven’t gotten used to the rough wood of the oars which causes them to tear and bleed and blister frequently.

Seokjin notices this, but doesn’t say anything about it, choosing to wave goodbye instead. “I suppose I’ll see you around then?”

“I suppose you will.”

And with that, he turns and leaves in the opposite direction of the way you need to go. What a strange person. You shake your head, gathering your things out of the boat before beginning the walk back to your home.

You don’t see Seokjin again for a while, and you admit, you almost forgot about him until the next full moon when you pull up to the western shore for the last time around midnight that night, and see him propped up against the plum tree again wearing the same strange clothes. When he notices you he immediately jumps up with a small wave. You nod to acknowledge him before turning your focus back to helping your last passenger off the boat.

“Have a good night Doyoon-si.” Mr. Han says as he starts off down the road.

“You as well.” You call back before turning to see Seokjin walking toward you. The light of the full moon reflects off his face, illuminating his strong chin as he smiles at you.

“Doyoon-si!” He cheers as though you are old friends.

“Seokjin-si.” You are slightly less enthused as you bow your head at him, exhaustion beginning to course through your body. “Do you need passage?”

He nods. “If you’re headed east.”

“Of course.” You hold the boat steady against the dock as he clambors in, quickly making himself comfortable as you untie the boat, but before you can push off Seokjin startles you.

“Wait!” He exclaims.

You bring your hand to your chest. “What on earth?”

He holds a small parcel out to you. “I brought you something.”

“What is this?”

“Open it.”

You sigh, untying the twine and pulling the paper open to see a jar and some cloth cut into strips. You open the jar to see some sort of medicinal salve, the pungent smell of herbs hitting your nose almost immediately. “What is this?” You repeat.

“It’s for your hands.” He states. He takes the package for you before opening the jar and grabbing one of your hands, pulling it toward him, palm up. Before you can protest, he immediately scoops some of the salve out and spreads a glob of it across your palm , gently rubbing it on the open sores and blisters that have only seemed to worsen since you last saw him. He grabs one of the strips of cloth and wraps it around your hand like a glove, tying it in place. When he finishes the one hand, he holds his out for your other and you offer it to him. You don't see the harm in this, if it helps, that would be great. He repeats the process with your second hand, wrapping the cloth snuggly around your palm before securing it.

You take your hands back and study them, wiggling your fingers. Your eyes go wide when you feel your hands already sting less than they did moments ago. “How did you do that?”

“I worked in medicine.” He states. “I’ve treated hands like yours before, torn up from wood.” His gaze looks away, focusing on something in the distance for a moment before looking back at you. “Just put that on in the mornings with clean cloths and it should heal up in about a week. And after it heals you can use the wraps to protect your hands.”

“T-thank you.” You bow your head to him. “This will help me so much.”

He waves his hands at you dismissively. “I just want to help, really. Think of it as a gift from a friend.”

“A friend?” To be honest, you can’t really say that you have many friends. Or any friends… Even before your father got sick, you were never really allowed to do much outside of your own village, and there weren’t too many kids your age growing up. You guess you should be thankful, as it makes it harder to be found out now the less people that know you. Seokjin smiles again, a warm smile that causes your stomach to flutter.

“You’re working late tonight.” He observes as you pick up your oars and begin to row.

“I am. I have to stay out later in harvest season to make sure everyone gets passage.”

“That must be tiring for you.”

“Yes, but it is part of the job. And I don't really mind since they pay me more in the autumn months.”

“That must be nice.”

“It is.” You agree. “You work in medicine though? In your village?”

He huffs out a small laugh. “Well, I used to. I was… an apprentice, I guess.”

You turn the boat through a particularly strong patch of stems. “You didn’t finish?”

“No… if I finished my training they were going to send me to the palace.”

“And you didn’t want to work at the palace?”

“I didn’t.” He agrees. “I didn’t want to leave my…” He trails off before letting out a soft sigh. “There was a friend keeping me here at the time, but it ended up that they weren’t who I thought they were…”

“That’s too bad.”

“Yes… it was a very unpleasant time for me.” He looks up at the sky and you watch as he closes his eyes, breathing in deeply before staring up at the stars above, his face illuminated by the light of the full moon. Your eyes rake over the exposed expanse of his neck and your heart beats just a bit faster at the sight. He looks… Good. No. You scold yourself, attempting to clear the thoughts from your mind. You can’t do anything that could jeopardize your situation.

As you near the shore, Seokjin opens his eyes and looks back at you. “What about you? How did you become the lotus man?”

“The lotus man?” You snort.

“You know what I mean.”

“It was my father.” You state. “The navigation of the lotus flowers has been passed down through my family for generations. And when my father didn’t have a so- Ah, I mean, when I was born, it was only natural that the knowledge was passed down to me.” Shew, that was close. “Do you have many friends?”

“I used to.” His smile turns wistful. “Not so much anymore. As I told you last time, you’re the first person that’s talked to me in a long time.”

“Why is that?”

Seokjin thinks on this for a moment before he shrugs. “I suppose, most of the people I used to know are… gone.”

“Gone? What do you mean?”

“Ah, I mean. Most of them went away to… uh, Yuan. And they never came back.”

“And your family?” You ask. You probably shouldn't be asking him so many questions, but your curiosity has been piqued.

“My family…” You see a hint of sadness flash in his eyes. “They’re gone too.”

“Why didn’t you go with them?”

He looks down at where his hands rest in his lap. “I couldn’t.” You tilt your head in question, but he shakes you off. “It’s a long story…”

You sense something behind his answer. Pain? Longing? You’re not sure, but you don’t press him about it, simply falling back into silence as the boat glides through the water around you.

“What about you?” Seokjin suddenly asks, breaking the silence.

“Me?”

“Do you have many friends?”

“No… I can’t say that I do.”

“No?”

You shake your head. “A long story as well.” He nods, and before Seokjin can say anything in return, the boat thunks against the dock, jostling you both in your seats.

“Maybe you can tell me next time?” He smiles as you tie the boat up.

“A-ah, maybe.” You allow him to get out of the boat first before getting yourself out and hauling the boat ashore, with Seokjin’s help once again. “Thank you.” You bow at him as you grab your things.

“You’re welcome. I’ll see you next time.” His eyes meet yours for confirmation before he waves and walks off down the path.

Over the next few months, you see Seokjin 3 times, once every full moon. The two of you slowly begin to talk more and more every trip across the lake, and you quickly grow closer to each other, seeming more and more like friends every night you spend together, allowing you both to quickly drop formalities.

He’s told you all about his family. You learn he’s originally from Chungju, but his family followed the river to Hanyang when he was just a baby looking for better opportunities. Seokjin’s father was a medicine man before him and like your father did to you, he taught Seokjin everything he knows. Seokjin had an older brother, but he passed away from a fever before Seokjin was born, which led Seokjin’s father into medicine. Seokjin’s mother was beautiful, the most sought after in their village, but she was already married to Seokjin’s father. They had married for love when they were very young. You realize that must be where Seokjin got his looks from.

You tell him about your family; how it was just you and your parents. You tell them about how much they mean to you, and how much they care about you. You tell him about how you spent most of your childhood learning how to navigate the lake, so you didn’t have much time to find friends, but you weren’t necessarily lonely. Your village was small, so there weren’t really any other children your age, but most of the people in it knew you or your family and you all took care of each other, so it was almost like one large extended family and that was good enough for you. You tell him that your mother was an amazing cook, and she made the best rice cake soup and about how your father taught you how to read, and how much you enjoyed listening to the stories he would tell you every night.

On the sixth night you see him, it has almost become routine. The two of you launch the boat, a chill creeping in as the early winter air surrounds you. Seokjin excitedly told you that he brought some sort of snack with him and as you start to row, you watch him as he carefully takes out some wrapped rice balls. You happily accept the one he hands to you and begin to munch on it, steering the boat with one hand.

“Mm these are delicious!” You exclaim. “Did you make these?”

He shakes his head. “No, the ones I make are much better than this, but this was all I could get.”

“If yours are better, you’ll have to make them for me sometime.”

“Maybe.” He states, a small smile creeping onto his lips before taking another bite of the treat in his hand. You finish yours quickly and return to the task of rowing. You make it about a quarter of the way across the lake when a question pops into your head.

“Seokjin?”

“Mm?” He looks up at you, a bit of rice on his chin.

You giggle at the sight of him. “How do you get across the lake?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I only ever pick you up on the west side. How do you get back over there after I take you across?”

“I walk.”

“What?” You nearly drop your oars.

He shrugs. “I walk.”

“Isn’t that a long walk?”

“It is, but it’s nice. No one really takes that path, so there’s a lot of time for me to just think to myself.”

“Huh…” You nod.

“What’s ‘huh’?”

“Nothing. I just… I do that too.” You explain.

He tilts his head with interest. “You do?”

“Yeah. On nights when you’re not here, sometimes on my way home I’ll stop the boat in the center of the lake and just sit there for a bit with the moon.”

“With the moon?”

You nod again. “It gives me comfort.”

“Me too.” He smiles at you.

“Speaking of the moon, how come I only ever see you when it’s full?”

“Ah, well… It’s the only time I’m near the lake. I’m away for about a month at a time.”

“For work?”

“Not exactly.”

“What are you doing then?”

“This and that.” Seokjin shrugs. “It’s not important.”

“Okay, what is important then?”

“Hmm…” He thinks on this for a moment. “Lately, it’s been spending time with you.” He states, making your eyes go wide. “I haven’t been able to talk to someone like this in a while, and it’s nice to be acknowledged.” His eyes meet yours and you see a sincerity in them that warms you despite the cold seeping into your skin.

“It is nice.” You admit.

“Do you want to?”

“Do I want to what?”

“We’re in the center of the lake,” He gestures to the water around you. “Do you want to sit with the moon? And me?”

It's your turn to smile. “I’d be happy to.” You place the oars in a resting position and you and Seokjin climb to the center of the boat, sitting next to each other and staring up at the moon above you. Seokjin offers you another rice ball, and the two of you eat peacefully.

“You know what this reminds me of?” You ask when you’ve finished eating.

“What?”

“My father,” You begin. “Loves to tell me the story of the mulgwisin of this lake.”

“Oh?” Seokjin’s head perks up at this. “What’s the story?”

“You haven’t heard of the lost lover?” You ask. Seokjin shakes his head, so you continue. “They say that long ago, on the winter solstice, there was a young man that wanted to marry his lover, so he rowed to the middle of the lake at midnight to do so, but he was caught in the flowers and drowned, and his lover never found him.”

“Ah, I have heard this one, actually. I heard it a bit differently though.”

“How so?”

“Well, in the version that I heard, they weren’t going to marry, they were just going to meet up. They were from different sides of the lake, and he was rowing over to her shore so that they could spend time together, as they both really liked each other. He arrived first, and quickly got into his boat, pushing off into the waters. What he didn’t realize was that she wasn’t coming.

“There was a third person, a friend of the man, but he wasn’t a friend at all. He was jealous of the man, as he wanted the woman to himself, so he told the woman that the man wouldn’t show up that night, as he didn’t want to see her anymore. But he had to ensure the man would never be with the woman.

“The man was already halfway across the lake when he realized his boat had a hole in it, put there by the jealous one, but it was already too late. It was cold and dark as he sank, wanting nothing more than to see her face one last time…”

“That’s so much sadder…” You ponder this for a moment, Seokjin almost makes it sound like he was there. “Did you hear the part where he apparently wanders the lake every full moon at midnight looking for her?”

“Yes, I have heard that.”

“But I’m out here all the time, and I've never seen him.”

“Maybe… Maybe you weren’t really looking.”

“Wait, do you actually believe in the story?”

“A lot of stories like that are based on real life.” Seokjin shrugs. “But I don’t think he’s looking for her either.”

“What do you think?”

Seokjin looks up at the moon and sighs. “I think… he’s looking for the person that can help him finally find peace.”

“Hmm… Maybe you’re right. Or maybe it’s you!”

“What?” Seokjin’s eyes go wide.

“I mean, I only ever see you on full moons, usually around midnight. How do I know you’re not the ghost?”

Seokjin chuckles softly at this. “Aish, Doyoon you’re too funny.”

“You didn’t deny it.”

“Don’t be absurd. Do I look like a ghost to you?” He smirks. You observe him carefully feeling his warmth where his thigh rests against yours before smacking his arm gently. ”Yah, what was that?”

“A test!” You explain. “You’re right. I guess if you were a ghost, I wouldn’t be able to touch you.”

You both laugh and then the boat falls back into silence, and as you sit, you look over at Seokjin and a small thought crosses your mind. You really hate lying to him. You hate not being able to tell him who you are. The real you. For some reason you’re drawn to this man, whether it be fate, or something stronger. You want nothing more than to tell him everything.

“Seokjin…” You mumble, catching his attention. He glances over at you, but the look in his eyes causes you to hesitate. “W-we should probably get going.”

“So soon?” He asks, his features softening with disappointment.

“I’m starting to get cold.” That’s not entirely untrue. It has gotten colder since you started sitting here, and the chill in the air is causing you to shiver.

“Ah, I’m sorry. I hardly even felt it.” He watches as you climb back to your proper seat, picking up your oars.

You’re silent the rest of the trip, trying to focus only on rowing back to the shore, but you can feel Seokjin occasionally glancing at you, and despite the cold, your face grows heated under his gaze. Why does he make your heart flutter in this way? When you reach the shore, Seokjin helps you tie up the boat and you gather your things.

“I’ll see you next full moon.” Seokjin waves.

“Hm?” You turn back to Seokjin. “Oh, no, the next full moon is dongji, the winter solstice. The boat won’t be in service that day.”

“The solstice?”

“Mhm.” You nod. “I’ll be at the festival all day.”

“The festival?”

“The solstice festival. Haven’t you ever gone?”

He shakes his head. “I, uh… I don’t really celebrate the winter solstice.”

“You should go. It’s a fun time; there’s all kinds of food and vendors and performances.” You bow your head slightly before turning to leave. “I’ll see you-” You’re stopped when Seokjin grabs your sleeve. “Hm?”

“Doyoon…”

“What is it?”

“Go to the solstice festival with me.”

“What?” Did you hear him correctly?

“Go to the festival with me.” He repeats, taking your hand in his. “Please?”

“You want… Me? To go with you?”

Seokjin squeezes your hand. “I want to spend more time with you.”

“O-okay. I guess we can go together.”

“Meet me here at noon.” He lets go of your hand.

“Noon.” You nod. “I can do that.”

As you begin to walk away again, Seokjin calls after you. “Doyoon-si! Come as yourself.”

“A-as myself?” Your heart pounds in your chest, and you can only hope he can’t hear it, but when you spin back to face him, he is already walking down the path away from you, waving goodbye.

He wants you to go as yourself? He can’t mean… Has he figured you out so quickly? Does he know you’re not the man you claim to be? You find it hard to sleep that night, your mind tripping over Seokjin’s words again and again. What did he mean? Does he really want to see you? The real you? Well, you suppose that you have until the solstice to figure out what you’re going to do.

The morning of the solstice you wake up early. You help your mother make red bean porridge and rice dough balls; and then sprinkle it around the house, warding off evil spirits before leaving an offering of it at your family shrine. When you return from the shrine, you sit with your parents and eat the remaining porridge for good luck. After everything has been completed, you start to get ready for the festival. You decided to go as he requested, as yourself, and you want to look your prettiest when he sees the real you for the first time.

You decided on your favorite silk winter hanbok, the skirt is poofy, a light blue that matches the sky, and the jeogori is white, long sleeved with dainty snowflakes embroidered into the fabric. Your mother helps you with your hair by tying a matching blue daenggi to your braid. When your hair is done, you borrow a bit of the makeup your mother uses for special occasions; you dust a bit of light pink blush on your cheeks and place a tinted paper between your lips, allowing the pink color to transfer. Your mother asks who you’re getting all dressed up for, but you say it’s for yourself, getting to be who you really are for one day. You slip on your small white shawl to keep warm and you’re ready.

Your stomach twists in knots as you say goodbye to your parents and begin up the path to your meeting spot by the lake. Will Seokjin recognize you? Is this what he meant? He couldn’t have meant anything else, right? Will he like the way you look? Wait, what? Why do you care about that? You’re… you’re just going as friends, right?

Right?

You have to stop several times along the way to calm yourself down, your heart feeling like it’s about to beat out of your chest, but even though you are a few minutes late, you make it. As you crest the hill before the shore, you see him and stop. Seokjin’s back is toward you, staring out over the water, but he’s the only one here, so it has to be him. He’s sporting a pink silken overcoat and his hair has been let down for once, only half of it pulled back into a low bun.

You take a deep breath and start walking again, as you get closer, he must hear your footsteps as he turns to face you. You’re momentarily blinded by his beauty. If you didn’t know any better, you’d think Seokjin was a prince. His hair falls gently in his face, framing his good looks perfectly. A small chain in his hair glints when it catches the sunlight, a crescent moon in the center of it. His deep brown eyes are searching for something until they land on you and they go wide.

“W-wow…” He breathes, struck still as he takes in the sight of you greedily, committing you to memory, his plush lips breaking into a wide smile. “It’s really you.”

“Seokjin.” You bow politely when you reach him. “It’s good to see you.”

“You look incredible.” He bows back. “D-Doyoon I-” He stutters as if realizing mid sentence that name doesn’t fit you in this circumstance.

“Ah, you can call me Y/N.”

“Y/N…” He repeats your name, letting it marinate in his mouth. “You can call me Jin.”

“Jin? Hmm I like it.”

“I’m glad to finally meet the real you, Y/N.”

You blush under the intensity of his gaze. “I-I’m happy to meet you too.” You mumble.

“Shall we get going?” He offers his arm to you which you happily accept.

The two of you walk beside the shore line and up the path to the festival. Your senses are immediately overwhelmed by the smell of food and the sounds of people celebrating. You lead Jin through the crowd to the large shrine and watch the solstice ritual followed by the prayer to the god of the earth.

The two of you then wander around the festival, Seokjin tugging you from stand to stand. You swear every time you turn around, he has a new food in his hands for the both of you to try; soups, rice cakes, fish cakes, meat skewers; everything he can get his hands on. As you eat his latest snack, some sort of pork skewer, you watch the cheoyongmu, a mask dance believed to drive away evil spirits. Though the air is chilled, you’re filled with warmth, watching the way Seokjin smiles as he enjoys the festivities.

As darkness begins to fall, you take Seokjin to your favorite stand, the lantern stand, and purchase one of the beautifully crafted paper lanterns for the both of you to participate in the best part of the evening. You lead Seokjin over to an empty spot on the shore line and with the help of the nearby torch, light the ring inside the lantern. Seokjin’s eyes go wide as the lantern fills up; the warm light dances across his face, making his features glow.

“What do we do now?” He asks, the two of you holding tight to the lantern.

“Let go.”

The corner of his lip twitches up in a smile as he follows your instruction. You both let go of the lantern and watch as it’s carried up into the air by the fire inside it, slowly wandering out into the sky before landing on the surface of the lake, creating small ripples as it floats through the water. After a few moments, several more lanterns float through the air and join yours in the water. You watch Seokjin’s face light up in amazement as the lanterns pass by you both.

“Wow…” He gasps, watching the reflection of all the lights shimmering across the water. “Incredible.”

“This is my favorite part of the festival.” You state. “When you release the lantern, it’s supposed to symbolize letting go and starting over.”

“Letting go…” Seokjin repeats, a small smile gracing his lips as he steps just a bit closer to you. You quickly turn to face the water, watching the floating lanterns, but you can feel his eyes on you. “Y/N-ah…”

“Hm?” You turn back to him, shocked that he called you ‘Y/N-ah’. It’s fitting, yes, but being it’s the first time he’s called you so fondly, so casually, it makes your heart skip a beat.

“You know, this would probably be quite a sight from the boat.”

You think for a moment. “Honestly I've never tried that before. We might have to wait a bit before the lanterns float that far.”

“I don’t mind waiting.” His smile sends heat to your cheeks as he takes your hand in his.

“O-okay.” You mutter, allowing him to lead you back along the shore, away from the festival and toward the dock where your boat rests.

It takes a few minutes, but eventually you arrive at the dock. You look around to make sure no one is there to see you before you and Seokjin push the boat into the water. He helps you climb in and you push off, but before you can take the oars, Seokjin grabs them from you.

“Let me.”

“But you don’t-”

“Let me.” He repeats. He dunks the oars in the water and begins to carefully row the boat. Surprisingly, he seems to know what he’s doing, and doesn’t get stuck once, quickly getting you out to the center of the lake. When he gets the boat where he wants, he puts the oars in a resting position and moves to the center of the boat, gesturing for you to come sit with him.

“Seokjin… how did you do that?” You ask, bewildered as you carefully make your way over to him.

He simply smiles. “I’m full of surprises.” The two of you face the south side of the lake, patiently waiting for the lanterns to make their way from the festival and around the corner to you. Seokjin presses himself against you, keeping your side warm where your bodies touch. He takes your hand, holding it in his until he remembers something, turning your hand over and holding it palm up in front of him. “Your hands look much better.” He observes.

You nod. “Thanks to you.”

“I’m happy it helped.” He states before catching sight of something out of the corner of his eye. “Look! They’re here!”

You look up to where he’s pointing and see the first lantern rounding the corner across the lake. It isn’t long before dozens of lanterns spill into sight, gently floating on the water, pushed by the breeze and the current. The two of you watch as the lanterns float closer, and soon enough they surround the boat, light flickering off of the lotuses that surround you.

“Wow…” Now it’s your turn to be amazed. Seokjin smiles warmly, enjoying the delighted look on your face.

“Y/N, I got you something.” He states, pulling a small wrapped parcel out of his pocket.

“For me?” You ask as he hands you the package. You open the wrapping to see the wooden hairpin you had been eyeing at one of the festival stands; the one decorated with pink blossoms and dangling gems on the end. It was beautiful, but you decided you couldn’t justify spending your money on it. You pick it up out of the wrapping and admire the way it glitters in the light of the moon.

“It reminded me of you.” He takes the pin and secures it in your hair. “The blossoms look like the lotuses on the lake.”

“Jin, it's beautiful… Thank you so much.”

He squeezes your hand in his and you fall back into silence. As you sit, both of you enjoying the serenity of the moment, suddenly you see something else drifting down in front of you. You stick your hand out and catch the white flake in your palm where it melts on contact.

“Snow?” You pull your palm back in and examine it before you both look up at the sky above to see more flakes falling on top of you. The two of you watch as the snow falls onto the water, creating the smallest ripples where it lands between the lanterns and lotuses.

“The first snow.” Seokjin whispers, almost to himself. “It’s beautiful.”

“It is.”

“Like you.” Seokjin adds.

“Seokjin, p-please.” You try to shake his words off.

“I mean it.” He squeezes your hand again. “Y/N, you are… Exquisite.”

The cold air does nothing as your entire body warms at his words, your heart fluttering in your chest. Is this what it feels like to care for another? No, this is something stronger than that. Could this be… Love? You look up to meet Seokjin’s gaze, staring back to see snow decorating his lashes. He really is gorgeous.

Seokjin’s hand comes up to cup your chin, he tilts your face up more, his gaze flicking between your eyes and your lips, as if silently asking for permission. You swallow hard, trying to force your heart back down into your chest from where it sits in your throat before taking a deep, shuddering breath and closing the gap between the two of you, pressing your lips to his.

Seokjin sighs softly into the kiss, his hand releasing your chin to sweep around and gently hold the back of your neck, his thumb rubbing your skin gently. Your heart thuds loudly in your chest as exhilaration floods your body from the feeling of his lips. Seokjin’s lips are soft and luxurious and you relish in the feeling of them pressed to yours.

After a few moments, you pull back, your breath stuttering as you separate. Your head feels light as you open your eyes to see Seokjin smiling sweetly at you. His free hand comes up to sweep a stray hair out of your face, but before you can say anything you feel something drip on your cheek.

You both look up at the sky to see the soft snow falling has turned into freezing rain. You know better than to get caught on the lake in the rain and quickly jump back into your seat. You go to grab the oars, but see that Seokjin has already beat you to it as he dips them into the water and swiftly begins to row you both back to shore.

“Hurry up!” You giggle at the absurdity of the situation as the shore comes into view, your clothes quickly becoming soaked by the rain. Seokjin only nods, a laugh escaping him as he picks up the pace. You reach the dock in record time, tying up the boat and grabbing your things before you grab Seokjin’s hand and lead him toward the boathouse.

“Where are we going?” He asks as the rain begins to fall harder.

“You’ll see!” You call back, dragging him with you as you run toward the building. When you finally reach it, both of you already soaked, you take the key out of your bag and unlock the door, opening it and quickly ushering Seokjin inside before shutting the door behind you both. You lean back against the door, panting for a moment before collecting yourself and walking over to the fire place.

“What is this place?” Seokjin questions, also slightly out of breath.

You throw some wood on the fire and light it quickly, enjoying the warmth as you turn back to Seokjin. “The boathouse.” You explain. “It belongs to my family. We use it as shelter when we’re out on the lake and the weather is too bad to head home.” As if to punctuate your sentence, a clap of thunder rumbles through the sky outside. “We can wait out the rain here.”

You stand and walk over to the small closet next to the bed, grabbing two pairs of dry clothes and some cloths to dry yourselves off. You hand Seokjin one of the piles of clothes, some simple cotton sleeping clothes, and one of the cloths.

“Sorry, this is all I have.” You take yours and place them on the bed before wiping off the rain that’s dripping down your face.

Seokjin thanks you and then begins to untie the strings of his overcoat, quickly ridding himself of the damp fabric layer until he’s standing there naked from the waist up. Your face gets hot and you try to look anywhere but at him, quickly turning to face the wall away from him as you hear him rustling the clothes behind you. You continue to dry your face off until you hear Seokjin clear his throat.

“I’m clothed.” He states, and you turn back around to see him standing before you in the cotton pajamas. His hair hangs by his shoulder before he ties it up, but a few damp strands still hang loosely around his face. God, even like this he’s handsome.

You suddenly feel extremely shy and simply sit down, having no intention of changing your clothes in front of the most beautiful man you’ve ever laid eyes on, but he quickly catches on.

“Y/N, you need to change.”

“N-no. I’m fine, thank you.”

“You’ll get sick if you stay in those wet clothes.” He chides.

“I’m okay with that.”

“Y/N-ah,” Seokjin chuckles. “Look, I will turn around, okay? I won’t look, I promise.” And he does, turning around to face the fire and sitting down. “See? Now please.”

You hesitate a moment longer. You’ve never changed in front of anyone before, let alone someone you just kissed. But despite your brain screaming ‘no’ at you, you relent, removing your shawl and jeogori before finding the strings of your hanbok and pulling them loose, letting the fabric fall to the floor. You remove your soaked undergarments as well, taking off the wet pants before replacing them with the dry cotton pair. When you’re sure Seokjin isn’t going to turn around, you remove your undershirt, peeling the damp fabric off of you. As you go to grab the shirt, however, your foot catches on a chair and you trip, you don’t fall, but it makes a loud enough sound that Seokjin hears it.

“Are you okay?” You look up to see Seokjin turning, but before you can tell him not to look, he sees you. His eyes go wide as they take in the sight of your bare breasts. He immediately turns back around at the same time you grab the shirt and yank it to your chest to cover yourself. “I didn’t see anything!” He states.

“Liar.” You state as you wrap the shirt around you, quickly covering your embarrassment.

“I was trying to make you feel better.” He jokes as you walk over and sit next to him by the fire. “I’m sorry.”

You shrug him off as you slip the pin he gifted you out of your hair and place it gently on the table. “I’m just going to pretend it didn’t happen.”

“This is nice.” Seokjin smiles, helping you to undo your hair as you slip on dry socks.

“You think so?” You ask, looking at the ramshackle hut around you.

“Not the place.” He chuckles as his hand finds yours. “The company.”

“O-oh… Yeah, it is nice.” You look up at him and offer him a sweet smile. “Wait, are you just saying that because you saw me without clothes?”

“Not at all.” He laughs. “There’s something about you, Y/N.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s like… when I’m with you, there is no one else. It’s just the two of us.”

“Well, it usually is just the two of us.” You point out.

“You know what I mean.”

“I do.” You state, surprising him if the look on his face is any indication. “I’ve never felt this way before… But something draws me to you Jin. I don’t know what it is, but sometimes…” You sigh. “It scares me.”

Seokjin cups your cheek, tilting your face up to look at him. “You don’t have to be afraid.”

You smile, nuzzling into his hand as your heart swells in your chest. “Jin, what is this feeling?”

“I don’t know…” Seokjin takes a deep breath. “I’ve never felt this before.”

You wrap your arms around Seokjin’s waist and bury your face in his chest. His arms return the gesture, holding you as close to him as possible as his head rests against yours.

The two of you sit like this for a long time, listening to the rain tapping on the roof, talking about nothing and everything, and of course, sharing in a few more soft kisses. At some point, you must drift off, as you wake up to the sound of a rooster’s crow.

As you blink open your eyes, you can see the sky beginning to lighten through the cracks in the door. You stretch your limbs, not as sore as you thought you’d be until you realize that you’re on the bed. Seokjin must’ve put you here last night after you fell asleep, covering you with two blankets to combat the chill he knew would be in the morning air. You sit up and look for the man in question to see that he’s no longer in the boathouse with you.

“Jin?” You call out. “Seokjin?”

No response. He didn’t stay? Huh… Maybe he wasn’t comfortable being there while you were sleeping. You get up and splash some water on the smoldering remnants of the fire when you look over and see the hairpin he got you on the table. Your heart flutters once more and you smile to yourself, picking up the pin and clutching it to your chest as the memories of last night float through your mind, happy it wasn’t just a dream.

You quickly collect the rest of your things and head out, locking the boathouse behind you before hurrying home, knowing your parents will be wondering where you are.

During the winter, after the end of harvest season, the lake freezes over with a sheet of ice several feet thick, so there is no need for you or the boat, most people just walk across when they need to. Most of your time is spent at home, taking care of your father, who seems to be okay for the moment; but you’re afraid the cold winter months could worsen his illness.

You have no way of knowing where Seokjin could be when he’s not at the lake, so there’s no way for you to see him. You went up to the next village to go to the market, and asked around about him, but no one seemed to know who you were talking about. He must live in a village farther north, or maybe on the west side of the lake. Regardless, on the next full moon, as soon as you wake up you slip on some warm underclothes and a simple green cotton hanbok, sliding the hairpin he got you into your bun, and head out to find him.

There’s a light dusting of snow on the ground, and as you walk, the wind picks up the flakes and twirls them around you, reddening your cheeks as you arrive at the shore. Seokjin isn’t on the east side, so you begin the slippery trek across the frozen waters.

The ice creaks and groans beneath your footsteps, but many other footprints are already traced in the snow, so you know it’s safe and continue. The snow adds a cushion to the ice, allowing you to slip less and walk more. After a short amount of time, the western shore comes into view, you see a familiar head of jet black hair pacing back and forth under the plum tree’s icy branches, he’s sporting a purple jeogori today and dark pants. You suddenly slide to a stop on the ice and realize that he doesn’t know you’re coming, and you wonder if he even wants to see you. You shake away the thought, your heart thumping in your chest, and call out to him.

“Jin!”

Seokjin’s head immediately shoots up and turns in your direction. Even though you’re still a ways away, you can see a smile light up his face when he spots you. He immediately begins moving toward you, slipping a bit when he reaches the ice, but he quickly gains his footing, seeming to float across the surface as he runs to greet you.

“Y/N-ah!” He exclaims, reaching his arms out when he gets to you and grabbing your waist, he picks you up and twirls you around before setting you back down on the lake. “I’ve missed you.”

You squeal in delight as your feet touch the ground again. “Really? I-I’ve missed you too.”

“I’m so glad you’re here. I was worried that because the boat was out of service that maybe… but you’re here! And you’re wearing your hairpin!” He cups your cheeks with his hands, smiling brightly.

“I wanted to see you.” You admit, your hand covering his where it rests against your face, leaning into his touch. “And it’s too beautiful not to wear.” He takes both your hands and holds them between you.

“What would you like to do today?”

“Well, I have to get a few things at the market in Hanyang. Do you want to come?”

He drops your hands and holds out his arm for you to take. “I’d be honored.”

The two of you start up the path from western shore of the lake and head north towards the large city of Hanyang. It’s about an hour’s walk, and by the time you arrive, a chill has seeped into your bones.

You see snow decorating the roofs of the buildings and your breath is taken away; sometimes you forget how large of a city Hanyang is. You and Seokjin quickly ask directions to the market, and are pointed the right way. As you make your way along the crowded streets, you notice many people stop to stare at you. Well, they mostly stare at Seokjin, probably just as taken by his beauty as you were the first time you saw him.

When you arrive at the market, your nose is assaulted by the smell of something hot and spicy as the loud roar of the crowd surrounds you and you realize you forgot to eat breakfast. Seokjin seems to notice the scent too as he grabs your arm and you both follow his nose to the food stall that the smell is coming from. Mandu. Your mouth waters as Seokjin quickly secures two portions of mandu and two small cups of broth, handing yours to you before trying to pay, but the woman running the stand simply waves him off, stating Seokjin is too beautiful to pay, and he has paid her already by allowing her to see his face.

Seokjin blushes profusely before bowing in thanks and dragging you off to an empty corner for you to enjoy your food and tease him about the interaction. It’s delicious; the mandu are stuffed to the brim, and the spice of the broth warms you from the inside out. When you’re finished, you and Seokjin begin walking again, meandering through the busy street.

“So, what do you need to get?” He asks, watching your eyes as they scan the stalls.

“Uh, I need a new umbrella, maybe some winter shoes too. Oh, and I need to pick up something for my father.”

Seokjin’s head perks up at this. “I thought your father was in Yuan. Is he back?”

Ah, you forgot you lied about this. You stop walking, causing him to do the same as you turn to face him. “Seokjin… I have to admit something to you.”

He cocks his head when you use his full name suddenly understanding how serious it must be. “What is it?”

“My father… He wasn’t in Yuan.”

“What do you mean?”

“He was never away. He’s… He’s been sick.”

“Sick?”

You nod. “That’s why I’ve been operating the boat. It’s why I have to pretend to be a-” You sigh. “If they knew my father was sick, they would never allow me to take his place because I’m a woman. You know women can’t have jobs like that, so until he gets better I have to lie about who I am or else they won’t pay my family.”

Seokjin thinks about this for a moment. “How long has he been sick? What does he have?”

“Since about a month before I met you. And no one knows. The local doctor’s have never seen anything like this before. We would ask one of the city doctors to come look, but they’re so expensive.” You shake your head and sigh. “Mother heard from a friend, there is supposed to be a special kind of medicine, able to cure anything. That’s really why I needed to come here today. I’m sorry for lying to you. I didn’t know you well enough yet.”

He smiles softly at you, cupping your cheek. “It’s alright, I understand. Let’s go get what you need, okay?”

You nod, comforted by his presence. The two of you walk around the market, looking for the things on your list. You find the shoes first, a nice colorful pair double lined to keep your feet warm and trimmed with fur. They’re having a sale, so you actually get them for a decent price.

You find an umbrella next, quickly purchasing it and thanking the stall owner, asking him where the medicine man you’re supposed to find is. He points you in the right direction and you and Seokjin head off. The medicine man is closer to the palace, so it’s a bit of a walk. Seokjin stays close to you, enjoying your company as he begins to ask you questions.

“Can I ask what symptoms your father has?”

“Well, he’s very tired. And weak. He can barely get out of bed. He says his legs hurt and his arms ache constantly. His teeth are even sore, and a few of them have fallen out. And he has bruises all over his body, especially on his legs.”

Seokjin ponders this for a minute before his eyes light up. “That… that sounds like gwaehyeolbyeong.”

“Gwaehyeolbyeong?” You repeat. “I’ve never heard of that. Is it serious?”

“Not particularly. It’s not very common in the countryside. Let me ask you something. Does your father eat a lot of fruit?”

You shake your head. “No. He says he doesn’t like the taste.”

Seokjin smiles wide at your answer. “Hm, I’m almost certain that’s what he has then.”

“Is- Is there a cure?”

He nods. “There’s a tea you can make for him to drink. What is your mother sending you to get?”

“An artemisia tonic, and astragalus and ginseng.”

Seokjin shakes his head. “The artemisia won’t do anything. And it’s expensive.”

“Well, my mother seemed to think it would help…”

You both stop walking as you arrive in front of the medicine man’s building and Seokjin turns to you. “Y/N-ah, do you trust me?”

“I do.” You say without hesitation. Seokjin grabs your hand and you quickly walk inside where the smell of fresh herbs fills the air.

“Can I help you?” A frail old man sitting at a table asks.

Before you can say anything, Seokjin bows in greeting“Hello, We need treatment for gwaehyeolbyeong.”

“Hmm, alright.” The man stands. “Wait here a moment.”

Seokjin squeezes your hand as you wait, rubbing his thumb across the back of your hand until the man walks back into the room with a small pouch of herbs.

“Here,” He hands Seokjin the bag. “Steep this into a tea and drink one cup every night. They should feel better by the next half moon.”

“Really?” The thought of your father getting better so soon excites you. “Thank you so much.” You bow and pay the man before you and Seokjin leave the building. “Do you really think this will work?” You ask as you tuck the herb satchel into your bag.

“I do.” Seokjin squeezes your hand once more as the two of you walk back through the city and onto the path that will lead you home. When you reach the lake, Seokjin crosses it with you to the east side, but as you begin to walk to your house, he hesitates, the sun setting behind him.

“Are you alright?” You ask, turning back to face him.

“Yes, I’ve just… D-do you want me to come with you?”

You blush as you smile at him. “I’d love for you to come have dinner with us.”

“Your parents won’t mind?”

“Of course not.” You state, though you have no idea how your parents will actually react. You watch Seokjin’s throat bob as he swallows before he allows you to tug him along the road to your house.

When you arrive, you announce to your mother that you brought a friend for dinner and she happily waves you both inside from where she stands in the kitchen, already cooking, saying of course they’re welcome, she made plenty.

You introduce Seokjin to your mother who is immediately flustered by how handsome he is and begins to gush over him. You let her as you begin to boil water for your father’s tea. As you wait, you tell her about your trip to the market and show her the shoes you got.

When the water is ready, you take the pouch of herbs out of your bag and measure out a spoonful for the tea, steeping it until it is ready and excusing yourself to bring it to your father, leaving your mom to pepper Seokjin with way too many questions.

You walk to your parents bedroom and give the tea to your father, explaining to him that it’s his new medicine. He thanks you, drinking it before laying back down to rest. When you head back out to the kitchen, Seokjin is tasting your mother’s soup and explaining to her what to add to elevate the flavor. Once they both agree that it’s done, she takes a portion to your father before the three of you sit down to eat.

As you enjoy the warm food, you explain to your mother how you and Seokjin met and the time you’ve spent together since, leaving out the kisses, and the part where he saw you partially naked of course. However, just by looking at the two of you, your mother has already put the pieces together, but she doesn’t let on that she knows you have feelings for Seokjin, simply watching the two of you interact.

When the meal is finished, it’s late. You help clean up before you leave to walk Seokjin back to the lake. When you reach your usual parting spot, you’re happy to see no one is around.

Seokjin spins to face you, taking your hands and placing a kiss against your knuckles. “Thank you for inviting me. I had fun.”

“I’m glad you came. And I’m glad my mother didn’t scare you away.”

“Your mother was wonderful.” He chuckles. “I see why you are so amazing now.”

“J-Jin…” Your face flushes hot as Seokjin pulls you in for a warm embrace, holding you against him as he rests his chin on your head. The two of you stay pressed together for a long time, neither of you wanting to leave the other.

“When will I see you again?” You mumble against his chest, finally breaking the silence.

“I’ll be back the next full moon.”

“I wont see you until then?” You pout, you had hoped Jin would want to see you sooner.

“I’m sorry Y/N-ah…” He sighs. “I can’t come back before that.”

You nod before remembering your father and pull back to meet Seokjin’s gaze. “But, the medicine man said father may be better by then. And if he is, I won’t have the boat anymore.”

“The lake will still be frozen.”

“But after-”

“Even if he is better, I will still be here.”

“You’ll wait for me?”

“I will always wait for you.” He assures you. His hand reaches up to cup your cheek before leaning down to press his lips against yours. This kiss is stronger, needier than the others have been, neither of you wanting it to end as your mouths caress each other. When you finally pull apart he presses another kiss to your forehead before he repeats himself. “I will always wait for you Y/N-ah.”

With one last sweet kiss, you head your separate ways. When you walk back through the door to your house, your mother is waiting for you at the table, a smile on her face as she waves you over to join her for a cup of tea.

“You really like him, don’t you dear?” She asks, taking a sip from her cup.

“I… I really do.” You agree. “I feel like I’m floating when I’m with him, but at the same time… I feel so afraid. Mother, why do I feel this way? What is this?”

“It’s love.” She states. “You’re in love.”

“L-love?” You’ve never been in love before. Could it really be?

She nods. “I could see it when the two of you were together. Especially the way he looks at you.”

“He loves me?” Your eyes go wide as your mother nods once more. “He loves me…” You repeat to yourself.

Two days later your father is already feeling better, and after two weeks, just like the medicine man said, he makes a full recovery. You’re so happy that he’s better, but at the same time, your heart sinks in your chest. How will you see Seokjin if you can’t operate the boat? You need to tell him how you feel. At least the lake will still be frozen on the coming full moon, so you can just cross it on foot.

You wish you were right.

The day of the next full moon arrives and you stretch in your bed as you wake. When you sit up, you hear a light pitter-pattering on the roof and your eyes go wide in shock, jumping out of bed and racing to the front door. You pull it open only to be greeted by your worst nightmare. Rain. It snowed for several days, but then the temperature shot up and everything started to melt. The beautiful white snow that decorated the landscape yesterday is gone, all that remains is the ground, soggy and brown. There’s no way the lake is still frozen if all the snow is already gone, and you can’t take the boat out in the rain, it’s too dangerous. You curse under your breath and your mother scolds you from where she stands in the kitchen.

“Sorry.” You bow your head in apology.

“What’s gotten into you, huh?”

“I just… I was going to go see Seokjin today, but the lake…” You sigh. “Where’s father?” You question, suddenly noticing his absence.

“He left early this morning.” She states, holding a bowl of soup out to you. “He knew people might need passage today.”

“In the rain?” You take the soup and sit at the table.

“He has an umbrella.” She explains, sitting across from you. “He can handle one day out in the rain. He might not even need to take anyone across. So if you wait a bit, I’m sure your father can take you to the west side to see Seokjin when he’s finished for the day.”

“You think he would?” You perk up at this.

She takes a slurp of her soup. “As long as the rain doesn’t get worse.”

The rain doesn’t get worse, but it doesn’t get better. You wait. All day you wait until the sun begins to set. Your father should be done, almost no one travels at night this time of year. You quickly grab your umbrella and say goodbye to your mother before heading out. You scurry up the path to the lake and when you arrive, sure enough, your father is securing the boat to the dock.

“Father!” You yell as you run up to him.

“Y/N? What are you doing out in this weather?” He asks.

“I need you to take me to the west side.”

“What on earth for? I’ve already finished for the night.”

“To see Seokjin.” You explain. “It’s the full moon, that’s the only time I get to see him.”

The corner of his mouth turns up in a smirk when you say this. “I always knew one day you’d leave me for a boy, even if he is a mulgwisin.”

“Father-”

“Nevertheless,” He continues, interrupting your protest. “I will allow you to take the boat yourself.”

“Really?”

He nods. “But you must be careful. If the rain gets worse, I don’t want you on the water. I’m not particularly fond of the idea of having a ghost for a daughter.”

You giggle at him. “I promise I will be careful.”

He smiles warmly, patting you on the shoulder before saying goodbye and walking away up the path toward your house.

You immediately untie the boat and push it into the water, holding the umbrella between your legs as you begin to row out. Your hands sting a bit as you do; you haven’t used the oars in a while, and you didn’t bring your hand wraps with you, so the pace you set has the wood blistering your palms as you cross the center point.

The second half of the lake becomes more difficult, the rain begins to fall harder and the lotuses are pushed close together, making maneuvering around them difficult. Soon enough, you can see the other shore, and to your delight, under the plum tree you can see Seokjin. As soon as he spots the boat he gets up, rushing to meet you at the dock.

“Y/N-ah!” He calls, his smile cutting through the gloom as the rain speckles him. He doesn’t even wait for you to steady the boat, jumping in with you as soon as he is able to reach. He quickly makes his way to your side of the boat, nearly tackling you as he throws his arms around you, pushing you back between the seats, making you both laugh.

“Jin~” Your smile is wide as he places a sweet kiss against your lips, surprising you.

“I was so worried that with the rain you wouldn’t be here tonight.”

“You waited for me.” Your heart warms as he climbs off you and pulls you back up onto your seat.

“I told you I would.” He reminds you, taking the umbrella from where it’s fallen in the boat beside you and holding it up over you both. “Do you want to sit with the moon tonight?”

Your stomach flutters in your chest, looking up to see the moon just barely peeking through the clouds. “I’d love to.”

You row out to the center of the lake, but when you arrive, the rain picks up once again and starts to fill the bottom of the boat.

“Seokjin, I don’t think we should stay out here too long.” You state, splashing your feet in the puddle they sit in. “It’s dangerous to be out here in weather like this.”

“Why is it so dangerous?” He questions. “It’s just rain.”

“It’s filling up the boat.” You explain. “And the rain moves the lotuses into a clump, making it harder to push the boat through them.”

Seokjin looks around you to see that sure enough, you are surrounded by a large group of lotuses swirling around the boat. “Ah, but they’re so beautiful, just like you.” He smiles, leaning out from under the umbrella and reaching to pluck one of the lotuses off the stem. His fingers stretch out, but he leans just a bit too far, and before you can warn him you watch as Seokjin falls out of the boat and into the dark, freezing water.

“Jin!” You cry, immediately climbing across the boat to where he fell. He bursts through the surface coughing and flailing his arms. You extend your arm toward him, but he’s just past your reach, so you hold the oar out instead. “Swim over here! Hold on to the boat!”

“Y/N!” He splutters, splashing through the water. He grabs the oar, pulling himself over to the side of the boat, rocking it a bit. You stand, needing more leverage if you’re going to have any chance at pulling him out.

“Give me your arms!” You command. Seokjin reaches one of his arms up, grabbing hold of your hand before repeating it with the other. With all your might you pull, trying to hoist Seokjin up out of the water, but you can’t get him, unceremoniously dropping him back in. “Jin!” He surfaces again, spitting water out of his mouth.

“Y/N-ah… It’s so c-c-cold.” He mumbles, his eyes looking up at you as he begins to sink.

“No! I can do this. I can do this!” You scream at yourself. “Hold on!” You reach down and grab his arms again, starting lower this time, you pull and pull, using all your strength as you lift Seokjin up out of the water and deposit him in the bottom of the boat, panting as you stumble back. “Jin? Jin!” You exclaim, shaking him. His eyes flutter open before shutting again, his breathing shallow. “Shit!”

You immediately jump back in your seat, grabbing the oars and rowing, the rain pelting you as you make your way back to the eastern shore at a record pace. When you arrive you tie the boat and pull it out of the water. You grab Seokjin under the arms and drag him across the ground, hauling him over to the boathouse with the last of the strength in your body.

You quickly unlock the door and yank him inside. You check to make sure he’s still breathing before placing him next to the fireplace and quickly starting a fire. As the fire roars to life, you turn back to Seokjin. His clothes, they’re soaked. You grab a clean pair of cotton pajamas from the closet and walk back over to him.

Oh god. Without thinking too hard about it, you strip Seokjin’s shirt off, tossing it to the side and drying him before slipping the dry shirt onto his body. You repeat the process with his pants, trying your hardest not to look as you pull the dry pair up his body. You grab the blankets off the bed and wrap them around him, rubbing his arms over the blanket in an attempt to warm his body, your heart palpitating with worry.

“Jin… Please wake up.” You whisper. “Please.” You lean down and press a soft kiss to his cold lips.

After a few minutes of waiting, he finally stirs. “Y-Y/N-ah?” He mumbles weakly.

“Jin!” You hastily wrap your arms around him, your eyes becoming misty. “You’re okay!”

He shivers in your grasp. “I t-t-think so. Just f-freezing.”

“Move closer to the fire.” You instruct before standing up behind him.

Seokjin does as you command, scooting forward before turning back to face you. His eyes go wide when he looks up just in time to see you yank your top off. “What are you d-doing?” He squeaks, avoiding eye contact as you begin to strip out of your wet clothes, leaving you in just your undergarments.

“I’m going to warm you with my body heat.” You explain, kneeling down next to him and embracing him under the blankets.

“Y-Y/N I hardly think-”

“Shush.” You rub his arms with your hands, attempting to warm him, but you don’t think you’re close enough, so you quickly situate yourself in his lap, wrapping your arms around his torso and resting your head on his shoulder, willing the warmth in your body to transfer to him.

If possible, Seokjin’s eyes go even wider when you plop yourself in his lap, his face flushing bright pink, but when he feels how much warmer you are than him, his protests die in his throat, quickly returning your embrace and burying his face in your neck.

You remain in Seokjin’s lap for the better part of the night, waiting until he’s finished shivering, and has told you for the thousandth time that he’s okay, before you finally separate, removing yourself from his lap and sitting on the floor next to him, twisting your fingers in your lap.

“Thank you.” He finally whispers after a long silence. “For saving me.”

“Jin, you don’t have to thank me.”

“But-”

“No,” You shake your head. “I-I thought… I thought I lost you. I couldn’t even imagine what I would do if…” Your eyes become misty again, thinking about what could have happened if you hadn’t gotten him out of the water.

Seokjin grabs one of your hands with his, rubbing it soothingly. He seems saddened by your words. “You won’t lose me.” He states, giving your hand a squeeze. He brushes a stray hair out of your face with his free hand before cupping your cheek, but you can’t bring yourself to look at him. “I promise I’ll always be with you. No matter where we are, we’re both sitting with the same moon.”

You smile at this, finally meeting his gaze. “Seokjin I… I love you.”

His features soften at your words, a small gasp leaving his mouth as he grins back. “I love you too Y/N.” He leans down and plants his mouth on yours, sealing your love with a sweet kiss. And then another. Your lips barely part until the two of you need to take a breath. You feel something hot sitting in your lower abdomen as Seokjin grabs your waist, pulling you closer, but he quickly stops himself, resting his forehead against yours as you both pant heavily. “We… We should stop. I don’t want to get carried away.”

“No!” You exclaim, surprising Seokjin with your protest.

“Y/N-ah, I-”

“I want to.” You pull back to meet his eyes again. “Jin, I… I want you to have all of me.”

“Are you sure?”

You are. You know that it’s wrong to do this, but Seokjin is the person you want to give everything to. “I’m sure.”

Seokjin smiles softly at you before pressing his mouth against yours once more. He kisses you gently before tilting his head to the side, deepening the kiss and flicking his tongue against your lips, pulling back just as you part them to place another kiss against your cheek, then along your jaw and down the contour of your neck. You shiver at his touch as he pulls the edge of your undershirt away, kissing down to your collarbone before coming back up to find your lips with his.

One of his hands finds your waist again, pulling you against him as the other searches for the strings of your undershirt. When he finds them, he quickly unties them before bringing his hand up to carefully push the fabric off of one shoulder and then the other, leaving you bare from the waist up as he breathes heavily in your ear. Before he looks at you, Seokjin stands up, pulling you with him and tossing you onto the bed.

You giggle as you hit the mattress, your hands instinctively covering yourself until Seokjin climbs on top of you and takes your wrists, looking at you to make sure it’s okay before he moves them out of the way, his gaze quickly flicking down to your exposed chest as his eyes widen in admiration.

“Wow…” He breathes out, one of his hands releases your wrist and slowly comes up to cup your breast, squeezing it gently and eliciting a soft whimper from your throat. You can feel the heat race to your cheeks, turning them bright red from embarrassment as Seokjin’s eyes stay trained on your torso. He brushes his thumb over your nipple and you gasp as a chill runs through your body. He repeats the motion on your other breast, fascinated by the soft sounds that leave you as he does.

Seokjin quickly sheds his own shirt before leaning down to kiss you again, this time his tongue slips into your mouth and you pull him closer, lacing a hand in his hair as your tongues tangle, his warm chest pressing against yours, his hands still fondling your breasts. He pinches your nipple and you let out a small moan, breaking the kiss as Seokjin looks down at you with surprise.

“I-I’m sorry…” You mumble. “I-it just felt good.”

He pinches you again, watching your face this time as another sound escapes you. “There’s nothing to be sorry for my love.” He assures you. “I want you to feel good too.”

He gives you one last kiss before carefully pulling your remaining undergarments off, leaving you completely naked, your whole body blushing beneath his gaze. Seokjin quickly shuffles out of his own pants and you watch his length spring free, mesmerized by the sight of it; so swollen and red and dripping as he looks down at you.

He gently nudges your legs apart and settles between them, leaning over you as he scoots up to your center. He brushes against your most sensitive of places and you let out a stuttered breath; nervous, excited, and terrified all at the same time. Seokjin reaches down between your legs and your body jolts in surprise when his fingers dip into your folds, very gently massaging you to find just how wet you are for him. Seokjin groans and the touch of his fingers disappear before the feeling is replaced by something else, something bigger pressing against you.

“Are you ready?” He asks, stilling himself as he waits for your answer.

You reach up and cup his face, rubbing your thumbs across his cheeks. “I am.”

Seokjin places one last kiss against your lips before pressing his hips forward with intention. He watches your face carefully, obsessed with the way your eyes roll back in your head at the first feeling of him. He breaches your entrance and you immediately cry out at the new sensation, your core burning with delight as Seokjin slowly slips inside you. You want him to stop and yet go faster all at the same time, your hands slip down to his shoulders and grip him tightly as he fills you.

He seats himself inside you in his entirety and you whine, opening your eyes to see his face. His mouth has dropped open and his beautiful brown eyes are dark, blown wide with lust. He pulls his hips back and thrusts into you again, causing you both to moan out at the friction you crave so desperately. He repeats the motion, again and again, making your entire body feel hot despite the cold air outside. In this moment, it is just the two of you; alone in the world, but together, connected.

Seokjin creates a steady pace, never going harder or faster than you seem to like, almost as if he’s chasing after your pleasure instead of his own. He feels amazing, filling you up perfectly, hitting all the right spots as he stretches your walls. You’ve never felt anything this incredible in your life.

“J-Jin~” You whimper. Seokjin can only groan in response, leaning down to place a sloppy kiss on your lips.

The burning in your abdomen ignites into a fire, and soon his leisurely pace isn’t enough. You push him back, causing him to slip out of you. He stares at you in confusion until you push him down on the bed, climbing into his lap and straddling him.

You immediately slide back down onto his hardness with a loud moan and Seokjin’s mouth drops open in shock as you begin to bounce yourself in his lap, allowing him to get deeper inside you than he could before. You brace your hands on his chest, starting at a faster pace. Seokjin’s hands grip your waist, but his gaze never leaves your face, mesmerized by your expression as you please yourself on his length.

“Ah, Y/N~!” Seokjin whimpers when your core contracts around him especially hard, both of you on the brink of pure pleasure. You can’t stop yourself, or slow yourself down, no matter how hard his grip becomes. He feels too good. Something is welling up inside you, something that you can’t explain, like everything you’re feeling is culminating into one big-

“J-Jin~! Hah~!”

Your release finds you with a loud call of Seokjin’s name, your legs shaking around him as you pant heavily, your body flooding with a million pulsing stars that flash behind your eyelids. Seokjin can’t handle the rapid contracting of your core around him and quickly follows you into bliss, his release spurting into you as you bury him as deep inside you as he can get.

You fall forward onto Seokjin’s chest and he helps you roll to the side, whimpering when he slips out of you. The two of you sit like this for a long while, facing each other, admiring each other’s flushed faces, and letting your breathing return to normal. Seokjin’s hands trace lazily over your body, from your shoulder down to your thigh and back up as he watches your face.

When cognizant thought returns to you, you scoot yourself close to Seokjin and he grabs the blankets off the floor, throwing them over you both before he wraps his arms around you, pulling you flush with him.

“You’re not cold.” You observe, your hand pressed to his chest.

“Not anymore.” He mumbles before placing his lips on yours.

“Will you stay with me tonight?” You ask, your eyelids already heavy.

“Of course.” He whispers into your hair before he kisses the top of your head. “I’ll stay as long as I can…”

“I love you Jin.” You mutter as sleep begins to overtake you.

“I love you too Y/N-ah.”

Jin watches as you sleep peacefully beside him, humming to himself as he simply enjoys the company of being next to you. He always fools himself, trying to fall asleep next to you when he knows he can’t. He wishes he could tell you everything. He wishes that he could’ve met you under different circumstances. He wishes he could stay with you forever… But he knows he can’t. He hears the birds outside begin to chirp and presses a kiss to your forehead. Just as the sun begins to stir over the horizon, he’s gone.

You wake with a start, having had a strange dream that you can’t quite recall. You look next to you to find the bed is empty and already cold where Seokjin should’ve been laying. You huff out a sigh of disappointment. Where does he go so early? Why can’t he spend five minutes saying goodbye to you? Maybe… could everything he said be a lie? What if he has a family? What if he’s actually married? You shake the thought from your head, rubbing a hand over your abdomen as the memories of last night flood your mind, making you blush. He wouldn’t do that to you, right?

A shiver creeps down your spine from the chill in the air and you realize that you’re still naked under the blankets. You quickly collect your discarded, now dry clothes and dress yourself before making your way home.

Over the next few weeks you begin to feel awful. You second guess everything Seokjin has told you, and doubt creeps into your mind, settling into the cracks and crevices as it tells you everything that your heart doesn’t want to believe. Nausea overwhelms you most days as dread fills your body, and you can’t even go out and distract yourself with the boat now that your father is better; you can only sit at home and sink into your own uncertainty.

The morning of the next full moon is warmer than it has been and your body breaks into a sweat as you sleep, leaving you drenched as you wake up. Your head feels okay today, and you quickly dress, wanting to rid yourself of this nagging feeling as soon as you possibly can. You eat a mandarin your mother has sliced, the last of the season as spring starts to slide in, and then head to the lake.

As you arrive, you see your father paddling the boat away from you, having already taken off and you groan in frustration. You wanted to ask him if he’d seen Seokjin yet. You sigh and are about to walk over to the dock when you hear someone call your name.

“Y/N!” You whip your head in the direction of the voice and see Seokjin standing next to the boatshed under a tree, his hair blowing in the light breeze as the blossoms above him begin to wiggle out of their buds.

“Seokjin? How-”

“I had your father bring me over.” He explains, walking up to grab your hands. “He told me you haven’t been feeling well, so I didn’t want to make you cross the water. Wow,” He gasps. “You look so beautiful today.” He pulls you close and squeezes you tightly, but that dreaded feeling inside you won’t let you return the embrace. He notices something is off and pulls back. “Is… Everything okay?” He cups your cheek.

“I…” But you can’t articulate exactly what it is that’s bothering you. “I just need to sit down.” Seokjin nods, leading you back over to the tree he was under where you see a blanket and a basket full of food. “W-what’s this?” You ask as he helps you sit down.

“I made us some food. I figured we could just relax today and sit by the water since it’s already so warm out.” He claps excitedly. “I really just want to spend as much time with you as I can.”

“Really?” You can’t help it as the expression of doubt slips out.

“Of course.” Seokjin furrows his eyebrows in confusion. “Is that okay?”

“I guess I just want to know why you left so soon last time.” You sigh. “I asked you to stay with me.”

“I did stay with you.” Seokjin looks down at his lap. “I stayed as long as I could.”

“What does that mean Jin?” You huff in frustration. “You’re always leaving, I only get to see you one day a month; what could you possibly be doing that makes you disappear so quickly without a second thought?”

“You think I left because I wanted to?”

“What else am I supposed to believe?”

Seokjin twists his fingers in his lap as he looks out over the water. “That I can’t stay.”

“Why not?”

“Y/N I just… I just can’t.” He looks back at you, his eyes glistening with the threat of tears.

“Jin…” Your heart hurts in your chest as you see how upset he is.

“I want to tell you. I want to tell you more than anything, but I just can’t.”

“What are you, cursed or something?” You joke.

He chuckles half heartedly. “Don’t be ridiculous Y/N-ah.”

“Jin, I don't… I don’t know what to do. I keep thinking you have another family, or a wife somewhere across the lake and that maybe you… Maybe you don’t actually love me…” You admit.

“No, Y/N I love you, I do. I love you so much…” He cups your face with both hands, forcing you to look at him. “I promise I don’t have anyone except you. I just… I just can’t.” His eyes ring with sincerity, and even though it isn’t really an explanation, his words settle the uncertainty in your stomach and you offer him a small smile.

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“That’s good enough for me. I trust you.”

He pulls your face to him and places a sweet and meaningful kiss. “I love you so much.” He mumbles against your lips.

“I love you too, now stop kissing me before my father comes back.” You giggle, pushing him away.

“Are you hungry?”

You and Seokjin spend the day next to the water, chatting, eating the delicious foods he prepared for you, and even reading him stories he brought over while he lays his head in your lap; he claims the sound of your voice soothes him. Seokjin also hums a few songs as the breeze swirls around you. Honestly the day is perfect, and as the sun begins to set, the colder air forces you both inside the boathouse where you light the fire and continue your conversations.

As the moon rises high in the sky, you and Seokjin climb into the bed, curling up with each other, talking about nonsense. You can’t help but admire him. The low light of the fire sets his face aglow and you trace the contours of his jaw down to his chest, mesmerized by him as you lean over and kiss him, stopping him mid sentence.

“Y/N-ah, what-”

“You’re beautiful, did you know that?”

He blushes at your words, meeting your gaze. “Not as beautiful as you.”

Seokjin leans in and returns your kiss, letting it linger before pulling you close for a deeper one. When he pulls away, he simply smiles, wrapping his arm around your waist and pulling you against him. He places a gentle kiss against your neck, his breath warm on your ear as you relax against him. After a few minutes, you turn over in his embrace to face him, surprising him as you do.

“Are you not tired?” He questions, stroking your side.

You shake your head. “I want to stay up with you.”

“Y/N-ah-”

“You told me you can’t stay. So I want to see why.”

Seokjin avoids your gaze, suddenly nervous before he looks over his shoulder. “It’s almost sunrise.” He observes. “You won’t have to wait long…”

“What do you mean?”

Seokjin only sighs, pressing one last kiss to your lips as the chorus of early spring birds begin their morning songs. He throws the blanket off, sitting up next to you, still unable to meet your gaze. Just as the blue hour begins to fade, you notice something happening. Seokjin’s beautiful face begins to glow with a sort of translucence. He almost looks transparent. You sit up, studying him carefully. Wait a second. He… He is transparent. And is becoming more so every second.

“J-Jin? What’s happening?” You stare at him in disbelief as his eyes finally lock onto yours.

“I’m so sorry Y/N-ah…” He leans forward and presses a lingering kiss to your forehead, but the feeling of his lips is faded. The first rays of the morning sun slide over the horizon to show Seokjin has almost completely disappeared, but not before he sees your eyes go wide in realization. “I love you…”

“Mulgwisin…” The word comes out of you, barely a whisper, but you know he heard it. Just before he disappears, his eyes close and a tear rolls down his cheek, glinting in the light. Seokjin’s form vanishes with a heavy sigh, but you’re not sure if the sound belonged to him, or the wind. You reach out, trying to grab whatever might be left of him, but it’s too late.

You sit in the bed for a long time, dumbstruck by whatever just happened in front of you. Your mind can’t focus on anything, and the racing thoughts make you dizzy as you lay back against the mattress. Seokjin is… A ghost? Your brain can’t seem to process the information at first, but the longer you think about it, the more it makes sense. You can only see him on the full moon, the strange clothes he wears that look like they’re from a period long ago, the way he disappears before you wake, his lack of family and friends, the secrecy, the way he vanished into thin air… The story. Oh god… Could Seokjin be the Lost Lover of the lake?

As soon as the thought crosses your mind, you immediately sit up and throw the blankets off your body, the cool morning air hitting your skin as you dress and gather your things before quickly running back to your house. When you arrive you climb into bed, wanting to go at this with a clear head as you lie down and are quickly pulled into slumber.

Your dreams are littered with Seokjin’s face. Imagining him drowning in the lake, watching him disappear before your eyes, every moment is filled with him. Your mother rouses you when the sun is already high in the sky with promises of food and you begrudgingly rise, not realizing how much of a toll staying up until sunrise would take on you.

After you have eaten and gotten ready for the day, you excuse yourself and make your way to Hanyang, heading directly to the library when you arrive; wanting to find any information you can on the legend to see if there’s any truth to it. You pour over book after book and scroll after scroll that the librarian selects for you, reading anything you can get your hands on, but it all comes up empty; you have no leads, no new information, nothing. You sit at the table, books sprawled out around you in various stages of unhelpfulness. You sigh, scanning over the last book in your pile again, making sure you didn’t miss anything, but you didn’t. You slam it shut, frustrated that your research came up empty. You begin to stack the books, collecting as many as you can in your arms before helping the librarian put them back.

“Did you find what you were looking for?” He asks, sliding the books back into their spaces on the shelves.

“Unfortunately, I didn’t.” You sigh again, handing him another book.

“Is there anything else I can help you with?”

“Not unless you know anything about mulgwisin…” You mumble.

“I know my fair share.”

Your eyes go wide. “Do… Do you know about the lake to the south of here?”

“The one with the lotus plants?”

“Yes! Do you know the story of the lost lover?”

“Of course. Who doesn’t?”

“Right.” You nod. “Do you know how it ends?”

“How does it end? Hmm…” He scratches his chin, thinking hard as he puts the last book back. “Well, he falls into the lake right?”

“But what happens to him after? Is he really cursed to wander lost forever? Or is there a way for him to be saved?” Your excitement is palpable, could he know the answer?

“Saved? Well, as far as I know, mulgwisin can only be saved by the person that is able to summon them on a night that is their opposite.”

“A night that is their opposite?” You groan, god why does everything have to be so complicated, why can’t people just use plain language?

The librarian nods. “For instance, the opposite of the waning half moon would be the waxing half moon.”

“So then, the opposite of the full moon would be the new moon?”

“Correct.”

“Well, hypothetically, how would one summon them on this night?”

“I'm afraid I don’t know the answer to that one.” He looks at you sympathetically.

“It’s alright.” You bow to him to say goodbye. “Thank you so much anyway.”

He waves goodbye as you head out, the sun is just starting to set as you walk down the streets. You buy yourself a snack from a nearby food stall, eating it quickly before beginning your journey home. You think back to when you took this walk with Seokjin, remembering fondly the night he came home with you for dinner. Never in your wildest dreams would you have thought only a few short months later that you’d be researching ghosts. If Seokjin’s opposite night is the new moon, you’re going to have to figure out quickly how exactly to summon him. You suppose you can just wait until the next full moon and ask him yourself? But, will he be able to tell you?

When you arrive home, you’re exhausted, but as you open the door, you hear your name being called. You turn to see your father walking up behind you. He must have finished at the lake early and come home for dinner. You greet him warmly, holding the door for him. As you both enter the house, the scent of delicious food fills the air around you. You look over to see the table is already full of food as your mother sets the last plate down.

You and your father hurry to your seats and you all quickly dig into the food your mother prepared, happy to be together for this warm and delicious moment. As the meal winds down, a thought pops into your head. You wait until your father is finished eating before indulging yourself.

“Father?”

“Hm?” He looks up at you.

“How much do you know about mulgwisin?”

“A decent amount I suppose. You hear all kinds of stories on the lake. Why do you ask?”

“Suppose you wanted to summon one. Do you know how?”

A small hint of a smile plays at your father’s lips. “Does this have anything to do with Seokjin?”

“No!” You’re a bit too quick to defend. “I’m just curious.”

He leans back against the wall, thinking on it for a moment. “From what I’ve heard, you can only summon them by telling the water a secret.”

“A secret?”

Your father nods. “It has to be something you’ve never told anyone. Some say the secret has to be of the utmost importance or life-altering, otherwise the spirit won’t deem you worthy of a response.”

“Interesting…” You mumble to yourself.

“So telling Seokjin you love him wouldn’t be enough.” He jokes, earning a scolding from your mother.

“Yah, she shouldn’t be messing with ghosts anyway! It’s too dangerous.”

If only she knew.

On the night of the next new moon, you head out after dinner, making your way down to the lake as the stars shine above you. You kneel at the water’s edge and take a deep breath, wondering what you should try. You thought of several secrets you might be able to tell Seokjin, but you’re not sure if any of them are strong enough. You start with something simple and gradually move on to more embarrassing and darker secrets, but nothing seems to work. The water doesn’t even ripple. You’re not sure what you thought would happen, why you thought this would work. Maybe you aren’t even the one who can save Seokjin from his eternal loneliness. After several hours you give up, returning home and climbing into bed.

Over the next two weeks waiting for the full moon, you begin to feel less than ideal. Your entire body hurts and you’re nauseous almost all the time. Some days you can barely even make it out of bed because your head is spinning so badly, and everything just smells awful to you.

On the day of the next full moon, you wake up late, having been up half the night sick. At least your stomach seems to be okay this morning. You dress yourself, ignoring the way your body protests as you head out and make your way down toward the lake. As you crest the hill, you see Seokjin standing next to the boathouse. He looks ethereal today, the petals from the nearby trees swirling around him on the breeze.

“Jin!” You cry, rushing toward him. He smiles when he spots you, running to meet you and wrapping you in a tight hug.

“Y/N-ah! I was so worried you wouldn’t come…” He whispers into your hair.

“Of course I came.” You close your eyes, returning the embrace, but as you open them again you feel dizzy, stumbling backwards a bit as you grip onto Seokjin's shirt, trying to regain your balance.

He quickly slips an arm around you for support. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.” You attempt to wave him off, but he stands firm. “I’ve just felt a little sick lately.”

Seokjin cups your face with his free hand, his eyes tracing over your features with worry. “You seem pale, love.”

Though you feel awful, your heart still flutters when he calls you ‘love’. “I’ll be okay. I just can’t do much today.”

Seokjin nods, and before you can blink, he scoops you up in his arms, carrying you over to the boathouse while you giggle. He takes your keys and unlocks the door before carrying you inside and carefully depositing you on the bed.

“I wanted to stay in today anyway.” He smiles, taking a seat next to you.

For a while, neither of you says anything, as you lie facing each other on the bed, wanting to just be in the moment together while you can, but there are questions nagging at your mind, and he knows it.

“So, it was you, huh?”

“Hm?” He brushes a hair out of your face.

“From the story. The Lost Lover. That’s you, isn’t it?”

“Ah,” Seokjin smiles sadly. “Yes, that was me. Or, well, it is me.”

“And that’s why you couldn’t tell me.”

He nods. “It’s part of my curse I suppose. Not being able to talk about it.”

“But you’re talking about it now?”

“A loophole.” He explains. “Because you figured it out. I have nothing to hide anymore.”

You take Seokjin’s hand in yours where it rests between the both of you. “So what happens now?”

“I’m… I’m not sure.” He shrugs. “No one’s ever known before. You’re the first person I’ve spent any time with.”

“Wait, really?”

“You were the first person to actually see me.”

“In how long?”

He thinks about this for a moment. “I would say, probably close to 400 years.”

“400 years??” You squeak. “Wow… that’s a long time.”

“It is. It’s been strange since the last full moon though. Something has definitely changed.” He rolls onto his back to stare at the ceiling

“What do you mean?”

“Well, on the last new moon I suddenly felt this weird tugging sensation.” He looks back at you and you raise an eyebrow, asking him to continue. “I don’t know how to explain it. It was like, every few minutes, someone was trying to pull me towards something. I heard a voice too, but I couldn’t hear what they were saying. It was almost like they were trying to…” He trails off.

Could that have been you? When you were whispering secrets to the water? Does that mean it was working? “Trying to do what?”

Seokjin purses his lips in thought. “There’s supposed to be a way to summon me. But only the person that can break my curse is supposed to be able to do it.”

“Do you think…” You hesitate, not wanting to say it. “Could I be the one that’s supposed to help you? Like you said, so you can find peace?”

“I don’t know what to think.” He admits. “But I don’t want you to save me.”

You tilt your head in confusion. “Why not?”

“Because… I’d lose you forever…”

“Jin…”

“And I love you too much to let that happen.” He wraps his arms around you and pulls you flush against him as you blink back tears.

“What happens?” You sniffle. When he doesn’t respond, you try again. “Jin, I need to know what will happen to you.”

“Only if you promise to never try to do it.”

There’s a long pause as you listen to his heartbeat. “I won’t.” It’s a lie. You know it’s a lie, and you think he does too, but the answer seems to satisfy him.

“If you were to summon me, it would have to be on the night of a new moon. You have to go to the waters where I drowned, and whisper to them a secret powerful enough for me to hear. After I’ve been summoned, if I return to the water before sunrise the next day, I will find peace.”

“You’ll die?”

“Y/N-ah,” He pulls back and cups your face. “I’m already dead, love.” The look in his eyes makes your heart crack in pain and you bury your face back in his chest, knowing now that if Seokjin ever wants to pass on to the next life, you have to be the one to give it to him. But if he finally finds his peace, it also means that you will never see him again.

“What if that never happens?” You question, wishing there was another way.

“Then things will be as they are. Every full moon I will return, never changing, never aging, never being able to live the life I truly want with you.”

“You would want to live your life with me?”

“Of course.” He kisses the top of your head. “Since I met you that’s all I’ve ever wanted. In fact-” Seokjin releases you and sits up, digging for something in his pockets. You sit up too, watching as he opens his palm to reveal a small silver band sitting in the center of it.

“Jin-”

“I know it isn’t much, but it’s all I could find at that market.”

“It’s beautiful.” You whisper, not wanting to disturb the moment.

“I was going to wait for a better moment, but I suppose this is as good as any. Y/N, if you'll accept a ghost, I’d be honored to be your husband. If you’ll have me.” He meets your eyes and you see he’s tearing up as your breath leaves your lungs.

When your breath returns, you clear your throat before responding. “Ghost or no ghost, I love you Seokjin. I want nothing more than to be yours.”

He breaks into a wide smile, slipping the ring onto your left hand before leaning down to give you a sweet kiss. “I love you too.” He mumbles against your lips.

“Let’s do it now.”

“Now?” He pulls back, a bit startled at your suggestion.

“Why not?” You shrug. “I don’t want to wait.”

Seokjin thinks for a moment and then smiles. “Let’s go.”

The two of you immediately jump out of bed, racing to the shoreline as you see your father come into view. When he reaches the dock, finished for the night, you tell him the good news and he is elated. He grabs Seokjin’s arm and rushes him off in the way of the temple, calling back to tell you to go get ready and have your mother bring you there when you’re finished.

You wave goodbye to Seokjin before hurrying home. You burst in the door, yelling for your mother who comes inside from the garden asking why you’re making so much noise. You explain everything to her, Seokjin proposed, you want to get married tonight, your father took him to the temple, and she needs to help you get ready. She immediately rushes into action, telling you to fetch water from the basin outside to heat a bath.

You bathe in wonderful smelling salts, soaking and cleansing your skin until it is nice and soft. After your bath, you slip into your undergarments and your mother paints your face with a light, but beautiful touch of makeup before pulling your hair up and twisting Seokjin’s hair pin in to hold the style in place. She rushes out of the room and returns with the jokduri and brightly colored red and white hanbok from her own wedding. She secures the headpiece in place before helping you to slip into the dress, pinning it where it’s a bit too large to make it fit you perfectly.

When she deems you finished, your mother changes into something nicer and then takes you through the village to the old temple. Warm, inviting light spills from the open doors, and your mother leads you inside, clearing her throat to alert those already there to your presence.

Just as the sun is setting you enter the temple, your legs shaking from a sudden onslaught of nervousness. Your eyes are immediately drawn to where Seokjin stands on the altar in front of you; he wears a dark blue hanbok the color of the night sky and smiles when he sees you walk in. You walk up to stand beside him and Seokjin slides his hand into yours, your heart fluttering in your chest.

You can hardly pay attention to the priest as he recites long passages of proclaiming love, too entranced by the way Seokjin’s eyes keep scanning over your face, the way his hands squeeze yours, the way he makes you feel so complete.

The ceremony is over quickly, and you thank your parents properly, bowing low to the ground, your heart swelling with gratitude. Afterwards, you walk home, hand in hand with Seokjin as passing villagers cheer at the sight of your wedding attire. Your parents prepare a delicious meal for you as you change into more comfortable clothes, and then you all sit down to enjoy the afterglow of happiness.

“My wife.” Seokjin can’t stop saying it. He says it multiple times throughout the meal, and when it’s over, your parents ask if you want them to stay in the boathouse for your wedding night. You quickly shake your head, stating that you and Seokjin would be more than comfortable in the boathouse, and they smile at you, happy for you, proud of you.

As you go to your room to gather a few things, your mother toddles in behind you, asking in whispers if you’re ready for the night to follow. You blush, unable to tell her that you and Seokjin have already crossed that line, but you assure her you’ll be fine and she nods, letting you walk out to your waiting husband. You wave goodbye as you both thank them again before heading out the door.

Seokjin practically drags you up the path to the boathouse, waiting eagerly for you to unlock it before he picks you up and carries you over the threshold, making you giggle at his antics. He tosses you on the bed and quickly climbs on top of you, staring down at you with lust swirling in his eyes before he leans down and his mouth is on yours.

You easily get lost in the feeling of him pressed against you, and it isn’t long before you find each other pulling at the ties of your clothes, quickly discarding the garments as Seokjin’s hand wanders down between your legs.

He wastes no time slipping two long fingers inside of your core, making you gasp into his mouth. He pumps them in and out of you at an agonizingly slow pace, watching your expression as he grows harder, pressing against your leg. His lips find your neck as his fingers curl inside you, rubbing so deliciously against your walls you can’t help the whine that slips past your lips.

“S-Seokjin…”

He hums, smirking against you, removing his fingers after not nearly long enough, and laying down next to you where he immediately hooks your leg over his hip. Before you can even think, Seokjin presses his length against your entrance and slips inside, causing you to both moan out at the feeling. You rest your forehead against his, both of you breathing heavily as Seokjin thrusts into you, setting a rapturous pace.

Seokjin’s hand grips your leg, holding you close as you whimper into his mouth, your tongues sliding together briefly until you both pull back, panting. He then rolls you onto your back, never leaving you as he adjusts himself over you. His elbows rest next to your head as he picks up his pace, his hair falling across his forehead as he looks down at you. Your hands rest on his chest, your nails digging in slightly anytime he thrusts particularly hard.

Your walls ache at the stretch, accommodating his thickness so generously. You brush stray strands of hair out of his face and pull him down for another hot, desperate kiss, relishing in the way he feels inside you. You meet his gaze, signaling to him that that feeling is welling up inside you once again, setting your senses on fire. Seokjin leans down and places wet kisses against your collarbone as one of his hands tweaks your nipple, adding sweet stimulation to the sensation between your thighs.

You wrap your legs around Seokjin, allowing him deeper into your core than ever before and you moan loudly at the feeling of his hips smacking into you for the first time. He groans into your neck, also overwhelmed by the sensation as your center grips him sporadically.

It isn’t long after that Seokjin throws his head back with a whine, his hips stopping as you feel his warmth fill you up. He milks the feeling, rutting against you for a few moments before pulling out. Before you even have a chance to pout, Seokjin slides down your body and spreads your legs, shocking you with the feeling of his tongue against your folds.

“J-Jin!” You squeak. You sit up on your elbows to look at him, trying to close your legs, but he holds them apart. The sight of him staring at you so lustfully from between your thighs has you quivering and you quickly shut your eyes, laying back on the bed as Seokjin ravishes you with his mouth.

You’ve never felt anything like this before, but the plush pout of his lips feels almost unbearably good against you as he sucks and licks the sensitive flesh, finding spots you didn’t know you had, didn’t know you could feel. Not like this. When his tongue flicks against your entrance you can’t help the whine that escapes you, covering your mouth in embarrassment as he groans against you in response. It isn’t long before you’re pushing your hips up against Seokjin’s face, your hands tangling in his hair as you chase the euphoric feeling he’s creating.

The lewd sounds coming from his throat are enough to send you over the edge, your release hitting you hard as your hips buck wildly against his mouth. Your world spins as Seokjin coasts you through the feeling, watching you closely as he does.

As your body relaxes back against the bed, your chest heaving, Seokjin doesn’t stop, not until you’re whimpering and pushing him away. He releases you with a pop, wiping his lips on the back of his hand before smirking at you.

“You seemed to enjoy that.” He states smugly, laying back down at your side.

“T-that was… I don’t have words to describe it.” You pant.

“Only the best for you my love.” He pulls you close against him and kisses the spot under your ear.

You spend most of the night tangled together, memorizing each dip, each curve of each other’s bodies, every spot that sets the other alight until the early hours of the morning. You lay in Seokjin’s arms, listening to his breathing, his heart beat, smiling every time he squeezes you or kisses your shoulder or neck or hair.

Far too soon, you hear the beginnings of the birds as they wake and start to chirp outside the boathouse and you roll over in Seokjin’s arms to face him.

“I wish there was a way I could make you stay.” You whisper, your fingers tracing the contours of his jaw.

Seokjin sighs. “I wish it were that simple.”

“What happens? When you’re not here?”

He purses his lips in thought, trying to think of how to explain it. “It’s like I’m asleep. It’s just dark, but I can still feel certain things, certain pulls from here on this plane.”

“It must be lonely…”

“It is.” Seokjin smiles bittersweetly. “But knowing that I have you here, waiting for me, that’s good enough for me.”

You blush until you see the first rays of sunlight beginning to breach the horizon and then pull Seokjin close for one last kiss as he begins to fade. “I love you, Kim Seokjin.”

“I love you, Kim Y/N.” He presses one last kiss to your knuckles before the faint glimmer of his eyes is all you see, and then, nothing. Once again, he’s gone.

You gather your things and quickly head home, collapsing into bed when you arrive and falling into a much needed sleep. For some reason, over the next few days, you sleep almost constantly, barely waking for meals, and hardly able to keep down the ones you do eat.

After a week of feeling terrible on and off, you finally feel decent enough to leave the house, heading to the village market to grab a few things your mother asked for. On your way back home, you stop by the lake, sitting on the dock to read one of the stories Seokjin brought to your picnic two months ago, enjoying the warmth of the late spring breeze.

When you finish reading, you remain seated, thinking about Seokjin. You miss him. You stare down at the ring on your finger and sigh. You know what you have to do, you just aren’t sure how, or if you’ll even be able to. You sit in the sun until it starts to set before you stand, gathering your things and heading back home.

The day of the next new moon arrives and you wake up already dreading it. You came up with a plan, but you’re not sure if it’s going to work or not. What if your secret isn’t strong enough? You’re going to wait until it gets dark, wanting to make sure no one else is around when it happens. You grab a few vegetables from the garden and begin to chop them to help your mother with dinner, your mind wandering until she comments on something you didn’t even think about until now.

“Y/N, am I counting wrong, or have you not bled yet this month?”

“No, mother it’s not until…” You trail off as you begin counting in your head, nearly dropping your knife on the floor in shock when you realize she’s right. You haven’t bled this month. It was supposed to begin last week. In fact, the last time you bled was the week before you and Seokjin first became intimate. Shit. Your heart races in your chest, trying to shake off your mother’s observation as you lie to her. “It’s not until next week.”

“Ah good, I was worried I might have a grandchild to take care of soon.” She jokes, going back to her pot on the stove.

Your father arrives home just after sunset, and you all sit down for dinner while you try your best to hide the panic that is settling inside you. As soon as the meal is finished, you excuse yourself for an evening stroll and make your way down to the lake’s edge as fast as you can.

Tears well in your eyes as anxiety races through your body untethered. You knew you were going to have to do this, you knew it would hurt, you just didn’t want it to be so soon, but this secret will get out before long, and you know it’s the only thing guaranteed to summon your husband. You kneel down in the water, watching as it laps at your dress and rest your hands in your lap.

“Seokjin…” You whisper to the water, your tears creating ripples in the lake where they meet the surface. Just say it quickly, get it over with. “I-I think… I think I’m pregnant…” You’re not sure what you thought would happen, maybe a large flash of light and a clap of thunder or something, but the world simply seems to go still as the words leave your lips, the entirety of it waiting for a response, and then-

“Y/N…”

You whip your head around to see Seokjin standing behind you on the shore, his face hidden by the shadow of the moonless night.

“Jin.” You immediately stand, splashing through the shallows and racing up the shore to dry land where he waits for you, wrapping his arms around you as soon as he can reach and holding you tightly against his chest.

“It really was you. The whole time it was you.” He mutters into your hair. “Love, why did you summon me? It could’ve waited.” He scolds, wiping away your tears as he pulls back to meet your gaze, lightly gripping your chin and forcing you to look back at him.

“I needed you to know…”

Seokjin is about to protest when he notices the forlorn look in your eyes. “Y/N, no-”

“I’ve already made up my mind. There’s nothing you can do.”

“I’m not getting in the water.”

“Not yet…” You rest your hands on his chest. “I want to spend the night with you.”

“Y/N-ah-”

“Please.” You plead, tears threatening to fall once more.

Seokjin sighs before pulling you flush against him again. After a long embrace, he lets go, grabbing your hand as you both walk to the boathouse in silence. He starts a small fire in the fireplace before joining you where you sit on the bed.

“So d-do you really think…??” He reaches out to rest his hand on your lower abdomen, but hesitates. “Is that… Is it possible?”

“I haven’t bled in two months.” You explain, laying down on your back. “And I feel sick all the time. My body is so sore, especially my… I’m not sure what else it would be.”

“We’re having a baby?” He pulls your skirts down to expose your stomach and his hand finally rests against your skin and he caresses it gently. “You do seem a bit… well, swollen here.” He observes, his eyes not leaving the spot where his hand rests.

“Hey.” You can’t help but giggle at him, obsessed with the shocked and awestruck expression that graces his facial features. “I don’t think you can even tell yet.”

“I can tell…” He whispers, leaning down and pressing a kiss to your abdomen before laying down at your side and pulling your back against your chest. “We’re having a baby…”

The two of you lay in silence together for hours, Seokjin’s hands splayed across your stomach, his face nuzzled in your neck as he continuously whispers how much he loves you in your ear. You’re both avoiding the obvious, trying to ignore the slight tension in the air.

“Do you think it’s a boy or girl?” He asks after a while.

“I don’t know.”

“I hope it’s a boy.” He states. “So that even if I’m not here…” He trails off, not wanting to say it.

You turn over to face him. “Jin-”

“No.” He shushes you immediately. “Just let me enjoy this time with my wife. Please.”

You purse your lips in protest, but Seokjin places a soft kiss against them, effectively silencing you. You rest your forehead against his, sighing deeply.

“I just want you to be happy.”

“What makes you think I’m not happy?”

“It’s been 400 years, Jin.”

“I know that. And the time I’ve spent with you has been the best out of any of it.”

“I don’t want-” Your voice cracks and you try again. “I don’t want to be the thing that keeps you from finding peace…”

Seokjin exhales, clearly exasperated as he sits up and you follow. “Y/N-ah…”

“I love you so much Seokjin, with my entire heart, my entire being, but you need to move on. Keeping you here, it’s selfish of me. Especially knowing now that it is me. I’m the only one who can release you from this world. I’ll never forgive myself for keeping you trapped in this routine. Seeing each other only once every full moon? Even though we’re married, even if we had children, that’s not a life, it’s a cruel life-sentence we’d both have to carry out, and it would always leave us wanting more.”

It’s silent for a while as Seokjin ponders your words. His eyes growing misty along with yours. After a long moment, Seokjin presses his lips to yours once more, letting the feeling linger.

“I’ll always be with you Y/N.” He whispers. “You, me, and the moon.”

“I know.” You sniffle. “And I don’t want anything else. That’s good enough for me.” You hear the telltale signal of the sun beginning to rise as the birds begin to chirp outside.

“Okay.”

Your gaze meets his, surprised. “Okay?”

He nods, standing up and pulling you with him. Neither of you says anything as Seokjin takes your hand and leads you out of the boathouse and down to the dock, your meeting place. He lingers just out of reach of the water lapping at the shore, stopping and turning to you. He pulls you close, wrapping his arms tightly around you for the last time.

“I love you Kim Seokjin.” You mumble into his shirt, tears falling down your face as the reality of the situation hits you like a ton of bricks, leeching the air from your lungs as you suddenly forget how to breathe, your heart feeling like it’s about to rip into a million pieces.

He pulls back and cups your face with both hands, wiping away your tears with his thumbs before he leans down and kisses you passionately, letting the feeling fill you both completely before he breaks away. “I love you too…”

Seokjin grabs your hand just as the first rays of light begin to fill the sky, and with a deep sigh, he takes a step backward into the lake. You watch carefully, your hand clasped in his as he begins to fade. The sun shines through him, lighting him up with a strange shimmer, and it’s this shimmer that begins to break off of him in small pieces and float up towards the sky. He smiles softly at you and you can only watch as he slips from your grasp, golden flecks of light dancing off his cheeks as he gets lighter and lighter.

“I love you Y/N-ah…”

It’s the last thing you hear before the shimmers around his face carry him away, and he disappears in the early morning light.

You drop to your knees in the water, praying to whoever will listen, asking them to take care of Seokjin. Silent tears continue to slide down your face as you wrap your arms around yourself, shivering, your lower half damp from the water. Your heart feels like it explodes in your chest. You knew it was going to hurt, but this is a pain you’ve never felt before; it reaches deep into your soul and leaves a harsh mark, one that you’ll feel for the rest of your life. You look up at the sky, feeling the sun on your face, the warmth comparable to that of Seokjin’s touch.

He’s really gone.

“Where are we going?”

“Just get in!” You exclaim, holding the boat steady as he climbs in. You make sure the wraps around your hands are secure before grabbing the oars and beginning the journey out to the center of the lake. You watch his eyes scan the surroundings, in awe of the way the setting sun reflects off the small waves made by the boat.

You make it to the halfway point of the lake just as the sun finally dips below the horizon and the stars begin to show themselves. You stop the boat, setting the oars down to rest and then, you wait.

“It’s freezing.” He states. You quickly pull the blanket out of your bag and spread it across both your laps, huddling him close to your side as you offer him a small snack that you packed.

“What are we waiting for again?” He questions after a few minutes, seemingly unable to sit still.

“Just watch and you’ll see.” You scold.

The moon peeks up over the mountains in the distance and your heart swells, watching as it slowly makes its way high in the sky, filling you with a sense of comfort. Just then you look down and you see the first one.

“Look!” You point across the lake to where the first few dots of light round the corner. His eyes go wide as he watches, fascinated by the lanterns as they make their way across the water to you, quickly surrounding the boat, dazzling you both with their beauty. You close your eyes and sigh, thinking back to the very first time you saw this, almost eight years ago now.

“Mom?”

“Yes Seongjin?” You open your eyes and look over at your son, the spitting image of his father.

“This is where dad took you, right? The festival you talk about?”

You nod. “This is where I feel closest to him. Sitting with the moon.”

“He’s not really the moon, is he?”

You can’t help the giggle that escapes you. “No, your father is not the moon. But he’s up there with it, always watching over us.”

Seongjin smiles up at the sky. “It’s like I can feel him here.”

A sudden warm breeze blows through, caressing your face, filling the air with what could be mistaken as the sound of soft laughter. “Me too.” You nod at your son, pulling him close. “Hi Seokjin…” You whisper.

“Hi dad!” Seongjin waves at the moon above.

The two of you sit there for a long time, the strange warm breeze dancing around you, comforting you as you sit with the moon. Everything is as it should be, and that’s good enough for you.

#day after reblog #a day late oops

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inkjam-moon · 17 days ago