#GOT7 Imagine

[kgyeomiex]

Three Empty Words

“It’s so hard to pretend to be friends with someone special, when every time you look at that person, all you see is everything want to have.”

Summary: Have a best friend who sticks with you through thick and thin is impossible to find. The moment you met Jackson, you know he was going to be your best friend for life. Jackson always knew how to make sure you were happy and healthy and always seemed to turn a negative situation into a positive one. However, you would be lying to yourself if you were to say you didn’t have any type of feelings for Jackson… But Jackson is just your best friend… You knew best to push those feelings away and just move on.

Previous Parts:

Part 1 // Part 2 // Part 3 // Part 4 // Part 5 // Part 6 // Part 7

Part 8

Masterlist

This is exactly what the doctor ordered. A night out to forget about what's been happening. Lately, it feels like you were suddenly cursed…. Nothing but bad events kept piling up in your life. First, you lose someone you claimed to be your best friend and now you aren't even happy in the relationship you were currently in. 

What can possibly be next? 

When it comes to your relationship it’s weird… When Yoongi and you are together everything seems to be perfectly fine. The two of you enjoy one another's company and can talk about anything and anything. He shows that he cares about you when it's just you two and he never fails to show that you are special. However, after he leaves and you two aren't around one another, it's like he suddenly forgets he is in a relationship and acts completely different. It’s like he forgets about your existence and seems so distant and cold. 

He doesn't check up on you. He always seems to be too busy to respond and he just makes you believe you two aren't in a relationship...

In other words, this whole relationship was rather complicated. You wanted to talk to him about it, but you decided it was best to just suck it up and hope that something will change...

Hopefully... Something will change in this relationship and when you say change you mean for the better... 

You already lost someone important to you... Did you really want to lose Yoongi because of your own paranoia?

"Y/N!" That was the first thing you heard as you stepped foot into the bar. 

You look to your right and there you see your best friend Nani waiting for you in a chair with a glass in her hands already. 

You quickly walked up to her. As soon as you approached her, she got up from her seat and pulled you into a hug. 

"It feels so good to reunite like this," Nani says as you two were hugging. 

"You have no idea how relieved I am to see you..." You two pulled away and you sat down in the seat that is next to her. 

"I can't wait to hear all about it... But before we begin, I think it's important you get you a drink first... You're going to need it first," It wasn't long until Nani called the bartender over and ordered you a drink. 

She's right... Right now, a drink sounded very much needed at the moment. -

Nani's Point of View

After calling Y/N and finding out that her and Jackson were having problems... I knew right away I couldn't just sit back and do nothing about it. From the moment we all became friends I knew there was something different about the two of them. 

I always had a gut feeling the two of them would end up together at the end. On top of that from what I recall Jackson did tell me very valuable information that I can’t ever forget. 

Flashback

It was 1985 when I first lost my husband...

WHO AM I KIDDING.

One Friday night, it was the day where I decided to hold a goodbye party after being offered a new position to move away from home. I invited all my very close friends and thought it was going to be a good night... Don't get me wrong, it was a good night. 

However, it was also a very unforgettable night. 

Before I learned the fact that Jackson had a thing for Y/N I remember I had a small crush on him. I mean let’s be fair you can’t blame a girl because he is a good-looking man. 

I thought before I left Korea, I had to make it a mission to sleep with him before I left... 

But boy did that bite me in the ass. That clearly didn’t work out in my favor. 

There was of course alcohol in the party and many people under the influence. 

I remember at this party telling Y/N about my intentions of hooking up with Jackson. The thing about the situation is she never agreed or disagreed with my decision which from the start I found that oddly suspicious. But at the time I didn't think much of it. As I said drinks were involved in this party...

I remember that night I was watching Jackson from afar with a red cup in my hand, drinking to get that liquor courage in my system to make a move... After my final sip, I remember setting the cup down and before I knew it, I was suddenly walking in his direction. 

Jackson looked at me as I approached him and as soon as I was in front of him, he looked at me confused and quite taken back. 

"You me upstairs now," those are the only words that happened to come out of my mouth. He was surprised to hear me say such a thing TO HIM. Yes, I knew I had always been a bold kind of gal.

I grabbed a hold of his hand not giving him much of a choice but to listen to me and pulled him upstairs. I was under the influence of alcohol, but I wasn't drunk, so I was fully aware of the decision I was making at the time. 

By the time we got upstairs, it wasn't long until I pulled him into my room and threw him on the bed. 

I thought maybe by being aggressive it would turn him on. 

As he was lying on the bed, I closed the door behind me and made sure to lock it so no one would interrupt this moment. 

While Jackson was lying on the bed, I walked over, and it wasn't long until I was suddenly straddling his waist looking down at him smiling in satisfaction. 

I looked at Jackson and noticed how taken aback he was with everything that was happening. I was planning on kissing him, but I suddenly didn't feel right about the situation. 

What am I doing...

If Jackson was into this, he wouldn't be looking this confused...

"I'm sorry," I said as I removed myself from Jackson and he slowly sat up. 

"No, I'm sorry... I don't know if I ever gave you the impression that I was interested in you... and if I did, I'm sorry...." hearing that come out of Jackson's mouth did sting. I didn't know how to feel...

It's not like he was rude about the situation. I was at fault especially since I just read his body language wrong in the first place. 

"No, I'm sorry... I don't know why I even did that... " I was slightly embarrassed, but Jackson got close to me and grabbed my hand. 

"Listen I respect you too much as a person to let something like this ruin our friendship," Jackson was always a sweet man. 

He was someone who if he truly cared about you, wouldn't let minor situations like this interfere and that's something I admired about him the most. If I were in a situation like this, I probably would have acted awkwardly and completely killed the friendship in a matter of seconds. 

"Can I ask you a question?" I asked him and he looked at me. 

"Yeah?"

"Who do you like?" Usually after getting rejected like this a normal person wouldn't ask about their interest right after... But as you can tell I am not your normal girl. 

For Jackson to react the way he did I knew right away that he was interested in someone. It seemed like he put all his marbles in one jar, and I suddenly became curious to know who it could have been. 

"How do you know I like someone?" He asked me and I smiled. 

"Because I'm smart." Jackson looked hesitant to even open up about his feelings, but he looked at me. 

"Y/N..." 

As soon as he said her name I wasn't even surprised. I had a feeling this whole time, but I never said anything because I thought it was all in my head. The way the two acted around one another showed that the two had eyes for one another... Jackson seemed to pick up on the vibe, but I couldn't say the same about Y/N. 

She is probably still in denial or still ignoring her true feelings. 

"I should have seen it coming," I blurted out and Jackson looked at me confused. 

"Do I make it that obvious?" I couldn't help but smile. 

"Just a little... But to be honest I'm pretty sure Y/N feels the same way she just doesn't know it yet. " Jackson just looked at me and I got up from the bed. 

After that encounter, we never brought that up to anyone and I never asked any further questions about his feelings towards Y/N. I just kept it a secret because I knew that if Jackson wanted it to be known he would have said something a long time ago... 

I always hoped that the two of them would have started dating while I was gone... But boy was I wrong... I came back and I found out that the two weren't talking... 

Nope, not on my watch. 

I love both equally and I know that these two were a match made in heaven. They both just needed an extra push to talk to one another and finally confess how they truly felt. 

-

Your Point of View

As soon as you received the drink in your hand, it didn't take long until you began to take a few good sips from it. 

"Before I even tell you about my depressing news... What's new with you?" You asked Nani and she smiled. 

"No no no we must start with you... I know you probably don't want to talk about it but what the hell happened with Jackson and you?" 

Before you decided to open up, you lifted your cup and took a good chug. 

"Oh..."

After putting down the drink you looked at Nani. 

"That's the thing, I have no idea where it went wrong. We went from being best friends and everything was normal to suddenly Jackson removing himself from my life and not explaining himself. I don't know where everything went wrong. We were so good and before I knew it things went bad so fast." You truly don't understand where things had a turning point. 

Did you say something that could have offended him? He would have said something... it's not like the two of you haven't argued in the past or at least had a disagreement.

"Hmm, at what point did you notice Jackson acting up or acting distance?" Nani asked you and you sat there and had to really think about it. 

The more you thought about it... You realize he started to act towards you the moment you started to see Yoongi. 

"Well... It started after I started to see someone, but I don't feel like that could have been a good enough reason for Jackson to want nothing to do with me?" you looked at Nani and she just smiled. 

"Girl... Do I have to spell it out for you?" Was there something you missed here?

"What are you talking about?" 

"I don't know if you're acting clueless or if you really are... But I don't know... Maybe Jackson LIKES YOU?" When Nani says those words, your eyes widen. 

No way.

That sounded impossible. Jackson... JACKSON WANG YOUR BEST FRIEND liking you? 

That doesn't sound right. 

"No, he doesn't," you quickly shot the idea down and she just shook her head. 

"Okay, what other explanation is there for Jackson to cut you off out of the blue?" Nani seemed very convinced that Jackson had feelings for you, but you never got that impression from the guy. 

"I did forget to mention that Jackson has a girlfriend. What if he started to date without telling me anything and his girlfriend wanted him to cut me off? I don't know, I'm sure there is a perfectly good explanation," you said, and Nani looked at you like you had 4 heads. 

"Wait... Did I hear that right? Jackson has a what?" 

Before you can say anything, you are cut off when suddenly by your surprise you look up and there you see Jackson entering the room. Why is he here? 

You noticed him the moment he walked right through the front door. Speaking of the devil...

Just seeing Jackson's presence made you suddenly want to drink even more. 

You looked over at the bartender and smiled. 

"Can I please get another one?"

You had a feeling that Nani must have invited Jackson over here. Talk about making things awkward. 

Jackson noticed your presence but suddenly looked away and looked right at Nani. You could feel the unwanted vibe he was giving off with you just being there. 

"I'll be back, Ima head to the bathroom," you told Nani, and she nodded her head. 

You instantly got up and found the nearest bathroom. Right now, you need a chance to mentally prepare yourself before facing Jackson... After the conversation you two had I felt hard looking at him. 

-

Nani's Point of View

I felt someone tap my shoulder. I look up and there I see Jackson right in front of me. Clearly, my presence was needed in a situation like this. Before I left on my trip, I was pretty sure I was going to come back home and find out that Y/N and Jackson were finally together. . . HOWEVER, it looks like the complete opposite happened instead. 

"A warning would have been nice," were the first words Jackson blurted out. 

"Well, how was I supposed to know that Y/N and you were not on good terms? I leave you guys alone for two seconds and I come to find out that you two hate one another?" I wanted to ask Jackson as many questions as I could before Y/N came back from the bathroom. 

"I don't hate her. . ." I knew he didn’t, but I wanted to hear that come out of his mouth. By the way Y/N explained it seemed that way, but I knew that she was exaggerating. 

"Well why she is away, care to share why you two stopped being friends? Or would you like to start at the part where you have a new girlfriend,"

Jackson looked over at me and then at the bartender. 

"I need a drink,"

I shook my head and looked over at Jackson. 

This could take all night. 

-

Y/N's Point of View

As you came back you felt much worse. Usually at least back then when you would see Jackson you used to be happy. But now that there was nothing but this awkward tension between the two of you... You wanted to run out of there. 

The only way you can manage being around him is if you have enough alcohol in your system. 

You raised your hand and called over a bartender. 

"Oh, so it's that kind of night?" Nani asked and you looked over at her. 

"Oh, you have no idea..." you said as you slightly glanced at Jackson, and he was already looking in your direction but instantly looked away. 

You knew that once the alcohol starts to kick in you are going to give Jackson a piece of your mind sooner or later. 

-

4 shots in and you were definitely feeling the buzz. 

Jackson hasn't said a single word to you, and you couldn't help but feel yourself suddenly getting more and more agitated. 

How can this man sit close to you and not want to talk to you? Did your friendship mean nothing to him? 

"I need another drink," You were ready to call the bartender over yet again but that's when Nani stopped you. 

"Listen Y/N I love you, but you need to slow it down with the drinks..." You knew Nani was looking for your best interest, but it didn't help with the fact that Jackson was inches away from you. 

"I wouldn't have needed to drink so much if you didn't bring him here," you said pointing right at Jackson and that's when he finally made eye contact with you. 

"If I would have known that you were going to be here, I wouldn't have come," Jackson splats out...

Those words themselves felt like he pulled out a knife and just stabbed you in the chest... 

Jackson was so cold to you... Never gave you a full explanation and suddenly it seems like he can be so harsh to you and not feel a single remorse after saying it. 

"Wow," you blurted out...

At this point, you don't think you can no longer hold back your tongue. 

You were hoping that eventually maybe in the far future, there was a chance you two could have put your differences aside and work something out but suddenly that doesn't seem like that will ever happen. 

"Guys..." Nani was trying to interfere but it was far too late for that. 

"No... Jackson tells me how you really feel," you said looking Jackson directly in his eyes. 

"You know what, let's just drop it," And there he goes trying to leave you in the dust... You were sick and tired of being confused and clueless. You needed answers. 

"No... What the hell did I do to you, Jackson? How the hell do we go from being best friends to suddenly me being dead to you? Did my friendship mean nothing to you? Did I mean nothing to you? I would have thought maybe if I ever did something wrong you would come to me and talk to me about it. But clearly, you don't seem to give a single fuck about me since it seems so easy to remove me from your life..." you were about to continue but Nani cuts in. 

"Y/N don't say something you will regret," Nani knew how much you valued Jackson as a person... But it was far too late now... 

"Stop. If Jackson doesn't give a fuck, why should I? I was stupid enough to think you valued me as a person. I wasted my time hoping that maybe we could put our problems aside and become friends again. But you know what, I don't need you in my life."

"Y/N," Nani tried again but it was no use. 

"You're dead to me the same way I am to you... Now we are even," saying those words out loud suddenly made a sharp pain appear in your chest. 

You were hoping to hear something come out of Jackson's mouth by now or even explain himself at least but he stood completely silent. 

That reaction by itself showed you everything needed to know. 

Internally you wanted to reveal how upset this situation had you feeling but you weren't going to allow Jackson to get that satisfaction. Lately, all you have been feeling has been upset and depressed, and instead of anyone showing any sign of concern... You were alone yet again... 

You lifted your head and looked at Nani.

"I'm sorry but I have to go... I think it's best if we see each other when this person is not here," you said to Nani. 

"Y/N," Nani was trying to stop you from going but it was far too late for that. 

You started to grab your belongings. 

Just as you were getting ready to leave suddenly that's when everything seemed to happen so quickly... 

Just when you thought your night couldn't get any worse... You thought wrong. 

"Hey babe," you looked over and your stomach dropped. 

There you see Yoongi kissing Nani. 

-

To Be Continued.

[kpopimaginings]

"It's not worth it" - Jinyoung

You knew this would happen. You and Jinyoung had recently announced your relationship to the GOT7 boys. Part of the reason you had kept it quiet early on was because you knew there would be teasing. You could have also predicted that BamBam and Jackson were going to be the main perpetrators.

You were out for a group dinner for the first time since they found out and the teasing started immediately. You honestly weren't too bothered by it, but you noticed Jinyoung's clenched jaw as he glared at the members who were talking. You took his hand under the table and gave it a little squeeze, trying to silently tell him to let it go.

Once the food came out, things quietened down for a moment.

"Don't let them get to you," you whispered to Jinyoung.

He just nodded in acknowledgment, but you knew he hadn't really taken your comment to heart.

As you finished eating, you took Jinyoung's hand again and shot him a little smile.

"Ah, look at you two all loved up," BamBam started again.

"Cut back on the PDA though," Jackson added.

You rolled your eyes at the comment, but once again Jinyoung couldn't let it slide.

"We looked at each other. How is that PDA?"

"Relax, Jinyoung-ie," Jackson told him, before turning to you. "Are you sure about him? He's a bit uptight!"

You bit your lip to keep yourself from chuckling and further annoying your boyfriend.

Then, you jumped slightly as Jinyoung brought his hand down on the table.

"Jinyoung!" you scolded.

"What was the one thing I asked of you, Jackson?" he snapped, ignoring your interjection.

Jackson stared blankly at Jinyoung.

"All I said was don't tease Y/n," he continued. "You can wind me up all you like but when she's around, you knock it off."

"But she's our friend too," Jackson pointed out.

"Yeah, she's used to us, she knows what we're like," BamBam added.

You were about to agree with them, when Jinyoung  spoke again.

"I'm crazy about Y/n, ok? The last thing I want is you idiots scaring her off."

"Jinyoung-ie, that's so sweet," you said, your voice now softer, "And I'm very pleased you want me to stick around, but the boys are right, I've known them for long enough that I expected this. A little teasing among friends isn't going to make me leave."

"Ok, but-"

"No, it's not worth it. I want to be with you, and Jackson and BamBam being littles shits isn't going to change that."

Jinyoung couldn't help but smile and chuckle as the troublemakers complained at your choice of words. Smiling back, you leant in and pecked a soft kiss to his lips.

It surprised you somewhat when the resulting 'Ew' came from Yugyeom.

"Don't you start," you told him with a smile, before resting your head on Jinyoung's shoulder while you waited for desert.

NAVIGATION  |  GOT7 MASTERLIST

[stay-mon-army]

5 Ways to Win a Prince

Word Count: 6,283 words (wtf the longest fic I've written so far)

Warning(s): pining, kissing, light touching, secret romance, fear of rejection/being separated by parental figures, creepy suitor/bad vibes from unnamed side character

Pairing: Prince!Park Jinyoung (GOT7) x Knight!gn!reader

Requested by: @crzy-devil (sorry this took so long!)

1- Sneak in to Visit

The sun began its slow descent, painting the distant horizon in fire and gold, as though the trees on the mountains had erupted with flames. You watched the colors shift and change as you rested your back against the rough rocks that make up the walls of the castle you’ve sworn to protect.

The metal armor adorning your body kept you warm from the chilling breeze that stirs the trees, making them dance alone within the field below you. The grounds of the castle roll gently downhill into a field and garden away from the balcony you currently rest under. You were always envious of his view, despite the fact you sneak in and are able to enjoy it yourself very often. Thinking of your secret path, you glance one last time at the horizon, deciding that the lowering sun had dimmed enough to allow you to steal away up the side of the wall.

You stand, double-checking that all of your armor and weapons are properly secured to your body before turning to face the wall. The bricks were firmly secured together, but certain bricks were not properly flush or were beginning to chip, giving you perfect foot and handholds to support your travels up its edge. Months of practice had made this climb easier and easier, so now it was no time at all before you were lifting yourself over the balcony railing, slipping down gently onto the marble outcropping that led to the glass doors into the Prince’s room.

Through the doors, you could see a fire gently crackling and flickering within the giant hearth that Jinyoung loved so much. Unsurprisingly, settled deep into one of the chairs encircling the fire, was your prince, his nose pressed into a book, his legs tucked up beneath him as though he could make himself small enough to actually enter the world in which he was engrossed. Just the sight of him brought a bright smile to your face, releasing the tensions of the day full of training and drilling for the protection of the kingdom. Nothing could make all of that pain and stress worth it as much as seeing the man before you.

Slowly, so as not to disturb him, you inch to the door, sliding open the glass doors, and slipping into the room to make your way closer to his gorgeous red and gold armchair that he so favored. Finally, when you placed your hand down on the arm of the chair as though you were making him aware of your presence, he turns his warm brown eyes up to meet your face, a gentle look of surprise parting his pink lips and flushing his detailed cheeks in a way that set your heart aflutter.

“Hello, my prince.” You whisper, leaning down to press a brushing kiss against one rose-tainted cheek. Jinyoung reaches up, fingers snagging behind your head to pull you down for a proper kiss, his lips grazing yours like snow drifting against the wind during the first snow, as though he was teasing you with his presence more than allowing either of you to enjoy it fully.

That was a change that had grown over time; in the beginning, you were both so afraid of not getting time together, not being able to be together, that you would waste no time, pressing together your lips and bodies as close as you could manage, sure you would run out of chances to hold each other that way. However, as time went on, you began to see the ways in which the small, subtle, simple touches and intimacies brought forth sweeter emotions than rushing through and feeling all at once. You were glad now to be able to spend moments like this; barely touching and yet feeling more than anyone else could make you feel, seeing everything the world had to offer and knowing you could take it whenever you wanted, but being secure enough to let it come to you.

You pull away from the man, who tilts his head up as though he’s chasing after you, before he settles back into his chair, lifting the book that he had rested on his lap. He reaches to a nearby table to grab a small bookmark, sliding it between two pages carefully, before setting the book down on the table.

You grab his hands, lifting him from his seat to spin the two of you around and pull him into your lap back into the cushioned chair. He chuckles at your actions, resting a hand against your collarbone as he shifts to find a comfortable position on your armored lap.

“I know these are for keeping you safe and all, but they really could have spent a little extra into making these more comfortable, couldn’t they?” He jokes, flicking the breastplate that separated your bodies from each other.

You laugh along, taking his hand and rubbing your thumb across his knuckles, raising them to press your lips against them as well.

“Well, once you’re king, you have all the power in the world to make that change to our uniform. For now, we must suffer in silence, lest we be found out and whisked apart.” You lean in to whisper the last sentence, letting your breath feather across his ear and neck, sending a shiver down his spine that has him pressing harder against your body.

“I would never let them keep me from you. Come hell or high water, I would never be separated from you – let them try.” This wasn’t the first time he had said similar sentiments, and it brought joy to you hearing it every time. You felt the same way, but to know that your prince would do anything to keep you together – your heart beats wildly at the thought.

You pull Jinyoung down closer to you, though you doubt it’s very possible to do that, and lean your face close to him, your nose brushing his intimately as you look down into his eyes.

“I share your sentiments, Prince. I promise to you, that my oath to you and your family is not only one as a soldier, as a knight, as a guard, but as a lover, as a human, as a simple servant under an idol. My devotion to you will never waver and I will not let anything but death pull me from your side. No matter what else I must give up, no matter who I may have to become or kill, I will be by your side, protecting you and yours, until Lady Death comes to bring me across to the otherworld.”

Jinyoung’s eyes shimmer with tears as he presses his forehead against yours, his hands coming to cup your cheeks.

“And I you, my love.” He whispers, finally press your lips together properly, pulling your bodies as close as possible. He holds you close and you let yourself sink into the sensation of holding the one you swear your life to, letting life carry you where it will.

2- Save Him from Unworthy Suitors

The worst part about being in love with the Prince was that he was destined to be put on dates with others constantly in the hopes of making relations with other kingdoms to keep the country safe from the neighboring lands. Most of the lands got along well enough, so there wasn’t a lot of fighting anyway, but Jinyoung’s parents were always trying to set up the next power couple of the continent.

Many times, you were sent out as a guard for the dates, if they were off castle grounds, which meant that you had to sit and watch while someone tried to woo Jinyoung, only to be met with polite refusal and friendship. Most of those who were on these dates felt the same way and had their own lovers back home in their kingdoms. They played along well as though they enjoyed the date, but it was only out of friendship and political acceptance.

However, on occasion, a date was set up between the young prince and someone who truly wished to catch his fancy. Most were amicable and, while often pushy and intense in trying to prove their worth to Jinyoung, were quick to accept Jinyoung’s refusal at the end of the date.

One day, however, there was a young male suitor who refused to take no for an answer. After one date had gone over without any hassle, Jinyoung had gone to his chambers that night with you and told you that he felt alright about the date, and that nothing would come of it, as per usual. Unfortunately for you both, the young man was infatuated with Jinyoung and had not accepted the refusal after only one shot. He had gone to the Queen after the date and explained in detail how he was sure another date would be enough to win over her son, and the Queen had quickly agreed, growing worried that Jinyoung would end up alone until he became King, which the Queen didn’t want to happen. The Queen wanted only for her son to be happy with a person to cherish him; unaware was she of the person warming her sons bed that very night.

Another date was scheduled and prepared for the two men, and for once, you were not scheduled to chaperon the excursion. That, however, was not going to stop you from riding along with them.

The men were scheduled to ride down a ways through the woods just outside of the castle, to a small lake area to have a picnic. Jinyoung told you about the trip, knowing there was no way he could stop you (not that he wanted to) and it would be easier to hide your spying if you didn’t have to track them too closely.

So on the morning of the day, you waiting until just after the other guards had followed after the prince and his suitor before slipping onto a horse of your own and tracing their path. You knew the way to the lake, as it was a common spot for you and the prince to also run off for little getaways together, making you all the more annoyed that the Queen had planned such a personal trip for the prince, despite his assertion that he had no interest in suitors.

Not long down the pathway through the rustling leaves, wandering along the sunlight dappled trail, you spot the edge of the clearing surrounding the lake, so you pull your horse off the path and hobble it to a tree. You sneak up to the edge of the treeline to look out onto the group setting up a picnic beside the water – blanket and food spread out in the attempt at fashion simply seeing cheesy to your untrained eye. You had spent years in the castle, but you didn’t understand the need to always seem to fancy and rich. It was something Jinyoung claimed to love about you; you didn’t let the glitz, glam, and politics of the castle change who you really were at your core.

You decided to rest yourself on a fallen log, knowing that you would likely be here for a while watching.

However, not long after the picnic had been set out and the food had been eaten, the man had waved off the guards, asking them for privacy between the two. The guards had looked at each other, unsure what to do, but eventually shrugged and wandered off into the treeline, barely missing your seated figure.

You watched closely, eyebrows furrowed at the odd behavior of the young man now reaching his hand out to place it against Jinyoung’s arm. You lean forward in your seat, feeling your body heat as you realize that Jinyoung is fidgeting, looking quite uncomfortable at the situation at hand. Nothing had happened yet, but you knew Jinyoung’s moods better than anyone, and could read the emotions on his face even from yards away. Jinyoung was not happy.

Thinking quickly on your feet, you sneaked back to your horse, untying it from the tree, leading it back onto the road. You slip into the saddle, quickly kicking the horse into a canter to round the final bend and reach the lake on which the men were sitting.

The men both startled, turning to face you as they hear you call out for the Prince, reining your horse in just in time to spray sand against the young man who finally pulls away from Jinyoung to wipe his shirt and face.

“I’m sorry to disturb you, Your Highness, but I must request that you come with me at once. There is an urgent matter back at the castle that requires your immediate attention, and I was instructed to come collect you quickly without any delay. If I might entreat you to climb upon my horse, I can get us back to the castle quickly.” You reach a hand down, doing your best to keep your face straight and serious as Jinyoung looks up at you with bewilderment, which fades quickly into barely hidden amusement.

“Of course, my Champion.” He raises to his feet, moving to take your hand, when he’s grabbed by the man still seated directly behind him, looking at him with confusion and annoyance.

“Why don’t you wait, Your Highness? I will come back with you as soon as we collect the guards and our things.” The young suitor gives a harsh look at you over Jinyoungs shoulder, before tugging on Jinyoung’s arm.

Jinyoung tugs his arm away, a feigned smile resting upon his lips as he steps ever closer to your patiently waiting horse. “No, I’m afraid this sounds much too urgent to wait even an extra moment. I shall see you back within the castle.” He turns without a second of hesitation, taking your arm and using the momentum of your assistance to pull himself onto the horse behind you, as he has done a million times.

He wraps his arms around your waist, burying his face into your back as you canter back the way you came, heading for the castle as though your errand was real. About halfway back to the castle, Jinyoung whispers out a soft “thank you” that you can barely make out against the wind and you relax, letting a hand rest against his fists balled against your stomach.

“Any time, my love.”

3- Flex your Strengths

The only time that you find joy other than being beside Jinyoung is when you’re in the training field. The guards all spent at least a handful of hours a day working in the field, ensuring that they keep their skills sharp and their muscles hard. You worked as a guide to the youth whenever possible; young pupils hoping to be guards and warriors were always trying to prove themselves in the field, but they always need a mentor to help them learn the tricks of the blade.

On warm summer days when there is nothing exciting happening in the castle, you often toil away your hours with a new pupil, a practice sword, and a sparing partner. Today was no exception.

You wiped away a layer of sweat threatening to drip into your eyes and blind you, as you roll out your sword arm. You had just bested yet another guard in a sparing match – you weren’t the most skilled warrior, but you had enough knowledge and skill to make you one of the top guards, tasked with protecting the royal family.

A new challenger steps up to the ring, groups of young and experienced fighters watching excitedly as the new man makes a show of stretching and swinging his sword, as though he could intimidate you into backing down or losing. Instead of bothering to “worry” about his theatrics, you continue shaking and stretching out your body, glancing over the crowd as you do so. You stutter in your stance for only a second as you spot a familiar face a few paces back from the edge of the crowd, a guard you’ve met several times standing beside them with a hand on their sword.

Jinyoung had come to see you practice. He didn’t often do this – he was the anxious one in whatever this was, always afraid of being spotted and questioned by someone who has no business in his. However, you were completely the opposite, ready to speak up about your love the moment he opens himself up to the idea. But here he was, standing with his arms crossed, a beautiful blue top tucked into tight dark trousers, his hair lightly ruffled by the soft wind blowing through the training field. He smiles softly, ducking his head slightly, almost impossible to see, if you weren’t in tune with every small movement of his body.

You smiled back, quickly turning back to your opponent as you both get into a fighting stance, preparing to spar. Both of you were wearing the standard armor and carrying wooden practice swords, but you could tell simply from the way he held himself that your opponent thought he had already won, simply from looking at you.

Obviously a newbie, then.

Someone to the side of the ring calls out the beginning of the match and the two of you begin circling each other, watching the way the other moves.

Seemingly on a whim, the man lunges forward, striking out with his sword. You step back, dodging the attack and sliding to the side, trying to pull the man off balance. He simply backs up, eyeing you and smirking, like he knows something that you don’t. You doubt it, most men who give you that look simply think that you’re afraid and running. No, you’re only bidding your time, looking for your chance to strike.

You circle the man again, watching for that telltale flinch of muscles before he lunges that you noticed last time. Finally you see it, only a millisecond before the man lunches again, this time attempting to rain down strike after strike. Instead, you block and dodge to barrage of blows, twisting and sliding your blade along his, redirecting him away from you every time. You see the beginnings of anger rising in the man; his face twisting slowly into a snarl, his hands tightening around the wooden hilt of the practice sword, his arms trembling from withheld rage. As his anger wells to a final explosion of aggression, he pulled his sword back, feinting a withdrawal before swinging his sword as hard as he could, aiming for your head.

You see this coming, however, and step to the side calmly, raising your sword with both hands to slash it across the mans side, effectively landing a “killing blow” that has the man grasping his side, dropping his sword in the process. You place your blade against the back of his neck, pulling it across it to simulate effecting a definitely killing blow to ensure your “win” in the fight.

The man growls up at you, moving to stand but you have already stepped away, being swept up by the crowd, who pats you on the back, calling out praise to you.

Another guard approaches, handing you a small letter folded up. You open it, seeing a familiar script dancing across the page with only two words written on it.

Visit later.

You glanced up to look around for the man responsible for your short letter, but he had disappeared.

You smiled and tucked the letter into the chestplate of your armor, beside your heart.

Who were you to say no to his request?

4- Show your Love

When you got off of practice that day, you went down to the market to get a small bouquet of flowers. You got his favorite, pink dahlias, which you thought fit him very well. In your kingdom, dahlia’s represented kindness and grace, something that you felt perfectly encapsulated the prince. He was equal parts of princely charm and empathetic sweetness, caring about all that he comes into contact with.

You take the flowers with you up to his room, sneaking through the corridors of the castle, since climbing the wall would surely crush the sweet petals of the fragrant plant you hold close to your body.

Finally making it to the doorway to his chambers, you look both ways before quickly opening the door and ducking inside. Last thing you needed was some random royal to see you slipping into the prince’s room with a bouquet of flowers and a childish grin on your face. Jinyoung wasn’t ready to go public, so you would keep it quiet for now. As long as you still got to be with him.

As you close the door quietly, you turn to find the prince shirtless, his pants being buttoned up by his chambermaid. You smile at the sudden look of surprise on the woman’s face – Jinyoung hadn’t seen you yet because his back was turned, but the woman could see you clearly.

You lift a finger to your lips, signaling her to keep quiet, and she quickly ducks her head back to securing the princes clothes for the afternoon. As she rises to grab the shirt for Jinyoung, you creep forward, wrapping your arms around his middle as you reach him, twirling him into the air.

He yelps, hands coming down to grab your arms, attempting to twist his body to face you. He knows instantly who it is that’s holding him, due to the flowers, the armor, and your familiar scent that has begun to wrap around him, sending his brain into a frenzy.

You can see he’s blushing, from the way his ears are blazing red under his hair and he’s trying to duck his face away from your gaze.

You drop him back onto the ground, letting your hands graze across his bare skin as you pull away, relishing in the way he shivers at your touch before he’s whipping around to face you.

“You scared the living daylights out of me.” He’s pouting, his eyebrows furrowed and nose scrunched up, but you could see the slight twitch in his lips fighting to smile.

“You really should be more on your toes. I could have been anyone coming in here. You should never let your guard down, my prince. It could put you in danger.” You lean in as you talk, ghosting your nose over his, causing him to tilt his head up, searching your lips. You pull back before he can make contact and now he’s pouting for real.

“If you weren’t such a menace, my chambermaid here would have at least given a scream of warning if it were anyone of danger. Unfortunately, she seems to like you a little more than she likes me.” He rolls his eyes, sending a playful wink back at the chambermaid who has her face half hidden behind her hand, holding the shirt in the other.

“Nonsense, no one could ever be immune to your boyish charms.” You press a kiss to the mans temple before holding out the flowers for him to see. “Even my measly pay gets wasted away on flowers for you, who needs for nothing, simply so that I can see that beautiful smile you grant me.” Said smile is already splitting his face into pure joy at seeing the circular globes of pink sprouting from your fist. He bends down to give the flowers a deep scent, pulling back with eyes closed and face softened with joy.

“No one knows exactly what I need quite like you, my dearest protector.” He jokes, turning back to the chambermaid so she can slip his shirt on, hiding his golden skin and gentle curves with a linen top of off-white cloth that looks insanely soft and comfortable.

After she secures the fabric to his body, she bows, grabs his day-clothes that need washing, and scampers from the room. She wasn’t likely to say anything – she’s the only one in the castle who knows about your relationship and has been aware of it for two years now. She had walked in on you two cuddling after you had accidentally fallen asleep one late night; she had been sworn to secrecy and had proven tight-lipped since.

You hand the flowers over to your lover before grabbing his hands, pulling him lightly over towards his bed, curtains pulled back to allow in the failing light of the evening through the windows to shine across the silken sheets you two had spent many nights entangled in together.

“What has gotten into you today, my love?” Jinyoung asks, following along pliantly, always willing to follow your lead and whims. He so rarely was able to let go, trust another, and go with the flow – only when he was with you was he able to let down his guard and truly feel.

“Nothing in particular, my prince, only my love for you.” You settle onto the edge of the bed, pulling him to stand between your legs, wrapping your arms around his waist to hold him close. He drapes his arms over your shoulders, looking down at where you sit before him with a look like sheer reverence across his features.

“I should continue to fan that fire if it leads to moments like this.” He whispers, leaning forward to press a kiss against your lips. You hold him close, relishing in the feeling of his lips pressed to yours, his tongue flicking against your own, his hands running up and down your shoulders and back, as though he couldn’t get enough of touching you.

“I would not complain.” You whisper back when he finally pulls away, a look of thought and concentration passing behind his eyes. “What is on your mind, my prince? I can see that something is troubling you.”

Jinyoung only shakes his head, smiling down at you with love and care.

“Nothing is troubling me, my love. It is only that, I have recently been thinking about how we keep our love a secret. I know that I have said that I do not wish for them to take you from me, while I still only have the power of a prince. However, the many times in which my mother tries to push me into new courtships is growing, and she has expressed fear that I will not be wed before taking the throne. I know that day is many moons off, but I begin to wonder whether it isn’t time that we finally tell the world about our love.” His face begins to glow with the idea, his voice rising with each word as though breathing life into the idea has sparked a flame that will not flicker, fed a stream that will not stop raging.

You reach a hand up, cradling his cheek as you grin back up at the prince. You had voiced several times your undying love for him, and him back to you, but you had resolved to spend many more days hidden away, sneaking your love, until he was king and no one could stop the two of you.

You had believed that his mother would be understanding – she had tried so many times to find a suitor for her son that you were sure she would be happy with nearly anyone that her son had picked to carry his heart. Jinyoung, on the other hand, was skeptical and afraid, after hearing the many mean things that other royals had said about other royals who had married or paired up “below their rank”.

To finally hear Jinyoung say that he was ready to tell the world, haters be damned, had your heart soaring out of your chest, feeling as though you couldn’t breathe with the happiness coursing through your veins.

You pull Jinyoung down on top of you, peppering his face with kisses, almost definitely crushing the beautiful flowers that you had bought earlier in the day. Nothing else mattered than being close to the prince now, showing him exactly how much his words and feelings meant to you. You knew that some part of him was already aware of your passion for him – you had shared it plenty of times in a number of ways, but you needed to reaffirm it now, in the light of the future of your relationship.

Nothing could stop you two now.

5- Tell the World

Days later, you followed Jinyoung into the throne room where his parents are seated on their respective thrones. You had interacted with both the King and Queen in the past, but not in this capacity and not when you were about to convince them into letting you have their sons hand in marriage.

Jinyoung stops before the dais on which they’re sitting and you stop beside him, kneeling and bowing to them before standing straight. You would show deference, but not weakness.

Jinyoung smiled up at his parents, who both smiled back down at their son. They truly loved him; there wasn’t anything they wouldn’t do for him. You had no doubt that they would grant his wish, if he truly meant what he said.

He takes a deep breath before reaching his hand out to grasp yours. You freeze, waiting for him to explain to his parents why you were both standing before them today.

“Mom, Dad, I know that you’ve both been working very hard to find me a suitor from one of the four kingdoms who is worthy of my heart. I don’t doubt that you have worked tirelessly and did your best work to find people who are really suitable for me and who would make amazing additions to our kingdom, as they would rule beside me. However, unfortunately, the person who won and deserves my heart was in our kingdom this entire time.” He tilts his head to smile at you, his hand gripping yours tightly as if to say he would never let go. “I know that a prince and a guard sounds impossible, and I know many other Kings and Queens would never let their son marry a guard, who many deem as below us. Unlike those men and women, I know that our kingdom values all life, all people, regardless of status and blood. As long as a person is good and kind, is loving and caring, shows strength and courage, defends what they believe in and does not waver in the face of adversity or temptation, that they are worthy of the best that life has to offer. I have met no other who fits those tenants in the way that (y/n) does. They have proven loyal and kind, shown mercy and strength, done all they can to protect their loved ones while never giving up on their own beliefs. They are the only person fit to rule beside me over this kingdom when I one day ascent the throne.”

Your eyes mist over at the heavy praise you’re receiving from the love of your life. Jinyoung was always ready to share with you how much you meant to him, but you had never heard him share such sentiments to anyone else – it was nice to hear when you were alone, but something else entirely when he was telling his parents and the court guards all about his feelings. You could see his mother dab at her eyes, tearing up just as you expected her to; she truly loved and wanted the best for her son.

The one you couldn’t read was the King. He was sitting, looking over the two of you with a neutral face, as though he hadn’t heard anything that the Prince had just said. He leans forward in his seat, resting his elbows against his knees and entwining his fingers together. He hums softly, a low rumble in the otherwise quiet room, as though he’s thinking or warming up his voice for whatever he’s about to say.

The Queen is looking over at the King now, a smile on her face, as though she knows something you don’t which relaxes your shoulders just the slightest bit. If the Queen wasn’t worried, why should you be?

As though your thought sparked something in the King, he looks over at you, reaching a hand out to gesture in your direction as he finally speaks. “So, what do you have to say to all this, my knight?”

You take a deep breath, glancing over at Jinyoung, who is looking at you with those eyes that you had fallen in love with many moons again, and which always seemed to bring you to your knees before him, time and again.

“I have been raised within the walls of this kingdom, under the rule of you both, and under that philosophy and expectations that comes from this society. I have raised through the ranks to prove my worth as a guard to the royal family, to protecting those values and the people of this kingdom with my life. I have spent countless hours training to be the best person I can be, for myself, for my kingdom, for my King, but most importantly, for my Prince, who I have sworn my life to – both out loud and in my heart a million times over. I cannot swear that I have reached the point to claim those same things about myself that Jinyoung sees within me. However, I continue to try everyday to prove him right and to be worthy of him by my side. I don’t presume to be in a place to tell you how to react to our love for each other. I don’t wish to sway you by telling you lies or pressuring you with threats, or any of the things that would instantly lose me the right to stand here before you asking for Jinyoung’s hand. However, I know that you are a fair king. You look to your people to hear their stories and learn their worries, and you care about what will bring true joy back into the kingdom. I stand here today to tell you that nothing would make us happier than to be together, to have each other truly and completely, in the way that we love each other.”

You bow down after finishing your speech, showing that despite all of the things you said, you would respect whatever he ruled in this matter. It would break you to have to turn away from your Prince, but if the King truly believed it would be in his better interest not to wed you, to keep your love a secret, you would continue to spend your days hiding away, stealing glances and touches whenever the chance arose. You would not, however, let him truly be pulled from your grasp.

As you waited to hear the answer of the king, you could feel your heart beating within your chest, pounding against your rib cage as though it wished to fly back to Jinyoung, its true owner. The blood rushed in your ears and you could feel every fiber of your body thrumming with adrenaline and anticipation, knowing your whole world could crash down around you any moment.

Finally the king cleared his throat and you raised your eyes back to the graying man before you, who has a smile creasing his face which has your knees nearly dropping out from under you.

“If my son truly wishes to wed you and he has brought forth the courage to proclaim it before the courts, I see no reason to deny him the joys of love on the basis of something as trivial as status. You have proven strong in mind and body as a royal guard for many years, and the ways in which my son speaks about you shows that you continue to practice these tenets outside of the guard uniform and has me believing that you may be more worthy of the title of the Princes partner than any of the others we have brought here to woo him. I will give you my permission to court each other. Preparations can begin being made to plan the wedding to bind you two together.”

The Queen squeals with joy, leaping from her throne on the dais to raise down to her son, sweeping him into a hug. She presses kisses against his temple, stroking his hair, almost as though he was still a child that she found adorable, rather than a grown man who had just been sworn to wed. She turns to you next, pulling you into an equally strong hug, patting your back and whispering how truly happy she was and how thankful she was to have someone who could show her son the respect and love she knew he deserved.

Tears were shedding down her face, and matching ones traced down the Prince’s as he looked at you over his mother’s shoulder. He mouthed three words to you which had your throat closing up as well, your hands fisting into the queen’s dress as you try to hold back your own emotions.

You had finally won over the Prince, convinced the King and Queen to let you two be together, as you were meant to be. You had been so sure that fate would play out this way, two soulmates finding each other amongst perceived turmoil, but you still couldn’t believe that life had gone so well. You were in love with Prince Jinyoung and you swore to yourself that everyday from this day forward you would do anything to be the guard who deserved to marry the Prince.

And you never broke an oath.

[hwangyeonjun]

prompt: “only i can make you feel this good”

pairing: park jinyoung x fem!reader

warnings: smut (+18), language

word count: 243

2k followers celebration masterlist

jinyoung knew you way to well to not react when you purposely hung out around yugyeom the whole night. after all, he is your best friend.

that kind of best friend that knows your whole body by memory. knows the spots that makes your back arch and the sounds you make when he hits them.

he really had to hold in his laughter when you became way to obvious, your hands wandering all over yugyeom while holding an eye contact with jinyoung.

if he didn’t know better, he’d be jealous. but at the end of the day, he knows that you are going to scream his name while writhing underneath him.

and that’s exactly what you are doing right now, thinking that you’ve won this little game that you’ve been playing. jinyoung has your hands pinned above your head, his lips leaving soft kisses on your neck.

“jinyoung” you breathed out, biting your bottom lip harshly while he kept hitting your sweet spot.

“mm?” he lifted his head and smirked when he noticed the tears prickling in the corners of your eyes.

“feels…so good” you managed to choke out the words.

he chuckled and completely halted his movements. you looked at him with wide eyes, confused by his sudden behaviour.

“what are you-“

“i want you to remember something” he whispered, leaning in closer to your face.

you nodded carefully, waiting for him to continue.

“only i can make you feel this good”

[just-a-piece-of-my-heart]

Hi💕

I hope you guys are still active on Tumblr🙈 because I'm all better up 😁and soon coming back with new moodboards and blurbs 🤭

I have some moodboards saved in my draft🥳 waiting to be posted so if you're still here do look forward to my new work 💕

Wishing you a beautiful day/night💕

**********************************************

[yer-cute-when-you-scream]

Not me disappearing again, I’m sorry I haven’t really posted anything like I intended, I just started my job at the post office and holy hell, am I exhausted literally all the time. I am going to try to write today, even if it isn’t part 2 to Mistake, I want to publish SOMETHING soon.

[nyoominmin]

Im Jaebeom fic recs

@k-imagine-s - Propmt // here

@ddaenghoney - Prompt // here

》 Fic rec masterlist

[write-it-good-imagines]

Nothing More (M) - Eight [END]

(Author's message) Hello everyone! I wish you a happy new year, and may all your wishes come true! This is the end of Mark and Sam's story; endings may often look to new beginnings *wink wink*. Enjoy!

~7k words - fluff, love, mature language, happy ending.

"I'm telling you, I can't get out of the fucking house. They're behind all these trees with the fucking lens pointed at me!"

Samantha's expression was exasperated. Checking her watch one more time, she pointed out that she would definitely be late for her morning surgery if that charade continued. It seemed like it had no intention of ending.

"It's 6 AM in the fucking morning."

"Do you want me to come pick you up?"

"No, Jonathan, did you forget what we talked about last night?"

"I could come pick you up," Leena's voice chimed into the conversation. "Unless they want to write you off as female-oriented or whatever."

In any given situation, Samantha would have laughed at that.

"It's funny, I'll give you that."

"Did you call Mark?" Jonathan picked up.

"I will not bother him on his Tokyo Day concert."

"I have no problem bothering him."

"Jonathan, what can Mark possibly do in this situation?"

"Have a bodyguard army at your door? Just sayin'."

"Yeah, sure, shove the shit while it's warm.”

Samantha grabbed a hat hanging from the coat rack and leaned to the floor to pick Murphy up in her arms. He'd grown larger since her and Mark's first encounter, and he sensed something was off as he started snarling.

"We don't know what to say, Sam." Leena interfered. "Is there anything we can do to help you feel better?"

The Eskie tensed his body at the door when Samantha finished attaching his leash. If not for the fact that he would grow into a medium-sized dog, his black fur would make him look intimidating. "I have absolutely no idea. I have to walk Murphy, and I genuinely hope they will not shove some microphones in my face."

"An emergency case with intracranial pressure just came in. I'll ask Leena to page me in the OR if you need us to get you out of anything."

Samantha put on a mask over her features and shoved the hat better on her head. She opened the door reluctantly, and Murphy took the lead to sniff around for any immediate dangers. "You can't let an open brain hang in the OR."

"I'll page Henry to come in."

Samantha scoffed. "You'd sooner die."

"I promised your mighty knight I'd take care of you. If that means making peace with the enemy, I will."

"Whatever you do, just don't do that. I don't want him to hang any more things over our heads. We have too much on our plate right now." Samantha emphasized and followed Murphy on his well-known morning route around the house. When the morning air brushed against her thighs, did she realize she had gone out in her worn-out shorts.

"Watch me be fat now," she mumbled to herself and felt the pressure of the surrounding eyes on the back of her head. The Eskie started barking, and Samantha had to pet him to ease him. They hadn't passed the 200-meter mark away from Samantha's house and turned back around hastily. The woman caught a released flash aimed at her silhouette and was inches away from throwing both the mask and the hat away to give the paparazzi what they wanted and, highly likely, a middle finger, too.

She refrained from doing so.

While packing for the hospital Samantha pondered over the situation. Caught in an unusual position, neither alleged violence nor friendliness towards the press seemed to be the proper way of moving forward. She laughed to herself, albeit bitterly; being a celebrity’s girlfriend seemed to require PR training. “Comes with the job,” Samantha chose a black suit for the day and hurriedly put all her belongings into the hospital bag. She put on the motorcycle helmet and kicked the gear off to head to the hospital.

The clock in the hospital lobby signaled that she had barely made it in time for the scheduled surgery she had. The lobby was quiet for a week morning, which allowed her to gather her thoughts and get into the zone. Samantha visited her patient for the morning consult to offer the reassurance she had always inspired before any surgery. She assembled her team and instructed the nurses on what routine they had to follow, and then left for the antechamber of the operating room to change her attire and prepare accordingly.

Samantha pushed the door with her shoulder only to be met by a very familiar yet unpleasant figure.

“I haven’t even had my coffee yet, Henry.”

Henry was leaning against the wall, arms folded over his chest. Maybe it was Samantha’s imagination, but he was not wearing his endearing expression. He seemed displeased.

“Neither have I. It’s hard to catch you around these parts, Sam.”

“And you figured you’d barge into my C-section.”

Henry sighed. “I didn’t come here to fight.”

The sound of flowing water interrupted their exchange as Samantha kicked the water tank to disinfect her hands. “Lucky me. Then you might as well leave.”

“I’ll ignore this comment for now.”

Samantha was silent, brushing her nails with the betadine sponge.

“How does it feel to be a public person now?”

Ah. So that was it about.

“Why? Jealous?”

“You’ll probably be scrutinized.”

Samantha coked her eyebrow. “Probably.”

“Even with that bartender, though. Was he easy meat?”

Samantha chuckled. “I imagine I hurt your feelings quite badly, ditching the infamous rising star for a handsome bartender.”

Henry angled his body towards her. “Do you really want to become an object?”

Samantha kicked the water tank again to wipe her hands off the substance surplus.

“Oh? I was not aware I was anything else but an object to you.”

“…I’m sorry.”

Samantha chuckled again and grabbed a clean cloth to dry her hands. “We’re a bit late for that, don’t you think?”

Henry’s eyes fell on her face. Samantha knew that not getting what he wanted threw him off. It had always been like that; until she chose to be the bigger person and dropped her guard to bring them both together again. It was a long time coming to this point, but Samantha was happy to have finally reached it.

“I would have understood choosing Jonathan, with you getting intimate and all that. He’s tall, he’s Swedish, he makes a lot of money, and he was truly eating from the palm of your hand. I just can’t wrap my head around why this guy. What does he have to offer you?”

A content smile spread rapidly on Samantha’s face, and she kicked the OR door open triumphantly. “You’d never understand what it takes to be a real man, Henry.”

The surgery ended smoothly, and Samantha felt happy to see yet another family welcoming their precious angel to the world. After introducing the infant to the parents, Samantha took the baby and the family to the NICU to perform a couple of routine tests. All the nurses greeted Samantha with a serene smile and handed the little patients’ charts to their doctor. The image of a new life, of hopeful dreams and futures, reminded Samantha why she chose the profession in the first place. And why she would never give it up again for anything in the world.

“Doctor Stoss, your phone is buzzing,” a nurse called out, and Samantha put the charts down to pick it up.

[From: Mark] good morning, fair doctor

[From: Mark] I hope your day will be as fantastic as you

[From: Mark] the news hit us here, too. How are you? Can I do anything for you?

[From: Mark] I’ll drop my statement today. We’re wrapping up the text

Samantha softly smiled. Despite it being quite an autonomous evolution of things, she was happy that Mark kept her in his thoughts. She knew he was holding on as much as he could, for the both of them.

[To: Mark] good morning rockstar

[To: Mark] I know you’ll kick ass on stage <3

[To: Mark] ah well, you know, being photographed at 6 AM while walking Murphy is not exactly my cup of tea

[To: Mark] I have this impulse to throw up my middle finger but whatever

[From: Mark] thanks love <3

[From: Mark] lol that’s me everyday

[From: Mark] I wish I could say it will get better

[From: Mark] we’ll see each other at the end of the week

[From: Mark] I can’t wait to get back to you

[From: Mark] can I do anything for you in the meantime?

A giggle filled the room and caused one of the babies in the NICU to smile as well.

“Oh? Is the Seoul concert at the end of the week? I should call Jo.”

Samantha decided not to tell Mark she would join them at the venue. She wanted to surprise him and prove to him that she was not scared of the curious public if she had him by her side.

[To: Mark] I’m cool with it, really

[To: Mark] I only care about what you think of me

[To: Mark] can’t wait to have you back, babe

[To: Mark] don’t worry. Jonathan is ready to throw hands if needed

[To: Mark] maybe lmk if I need to speak to the public or something

[To: Mark] Jackson told me I shouldn’t but I want to make sure

[From: Mark] atta girl

[From: Mark] I’d rather he wouldn’t punch anyone, but I’ll give a pass if needed

[From: Mark] let’s wait and see how things go

[From: Mark] gtg we’re rehearsing soon

[From: Mark] I love you

Samantha’s face lit up once more. [To: Mark] I love you too

Mark put his phone to the side to reunite with the group. There was a loud echo in the empty venue coming from the usage of the microphones with Bambam and Yugyeom playing around.

“Hear hear, all of us here?”

Mark picked up his microphone and went to the middle of the main stage, where the rest of the members and some other staff members were.

“Now that we’re all here,” Jaebum started, “let’s give Mark a round of applause.”

“Come on,” Mark rolled his eyes at the cheers and the hoots. “There was no need to do this.”

Bambam snickered and leaned against his shoulder, “Call it initiation.”

“Actually,” Mark continued, “I have something to say.”

All eyes turned to him. “I want to use the speech break we have to initiate our fans as well.”

“Do you think I should put my Instagram on private?”

“Oh, did the hate comments come in already?”

“Not really. A measure of precaution after Mark speaks to the public and whatnot.”

Jonathan quickly searched for Samantha on Instagram even though he had already been following her. Leena had just arrived with her lunch and blinked confusedly at the gloomy atmosphere.

“What is going on? It feels like someone’s cat died.”

“You have 40k followers. What the hell? Did you have this many before the news broke out?”

Samantha sighed. “I did. Did you forget I used to write travel blogs and give medicine tips and tricks? Besides, it’s mostly people back in America.”

Leena reached out for her phone to look up Samantha on Instagram, too. “Never mind, you just got 1k more.”

“Do you guys think I looked ugly in my posts or something? Am I overthinking?”

“You are overthinking. You have always been smart and pretty,” Jonathan concluded and tended to his soup.

“Sure, watch my cellulite pop off in this morning’s pictures.”

Samantha picked up her chopsticks to drown the sorrow in her sushi.

“Your legs are too toned for anything to be shown in those pictures,” Leena retorted and picked up her salad. “And I thought you only cared for what Mark thought of you.”

“Social pressure,” the other woman sighed. “How can you both be so calm about this?”

“Sam, you’re turning into a 2024 Carrie,” Jonathan laughed. “I can be your Miranda if you want.”

“Fuck off,” both her and Leena laughed. The latter turned to Samantha, “Look, of course this situation is shitty, but I don’t think being depressed about it helps too much.”

“Leena’s right. Did you notice how people look at me in the street? I feel like I’m Loch Ness.”

“I wouldn’t say Loch Ness is a Swedish story.”

Samantha fiddled with her chopsticks and kept on twisting one piece of sushi into way too much soy sauce. She decided she would change the subject. “Henry came into my OR in the morning.”

Jonathan’s face visibly darkened. “Oh yeah? Whatever did he want this time?”

“You know, the usual. Taunting me about the public exposure. And to apologize.”

Jonathan choked on his chicken. “Funny. Next time, warn me, or I could die.”

“I’m serious. He literally said I’m sorry.”

“Mhm. Wanted to return the investment on that engagement ring.”

It was Samantha’s turn to choke. Leena turned to Jonathan abruptly. “What engagement ring? For whom?”

“A couple of days ago, when he confronted Mark in the lobby. I saw this velvety box he was showing Mark, and my guy laughed in his face. I wish I heard what he said.”

“Mark didn’t tell me about this.”

“Can you blame him? It’s just a bad joke.”

Samantha pondered over Jonathan’s words, trying to rake her mind for any such memory. Mark never told her about Henry’s plans, admittedly so, since he had come for her to end things that night. He truly had better things to worry about.

“Bad joke or no, he’s just grabbed his lunch,” Leena signaled and pointed her fork in Henry’s direction. “And he’s coming this way.”

“Perfect. I wanted to throw up this sweet chicken anyway.”

Samantha caught Henry with the corner of her eye as he sat down to her left and subsequently to Jonathan’s right. On the one hand, their behavior towards one another was still childish. On the other hand, Samantha knew Jonathan had many concerns left to address about Henry. With his fists if possible.

“Mind if I join you?” asked Henry, and Leena quirked her brows.

“I do mind,” Jonathan retorted, not bothering to look at the other. “So kindly find another table.”

“But all other tables are busy, unfortunately,” Henry replied calmly whilst opening his lunch box. “And I’d rather eat lunch in this nice company. Isn’t that so, Miss Martin?”

Leena raised her eyes to the other only to see Jonathan put down his fork. “Don’t talk to her.”

“Who are you to speak on her behalf?” Henry challenged, shoving a handful of food in his mouth.

Leena felt Jonathan was being worked up and rested her hand against his forearm. She shook her head in a silent plea not to engage in the other’s antics. Especially since the first hearing for the Neuro attending position would happen later that day. Henry noticed the intimate gesture and a smirk was contoured in the corner of his mouth.

“Sam, we just finished anyway. We’ll see you later.”

“I see that you’re not answering questions anymore, Jonathan. Cat got your tongue?”

Jonathan stretched his body from the table and cupped Leena’s cheek with a tender touch. “I’m sorry if I taste like sweet chili.” He went further to lean down and kiss Leena, who was taken entirely by surprise. Jonathan grabbed Leena by the hand and walked away, dragging the blushing woman with him.

Samantha chuckled and nodded approvingly.

“As flamboyant as usual,” Henry resumed his eating.

“Hope you got the message. Imagine what he'd do for her if he hit you in the face for me.”

Samantha was prepared to grab her tray and leave, but Henry stopped her. He grabbed her by the wrist, his eyes pleading.

“Could you stay until I finish my meal?”

“No, I don’t think I will.”

“Please.”

Curious eyes, having already witnessed Jonathan’s show of power, followed the two surgeons, and Samantha had to compromise to avoid attracting any more attention. Given the circumstances, it was extremely important not to do so.

“I don’t want to threaten you or anything, Henry, but Mark won’t keep quiet if you keep pulling off this bullshit. Didn’t I tell you I want nothing to do with you?”

“I heard you the first time.”

“Then why do you keep following me?”

Henry put down his cutlery. “I missed you. I haven’t talked to you in a long time. I have things to say to you.”

Samantha scoffed. “Even if you did have things to say, it’s too late for me to listen, Henry.”

“Is it really?” Henry turned to her, capturing her gaze. “Are you absolutely sure this guy is not just some bandage for you?”

“Is this why you bought me an engagement ring?”

Henry hesitated.

“You can throw it away or return it. Recycling it on the next girl would be very bad just because you didn’t pull me.”

“Look, Sam,” Henry sighed and brought his hands together. “I admit, I thought I could have you back if I came back into your life. I was selfish and inconsiderate.”

“Are. You are selfish and inconsiderate.”

“Just tell me, it’s all I want to know. I promise I’ll leave you the fuck alone and only see you when we see each other in the hospital hallways.”

“Fine,” Samantha leaned on the table to look him straight in the eye. “I am in love with Mark. He is putting me back together, and he’s healing me after all the shit you put me through. I couldn’t care less if I’m targeted by the media or not because I have him, and that’s all that matters.”

Henry nodded, and his eyes fell to his knees. “I regret ever raising my hand at you. I was stupid and too self-absorbed to know the kind of treasure I had by my side.”

Samantha nodded, too, and pulled the chair back. In the thousand scenarios she made up in her mind of how that kind of conversation would go, she imagined feeling more at peace with herself as if all the lost time would be pouring back. There was no human manner to explain how empty Henry’s apology left her. That’s when she realized that hate was an expensive emotion.

“Is this all?”

Henry chuckled. “Actually, no. You know the attending committee is happening today.”

“I know. And I hope you know who my support is for.”

“There’s an accident that’s happened just now in Jeju and a helicopter picked up two patients for transfer to SMP. The first victim is a female patient, pregnant with twins seven months along, with a severe injury to the head.”

Samantha knew where that was going.

“I’ll gladly pass this up.”

“The other victim is a male patient with severe chest injuries and a broken head, with no immediate identification of brain injury risk. I suppose someone would need to drain some fluid and release his intracranial pressure. Of course this is not an attending level procedure. I recommended Jonathan to operate for the first victim. And, of course, he will need an OBGYN specialist with him to deliver the babies safely. He should have been paged by now.”

Samantha looked at Henry as if she could not understand the words he was speaking. Her pager started beeping too.

“I’d better get ready for surgery, too. I assume Miss Martin is going to be my cardiologist, and I hope we can avoid a pit fight between Jonathan and me.”

“I don’t understand. Why do this?”

Henry rose to his feet just as the emergency signal hit his pager, too. “I’m aware you don’t believe in my words anymore. I hope this will let you know I am not an incurable asshole.”

The delirious acclamations of the fans asking for another encore were still shaking the arena when the boys came backstage at the end of their concert. There was a general frenzy in the group, wide smiles and full laughter mirrored on their expressions. Mark had all the reasons to be happy and hopeful for the future. As promised early in the day, he prepared earnestly to deliver a sincere speech to the audience, announcing he had found his sweetheart. In a solidarity act and more so to display their unwavering support for one another, the members formed a circle around Mark on stage, who could only smile bashfully.

I’m sure many of you have already found out, despite my best wishes, that I have found someone that I cherish with my whole heart.

The stadium burst into a torrent of cheers and screams, all hands brought together to clap for Mark. All of Got7 radiated of gratitude, especially Jackson who had an I told you so expression on his face.

You already know, guys, how much love and respect I have for you and how grateful I am for your support throughout these beautiful years we spent together. I want you to know I’m in good hands now and we are both looking forward to the future. And for this I know that I’ll only continue to grow as an artist and person. I bow to all of you.

“That couldn’t have gone better,” Jackson shook Mark by his shoulders jokingly, then threw an arm around him. “I am thrilled for you, man.”

Jinyoung passed by to pat Mark on the back and met him with a genuine smile of his own.

“Let’s see what’s going on SNS,” Bambam chirped and reached for his phone. “Oh my God, guys, there was a terrible accident in Jeju.”

The boys gathered around Bambam to check the news. Jaebum read the victims’ descriptions scarcely. “They’ve gone to SMP. Look who’s operating on them.”

As Bam scrolled further in the article, Mark noticed that the director of the hospital gave a statement to the press. He described both Samantha and Jonathan as their brightest assets and most priceless talents.

“Oh look, an update came in. Surgery’s done.”

“Do you think it’s live on any news channel?” Youngjae pointed out and sneakily used his credentials to log into the radio station's news portal where he was a moderator. To everyone’s surprise, Samantha was being interviewed live. She was still dressed in her surgical attire, but Mark found her breathtaking nonetheless.

The crowd gathered around the phone. “Turn up the volume!”

“Two patients were brought in by helicopter around 12:30 this afternoon, sustaining grave injuries after an unfortunate accident in Jeju. There was a female patient, 7 months pregnant with twins, who had severe trauma to the head. Doctor Williams and I brought her in for critical tests, and we decided to operate immediately. I am happy to announce that the surgery was successful, and we brought two beautiful boys into the world. It was a bit earlier than expected, but I am doing everything in my capacity to keep them healthy and happy. Doctor Williams saved the mother, and all three of them are out of immediate danger.”

A collective applause could be heard backstage. “Her Korean is so good,” Jinyoung remarked, and Mark felt like the fog between them was clearing little by little.

“Bastards, they are asking her about the dating scandal,” Yugyeom said, and it grabbed everyone’s attention.

“I will only take questions about this family’s situation. I believe that all of us here are professionals, and we should treat the situation as such. I wish to thank everyone for your support in the matter. Another question, please?”

“Get it, girl!” Bambam cheered, and Jackson laughed proudly at the witty answer.

Mark’s lungs deflated with a content sigh.

“Man, I wish I was this cool,” Jaebum chuckled and turned to Mark. “Did you talk about this?”

“Nope. I didn’t tell her what to say. It’s pure skill.”

The rest of the interview went along with medical questions, and Youngjae ended the stream. “Yeah, for real, she’s a star.”

Mark picked up his own phone to dial Samantha’s number. “She truly is.”

“Hey, Mark!”

He picked up a sliver of insecurity in her voice. “Hey beautiful, we caught the interview with the boys. In their own terms, you’re a star.”

Mark allowed her to speak at her own pace. “You think so? I’m scared I messed up shutting them off like that.”

“On the contrary. None of us here could have done better.”

“Damn right we couldn’t!” Bambam shouted in Mark’s ear, making sure his message would come across. “Come on, just put her on speaker!”

Knowing Mark had no way out, he complied with the request. “You’re on speaker, Sam.”

“Oh, come on! I’ve been a celebrity for a day, and I’m already better than you all?”

“Don’t let it get to your head, babe,” Mark laughed, and Jackson chimed in. “You know, Bam asked us a couple of days ago if you have any single girlfriend you might introduce him to.”

Samantha laughed at the expense of Bambam’s embarrassment. “I know who to call first thing then! Lovely chatting with you boys, but I have to go. I need to tend to the twins in the NICU. I’ll text you later, love.”

“Talk to you soon, princess.”

Deeper into the night, when the hectic schedule of the day died down and both surgeries finished with happy endings, Samantha and Leena grasped the chance to take a breather. The two women crowded Leena’s office to enjoy a late-night latte on the balcony.

“Just the thought of me having to tend to the night shift tonight is killing me,” Samantha groaned and leaned against the cold balustrade. “I have six babies to care for, not to mention to monitor the twins 24/7.”

“Didn’t you miss the thrill of this?”

Samantha switched her position to look up to the starry sky. “I did.”

Leena smiled and nudged the other’s hip with her own. “I heard about the interview. You kicked ass!”

The other laughed. “Allegedly. I still don’t know how I came across. Although, being a witch bitch doesn’t sit that wrong with me.”

“If we’re being honest, you’ve always had this aura about yourself.”

“Leena!”

The cardiologist sipped from her cup. “No offense.”

“None taken,” smiled Samantha. “So, you and Jonathan, huh?”

“Oh, shut up about it. I didn’t imagine our first kiss would be like that.”

Samantha leaned closer to Leena. “It was kinda hot.”

“It was! I thought he was dragging me along to have sex, but we got paged.”

“Nah, he would want to make a show out of asking you to be his girlfriend, and then the sex would follow.”

Leena just agreed. “I hope he’d let me prepare. I have a cute lingerie set I saved. We should tell Jo, she would go crazy about this.”

“I completely forgot. Jonathan spoke with her, and she bought two tickets for the concert on Friday.”

Leena gasped with a feigned look on her face. “Did she really not think about inviting me too?”

“Maybe I shouldn’t tell you this, but Jonathan planned something for Friday. She sold the other ticket.”

A white lie, Samantha thought. But it was a good occasion for Jonathan to meet Leena in her special lingerie set.

“It’s time for me to clock out. I’m exhausted,” spoke Leena while stretching her back. “I’ll call Jo tomorrow myself.”

As Leena left the office, Samantha quickly texted Jonathan to announce his newly made plans to him. While the phone was buzzing with Jonathan’s messages, she dialed Jo. It did not take long for her to pick up, with an ecstatic voice.

“Last time I saw you, you were gearing up to be a surgeon, and now you’re a celebrity girlfriend!”

“Missed you too, Jo,” Samantha countered with a chuckle. “Quite a lot has happened since we spoke last. Is this a bad time?”

“No, dear, I just finished a meeting with a client. You know it’s morning over here in Manhattan.”

Samantha checked her watch. It should have been early 9 AM for Jo. “You’re flying out here Friday and you didn’t bother to tell us in due time?”

Jo laughed at the other end of the line. “You know me, I love surprises. I’ll be 6 months in Seoul, and we have plenty of time to catch up! I’m going to work on a digital branding initiative with a big skincare company, and they paid pretty money for me to join them there. I rented a place close to yours, thanks to Johnny.”

“I take it you’re a millionaire now, are you not?”

“I’m not too shabby, I’d say.”

The women laughed heartily.

“I missed you, Sam. Can’t wait for us to catch up. Especially about your new lover.”

“Never beating around the bush, huh Jo?” chuckled Samantha.

“You know, maybe you could introduce me to Jackson while we’re at it. I’m kidding, of course.”

Samantha’s pager beeped; the medical team requested her presence in the NICU. “Mhm, might fuck around and kiss Jackson kind of kidding?”

“Come on, honey. You know I am a serious businesswoman.”

Friday came as a surprise to Samantha. She felt as if the rest of the week had passed at the speed of light. She took a well-deserved day off to sleep in and relax properly in the morning for a long, incoming night. Even if the paparazzi were faithfully waiting to catch a glimpse of her while walking Murphy, she paid less attention to them and more to her little guy. Samantha remembered Mark's words; it would not get easier, but she would grow accustomed to the unwanted notoriety. She thought they would have to get bored with her at some point.

Samantha prepared a quick lunch and played an episode of a podcast she liked to try to forget that she did not have appropriate clothes for a concert. Since joining the SMP, she had switched her entire wardrobe to formal and office attire. A long-forgotten box of clothes lay in the attic, and she hoped she would find some decent jeans and a blouse. Samantha was satisfied to find a vintage pair of ripped jeans and a glittery pink crop corset. She paired the corset with a crop black transparent bolero to cover her arms. She ultimately decided against heels and removed her black Air Jordan from an adjacent box. 

Just as Samantha finished touching up her loose curls, the phone buzzed with a call.

"Jo, what's up? I'm almost ready."

"Almost ready?!" Jo almost screamed on the other line. "Sam, I'm first in line. To enter the stadium."

"You're crazy. The concert is two hours away from starting."

"You're the crazy one," Jo retorted matter-of-factly. "There's already hundreds of people queuing up behind me."

"Yikes," Samantha laughed. "I'm leaving soon; I'll get there pretty fast, I think."

"It looks like the boys finished their sound check, and they are letting people enter. I'll make sure to get the best spot!"

"When did you even get ready? Didn't you fly in like... three hours ago?"

Jo laughed. "There are many things you can do in a 15-hour flight. I made sure to fly premium to use the cup holders for my makeup."

By the time Samantha arrived, the queue had certainly grown longer than when she spoke to Jo on the phone. She was lucky the venue personnel were professionals, and the queue moved quickly on all six entrances. The stubborn sun would have otherwise ruined her hair and make-up with its warmth. When she finally entered the stadium, she was surprised to find various chairs prepared at key points of the area to rest and enjoy the concert. The suggestive map at the entrance helped her move around fast and find her designated area.

It was not hard to spot Jo in the crowd. A carmine corset hugged her torso, and the endearing side cuts starting at the thigh on her straight-leg fabric trousers left just enough space for the imagination to kick in. Her gingerbread hair, pulled into a ponytail, outlined all her defined features. 

"If you planned to seduce any of the single members tonight, you have a high chance of success. With the eyeliner and the red lipstick, I would make out with you now."

Jo turned around at the familiar voice and pulled Samantha into a hug. "You think so? Maybe the corset was a bit too much?"

"You wouldn't have it any other way."

Jo gestured for Samantha to do a pirouette so she could admire her friend in her entirety. "You are so pretty! I missed you so much, Sam. And look, just as I promised, we can breathe in their perfume here!"

Indeed, as Jo pointed out, the two women were inches away from the main stage. Samantha was confident that she would grab Mark's attention and at least make a heart for him.

"How are you? How's life in Manhattan? I swear you just dropped off the face of the planet."

 "I'm sorry," Jo took Samantha by the hand and brought her closer to the metal prompt where her carmine office jacket was. True to her image, "The last couple of months were absolutely insane for my firm. I booked in 5-figure contracts and brought many people to the team. I was drowning to do it all alone. My dream is coming along pretty well."

Samantha squeezed her hand. "I'm so happy for you. I can't wait to see what seeds you bring to life."

"We have all the time in the world now," Jo smiled. "How are you, girl? I think you finally found your happy place here."

Samantha nodded. "I think so, too. There's a big chance I'll become an attending soon. And I think I finally found someone after my own heart."

A loud, rhapsodic noise broke into the arena when all lights suddenly turned down to cue the band's entrance to the stage. "I booked a table at Timber House after the concert to catch up and drink to the morning, just like we used to do."

Samantha agreed with the other's proposition and turned her attention to the stage. All the boys were dressed in deluxe concert attire. Samantha's eyes immediately found Mark. He was excited but collected, happy but professional. His eyes were refreshed, and he had a beautiful vitality about him.

I am coming home tonight, love. Just one more stop.

"You're home," Samantha whispered as the music started playing and the concert kicked off.

The atmosphere was simply dynamic. All the fans in the venue cheered tirelessly to show their support for the band. Jo and Samantha had a great time together, dancing and singing their hearts out to the music. The first half of the concert passed in the blink of an eye, and a small costume break was due for the second part. To keep the spirit alive, Jackson rejuvenated the full stadium. "How are we doing tonight, Seoul city?"

An outburst of joy saturated the arena.

"This is Page."

"Oh, this is my favorite song of theirs!" Jo cheered and indulged in the warmth of the concert lights. 

Now that they could see better into the crowd, all the boys got closer to the fans. They pointed to funny banners in the crowd, got closer to take selfies with the fans, and spread their joy to the depths of the stadium. Mark got closer to where Jo and Samantha were and shared smiles and waves everywhere, but his mouth dropped in surprise. The all-familiar figure shared a hand-shaped heart with him, making him laugh. Samantha was, too, while grooving to the music.

Mark lost no time to run down from the stage into the crowd where his lover was. She looked so different in her laid-back attire, cheerful in pink, with a beam that could light up his whole world. Except she already did. Jo lost no time to get out her phone and prepare it for what was to become the best picture she had ever taken. Samantha was unprepared for the passionate hug Mark pulled her into, so bare and so bold in front of sixty thousand people, to declare their young love once and for all.   

"I think I love you," Mark whispered along to Jackson's verse. He touched Samantha's face gently to pull her into a kiss, and a white spotlight now protected their love. As the boys realized what was happening, they gathered around the part of the stage where the couple was; Bambam and Yugyeom were taking their picture from all possible angles, Jaebum was singing his verse, and Jinyoung playfully interrupted their moment.

"Mark, you have to sing your part now."

And Mark sang his part, looking into his lover's eyes, his hand holding tightly onto hers. It was safe to say Samantha was as proud as she was embarrassed. Before leaving, Mark left a loving peck on her cheek and reluctantly departed from her to return to the stage. Most members cheerfully spread to other parts of the arena; only Jackson trailed behind. 

To the untrained eye, Jackson seemed to be waiting to reunite with Mark. To Jo's eyes, he seemed enthralled by her feminine aura and by the alluring glint in her mahogany irises. The woman gave him a playful wink and a graceful smile, and she could swear he returned the favor. It was further clarified when Jackson returned to the same part of the stage to sing his next verse while stealing glances at Samantha's mysterious friend. When the song finally ended, and a rupture of applause echoed in the stadium, Jo turned to Samantha.

"You will not believe how beautiful these pictures are!"

"What just happened?" Samantha was still confused about Mark's sudden daring gesture, so she wrapped her friend in a hug.

"I am so ecstatic for you, Sam! This was so fucking romantic."

"Listen, am I delirious, or did Jackson wink at you?"

Jo looked at the stage as the boys prepared their free speech segment.

"I am sure he did 'cause I did it first."

Samantha smirked at her friend and turned her attention to the group. Bambam was the first to speak.

"Mark, you should have warned us we would be full of love tonight!"

Jackson looked at Bambam more closely and started laughing. Yugyeom pointed that out to him. "It was too much love that his zipper broke."

"It's not our first time, don't worry," Jinyoung continued. The group gathered around to shield Bambam and tie his jacket around his waist. 

Jackson made sure his microphone was further away from his mouth and leaned over to Mark. "Who's the lady with Sam over there?"

"I've never met her. She mentioned a friend from the States was coming over to Seoul for a while. It could be her."

The leader heard their conversation, and Jackson anticipated that he would possibly make a joke on the matter. Jackson laughed and pleaded with his eyes.

"We're set now," Bambam broke the moment, and Jaebum was happy to skip away. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience."

A loud and almost angry What inconvenience? scream came from the audience, causing the group to snicker. The seven men formed a line to salute the crowd and do their intro. 

"Now that we all witnessed this beautiful moment," Jaebum started, "I'm sure Mark would like to say some words."

"I'm sure Mark wouldn't," he joked, and Samantha giggled. "There's no turning back now, I guess."

Similar to what the group did in Japan, the boys gathered around Mark, who cleared his throat.

"First things first, we're happy to be back here in Seoul," Mark said, waiting for the cheers to subside. Personally, I'm very happy to be back here, back to the person who stole my heart and ran away with it."

Mark pointed in Samantha's direction, and the latter funneled her hands around her mouth to reply. "I'm right here, Mark!"

The members approved joyfully.

"So, uh," Mark continued with a satisfied smile, "I hope you'll treat us well and cheer for us in the future. We've all been together through the good and bad, and I hope you'll keep us in your prayers from now on, too. As Jinyoung once said, we did not come together to release an album. We decided to release an album to be together. And I don't know what else could speak more about the family that we are."

The concert ended in high spirits, with the energy growing by the minute until it reached its peak and kept on going to the end. The two women were escorted by security backstage, where the group retreated. They witnessed a celebration more intimate than the one prepared by the fans onstage for Mark's upcoming birthday early the following week. Jinyoung noticed the women and silently guided them closer to the group, where Mark and the lovely cake were. Jo remained in the back between Jinyoung and Jackson, and the boys made way for Samantha to get closer to her lover. 

"That was an amazing concert, guys," Jo congratulated the group, not addressing anyone in particular; another person speaking fluent Korean took Jinyoung and Jackson by surprise. "I am not sure you know how fast those tickets were selling, but I am happy I got them."

Bambam once again assumed the role of the photographer when Mark swept Samantha off her feet to hug and cherish her. Jackson's attention was captured by the mysterious woman, and could not help but notice the jasmine scent she wore.

"Thank you," Jackson offered and turned her body to her. "Yours was a pleasant surprise, too."

Jo noticed the subtlety and gave back a smile. She did not manage to reply as Mark and Samantha approached them. "Where are my manners?" Samantha said and gestured to her friend. "This is Jo."

Jo dipped her head in a bow, keeping her stature composed. The way she carried herself was that of a woman confident in her femininity. It did not go unnoticed by Jinyoung how Jackson looked at her. Mark caught it as well.

"She is going to be with us for the next six months. At least."

Jo chuckled. "It's nice meeting everyone. We'll see where life gets us, eventually."

Mark cleared his throat. "Do you want to go anywhere to celebrate? It's on me. It's been a while since we got together like this."

"Jo booked a table at a very nice restaurant in town."

"I don't think it's suitable for so many of us, but I will call immediately to request additional chairs."

"Tell you what," Jinyoung deftly moved over to Bambam, who was puzzled by the other's subtle silencing words, "Since we're all going to be in Seoul for a while, and for Mark's birthday as well, we can plan and rent something nice in the city. Let's give the lovebirds the night off."

Jo looked at Samantha with a serene expression. "I completely agree."

Jaebum was in on Jinyoung's plan. "But if it was your reservation, why not go together? Jackson can hop in to be the second third-wheel."

Bambam's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. Jackson did not manage to protest, or otherwise, when he realized he had become the center of a quickly executed plot. He recognized the guys were fighting against their worst demons not to burst out laughing.

"It sounds like a plan," Jo turned to Jackson, knowing she had reeled him in when she met him with her charming smile.

"Sure, let's change into something more comfortable."

[mykoreanlove]

the smut bundle

for when you want to get freaky, empty hands are recommended

CHAN - fuck me 5 senses? // cooking up a storm piece of cake // just another day at the dorms // in character // Christopher // preggo by chan

CHANGBIN - just another day at the dorms // home workouts

MINHO - how to tame a cat // just another day at the dorms // serum

HYUNJIN - afterparty // wanna bet? // keep me up // special birthday

HAN - just another day at the dorms // brr brr

FELIX - Articulate // fighting with Felix be like // just another day at the dorms

SEUNGMIN - just another day at the dorms

CROSSOVER - deceptive bonds (hyunjin, Felix) // 🫧🫧🫧 (Minho, hyunjin) // 3+1 (3racha)

JACKSON - acts of intimacy // backseat love

JUNGKOOK - on a drug case

TAEMIN - new heights // lazy Sunday // friendship service // bite me // first dates

EUN WOO - say please?

[fireboltposts]

Chris, Felix and Hyunjin catching you singing their song in gibberish Korean

Decided to write one about my three Stray Kids biases. Pic credit to the owners.

• So basically you were alone at home jamming to Stray Kids songs with your headphones plugged in.

• You didn't hear the guy punch in the code and enter the house as you were so lost in your own little Stay world.

Bang Chan

• He stood there for a while with heart eyes and a cheeky grin on his face and would burst out laughing the moment he realized you were singing their song with made-up Korean words.

•He’d probably say, “Now that's a rendition of our song I've never heard. I don’t even remember writing that version in Gone Days! 😂😏” in a playful tone.

• And you went all 😳🫣.

•He’d find it absolutely adorable and maybe even try to help you with the actual lyrics, but he’d appreciate the effort and love you have for their music regardless. He might even join in on your gibberish singing just to have fun.

Felix

•This dude would likely be caught off guard at first, listening carefully with a puzzled look, blinking in utter confusion.

•But once it clicked that you were listening to Miroh and was trying to imitate his deep voice, he’d start giggling uncontrollably.

•“Are you remixing our song Y/N?!” he’d joke, genuinely entertained by your version.

•"Ugh Lixie you know hard Korean lyrics are to remember", you pouted and he melted and pulled you into a side hug with a big smile on his face.

•Felix would encourage you to keep going, even clapping along, because he’s all about enjoying the moment. He’d also probably tell the other members about it later with a big grin on his face.

Hyunjin

•Hyunjin would probably watch in silence at first, his eyebrows raised in amusement, having seen this side of you for the first time.

•Once he realized you were "rapping" his verse in District 9 in gibberish Korean, he’d dramatically clutch his chest and say something like, “I’m wounded! My heart can’t take this!”.

•He’d tease you endlessly about it, but all in good fun. He might even try to “correct you” by singing the proper lyrics, but in the most exaggerated and playful way possible.

•Hyunjin would find it so funny that he’d keep teasing you about it for days while you shied away and you hid your face in the crook of his neck, but deep down, he’d think it was really cute how you were fangirling over SKZ.

[kgyeomiex]

Distraction (M)

“I could not tell you if I loved you the first moment I saw you, or if it was the second or third or fourth. But I remember the first moment I looked at you walking towards me and realized that somehow the rest of the world seemed to vanish when I was with you.”

JYP has announced a new girl group in the company and you happened to be one of the members. The moment you signed in, that was the moment you were hoping to just focus on music and your career, but something gets in the way. A massive love triangle is what causes a bumpy road for you and your future.

Previous Parts:

Part 1 // Part 2 // Part 3 // Part 4 // Part 5 // Part 6 // Part 7 // Part 8 //

Part 9 is here~

Masterlist

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Regardless of what you say, you will always get distracted by these boys. Jaebum and Mark tend to show up out of nowhere when you try your hardest to focus on your music...

A normal person would stand by their group and show their devotion and full attention to the music however in your case it’s different...

“Y/N, I was hoping I would bump into you,” Mark says, smiling right at you.

Right now, your brain was telling you to get away and focus on the big day but for some reason, your feet weren't moving.

“M-mark, what’s up?” Why did you just stutter... Great not only is your body ignoring your command, but now you can’t even speak to the boy.

“I don’t know if you’re busy, but I was wondering if you maybe wanted to get lunch with me... Just me,” Mark wanted to go eat with you? How on earth can you say no to that?

Even though you knew you should reject his kind gesture you just spoke without really thinking about your answer.

“Sure,” as soon as you said that you realized what you said, and you tried your hardest to smile instead of showing your shocked face.

Shit...

“Perfect... I just need to return this to Yugyeom but if you’d like you can meet me in the front,” Mark suggests, and instead of saying anything you nodded your head and continued to smile.

Okay clearly speaking wasn’t helping you out... Instead, it was making things more complicated for you.

“Great, I’ll see you soon,” Mark smiles and takes off.

Instead of even moving you stood there frozen trying to figure out what your plan was... Just a second ago you were talking about devoting all your attention to your career and not on boys. Crazy how your mindset was so quick to change...

Okay... Look at the situation this way. Mark and you were probably just going to eat and then from there split off in your directions.

Hopefully after spending some time with Mark, you can then focus on your music and less on boys....

Yeah... That sounds like a good idea. Will it work? To be honest I have no idea, but a girl can hope and dream.

~

“Jackson did what?” You couldn't help but laugh as Mark was trying to explain how Jackson ended up kissing Jaebum on the lips.

“It was by accident though... Just know that in interviews they will make you do unexpected things like where you have to pass papers around to other members by only using your lips...” You’ve always seen other idols do that and to be honest you always wanted to try it but at the same time no...

“Have you had an incident where you accidentally kissed one of your members?” You asked Mark as you reached in for your drink. He silently thought to himself and then looked at you.

“Okay maybe once or twice... But the whole purpose of the game is to prevent the paper from falling... The paper that these people write is horrible material and always ends up falling at the end,” you smiled, and then a question popped into your head.

“So, Mark tells me, who’s a better kisser?” You asked Mark teasing him and he laughed.

“It’s not like that,” the two of you suddenly began to laugh.

“Even if I did accidentally kiss one of the boys, I didn’t enjoy any of them,” Mark defended himself and you just smiled.

“Sure...”

Sitting in front of Mark and having lunch with him wasn’t bad. The two of you were just spending time with one another and laughing, you know what friends do.

“Hey Y/N... I know this is random, but I have a question,” Mark says, and before you could answer you grabbed a napkin and wiped your mouth before replying.

“What’s up?” You asked as soon as you finished chewing.

“I know I probably shouldn't ask a question like this, but I can’t help but be curious...” At first, you were confused. What kind of question was Mark planning to ask you but then you had an idea... It’s probably going to involve what happened back at the studio when you were being put on the spot in front of everyone.

“Ask away,” you had an idea of what this question was going to be, and even though you weren’t ready to answer you had to face it eventually.

“Do Jaebum and you possibly have a secret relationship?” Mark asks, looking directly at you.

Well, that was straightforward... There is nothing to hide because Jaebum and you aren’t even dating or anything. When you told the boys back at the studio that you don’t have a relationship with Jaebum or Mark you were serious about it.

The answer would be beyond different if the boys were to ask what your feelings towards them but since they didn’t you are fine.

“No Jaebum and I are just friends,” you said as you looked into Mark’s eyes, so he knew you were telling the truth.

“That’s good to hear,” you were about to ask him why but then suddenly a memory replayed in your head...

For a second you almost forgot that Mark confessed he liked you... You looked down at your plate of food and tried your hardest to contain your smile.

Eventually, silence appeared and the two of you were now sitting there eating not saying a single word to one another...

So were you two planning to stay quiet now...

“M-”

“Y-”

The both of you stopped talking and just smiled.

Things were starting to become complicated... After talking to Sana and hearing her advice you looked at Mark and then back at your food. You came to JYP to live your dreams, not look for boys...

This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You remember reading an article where DAY6 had 6 members in the beginning, but someone was kicked out after JYP found out he had a girlfriend.

If you continue to allow your feelings to get in the way you will get kicked out of the company before you can live your dreams.

“What do your plans consist of tomorrow?” Marks asks and you suddenly begin to move your food around not wanting to eat.

“Um well, tomorrow we will have our debut showcase. Then we have photoshoots and interviews so tomorrow will be a very busy day.” In the past couple of days, you have had a chance to spend time with the boys which led you to catch feelings for them... But after today you were going to be busy.

Maybe being busy was going to be a good thing. You weren’t going to have the urge to want to spend time with Jaebum and Mark... Maybe you’ll even get over this crush of yours.

“So will I not be able to see you?” Mark suddenly asks and at that moment the both of you make eye contact.

“I’m not sure....”

Comments like this made it hard to forget why you liked him.

“Well... I enjoyed this lunch, but I think it’s time for me to head back and practice until my feet fall off,” you said dramatically, and Mark smiled.

“Don’t overwork yourself, you do have a busy day head,”

You got up from your seat, grabbed your tray, and left while you could...

Comments like this make it hard for you to just “forget” you have a crush on Mark. He was sweet and considerate.

But sometimes you must sacrifice something for something else... When you look at things it's either you choose your dreams or some boy...

~

Dance practice was going well; however, you would be lying if you were to say you were distracted even if it was the slightest. What was worse about all of this was that you couldn’t talk to your members about it.

You were trying everything you could to ignore your thinking about Mark and focus on what was important... Tomorrow and your busy schedule.

“Okay everyone let’s take 5,” your leader says as she tries to catch her breath.

You all agreed. You walked over to a wall and instantly sat down.

“Y/N!” You looked over and noticed your bandmate Daeun sitting beside you.

“You know although we live together and practice, I feel like I haven’t spoken to you in forever,” it was true but so much has been going on. . .

“I know. But I mean with this debut coming up we’ve all been tired and busy,” you said, and she nodded her head.

She grabs her water bottle and looks at you.

“I know it’s none of my business but lately I noticed you’ve been looking pretty distracted, is everything alright?” You looked at her and began to contemplate with yourself.

Should you open up to Daeun about your situation or keep it to yourself?

You didn’t mean to keep secrets to any of your bandmates, but to be fair you weren’t close to them. Also, this included something that could involve a scandal if you don’t play your cards right and this can affect everyone.

You wouldn’t know how Daeun would feel if you told her about both Mark and Jaebum and how you may like them. . .

“I have been distracted, but it’s nothing concerning. . . Just worried about failing and disappointing everyone around me,” you decided to keep it vague and simple with your explanation.

“Well, girl you have nothing to worry about. Honestly, one thing I always tell myself and I will share with you is that there is no need to stress about the small things. Life has a way of figuring things out, everything happens for a reason.” Daeun says and you nod your head.

“But what if. . .You know something you want to do can affect others around you . . .”

After blurting that out, Daeun looked slightly concerned but instead of asking me what was up, she shrugged.

“Well, only you know what’s best for you. Sometimes you must be selfish and take the risk to make yourself happy before others.” You were surprised to hear advice like this from Daeun, but she was right.

Min-Seo suddenly called everyone back up and we continued to practice. . . After speaking to Daeun, you felt a little less distracted. . .

Everything happens for a reason, right?

You weren’t expecting any of this to take place. You were stuck in a weird position.

When you auditioned to become an idol and even got ACCEPTED you were so happy words could not describe the feeling you felt. You felt speechless, you felt like this was either a mistake or they were probably confusing you with someone else or you felt like you were dreaming...

You remember before your auditions you slept so little to make sure that your routine for your audition went well.

Now here you are about to debut but now you are distracting yourself.

Instead, you are here suddenly getting swayed by boys in this company.

It wouldn’t be much of an issue if JYP didn’t have the dating ban... But if you want to continue being an idol you have to literally push off your feelings and maybe even stop talking to them.

You have worked way too hard to get where you are now. On top of that, you began to recall all the stressful moments you had to endure while training. The harsh criticism you would receive, the whiplash attitude your coaches would give, and the overwhelming feeling you had to deal with...

Honestly, training was probably one of the hardest times you have ever experienced. Back in the dorm, you remember calling your mom and breaking down. You remember the number of times you considered quitting and going to a new root, but you didn’t allow yourself to quit.

Instead, you put on your big girl pants and knew you were going to debut sooner or later.

You worked too hard to suddenly throw all of this away.

Usually, dilemmas like this were a no-brainer but as you began to think.... What if you never feel this way with anyone else you ever meet?

You knew that this was probably just an excuse to avoid letting go of the person you were starting to like...

Were you really going to throw away something you worked so hard for over a guy?

Thinking of Mark was not helping... And weirdly enough you caught yourself even thinking about Jaebum.

You got back on your feet and shook your head.

Now it’s time to focus on what’s important.

- 

After rehearsing the rest of the members were ready to call it a night to head back to the dorm and relax before the big day. However, due to all the distractions you have been experiencing, you decided to stay back to rehearse for an hour or two to make sure you got everything set for tomorrow.

After practicing the main track dance, you felt yourself out of breath. You sat on the floor and looked at yourself in the mirror.

“You got this!” you told yourself trying to tell yourself words of encouragement.

You can’t keep distracting yourself with the thought of these beautiful men. You worked way too hard to be where you are now... How are you going to let that escape through your fingers with just one minor mistake?

You got up and you heard your phone make a noise.

You walked over to your phone and picked it up.

To be honest you were expecting it to be one of your members telling you to head home and rest up for the big day but no...

The person who was texting you at 11 pm was Jaebum.

I heard you were still in the company, so I decided to come by and take you home :)

This text brought mixed feelings. One side of you was happy to receive a text from one of the boys themselves because, to be honest, you enjoyed having a conversation with them. HOWEVER, this is the type of distraction you were trying to avoid.

You brushed your fingers through your hair removing the hair from your face and took a deep breath.

Okay. . . What if you agree for Jaebum to walk you back to the dorm for one last time? That way once you debut you can forget about your friendship with the boys and look at the bigger picture. YEAH!

You texted Jaebum agreeing to his gesture and then put our phone to the side.

Let’s just practice one more time before you call it quits.

-

As you were dancing the last chorus you suddenly noticed a shadow creeping up by the dance studio door. You were going to stop to look back, but you couldn’t afford distraction. You assumed it was Jaebum so instead of looking back you continued to dance and lip sync not trying to miss a beat.

As you were on the floor doing a dance move, you noticed Jaebum walking in and then looked away looking at yourself in the mirror instead.

FOCUS.

Look at the bigger picture.

You continued to perform as if you were standing on stage in front of a big crowd, but you were tempted to look over and look at Jaebum.

Fortunately, the song was coming to an end.

As you were finishing the last set of dance moves, you posed as the music came to an end and you could hear Jaebum cheering.

You looked over and smiled.

You wanted to say something, but you needed to catch your breath.

Jaebum noticed how tired you were after that last dance, and he noticed your water bottle close by the dance studio window. He grabbed the water bottle, walked over to you and you looked at him.

“Thank you,” you grabbed onto the water bottle and then took a sip before you continued to talk to Jaebum.

After taking a sip, you looked at him.

“What brings you to the studio, shouldn’t you be home?” You asked him and he shrugged.

“We finished early with recordings, and I was told that you were still in the dance studio so I came to make an appearance.” you couldn’t lie you felt your heart warm up a little at the thought of Jaebum staying here to see you.

No.... You don’t like him. . . You think.

As you walked over to your bag you said “You didn’t have to stay, you could have gone home and rested. I’m sure you had a busy day,”

Jaebum shrugged and smiled.

“Waiting for you was no problem. . . I was hoping I had a chance to see you today,” as those words came out of Jaebum's mouth you looked over at him and couldn’t help but smile.

Comments like this are not helping whatsoever.

Sometimes you get curious and wonder if Jaebum was interested in you as a woman but then again maybe it’s better if you don’t know the answer to that.

Your brain and your feelings are in a complete battle. What the hell are you supposed to do?

You realized you were so lost in your thoughts you haven’t responded to Jaebum.

“Ah so you just wanted me to bug you more, well your wish is my command,” you teased Jaebum, and he laughed.

You couldn’t risk being flirtatious with Jaebum. You don’t know what kind of outcome comes with and right about now you didn’t want to put yourself in any kind of predicament. Now that you were trying your hardest to stay on the right path you knew you just had to friend-zone the man.

“What can I say, life becomes a little bit more exciting when I am with you,” Jaebum blurts out, and after hearing that you instantly avoid eye contact.

Oh no... He is making it harder and harder to not like.

-

“Sometimes I wonder if becoming an idol is worth all this trouble,” you confessed to Jaebum as you two strolled along the street side by side. 

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I mean the restriction we have when becoming an idol. We have to put up this facade to keep fans happy. We have to give them this illusion that we are perfect and happy all the time when in reality we are human like the rest of them. . .” You weren’t even an idol yet, but you already started to feel like the fame life was going to be harder than most people realize. 

Right now, you seemed conflicted just because tomorrow was the big day. Although you haven’t been friends with Jaebum and Mark for that long, it’s felt like so much has been going on and you haven’t been keeping your eyes on the prize. 

“I know what you mean, I think it’s normal for anyone to have that kind of thought. But in the end, you always think and look at the bigger picture. What do you want?”Jaebum asks you and you look at him. 

“I really want to make sure tomorrow is a complete success. I didn’t go through blood sweat and tears getting criticized left and right just not to debut at the end. You know?”After getting advice from different people, you suddenly decided to make a decision. 

It was now time to put your foot down. Although the past couple of days you have enjoyed the presence of both Jaebum and Mark, you knew it had to come to an end. 

Well, you didn’t have to cut them off completely, but boundaries had to be made and you knew that you had to avoid ever letting things get deeper for example your feelings for each of them.

- 

Bzzz

You opened your eyes, and you looked up at the ceiling.

For some reason, it felt like you didn’t sleep at all. The moment you got home you had a hard time falling asleep. You were so nervous yet excited about your showcase today. . .

The day had officially arrived. You were finally going to debut and make a name for yourself.

You sat up and felt a mix of emotions.

Today is going to be a good day. You weren’t going to let anything get in your way.

Just as you were planning to get up from the bed you suddenly heard a knock on the door. Min-See opens the door and peeks her head through the door.

“Y/N are you awake?” she must have heard your alarm but hasn’t seen you step out of your room.

“I’m awake,” you told her, and she smiled.

You could see how worried she appeared to be. You couldn’t blame her; the feeling was mutual. Although to be fair you all should be confident for today’s showcase, especially with the amount of practice you guys had.

Day’s like today you couldn’t afford any kind of distraction. You walked over to your mirror and took one look at yourself. Right about now it was time for a pep talk.

Today is the big day. After all the rejections, all the struggles, and all of the hard work you put in, today was the day you were going to finally show what you have been working hard on. Today was the day you could finally show your mom that all those tears you shed during the process were worth it at the end of the day.

However, it seemed like in the back of your head you had a slight fear appearing making you think about the what if. What if your debut isn’t as successful as you were hoping? What if people don’t find interest in your group? What if this love triangle you seem to be in becomes far harder than it has been?

You could feel your mind filled with so many different thoughts, but you were trying your hardest to keep yourself together. This is fear talking.

Today was a big day for your group and you and you weren’t going to let anyone take that away from you.

-

As you were in the dressing room getting your makeup done, you were thinking about the lyrics to your own song and the choreography over and over. Today was the day you couldn’t afford any kind of mistake.

The makeup artist instructs you to close your eyes and begins to apply eyeshadow. Suddenly you hear the door open and the staff in your room saying hello to whoever came through the doors. Without thinking twice, you opened your eyes and there you see Mark walking in with a basket in his hand.

Seeing Mark gave you mixed feelings. One side of you was happy to see the fact that Mark cleared his busy schedule just to come down here and wish you luck. . . Like, let’s be honest what kind of guy does that? And then the other side of you isn’t very happy to see Mark just because you knew he could be a big distraction... Can you see the dilemma?

“Mark?” Your makeup artist pulled away from doing your makeup and smiled.

“I’ll give you a few minutes to talk to your friend,”

You thanked your makeup artist and then continued to look at Mark.

“Surprise,” he says as he approaches you with the basket in his hand.

“Surprise is right. . . What brings you down here?” You asked him and just as Mark was about to speak up, he was cut off when someone else walked through the door.

Another person you weren’t expecting to see was right there in front of you. Of course... Jaebum also made an appearance.

What the hell do you do now?

-

To Be Continued...

[lxvemaze]

bf!jackson wang insta stories

a/n: sorry to anyone whose requests i haven't gotten to. this has been in my drafts for a hot minute, so i figures i'd just post this so i have some new content on my page 😭

jayb, mark, jackson, jinyoung, youngjae, bambam, yugyeom

[stay-mon-army]

Love After Lock-Up

Warnings: reader went to prison, family disappointment/not accepting, implied violence

Word Count: 2,356 words

Pairing: Jinyoung (Got7) x gn!reader

Requested?: yes, by @crzy-devil​ - I hope this isn’t horrible, I’m so sorry it took me so long to complete. I’m also sorry I went off the grid for like months 😭

Dear Jinyoung,

Life in prison is surprisingly dull! I have so much spare time to just think. I spend most of my time thinking about you and all our times together before I got into this stupid mess. I can’t tell you how sorry I am that I can’t be with you now. I hope things are going good for you at home and you aren’t missing me too much. I’m going to be released soon, and I can’t wait to be home with you. Do you think you could pick me up? I want your face to be the first I see when I’m finally free to be with you again. Maybe we can go to a cafe and just talk. You can tell me all about what I missed while I was away. I miss hearing your voice and holding your hand. I mostly just miss being near you. I’ll see you soon, my love! Wait for me, I swear it’ll all be worth it soon.

Love,

Y/N

On the day of your release from prison, you couldn’t wait to see Jinyoung. He had written you back and promised that he would be there to pick you up. You collected your belongings from the guard at the front desk and make your way to the exit before you.

It’s an overcast day; the sun is hidden behind rolling clouds, but thankfully it isn’t raining. As you step out into the crisp fall day, you spot a black car, and leaning against it, the love of your life. You face breaks into a smile and you see his face mirror yours as he pushes away from the hood of his car. For a second, you can’t move. It had been months since you had seen him, and it felt like a dream to finally see him here, in person, smiling at you and waiting for you like some prince. You hardly deserved him.

You broke out of your frozen state as he steps closer to you. You throw yourself into his arms, holding onto him as he buries his head into your neck. He squeezes you close to him, and you feel him breathe deeply against your neck, trying not to cry. You both had missed each other so much, it was hard not to tear up as you’re finally able to hold each other again and feel each others love like this.

After a moment, you pull away, moving your hands from around his waist up to cup his face. You take a moment just looking over his face as he gazes down at you, his eyes wet and shining but full of love. Finally, you pull him down to place your lips against his gently, slowly, enjoying the feeling of his skin against yours again after so long. His lips are gentle against yours as well, not pushing or pressuring but slowly exploring yours, matching your pace. It feels new and fresh, but also so comforting and safe, like coming home after a long, uncomfortable work day.

Finally, you let go of each other and he steps back to open the car door for you. You slide into the seat, placing your small bag of personal items between your feet as he closes the door and rounds the car to get into the drivers seat. He slides into his seat, clicking his seatbelt into place and starting the car smoothly. You missed the gentle ease he had with all his movements, like everything came naturally to him. His smooth movements, his gentle air, his ability to simultaneously fill a room and quiet the edges of a growing tension— all of him was so unlike everything that you were. Everything was so effortless to him and your love for him was only made sharper as he seemed to cleanly sweep away all your dirty secrets, round out your abrasive edges, dulled any growing fires of rage — he truly made you a better person by simply loving you.

He turns to flash you a smile, one hand gripping the wheel as he drives, the other reaching over to rest upon your thigh. You didn’t even realize he had started driving but you look out the window now and see the scenery change as he takes you away from that horrible place.

“What are you thinking about?” God, you had missed his voice. You nearly melt in your seat, those months of fear and stress and discomfort washing away with just the timbre of his voice.

“How much I missed you.” You answer honestly, letting your hand drift to run gentle circles and twirls around the skin of his hand and arm that’s reaching across the center console to touch you. You glance over at his side profile as he drives; his sharp jawline, the line of his nose, the prominence of his lips. Now that you’ve got him back, you’ve decided to commit him to memory. You had no intentions of ever leaving him again, but today, you would drink in as much of him as you could to make up for all that lost time. “Where are we going?”

“You said we should go to a cafe and catch up, so I’m taking you to Belle Fleur.” He smiles, his eyes crinkling up as he hears your soft gasp.

“Where we had our first date. Jinyoung, you’re too sweet.” You tear up again, which you’re sure you’ll do a million times throughout the day. No doubt being with him again was going to have you emotional. Lord knows you had cried plenty while you were in jail because of how much you missed him.

He doesn’t respond, just flipping his hand over to hold yours as he smiles out the windshield as he drives. He never had to say much of anything for you to feel the love he had for you.

You drive in relative silence for a while, the only sound being the gentle music floating from the radio. You enjoy the silence; you didn’t get a lot of quiet time in prison, with so many other people crammed into such a small place with little privacy.

Finally, Jinyoung pulls into the parking lot of the sweet little cafe and he lets you go just long enough for you both to hop out of the car. He opens the door to the cafe for you and guides you up to the counter with a hand resting on the small of your back, protective and possessive, just what you loved about him. He wasn’t overly possessive by any means, but the small signs to show off that you belonged with each other made your stomach erupt into butterflies.

He ordered for you at the counter, memorizing your favorite order even after so long not hearing it. You try to hide your smile, a feeling of exaltation you’ve never felt before spreading through you.

He takes both of your orders and you lead the way over to a small table in the corner by the windows. You like getting to people watch— you used to spend hours with a good drink and some snacks, just watching people going about their normal days through the windows of a cafe, feeling small and yet complete.

Jinyoung sits before you, a smile on his face as he pushes your drink your way, takes his own, and settles the baked goods you had picked out between you on the table. You watch his movements quietly, just drinking in his existence for another moment. Finally he stops, turning his eyes back to you as he cups his hands around his coffee.

“So,” you say, settling back into your seat and bringing your drink up to your lips for a sip. “Tell me everything I missed.”

~~~

You spent hours at that table with Jinyoung, catching up on all the little things you both experienced over the last few months. You were surprised by how normal life continued to be for you both— that despite the weird place you had found yourself in, both of you were still alive and healthy and back together, and nothing bad had happened to either of you.

Finally, the store began to close and it was time for you both to leave. You didn’t have a place of your own anymore, so you had to find someplace to stay. However, before you could panic, Jinyoung offered to let you stay with him and his family for a little while, until you found a job and your own place. You had been talking about moving in together before everything had gone wrong anyway, so you didn’t think it would be weird or difficult. You loved each other; it was only natural that you would want to spend your time together.

You hadn’t taken into account, however, that Jinyoung lived with his family, who might have different thoughts on everything than you two.

When you finally got back to Jinyoung’s house, you were ready to collapse into bed and rest for hours. The rush of getting ready to see Jinyoung again and the adrenaline of finally being out in the real world again had worn off and you could feel your body growing sluggish and lazy.

However, as you entered the house, you could tell instantly it wasn’t going to be that easy.

You could hear the TV running in the living room as you and Jinyoung took off your shoes and slid into the slippers in the hallway. He places a hand on your back as you both enter the house, as though he also senses the way the air feels charged as you both pass into view of his family. His mother reaches for the remote, slowly raising it to mute the tv before them before sinking back into the couch, her face blank of any emotions.

Jinyoung leads you into the living room, his hand both a comfort and a guiding hand into the lions den.

“Mom, dad, you remember (Y/N). They’re going to be staying with us for a little while, until they can get back on their feet.” His tone is kind yet firm, meant to show respect to his parents but that he wouldn’t be taking criticism about the situation. You swallow, folding your hands before you in the hopes to look respectful as well. The last thing you need is to look like some heathen come to impose and make a mess of their lives. You just wanted to fix everything.

His father stands, back straight as a rod as he looks first over you, then his son.

“I will not let some miscreant live in my house. I can excuse your absolutely idiotic feelings for this felon, but I refuse to allow them to live under my roof.” His voice is void of emotions, nearly calm. And yet you don’t miss the slight shake in his hands, like he’s trying so hard not to throw something.

“Father-”

“No.” His mother cuts in now, also standing. “You will listen to your father. If you wish to waste your life chasing after someone who wishes to ruin both of your lives, that is your right, but you will not bring some heathen into our household without our permission. If your father says they cannot stay, then they cannot stay. That is final.”

“Then I will be leaving.” Jinyoung doesn’t bat an eye, but you do. You turn to him quickly, placing a hand to his chest, whispering his name quietly. He doesn’t look at you, however. He simply stands there, staring into his fathers eyes. “If you refuse to allow me to help (Y/N) in this household, then I’m moving out. I’ll get us an apartment somewhere. But know that I will not be leaving (Y/N) alone. They went to jail for me.”

“Jinyoung, stop.”

You don’t glance between him and his parents, seeing the way his mother straightens behind his father, whose eyes have darkened. You push gently on his chest, hoping to back him away from the situation. You will leave, you can figure something else out, he doesn’t have to ruin his relationship with his family.

“No, (Y/N), it’s time that they learn the truth. (Y/N) was arrested because they were defending me. The people they supposedly assaulted? They were harassing me, and when (Y/N) stepped in to get them to leave us alone, things escalated and (Y/N) did what they needed to keep us safe. The courts wouldn’t listen, but that doesn’t make them any worse of a person. They did what I couldn’t do.” He looks down at you, meeting your eyes for the first time since entering the house. “They saved me.”

You throw your arms around his neck, pulling him into a hug. Neither of you had talked about what went down that day. Neither of you wanted to think about the horrible things that happened, and the even worse things that could’ve happened if you hadn’t reacted so quickly.

His parents don’t move, don’t make a sound as you begin to cry into Jinyoung’s shoulder. That he would defend you now, after all this time defending him, broke your heart to pieces. He pulls you back to look into your eyes once again.

“I love you, (Y/N), and I won’t let anyone keep me away from you for another moment.” And with that he kissed you, in front of his parents, as though he wasn’t baring his very soul to you and them. As though this didn’t mean the world to you. As though he didn’t risk throwing away his relationship with his family for you.

“They can stay.” You almost don’t believe your ears, and by the time you turn around to face them, both of his parents have turned and are heading back towards their room.

You turn back to Jinyoung, your face softening as you see the grin splitting his face as though you had agreed to marry him.

“The truth will set you free. And now, you’re all mine.” He whispers, leaning in for one more kiss.

[hwangyeonjun]

January 6th

pairing: lim jaebeom x gn!reader

genre: fluff

birthday party masterlist

you were pacing around the room like crazy, hand on your chin as you stared at the ground. you were actually going insane.

“y/n, relax” jinyoung mumbled and you turned to look at him, only to see all six boys looking at you with so much concern in their eyes.

“i can’t” you whined. “what if he doesn’t like it?” you asked, hands flying everywhere around you out of frustration.

jinyoung rolled his eyes and elbowed jackson, signaling for him to continue the conversation.

“he will like it. jaebeom likes everything that includes you” he reassured. “plus, you did amazing. look around, the place is beautiful and you got him something that he’s been wanting for a very long time”

you did as told and looked around the room that you’ve been standing in. you have to agree, your living room does look amazing with all the balloons and confetti. the table was full of jaebeom’s favourite food that you’ve made yourself.

the birthday boy himself is on his way home, having no clue what is waiting for him, thinking that you’re not home since you told him beforehand that you’ll be working until late.

the boys also helped you prepare but most importantly, they came which will be a huge surprise for jaebeom since he haven’t seen them in a while, especially jackson, who has been in china for most of the time.

you were content, knowing that your boyfriend is surrounded by good people who genuinely love him and even though you are panicking right now, deep down you know that no matter how this is going to turn out, he will be happy.

your eyes widened when you heard the key jiggling on the other side of the door. you quickly hurried everyone to go in their spots and turned off the lights, threatening the people around you to stay quiet.

jaebeom walked in, humming a familiar song and walked into the living room. it took him a few seconds to find the light switch and when he turned on the light, all of you started screaming “surprise” while yugyeom and bambam threw confetti at jaebeom.

he was stunned, eyes wide, mouth open with a peace of confetti stuck to his lip. his eyes locked with yours and then the biggest grin spread on his face.

“baby” he whispered and immediately pulled you into a hug.

you didn’t even notice the tears of joy on his face until he started hugging his members and it made your heart burst. he was happy, and that’s all you wanted.

[zylokv]

A DEAL OF CONVENIENCE — myoui mina

❝ you're my spouse on paper, however you're not my responsibility.❞

synopsis — caught in an arranged marriage with the cold and calculating myoui mina, a reluctant heir must navigate the world of power, family expectations, and a growing attraction that neither of them wanted.

word count ! — 7.06k

—myoui mina x reader !

notice — heavily inspired by @neoplatinum and a bit of queen of tears.

disclaimer ! — this story contains themes of infidelity, toxic family dynamics, and angst balanced with moments of reconciliation and growth. before diving into this story, i want to make it clear that i am not glamorizing toxic relationships, infidelity, or abusive family dynamics. additionally, the portrayal of the idols in this story is entirely fictional and does not reflect their real personalities or lives.

series masterlist !

the restaurant was a masterpiece in itself—a panoramic view of the city below, chandeliers sparkling like stolen starlight, and an air so heavy with exclusivity it almost choked you.

but it was the silence that truly got under your skin.

across the table, myoui mina sat with her hands neatly folded, her mother’s diamond-laden wrist resting lightly on her shoulder. the matriarch’s smile was polite but predatory, a practiced expression honed through decades of social maneuvering. mina’s expression, by contrast, was unreadable, her dark eyes focused on you like she was cataloging your every reaction.

“let’s not waste time,” mrs. myoui began, her voice smooth and precise, cutting through the quiet like a scalpel. “we’re here to propose a mutually beneficial arrangement. mina… needs a spouse of significant standing, someone with the competence to support her position. naturally, we thought of you.”

you blinked, barely suppressing the urge to laugh. “naturally?” you repeated, your tone dipping into disbelief. “with all due respect, mrs. myoui, i’m not interested in being a pawn in your… dynasty plans.”

mina’s gaze flickered, just for a second, but her mother’s smile never faltered. “…i understand your reservations. but this is not merely for us. your family stands to gain considerably as well. surely your father has discussed this with you?”

your stomach twisted at the mention of your father, the inevitable weight of his expectations pressing down like an iron shackle. you forced a thin smile. “what i do, mrs. myoui, is practice law. my involvement in my family’s business is minimal. i prefer to keep it that way.”

mrs. myoui’s smile finally cracked, just enough to reveal a glimmer of impatience. “that’s precisely the issue. you’re squandering your potential. but with mina by your side, you’ll have every opportunity to—”

“no.”

the word left your mouth before you could second-guess it. “with all due respect, mrs. myoui,” you added, trying to rein in your frustration, “i’d prefer to find someone who actually loves me.”

mrs. myoui’s gaze hardened, though her smile remained in place. “love is a luxury, not a necessity, in our world. and frankly, one i’m sure you’ll come to understand.” her voice was clipped now, her patience wearing thin. “but perhaps you need time to reflect on your priorities. this is an opportunity you’d be foolish to waste.”

she stood, adjusting her shawl, the subtle but deliberate shift of power unmistakable. mina rose with her, her expression still unreadable as she followed her mother out of the restaurant. you clenched your fists under the table, the quiet crack of glass snapping you back to the moment. the remnants of your drink scattered across the polished surface, a faint reflection of your anger.

------

the office door slammed shut behind you, the echo ringing in the silence that followed. your father stood in the middle of the room, his posture stiff, jaw clenched so tightly you thought it might crack. he didn’t need to speak—the storm was already brewing in his eyes.

“do you even comprehend what you’ve done?” he started, his voice eerily calm, the kind of calm that preceded an explosion.

you didn’t flinch, meeting his gaze with a defiance that felt more fragile than it looked. “i told you before, i won’t let you decide my life. not this time.”

his hand lashed out before you could process the movement. the slap wasn’t just a physical sting—it was a sharp, brutal reminder of your place in his world.

“you ungrateful child!” his voice rose, cracking like a whip in the heavy air. “everything you have, everything you are, is because of this family. and this is how you repay me? by throwing it all away?”

your head snapped to the side, the metallic taste of blood filling your mouth. your first instinct was to clench your fists, to hold your ground. but as his words continued, their weight pressed down harder than any blow could.

“i built this empire from nothing,” he sneered, his finger jabbing in your direction. “and you think you can waltz out, turn your back on it, just because you’re playing at being a lawyer?”

“it’s not playing,” you shot back, your voice rough and shaking. “it’s my life. my choice.”

another strike—this time a fist to your shoulder, sending you stumbling back against the desk. pain flared, sharp and unrelenting, but you didn’t let him see the tears threatening to spill over.

“you don’t have a choice,” he hissed. “not as long as you carry my name. you will marry myoui mina, and you will do it without complaint. or else—”

“or else what?” you interrupted, your voice rising despite yourself. “you’ll ruin me? take away everything I’ve worked for? you’ve already done that.”

his laughter was cold, bitter. “ruin you? you’ve done that to yourself. now get out of my sight before i do something i regret.”

you didn’t wait for him to change his mind. you left the room, your steps shaky but purposeful. as soon as the door closed behind you, you leaned against the wall, breathing hard. your shoulder ached, your cheek throbbed, but the worst pain was the helplessness clawing at your chest.

------

the next day started like any other, except it wasn’t. you swiped your card at the entrance of the office, and the machine beeped red. again, you tried, frowning as you wiped it against your pant leg and swiped once more. red.

“uh, excuse me?” you called to the receptionist. her name was mei—someone you usually exchanged pleasantries with on your way in. she looked up, startled, then glanced nervously at her computer.

“i… i’m sorry,” she stammered, “but it seems your access has been revoked.”

“revoked?” your voice sharpened. “that’s a mistake. i'm the head director.”

she swallowed hard, nodding as if to agree but not daring to meet your eyes. “you’ll have to check with mr. (Ln).”

an hour later, after what felt like an eternity of waiting outside the hr manager’s office, you finally got your answer. or rather, the lack of one. “your credentials have been deactivated. i’m not authorized to provide further details,” the manager said, her tone clipped and impersonal.

“you’re not authorized? this is my job. my office. i deserve an explanation,” you pressed, your frustration bubbling over.

her expression didn’t waver. “you’ll have to speak with your father about this.”

those words were the final confirmation. you left the building, the weight of it all crashing down on you. your office, your cases, your colleagues—it was all gone, just like that. erased. your father’s hand was all over this, a calculated move to corner you.

as you stepped onto the street, the world felt louder than usual. the sounds of traffic and chatter blurred together, a stark contrast to the silence that had taken over your life. with nowhere else to go, you headed for the batting cages. you needed to hit something, anything, just to feel in control again.

-----

baseball had always been your escape. the rhythmic crack of the bat against the ball, the familiar burn in your muscles, the steady stream of pitches from the machine—all of it helped drown out the noise in your head.

you were mid-swing when she appeared. mina, in a tailored coat and heels, looking absurdly out of place against the dusty field and worn equipment. she was a sharp contrast to the sweat and grime clinging to you, her pristine presence a reminder of the gulf between your worlds.

“you missed,” she remarked coldly, her voice slicing through the air as you struck the next pitch. the ball ricocheted off the cage, and you turned to her, your expression dark.

“what do you want?” your tone was sharp, the frustration of the last few days spilling over.

mina didn’t flinch. her gaze was steady, assessing, as if calculating how much effort this conversation was worth. “to end this childish act of defiance,” she said bluntly. “sign the contract. stop wasting everyone’s time.”

you gritted your teeth, gripping the bat tighter. “is that how you talk to everyone you’re trying to convince to marry you?”

“only the ones who are being stubborn.” her reply was smooth, but there was a flicker of irritation in her eyes. “you’re not the only one with things to lose here. do you think i want to be stuck with someone so… obstinate?”

“then why me?” you asked, your voice rising. “there are better options. people who’d jump at the chance to be your spouse. why drag me into this?”

she stepped closer, her heels sinking slightly into the dirt. “because you’re not entirely useless,” she said, her tone icy. “and unlike the others, you’re not a liability. that’s all that matters.”

her words hit harder than they should have, and you swung at the next pitch with more force than necessary. the ball flew into the net, the impact reverberating up your arms. “well, forgive me if i don’t find that flattering.”

mina sighed, brushing an invisible speck of dust from her coat. “you’re impossible.” she turned to leave, her voice carrying over her shoulder. “but mark my words—you’ll come around. whether you like it or not.”

you watched her walk away, the tension in your chest coiling tighter. the bat slipped from your hands, clattering to the ground. as the machine wound up for another pitch, you stood there, frozen, the weight of her words pressing down like a stone.

-----

the ballroom shimmered with opulence, the soft hum of conversation weaving through the air as glasses clinked and laughter punctuated the atmosphere. this wasn’t just any gathering—it was a display of power, a convergence of families whose names carried weight in every corner of the country.

you kept to the periphery, your discomfort masked by a neutral expression. you were here as a formality, the dutiful pawn in a game much larger than yourself. yet, despite your efforts to blend into the wallpaper, your eyes were drawn to the center of the room.

there she was.

myoui mina, the woman you were being forced to marry. she stood effortlessly poised, the epitome of control. her black dress was understated yet breathtaking, paired with diamonds that seemed to reflect her icy demeanor.

what caught your attention wasn’t just her—it was the man beside her. bambam. you recognized him instantly: the charismatic heir to an entertainment conglomerate. his easy laughter grated on your nerves as he leaned in, speaking to mina with a familiarity that felt out of place. she tilted her head slightly, her lips curving into a faint, polite smile.

your grip tightened around your champagne glass. it wasn’t jealousy—no, that would imply you cared. this was something else, an irritation that churned in your chest.

her words from before replayed in your mind: “but mark my words—you’ll come around. whether you like it or not.”

a bitter taste filled your mouth, but you couldn’t deny it—she’d been right.

before you knew it, you were crossing the room.

mina’s gaze flicked toward you as you approached, her expression calm but her body tensing ever so slightly. bambam noticed you too, his smile broadening as if he’d just been let in on a joke.

“and here comes the mystery partner,” bambam quipped, his tone light but edged with curiosity. “mina, you didn’t tell me your companion was here tonight.”

mina’s lips parted to respond, but you cut in. “a private matter,” you said, your voice steady. “can i talk to my fiancé?”

bambam raised an eyebrow but stepped back with a shrug. “i’ll leave you two to it. always a pleasure, mina.”

as soon as he walked away, you turned to her, your voice dropping. “care to explain what that was about?”

mina’s eyes narrowed slightly, her voice as sharp as the diamonds she wore. “i don’t owe you an explanation.”

“don’t you?” you countered, struggling to keep your tone even. “we’re here to sign a contract, and you’re out there chatting up—”

“a family friend,” she interjected, her tone cold. “you’re making a scene over nothing.”

your jaw clenched. “this isn’t nothing. do you even care how this looks?”

she stepped closer, her voice low but laced with condescension. “looks? you’re worried about appearances now?” her lips curled into a faint smirk. “you’ve finally caught up, haven’t you? maybe you’re not as stubborn as you pretend to be.”

the words were a knife twisting in your chest because, deep down, you knew she was right. every choice had led you here, and no matter how much you hated it, there was no turning back.

you exhaled sharply, reining in your frustration. “fine. where’s the damn thing?”

mina’s smirk didn’t falter as she produced the document from her bag, her movements deliberate, almost taunting. she held it out to you, her hand steady.

“go ahead,” she said, her tone detached but cutting. “sign it. make it official. i told you—you’d come around.”

the pen felt heavy as you signed, the weight of each stroke pressing into your chest like a stone.

“congratulations,” you said bitterly. “we’re officially partners in misery.”

mina took the paper back, her eyes scanning it briefly before folding it and tucking it away. she didn’t say a word, her expression unreadable as she turned on her heel and rejoined the crowd.

you stayed behind, the noise of the party fading into the background as you stared after her. you hated the smug satisfaction she wore like another piece of jewelry. but most of all, you hated that she was right.

-----

the ceremony was as grand as you’d expected—ornate floral arrangements lined the aisle, the scent of white lilies suffocating in its sweetness. the pews were filled with people who barely mattered to you, their expressions either bored or falsely polite.

your palms felt clammy despite the coolness of the cathedral. you hated this—every moment, every forced smile, every expectation weighing down on your shoulders.

your father’s voice was low but firm as he leaned in close, his hand gripping your shoulder.

“this is your chance to redeem yourself,” he said, his tone laced with authority. “play your part, and you’ll have your title—and your life—back.”

you nodded stiffly, your jaw tightening as his words sank in. his grip lingered, a silent warning. you hated the weight of his expectations, but you hated the sense of inevitability even more.

as he walked away to join a group of other high-profile guests, you caught movement from the corner of your eye. mina stood near the entrance, her gaze fixed on you, her expression unreadable but sharp, as if she’d overheard every word.

you turned away quickly, adjusting your cuffs in an attempt to ignore the way her presence made your skin prickle.

the ceremony began soon after, the sound of traditional music filling the hall as family elders stepped forward, placing ceremonial heirloom decorations on you. the intricate gold and jade pieces felt heavy, their symbolism not lost on you. it was a visual reminder of what this marriage meant—a merging of legacies, not lives.

as the officiant called for silence, your eyes scanned the crowd. mina’s family sat in the front row, their posture mirroring her composed elegance. her father gave you a curt nod, while her mother’s smile was thin and calculating.

your own family wasn’t much better. your father was in his element, mingling with the likes of minatozaki sana, who greeted him with a laugh that didn’t quite reach her eyes. hirai momo and park jihyo exchanged pleasantries with the other guests, while nayeon and chaeyoung seemed more interested in observing the dynamics than participating. bambam, of course, was here too, his charm drawing smiles from every corner of the room—except yours.

the music shifted, signaling mina’s entrance.

when she appeared at the end of the aisle, the room fell silent. she was a vision, her gown shimmering with delicate embroidery that caught the light. diamonds adorned her neck, wrists, and ears, each piece selected to showcase her status.

your chest tightened as she approached, her steps deliberate and her face a mask of calm detachment. she looked straight ahead, her expression betraying nothing, but you couldn’t help feeling like every step she took was a silent victory over you.

the ceremony continued, each word from the officiant feeling heavier than the last.

“do you, myoui mina, take—”

“i do,” she said, cutting him off before he could even finish. her tone was clipped, almost impatient, as if this were just another business transaction.

your turn came, and you hesitated, the weight of her gaze pressing down on you.

“i do,” you finally said, the words bitter on your tongue.

when it came time for the rings, her fingers were steady as she slid the band onto yours. your hands, in contrast, felt awkward, trembling slightly as you returned the gesture.

“you may kiss the bride,” the officiant declared.

you turned to her, your heart thudding in your chest. her gaze was steady, cold, and challenging.

the kiss was supposed to be brief, for show, but the moment your lips met hers, something shifted. her lips were soft but unyielding, her lack of response initially infuriating. but then you felt it—an undercurrent of something neither of you could name.

for a split second, the world around you disappeared. her perfume was intoxicating, her proximity overwhelming. it wasn’t love, but it wasn’t nothing, either. when you pulled back, her eyes met yours with a flicker of something—frustration? curiosity?

“well,” she murmured under her breath, her voice cold but tinged with irony, “that was unexpected.”

the applause snapped you back to reality, and you turned away quickly, your face hot with a mixture of embarrassment and something else you refused to acknowledge.

as you walked back down the aisle together, her hand resting lightly on your arm, she leaned in just enough for only you to hear.

“i told you,” she whispered, her tone smug, “you’d come around soon enough.”

you glanced at her, irritation and something close to admiration warring in your chest. she was right, and she knew it.

-----

the reception was held in a venue that oozed luxury—high ceilings adorned with intricate chandeliers, marble floors reflecting the soft glow of golden lights, and floral arrangements so extravagant they looked like they belonged in a museum. the murmurs of the guests filled the air, their chatter laced with curiosity and speculation.

“so that’s the myoui’s new pawn,” someone whispered.

“a lawyer, huh? they’re probably hoping to use them to navigate out of future messes,” another added.

you ignored the gossip as best as you could, drifting toward the group of bachelors huddled near the bar. the champagne flowed freely, and the conversation veered into lighthearted banter. for a while, you felt like yourself again, laughing and joking without the weight of mina’s presence looming over you.

mina, however, was always watching. from her seat near the head table, she observed you with a mix of irritation and something else she couldn’t quite name. eventually, she stood, her movements precise and deliberate, and made her way across the room.

“enough,” she said, her voice low but commanding as she reached your side. “you’ve had your fun. come with me.”

you raised an eyebrow, the corners of your lips tugging into a faint smirk. “yes, dear?”

her glare could have frozen fire.

without waiting for your response, she grabbed your wrist—not hard, but firmly enough to make it clear she wasn’t in the mood to argue—and led you to a round table where her friends were seated.

“everyone,” she began, her voice cool and composed as ever, “meet my spouse.”

hirai momo was the first to speak, her grin wide and mischievous. “so, you’re the lucky one. or unlucky, depending on how you look at it.” she laughed, the sound light and teasing.

“i’ll take it as a compliment,” you replied, matching her tone.

bambam leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable but his words sharp. “you know, not everyone would be brave enough to marry into the myoui family. some might call it reckless.”

you shrugged, unbothered. “or smart, depending on how you look at it.”

mina’s lips pressed into a thin line, her gaze darting briefly to bambam before settling back on you. she didn’t intervene, but her posture was tense.

minatozaki sana, on the other hand, said nothing. she sipped her drink, her eyes flicking between you and mina with a look that bordered on disdain. you could feel her silent judgment—it was almost palpable.

momo, however, was surprisingly easygoing. she asked about your work, cracked a few jokes, and seemed genuinely amused by your answers. you found yourself relaxing slightly, even enjoying the conversation.

the conversation flowed, and you found yourself surprisingly at ease with momo. she laughed at your jokes, and when she gestured too animatedly, her bracelet caught on the edge of her glass, nearly toppling it over.

“careful,” you said gently, reaching to steady her drink before any champagne spilled. you untangled her bracelet with a deftness that surprised even yourself.

“thanks,” momo said, her cheeks pink as she glanced up at you.

“no problem.” you gave her a soft smile, your fingers brushing hers briefly as you handed the bracelet back.

a little while later, momo excused herself to retrieve something from her bag but returned moments later, clutching her heel awkwardly.

“what’s wrong?” you asked.

“the strap broke,” she said, holding the elegant shoe aloft.

without hesitation, you bent down, taking the shoe from her hand. “let me see.”

“you don’t have to—” she started, but you were already examining the strap.

“got it,” you said after a moment, slipping the shoe back onto her foot and fastening the strap securely.

“wow,” momo laughed, clearly charmed. “if this whole lawyer thing doesn’t work out, you’ve got a career in shoe repair.”

“i’ll keep that in mind,” you replied with a grin.

from across the table, mina’s gaze hardened, her lips pressing into a thin line.

sana, meanwhile, looked on with a furrowed brow, her eyes narrowing slightly at the interaction. it wasn’t jealousy, exactly—it was more like disdain, as if she found the display of chivalry misplaced.

“you’re good with your hands,” momo teased, her smile wide.

before you could respond, mina’s voice cut through the air like ice. “they're also good at keeping to themselves.”

the tension was palpable, and momo quickly shifted her focus back to her drink. mina’s pointed heel pressed lightly against momo’s foot beneath the table—not enough to hurt, but enough to send a clear message.

“everything okay?” you asked, glancing at mina.

“perfectly fine,” she replied smoothly, her expression unreadable.

the rest of the evening passed in a blur of pleasantries and forced smiles. though you tried to ignore the brewing storm in mina’s eyes

-----

the small town was breathtaking, its charm steeped in tradition and elegance. nestled in the foothills of japan, it was the pride of the myoui clan—a place where time seemed to slow, and every corner spoke of history. the streets were lined with quaint wooden houses, their rooftops adorned with snow from the crisp winter air, and the distant chime of temple bells echoed softly.

you walked beside mina, her cold demeanor wrapped in an aura of regal elegance. she wore a black velvet dress that seemed to ripple with every step, her jewelry—a bracelet, earrings, and a ring—sparkling faintly under the town's lantern light. her look was polished and calculated, every detail deliberate.

you, on the other hand, wore a black turtleneck paired with tailored trousers and a sleek belt. the coat draped over your arm was more for appearances than comfort, and the watch on your wrist—a gift from her family—matched the sheen of her jewelry.

“this place,” you murmured, taking in the view of the traditional ryokan where you were staying, “it’s almost unreal.”

mina spared you a glance, her expression unreadable. “it’s home.”

she didn’t elaborate, instead gesturing for you to follow her to the town's most esteemed restaurant. it was nestled behind an ornate gate, its walls entwined with creeping ivy and lush greenery. stepping inside felt like entering another world—everywhere you looked, there were plants of every shade, their vibrant colors offset by the warm wood and soft lighting.

“this is impressive,” you admitted, though the compliment wasn’t directed at her.

mina simply nodded, selecting a table near a cascading indoor waterfall. as she sat down, she adjusted the hem of her dress, a practiced elegance in every motion.

“take my picture,” she said suddenly, her tone leaving no room for argument.

“seriously?” you groaned, though a grin tugged at your lips. “here? now? you know how awkward it’s going to look with you posing in front of all these plants?”

she raised an eyebrow, her gaze sharp. “do it.”

you sighed, pulling out your phone. “alright, fine. but don’t blame me if you look weird.”

she posed, her face tilted slightly to catch the light just right. “stop talking and focus.”

“focus? you look like you’re trying to win a staring contest with that fern,” you teased, snapping the picture anyway.

she didn’t respond, though the faintest twitch of her lips betrayed her amusement.

dinner passed without incident, the food as exquisite as the setting. you traded only minimal conversation, the tension between you both ever-present.

when you finally returned to the ryokan, the air was colder, and mina pulled your coat tighter around her shoulders.

“you’re keeping that, huh?” you quipped.

“it’s warm,” she replied simply, shrugging it off at the doorway.

“you go on ahead,” you said, hesitating at the entrance. “i’m going to take a walk.”

she paused, her expression flickering with something unreadable. “don’t stay out too late.”

you nodded, watching as she disappeared into the warm glow of the ryokan.

wandering the streets, your thoughts drifted. the quiet town was a stark contrast to the chaos of the past weeks, but it wasn’t entirely unwelcome. as you passed a small flower shop, a memory surfaced—one you hadn’t thought of in years.

a girl had been robbed here once, near the very same shop. you’d been nearby, and without thinking, you’d given her your coat to shield her from the winter chill. the details of her face escaped you now, but you remembered her elegance, her soft voice, and those striking boba eyes.

smiling faintly at the memory, you stepped inside the shop and ordered a bouquet—simple yet elegant.

when you returned to the ryokan, bouquet in hand, you found mina lounging in the common room, now dressed in silk pajamas that looked no less regal. she glanced up, her expression unreadable.

“what’s that?” she asked, nodding toward the flowers.

you held them out to her. “for you.”

she took them, her fingers brushing yours for the briefest moment. “you’re full of surprises,” she said, though her tone was dry.

“i aim to impress,” you replied with a half-smile, settling on the couch as she arranged the flowers in a nearby vase.

the conversation turned quieter, more contemplative.

“why did you agree to this marriage?” she asked suddenly, her eyes fixed on the vase.

you hesitated. “because of my father,” you admitted vaguely.

she frowned slightly but didn’t press further. “and why did i choose you?”

you looked at her, genuinely curious. “why did you?”

“because the other clans would have been a disaster,” she said bluntly. “the takahashi clan is too reckless, the oh family is steeped in scandals, and the sakuragi name carries no real weight anymore. you, at least, are competent and... predictable.”

“wow,” you muttered, half-laughing. “you really know how to flatter someone.”

she didn’t respond, instead gesturing toward the couch. “you’re sleeping there tonight.”

“obviously,” you said, settling in.

as the night wore on, the conversation softened. she spoke briefly about being an only child, the weight of carrying her family’s legacy. you listened, your own thoughts heavy but unspoken.

eventually, you felt yourself drifting off. the last thing you remembered was the soft rustle of fabric and the faint scent of her perfume as she draped a blanket over you.

when the lights clicked off and her bedroom door closed, you were left in the quiet darkness, a strange sense of warmth settling over you.

-----

the honeymoon felt like a distant memory now. arriving back in the city, you were thrust immediately into the whirlwind of responsibilities that had been waiting for you. it was in your father’s office, a place steeped in heavy tradition and expectations, where the shift became official.

“you’ve earned this again,” your father said, his tone unusually warm as he handed over the legal head director’s seal. “i always knew you had it in you, even if you’ve made... questionable choices in the past. don’t disappoint me again.”

the weight of the title settled over you once more, but it was a weight you always welcomed. you nodded, holding the seal tightly. “i won’t.”

for a fleeting moment, there was pride in your father’s eyes, a rare sight that stirred something in you.

-----

work consumed you in the days that followed. buried under contracts and meetings, you barely noticed the time slip away. your phone buzzed a few times, but you brushed it aside, focused on finishing a particularly thorny case.

it wasn’t until the clock struck 7:45 p.m. that the messages finally caught your attention.

where are you?

you’re supposed to be here.

don’t embarrass me.

mina.

your stomach twisted. the event. you had completely forgotten.

grabbing your coat, you rushed out the door, your mind racing. you didn’t even have time to reply to her messages.

-----

by the time you arrived, the atmosphere in the grand hall was thick with tension. mina stood in the center of the room, flanked by bambam, momo, and sana. her family and their extended circles—the hirais and minatozakis—watched from the sidelines.

opposite her stood sehun, an heir you recognized immediately. his sharp features were twisted into a smirk, his voice carrying across the room.

“and this is who you trust?” sehun sneered, gesturing toward mina. “don’t act like you’re untouchable,” sehun was saying, his voice loud enough to draw attention. “your family’s wealth doesn’t protect you from everything. and you”—he pointed at mina—“should know better than to put your trust in someone like that.”

you moved quickly through the crowd, your steps purposeful but unnoticed.

bambam, to his credit, stepped forward, placing himself protectively between sehun and mina. “watch your tone,” he said, his voice firm.

sehun scoffed, brushing him off. “what are you going to do? you’re just a glorified lapdog.”

then, sehun reached for mina’s arm, his fingers just brushing her sleeve.

“enough.” your voice cut through the air like a blade.

all eyes turned to you as you stepped into the circle, your gaze locked on sehun. his hand froze mid-air before he slowly lowered it, his smirk faltering.

but mina’s gaze flickered to you the moment you moved. without hesitation, she brushed past bambam, placing her hand firmly in yours instead. her grip was cold, steady, and there was something almost defiant in the way she looked at sehun.

the room seemed to hold its breath.

“you’re late,” mina said quietly, her tone clipped.

“i know,” you murmured back.

sehun regained his composure, scoffing as he turned his attention to you. “oh, look who decided to show up. the myoui family’s latest pawn. what took you so long? busy whining over legal briefs?”

ignoring the insult, you stepped forward, keeping mina behind you. “if there’s a problem here, i’d be happy to resolve it. professionally, of course. though, judging by your tone, professionalism isn’t really your style, is it, sehun?”

his sneer deepened. “don’t act like you’re above it all. you’re nothing but a puppet the myoui family is using to clean up their messes. and when they’re done, they’ll throw you out like the trash you are.”

you exhaled slowly, forcing a calm smile. “it’s interesting you’d say that, sehun. especially considering how much your family relied on me to ‘clean up their mess’ during that little scandal last year. or did you forget how your father owes me for handling that? because i certainly haven’t.”

the color drained from his face, but he recovered quickly, scoffing. “so what? you think your ivy league education makes you untouchable? you think being a lawyer gives you any real power? you’re just a loudmouth who hides behind his desk.”

“i don't think,” you said, your voice light with mock sympathy. “i know it, and i do hide behind my desk sometimes. but when i do, it’s because i’m busy drafting paperwork that could make your life a living hell.”

his eyes narrowed, but before he could respond, you took another step closer, your smile turning razor-sharp. “and for the record, attending an ivy league school does make me smarter than you. but don’t let that stop you. if you’re so sure i’m just a ‘loudmouth,’ go ahead. take a swing. prove your point.”

the room went deadly silent. sehun’s fists clenched, his jaw ticking as he debated his options.

before he could act, mina’s hand on your arm pulled you back, her grip firm and commanding. “enough,” she said, her voice low but cutting through the tension like ice.

you turned to look at her, surprised by the faint flicker of protectiveness in her eyes. she didn’t let go until she was sure you weren’t going to push further.

as mina began to guide you away, her grip firm on your arm, the sound of rushed footsteps behind you caught your attention.

you barely had time to react before sehun’s fist connected with your jaw, sending you stumbling into mina.

gasps filled the room, the collective shock palpable.

“are you out of your mind?!” mina’s father’s voice boomed, silencing the crowd. his face was a mix of fury and disbelief as he stepped forward. “this is an outrage!”

mina was immediately at your side, her cold demeanor replaced with sharp concern. her hand hovered near your face, unsure whether to touch the growing bruise. “are you okay?” she asked, her voice lower than before but laced with urgency.

you waved her off, rolling your shoulder and straightening up, though you can taste the metallic copper on your tongue “i’m fine.”

momo, who had been on the other side of the room, pushed through the crowd, her usual lightheartedness gone. “what the hell was that?” she exclaimed, looking between you and sehun. “he just—”

sehun stood frozen, his chest heaving as he realized the gravity of his actions.

mina’s father turned to him, his glare icy. “you dare strike one of us? this is disgraceful. you’ll pay for this, boy.”

“it’s not worth it,” she said quietly, her tone sharp but steady. “don’t stoop to his level.”

for a moment, you nodded, exhaling slowly as if agreeing to let it go. but then sehun sneered, his voice loud enough for the entire room to hear.

“typical,” he said, adjusting his tie as if his punch had meant nothing. “no wonder the myouis are desperate. scraping the bottom of the barrel for help. your family’s a joke, myoui. everyone knows your father’s nothing more than a puppet, and your mother—well, she’s—”

he didn’t finish. he didn’t get the chance.

your fist shot out with precision, landing squarely on his jaw with enough force to send him sprawling to the ground. the thud of his body hitting the polished floor was followed by a stunned silence.

“don’t you dare,” you said, your voice low and venomous, “speak about my wife's family like that.”

sehun groaned, clutching his jaw as he struggled to get up. his confidence shattered, he glared at you with a mix of humiliation and rage.

the room erupted into chaos again. mina gasped, her hand instinctively reaching out but hesitating, while momo let out a delighted laugh.

“oh, this just got interesting,” momo said, her eyes sparkling as she glanced at sana. “did you see that? mina's spouse got some fight in 'em."

sana, standing off to the side, crossed her arms and raised a brow, unimpressed. “hardly seems worth it,” she muttered, though her gaze lingered on you for a moment longer than necessary.

sehun scrambled to his feet, his face red with both anger and embarrassment. “you’ll regret that,” he spat, lunging forward.

you sidestepped easily, your movements deliberate. “sehun,” you said, your voice laced with mock sympathy, “if i were you, i’d quit while i’m ahead. you don’t want me calling your father, do you?”

sehun froze, his bravado faltering.

“that’s right,” you continued, stepping closer. “your father still owes me. remember that little scandal? who do you think cleaned that up for him? and if you think he’ll side with you over me, think again. i’m a lawyer, sehun. i don’t just fight with my fists.”

mina’s grip on your arm tightened briefly before she stepped in front of you, her icy composure unshaken. “this ends now,” she said, her voice like a blade. she glanced down at sehun with disdain. “get out before you embarrass yourself further.”

sehun opened his mouth to retort, but the weight of the room’s judgment silenced him. even bambam, who had initially moved to defend mina, stayed back, his gaze flickering between you and sehun.

“you’ve made your point,” mina said, addressing you now. her voice was firm, but there was a flicker of something else in her eyes—was it gratitude? “let’s go.”

as you followed mina out, momo sidled up beside you, her grin wide. “that was incredible. one hit, and he’s down. you’re like a knight or something,” she teased, her laughter bubbling up.

mina’s gaze was sharp, but there was a flicker of something softer beneath it. “you shouldn’t have done that,” she said, her tone flat.

“and let him keep running his mouth?” you countered. “not a chance.”

momo sidled up to you, still grinning like a kid in a candy store. “that was amazing. you’ve got some moves,” she said, nudging your arm.

you chuckled, despite yourself. “don’t get used to it.”

“oh, i won’t,” momo said with a wink, her attention briefly flicking to sana, who rolled her eyes and muttered something under her breath.

as the commotion settled, mina’s father stepped forward, his authoritative voice cutting through the murmurs of the guests. “this event is over,” he declared, his tone sharp and final. “thank you all for attending.”

the attendees began to disperse, their curiosity about the scandal satiated, though the lingering glances toward you and mina spoke volumes.

you exhaled deeply, the adrenaline fading and the sting of your busted lip becoming more apparent. before you could move, momo appeared at your side, her playful demeanor replaced with genuine concern.

“are you okay?” she asked, her brow furrowed as she leaned closer to inspect your lip.

“i’m fine,” you replied, brushing it off, though the taste of copper on your tongue told a different story.

“you don’t look fine,” momo countered, reaching out as if to help.

before she could, mina swept in with a cool efficiency. she grabbed a folded napkin from one of the nearby tables, her heels clicking decisively against the floor. “i’ll handle it,” she said curtly, brushing past momo without so much as a glance.

momo blinked, taken aback, then stepped aside with a small, amused smile. “guess i’m not needed.”

mina tilted your chin down slightly so you could match her height, her touch firm but not unkind, as she dabbed at your split lip. her expression was cold, but her movements were careful, her fingers brushing lightly against your skin.

“you’re reckless,” she muttered under her breath, her tone both annoyed and something else—grateful, maybe. “what were you thinking?”

you held her gaze, unfazed by her sharpness. “i was thinking you’re my wife,” you said evenly, your voice carrying a protective edge. “and no one gets to disrespect you or your family while i’m around.”

for a moment, her hand paused, her eyes searching yours as if trying to decipher your sincerity. then, with a soft exhale, she resumed cleaning the wound.

across the room, bambam watched the interaction intently, his jaw tight but his expression unreadable.

as mina finished, her mother approached, her usual proud and stoic demeanor softening as she looked at you. “thank you,” she said quietly, her voice carrying the weight of years of unyielding pride finally yielding, if only briefly.

you nodded, unsure how to respond to such unexpected gratitude.

mina’s father, however, remained stoic, his gaze assessing as he addressed you. “this could’ve gone very badly,” he said, his tone measured. “but you handled it... adequately. for now.”

you caught the subtle flicker of approval in his eyes, though he would never say it outright.

“thank you, sir,” you replied simply, your posture still formal despite the circumstances.

as the guests thinned out and the myouis regrouped, mina finally let go of the napkin, her demeanor shifting back to its usual aloofness. “you should take care of that properly,” she said, her voice clipped but softer than before.

“i will,” you replied, a small smirk tugging at your lips despite the pain. “wouldn’t want to ruin the perfect image of the myoui family’s new... what was it? ‘pawn’?”

mina rolled her eyes but didn’t respond, her lips pressing into a thin line.

as you walked away with her at your side, momo caught your eye from the corner of the room, giving you a small, conspiratorial thumbs-up. nearby, sana stood with her arms crossed, her expression as unreadable as ever, though the slightest flicker of something—approval?—crossed her face before she turned away.

the night had been far from perfect, but as you exited the venue with mina, you couldn’t help but feel that, for better or worse, you had solidified your place in this world—and by her side.

-----

end of part one.

a/n — hello! sorry for having such a long writing for the first chapter but i really loved this and i promise to continue it.

[yer-cute-when-you-scream]

Sorry I haven’t posted in a minute, I’ve had a terrible case of Writer’s Block™️, specifically with part 2 of Mistake, but I am going to start writing today and *maybe* i can have something up by tomorrow!