#I will indeed take credit for Trigger cuz I’ve heard he is the best boy and a model horsie citizen 🥰

[kokinu09]

LivBin stealing the show fr 😂😂 I’m glad that’s an enjoyable side story ☺️

Let Go of the Reins || CHAPTER 10

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pairing seungmin x fem!reader

genre strangers to lovers, romance, fluff, slight angst later, happy ending, social media, not meant to be, someday

summary Australia is considered home for two of the eight members. When two tour dates are scheduled for the land down under, the boys can’t help but want to spend a bit more time there to visit family and do a little sightseeing. So how do they convince the company that they need to stay a couple weeks? Filming some SKZ Code episodes.

A local riding school just outside the city with amazing reviews for their skilled instructors and beautiful horses is hosting a very popular kpop group to film their experiences. Y/N knows the group well and she just so happens to be their star working student.

status ongoing

taglist OPEN

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The warm breeze blows through your hair as Storm trots down the familiar path. Your trust in your horse so strong that you allow yourself to close your eyes and take in a deep breath of fresh air on this morning ride. A smile curls at the corners of your lips as you hear the echoes of hooves behind you.

“You’re getting braver~!” You call loudly over your shoulder. You pull Storm’s reins lightly to slow down, giving Pearl the chance to close the distance.

“I wouldn’t have to be braver if you wouldn’t take off like that,” Seungmin huffs out his jitters as they ease into a leisurely stroll beside each other.

You can’t help but giggle at his expense. So what if you want to give him a little bit of a hard time? It’s his own fault for making that cocky remark back at the barn.

“What fun would that be, hm?” You tease with a wide smile. He tries to scowl at you but it cracks at the edges, quickly losing out to the smile that contagiously spreads on his face.

“So, where are you leading me to? Are you planning on locking me in a cage to keep all to yourself?” He jokes back.

“Ha! You wish!” You howl with laughter. “You’re not conning me into spending the rest of my days waiting on you hand and foot while you just lounge around!”

“You act like being held hostage is code for having a servant doing everything for you,” he laughs with you.

“It might feel like it when you live the ‘Idol life’,” you counter a hint of sympathy softening your tone. He hums in understanding as silence settles between you two.

“So if you’re not trying to lure me into the woods to kidnap me, what are we doing?” He asks again, curiosity fueling him. It’s not everyday a pretty girl invites him to ride a horse to an undisclosed location.

You give him a smirk. “Just trust me, you’re gonna love it out here.”

“I will follow you anywhere,” he confesses. And the way he looks at you sends a flutter through your stomach. You try to hide your blush, tousling your hair from one side to the other and clearing your throat from poorly hidden nerves.

“I guess I’d better make it worth it then, huh?” You reply.

A comfortable silence is back between the two of you as your horses carry you casually down the path. Just being in his presence is enough to ease your nerves. Even if he’s half the cause of them with his flirty words.

But you bask in them if you’re honest with yourself.

There’s nothing else you want more in the world than to keep his attention. Not exclusively, you’ll always be willing to share his attention with STAY…well maybe almost always.

It feels really amazing to have his full attention in moments like this. Without the staff or the members or the public, just the two of you.

The path widens as the trees begin to thin around you, a sign you’re almost there. Your eyes light up and you give Storm a little nudge with your heel to move quicker. He eagerly picks up the pace.

“Hey! Not again!” Seungmin squawks in disapproval as he gives Pearl a kick to follow you.

“Keep up slow poke!” You shout back at him. He surprises you with how quickly he catches up to you.

The laughter from the two of you ringing out as you playfully exchange the lead, neither of you actually wanting to “win”. You marvel in how fun it actually is to have him riding with you, riding like he actually knows what he’s doing. Which you know he doesn’t but you are there to help him if he really needs it, so you’re not worried.

Suddenly, you realize you’re almost to the spot you had been planning on showing him.

“Hey! Whoa, whoa. Slow down,” you tug on Storm’s reins. Seungmin mimics your actions too, pulling Pearl back gently and, not as smoothly, manages to slow her down alongside you. You giggle at his bumpy shift of speed. And he shoots you a look of warning as to silently say, ‘not a word’.

You smile as you shake your head teasingly at him. “It’s just up ahead,” you explain, trotting to once again take the lead for him to follow more leisurely. The line where the trees stop is right in your sights now, the clearing of the wide open field jolts the excitement through your core.

Seungmin gasps when the view opens up. “Wow,” he says under his breath. Just loud enough that you can hear.

Your smile widens, pulling Storm to the left to a spot that would be easier to hop down from your saddle. He notices and follows you, trying to look smooth as he nearly falls on his ass trying to get off Pearl’s back. You suppress the laugh that threatens to bubble up at his sloppy dismount, not wanting to embarrass him.

“Come on. Let’s go sit at the edge of the hill,” you offer.

He walks beside you, so close your fingers occasionally brush. It makes your heart race. The prospect of being alone with him, away from the cameras or watchful eyes, being allowed to hold his hand without worry of a scandal.

It makes you brave.

You finger flex in his direction, purposely brushing across his knuckles. And you’re sure you hear his breath hitch, but his fingers reach towards yours too, giving you more confidence. You glance down and lace your pinkies together. His eyes fall between you two, curiously glancing up at you.

“Just my pinkie?” He chuckles, tightening the little grip that your tiniest fingers can manage.

“Yeah, we don’t use our pinkies when we ride,” you giggle with your explanation like it’s so obvious. The way he just stares at you makes you laugh even more. “Didn’t you pay attention to your intro lesson?” You teasingly ask.

“Apparently not,” He chuckles nervously.

“It’s ok. It’s not the most important of details,” you assure him. “You’re supposed to keep your pinkie wrapped outside rein because it’s less likely to break that way. It is the weakest finger after all,” you joke.

“Checks out,” he laughs.

“So I figured, it’s always free for you, no matter what,” you explain with a softer tone. His eyes widen at your logic. You always have room for him. You’ll always have a place for him. Always be there for him.

He stops, your entwined fingers tugging you to a halt as well. You look up at him curiously but he pulls you into him before you can even ask. His free arm wraps tightly around your shoulders, face trying to bury in your hair to hide the emotion threatening to surface.

“I never wanna let go,” he admits, your pinky fingers still interlaced. You smile into his chest.

“You’ll never have to,” your words a comfort he didn’t know he needed.

You pull back and show him your smile. The one that, little did you know, he would die happy if he got to see every day for the rest of his life. There’s a skip in your step as you pull him the last few feet to the spot you had wanted to sit with him. The view is breathtaking but you don’t notice the way he can’t peel his eyes away from you.

The two of you sit in the soft plush grass at the top of the hill, looking out amongst the plains of pure unbridled wilderness. Taking in the sights while holding onto each other, cuddled up close where the camera crew can’t find you.

And for once, you don’t mind letting go of the reins to see where this takes you.

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taglist

@kangaracha @rainfallingfromthesky @puppysmileseungmin @defnotfertilizedtoesw @teenyfinds

@bbokari711 @lakoya @chlodavids @rylea08 @chanshugsaretherapy

@palindrome969 @here-to-read-and-read-fics @keepswingin