#Jung Jaehyun X Black Female Reader

[epinebleue]

for the rest of our lives | jung jaehyun

not every little girl dreams of being Queen one day.

pairing: prince!jung jaehyun x princess!reader (female)

genre: royalty!au, angst, fluff (but you’ll miss it if you blink).

warnings: heavy depiction of anxiety.

author’s note: for the rest of our lives was one of the fics that marked my beginning as a tumblr writer, so starting this new but familiar journey with it feels just right.

listen to: hush by everglow (you’ll see that i’ve introduced quotes (in pink) from the song in the story).

The red roses are growing. 

Spring has arrived earlier this year. The garden is splashed with pink, peach, and orange flowers that can be observed from the terrace of your room. The air is chilly, but not cruel like that of winter. It’s refreshing, it smells like a new start. Maybe that’s the reason why your mother insisted on celebrating the wedding in April. 

Standing on the terrace, you follow your father’s figure. He’s walking down the pebble path; his crown, made of gold and rubies, shines under the sun. Even from the heights, you catch the smile hidden under his big, black beard. His eyes shine even more than his crown. He’s happy, how couldn’t he? His daughter, his only child, is finally getting married. One step closer to becoming Queen.

Behind him, your mother talks to one of the maids, pointing a graceful finger towards the garden. Two men carry a table, placing it exactly where your mum has asked. She nods, ordering them to go grab the chairs. Jae, your husband-to-be, wanted an outdoor banquet, and it's hard to tell him when he gives you that charming smile. 

Your heart starts to pound faster in your ribcage. Husband-to-be. That’s a serious title. You press your palm against your chest, feeling the silky texture of your nightgown under it. You close your eyes and take a big breath in. Your life doesn’t feel yours anymore, yet, somehow, you’re living it. It’s like a dream you aren’t able to wake up from.

A light knock on your door startles you, but every worry that clouds your mind disappears the moment you hear your favorite voice coming from outside. 

“It’s open, you can come in.” 

Jaehyun is holding a bouquet as if it were his newborn child. It consists of roses, tulips, and baby's breath: a mix of your favorite flowers. You accept it, even if you think you don’t deserve it. You force yourself to look into his eyes, ever so soft. They make you feel better. Jaehyun always makes you feel better. 

“Good morning.” 

“Good morning.” Your tone is playful and so is his smile. “Isn’t it too early for flowers?” 

“Any time is good to give my future wife flowers.” He leans forward to steal a kiss from you. You don’t fight it. “I’m going back home in a few minutes; I’ve got to pick up my grandma for tonight’s dinner.” 

“So, you’re abandoning me.” 

He doesn’t laugh, because you’re not joking. He has a younger brother who could bring Queen Haneul, but Jaehyun is the favorite grandchild, the one who will become King. You understand, in a way, but you wish he had said no for once. He knows how much you hate organizing big events. 

“Don’t be like that.” 

All in all, he knows you can’t stay angry at him, so his smile doesn’t disappear. Even his eyes are smiling, forming half-moons. Forget your father’s crown, Jaehyun’s smile is the shiniest thing you’ve seen today. “I'll be here in no time. You won’t even notice my absence.” 

“I take that as a promise.” 

You tiptoe to kiss him again. It’s not a little peck this time, but a proper kiss. Your lips capture his and you get lost in his arms, which hold your waist. Now, this is a dream you'd like to live in. You wish you could turn it into liquid and pour it into a bottle to take a sip whenever you need to. Here, in Jaehyun’s embrace, you feel safe, you feel happy, you feel free. Or, at least, the illusion of all of it. 

Someone clears their throat, making you break apart with a jump. Jaehyun turns around with a straight back to find your maid. She looks down, avoiding eye contact and trying to hide her rosy cheeks. 

“I’m sorry.”

“No, no, it’s fine.” You turn to Jaehyun. “I’ll see you tonight then.” 

Jaehyun says his goodbyes, pressing his lips to avoid a laugh coming out, and the maid bows to him when he passes by. 

“I’m sorry, princess, really sorry.” She repeats, getting in the room. 

“You’ve got nothing to apologize for, Lami. We should’ve closed the door.” 

Lami is still young, a bit inexperienced, and clumsy. But she’s also genuine and funny. It reminds you of when you were a child. 

Lami makes your bed while you have breakfast, then walks to your closet to choose a dress for you. 

“Would you like to wear yellow today, princess?”

You like yellow, so you agree. Leaving the flowers carefully on the couch, you get up and hop into the bathroom to brush your teeth and have a shower. The yellow dress makes you feel fresh, just like the flowers Jaehyun has gifted you. You sit in front of the dresser, noticing that a sleepless night has taken its toll: the bags under your eyes are huge. 

You grab your hairbrush from the drawer. It's a gift from your late grandfather, who bought it during one of his trips. It’s made of gold and your initials are engraved on it. It’s so old that it’s all scratched, and several sows have fallen. 

“Are you excited?” Lami asks, watching you brush your hair. It’s your favorite moment of the day. The sows against your scalp relax you, and God knows you need it today. “I can’t believe the wedding's tomorrow.” 

Something inside you screams, but you remain silent. The moment has finally come. 

You're getting married tomorrow.  

Everything ends tomorrow.

“Should we move this table a bit to the left?” Your mother asks, authority disguised as a friendly request. The servants nod and move the table under your mother’s hawk gaze. “There, perfect. What do you think, sweetheart?” 

“I think it looks perfect, mother. Everything’s perfect.” 

You walk behind the Queen with arms crossed, pretending you care greatly about the position of the tables and the color of the tablecloths when, in fact, you couldn’t care less. You wish Jaehyun was here. Everything’s easier when he's by your side. 

“I can’t believe it.” Your mother claps. “It feels like yesterday when you met Jae for the first time, doesn't it?” 

The fond memory makes you smile. “I never imagined that I'd marry the boy who spilled his lemonade all over my dress, then tried to make the stain go away with water.” 

“Isn’t it crazy?” 

You can’t stand the proud look that your mother gives you. The fact that you'd be Queen one day was never a secret. A big grin appeared on your face anytime your parents brought up the subject, a grin that hid your true emotions. It was your destiny, and you had learned to accept the life that came with it. 

A life trapped inside an iridescent crystal cage, always able to look out but never allowed to leave.

Jaehyun always keeps his promises.

He shows up earlier than you thought, so he’s the one in charge of welcoming the guests as you get ready. 

Jaehyun’s at the bottom of the stairs as you go down. He doesn’t notice you at first, looking away and bouncing his leg. When his eyes finally find you, the face he puts is priceless. The dress you’re wearing tonight is pale pink, a gift from Jae. You love how it fits you, but you love how Jaehyun looks at you when you wear it more: as if you were the most precious thing in his life, if not the only; as if he would fight wars for you. 

“You look beautiful tonight.” He mutters once you're by his side. 

“Just tonight?” 

Two guards stand in front of the door that leads to the garden, where everything’s ready for your grand entrance. 

Jaehyun offers you his arm, and you don’t hesitate to grab it. You’re so nervous that you think your legs will fail and you’ll fall in front of everyone. As if he read your mind, he whispers so that only you can hear him. 

“I’ve got you.” 

You know he does.

Jaehyun nods at the guards and they open the doors, the clapping of the guests deafening. Both of you wave your hands at them as you make your way towards the main table, where Jaehyun moves the chair for you to sit, and then occupies the seat beside you. 

The dinner goes smoothly. Jaehyun kisses your hand at every opportunity, but you don’t complain. It makes your heart flutter, it makes you forget.

Your father stands up before dessert comes, softly hitting a glass to announce he’s about to talk. He tells a joke that makes everyone laugh before giving a speech that makes your mother cry. You blow him a kiss from your seat, mouthing that you love him. He tells you that he loves you, too. You wonder, would he still love you if you ran away?

Jaehyun rises to his feet with a hand extended in your direction, which you accept. He leads you to the center of the garden, standing in front of you. There's a bow with his hand on his chest that makes you giggle, then you're placing your hand on Jaehyun’s shoulder, looking into his eyes. He grabs your waist, and the orchestra starts to play. The pair of you move around swiftly as if your movements were natural and not the result of months of training with the world's best dancer. 

“Tomorrow by this time we'll be married.”

Your jaw clenches, and your heart stops for a second. 

“I know.” You manage to answer. “It doesn't feel real.” 

“I can’t wait,” Jaehyun whispers. “I can’t wait to make you my wife and form a family. I’ll tell our kids magical stories, stories in which fairies will save princesses and monsters will become good things.” 

Only Jaehyun would make you feel like you deserve something as precious as a family with him. Does wanting to run away make you a bad person? Of course, it does. The only thing you love from this life is him, but it’s not like you can choose. It’s all or nothing, it has always been. Tears that you think he mistakes for those of happiness slide down your cheeks, ruining your makeup.

“You’re like the twinkle star I imagined every day since I was five." You press your face against his chest. He allows your tears to wet his shirt. “I love you, Jaehyun. I love you more than I love myself. You believe me, right?” 

“Of course I do. And I love you, too. I'll always love you, even when I'm grey and wrinkly.” He kisses the top of your head, then hides his face away to whisper in your ear. “No matter what you decide. I promise.”

Jaehyun always keeps his promises.

Your aunt tries to console your weeping mother only to fail miserably because she can’t stop laughing at her crying face. They start bickering, and you’re grateful for not being the main focus. 

You’re standing on top of a big, white stool. Fluttering around you, the maids make sure that everything’s seamless, that nothing’s out of place. The wedding dress is the perfect size, yet you feel trapped in it. You inhale, then exhale. Once, twice, three times, but it doesn’t work. The pressure against your chest doesn’t disappear. 

There’s a mirror in front of you, but you can’t bring yourself to look at your reflection. You wouldn’t recognize the person there. 

“Princess?” Lami calls. She seems to be the only one in the room who sees you, who really sees you. “Are you okay?” 

You nod, forcing a smile. “I’m just nervous.” 

Someone comes in to inform that all the guests are in the church and that the prince has arrived, too. 

It’s time. 

Lami helps you get off the stool. You hold onto her hands as if they were a lifebuoy in the middle of the sea, and you, a shipwreck. Every step you take out of the house and towards the carriage is heavy and hesitant. You get in, glancing at Lami through the window. You press the palm of your hand against the glass, eyes slowly filling up with tears.  

This is a goodbye, but not to Lami. Not to any other than yourself.

The young maid presses her hand right where yours is and nods. 

“It’ll be okay.” 

That’s the last thing you hear before the carriage starts moving.

The way to the church feels endless. The weight in your chest grows and grows, until you think you’ll stop breathing. 

You know you shouldn’t feel this way. You’re marrying the love of your life. That should be enough to ease you, shouldn’t it? The woods advance as the carriage moves. You fantasize about the idea of jumping out of the vehicle and diving into the forest, getting lost in its depths, forever. 

Your dad, dressed in uniform, helps you get out of the car when you arrive. A red carpet covers the way from the carriage to the church’s entrance. You stand at the beginning of it, holding onto your father’s arm with one hand, your white bouquet on the other. 

“You look beautiful.” He says, teary-eyed. “I’m proud of you.” 

The doors open all of a sudden. The wedding march starts to play, so you walk. Better said, your father drags you because there’s no way you feel in control of your body anymore.

The pews are full of family, friends, and strangers with their eyes fixed on you. Yours can only focus on Jaehyun. He’s wearing his uniform as well, and that smile you love so much. But there’s something wrong. Something in his face looks off. You reach the aisle, where your father hugs you and kisses your forehead. He’s crying. You rarely see your father cry. 

You stand next to Jaehyun. The priest talks but you don’t hear a thing. You can’t do this. You thought you could, but you can’t. Jaehyun holds your hand; the murmurs are instant. What a lovely bride, she’s so nervous. What a lovely groom, look how he’s comforting her. 

The memorized vows come out of your mouth easily. You glance at Jaehyun’s shaky hands before looking into his eyes, overflowing with fear. He isn’t scared of forgetting his vows, he’s scared of losing you. 

“Do you, Jaehyun, take this woman to be your wedded wife?” 

Jaehyun responds right away. “I do.” 

“Do you, Y/N, take this man to be your wedded husband?” 

The question feels like a death sentence. 

You love him, you love him so much that it breaks your heart. You want to beg him to run away with you, but he'd never do that. It would mean leaving his kingdom behind, and he loves his kingdom as much as he loves you. Forcing him to choose would be a selfish move.

But again, condemning yourself to a life that won’t make you happy would also be selfish. Leaving Jaehyun will break your heart, but you're not sure if you can die from a broken heart. Being Queen, however, will certainly kill you.

This isn’t the life you want. You’ve always known. Jaehyun has always known.

Adults want a quick answer, their voices wondering why you’re taking so much time to answer. You try to ignore them, but they’ve already made their way through your brain. You’ve already made up your mind, though, their words can’t change your mind. 

“I love you, Jae.” You grab his hands with tears in your eyes and kiss them. “Please, please, forgive me.” 

You turn around and run away. People get up, gasps ricocheting against the walls of this sacred place. There’s a scream that comes from your father's throat, and you swear he’s chasing you. Jaehyun begs him to stop. 

You look back once you reach the door, hesitating. Is this a good idea? A teary-eyed Jaehyun nods, handing you your confidence back. You open the door and make your way towards the woods. 

The dress hooks on the branches that you have to fight against to make your way through the forest, they scratch your skin. Taking off your heels and throwing them aside, you continue your race. 

You arrive at a clearing, deciding that it’s time to stop now. 

You let your hair loose and check your exposed skin, now red and bloody. 

If you are free then why are you crying? Running away is what you wanted, right? But at what price? Losing your family, losing Jaehyun, losing everything you have ever had. 

The clearing is covered in soft grass and sunlight. Birds chirp in the distance. There’s calm surrounding you but in the ocean that is your soul, you're fighting turmoil. Maybe you should’ve stayed to know how things would've worked out. Maybe Jaehyun would’ve been your rock through it all like he has been all these years.  

You can’t help but wonder. 

Now, with a small collection of wounds, is it too late to turn back?

No reposting or translations allowed.

© epinebleue 2023

[lavender-z-love]

Knock On

Jaehyun X Black.FemReader

☁️ Genre: Fluff, Confession, Idol Lovers

✨️ Warnings: Nothing I don't think, Let me know

☁️ A/n: This was supposed to be posed on December 15th but today is the 16th of January- Anyway I wanted to make something sweet so please enjoy

✨️ Wordcount: About 900

"Wow! The moon is so pretty Tonight!"

Your jaw drops in amazement. The natural satellite, gleaming unusually brighter than usual. Such elegance and charming without it doing much. Jaehyun had brought you to the roof top of the SM's Parking-Lot building. Your fellow Idol friend, asking to spend time with you after a collab. Your friendship growing day by day, it was safe to say Jaehyun was more than ever a big supporter of yours.

He watched you lean against the cement wall/ledge, to get a better look. Your elbows placed on the small wall, you held your chin in the palm of your hands. The stars reflected in your beautiful doe eyes. Jaehyun had to face it, looked like you were more invested in the night sky than him. Jaehyun didn't complain about it though, still you looked absolutely breathtaking. The way the wind blows, as the moonlight glistens upon you. Your dress danced in the delicate wind, shining, giving an illusion you were an angel.

Your jet black hair..its satiny coils which stopped mid-black also had been carressed by the wind. Jaehyun hopped down from the hood of the car he'd been observing you from. As if it wasn't hard enough already to not constantly think about you..or bashful at the sight of you. Tonight he could feel it in his heart; there was no hope for sleep, you lived rent-free inside it. Now standing next to you, it honestly made him timid.

"How are you enjoying the view?"

You sighed in delight,"Oh it's wonderful!" Jaehyun wished you'd look at him like that. You turned to him, revealing a sincere smile. He knew it was genuine and that made him very happy. Your bronzed skin, smooth and airbrushed in the celestial body's light. "Oh! Jae-Sunbae! I hope you dont mind, but I brought you some wine as a gift!"

"Of course. Though, you didn't have to Y/n. Also, please! No need to be so formal with me."

"What? No! I don't mind! Besides, why not?". You playfully winked,"As a matter in fact, celebration is in order!" Jaehyun laughed, receiving his glass. His lips part as the wine glass slips between them. Infact this time, you too become flustered and not because of the wine. Your eyes quickly move back to the sky. Jaehyun hummed as a response,"Its really good!"

"No cheers first?",you laughed.

Jaehyun smiled wryly, and stopped drinking quickly. "Right, Sorry"..He said scratching the back of his neck.

"No, No- I was just teasing Sunbae",you said reassuring him. The both of you walk and take rest against Jaehyun's car, taking seat on top of the hood. Enjoying a nice evening ambience. Jaehyun eventually taking notice that you were shivering. In a swift motion, he takes his jacket off, draping it on your shoulders. You pulled the jacket together, amused,"Sunbae I appreciate the gesture, but aren'tyou cold?"

Jeahyun, scoots a bit closer. Helping you zip up the jacket. "No I'm fine. Though, this is nothing, Im capable of much more than you think, Y/n". He smiled, keeping his eyes on you. "Much more you say? Like what?",you asked as you adjusting the jacket. You were cute, asking him little questions.

"Oh well—cooking, cleaning, I'm a huge romantic.." Suprised to hear him playfully respond back. You were speechless, gazing back at him with a light pink hue. "Seems like, there was competition between me and the moon, for your attention."

"Competition?"

"Mhm..Looks like Ive finally won too."

Hiding behind your hair, embarrassed by the things he's saying. Jaehyun's no idiot, the two of you have been working on a collaboration for a while if anything, he's come to have an idea of what your habits are. One of them being when you're shy, you use your hair to hide. His hand carefully reaching over to brush your locks out of your face and behing your ear.

"You're right Y/n, The moon is absolutely beautiful tonight", Jaehyun Sung. Realizing that, the phrase that Jaehyun just said had another meaning. "Sunbae!", You yelp gently pushing his shoulder. "You shouldn't say things like that!" You covered you mouth, shocked by his sudden confession. "Y-You've clearly had enough to drink", You declared soon attempt to take his glass away from him. Though when you placed your hand on the wine glass, Jaehyun stopped you. Placing his slender fingers on yours. There it was that Princely smile he'd given you many times before, but for some reason..this time was different.

Finding your reaction quite enjoyable, he soon spoke up,"Im serious Y/n..I'm not speaking to you as your 'Sunbae'..but as Yuno." Your eyes widened, shocked.. "But..Im-" you were swiftly cut off,"I don't mind one bit."

You averted your gaze, looking down at your fiddling fingers..You liked him, you did- "God you're embarrassing.."

Jaehyun blessed you with that cute angelic laugh. He was now standing in front of you. One hand on your left and the other on your right. He leans in a little,"So? What do you say?"

Why, why was he like this. Speaking of which...the atmosphere so beautiful when he asked you, almost like the universe had this planned for you. The moon illuminates his skin giving him such a glow. There was no pressure into anything you didn't want. You were just taking in this masterpiece in front of you.

Your answer was with certainly, you attempted to hide your bashfulness. "Yes, I-I'd love to."

A cheeky grin, from ear to ear. "Tell me if this is too bold of a move, I'll stop If you're uncomfortable.." He leans in, holding his hand up to your left cheek. Soft strokes with his thumb on your skin. His lips now, embedded on your right cheek. You were definitely flushed though because of the night sky, it went unnoticeable.

Jaehyun pulls away, slightly tugging at your hands. He placing them around his neck, and he went back to his previous position. Leaning forward with his hands on either side of you.

"So.."

"So?"

"What's our first deed as a couple?"

You look to the sky thinking,"Err..Um– promise me."

He raises his pinkie to you,"Of?" His action catches you off guard. 'He's so cute!' You thought to yourself. "Keep me happy...Treat me right." You raise your pinky, linking it to his.

"I, Jung Jaehyun, Promise to keep you happy...I'll keep you elated, I'll make you more than happy. I will treat you right, Y/n."

"Sunbae–"

Your pinkies fall,"My turn, ditch the 'Sunbae' Jaehyun, Yuno, or a pet name will do."

He lifts his his opposite pinkie,"Um..Sunb–"

He stops you, waving his pinkie,"uh uh uh..Promise me." With your eyes semi-closed you glare at him. 'Hmm...I guess.' Now linking your pinkie with his again. "Okay then deal."

"Deal", your fingers fall. His eyes glow with endearment. He was willing and ready to make you happy. "What do you say we pick this up from tomorrow? Maybe with a date?"

You nod shyly,"Yes..I like the sound of that."

Written on December 15th 2022

[jaesqueso]

Baby don’t stop (m)

pairing: gym buddy!jaehyun x female!reader

summary: you don’t want to deal with feelings, but you don’t want him to stop

word count: 5,089

warnings: fluff, unprotected and protected sex, oral, fingering, semi-public sex

a/n: ever since I saw these gifs of Jaehyun I knew I had to write this, it just took a bit longer than I thought 😅 I hope ya’ll enjoy it ❤ not proof read yet

☽ ・・・・・ ☾

For most people going to the gym is a burden. The strength it takes to get out of the house and going to a place where you’re sweating and in pain sometimes loosing to the will to stay in the comfort of the couch. Those people definitely don’t work out with Jung Jaehyun.

You’ve seen him around town before. Well, who hasn’t? The man exudes seduction wherever he goes. Man and woman gagging at his handsome features and his sweet personality. So when you were looking for a new gym, since the one you used to go reallocated to another city, you made your decision when you saw him sitting on a bench, legs parted but back straight, his face showing the pain of those shoulder presses he was doing. In the first weeks you noticed your schedules seemed to match and running into him went from a polite greeting to actually working out together as you got to know each other.

“I thought I’d run into you here.” Seeing his smile walk through the door almost makes you crumble out of your plank position but you manage to hold it until your timer goes off.

Sometimes you like to go into one of the rooms of the gym, when there’s no classes going on, to have more space and privacy and since you’re a regular the staff had no problem with it. So when Jaehyun didn’t see you on the shared space he know exactly where to find you.

“I thought you’d given up training.” You get up, wiping your sweat with a towel as he walks up to you in his plain black t-shirt and grey sport shorts.

“Oh, come on, I’m only like ten minutes late.” Rolling his eyes he grabs a mattress and places it next to yours.

“Ten minutes? More like half an hour.” You chuckle as he glares at you.

Over time you became close enough to bicker and tease each other like this all the time. There was no denying you felt incredibly attracted to him but you couldn’t tell if he felt the same or was just being nice like he was to everybody else.

“Did you miss me that much? Don’t worry, I wouldn’t ghost you like that.” He winks as he does his stretching, making you shake your head with a grin. “So, what are we doing today?”

“Core.” You wiggle your brows.

“Oh great.” He pretends to be excited before letting his body fall into the mattress.

“Don’t be a pussy. You gotta work on those abs!” Playfully you slap his stomach but instantly regret feeling how rock solid he already his through his shirt.

“Oh no, you injured me! Guess I can’t do it no more!” He fake groans on the floor. “I need some mouth resuscitation, quick!”

“You wish!” You laugh to mask how much you’d love to do exactly that. “Come on, time to start a new set.”

“Ugh, ok lets go.”

This is a familiar set you two already know by heart. Starting off with sit ups, then some flutter kicks, followed by mountain climbers, traditional hip thrusts and some crunches, ending with a minute plank. As usual, you go through 5 sets, even if you had already done one, hyping up each other while your bodies grow sore and glistening with sweat, the temperature of the room rising.

As much as you’re used to working out with Jaehyun, you don’t think you’ll ever stop sneaking glances at the way his muscles tense up and how he bites his bottom lip to focus on controlling them. You’re pretty sure your body heat is not only from the exercises but the burning desire of feeling his warm skin against yours. It doesn’t help that the core set is just so… Sensual.

What you didn’t know is that he did the exact same thing. From the corner of his eye he observes every inch of your body, how you manage to be all sweaty and still remain so sexy. How he wish he could feel those hips thrusts against his-

“Jaehyun!” You pull him out of his transe. “Plank!”

“Oh, right!” He quickly switches positions to keep up.

“Come on, this is the last set.” You try to encourage both of you on finishing it.

“Why does a minute in plank feel like three hours?” Groaning he tries hard to hold his position.

“3, 2, 1… Done!” The timer goes off and you two let your bodies fall to each mattress, panting.

“Finally!” Jaehyun cheers turning his body around and you do the same.

Smiling as you stare at the ceiling, you take long breathes to bring your heart rate down. When you look the side you see him turning his face to you too. For a few seconds you lay there looking at each other, chest heaving up and down. There has always been some sexual tension between you two, even if none admitted it, but today it just felt particularly strong. That’s why in no time your lips were pressing against each other as your bodies entangled into one.

His hands roam on your sides as you pull his shirt over his head, throwing it somewhere around the room. The kiss is desperate and intense letting you know how much he’s been thinking about this too. With him on top of you on the thin mattress, your shirt comes off as well, but your sports bra is too tight and sticky so he gives up and leaves it on.

When his hand cups your core, the fabric sticks to it but you know it’s not sweat, it’s your burning desire to feel more. Your tights leggings struggle to slide down your legs, but this time he’s not giving up that easily, taking your shoes with them. His lips then travel down your neck, tasting your salty hot skin. Wet kisses are left between your breasts, on your stomach, down to your still covered pussy.

By now you’re both too needy to get any more naked so he simply slides your panties to the side to slide his fingers between your folds, making you moan as your hand makes its way inside his underwear to stroke his hard dick. His long slender fingers slide so easily inside you, the nasty noises as he pumps them in and out driving you insane.

“Fuck me, Jaehyun.” You groan against his lips.

“You don’t have to ask me twice.”

With a smirk he removes your hand from his member, pushing his shorts and briefs down his hips and letting out the beast. You yelp when your legs are pushed apart and he positions himself between them.

“Shit, I don’t have a condom…” He sighs right before he was about to align himself with your entrance.

“That’s ok, I’m on the pill. And you can pull out.” You desperately suggest, there’s no way you’re losing this opportunity.

“You sure?” He confirms.

“Please, Jaehyun…” You beg pulling his hips down on yours.

Without wasting any more time, he pumps up his dick a few times and rubs it between your slick folds before finally sliding it inside you. You bite your lips at the satisfying stretch, digging your nails into his shoulder. After adjusting, his hips start moving against yours, quickly increasing the speed of his thrusts in despair.

Your legs instantly wrap around his waist, pulling him as closer as you can so he can hit as deep as he can. You’ve dreamt about this moment for so long, but your fantasies can’t come close to how it really feels to have all of him in you, as his mouth leaves beautiful marks all over your neck.

After a while he turns you around with his strong arms, lifting your hips so you’re resting on your knees as your face is pushed down. When he enters you again, the angle making it hit differently, has you grasping on the mattress.

With a tight grip on your hips, he moves just at the right pace to start building that sweet feeling deep inside of you. You’re not one to cum easily but damn, you’ve been waiting for this moment for what feel like a life time and damn, he’s doing such a great job.

Lifting your head you’re graced with a beautiful vision: the huge mirror on the wall in front of you showcasing his shirtless sculptured figure right behind your sinful position. You notice the way he bites his lip just like he does when lifting weights, and it drives you crazy. Soon his eyes find the reflexion of yours making the corner of his lip curl up in a devilish smut.

Suddenly your upper body his lifted against his, leaving you on full display in the mirror, his movements in and out of you never stopping. One of his hands travels down your stomach before his index and middle fingers start circling your clit increasing your pleasure. His coordination is unbelievable, much like his self control, because you could sweat he was holding his orgasm in just to make this moment last a little longer.

“Cum with me.” He whispers against your ear as you both watch your bodies moving in sync.

With one last groan you do as you’re told, like a good girl, almost crumbling down if his grip around your waist wasn’t that tight. Watching you fall apart in front of him triggers his own high but he manages to pull out, like a good boy, white strings of cum flying into the mattress.

For a few seconds you stay just like that, kneeling in each others arms as you regain your breath and let your heart rate get back to normal.

“Guess we don’t need cardio today.” Jaehyun jokes as you two start to get dressed.

“Don’t think the staff will love our alternative for the treadmill though.” Chuckling, you grab your towel to clean up what you can from the mess on the mattress.

“Oh shit, do you think somebody heard us?” He looks around, thanking all heavens that the small room doesn’t have any windows or cameras, at least that he can spot.

“We weren’t interrupted, were we?” You shrug with a grin. “Besides, it’s not like our noises were much different from someone exercising really hard.”

You both laugh but then he walks to you, hand gentling resting against your cheek before he leans for a kiss. This time his lips move slower, he doesn’t rush as you already got the lust out of the way. It should feel good, and it does, but you can’t help but freeze on the spot, panicking inside.

“I gotta go.” You grab your things and rush to the door right after he steps back.

“Wait! Did I do something wrong?” He calls but you’re already out of the room.

Quickly he grabs his stuff and tries to chase you but you’re nowhere to be found. He tries calling but you don’t pick up. He texts but there’s no reply. Jaehyun’s confused, he thought you wanted this, he thought you liked him. But if you did, why did you run away?

It was hard not answering his calls or texts but it just got too real too fast. Yes, there was physical attraction between you two and he is a fun guy to be around. But that last kiss just felt like too much, like there were feelings behind it and that’s something you just can’t deal with.

You decide not to go to the gym the rest of the week to avoid him. Childish behaviour? Yes. But it beats having to deal with possible feelings.

Friday night arrives and you decide to go out, have some fun and forget about all this mess. You meet up with some friends but once you get to the club everybody casually spreads out, some looking to pull, some just finding a spot on the dance floor. As for you, the bar is your first destination, greeting the bartender and ordering your usual drink.

“Guess faith is stronger than your will to avoid me.”

Looking to the side you see Jaehyun. Up until now you’d only seen him in his gym clothes, but you gotta admit the red dress shirt and black pants suit him like a glove. But you push the lust to the side and grab your drink about to disappear into the crowd.

“Wait.” He grabs your arm making you look back. “We need to talk.”

“About what?” You step back, taking his hand off of you.

“I think you know.” You sigh, realising there’s no point running away. “We were hitting it off so well, why did you run away?”

“Look,” you stop his hand from reaching your arm again, this time to caress it, “I don’t want you to get the wrong idea about us.”

“And what idea is that?” He raises a brow.

“I don’t do relationships, Jaehyun. Yes, I had a good time with you but that’s it. If you’re looking for more than that, I’m not your girl.” You turn back around about to go your way again.

“Who said anything about a relationship?” His words stop you. “I had a good time too. And I think it would be a waste to just throw away all this chemistry.”

You remain in place, thinking about what he said, se he walks over to you.

“We can just keep it casual, you know?” His breath against your ear as his hands make their way to your hips, brings a smile to your face. “Just physical, not feelings.”

“You can buy me another drink first.” You push him away and turn around. “Then we’ll see.”

It doesn’t take a psychic to guess how the night ended. Bodies entangled, rolling around on his sheets. Luckily he had a drawer full of condoms so you didn’t have to play the dangerous pull out game again.

The next morning, Jaehyun wakes up alone as you sneaked out when he instantly feel asleep after your new work out plan. For a second he thinks you might’ve have regret the agreement but your texts are back making him chuckle as he goes in the bathroom to take a shower.

You didn’t take any more chances at the gym, saving the place to actually work out, but you start meeting casually when needing to blow off some steam, or if you were just in the mood. You never discussed being with other people in the mean time, but if you got what you needed from him, why would you go through the process of picking up someone new?

You just had one rule: no sleeping over. Wether he went to your place, or you went to his, nobody sleeps the night at the other’s bed. That’s your one requirement to avoid feelings. And so far it seemed to be working. Months have passed and your friends with benefits agreement feels like one of the best decisions you’ve ever made.

Until one day he decides to say the forbidden words.

“Why don’t you stay?” You ignore his words and pick up your clothes to get re-dressed, but he insists. “C’mon, it’s late and I know I wore you out tonight.”

“Jaehyun stop.” You don’t have to look back to know the proud look on his face from his performance tonight.

“I don’t get why you insist on leaving right after we have sex.” He sits on the bed, back against the headboard, not even bothering to cover his still naked body. “You make me feel so used.”

“Oh, poor thing.” You go along with his joke at first but then decide to clear up the boundaries. “I told you why.”

“‘Sleeping together leads to waking up together which leads to feelings, blah, blah, blah’, I know, I know.” He mocks your voice and groans, “I just can’t understand why you’re so scared to catch feelings.”

“I’m not scared,” you roll your eyes, “I’m just-”

“‘Not that type of girl’, right…” He sprawls across the bed, getting annoyed with the conversation.

“If you know all of that, why are we discussing it?” You check yourself in the mirror, adjusting your hair.

“Because I feel like you’re softening up.” He casually replies.

“What?” You turn around with furrowed brows.

“Don’t think I haven’t noticed.” His tone is cocky, “The texts we exchange, the way you kiss me and touch me lately… I know you’re getting smitten.”

“Goodnight, Jaehyun.” You grab your jacket and purse and get out the door.

When you get home you can’t stop thinking about what he said. You grab your phone and open your conversation with him. You cringe a little bit at how… Cute you started talking over all the usual teasing. Could you really be getting smitten?

Locking your phone, you lay on your back as you stare into the celling. Maybe you have been a little more kissy and touchy lately. Ugh, did you catch feelings and didn’t even realize? Your mind is a mess and your heart is beating like crazy. Is this what having feelings feel like? I do people live like this?

The next time you meet up at your place, no one talks about the conversation that has been on repeat inside your head, not that there’s much talking at all. But when he’s getting ready to go, you can’t stop yourself.

“You’ve been thinking about what you said.” You pull the sheets over your tired bare body.

“About what?” He continues getting dressed.

“About me being scared of my feelings and all that…” He stops with his t-shirt half way through his arm and turns to you with a surprised expression. “Maybe… Just maybe! I could give it a try…”

“Wait.” He walks to the bed and sits on the edge. “Do you mean, give us a try?”

“I guess…” You try to hold in your smile as his grows big. “But you should know I have no idea how to do this.”

“Oh, don’t worry, we’ll make It work.” Crawling over the bed, he heads straight to your lips before you stop him with a hand on his chest.

“Not so fast, I wanna do this properly.” You got him groaning at your barrier.

“What do you mean?” He leans back again.

“I believe we should go on a date first.” You propose.

“A date? Aren’t we a little pass that?” He chuckles taking a peek inside the sheets and earning himself a slap on his hand.

“Jaehyun, I never did this before so I wanna do it right.” You insist.

“OK, ok, you win.” Getting up, he continues getting dressed. “Where should we go then?”

“Don’t worry about it.” You wink making him shake his head with a smile. “How does Saturday at 7pm sounds?”

“Sounds like it’s gonna be fun!” He excitedly replies as he heads out.

“Goodnight, Jaehyun.”

When the front door closes you roll around the bed, giggling like a teenager. This feelings thing is so weird, but you gotta admit it feels kind of nice.

Saturday comes and he’s finishing getting ready when the doorbell rings. You had texted him you’d pick him up so a smile grows on his face. The first thing he sees is a huge bouquet making his eyes go wide.

“Hi.” Your head pops up from behind it with a grin.

“What is this?” He chuckles taking the flowers.

“Well, I read online it’s usual to bring flowers on date.” You shrug.

“I’m pretty sure it’s usually the guy doing this part…” He raises an eyebrow. “But I’ll take it. Let me put these in some water and we can go.”

You awkwardly wait by the door but he is quick to come back. The date is a classic one: dinner and a movie, simple but effective. You didn’t want to go overboard with it in case it went wrong, but of course it doesn’t, you already know each other so well and have so much chemistry that it had everything to go right. The conversation flows, you laugh and get to know each other even more. At the end of the day it was a very successful date.

When you drop him back at his place, you walk him to the door, laughing about a funny scene in the movie you watched.

“Here you are, safe and sound.” You smile, pleased with the outcome.

“I am.” He chuckles. ”I had a really great time.”

“Not bad for a first date, huh?” You nudge his arm.

“Not bad at all.” With that he starts to lean forward expecting a kiss but you stop him.

“You’re supposed to wait til the third date to kiss.” You whisper against his lips that are so close from yours.

“Says who?” He whispers back, not moving an inch.

“The internet.” There’s a pause and then you two start laughing. “I told you I want to do this right, I don’t want you to think I’m easy.”

“Ok, we’ll do it your way.” He finally steps back with a sigh and plays along. “Will you call me then?”

“I will.” You nod. “Goodnight, Jaehyun.”

The rest of the weekend he stays by the phone but no call, not even a text. Why are you so confusing and give him mixed feelings? He thought everything went well but now you just go silent. On Monday afternoon he sees you entering the gym and catches you right before you get into the locker room.

“Oh hey, I didn’t see you!” Your smile looks so genuine that makes his head a mess.

“Don’t tell me you’re avoiding me again.” He puts on the cutest pout.

“What?” You tilt your head. “Why would I be avoiding you?”

“Right?” You grow more confused. “You said you’d call. And then you didn’t…”

“Oh that?” You chuckle. “I read you’re supposed to wait two days to call back. I was gonna do it tonight.”

“Are you serious?” He lets out a relieved breath. “Does everything really have to be under these ‘rules’?”

“I told you I don’t know how to do it, so yes.” You explain, giving no room for him to refute any further. “Now let me go get ready, otherwise I won’t get any exercise done today.”

Jaehyun stands there looking dumbfounded as you go change. You’re so unique and peculiar, but that just makes him like you even more. One thing he doesn’t really like is that because you finally decided to accept your feelings and go on all these dates, he’s getting none so he’s growing horny and needy.

You keep going on dates and, as promised, at the end of the third one, before you say your goodbyes, you pull him in for a kiss. He takes as much as he can from the moment, not ever wanting to let go, but you eventually push him back and leave.

By the end of the fifth date you accept to come inside his apartment for one last drink before you go. You get comfortable on his couch as he prepares some light drinks and then joins you. The conversation continues like an extension of the date, with him scooting closer and closer until his mouth joins yours.

The glasses are placed on the coffee table as the kiss intensifies and you find yourself moving to his lap. His hands grip on your hips, slightly moving them back and forward to create some friction. But as you start feeling something growing under you, you quickly get up and adjust your clothes.

“Maybe we should call it a night now.” You clear your throat.

“Why?” Frustrated, he runs a hand through his hair before rolling his eyes. “Is these because of those ‘rules’?”

“Well, I read guys like to do it on the fifth date but girls prefer to wait until around date nine, so maybe we should go on a few more…” You bite your lip realising how silly these dating rules sound.

“Oh yeah?” Suddenly he gets up and takes off his shirt. “You really want to date four more dates?”

Gulping, you watch his toned torso that you know so well and miss so much. You also notice the bulge in his pants making your insides burn. In your head you start debating if you still want to do this ‘right’ or give into the pleasure.

“So?” He steps closer, voice dropping low.

“Fuck it.”

Closing the distance you instantly jump on him, legs wrapping around his waist as your arms support you on his shoulders. Good thing he works out hard and catches you like it’s nothing, resuming the kiss he wished you’d never stopped.

He carries you into the bedroom and lays you in bed. Your clothes slowly come off, the naked spots getting covered with Jaehyun’s gentle kisses. When you’re fully bare, he takes a spot between your legs, face inches away from your pussy as he blows some hair on it.

Biting your lip, you squirm on the mattress, desperate for more, but his strong hands hold your tights apart before his tongue travels between your juices folds to focus on the center of your nerves, drawing the most intricate designs and driving you crazy.

Soon his fingers join the party, slowly entering you and curling just the right way to massage that special spot. By now you’re not able to hold it in anymore and let the moans escape your lips. All those dates were fun but damn you missed how he makes you feel in bed.

You try to tell him to just fuck you already, even if it gets lost in your sinful sounds, but he seems to be focused in getting an orgasm out of you before making your wish come true. When your body shakes in pleasure he makes sure to lick all your juice before his lips make their way up so you too can taste yourself.

Then he leans back on his knees, taking his time to unbutton his pants, but now you’re impatient so you replace his hands removing the remaining clothes off his body. His jaw drops in a silent moan when you wrap your fingers around his cock, pumping it up and down.

Letting a drop of saliva fall into the tip, you smear it on the head before you start sucking on it with your hand still moving on the length. Gradually you move your mouth lower until you have all of him inside. You start bobbing your head at a nice pace, feeling him grow more if that’s even possible.

Jaehyun messily grabs your hair out of your way, biting his lip as he attentively watches his dick disappear between your lips. His precum mixes with your own taste in your mouth giving you a nasty yet delicious flavour.

You wanted to go all the way and have him explode in your mouth but he’s the one needy and desperate right now. Gently he pushes you back in in the mattress and reaches for a condom on his night stand. He rolls the rubber down his length before aligning himself in your entrance and slowly pushing in.

Pressing your tights to your torso, his hips start moving as your nails dig onto his back for support. His pace and stamina is like no other, but today it feel different. He’s still hitting all the right spots inside you but this time it feels more passionate and caring, even if he’s fucking your brains out.

After a messy kiss, he leans back, lifting one of your feet to rest on his shoulder, slightly changing the angle and making you moan louder. He joins the melody of pleasure in the room, moving faster and deeper as his orgasm builds up. You look up through half lidded eyes and smile spleeplish at that signature expression you adore, the one he makes when lifting weights as he to control his muscles.

He knows he won’t last must longer, and neither will you for your second high of the night, so he moves your leg to join the other one, positioning you on your side, and lays behind you. He wants to feel close to you when he cums so he wraps his arm around your waist, gluing his rock hard torso to your back.

To make sure you get your orgasm before him, he slips your upper leg over his hip, allowing him to hit deeper inside you as his hand moves to your clit. The circular movements of his digits along with the pace of his dick sliding in and out of you are enough to push you over the edge and you coat him in your juices.

Soon, he too is filling up the condom, his moans so close to your ear, almost making you cum again. You stay there for a few minutes, in each others arms, his cock getting soft inside you, until it starts to feel a bit nasty, in a bad way and you separate to clean up.

Back in bed, for the first time you cuddle. It’s such a simple thing but so emotionally powerful that makes you think you’ve done the right thing in letting him in. Letting your feelings in. Your head feels so right laying on his chest, it annoys you much you enjoy listening to his heartbeat as his chest heaves with his steady breathing.

“Alright, time to go.” He taps your shoulder.

“Go where?” You look at him confused.

“Home, silly.” He bops the end of your nose.

You feel like a rock was dropped to your stomach. He wants you to go home. Like you did all those other times. You thought that with dating and accepting your feeling things would be different and it would be good to spend the night, but maybe he thinks differently.

“We already had sex so there’s no point you staying right?” He continues with the most natural smile in his face.

“R-Right…” Still confused, you slowly get up but then get yanked back into his arms.

“I can’t believe you fell for that.” He laughs. “I was just kidding.”

“You idiot!” You hit his chest annoyed at how you realise this is probably what he felt all those times before.

“Shut up, you love me.” As Jaehyun cages you in his embrace you have no choice but to give in.

“Maybe I do.”

☽ ・・・・・ ☾

taglist: @yokshi-unbeliebubble​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ @nc-teen​​ ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ @yutahoes​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ @dimplehyunn​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ @iknowyuno​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ @bebskyy​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ @ne0cultur3technology​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ @nurenciye​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ @luvjeongjaehyun​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ @nohyuckieduckie​​​​​ @booyouwhore17​​​​ @jenoxygen​​​​

unable to tag: @chenleyang @doahflix @criminalmindsz @jaehyunsprincess

[moonctzeny]

The Art of Seduction - The Novice

pairing: coworker! jungwoo x female reader x coworker! jaehyun (nct 127 series)

genre: smut, fluff

word count:  4,9k

warnings: explicit sex, semi-public sex, cunnilingus, handjob, unprotected sex, dirty talk, sir/boss kink, manipulation

summary:

“You are all soul when you want to be, when you feel it, take me far away from my body.”

What separates Novices from ordinary innocent young people is that they are fatally curious. Finding their innocence a burden, they long to be initiated into the ways of the world. Everyone sees them as so sweet and innocent, but they know this isn't so—they cannot be as angelic as people think them.

The Art of Seduction Masterlist (series)

taglist: @lilyliline21, @artgukk, @nicolemelton, @aaasteroidsky, @donutswithjaminthemiddle, @junkyuruto, @jwoos-colored, @aedreamzy, @blue-tyong, @ncteaxhoe, @cutejaeyunie, @jj-ms, @winxnct, @commentgirl, @jonecb-97, @resceluwu, @hyvnjinct, @marklee-hobi-cb97, @yyyyyooooohh, @lovejungwonie, @ahgastayzen, @got-sum-badhabits, @deobitiful, @ivoryyyy, @markable6, @cdellee, @exozenhoe, @meowniee, @nctloml, @ermahgerd101, @aqui-a, @neozhoen, @flower-lise, @blossom-rea, @pjnjzc, @jayla-lover, @smexosthetik, @nctlovesme, @kenzie-gifford, @bunnylover0193, @hyuckssimpclub, @syhznanny, @myeowmyeow, @popsuhcle, @sehunniepot, @bitchenderyy, @piaozhisheng, @b4y-b, @mynctlib, @brattybunforbts, @mariamaravilla, @sweetjaemss, @violetwinters, @haechanies-mommy, @kwoncheesecake, @ningningsworlds, @lighthyucks, @jenoxygen, @ryu-naa, @mushroomkwan, @revehosh, @lcveshotx, @multistan30, @constipation08, @painted-hills, @neomulucased, @jeongyunoenjoyer, @xsnelly, @hwangful, @secretlypg95, @soffsophia, @ahtisa02, @thejungjaehyun, @yincotton, @lilzmeowmeow, @if-i-like-i-reblog, @itsjustveryhard, @kaja2016, @jujusnogood, @minejungwoo, @k1lljoyss, @goingbananasoverpotassium, @rinasluvs

general taglist: @naomis-sins , @slightlymore-main , @jjaeyoonoh, @ichbinschnappi, @infnteen , @markresonates , @babyksworld, @kaja2016

Part 1

Part 2 - The Novice

You’ve been studying him all morning.

Fumbling with a stapler, a pen, his scribbled notebook. By noon, you’ve already reached the definite conclusion that Jungwoo resembled a deer. Tall and lissome, wide-eyed and nervous; not many differences could be spotted between the young man and a prey caught in headlights. Always electrified by a current of nervousness that one may think he’d get rid of after working for almost a year at the company.

His naiveté, however, wasn’t just related to his inexperience at the workplace. It was something that stemmed from within. You’ve heard all about him from his colleagues. Buried in student textbooks for years, polishing his academic profile, Jungwoo was thrown too quickly into the adult world without enjoying the sweet benefits that came with it. Plenty of workers in the office had confided in you of their fantasies with the deer. And boy did he finally want a taste as well.

You prowled towards his cubicle confidently, with intention, dressed in all black as if to make the contrast between you both even more evident.

“Mr. Kim?”

He jumps at your sudden presence, doe eyes staring up at you. You can dully see your reflection through his prescription glasses, the silhouette of a cthonic deity set on misleading and seducing. Jungwoo wasn’t used to being addressed so formally, one reason being his short time in the company and the other being his young looks. A bright green highlighter that Jungwoo was previously holding dropped to the floor, its rolling sound just barely drowning out his mumbling.

“M-May I help you?”

“Aren’t you the intern that’s working for Mr. Jung?”

“Mm-yes. Well not anymore”, he babbles out right before clearing his throat, taking out his agenda from the top drawer. He can’t help but quickly let his eyes scan every inch of your body. “I mean, I’m not an intern anymore.”

You nod sympathetically, pretending to care about his promotion.

“I’d like to book an appointment with Mr. Jung tomorrow, if he’s available. The name’s Doll.”

He jolts it down quickly and underlines the writing with a pink highlighter. As far as you could see, everything in his little book was color-coordinated, following what seemed like a very well-thought-out organizational system.

“And what’s yours?”

“I’m sorry?”

“What’s your name?”

You wait patiently as he lets a deep breath out, controlling his raging heartbeat. Respiration had already settled in beads over his brows from your small conversation.

“Jungwoo.”

“That’s a nice name.”

“Doll is pretty. I mean- it’s a pretty name.”

You chuckle incredulously at his nervousness, borrowing a blank sticky note from his desk without bothering to ask. “If you liked that then you should hear my phone number.”

You don’t even have to look at him to know about the pink clouds of rosy color that have settled over his cheeks. You’re too busy writing down your personal array of digits in barely discernible handwriting.

“Do you know about the bar across the street?”

“Y-yeah.”

Leaning forward, you place both of your hands on the handles of his desk chair. His Adam's apple bobbles nervously, eyes jumping from one feature of your face to the other, taking you all in. He could’ve sworn he had seen those eyes before. Maybe in a past life, he thought. He’d remember. You were one of the most beautiful women he had ever laid his eyes on.

Carefully, you slip the now-folded post-it note inside the front pocket of his shirt. You could feel his heartbeat through the fabric.

“Wanna go have a drink with me after work?”

He contemplates for a second, divided on what he should do. It’s not like he doesn’t want to join you, he really does. What scares him most is his own inexperience, all the possible ways he could fuck up this date. Your sweet smell doesn’t make his decision-making any faster, nor easier.

“No pressure.”

Time to man up.

“See you at 5.”

Jungwoo looked even better at the ambient lighting of the bar.

If it wasn’t for his tie that was loosened just enough to expose his collarbones, you wouldn’t have guessed he’d just finished a 9 to 5. His straight hair was unaffected by the humidity tonight, lips swollen slightly from the drop in temperature. You settled in at the bar’s corner, picking out a nice enough liquor to warm you up. You intentionally took the seat right next to him, getting cozy and exchanging body warmth. After a couple of sips of his drink, he visibly loosened up.

“So, Jungwoo, tell me about yourself. What made you want to join the company?”

He wipes his sweaty hands on his pants, nervous that you addressed him.

“Actually, it was Mr. Jung”

“Jung Jaehyun?”, you ask, eyebrows raising in surprise.

“Yes”, he chuckled shyly, “he visited my university as a representative of the company on career day. I thought to myself that I really wanted to be like him one day.”

“You seem to really admire him, huh?”

“I do”, he answers sincerely, “He just looks like he has it all figured out, you know?”

You nod in agreement, circling the rim of your glass with your index in the meantime. What an interesting piece of information.

Raising your glance back up at him, you notice that his eyes are fixated on the work of your nimble fingertips. Jungwoo may seem innocent, but he is also a horny man in his twenties. You grip the base of the sweaty glass firmly, moving your palm up in a repeated motion and fueling his fantasies.

Motioning to the waitress, you ask for two shots of your favorite tequila. Before you can even manage to come up with a new body-language innuendo, the full, short glasses have already arrived. Cheerfully, you raise your glass to your handsome date.

“To new friends”, you toast.

“To you”, he adds.

The burning drink makes you cringe as it travels down your throat, setting your body on fire. As you fight back the welling tears, you realize just how much you love that feeling, that temporary pain that reminds you of being alive.

“Should we get two more?”, you offer, already chasing back the feeling.

“I can’t handle alcohol very well.”

His eyes focus on the clock that’s hanging on the wall behind you, its neon exterior contrasting comically amidst the vintage decorations of the bar. Jungwoo vaguely starts to recall the last time he’d visited that same place, so intoxicated that the plastic the clock was made of almost seemed to melt. He remembers thinking that he’d jumped inside a Dali painting somehow.

The left side of Jungwoo’s brain begins to throb as the memories of that night start to materialize slowly. He’d just gotten accepted as an intern at the company, and his friends convinced him to go celebrate at the local bar. Jungwoo wasn’t used to these types of celebrations, he wasn’t really the partying type, yet he still played along for the occasion. Shot after shot of clear liquid disappeared from between his full lips, each of them burning even more than the one he’d downed before.

With his friends egging him on, Jungwoo stumbled towards a woman he’d been eyeing, who was as blurry as she was beautiful. Barely teetering on the brink of consciousness, he managed to choke out a greeting before her hair began to blend and wrap around the melting clock. His stomach churned violently, head pounding from the sound of his friends’ laughter as he collapsed to the floor. He tried dragging himself out of the delirium, but to no avail. That’s all he could remember before blacking out.

“I can’t handle alcohol very well.”, he repeats.

You place your palm lightly over his cheekbone, rubbing his skin with your thumb to comfort him. “It’s okay. We don’t have to drink anymore.”

Moving his face just a centimeter to the left, Jungwoo lets your thumb come in contact with his alcohol-stained lips. He closes his eyes, letting go for just a second, and rests the weight of his head on your welcoming hand. Rests the weight of the world on you.

Clearing his throat, he asks you a question this time.

“So how about you? How come you joined the company?”

Just as you open your mouth to answer, as if rehearsed, the music changes into a slow, blues rock song.

“I loved this band when I was in high school”, you lie, “Wanna dance with me?”

Jungwoo isn’t a great dancer, but he would gladly dance the whole night with you. Letting you lead him to the middle of the small dancefloor, he realizes that this is the first time he doesn’t feel the strangers’ gazes around him menacingly pierce the back of his neck. He doesn’t care that he’s in the middle of a crowded bar, dancing drunkenly. He doesn’t care that he’s seen.

Swaying slowly to the beat of the song, you feel your body relax under the heat of Jungwoo’s arms that wrap around you. His long fingers rest just above the swell of your ass, and as you press your chest against him the more they dig into your supple skin.

“Having fun?”, you mewl with a smile as you hook two fingers through the loop of his necktie, bringing him in even closer. His breath hits your face now. He knows you’re just a stranger, so how can you make him feel so much?

“Yes. Thank you”, he replies quietly enough for only you to hear.

“For what?”

“For making me feel like the man I want to be.”

Encouraged by the alcohol running through his bloodstream, Jungwoo lets his lips crash against yours. You move your whiskey-flavored mouth against his languidly, slowly unraveling his tie in the meantime to keep your hands busy. Soon he is panting, face flushed and lower body hardening against your skirt.

“Wanna come to my place?”, you suggest against his lips, in a voice so full of promises that it’s impossible to say no.

He nods and scurries off towards your forgotten coats, using his long outerwear to hide his eager hard-on. You both hurry inside a taxi, your apartment’s address being the destination. Not once did your hands leave each other’s body, making out throughout the trip like high school lovers. When you arrived, Jungwoo basically jumped out of the cab, absentmindedly throwing an amount of cash to the driver that would leave a very generous tip.

You stumbled up the stairs of your building, both a little drunk from all the kisses and the alcohol.

“Here I am”, you let him know by pointing towards the door that belonged to your place. You tug the sleeve of his shirt playfully, inviting him in as you fumble with your keys.

He groans, sitting still.

“Doll, wait.”

“What’s wrong?”

He dances on the tip of his feet nervously, thinking of what to say and how to say it.

“I- don’t think I’m ready for this yet.”

You stop turning the key inside your keyhole mid-circle, moving your body to face him.

“Not ready- Oh, Jungwoo, are you a virgin?”

“No, no”, he clarifies, placing his palms on the back of your arms to calm you, “But I’m also not too experienced. I don’t think I can do this whole one-night thing just yet.”

You put his face in your hands, rubbing his cheeks with your thumbs just how he likes it. He leans in for a kiss and you keep it sweet, connecting your lips until he deflates against you.

“We don’t have to rush. And you don’t have to do anything you don’t feel ready for.”

Jungwoo lets out a sigh of relief at your words.

“Thank you.”

“Why don’t I text you and we can maybe go out again sometime? If you’d like that, of course”

“I’d love that, please.”

Turning your body away from his, you resume unlocking the door and wish him goodnight with the blow of a kiss.

“What’s so funny?”, Jaehyun whisper-yells as your neighbor almost jogs away to not interrupt your first kiss any further. You don’t answer him, only rub his lips with the back of your palm, the red lipstick you had messily transferred all over him successfully being wiped off. He laughs heartily at the realization and leans in to steal one more kiss, red painting his lips once more.

“Jaehyun! I just wiped it off!”

“Whatever”, he shrugs, holding your chin between his thumb and his index so that you look at him, “I like it”. He leans in again, kissing your lips, the corner of your mouth, your jaw; moving slowly to the lobe of your ear, leaving a red trail behind. “And I like the way you say my name”.

His whisper knocks all the air out of your lungs, your whole body screaming to just drag him upstairs and moan his name the way he likes all night. It feels impossible but you know what you have to do, pulling him into one last kiss before you unstick your body from his.

Your phone buzzes in your pocket once, letting you know you received a message. You’re almost sure who’s the sender, Jungwoo proving to be a very enthusiastic texter ever since you pinged his phone after your date to the bar. There’s no time for you to entertain his endless need for attention. You’re too busy with the man in front of you.

“I have to go but thank you, again.”

Jaehyun clears his throat, flashing you his pearly whites once more before letting you go.

“See you tomorrow Doll.”

You enter your building giddily, ascending the stairs with a smile of satisfaction at how things turned out. Jaehyun seemed to genuinely like you, enamored by you even, and you’d be lying if you said he didn’t occupy a big part of your thoughts as well.

Walking down the hall, you notice a familiar man laying his body weight against your door. Your smile drops.

“Jungwoo?”

“Doll.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to surprise you after work but it seems like you are the one surprising me after all.”

His solemnity, his glossy eyes. It could only mean one thing.

“You saw us?”

“You have lipstick all over your face. Guess Mr. Jung is messier than I thought.”

You bring your fingers to your lips, rubbing the sensitive skin around them. Your digits soon turn red like the sirens going off in your head.

“Jungwoo, I can explain-”

You didn’t expect him to kiss you. His lips press against you feverishly, with intent. You get lost in his passion as he pushes you against your front door, confused at his reaction yet glad that he doesn’t hate you.

“You smell like him”, he growls in your ear as he nibbles at your lobe, a moan escaping you when you feel his hardened member poking your thigh. He gets harder and harder to read. You can only test the waters.

“But you’re the one who’s gonna fuck me.”

Fumbling with the lock, you enter your apartment before your neighbors gather behind their peeping holes. Jungwoo doesn’t leave you for a minute, tugging at your clothes like a mixture of a needy puppy and a man ready to do some damage. The overwhelmed boy you first met tunes in again for a couple of seconds, hands hovering next to his head, not knowing what to do next. Patiently, you take his right hand in yours, leading it to the most sensitive parts of your body.

“I’m just as good as him, right? Just like Mr. Jung…”

He starts to touch at your soft hips, your ass, your boobs, groping you until you’re all worked up and panting. Sensing your higher temperature he helps to rid you of all your clothes. One by one until you’re standing naked in front of his suited-up figure.

“You are. Maybe you’d like it if I called you mister as well? Mr. Jungw-”

Jungwoo moans loudly, throwing your naked body on your couch before you get to finish. You’re startled at how much he likes the pet name, his hands unzipping his slacks to let his cock swing free. The sound of his belt buckle has you arching your back even deeper. You can only feel the weight of his member over your bare ass, his palm grabbing at a handful of your hair and forcing you to stare at the ceiling.

“Say my name again.”

“Jungwoo-” His grip on your locks tightens, making you swallow a sob before speaking again. “Mr. Jung”

Jungwoo curses under his breath, his hand pressing down on the nape of your neck instead. Two of his fingers follow the line of your spine, his praising touch spreading goosebumps all over your body. He lines up the head of his cock against your slit at the sound of your whimpers, making sure that you want it as much as he wants to bottom out inside you right now. Your pussy is dripping down your thigh.

“Please, Mr. Jung. Just fuck me until I can only think of you.”

Jungwoo doesn’t need to hear anything more, his fantasy fueled up and throwing his hips forward. His dick is stretching you immediately, its impressive length hitting your cervix easily. You grab at the pillows of your couch, holding onto anything that can help you fuck against him.

“I love how you feel around me. So fucking easy to fuck but so tight. Who else are you spreading those legs for in that office, huh?”

“Only you.”

Jungwoo laughs, putting one of his feet next to you on the couch to drill his cock even deeper. With a push against your upper back, he lets you fall head-first on the bottom cushion, lewd moans muffled now. You’re drooling all over.

“I know, Dolly, I know. Let���s see if I can fuck his scent off of you.”

It was a beautiful revelation in the form of his snapping hips against your swollen pussy; the novice turning into a roué. The lost employee playing with the one thing that his role model wants most. Him using you as much as you are using him.

He can almost taste him in the red lipstick you’ve smeared all over his mouth.

Your ass bounces as his hipbones hit against it, thrusts turning erratic as he chases his high. With his long arm wrapping around you, he finds your swollen clit easily, rubbing circles around the flesh with his index and middle finger.

“Oh my god”, your voice scratches out from the back of your throat, heat coiling up around your stomach. You’re the first to reach your climax, hole clenching around his cock and soaking it up. Jungwoo holds you up right on time as your thighs start to shake and give up, fucking into you sloppily through your orgasm.

“Fuck”

Right before he hits the height of pleasure, Jungwoo manages to slip out of you. His cock slaps against his still buttoned shirt from the momentum, ropes of cum flying into the air and landing over your waist and ass. The white liquid starts to travel down your holes, mixing up with your own slick before it hits your apartment’s wooden floor.

Jungwoo looks completely entranced by the sight, body fully satisfied yet mind embarrassed by the weight of your little roleplay he initiated for your first time.

“I’m sorry”, he mutters under his breath as the last drops of cum still fall on your body, so warm and soft and bendable that a little voice urges him to do it all over again.

Anxiously, he finds a tissue box you had laying around nearby and starts to clean you up as best as he could, handing you his jacket to cover up.

“Why are you apologizing?”, you ask him with a chuckle. “Did you not like it?”

“Oh my god, yes, yes, it was amazing but the whole-”

Funny how he can’t even mention him in the aftermath. Dirty mouth going dry. You get up on your knees to reach him better, pulling his face down into a kiss. Jungwoo gladly accepts the opportunity to not speak anymore, distracted by your chest that slips out from his jacket.

“I’m the last person to judge you baby. Why don’t you go home, take a bath and think this through? And if you still want some more of this, you know where to find me.”

Jungwoo nods into the kiss, laying his forehead against yours. He’s too deep into this to walk away now, but a hot shower might help him wash away his sins.

You wake up from your slumber slowly, startled momentarily from the view of a foreign bedroom as you open up your eyes. Warm light squeezes its way between the binders to reach your body, making it glow. A sweltering heat that you can barely comprehend creeps up at you from between your legs, a liquid pleasure that threatens to swallow you whole.

There Jaehyun is, buried between your thighs and looking up at you through hooded eyes. His smile is naughty, yet the light that hits the back of his head creates a halo around him, making him look angelic. The memories of last night start to wash up against you like waves: your dinner date, him leading you to his apartment, and fucking you for the first time. And then again. And again. And again. Your “confession”. The crocodile tears for Haechan.

A raspy moan escapes you as Jaehyun licks all the way from your entrance to your sensitive clit. You cringe at how raw your body feels, the consequences of last night’s fun catching up to you. He sucks at your swollen nub then, sending a current of electricity through your spine. Numbing the pain you feel, enough to consider slipping him inside you one last time.

A buzz from your phone interrupts you, and to much of Jaehyun’s dismay, you pick it up in your hands.

Deer [8:20]

are we still on for today?

Me [8:21]

did you get cold feet, puppy?

Deer [8:21]

you better be more careful when speaking to your higher-up

Jaehyun stops the masterful work of his lips to throw your phone between his messy sheets, successfully regaining your attention.

“Just leave the damn phone for one day. Call in sick like I did.”

“Sick?”, you feign worried, joking. “Is it contagious?”

“After what we did last night, you probably have it.”

“Gross”, you deadpan, pushing his messy-haired head away. Jaehyun insists on pleasuring you, putting you in his mouth again. Licking and sucking your skin like a parched man that can never get enough. Kissing the little mole next to your pussy lovingly.

“One more time”, he mumbles against your lower lips, “I wanna see you come undone for me one more time.”

His five o’clock shadow sends a delicious pinch of pain on the cheeks of your ass as he resumes eating you out. His tongue flicks your clit repeatedly, picking up some of your juices in the process and spreading them around. Slick starts to gush from inside you as your release seems closer and closer, making Jaehyun’s jaw glisten. You whimper and plead needily as your partner picks up the pace, lips never leaving you as you start to squirm.

Your pussy convulses when you cum, hole tightening around nothing. It’s hard for you to distinguish whether you’ve slipped into another dream or if it’s just the haziness of it all, vision blurry from the intensity of your orgasm.

“So beautiful”, he whispers as he stares at your heaving chest, and all the little marks he’s left around your body.

Jaehyun pecks your clit one last time, wiping the mess you’ve made on his face lazily before plopping on the bed next to you. You indulge in cuddling with him for a good ten minutes, risking falling asleep and missing work before you decide to get up for good. Jaehyun kisses his teeth as he watches you collect your clothes that are thrown all over the floor and head to his bathroom.

“You’re a workaholic.”

“And you’re a sex addict.”

After getting out of the shower, Jaehyun’s already asleep. You hope that last night’s date outfit is still considered work-appropriate, borrowing one of his scarves he has laying around to cover up the low décolletage of your dress. Carefully inspecting your reflection in the mirror, you make sure you haven’t left any traces of Jaehyun on you. After you spray a few good pumps of your cologne to cover up the intense smell of his shower gel, you make your way to the subway.

The company was busy as usual, assistants and executives running past you without giving you a second glance. There were only two people in the office who felt their hearts beating faster: you, and a nervous Jungwoo sitting on Jung Jaehyun’s desk.

You enter Jaehyun’s personal office after knocking twice at the door, Jungwoo’s trembling voice letting you in.

His face looks flushed, temples glistening in sweat from the nerves and the arousal. Slowly making your way towards the desk, you feel his eyes raking your outfit that’s riskier than your normal work attire. You take a seat on the right armrest of Jaehyun’s office chair, your body resting against Jungwoo. He’s already hard underneath his slacks.

“You asked for me, Mr. Jung?”

“I- I did”, Jungwoo stutters before clearing his throat, forcing confidence, “you have a lot of work to do, Doll.”

You smirk at his acting, taking off Jaehyun's scarf to reveal your cleavage. The man next to you swallows dryly when you press your left boob against his shoulder. Your dress is riding up, uncovering your thighs and making him drool at the sight.

“Do I?”

“Yes”, he croaks out, palming himself to relieve some of his frustration, “you’ve been slacking off lately.”

“It’s not my fault Mr. Jung”, you mewl, running your fingers through his hair and petting his thigh in the meantime. You try your best to cover up your dirty work so that the people passing by the semi-frosted glass of the office don’t see what you’re up to. “When I see you working I just can’t concentrate. My mind keeps flying off to other things.”

“Like what?”, he asks austerely, gasping when you unzip his pants and wrap your hand around his hard cock. Your index finger collects the precum already dripping from his tip, spreading it all over his length as you start to jerk him slowly.

“Like you bending me right over this desk, flipping up my skirt, and taking me raw.”

“With all these people watching?”

You chuckle, dipping your hand even lower to massage the underside of his balls.

“You didn’t seem to care about being watched when you practically humped me in that crowded bar a couple of weeks ago.”

You were being hyperbolic, but the effect of your words on Jungwoo is evident. His reflection on the black computer screen in front of him stares back at you with wide eyes, his member getting impossibly hard. You rub your soft palm against his tip and you feel him shiver.

“Go on, turn on the computer. We’re working, aren’t we Mr. Jung? You know the password. You’re the boss.”

Jungwoo lifts his trembling hands on the keyboard, typing in the password he knows by heart from the days of working for Jaehyun as an intern. The company’s database system comes to life in front of him, the words made up of pixels looking like gibberish when he’s so close to cumming.

Hearing his ragged breath, you start to jerk him faster. The veins that run across his cock pulsate under your grip, and Jungwoo lifts up his hips slightly to thrust even harder into your fist. The thing that sends him over the edge is the sound of the metallic nameplate on Jaehyun’s desk that shakes more the harder you pleasure him.

You manage to contain some of his cum inside your palm, ropes of white running down your fingers as it overflows. His cock is still throbbing, more shots pouring out with the slightest touch, staining his work shirt and long tie.

“You’re amazing.” You smile at him while you let him catch a breath, cleaning your hand with a tissue you took out from your purse.

“Thank you.”

“No, I mean it. You have this gift- I need you to come back to me again soon. You are all soul when you want to be, when you feel it, take me far away from my body.”

You turn around to check if someone is watching you, and steal a quick kiss from his full lips. His face is glowing. You thank him again.

Jungwoo groans at the mess he made, taking off his jacket to cover up his front. “I’m gonna go clean up in the bathroom. Can you turn off the computer for me? And text me later?”

“You got it.”

Patiently, you wait until he’s fully left the room before you take his seat on Jaehyun’s desk chair. You get your keychain from your bag, unhook a USB you keep there and connect the driver to the computer. Quickly navigating through the company’s database, you scroll down the names of the workers that the HR department keeps here along with their credentials.

You find your name in seconds, and upload a file of forged letter recommendations from your previous workplaces. ‘Doll’ is now fully qualified.

PART 3 -->

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[jaehyunssi]

evermore.

pairing: jaehyun x female reader synopsis: You got a request to interview Jaehyun once, but he asked to see more of you.

#1

You've taken your breath away about a thousand times now. Nervous is probably the one word that felt too simple to describe you right now, you’re more than nervous. How did you get caught in this situation? Rhetorical question. You know the answer, yes, your friend should be the one who’s standing right now holding this ugly black pen and this smudged yellow note at seven in the morning. Promising for a dinner to make it up to you, well, you can’t really deny her.

She’s a journalist, you’re not. That’s why it’s a really bad choice for her to rely this one important work to you. With no brain in your head, you’re going to interrogate―have an interview with this… Jung guy who’s happen to be someone’s child. You can’t really remember who his dad is but you know he’s someone for a reason.

“Journalists, on this way, please.”

The security guy stretches his right arm, signing a path to enter the huge building. There are roughly twenty other journalists waiting on the same line as you are. You’d assume the guy is a hot topic. The building is really, really huge. You take a moment to examine the ceilings, the tiles, the walls. It’s pretty, white and gold, it’s not tacky at all. Penthouse? This must be theirs, now you know how rich these people are.

You’re arrived somewhere inside the building, a room full of chairs where you’re seated now. There’s a tall guy entering the room, he dresses so formal. Black suit with strangely tight trouser, people does have their way to express themselves.

“This might be inconvenience, sorry, but you all only have two minutes each.”

Without knowing the reason, your ears heard the real journalists grumble over the sentence that black suit guy just said. Two minutes to ask someone questions shouldn’t be so bad… isn’t it?

“Two minutes are for the lucky ones, the rest can suck their own dick.”

A journalist who sits next to you on the second row seems like he knows what’s up with you. Hearing him, you believe that every people in this room had an experience interviewing the number one wanted guy in the building himself. If that’s the case, the guy must be ruthless. You only smiled at his words, not wanting to get in trouble for slandering the mighty man.

Time passed.

The first row has finished within five minutes, and there were eight journalists who have entered there. You began to realize and suspect about how fast the interview might be. Seriously, the guy can give a little bit of mercy to these journalists who had a hard time going all the way here.

“It’s me, wish me luck.”

The journalist who talked to you earlier waves you a goodbye when he heard his name. You didn’t catch who he was, but you saw how nervous he is by his trembling hands. Poor guy, the interview must be a ‘one-in-a-lifetime’ for him.

45, 46, 47, 

You’re next.

Both of your eyes widened, didn’t believe that it’s your turn already when you believe a minute haven’t even passed. God, aren’t you in a big trouble for this one? You blow the dust away from your shirt, trying to look somehow clean, hoping to get the lucky two minutes from (apparently) the greatest power in this luxurious place of his.

Okay, deep breath.

There are two securities guarding the tall and wide door that supposed to be entrance of the room where the Jung guy is (you don’t remember his name). They opened them for you, you walk with hesitation but one of the securities pushes your back for you to move faster.

“Hey!” You quickly avoid his hand to touch you longer. What is it with this rich family not having securities with decent manner? Your face looked pissed.

The cherry on top is; the mighty guy saw all that.

You see him standing in front of a big couch, leather. The room is unbelievably bigger when you enter it. It’s not filled with the crowd of furniture, just couches, tables, chairs, huge oil paintings and a wall-sized window. He’s there wearing a huge black coat with a white shirt inside all that thickness covering his body. Not a single expression or look was given by the guy, he seems unbothered. His gaze is sharp, his eyes felt strong, you swore you could get a cold by looking at them too long, he looks… cold.

“Sorry.” You swallowed your own saliva, getting nervous just by him looking at you. “Let me finish this quickly for you.” Quickly grabbing your pen, the guy sees it as his cue to sit, so he sits.

You sit right just in front of him. There’s a huge difference, however. He took a seat in that comfortable looking couch that has ten pillows while you’re sitting at this uncomfortable office chair that its pad doesn’t feel like one. This made you adjust your body frequently, projecting how bad the chair is.

You clear your throat. “Mr. Jung, has maintaining your popularity and the business been hard for you?” Popping the question to the man, you’re building an eye contact with his ice stares.

“No.”

Well, that was quick.

“Did your father choose you as his one and only heir?” One more time, hoping for a longer version of yes or no answer.

“No. Can I ask you something?” He asks you instead.

With hesitation, you gave him your permission.

“Are you a real journalist? You seem like you haven’t done your research.”

Right on the spot.

A curse word was mouthed from you, it didn’t make any voice but a faint whisper. Right, you should’ve asked for the question list from your friend. Why didn’t you? Your eyes shifted from looking at him to the marble tiles inside the room. You messed this up, that’s for sure.

“I’m really sorry for not taking this seriously.” You apologize.

He didn’t say anything. His eyes are busy studying you, trying to guess who and what you really do and how did you possibly get inside. There’s a slight chance for him to think of you as a creep, but that would somehow unlikely to be true. A quiet exhale was made.

“I’m 25. Only child, only heir. Not doing the business, I’m trying to work on something else. No relationship, not looking for one. Having a feud since the end of the year, not planning to wave any white flag.”

He quickly said the information you needed in less than thirty seconds. You didn’t have the chance to write all of it, but he said it so clearly. You thought you wouldn’t have to worry about remembering every single world because he said it shortly yet properly.

Your eyes find their way back to his. One more time, not even a slightest change of expression is shown. Yet, you smile to thank him for helping you finish the job you didn’t want to have.

“Thank you, really.”

☽

You’re home. Passing your note to your friend who’s waiting at your living room for her to write the best out of the information Jaehyun (you finally know his name) gave to you. She’s happy to see how much you can get in the shortest time possible, but you didn’t care much about it. Finding your way to lay down on your bed after all the nerve you’ve went through today, you deserve a little rest.

“So, was he a mean guy?” she asks you.

“Not real- wait, you know he’s going to be mean?” Waking up from your daydream, you look at your friend who’s giggling right now. This little fucker knows that he’s going to be a nightmare.

“I don’t know I swear. My coworkers talked about him yesterday.” Both of her arms raising in the air.

You sighed, laying back down. Trying to remember every detail you’ve seen and heard from today by looking up to your ceiling. “Well, he looks like a mean person but he’s not, um, his voice was surprisingly deep, and…” the words stops when you hesitate to continue.

“And?”

“And he’s handsome, like, breathtaking handsome.”

She laughs, nodding like she knows the fact already. She should be, since your friend, Mia, aspire to write the best interview out of every other news site for her to get a promotion, she must have every piece of information about the main character. And you’re a good friend for helping her.

🌞︎

One thing about the interview; if you passed, you have to go to the next one.

It’s a news site, interviewing someone one time is never enough. It’s sufficient, but it won’t give that much of a spice. If next time isn’t possible, journalists also need answers from their relatives or workers, even better, their ill-wisher. A good thing for you since you only agreed to the first interview so you won’t have to do the rest, it’s only one day after that interview, yet your friend is already freaking out about her next. Texting you this and that to make her calm herself, you wanted to help, but really, how can you help? Can you ask Jaehyun who he has feud with or how’s his relationship really is with his father? Exactly, you can’t. You’re working at a florist, not at a news office. There’s a huge difference between your job and your friend’s and you’re not really good at talking and asking someone you just met lots of questions.

You wished her a good luck.

☽

Ding!

Ding ding ding ding ding!

“Shut the fuck up.”

You opened the door, eyes on Mia because you know it must be her to annoy you through the doorbell. She looks somehow okay, probably the interview went well, but she’s not as energetic as she always be. There could be a slightest problem, you can’t take a guess.

“You have to hear this.” She entered your house without you asking. Well, it’s sort of her house anyway since you also gave her keys and she always visits twice a week minimum. Her keys were thrown to your table, her body is laying on your couch, eating the sandwich she came along with.

You closed the door, waiting for her to talk.

“He only wants you to do the interview.” She began.

…Jaehyun?

“Look, I don’t know! This afternoon I came up to that penthouse, and they said that he’s looking for this… lady that their guard pushes- it’s you, right? So, I told them, she’s my friend blah, blah, blah, and they told me Oh right, Mr. Jung would appreciate if she’s the one who’s asking, what the fuck _____!” She pants after saying that many words in the fastest speed possible.

Your mind still takes its own moment to process what your ears just heard. It sounds like a total lie, but there’s no reason for her to lie in this middle of the night.

With the palm of your right hand covering your forehead, you let a sigh out. “God.”

🌞︎

“Oh, you’re back, Miss.”

You recognized the guy who greets you, ah, the one with the tight trouser you met that day. He gave a sofa for you to seat on the penthouse’s lobby. There’s not many people walking around this morning since the people who lives here got half of their lifetime on businesses and meetings, something you can’t really relate with your present job. You gave him a smile as a thank you. Your eyes, however, travel around the lobby once more. The architect made a really great job doing the whole penthouse. There’s a huge carving of a couple words right above the entrance, ‘Joyeux Saint-Valentin’, so that’s what the penthouse name is.

You wanted to know what time it is, but when you had the plan to ask, you see the guy walks here and there as if he’s panicking about something. “Is there a problem?” Your question made him walk his way to you, he gives you a forced smile. It isn’t enticing.

“Sorry, Miss. Something came up and- oh! Good morning, Sir.” His body suddenly turns away facing the elevator, you see what he sees. There he goes, Jaehyun, with one man walking beside him. His face isn’t puffy for this early hour in the morning, a morning guy you’d guess.

He almost walks his way to the exit door, but he caught you sitting there looking at him.

“She’s…?” His index finger is pointing at you, but he doesn’t fully lift it.

“Oh, right. She’s here to interview you as what you requested, Sir.”

You awkwardly threw a smile with a half nod.

“She can come with me.”

You heard that.

The guy, wait, he has a name. Elliot, the guy who assists you gave you a quick wave for you to stand up and come to him. The situation was not like how you expected it would be. You thought you’re going to ask him in private room like how you did, but no. One problem came up that made Jaehyun has to go to the city center and solve it himself. It’s a problem that you don’t know the details of, and it’s better for you to stay clueless.

When you exit the building, a black limousine parks right in front of the entrance, a really long one. Elliot whispers that you will be sitting next to Jaehyun with a distance, quite understandable. After Jaehyun got in, your body follows his way to sit at the left side of the limousine while he sits on the right side. The limo is filled with liquors, a drinker, perhaps? Anyway, the car seat felt so nice, you put your hand to touch the leather texture, cold. This is a new experience for you.

A notepad is sitting on your lap, it’s filled with questions Mia wrote for you so you don’t lose track. You’re busy looking at the road from the window, but Jaehyun’s eyes were locked on that notepad.

Analyzing each question one by one.

“Can I ask you now, Sir?” You’re looking for his nod, but he looked startled, so his face just freezes.

Here he goes again.

“May I know if there’s any relatives intervene with the business?” You look at him once more after reading the questions on your notepad. He shakes his head.

“I’m not interested on being asked, ______.”

You’re stunned for a moment when you heard him. He knows your name. Your ears don’t believe it at first, but he knows who you are and he said it clearly, no mistakes. You’re sure you have never introduced yourself to him, how? And if you’re not here for the interview, so why are you sitting at the same place as he does?

“Okay, but...” you stuttered, a bit. “Why am I here, exactly?”

His body adjusts to a better position. His face is facing to the driver’s seat, even he can’t really see what’s the front seat situation is like, he’s not looking at you. Trying not to.

“I guess I just needed to see what I like.”

∙.

.

.

note: i’m really sorry to inform that there would be no part 2 of evermore (｡•́︿•̀｡) idk why but i simply lost track... i promise i’ll made another one like this, and furthermore, i’m trying my best to not give false hope <3

[winterproductions]

Main MasterList

Church Bells

Theme: Wedding Ceremony, Jung Jaehyun x Reader

Genre: Fluff

Summary: It's time for a celebration, here's to Mr & Mrs. Jeong

The loud bell settled everyone in their respected places. Both participants were shaking in excitement and anxiety. The sound of the homemade soundtrack echoed through the sanctuary; Cell phones, Video recorders, Cameras and many other electronic devices were held up as the first female waltz down the aisle.

The audience gap at the beautiful royal blue fabric that hugged her figure tightly, smiles covered the room as the male met her and greeted her with a bow before linking their arms to continue their slow tempo stroll to the alter. That motion repeated as six other bridal party members entered the church's sanctuary.

Finally, the person everyone was waiting for approached the closed double doors. The ushers slowly opened the doors and uncovered the bride linked arm and arm with her father. Cheers from both sides of the room erupted from the family members.

When I said I do

I meant that I will

'Til the end of all time

The flashes of the electronic devices flicker senselessly as the groom made his way to his fiancee and soon-to-be father-in-law. As he approached the father-daughter duo, he can see his mother's tears through his peripheral vision as he past her in the slow tempo they both rehearsed.

Bowing and shaking the fathers hand he finally connected with his soon-to-be wife after not seeing her for almost two days. His smile could not have been controlled, it was stuck as he held and so often glimpse at his fiance as they walked down the aisle together.

The screams and cries continued as the reverend began the vows. They both listened and repeated after the pastor as they held the rings ready to place it in each others fingers.

"I, Jeong Jaehyun, take you, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; until death do us part."

You then cleared your throat as he placed the diamond on your third finger.

"I, Y/N, take you, Jeong Jaehyun, to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; until death do us part."

You giggled as Jaehyun's hand trembled in nerves as you placed the gold and black ban on his finger.

"If anyone here oppose of this marriage, speak now or forever hold your peace" he called out to the audience as they awed at the couple. "Now without further ado, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may, go on" the pastor directed his hands to you as everyone laughed and screamed out.

Your veil rose revealing your teary eyes, Jaehyun approached you as he held your face. Your lips met each others in a deep kiss, hearing the cheers. You pulled away with a blush but heard Johnny yelled out from the crowd. "DO IT AGAIN, MY PHONE WASN'T RECORDING!" Family members and friends laughed along with you and your husband before he pulled you back in holding you back and waist as he kissed you as his newly wedded wife.

[smoll-tangerine]

mwahaha

CONGRATS ON YOUR FIRST YEAR LET'S GET IT

jaehyun + summer vacation!au + "I'm always flirting with you. Keep up."

love u

[a/n] ALEX THANK YOU SO MUCH BBYGRILL!! my senpai that noticed me, thank you so much for the support ilysm♡♡ hope you like this small drabble!!

PAIRING. lifeguard!jaehyun x female!reader GENRES. romance, summer vacation!au PROMPT. "i'm always flirting with you. keep up." WORDS. 957

WARNINGS. swearing and mentions of drinking

To most college single students, summer vacation meant a lot of things.

Trips to the beach, sunbathing, tanning, ice cream, iced coffee, bon fires, drunk nights…

Summer flings.

This year, after a messy break-up with your ex-boyfriend, your best friends decided that a trip to the beach was exactly what you needed.

Only, they hadn’t mentioned it to you.

Instead, amidst your confusion , you distinctly remember Krystal pulling you out of your bed and forcing you to wash up, Jennie in the background making breakfast for all of you (while you sincerely hoped that she wasn’t making a mess out of your kitchen), and Yuqi and Seulgi packing your clothes and essentials for the trip.

Not even an hour later, you five squeezed into Krystal’s sleek black Audi e-tron GT and they whisked you away for a fun trip. It was very Sex and the City-esque of them, and you were most certain that it was Jennie’s idea.

And that was how you ended up lying down on a beach towel with your four best friends, in a bikini and black Gentle Monster sunglasses on, and a mango margarita in your hand.

It was the third day of your trip — and you had no idea how long the girls planned this trip for — and you were still, and you quote from Yuqi, “as lifeless as ever”, and un-quote.

“Ma’am,” Krystal said to you. “We’re at the beach for the first time in so long, and you haven’t caught a single wave yet? Who are you and what have you done with my best friend?”

“Not in a mood to surf,” you muttered back as you perched your sunglasses over your head so that they could see your deadpan expression.

“More importantly, you have all this eye-candy in front of you,” Yuqi motioned the people in front of you with a dramatic hand while the other three nodded furiously, “and you’re telling me not one of them caught your interest?”

They saw a flash of interest flash through your eyes and they immediately hounded you like a pack of coyotes around raw meat. “Who is it, you bitch!”

You turned away from them. “No one.”

“Come on!” Jennie whined. “This is probably the most exciting thing that has ever happened to you in the past two years!”

You narrowed your eyes. “I started going out with my ex two years ago.”

“Exactly.”

You flipped her your middle finger.

“Okay, okay,” Seulgi said as she pushed your finger down. “Let’s stop bullying her, she already has a lot to deal with.”

“Thanks, Seul.” You hugged her. “I knew there was a reason why you’re my favourite.”

“It’s not her fault if she looks too depressed for anyone to even approach her.”

You let out an offended gasp and pushed a guffawing Seulgi away while the other girls laughed and snickered at your misery. Amidst your fun, you didn’t even notice a certain man approach your little group.

“Having fun, ladies?”

You all whipped your head towards the source of the question and a smile immediately made its way to each of your faces. More so on your friends than on yours, though.

“You know it, Jaehyun,” Krystal answered with a wink.

Jung Jaehyun was one of the eye-candies that Yuqi mentioned beforehand, something you five determined the second you set foot on the beach. You six met when you were all trying to get your surfboard down from the top of Krystal’s car without hitting an innocent passerby or the cars parked nearby. He happened to pass by and offered his help.

You then proceeded to find out that he was also from Seoul and always came down to this beach to work as a lifeguard seasonally. That fact added to his face and body and his good manners, it was a no-brainer for all of you to put him in your communal eye-candy category.

It just so happened that Jaehyun was the only person that has caught your attention.

“Hey,” he addressed you specifically, and you only hoped that your friends wouldn’t embarrass you. “Some of the other lifeguards and I are having this small bonfire party later in the evening after the beach clears out. We’re going to have some booze and maybe surf a little at night. Would you like to come?”

You blinked your eyes repeatedly. “Uhh, just me?”

It was then that Jaehyun seemed to have realized his mistake. “Oh, I mean, your friends are obviously invited,” he said with his eyes darting around like crazy, making sure that he didn’t offend the other girls, before he meekly added, “But I would love it if you came.”

“Yeah, we’re just–” Yuqi started to say and got up with the other girls. “–we’re just gonna go and uh, leave you two lovebirds alone.”

When they finally left, Jaehyun plopped down on the bath towel next to you and focused his attention on you, flustering you a little.

“So, what do you say?” he asked with a cute, dimpled smile.

You raised a skeptical brow. “Careful there, Jaehyun, or else I might think that you were flirting with me.”

Jaehyun threw his head back in laughter before slowly shaking it at you. “Oh, babe, I’m always flirting with you. Keep up.”

His confession took you by surprise. Your mouth opened and closed like a gaping fish out of the water. “Y-you are?”

Jaehyun chuckled lowly, his deep voice sending tingles down your spine, and he nodded. “Yeah. So, are you coming?”

You nodded slowly and wordlessly — as if you were going to say no to him.

“Cool,” he answered before giving you a small peck on the cheek. “See you later, then, babe.”

[sehunniepotwrites]

if we were a movie | j.jh

for @nctsworld’s first writing challenge

SYNOPSIS. For someone who was always the understudy and never the lead, scoring this role was huge for you. All you had to do was pretend to be in love with your best friend. No big deal, right? Wrong. It was the biggest deal because, for the past four years, you had been hiding your feelings for Jung Jaehyun.

If this were a movie, he would be your perfect match and the story would end happily with the credits rolling to a perfectly timed soundtrack. Too bad this wasn’t a movie— this was real life and life came with complications.

GENRE. childhood friends to lovers!au, college!au, drama school!au, slow burn, angst, humor, mutual pining, fluff (loosely based on the Filipino rom-com Must Be Love and If We Were a Movie by Hannah Montana) PAIRING. theatre major!Jaehyun x  theatre major!reader WORD COUNT. 14+ k

WARNINGS. point of view switches from first (”I”) to second (”you”); self-doubt, insecurities, mutual pining, cursing, lots of references and direct quotes from musicals such as Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Disney’s Newsies, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Shrek the Musical, and Wicked (edited but i might’ve missed some mistakes; bare with me!)

There are moments where time flows as normal, where people carry on with their days as they usually do. Then, there are moments people experience in slow-motion, where the world just stops spinning and all the background noise just fades away. These are the moments people look forward to. They’re the breathtaking ones, the ones that capture your heart and soul. After those moments, people are never the same. 

The first time I experienced something in slow motion was when I made my stage debut at a small talent show. There was thunderous applause after my performance and while my heart thumped against my chest, the world seemed to come to a stop. That’s when I knew my heart belonged to the stage or rather, the stage belonged to me. 

Some of these slo-mo moments are the ones where people fall in love. 

My father said that’s how he knew my mother was the one for him: he experienced it all at a slowed rate, everything fading into black and she was the only thing he saw. She was his brightest star and he was the one who reached for the sky to bring her down to Earth. 

When I was younger, I always dreamed about my “falling in love” slow-mo moment. I pictured a grandiose event with large actions and sweet words.  For it to actually happen at theatre camp during the initial dress rehearsal for Disney’s Beauty and the Beast J.R.— well, that was far from what I hoped for. 

And yet, it was just as special as I thought it would be. 

I was in my obnoxious fork costume, waiting for my best friend to leave the boy’s dressing room. 

Jung Jaehyun had been my best friend since the beginning, otherwise known as my first year at theatre camp. Only ten years old at the time, we both were cast as two of the three blind mice in Shrek the Musical and had been inseparable ever since. Although we attended different middle schools, our friendship grew from our shared vocal and dance lessons as well as our summers at camp. You know how it is; those who end up in the ensemble together stay together. 

Going over the dance moves in my head, I didn’t hear my friend’s voice calling my name. He gripped my shoulder, the action surprising me to the point where I lost my balance. I yelped and shut my eyes, expecting to fall onto the hard ground but a hand grabbing onto my wrist prevented my doom. With an arm around my waist, I barely missed the ground.

Slowly opening my eyes, I glanced up to see Jung Jaehyun looking down at me with a worried gaze. He was just a sixteen-year-old boy dressed as a spoon and yet, the world around us came to a halt. Gone were the other frantic theatre kids and the backstage messes. The couple playing Belle and the Beast was no longer sitting across from us, running through their lines. No hustle and bustle of the crew and the props masters.

It was just me dressed as a fork, falling down while my spoon for a best friend caught me in his arms. 

“We make quite a pair, don’t we, Forky?” he chuckled lowly, hitting the top of his costume to mine. It was a ridiculous sight— a pair of oversized cutlery in a crowded dressing room.

A burning hot sensation crept its way up to my face as he gently pulled me up. “I guess we do.”

Since then, my life has never been the same. I was in love with my best friend, Jung Jaehyun. I fell for him when the world stopped spinning beneath my feet while his world, unfortunately, kept on turning.

I remember each and every slowed-down moment in life —the good, the bad, and the absolute worst. I never thought a bad slo-mo moment existed, I simply didn’t think it was possible. 

I was young and naive then and I was so incredibly wrong.

The moment that hurt me most took place in my senior year of high school. The final callbacks for our community’s production of Disney’s Newsies were in order. The role of Jack Kelly, the headstrong and flirty newsboy, was easily given to the ever-so-charming Jung Jaehyun. He was not only my best friend at the time but he was the it-boy of our small theatre. People were either in love with him or wanted to be him— his talent matched his insane looks. His kind personality made him all the more lovable.

Jaehyun had his two fatal flaws, though. Everyone knew them but still saw him in such a bright light.

One: the boy was extremely clumsy. Jaehyun was often called “magic hands,” constantly ruining his props. It was a running gag in the theatre but the props committee never minded; one smile was all it took for them to forgive him and his cursed hands. 

That was his first flaw. And his second? Jaehyun fell in love way too easily and way too fast. 

How exactly did I find this out? Well, I was there to witness the scene that lifted his heart to the highest of levels while mine dropped straight to the ground.

I was in the running for the stubbornly intelligent female lead named Katherine Plumber. My opponent was the confident and radiant Son Wendy. She always played the lead in her high school productions but this was a community musical and I was determined to claim that part as my own. 

I went first, entering the audition room with a smile with the script gripped tightly in my palm. Performing alongside my best friend was easy. The romantic scene was a piece of cake, not because the lines were a breeze. That wasn’t it at all. It wasn’t because I memorized the Newsies script as a child either. It was because, at that moment, Jung Jaehyun was in love with me as much as I was in love with him. It was a moment I wanted to cherish forever: the way he looked at me was something I had never experienced before. It was so full of emotion and passion, like he had me within his grasp and never wanted to let me go.

“You got this. I believe in you,” he whispered in my ear, squeezing my hand in support. His breath tickled my skin and sent shivers down my spine. The nerves were back, not because of the audition, but because of him. 

“You’re just saying that because it’s the scene we’re about to act out, Jae,” I hissed. The sheet music for the duet, Something to Believe In, wrinkled in my free palm. 

His warm, comforting hand pressed harder against my own. “No, it’s not that. If you need someone to believe in you, I’m right here. I’ve got you, Forky. Always.”

The director cleared his throat from his seat, his scrutinizing eyes watching us closely as we got into position, just like we rehearsed a thousand times. “Whenever you’re ready.”

I watched as Jaehyun took a deep breath to get into character. He closed his eyes, rolled his broad shoulders back, and then his lids snapped open. His brown-eyed gaze aimed straight at me, with a vulnerable expression taking over his features. He was no longer Jung Jaehyun— he was Jack Kelly, a scared newsboy who was in love with a newspaper company heiress. 

The line came pouring out of his mouth with the utmost sincerity, the confusion and affection seeping through his words, “Just standing here tonight, looking at you, I’m scared tomorrow is gonna come and change everything.”

 Jaehyun took a step forward towards me, an unsure smile curling on his lips. “If there was a way I could just grab hold of something to make time stop just so I could keep looking at you.”

His body stops right in front of mine, keeping a clear distance but enough to feel the passion radiating off of his words and actions. For once in my young life, my best friend looked at me with a different kind of love in his eyes and I returned it, my genuine feelings seeping through my words. 

Biting my lip, I replied coyly, “You snuck up on me, Jack Kelly, I never even saw it coming.”

“For sure?” he stage-whispered. His upstage hand unexpectedly reached up to caress my cheek. The action was unrehearsed, almost catching me off guard. It was a different take on the scene. The characters were supposed to be shy, their thoughts wavering on their own feelings for each other and the impending strike that was to come the day after; yet, Jaehyun played Jack as someone certain of his feelings.

“For sure,” I answered back at the same volume, my hand cupping his own to follow along with his direction. It felt as if he was searching my soul for my thoughts and I could not let him in. The opening bars of the romantic duet echoed throughout the room and after taking a breath, I began to sing. Jaehyun joined in on the second verse and instantly, our voices blended together in a beautiful harmony, one that beat our Newsies karaoke sessions in his car. 

The scene ended as quickly as it began. The director hummed before jotting notes down and whispering to his casting assistants for a few seconds. I thought they were the longest seconds of my life. Jaehyun nodded his head to reassure me. “You did well, Forky.”

“Of course I did, it’s me we’re talking about here,” I nudged him back. “I can do no wrong, Jae!” 

“Thank you,” the director finally spoke, “you may go. Jaehyun, if you could escort her out and fetch Wendy for me?”

“Of course,” your friend nodded. The feeling of his large hand on my back slowly guided me out of the room. The spot he touched me burned but my cheeks were burning even more. Why was it that every little touch drove me to the brink of insanity?

“You’re so going to land this part,” I remember him saying as he squeezed my waist. My heart was beating erratically against my ribcage, the butterflies in my stomach threatening to fly their way up my throat.

“You think so?”

“Oh definitely,” Jaehyun stressed with a wink. 

He said it too soon. 

Because the minute he locked gazes with Son Wendy, I just knew he had found his leading lady. 

“S-Son Wendy?” he stuttered as he caught sight of the pretty girl in the waiting room. Her hair was styled similarly to a young maiden from the turn of the century, perfectly curled and out of her face. 

“Yes?” she smiled back.

It seemed like the words were caught in my best friend’s throat. Sneaking a glance at Jaehyun’s ears, they burned a bright red. “We’re, um, we’re ready for you.”

I watched as Jaehyun nervously offered his arm to her, his eyes never leaving her face. It was like he was her own personal spotlight, the way his eyes shone just for the girl in front of him. The boy was completely enamored and I was instantly in the shadows. The sweet smile that was reserved for me was directed towards another and it sparkled in a way it never did before.

The world around me moved incredibly slow as they passed me by. With everything frozen, all I saw was the gorgeous couple headed to the audition room with hushed exchanges. Jaehyun took his time heading to the private room to spend more time with the girl while Son Wendy steadily made her way into my friend’s fragile heart. My own heart clenched at the sight. It was breaking ever so slowly and I felt every little crack and tear. 

Even with the role of the understudy, it was as if I never even had a chance at winning his heart over. If Wendy wasn’t present for one rehearsal, Jaehyun didn’t even see me— his own best friend since our ensemble days. He was way too deep into his “showmance.” It was like I never even existed. It wasn’t long before he called Wendy his girlfriend and then, I was invisible. Cast aside. Ignored.

Needless to say, my heart broke in slow-motion as Jaehyun’s pounded rapidly for a girl that took two parts I desperately ached for: Katherine Plumber and the girl who held Jaehyun’s heart. 

But this was just the first time his heart was stolen by his opposite. The first of many.

The first two years of university passed me by like a summer breeze. Constantly busy with general education and introductory drama courses, I was constantly flitting around from building to building. My hands were usually occupied by my laptop, a blazing cup of caffeinated tea, and a worn out script while my mind was filled with jumbled up lines and the dramatic cries of an overwhelmed university student. I probably wouldn’t have made it this far if it wasn’t for Jaehyun and Xiao Dejun, another theatre major we had met during orientation, by my side.

Fast forward to my third year and the three of us were headed to the office of the theatre department. It was posting day for the spring musical— the day the cast list was revealed. This year’s musical spectacular was Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella. The play itself was a modern classic and it was also my dream come true.

This day, just like any posting day of the drama department, was nerve-racking. Everyone was anxious to find out what parts they were given and how the fairytale would play out. The part of the brave and kind Ella was always on my list of roles I wanted to fill. As much as I thought I did well on my final callback, I didn’t want to set my hopes too high.

“Are you nervous?” Jaehyun asked while draping an arm over my shoulder. He playfully put all his weight onto his right side to throw me off balance. 

“Nervous? Me? Why would I be nervous if I’m like 95% sure  I’m going to get the understudy again?” I chuckled sarcastically. Bitterly. It happened every year, so why get my hopes up now?

“Yeah but—”

“No buts, I’ve accepted the title of the Wonderstudy! I think you should too, Jae,” I slapped his shoulder before quickly slipping out of his hold before linking arms with Dejun. My best friend let out a yelp, almost tripping over his own two feet as we continued down the hallway. “I’m mediocre at best.”

The Wonderstudy: it was the nickname the other students in the department gave me because I was always the understudy. I was never the star of the show. It said that I was good but not good enough. 

Dejun leaned in and whispered, “You do know that you’re more than just that, right? You’re an actor. A phenomenal one. You weren’t accepted to this drama program by just being mediocre at best.”

I ignored my friend’s comment, eyes zoned in at the other end of the building. The crowd of usual theatre students crowded around the bulletin board, curious heads popping up and down trying to take a peek at the list. Some buzzed with excitement, happy they got a major part while others groaned in disappointment. You were most likely going to be with the later group. 

Once the cluster of students caught sight of Jaehyun, they parted like the red sea to let him through. It wasn’t really necessary, though, everyone knew the it-boy of the drama department was cast as the role of the misguided prince, Topher. 

The only question was: who was cast as his princess? Who was this year’s Ella?

I fought my way through the bunch with Dejun following behind me as our best friend was showered with congratulations. Jaehyun was all smiles, dimples prominent as he was lavished by the mass. Dejun made it to the list first. His finger dragged along the thin paper until he found his name. He cheered, pumping his fist up in joy. “I got the part I wanted! I’m Jean-Michel!”

Grinning at my friend, I sincerely congratulated him. He got the second lead: the feisty peasant looking for change. Turning again, his eyes grazed the list until Dejun found my name. His smile dropped ever so slightly and that was when I knew: I was beaten once again. 

“What part did I get?”

“Gabrielle,” he answered. Ah, the outwardly abrasive but quietly empathetic sister. The second lead, love interest of Jean-Michel. At least I was playing Dejun’s opposite. 

I took a step closer, wondering who took the part of the kind princess. Squinting at the small print, my eyes scanned the jumble of words until I saw it.

Ella……………………….Lee Naeun Ella u/s………………….Y/N

I scoffed. Forever the understudy. The Wonderstudy of the Theatre Department indeed.

The first rehearsal, otherwise known as the read-through, took a toll on me. It was usually a two to three hour long session, filled with loud chatter, crazy introductions, and a variety of crazy theatre games to break the ice. When the niceties ended, everyone took their seats in their plastic chairs that were arranged in a huge circle. Bae Joohyun, the head stage manager began reading the stage directions aloud as the table read began. The production’s director, Professor O’Hare, sat alongside Joohyun, jotting down notes and giving out commentary when needed. 

Amongst the reading of lines were tiny whispers, the sound of highlighters and pencils marking the paper, and the simultaneous turning of pages. The music director, Professor Lau sat at the piano bench and sight-read the music to give the cast a taste of the songs. Being the first rehearsal, the few who knew of the songs sang along to the accompaniment with joyous smiles, myself and Dejun included.

When Professor Lau played the first romantic duet between the leads, all heads turned to Jaehyun and Naeun who sat side-by-side. With it being their first time together, the performance was far from perfect but it was still something. His lower tone blended nicely with her softer voice and the shy glances they exchanged made their duet quite a sight. 

As Jaehyun and Naeun read the last lines for Act One, I noticed the way Jaehyun’s gaze kept flittering back to Naeun’s pretty face. The girl was focused on her lines, head down and hair blocking her gorgeous features, but he still kept looking at her and only her. I could imagine how the scene was playing out in his head, the world slowing down until Naeun was the only one moving.  He was infatuated. Twitterpated. 

And it hurt. It hurt more than reading the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet or listening to Elphaba’s desperate cry she lets out when she loses Fiyero. Call me dramatic but that was how I felt. 

It wasn’t like I tried getting over him. It wasn’t like I tried dating other people before; I had many, many times but my mind always drifted back to my best friend. He was the boy with the richest brown eyes, the perfectly dimpled smile, and the lowest laugh that set my heart aflame. Without even knowing it, Jaehyun had this incredible hold on my broken heart and he would not let me out of his grip. 

The green-eyed monster inside me resurfaced and I hated it. I absolutely hated it— why was I so pathetically in love with my best friend? 

 “Here we go again,” I said before dropping my head onto the table. 

“You say that every time and you keep running back to him at the end of the day,” Dejun whispered before looking back down at his script. His hand continued to jet across the page, his highlighter marking his many lines. 

Rolling up the script in my hand, I whacked his side. The action caused his hand to jerk the bright marker in another direction, striking a distorted line on his page. “Look what you did, twerp!” he hissed.

“Your fault, Eyebrows!”

“Stop calling me that, you fork!”

“Hey, only I can call her fork!” Jaehyun appeared out of nowhere, plopping alongside me. His voice snapped us out of our little argument, making us realize that the director called for a fifteen. 

“That’s only because you’re a dumb spoon,” I stuck my tongue out at him. Jaehyun pretended to reach for it and I blew a raspberry at him to retaliate. 

“You two idiots are my favorite cutlery set,” Dejun shook his head with a laugh. He was probably wondering why he stuck around us the majority of the time. 

“Let off it, Dejun,” Jaehyun said with the roll of his brown orbs. 

“Only if you let me be the knife to your set.”

“As if, dumbass,” I countered with a laugh. 

“Okay but you guys, can we stop fighting for a sec and talk about how I got her number?” Jaehyun beamed, throwing his arms over both our shoulders. He pulled us closer to his body and the faint smell of his musky cologne hit my nose. I held back a sigh as it filled my senses. Oh, to be drowned in his scent. 

“I got Naeun’s number!” he repeated excitedly, his strong arms shaking us. I held back my abrupt want to push him off. I wasn’t in a celebrating mood. My heart was too broken to care.

“Of course you did, when do you not get a girl’s number?” I answered a bit too bitterly. Raising a brow at him, I added, “Are we supposed to be surprised?”

“Listen,” Jaehyun countered, pulling back from me. “I don’t like that attitude, Forky.”

I scoffed, “Never stopped you from being my friend before, Jae.”

Jaehyun didn’t answer; he was too busy clutching his phone. His pretty brown eyes were fixed on Naeun’s contact page like it was the world’s greatest treasure. His eyes were sparkling in admiration before his gaze turned to the girl across the room. The look my best friend wore on his face was soft, the smile on his lips light. “I think she could be the one.”

Some thought him to be a player but I never thought of him that way. He might have had the looks of a heartbreaker but he had the purest heart of gold. The boy with the dimpled smile, porcelain skin, and cheeks as red as roses was a hopeless romantic to his very core. He was simply looking for his other half. 

“I think she could be the one.” His words repeated in my head, his voice pestering me. My heart lurched at them despite hearing them each semester. 

Jaehyun said this every year, with every girl. He said this when he crushed on Son Wendy, Kim Chungha, and so many more. His infatuations and crushes ended just as easily as they started. The boy was more than disappointed when the initial spark with each girl ended after a show’s run ended. When the musical closed, so did his feelings for each opposite. 

I never got stage fright; I was usually the one who said what was on her mind without a moment’s hesitation. So why was I hesitating to tell him my feelings?

Why was I hesitating to say that the one Jaehyun could be looking for was standing right next to him?

Just another rehearsal at the auditorium. 

Just another day watching my best friend fall for his leading lady.

Jaehyun and Naeun were standing in the middle of the stage, the ensemble surrounding them. He stood behind her, his hands gently placed on her waist while she leaned back into his touch. Naeun was wearing a fluffy tulle skirt, a mock-up of her ballgown. Park Sooyoung, the resident fashion major and lead costume designer, pushed her to wear it so she could get used to the estimated size of her dress. Even in a mere tank top and tulle skirt, Lee Naeun looked like a princess.

Professor Kwon, the choreographer of the production, stood at the end with a watchful eye. She counted them off, walking them through the routine while the rest of us practiced our steps off to the sidelines. 

Once the two main characters got the hang of their steps, Professor Kwon motioned for Professor Lau to play the songs from the beginning. As much as I tried to focus on my own dance moves, my mind kept wandering back to Jaehyun. 

Imagining him under the spotlight in a perfectly tailored suit, a crown sitting on his head, extending his arm out not to Naeun but to me. It was one of those movie moments where the characters and the audience watching fell in love. 

If life was like a movie, things would be so much easier. 

So lost in my thoughts, I missed a count and stepped on my partner’s foot. Muttering a quiet sorry to him, we continued on with the routine. As my partner swirled me around the dance floor, I drifted back into my daydream.

My utterly impossible daydream where I was the girl Jung Jaehyun was infatuated with. Although this play talked about impossible things happening everyday, I couldn’t imagine this ever happening. 

The terrible thing about being a theatre major in university was being a theatre major with midterms. Not only did I have to deal with hours of my back hunched over a desk and scattered study materials, I had to spend half of my days in the school’s theatre rehearsing. 

If I was not in class scribbling down last minute notes in notebooks,  I was learning dance routines or running lines on and off stage alongside Dejun. The days were long and the nights were even longer. Sometimes, the cast fell asleep in the seats of the auditorium while rehearsals were going on. We were all losing sleep. Some of us were losing our sanity but hey, welcome to the theatre. 

My schedule was filled to the brim and I wasn’t even the main character of the show. On top of that, I had to memorize the part of Ella. Not that it was really needed in the first place. 

No one ever stepped down from a lead role while I was their backup. It just didn’t happen.

Despite the hectic lives of belonging to the theatre department, the musical was two months into production and everything was running smoothly. With a month and a left until opening night, everyone was off-book and the initial stage blocking was done. The costuming and makeup committee were finishing up their mock-up designs and the student orchestra sounded divine. 

I saw more of Dejun than Jaehyun lately, my best friend being preoccupied with his new love interest before, during, and after rehearsals. I was cast aside once again.

Was it something out of the ordinary? No.

Did it still hurt? Yes.

Did I do anything about it? Absolutely not. I didn’t want to ruin his happiness. I rather suffer than see him as nothing but joyous, even if the happiness was temporary. The grin he wore when he was in love was too beautiful to rip away. Jaehyun shined like the light from the sun. I could never bring myself to do it. 

It was week eight of rehearsals when I stepped out of my last midterm, my head absolutely empty after reading small text for over an hour. Reaching into my backpack’s front pocket, I pulled out my cell phone and quickly turned it on. My screen was flooded with missed calls and texts from Professor O’Hare, Joohyun, Jaehyun, and Dejun, the notification numbers reaching over a hundred total. 

Something must have happened. Talk about a theatre emergency. Knowing our kind, they were probably being overdramatic. 

Just as I was about to unlock my phone, a video call went through. It was Dejun. Rolling my eyes, I slid my finger across the screen to answer it. “Jeez, I know you love me but give a girl a break, Eyebrows!”

“God, you’re so conceited sometimes. Why didn’t you answer my calls?!” He shouted, face close to the phone. I winced at the volume, immediately lowering the level as I slipped on my wireless earbuds. “There are important matters to discuss here!”

“What happened this time? Did someone say Macbeth in the theatre again? You know I don’t believe in that shit,” I said sarcastically.

“Oh my god. This is not the time for jokes! Everyone’s been trying to reach you!” Xiaojun yelled once more. “Where are you?!”

“I just got out of my musical history midterm in Maple Hall. Heading to the theatre right now. Why?” I never received an answer; Dejun hung up the call. Giving my phone a weird look, I shoved it in my pocket before continuing on my way. A light push on my back prevented me from going too far. 

“Twerp!” Xiao Dejun’s voice came from behind me, yanking me by the straps of my backpack. He was breathing heavily, trying to catch his breath. “Oh my god, we’ve been looking for you everywhere,” he said in between heavy breaths. 

Crossing my arms, I cocked a brow at him. “Why’s that?”

Dejun placed a hand on my shoulder for support. The words came flying out of his mouth, I almost couldn’t catch what he was saying. So much for being a theatre major. 

“Speak clearly, Dejun. Enunciate, articulate, exaggerate, remember? We are thespians and thespians do not mumble!”

The exhausted boy ignored my theatricals. “Naeun didn’t land a switch leap right and she rolled her ankle during advanced ballet. She’s going to be out for at least three to four weeks,” my friend replied breathily, his words a lot clearer than before.

The news shocked me to the core, my feet suddenly planted to the ground. It sounded like he said Naeun was out of commission. “What?” 

“She’s out for three to four weeks! I mean sucks for her, I wish her a speedy recovery but do you know what this means?”

The lack of response from me urged him to continue, “Sweetheart, she’s out. You’re in!”

Oh shit. I was in.

The part I had always dreamed of was mine. The lead role was finally mine.

I was now Ella and Jung Jaehyun was my Prince Topher.

Having an understudy step up to their role halfway through production was always something to get used to. It was a setback, a minor one, but still a setback. Just as Jaehyun finally settled into his role and built an unshakeable bond with Lee Naeun as his opposite, the accident happened. His potential girlfriend was now out of the show and off her feet in order to push for a speedy recovery.

The lovesick boy couldn’t even be there for her because his rehearsal times increased in order to get his best friend adjusted to your new role. There he was, leaning against the piano while waiting for you to arrive.

Professor Lau sat at the bench, flipping through his sheet music until he found the song he was looking for. 

The door slammed open and you stumbled in. “Am I late? I’m sorry, I just heard the news.”

“No, not at all. You’re right on time,” the professor smiled at you. “The situation’s weird, I know but congratulations on getting Ella.”

“Thanks, Professor. That means a lot,” you grinned back. 

Dropping your bag by the piano, you swiftly pulled out the script. You glanced at Jaehyun’s opened book for the page number before hastily flipping through the pages. Jaehyun nudged your side. “Hey, Forky.”

“Hey yourself,” you elbowed him back, biting your bottom lip.

“Congrats, bubs. You did it,” he pulled you into a side hug before ruffling your hair with pride. You had finally gotten a part you wanted. It was your time to shine. As your best friend for many years, Jaehyun had been waiting for the day you could show the crowds your full potential.  

“Did I really do it or did your girlfriend just get injured? How is she, by the way?” 

As much as you tried to play the overdramatic, conceited girl, you never believed in yourself but Jaehyun always did. You deserve the spotlight; your talent was out of this world and the masses were finally granted a chance to see you for what you were— a star.

“You did this. You were made for this part as much as she was,” Jaehyun reassured his best friend with a smile. He tapped your nose. “And she’s not my girlfriend but she’s doing alright. Just in a little bit of pain. I’m going to see her after we finish.”

“Give her some well wishes for me,” you answered. Jaehyun didn’t notice your smile dropping into a small frown.

“You ready to act like you’re in love with me?”

“I was born ready, you doof.” There was something weird in your voice when those words left your lips but Jaehyun didn’t have time to process it.

Professor Lau guided the students through a series of warm-ups before asking, “Shall we start with Do I Love You Because You’re Beautiful today? We’ll do a couple of run-throughs before Jaehyun teaches you the blocking.” His fingers played the beginning notes of the song, the light melody drifting to their ears. 

Already off book at this point, Jaehyun closed his eyes and began to sing.

Do I love you because you’re beautiful? Or are you beautiful because I love you?

Am I making believe I see in you A girl too lovely to be really true?

Do I want you because you’re wonderful? Or are you wonderful because I want you?

Are you the sweet invention of a lover’s dream? Or are you really as wonderful as you seem?

When his eyes fluttered open, Jaehyun found himself facing you with a script in hand. Your face wore the softest look as you stared back at him. His breath almost caught in his throat at the gentle smile you wore. You played the part differently from Naeun and it was a refreshing sight to behold. You were playing a confused peasant but your eyes still sparkled with the gleam of a thousand suns. 

There was a flush of heat that started from his cheeks and extended to his reddening ears. His heart was doing its best to break out of his ribcage and the star of the show wasn’t sure if his chest could keep it in for very much longer.

When singing with him, Naeun was a pretty princess.

But when he sang with you, the girl in front of him? Jaehyun thought you were absolutely breathtaking.

Two hours later, we were finally free of rehearsals. My first rehearsal as Ella. My throat was a bit parched from all the singing and projecting I was doing but I felt lighter than air. Singing with Jaehyun made me feel lighter than air. I was weightless, nothing could hold me down.

“Forky, you’re really good,” he said to me as we walked to our cars. I tried to fight the sudden heat making its way to my face. Lately, compliments from him were hard to come by.

 It was already late when O’Hare and Lau finally let us out, the moon sitting high in the sky. The night breeze crept its way into my thin jacket, causing me to hug myself to retain some warmth. Noticing my struggle with the cold, Jaehyun quickly draped his jacket over my shoulders. I was immediately hit with his familiar scent, it was almost overwhelming. I should be used to this, his action of sharing his clothes with me was nothing new but I was weak. It affected me every single time. I guess I was that head over heels for him. 

Head over glass heels, one could even say.

“You’ve seen me in action before and I mean, I was chosen to be the understudy for a reason,” I gave him a shrug. 

“Yeah but I’ve never seen you act and sing like that. Just...wow.” Stealing a glance at him, Jaehyun almost looked enamored with me. He was giving me a look that was usually reserved for someone else. I felt my heartbeat pick up in my chest and flutters in my stomach.

“Stop that,” I blushed, pinching his skin through the thin material of his long-sleeved shirt. A satisfying buzz ran through my body. Was he really looking at me like that? I was probably reading too much into it.

“No, but it seemed so real. Like you weren’t pretending.”

“That’s because I wasn’t,” I whispered under my breath as we arrived at our cars. 

“Hmm, you say something?” Jaehyun asked, leaning closer to hear me. 

Shaking my feelings away, I ignored the dull ache in my chest and acted through the tears I was desperately holding in. I wrinkled my nose at him playfully, secretly pushing the pain down my throat. “You really don’t listen to a word I say, do you, Jae? I said, I’ll see you later.”

“See ya, Forky! Get home safely!”

Scoffing to myself, I realized how much of a great actor I was. I deserved an Oscar or a Tony for the scenes I played out, the ones where I pretended to be okay when I was far from it. 

What award do you ask? Best Actress in a Supporting Role— the best friend to Jung Jaehyun but never the love of his life.

Wardrobe fittings for productions were always an exciting day for the whole cast and crew. It was one step closer to putting on a show. Jaehyun was already dressed in one of his many costumes, a white suit with golden trimmings. It fit him for the most part, only tiny adjustments were needed. Members of the wardrobe department quickly pinned his neatly pressed jacket before taking it off his hands. Since he was the main character, Jaehyun was one of the first ones done. He was simply waiting for you to come out in your first dress— the white gown for the ball scene in Act One.

When you finally did all those minutes ago, Jaehyun swore his heart stopped. 

Ten minutes ago, Jaehyun saw his best friend walk through the curtains. Your face was bare, hair still in that lazy style you always sported but your clothes. The comfy clothing you usually rehearsed in was gone and replaced by a beautiful ball gown. Despite the pins that scattered throughout the material to fit your form, it still appeared majestic. There you were, standing before him and the rest of the cast, and you were the loveliest you had ever been.

Ten minutes ago, you walked in and his head was reeling. Time slowed down as you tentatively made your way towards him. You did not meet his eyes but Jaehyun was dying to catch your gaze. He never wanted to let you out of his sight. The picture of his best friend in white was something he wanted to treasure and suddenly, the slowness around him stopped. The cast’s cheers and squeals disappeared. There was only you in that beautiful ball gown. 

Was this the slow-motion moment you always talked about? The one you always dreamed about experiencing? Jaehyun could see why people thought it to be magic. It was almost like a movie, movie magic if you will. 

Another look at you and then Jaehyun was in the future, watching you make her way down the aisle. A thin veil covered your face and he was so tempted to push it away from concealing your dazzling smile. His heart was fighting its way out of his chest, wanting to head down the path straight to you. How he wanted to reach out and touch you, cradle you in his arms. 

You were truly an angel in white. A princess. A queen.

The mere sight of you took him to the skies, the one place he was sure you were from. Although Jaehyun would never admit it, he always thought you to be beautiful. Throughout the many years of being best friends, he would find his gaze subconsciously drifting to you. He would rip it away before you would ever notice him doing so, knowing you would tease the hell out of him for it— it was his own little secret tucked away into the corners of his beating heart. 

“How do I look?” Your question snapped him out of his daydream and back to reality. Back down to earth. 

“Sorry, what did you say?” 

“Oh my god, you stupid spoon! I said, how do I look?”

“Lovely,” he answered sincerely, his brown eyes digging into your own. “You look absolutely lovely.”

Ten minutes ago, you simply murmured a question while Jung Jaehyun came to a realization. The realization that he might’ve fallen for you: his Forky, his best friend.

The loveliest girl he had ever seen.

With Cinderella’s opening night being only a few weeks out, you and Jaehyun decided to fit in extra time together to run lines and songs outside of scheduled rehearsals. That was the plan for every weekend and that particular Saturday was no exception to this plan. When his doorbell rang frantically, Jaehyun groaned loudly before getting up to answer the door. Did you always have to be so obnoxious?

Just as the door swung open, your loud voice boomed into his apartment, “‘Sup, ho! Ready to rehearse the hell out of this show or what?”

He stepped aside to let you in and you immediately made yourself comfortable in his humble abode. Jaehyun almost laughed as he watched you. There was a particular routine you stuck to when visiting his place. First, you would take off your shoes, slip on your personal pair of slippers you left at his house, drop your bag on the kitchen counter, and then open his fridge to raid his food supply.

Precisely as Jaehyun predicted, you waddled to the fridge in your memory-foam duck slippers and stole one of his yakults. He loved how comfortable you were in his home. It was truly a heart-warming sight.  The act itself was extremely domestic and he quite liked the domesticity when it was with you. That flash of you in a wedding gown came back to him and he blushed at the thought. The idea of spending a future together was flooding his brain recently and he didn’t know what to do. 

You weren’t the one he liked. Naeun was but why were you the only person on his mind? Was it wrong to have you in his mind? Naeun wasn’t his girlfriend— they were still getting to know each other. His time with her decreased over time since you had stepped into the role of Ella. He was very fond of you. He always had been. There was this little piece of his heart that was reserved for you but was it because you were his best friend or was it more?

Jaehyun quickly snapped himself out of it. 

“First of all, I’m not a ho,” he said before grabbing a yakult of his own. He poked the straw through the foil a bit too harshly, the liquid splashing over the top. Damn his strength— now half of his drink was gone. “Second, stop slut-shaming me for my dating choices. It’s 2021. If I wanted to be a ho, I could be a ho.”

You rolled your eyes as you took a sip of your drink. “God, I hate you sometimes.”

“You need to stop lying to yourself, I know you’re hopelessly in love with me,” Jaehyun said, pointing his drink towards you. He caught you rolling your eyes at his answer.

“Oh, you’re absolutely right. I am irrevocably in love with you, Jung Jaehyun,” you said sarcastically, dramatically batting your eyelashes his way. Your confession, despite being a sarcastic statement, left his heart racing against time. 

“Alexa, play Hopelessly Devoted to You!” you yelled ironically. 

“Now playing Hopelessly Devoted to You by Olivia Newton-John,” an electronic voice boomed across his living room before the opening notes of the ballad began to play. 

“Shit! I forgot you actually had an Echo,” you jumped, not expecting that at all. Jaehyun chuckled at your reaction, loving how easily you scare. He always thought it was one of your cuter traits. 

“Alexa, stop!” he called. 

Jaehyun ran a hand through his hair. He dragged his feet to his bedroom, knowing you would follow without a word. “I can’t rehearse today, I have to write this damned analysis paper for a class. It’s due in two days.”

“I’m sorry, is that paper more important than your best friend in the entire world?” you pushed from behind him.

“Yes,” he deadpanned, taking a seat at his desk. Jaehyun’s study area was an absolute mess. His notebooks were scattered around the floor, textbooks opened to random pages, and his laptop opened to a google document.  

“That’s a motherfucking lie and you know it.”

“I really can’t rehearse now, Forky,” he sighed.

He glared at you as you theatrically fell onto his bed. The notes spread out on his bed flying to the floor. “Oh, woe is me! Jung Jaehyun cannot give me the time of day to rehearse. What am I to do?”

“Why are you like this?” 

“I’m a theatre student, I’m wired to be this obnoxious,” you said with a straight face. 

He stared at you through narrowed eyes. “I really hate you right now.”

“I know,” you countered with a flat tone. “But in all seriousness, Jaehyun. I won’t take too much of your time. I just wanted to practice our duets a couple of times and then I’ll be out of your hair. Plus, you look like you need a break.”

One look at you and he was a goner. How could he ever say no to his best friend?

“Ugh, fine.”

“Ha, I knew you would cave.”

“Shut up.”

The next hour with you was spent rehearsing the numbers. During the last run-through, Jaehyun suggested going over the blocking and putting their all in it. To act like it was opening night. You swiftly agreed and he played the music from the top.

Jaehyun led you around his room, spinning you across the floor as you sang. The smile on your face was so lovely, he could not take his eyes off your lips. His eyes fluttered to a close and he imagined you in your full costume, downed in your gown, as dainty as a daisy and as graceful as a bird. The thought of you dressed like a princess drove him crazy.

He never thought of Naeun this way. This was different. You were different but why?

Jaehyun opened his eyes to see you smiling so gracefully at him as the song was coming to an end. Just as planned in the show, your gaze flitted to his lips. You leaned closer and he followed, dipping his head to meet you halfway. His heart was skipping to its own beat as he inched down. Your soft lips brushed against his oh-so-gently as he held you in his arms but before the boy could press back, the door to his room swung open.

You broke away from him, shocked at the sudden arrival to see your other friend and Jaehyun’s roommate, Dejun. “Oops, was I interrupting something?” 

“I, uh, I gotta go.” Before you could even stop him, Jaehyun grabbed his wallet and phone off his desk and ran out his room. 

Confusion clouded his senses. Why did he feel empty after you pulled away? Why did he want to kiss you so badly? It was just a stage kiss.

Was it not?

Jaehyun’s door slammed shut behind him, leaving me and Dejun in his room. It wasn’t long before we heard the front door close, too. “Well, that was something,” Dejun said after his roommate shuffled out of the apartment.

“Shut up, Xiao Dejun,” I replied, smacking his arm. 

My friend lifted his arms up in defense before he gave me a pointed stare. “I’m just saying, the two of you looked really into it. It looked great, to be honest with you. No notes to give here— I’m sure O’Hare and Lau would say the same.”

“It’s just acting,” I tried to shrug it off. 

“Stop lying to yourself.”

“I’m not!”

“Bulltshit. I saw the way he looked at you— that’s not acting, twerp,” Dejun declared, his voice dropping. His voice never dipped in tone unless he was serious and in that moment, he was dead serious. My friend sounded like a frustrated tutor deliberately explaining a concept for the fifth time and I was the stubborn student who just didn’t understand.

“Yes, yes it is!”

“No, it’s not because that’s how he always looked at you!” 

“Lies!” I yelled accusingly, “We got Liza Minnelli over here!” 

“God, you’re so annoying sometimes! Why won’t you confess? Cat got your tongue? Nothing’s really stopped your sharp tongue before,” Dejun groaned at my stubbornness. He slapped a hand onto my shoulder. I tried to shrug him off but his grip was too strong. Maybe it was him trying to help me get a grip. Who knew? I honestly didn’t. 

“It’s not like I haven’t tried, you know?” An exasperated answer left my lips. I was tired. So ridiculously tired of dealing with these feelings for my best friend. It had been four years since I fell for him. Four years of trying to see other people, four years of trying to confess, and four long years of failing every time.  “I just freeze up like a deer in headlights or like you did when you performed that one monologue sophomore year in voice and movement class. Remember that, Jun?”

I felt his sharp glare burning a hole in my back. “You promised to never talk about that moment, you traitor,” he hissed, his hand squeezing the hell out of my shoulder. 

“Okay yeah but you get the point, right?” My nails dug into his skin, leaving little indents onto his hand. He yelped, finally jerking his hand back to examine it. Shaking my head, I added, “Plus, he’s my best friend. I just can’t do it!”

“So, what you’re saying is that you choose friendship over the possibility of him loving you?” 

“It’s just...I don’t know—” I started, shifting my body to face him, “—choosing friendship means that I’ll only lose love. But if I chose to confess and put my feelings out there, I could lose him as a potential lover and my best friend. I’m not prepared for that. I don’t think I ever will be.”

And there it was again. The self-doubt hit me, imposter syndrome resurfacing at an all time high, bringing me to the lowest of lows. 

The feeling of being a fraud, of being not good enough. 

For Jaehyun. For any love interest for that matter. For the role of Ella. For taking my place under the spotlight. 

“Dejun?”

“Hmm?”

“Am I—am I good enough?”

“For?”

“I—I don’t know—” I stuttered as my mind was consumed by my own crippling thoughts. I tried to stay strong but the crack in my voice gave me away, “—for anything? Everything?” 

“Oh, twerp,” Dejun said in that particular voice and then that was when the floodgates opened. The tears just came pouring down with no sign of stopping. My friend gently pulled me into his comforting arms. They were snug and I felt safe but not as safe as I did in Jaehyun’s hold.

“You, my darling, are definitely good enough. Don’t let your thoughts tell you otherwise.” Although his voice was comforting, it did not help the unhinged thoughts running through my brain. 

“Then, why does it always hurt when I don’t get the role of the leading lady? Of his leading lady? I always get so far and then, at the end of the day, I’m just not what they’re looking for. What he’s looking for.” Pining for something so unimaginable was too taxing. Having the lead role in a play and having Jung Jaehyun wear his heart on his sleeve just for me. 

“Sometimes, the roles aren’t made for you and that’s okay.”

“But what about this one?”

“This one, twerp, this one is a little different.” 

“And why’s that?”

“Because there is music in you; it goes hand in hand with Jaehyun, like a melody to his harmony. You are his Ella and he’s your Topher,” Dejun urged. It was like he was begging me to not give up hope. 

“You’re just saying that.”

“I’m really not. You just gotta do what the theatre gods tell us to do: just trust the process.” 

How could I trust the process when all it did was hurt me by allowing me to have a glimpse of a love and a life that would never be mine? 

Opening night finally arrived. Everyone was called to the theatre for a full run through in the afternoon: the final dress rehearsal hours before the doors opened and the curtains were drawn. I had gotten there earlier to soak in the calmness of the empty auditorium before the chaos began.

I heard heavy footsteps come from behind me. Even without turning around, I knew it to be Jaehyun. The boy took a seat next to me on the wooden prop walls that were locked into the ground. If the stage managers and props committee saw us, they would’ve definitely ripped our heads off but they weren’t— it was just us.  

“Penny for your thoughts, my dear Ella?”

“Topher,” I answered, playing along with his game. “Lovely to see you here bright at early.”

“I knew you would be here and I wanted to be here with you,” he said, pulling me into a side hug. Jaehyun knew me well but did he know me well enough? “Spill it, Forky. What’s wrong?”

“Sometimes I still doubt myself,” I said a little too fast. A loud sigh followed my reveal. The crippling doubt was always there, haunting me. Let me tell you, it was not the best thing in the world to have during an opening for a new production. 

“Oh yeah?” Jaehyun asked, pushing me to continue. I felt the soft brush of his palm against my hand. His fingers grabbed hold of my wrist before fighting their way to tangle with my own fingers. The sensation tickled, taking me away from my thoughts for a fraction of a second. I played with his fingers, watching the way his pinkish hand fit with mine. 

I refused to look at him; I was too afraid of breaking down.“Doubting myself, my abilities. Always the understudy, never the star, remember?”

Jaehyun hummed. He rested his chin on my shoulder. “Did something change?”

“Yeah, I finally realized that maybe it wasn’t that I wasn’t right for the part; the part wasn’t right for me,” I laughed a bit dryly. “Does that make any sense?” 

“Weirdly, yes,” he replied, his breath blowing against my neck. I tried to ignore the tickling sensation and the way it made me feel. 

“But this is different— I feel like I was made to play Ella. Made to play her even though I got the part in this odd, unconventional way,” I turned my head to the side to avoid eye contact. “The girl who sees the good in everything despite the hardships and suffering she went through.”

“Without a doubt, I believe that you belong on stage with me,” Jaehyun answered sincerely, “and I’m glad we have the chance to finally play opposites.” 

He squeezed my smaller palm in support. I appreciated the reassurance; the action slightly calmed me down before she took the next step. Possibly the biggest step of my entire life. “There’s something else I realized, too.”

“Oh yeah, what’s that?” Jaehyun asked softly. 

Taking a deep breath, I said, “I realized that I could be right for you.” 

It took him a minute, a long solid minute before Jaehyun could bring himself to respond to my confession. I wondered what he was thinking at that moment, when those words left my mouth. “Right for me?” came his tentative reply. A quick glimpse at his ears and I saw the burst of red. He was caught off guard, embarrassed. 

“Yeah,” I said almost shamefully. Was I ashamed of my feelings? I never was ashamed before. Maybe it was because Jaehyun finally saw me for who I truly was— his highly dramatic best friend that was head over glass heels for him. 

“How long— how long have you felt this way?” The red of his ears seeped to his rosy cheeks. 

“Ever since we were a dumb pair of utensils,” I replied sincerely, my voice wavering at the truth, “a set of ridiculous tableware.”

There was an awkward chuckle that left his drying lips. I heard him click his tongue, a habit he did when Jaehyun never knew what to say. It seemed like I rendered him speechless. “Since we were sixteen? That long and you didn’t say anything?”

“You’re really asking me that?”

“Yes, I really am!”

“Jaehyun, c’mon. Use your brain! How was I supposed to? You’re my best friend and when you’re not my best friend, you’re out there chasing other girls,” I stopped to lick my drying lips. There was another inkling of silence and I gulped at how tense the atmosphere was. “And I thought maybe once, just once, you would chase after me, too.” 

I almost laughed; my greatest desire was finally out in the world and it was greeted by silence. 

“But what if I’m wrong for you?” 

And there it was. The rejection I was preparing for. Giving him a pained smile that failed to meet my ears, I said, “Then that’s life, I guess.”

“You guess?” 

“Well, I can’t make you act like you’re in love with me, can I?” I snapped, my pain taking the best of me. It clouded my brain, blocking off all rational thoughts out of my head. “This isn’t a play or a movie with a script, Jaehyun. This is real fucking life.” 

Hurt. I was being overwhelmed with a wave of hurt and anguish. My body was trembling as much as my eyes were. I felt them growing wet and I shut them closed. My hands curled into fists, nails digging into my skin. It stung but not as much as being rejected by the one you loved most. The lead of the movie in your mind. 

“Wait, no, that’s not what I meant,” Jaehyun tried to stop me from getting off the stage. I pulled away from him, quickly snatching my belongings before heading to the nearest exit. Turning back around before I left the empty auditorium, I experienced another moment in slow-motion. 

There Jaehyun was in all his glory— denim jacket slipping over his broad shoulders, dark brown hair sticking up in all directions and a confused look on his face. He looked like a mess under the spotlight of my mind but nevertheless, he was my mess of a best friend.

He was my mess of a best friend and that was all he was going to be. That fact hurt more than being the forever understudy. 

Why couldn’t I fast forward this portion of my life? Why must I suffer this much?

Why couldn’t I escape the role of being second best?

If only my life was a movie, then maybe I wouldn’t be everyone’s second choice. His second choice.

If we were in a movie, Jung Jaehyun would be my best friend and my perfect match. Our story would be the typical friends-to-lovers saga that every girl dreams of. It would end happily with the credits rolling to a perfectly timed soundtrack. 

Too bad this wasn’t a movie— this was real life and life came with complications.

After that confrontation, you and Jaehyun were off and not off the charts— just off. The directors noticed it. The stage hands noticed. The cast noticed it. The final run-through before the curtains opened just finished and it was an absolute disaster because of the way you acted with Jaehyun. Every time he opened up his body to you, the response you gave him was closed off. Cold. 

To the rest of the cast and crew, the prince and princess didn’t seem very much in love that day— they didn’t even seem friendly. You and Jaehyun seemed like two strangers trying to work their way across a stage. There was no connection. There was nothing else there. 

Now, if only you would let Jaehyun talk to you, maybe something would change but you didn’t. You ran away every chance you could. It was like Cinderella, but you didn’t leave a glass slipper behind. You didn’t leave anything behind. 

Less than an hour before showtime and he couldn’t even talk to you. Let alone look at you. He sighed into his hand, palms applying pressure to his eyes. Jaehyun cursed under his breath, forgetting that he had a heavy amount of stage makeup on his face. Looking into the mirror, he saw his makeup was still intact. Thank the theatre gods for the Ben Nye Final Seal Setter. It seemed like that it was the only thing set in stone at that moment. 

The door to Jaehyun’s dressing room slammed open and Dejun waltzed in, fully dressed in his costume.“Dude, what was up with you and the twerp during that dress rehearsal? You were so off!”

He received no reply, Jaehyun was too zoned out to hear. Dejun hopped onto the counter of Jaehyun’s dresser. Usually, the action would shock the main lead but Jaehyun was too lost in thought.“Well, you know what they say about a bad dress rehearsal. That means we’ll have a good opening night,” Dejun said, eyeing his friend for his lack of response.

Finally looking away from his reflection, Jaehyun glanced up at Dejun with a look of disbelief. “She likes me?”

His friend jumped off the counter with widened eyes.“Oh my god, did she finally confess? Was that why you were acting weird?”

“Dejun, you knew?” Jaehyun slammed his palms on his dresser. The makeup products on the tabletop shook, leaving the other guy to wince at the show of strength. 

“Honestly for being the ace of the theatre department, you sure are dumb,” Dejun replied a bit too casually as he leaned into the mirror to examine his appearance. He clicked his tongue upon realizing his cheeks didn’t have enough color. The stage lights would wash him out. The boy reached for Jaehyun’s pink blush and a clean wedge before applying it onto the apples of his cheeks.

“What should I do?”

“Well, Jaehyun, what do you want to do?” Dejun asked, turning side to side to double-check his reflection. 

“I don’t know that’s why I’m asking you!” Jaehyun fired back with vigor, hating how casual his best friend was acting. He was having a before-show crisis and his best friend was calmly stealing his bottle of Ben Nye, spraying his beautifully sculpted face with the setting spray.

“Well, do you like her more than a friend? And what about Naeun?”

“Yes? No? I don’t know! But—”

“But?” His friend asked before hopping onto the countertop. The actor raised his perfectly shaped eyebrows at his friend and Jaehyun had the sudden urge to pluck the beauties they were until Dejun had no eyebrow hair left. When Jaehyun didn’t reply, Dejun repeated his question.

Dropping his head in his hands, Jaehyun hesitantly replied, “There was this moment when I saw her and it was like that thing she always said? The slo-mo thing?”

Dejun’s head perked up. “You saw her in slow motion?” 

“Yeah, it was like time stopped. All I saw was her and then…” Jaehyun thought back to seeing you in a wedding dress. He changed his mind; he didn’t want to talk about his feelings. All he wanted to do was make sure opening night ran as smoothly as possible. Grabbing his white suit jacket for the top of Act One, the boy stood up in an attempt to escape his friend’s sudden peak in curiosity. “Never mind, this is ridiculous. I gotta go, Dejun.” 

“No, you’re not going anywhere until you actually confront your damn feelings,” Dejun said, shoving his friend back in his chair. “Do you like Naeun?”

There was a pause before he answered truthfully: “Yes.”

“Okay, and are your feelings for Naeun stronger than what you have for your best friend?” 

“No,” Jaehyun released another sigh as he leaned back in his chair. A hand reached up to brush through his hair before he remembered that it was gelled back in place. He dropped his hand to rub the back of his neck, not wanting to mess with his looks before places. “I was infatuated with Naeun but with her, god, she’s something else and it took me this long to realize it.”

“How do I know you’re not just saying that?” Dejun questioned, squeezing his friend’s shoulders a bit too tightly. Jaehyun thought his friend was testing him and for a good reason. If he was in Dejun’s position, Jaehyun would’ve grilled his friend, too. “How do I know you’re actually in love with her? Yes, you’re my roommate and best friend but she’s my best friend, too. I can’t let you hurt her if all you feel is something temporary. I can’t let you treat her like those other girls.”

“Because she’s The One, Dejun. I’m certain of it,” Jaehyun snapped back. “When I look at her, I see everything I’ve been searching for. It’s like I was blind for the longest time, you know? She was always just Forky to me back when I didn’t know any better. But now I see and all I see is her— her, with all her flaws. The way she hides her insecurities with her dramatic outbursts. How she picks at her cuticles when she’s nervous or how she always steals my food at home. And the way she just fits with me. I can’t explain it.”

Jaehyun didn’t even give his friend a chance to butt in. He was still rambling on with a fond smile, his mouth running a mile. “She’s been there with me since the beginning, Jun. Before I was this prince of the theatre department, she was there. She’s been there since the beginning and even when I was chasing after girls, she was there at the middle of it all, and fuck, I want to go all the way to the end with her.”

Dejun released his hold on his friend and rolled his eyes. The boy made his way to the door of the dressing room before mumbling under his breath, “God, what is with you two and giving out monologues? I swear, when this is all over, you should become playwrights.”

“What?”

“Never mind me, Jaehyun,” Dejun opened the door and gestured for Jaehyun to follow the path— the path down the hall that led to you. “What are you waiting for? Go get her, we have 30 until Joohyun calls for places!”

“Dejun, it’s much more complicated than that.”

“It’s only as complicated as you make it out to be. Just— just go and talk to her, yeah?”

Jaehyun sighed deeply as he reached your dressing room door. He knocked lightly, running through the lines he wanted to say in his head before you shouted a faint “come in.” The door squeaked open to reveal you, his best friend in the whole entire world, touching up your makeup. The best friend that he was inescapably in love with. You watched him through the mirror as he leaned against the frame with crossed arms. 

“Can we talk after the show? There’s something I need to tell you— it’s important. I don’t think I—um, I have enough time to tell you now,” Jaehyun asked, stuttering through his words. Gone was the confidence he usually bared. The only thing left in him was a scared little boy, afraid of the problem his words may cause. 

The smile he received from you did not reach your ears. “Of course,” you replied curtly before turning away from him. He noted how you were over applying your blush and fidgeting with your costume. You were doing everything in your power to avoid him. 

The tugging of your ear, the biting of your lip, the picking of your cuticles. He saw all your bad habits. You were a ball of nerves and the speaker announced it was ten minutes before places.

“Hey, Forky?”

“Yes, Jaehyun?”

“You know that I believe in you, right? Always?”

There was a twitch at the corner of your lips. “I do.”

“Good,” Jaehyun approached you with caution. You watched him from your mirror, never making direct eye contact as he came closer. He dropped a kiss on the crown on your head, relishing in the way his plush lips against your torn bandana and the lace front wig. “Break a leg, my Ella.”

He observed you through your reflection and took in how beautiful you looked in your rags. You made the rags the costume department designed for you look like riches. 

“Same goes to you, my prince,” he heard you answer in that soft tone.  Again, you had sent him to the skies and the boy was struggling to find his way back down.

When it was time to draw the curtains and light the lights for the first performance of Cinderella, it seemed like everything fell into place.  Jaehyun stared at you across the stage, falling for the way the lights illuminated your figure in that white ball gown. The bright glow brought his attention to your bright grin, that beautiful and radiant smile of yours, that shocked him to his core. 

Jaehyun locked eyes with you and suddenly, he was drowning. He was drowning in your expressive eyes. He was drowning in your overflowing love. 

It was different being across from you in front of a full audience. There was a rush that took over him whenever he saw you and it beat the flurries his heart experienced with his other leading ladies. As you said your lines with that bewitching sparkle in your eye, Jaehyun hated himself for not realizing how much he loved you sooner or how you were never playing pretend. 

But that was okay because Jung Jaehyun loved you now. He loved you in the world you made believe on stage, where he was Prince Topher and you were his Ella, and he loved you in reality where you would always be the fork to his spoon. 

Opening night went smoothly and the roaring applause I received during my final bow sent me to the moon. The way Jaehyun looked at me across the stage with eyes filled with pride and joy blasted me to places I had never been before. I became high on this feeling of being under the burning spotlights. The feeling of wearing the most intricate costume and the way his hand slid into mine for the last bow before the curtains were drawn; it was something I wanted to treasure for the rest of my life.

But with every high came a low— my low hit me when I ran into Jaehyun’s dressing room. I caught him in an embrace with Naeun who gifted my best friend with a rose. She placed a kiss on his cheek, causing his white ears to flush a deep red that rivaled the flower he held. The girl gave him a quick shove of the shoulder before heading to me. 

Her congratulatory statement went in one ear and out the other. I could barely process Naeun handing me a rose of my own before she walked out of the room, the sweet scent of her perfume lingering in her wake. She gave my best friend one more lingering look as she left and it hurt me in so many ways.

“Ready to go?” Jaehyun said, clearing his throat. “Wanna stop by the stage first? Soak in your first opening night as a lead?”

“Why the hell not?” The walk back to the stage was short. It felt different somehow.

“We did it,” I whispered.

“That we did,” he answered back. 

We walked onto the stage together and I could still hear the crowds cheering for me, giving me the standing ovation I earned. It was electrifying, the way the sparks ran through my body. It ran from the top of my head to the tips of my fingers and toes. 

Glancing around the empty auditorium, I pondered aloud, “But do you know what sucks about it all, Jaehyun?”

“What?”

“There’s nothing worse than the feeling of not being chosen and it still hurts that I wasn’t the first choice,” I replied truthfully, “Not as much as before. But I’m learning to get over it. The casting directors saw potential in me.”

“That’s because you do have the potential to be a star. You’re practically glowing right now.” I felt his eyes trained on me, just like they were the entire time we shared the stage. 

Turning abruptly to face him, I said, “You really can’t say that to me, you know?”

“And why’s that?”

“Because it makes my heart beat against my chest and these stupid butterflies come around before I remember that you have never chosen me to be your first choice,” I glared. 

“But I do choose you,” Jaehyun pushed, his voice laced with desperation, “That’s what I was trying to tell you before you stormed off on me earlier!”

“Are you really choosing me, Jaehyun? The real me? The me that has been your best friend for years? Or are you choosing the me that shares a stage with you every night? The me that could potentially be your next whirlwind romance?” No matter how desperate he sounded, he couldn’t beat the hopelessness that was dripping from my own voice. 

“No, that’s not it at all!” his voice boomed, the sound echoing throughout the empty auditorium. 

“Then, what is it, Jung Jaehyun? Because I am tired of being second best and I’m tired of not being chosen,” I almost cried. The anguish was just taking over my body and I couldn’t make it stop. “Yes, I know some parts are not right for me but I can’t help but be hurt. And then you say that you’re choosing me? Of course, I’m going to think of it being because I’m your newest love interest on stage.”

“If you could just listen—”

Unable to stop the words from coming out, I just kept running off at the mouth. Everything I wanted to say to Jaehyun was flying out of my lips at rapid speed; I couldn’t even stop it. “I have seen you in slow motion so many times and I want to just fast forward from those moments. To speed past them so I can move on from the idea of not being yours. I refuse to be a temporary love that you lose interest in. I just want you to pick me, to choose me, and to love me, damn it— is that too fucking much to ask for? To be chosen and loved?”

While I was taking a breath to continue with my rant, Jaehyun cut me off and the words he said rattled the stage, the ground beneath my feet, and my whole entire world.“No, it’s not and you are way fucking more than that, if you just take a moment out of your godforsaken monologue and listen to me! I choose you not because you’re my leading lady but because you’re you. You’ve always been this— this incredible, breathtaking you.” 

He took one step closer and I took one step back. “And you’ve the person at my side when no one else is.” 

Every single time I would retreat, Jaehyun would follow. The boy was persistent, his brown eyes trained on me. “The one who figured out you loved me first while I was too blind to see it. You’re the fork to my spoon. We’re a set, we go together. And I was too dumb to figure out that at the end of the day, I always think about you and how no one I’ve ever been with compares to you.”

 When my back hit the wall, I was trapped. Trapped in between his arms and the way they propped themselves on either side of my face. Trapped in the haze of his brown eyes and how they dug deep into my soul. 

 “I don’t see you in slow motion— I see you in fast forward. I see you in the future, my future, walking down the aisle in white and I don’t even know what I’m saying anymore. All I know is that I choose you. I will always choose you.”  

I was trapped by Jung Jaehyun and there was no escape for me. Judging by the way his eyes never let me out of his sight, there was a chance my friend didn’t want to let me go either. He wanted me to stay. 

“Jaehyun, what are you saying?”

“I’m saying that I love you. You’re my beginning, middle, and my end.”

“You love me? Like you’re in love with me?” Jaehyun heard you ask, like the possibility of being loved by him was so impossible. You were searching for any inkling of doubt but he made sure you couldn’t find any because you were the only thing he could see. 

Jaehyun brought a hand near your cheek. It hovered there as he hesitated to touch it to your skin until you leaned into his touch. Your cheek felt so warm in his palm and it was so comforting to have you in his hold. “I wanted to say it earlier but I was just so scared of losing you as both a lover and a friend because what if it all goes to shit? What if we go to shit and things hit the fan? I can’t lose you.” 

“But you, Jung Jaehyun, are in love with me?” you repeated as your hand cupped his own. The smile you gave him was bright enough to light up the stage. 

“Yeah, I thought I made that clear. I’m sorry, did I mumble that line?” he teased playfully, trying to coerce a giggle out of you. “Should I start the scene over?”

“No, no. I’m just—” you paused and he watched you recollect your thoughts. His glittering brown eyes were trained on you as the words processed in your head. “You love me,” you laughed in disbelief. 

Jaehyun took a step closer, his hand tentatively reaching out to stroke your face. He sighed in relief as you relaxed into his touch. “You’re my number one girl. I choose you.” 

“Well, it’s a good thing that even after all this time, I’ve always chosen you, too.”

Once those words left your lips, he couldn’t hold himself back. Wrapping his arms around your waist, Jaehyun pulled you against his chest and smashed his lips against yours. Yes, he had kissed you on multiple occasions prior to this— onstage and off— but this time was different than the rest.

 This was the first time he really kissed you after your feelings were out in the open.

The first time he kissed you and finally felt the love you harbored for so many years. Jaehyun just hoped you could sense the love he was pouring out for you, too. 

He did not want to let you go but he was struggling to breathe. You were so lovely, everything about you was so incredibly lovely, and to have you in his arms was the best feeling in the universe. Everything around him turned dark and he felt the warmth of a spotlight and the flush of your body against him. The entire world was spinning beneath his feet, his heart racing, and his lips chasing you and only you. 

Jaehyun did not understand why people did drugs— the high of being so ardently in love with another person, with you, gave him the high that he needed. 

He felt you hit his chest in an attempt to end the kiss but Jaehyun did not want to stop. A light shove to his shoulders was enough to separate his lips from yours and what a sight you were— chest panting heavily for air, lips plumped and swollen, and the prettiest set of eyes widened in shock.

“You kissed me!” you said in between pants. “Like not a stage kiss but you actually kissed me!”

“That I did, love,” Jaehyun replied cheekily, taking another step towards you. You stepped back to lean against the wall but did nothing to stop him from coming forward. “Are you gonna do something about it?” 

The look in your eyes changed after you heard his new nickname for you. It was coy. Flirty. Challenging. “Do it again, I dare you,” you whispered a bit too loudly. 

Before Jaehyun closed the distance, his eyebrow perked up at the challenge. “Gladly.”

Senior year was there before we knew it. 

Another year, another posting day. 

Dejun, Jaehyun, and I swiftly made our way down the hall to the front of the theatre department, curious to find out which roles we were given. The spring production and the final musical of our college career was Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. 

Callbacks for Belle went as smooth as ever— the chemistry between Jaehyun and I were off the charts. But why wouldn’t they be? We were together now. 

Just like any other time, the crowds gathering around the cast list and bulletin board parted immediately once they caught a glimpse of Jaehyun approaching. The only difference was that this time, he was tightly clutching my hand. 

When we arrived in front of the board, I shut my eyes before I could read the cast list. An anxious buzz flowed through my veins, tickling the tips of my fingers and toes. My boyfriend must’ve felt the twitching of my fingers or the sweat dripping off my palms. 

I felt his body shift towards me. “Want me to take a peek first, love?” Jaehyun asked as he pressed his plump lips onto the crown of my head. He nuzzled his nose into my hair, a small but sweet action that always comforted me. 

Shaking my head, I looked at him and said, “No, why don’t we look together?”

“On three?” he grinned lovingly.

“On three, you dumb spoon.”

The countdown was quick but the glance I took at the cast list was even quicker. It was so quick, I almost didn’t catch who was put into the role of Belle. Taking a double take, I let go of Jaehyun’s hand as my eyes zeroed in onto the tiny print. 

Everything around me came to a stop as I read and re-read the cast list. Everyone around me was celebrating their parts but I couldn’t hear them, they were all muted in my mind. All I could hear was the sound of my own breaths  and all I could see my name on the top of the page. 

Belle……………..Y/N The Beast……..Jung Jaehyun

“Oh my god, I got the part,” I whispered to no one in particular. Backing away from the board, I repeated the same words a little louder and it got the attention of everyone surrounding me. Before I knew it, everyone threw a congratulations my way. The cheers were loud and obnoxious but they were for me because I did it. I finally did it.

Feeling a little overwhelmed, I backed away from the blustering crowd before bumping into my boyfriend’s firm chest. Jaehyun caught me in his hold, his arms circling around my waist. He dropped his chin on my shoulder and placed a tender kiss on my temple. “Would you look at that? We’re not a ridiculous set of tableware this time.”

“No disrespect to those parts, they were awesome, but I think I like this a lot more,” I giggled, turning in his hold. 

As I circled my arms around his neck, he whispered, “Same here.”

I yanked him down into an earth-shattering kiss that sent the world spinning beneath my feet. It slowed down, speeded up, and it did everything in between. I saw flashes of yellow ball gowns, royal blue coats, and Jaehyun smiling at me gracefully across the stage. 

Jaehyun staring me down from the other end of an altar. 

I saw it all. 

If my life was a movie, then this would be the time that the screen would fade to black and show the names. Some overly poppy song would resonate through the speakers and everyone would get up from their seats and gush over the happy ending.

But it wasn’t. My life was as real as it could be and it was even better than any romantic-comedy that would ever grace the screen. 

This wasn’t the ending. 

This was the perfect beginning. 

AUTHOR’S NOTE. hello, my darling readers! you really didn’t have to wait that long for this release, did you? a big thank you to several people: @johtenrecs for always being my beta and for the helpful feedback, to my chaotic gc ( @smoll-tangerine, @ppangjae, @jaedore​, and @jeongvision) for listening to me complain about how i was losing it while writing this fic, to @suhpressed​ for helping me with brainstorm, and lastly, to my lovely @notnctu bc without her and our crazy idea of hosting a hannah montana collab, i wouldn’t have gotten this idea! love y’all! hope you enjoyed this and please leave feedback! uwu

TAGLIST. @yasmini24 @jaehyunnie77 @emmybyeakitty @fluffyjaes @aevizen @dearjaehyxn @yourmagnanimousholiness @jaehyvnsvalentine @keemburley @softieus @lanadreamie @lebrookestore  @notmangojuice @felixn-recs @captainsjoongs @anotherfullsun @ukiyoneo @kunrengui​ @babyyynatty​ 

© sehunniepotwrites, 2021

[neovisioned]

♡ꜜ broken mirrors﹫jaehyun jung

pairing : jaehyun x reader (f), ft. nct dream and johnny. 

genre : angst, smut, horror-ish, cursed!jaehyun, (kind of bloody mary!au), college!au. 

warnings : jaehyun is meant to be kind of twisted, some toxic and manipulative behaviour from him, black magic, mentions of rituals, mentions of blood, mentions of murder, mention of anxiety, voyeurism, choking, guided masturbation, degradation, pet names : doll, darling, kid, reminder jaehyun is an entity from the victorian era, reader is kind of reckless and impulsive. 

word count : 25k exactly. 

synopsis : where your college friends recall a creepy legend known around your university about a man that appears in mirrors and grants you two wishes when summoned. Jisung is dared to say his name three times and see what happens. you at first brush it off as some copy of bloody mary but, when your friend chickens out and swears something happened in that bathroom, you can’t deny the shift in atmosphere everyone felt. once in your dorm, the urge to try it out mixed with fear pushes you over the edge. it’s probably fake anyways, right ? you summon Jung Jaehyun in the middle of the night, on your bed, and he is not what you expected him to be. 

a/n : this was supposed to be a short one shot, lol. reminder this isn’t an all pink story. for the people who’ve read my other stuff, it’s quite different from what i usually write ! also, this isn’t proofread. in case tags don’t work : @nct-writers​ @neowritingsnet​ @thekpopnet​.

“Do you seriously believe in this kind of shit ?” laughs Jeno, a bit too loudly for the other students probably peacefully resting in the dorms right next to his. One hand covers the economics student’s mouth, visibly chewing on some chips and guacamole freshly made for tonight. Jaemin whines at the obvious joke his friend is making him out to be in front of everyone, a pout on his rosy lips. Poor thing, a dusty pink colors his cheeks – noticeable despite the low lighting of Jeno’s room - he looks down at the half empty plate, crumbs of potatoes on the ceramic.

“At least let me tell the story !”, Jaemin argues, slapping the red haired’s hand away. Stealing one of the last larger chips, Jaemin dips it in the smashed avocado. The blonde eats his chip almost aggressively, a victorious noise coming out of his closed mouth when Jeno notices the little amount of guacamole he left for him. 

“We were supposed to watch a scary movie, telling creepy stories’ the next best option.”, you say, leaning back against your friend’s Fatboy. Tonight was yet another one of these half improvised movie nights with your college friends. Jeno, Jaemin, Renjun, Jisung, Chenle and Donghyuck were all in your campus, in different courses and yet, you all managed to come together in one tight neck group. Every week, one member of the group would host a little something to celebrate…not dying ? Yeah, something like that.  

Thursday, tonight was obviously Jeno’s turn to hold the gathering, he had proposed a nice horror movie night but, Jisung, a language student, ended up chickening out after hearing the movie’s synopsis. You don’t really blame him, though, the story was meant to keep its viewers up for nights. 

“Jisung’s a pussy !”, Donghyuck teases the young man, a hand ruffling his peach hair to annoy him even more. “I have things to do tomorrow and I need my sleep !”, he defends himself for the nth time tonight, a new argument each time. The other boys aren’t really bothered by the change, movies usually get lost in the group’s banter and casual conversations anyways. You can count on two hands the number of movies you entirely watched with your friends. 

“He’s gonna get scared by some stories, too.”, the brunette continues his teasing like he usually does. Jisung pushes him to the side as an answer, before crossing his arms over his chest. Like everyone else, he’s already wearing his pyjamas, his and everyone else’s dorm room is in the same building and so, everyone could get to their bed in minutes, if not seconds.

“He’s going to knock at your door tonight, Y/N.”, Jeno joins in, all very well knowing that the peach haired’s dorm is right next to yours, seconds away. There’s a snore from Donghyuck, slapping a hand on the wooden table as he adds something to the conversation too, one you don’t catch. “Oh no, don’t. But I can give you a plushie if you’re really scared.”, you join in before immediately wrapping an arm around your friend for comfort.

“’m joking. Come on, what’s your story, Jaemin.”, you hum, letting Jisung lean his head against your shoulder with a whine, pout on his pink lips. 

“Lets do one each, yeah ? I have a story to tell and we’ll see who will really need a plushie.”, taunts the young man at your side, though no one truly believes him at first. Jisung, having scary stories to tell ? Hard to believe. 

“Wait ! We need to get in the mood !”, interjects Jaemin, getting up from his position on the floor. He easily navigates in the room with Jeno, like a third home. The first closes all windows, pushes curtains and turns off any lights to, like he said, get in the creepy mood. 

“H-Hey ! Can we at least keep one on ?”, Chenle joins the peach haired as a laughing point for the other boys, but Jaemin quickly obliges and lets the light of the small bathroom on for his friend, you suspect he didn’t like the complete lack of light either. You can barely see the front door from your spot, the yellowish light easily drowns the group in the storytelling atmosphere and, Jaemin joins the group again. “Wait, one last thing !”, searching for something in a drawer next to his bed, Jeno ends up taking a red candle out with a victorious sound. It hasn’t been touched at all, you inspect it a bit closely when your friend sets it on the wooden table. 

“Got it because of TikTok, it has something in it.”, he mumbles out, running a hand in his dyed hair, almost embarrassed. You wonder again how almost everyone in this group has their hair a different shade of some unnatural colour and yet, dried locks aren’t falling out on the dorm floor - yet. Thumb on his lighter, Jeno tries a few times before he gets a flame steady enough, bringing it to the white thread sticking out of his impulsive purchase.

“There, now we’re in the mood.”, proud of his little setup, the red haired sits down again, a small giggle escaping his lips at Chenle’s frightened look, already sheltering himself with his arms. The candle smells like strawberries, tall flame wavering under your friends’ breaths, the red haired slaps your hand away when you try to dig in the melted wax for the mystery treasure with one of his forks. 

“Now, Jaemin ! Let us hear your story.”, slapping his hands together, Donghyuck leans a bit closer to the center of the table. It is no secret in the group that Donghyuck has a love for scary stories and anything crime related, it seems he has been waiting for this moment. His face gets enlightened by the small candle, a weird angle that changed his features. “Try and scare us.”, the dance student challenged. 

Jisung’s arm wraps and tightens around your own when Jaemin takes the little light in his own hands, bringing the flame under his face. “Alright, do you guys know what’s a…Banshee ?”, his last word comes out as a whisper, letting the last syllable hang in the air for a few. “Oh, no.”, Renjun’s head rolls back, it rests against Jeno’s bed for a bit as he squeezes his eyes shut, whining in almost pain.  “Oh, yes. Renjun knows this story.”, remembers Jaemin, a smile stretching his lips, devilish. Everyone else comes a bit closer to the table, curiosity poked by Renjun’s natural reaction. You’re the only one shaking your head from left to right, but you doubt the others know about what the storyteller’s talking about. 

“A Banshee’s a female spirit whose wailing warns of a death in a house.”, starts Jaemin, hands dancing around the small flame, probably enjoying the heat, drawing slight shadows on the walls. He pays no attention to the small gasp falling from Chenle’s lips, about to continue. “Wow, Wikipedia. Big boy words.”, notifies Jeno, earning a death glare by the narrator. 

“It happened years ago, me and my family were on vacation in Ireland. You guys know, I have some relatives there. It was for a wedding, so all my cousins and I were staying at my Uncle’s house.”, finally starts Jaemin, voice a lot quieter. The young medicine student easily gets the entire group captivated with his words and aura. Even Renjun who already knows this story, even Jisung who usually, does not like scary tales. It is clear the intimate aspect of a story lived by a friend helps a lot, it isn’t anything mainstream or heard before, it adds to the mystery. For the next minutes, the young man tells his story with as much seriousness as he can, keeping the candle right under his face.  

“We were all around the ages of ten and thirteen, my Uncle’s house was deep in the Irish country side. I remember that parents would all sleep on the first floor and let us have the second for big sleepovers. So, my cousins and I would stay late and watch horror movies. I mean, you let kids alone, obviously they’re going to stay up late, right ?” Haechan only agrees while Jisung lets about a “this isn’t starting very well.”, eyebrows furrowed, cheek rubbing against your shoulder. “But eventually, my Uncle would come up and switch off the TV. You guys don’t know him but he’s...Special. He wouldn’t walk us to bed right away, he’d tell us about Banshees. Irish spirits, he’d describe them to us. A fragile, old woman with ripped clothes. Black hair down to her feet, sickly white skin and a veil over her red, bloody eyes.” Jaemin lets the description sink in, your face contours at the thought, you don’t have to look at Jisung to know he has the same expression on his. Donghyuck, him, is smiling a bit too much, leaning closer to the narrator for more. Jeno is strangely afraid too, towing with a loose thread sticking out of his blanket.  “Her screams have one meaning. Someone is going to die.”, Jaemin dramatically lets out the last word, keeping a straight, serious face even when Donghyuck cooes. “I hate this.”, you mumble out, to which Jisung agrees. “My Uncle would tell us about how clocks would stop, all of a sudden, fall off walls and crash on the floor before hearing a Banshee. Lights would turn on and off, flicker, doors would fly open without a breeze and slap against the walls. Paintings and pictures would fall down. He’d describe the keening as high pitch sounds, it’d pierce your soul and make every hair on your body stand.” Another pause, it’s clear Jaemin already told this story. There, he mimics the sound of a keening Banshee. And, if you think he’d sound silly, he does. High pitched is not a sound your friend can achieve and, it takes a few laughs here and there. Chenle visibly relaxes, back leaning away from the Fatboy. “He’d then walk us to bed after his Banshee story and we’d stay awake out of fear, you know. Just staring outside the windows, at the dark, Irish country side. Pitch black, no lights, tall - tall trees. It was during the winter, a wedding in the snow. And so, his big garden would be fogged up. A dense, white fog, we could barely see anything.”

The small flame grows taller, it wavers again under Jaemin’s words, light dancing on the red haired’s table. “One night, after my Uncle walked us to bed, me and my cousins were looking outside when we saw it.” Jisung shivers next to you without even hearing the rest, you almost giggle at his reaction. Both the narrator’s palms softly hit the table before he continues. A sound leaves his lips, like the image his memory is forming in front of his eyelids is enough to scare him. “We saw one.”, Jaemin finally announces. 

In another situation, Donghyuck would be the first one to deny or refute Jaemin’s words. No you didn’t, you almost say but, your lips part for a second, without a sound. Hyper focusing on your friend, you can’t deny the slight shiver that runs down your spine when he continues. “Red, glowy eyes. Right under a tree. She was wearing a white dress and just like Uncle said. She was taller than Uncle described, she could probably easily touch the tall branches of the trees. Skinny, lanky body, we couldn’t see if she had a veil or if it was ripped.” There’s a pause again, Jaemin looks at the clock right behind you and you can not help it, you turn around just in case. “The clock stopped.” Fortunately, he isn’t talking about Jeno’s. 

“No.”, the red haired whispers out but, Jaemin does not even look at him, continuing his story. 

“She wasn’t moving, just standing...there. White dress, black hair. We couldn’t see exactly where she was looking at but it was clear she was staring at our house. And then…”, for a second time, the young man mimics a Banshee’s scream but, it’s too good this time. It’s quiet enough that he does not bother Jeno’s neighbors, but high pitched and blood drenching. The quiet scream is drawn out, Jaemin leans on his palms and elevates himself before he’s out of breath, stopping abruptly. “Dude.”, you whisper out, getting a look from Jisung.  

“And then. She disappeared. We saw her walking between the house and my Uncle’s neighbor’s house. It was so weird, she wasn’t slow, she was walking quickly, so quickly. But it was like her knees weren’t in place, her legs would twitch to the side every now and then.”, Jaemin sits down again, looking at each of his friends in the eyes. You didn’t know he was this good at storytelling, you have to keep yourself from picturing this tall, lanky woman quickly walking in the dark. “We locked all the doors, closed all the windows. We were so scared, we would look at each other like…‘who’s going to die tonight ?’”

“Shut it, no one died.”, the red haired lets out, sentence rushed. But, Renjun finally speaks up, throwing a balled up tissue at your friend, one he cannot dodge, getting hit right on his forehead. “Sht and listen.” 

“We did not sleep at all that night and…”, you almost hit the medicine student at the nth pause, you can’t deny the fact that he has you at the edge of your metaphorical seat. “The next morning, my Uncle found our neighbour. Dead.” 

There’s a gasp from everyone, your eyebrow’s and Donghyuck’s raise up and before you can speak up, Renjun whispers at you to just “wait for the next part.” You hear one of your friends babbling about how it’s all bullshit, but Jaemin never leaves his narrator persona. “We told my Uncle about the Banshee, he had heard it too and since nothing happened to us or our parents, he went to his neighbors’ house. Both really believed in these kind of things, these Irish legends. He was found in his little sofa, turned towards his window. He didn’t have any heart problems but apparently, his heart stopped during the night. My dad told me a bit more two years ago, he was found with his eyes...Wide open.”

The moment Jaemin finishes his little story, questions fly from each side of the table and your friend answers quickly, like he was ready for each one of them. “You can call my mom and ask her about it if you want to, Donghyuck.”, the confidence the medicine student has in his story is enough for the brunette. A nice story to start on, you all note, but the neighbor’s death was probably a weird coincidence, right ? At the very least, that’s what you’d like to think. Finally, when everyone calmed down from Jaemin’s story, he pushed the candle towards Jisung. “Your turn, you said you had a story to tell.” 

Your friend nods quickly, hands resting on the pyramide shape of the candle, frowning at the layer of wax it leaves on his palms. A little pool of melting wax is forming at the top and you wonder for a moment if it’s not going to spill on the table. Everyone’s attention turns towards the new narrator, Jaemin finding a new comfortable position on the floor. “Alright, uh. I don’t have the same storytelling skills as Jaemin and it isn’t the same type of story. You guys know Eric, right ?”, he starts, receiving some hums from Jeno and Jaemin. 

“Eric the Eerie ?”, you ask, almost in disbelief at the mention. At the nickname, Donghyuck almost bursts out laughing, leaning his forehead against Jeno’s table and Renjun pouts a bit at the lack of seriousness his story is already receiving. “Yes, him. The old Litterature student.”, affirms Renjun. You remember the guy, tall and lanky, legend has it that he suddenly went from the bottom of his class to the very top almost overnight, collecting amazing grades after amazing grades. No one knew how he did it. Plus, he was a bit weird. It might seem a bit mean but, his appearance didn’t help and, he would not talk to anyone either, he avoided big bodies of water and mirrors, you doubt he had any friend here, too. He’d apparently sit in the back of his class and, when he graduated, he took his diploma first and left. Nowhere to be seen now. 

“Didn’t he graduate last year ?”, Jaemin asks, grabbing a bottle of juice from the side. Even in the dark, he is able to pour himself a glass full without spilling it everywhere.

“He did, yeah. Did you guys hear about the legend ? The one around how he got his grades up ?”, there’s a sound coming from your mouth, half confused and half intrigued. “Uh ?” Jaemin hums loudly, the sound resonates between the walls of his glass as his eyes blow wide for a second. “The Yoonoh thing ? I heard about that but not in details.” Apparently, Jaemin isn’t the only one who recalls the name. It is one you and all your friends have heard before, right when you entered your university. It wasn’t mentioned in the flyers or, by the teachers, even. It was first brought up during a party hosted by older students, one where they all told you about the campus’ legends and stories. 

“His name’s written all over the walls of the old building. Also, it’s in the main building’s restroom, I think.”, Renjun informs and your memory clicks. Your university has many buildings but, one of them, a bit further away from the campus, is abandoned. It has been for years now but you and your friends decided to visit it out of curiosity during your first year, a bit after the party. You could say it was pretty underwhelming, nothing too special if it wasn’t for old structures and dirty floors. Empty classes and weird smells, like any other abandoned places, you could say. You remember the same name being written over and over again on the walls, the desks, some mirrors. Younger you thought it was only a weird legend older students used to scare the new ones.

“Oh, right. What about it ?”, Jeno asks, eyebrows raising a bit at the new storyteller. 

“Do you guys remember the legend ?”, you nod again and, help your other friends remember the old tale. Once upon a time, a man cursed, cursed in mirrors forever. Able to travel from room to room, forced to appear whenever properly summoned by someone. How did he end up with such a faith ? You do not know or, maybe you don’t remember what your older friends told you. Yoonoh was - or is -, his name. Much like Bloody Mary, call his name three times and he’ll eat your reflection, take your place in your mirror and offer you two wishes. Two and not three, the last one he keeps to himself, he’ll ask for something in return. The rest of the story is quite blurry, it changed from course to course. Some people said he’d trap people in mirrors, other that he was a creepy, demonic looking creature asking for quite gory things. You had to say, when the story was told the night of the party, you got a bit creeped out but, you forgot about it since. 

“Apparently, Eric summoned him. Midway through the school year, he summoned him in his bedroom and used one of his two wishes for better grades. The first wish was granted but, Yoonoh wanted Eric to sacrifice a friend to him. No one knows if he managed to do it or not, apparently he didn’t use his second wish and since, Yoonoh follows him everywhere he goes.”, Renjun dramatically says but, the effect isn’t one he anticipated for his little story. There’s a laugh from Donghyuck, quickly followed by Jeno. “C’mon dude, we wanted a scary story.”, interjects the medicine student and, you only hide your chuckle by drinking your juice. Poor Renjun pouts, trying to regain the attention of his friends. “Wait, listen ! Doesn't it make sense ? Like...Like, I see it happening.”, big pearly eyes find Jisung for some support, but his friend only looks away to hide his smile too. 

“That story’s bullshit, I thought you knew.”, Jaemin finally says, sighing a little. 

“But the grades going up ? How he’d dodge mirrors like the plague ? He even took the mirror from his bathroom and bedroom out.”, Renjun argues, leaning a bit too closely to the small flame. You wonder for a moment who exactly, decided to take advantage of your gullible friend. “It’s fake.”, Jisung says again, mimicking your friend. He gets a death glare from the fallen storyteller who didn’t have the throne for too long, pushing the candle to the center of the table.

“Alright…”, he starts, palms flat on the flat surface. Renjun plants his eyes into Jisung’s, small smile tugging at his lips at the thought crossing his mind. “I dare you to summon him.”

Oh, your friends still act like teenage boys. You don’t blame them, quite the contrary, you join them when they almost scream at the challenge thrown out. Everyone knows Jisung never turns a dare down, it probably has to do with his pride. But tonight, tonight might be the first time he does. Eyes scanning everyone, Jisung takes a bit too long to answer. There’s a bunch of “do it”’s from around the table, Jeno and Jaemin weirdly dancing to the beat of your words. 

“Yoonoh ? Dude…”, eyes blown wide, he looks around at the uproar the narrator created, almost sending daggers. “I thought it was bullshit ?”, sarcastically asks Renjun, propping his chin on his hand, still on the table. Donghyuck calls him a chicken after some seconds of thinking and, this does it for Jisung’s pride and ego. 

“He’s gonna do it !”, Jeno chokes out, hands thrown in the air in victory. The medicine student at his side takes the lit candle in his palms and offers it to Jisung once he finally stands up with an audible sigh, head low like a knight in front of a Queen. “It’s...fake anyways.”, he reassures himself alone, brushing his pyjamas. Slowly walking towards the dimly lit bathroom, Jisung quickly looks behind him to see if anyone stops him. Clearly, no one does. 

“Do you remember how to do it ?”, Renjun asks, not even hiding his smile at Jisung’s obvious lack of confidence, a first. Shaking his head from left to right, Renjun quickly writes it down on a piece of paper, himself not daring saying it out loud. Standing up like the rest of your group, you look over your friend’s shoulder. He’s writing a few sentences down by memory, sentences you remember from the first university party. 

“Mirror, mirror, mirror. Take my reflection as home. Show me my deepest, darkest desires. Give to me, take from me. Yoonoh, Yoonoh, Y…” 

“I didn’t want to write his name three times.”, Renjun mumbles out, handing the small piece of paper to your friend, waiting in front of the bathroom door. You audibly laugh at his confession, poking Donghyuck with your elbow to react his words. “And I am the chicken ?”, Jisung asks a bit too offended, to which Jeno only pushes him inside the room. “I never said I wasn’t !” 

Jeno tries to close the door behind him as quickly as possible but, Jisung is quicker and blocks the attempt with an arm, frightened look flashing in his eyes for a second, he already hates this. His mouth falls open the moment you turn the light off, only lit by the small candle and Jaemin’s phone’s light. “Do I have to ?”, he whines, quickly looking behind him. All the dorms have the same bathroom, small and packed, it seems Jisung never saw his bathroom in the dark or maybe, the candle lit adds to the creepiness. “Yes, you have to !”, it’s almost a harmony between you and Chenle and, with Jaemin’s help, the door gets closed and traps Jisung in the small room. Poor thing, you hear him let a whine out while your friends giggle, tapping on the door. 

“C’mon, Jisung.”, Jaemin pushes him on and, you hear him mumble something on the other side. Finally, silence. Jisung probably sets the candle down, whines again about how he can’t read your friend’s handwriting. After a few minutes, he mumbles a few things again, voice audibly shaky. Jeno lets his nails travel down the painted wood of his door and, the poor thing reacts, loudly tapping the door. 

“Is he doing it ?”, you ask quietly, ear to the door. “I think ?”, Donghyuck can only guess before he gestures to his friends to back away and stay silent. In Jeno’s dorm, badly lit, all packed in front of his door, you think it’s all fun and games. Finally, you hear Jisung say the first words with an ounce of confidence, clearing his throat every now and then, mirror, mirror, mirror. Your eyes grow wide, palms slightly sweaty, you have to rub them against your pyjama pants and crouch a bit down. He reads almost like a robot, a monotone voice he uses to add some humor in all of it, act nonchalant when you’re pretty sure he’s shitting himself in there. However, when you hear the second to last sentence, your blood rushes through your veins, he sounds different, like he’s finally taking it all seriously. It’s weird, your brain is convinced nothing is going to happen and yet, your heart races for him and the possibilities of what can happen between these four walls. You were never the one to believe in such things but, the adrenaline and thrill always got to you, always managed to scare you a bit and keep you up at night. It seems the situation does the same to your friends. Quickly, flashlights join Jaemin’s, you even see Chenle biting down on his lower lip, backing a bit away. At this very moment, you don’t know it yet but, your friend has a weird feeling greeting up his chest. Yoonoh, you hear him say his name once, you fake not feeling the air grow colder around you, goosebumps rising on your nakes arms, it’s probably the open wind-. You remember Jaemin closing every window before starting his story. A second time, Jisung sounds breathless, hesitant to let the word out, even. You almost open the door to let him out but you’re stuck there, unable to move anything but your eyes. Stuck in place, it seems like long minutes go by between your friend’s words. Quickly, you look over at the clock hung up on Jeno’s wall, the very one you thought would fall down during the medicine student’s story and...Is it...Slowing down ? Say it a third time and get out of here, you think to yourself, suddenly feeling sweat gathering on your body. Hairline, back, you fan yourself with your hand but nothing changes. It sounds like he tries to, syllable forming on his lips but nothing more gets out. He tries once, and never finishes. There’s a shiver that runs down your spine, you instinctively glare at Jaemin who stares at the plain door almost too intensively, you see his Adam’s Apple difficulty move up, and down, like he himself, feels the weird shift in atmosphere. When did this dumb dare turn so serious ? Something isn’t right, you don’t dare mention it at that moment, you don’t think you need to anyways. He isn’t able to let the last word out, silence on the other side, you almost think he’s pulling a prank on you before you hear it. You all hear a commotion, you hear Jisung thumble backwards and crash into one of Jeno’s furniture. 

“What the fu-.”, before Donghyuck can even finish his sentence, the door abruptly opens, forcing everyone away from the entrance, your back crashes into Jeno’s chest who stood right behind you. A scared Jisung tumbles out the small room, almost running as fast as possible before letting his body fall on one of the Fatboys with a sound. 

“Dude, what the fuck ?”, Jeno asks, half terrified and half amused, he doesn’t know what to feel yet. Jisung barely answers, he wonders for a moment if his friends won’t make fun of him for what’s going on in his mind. “Something touched me. Something touched me in there.”, he chokes out, breathing chopped. You know, you know Donghyuck is about to make fun of him before he walks towards the man, taken back by the genuinely afraid look he has on his face. “Wha- ? Are you okay ?”, he asks, palm resting on his friend’s upper arm in an attempt to calm him down. 

Your attention gets grabbed by the still open door, you wouldn’t dare say it out loud but, there’s something strange about it. Pulled towards it, your eyes leave your visibly and audibly afraid friend for the dark place. You almost fear going inside and, you only look up at the dark room without entering, something in your body tells you not to. Staying right in front, it’s like you feel the shift in temperature between the living room and bathroom. Why does the bathroom look so...dark ? You barely register it, how the flashlights of your friends’ phones get absorbed by the darkness inside the smaller room, only lit by the small candle. It’s probably your brain, you think to yourself. A brain can do weird things to itself, it can imagine, create but, you’re sure you’re not hallucinating when you see the candle’s flame growing taller, wavering violently before eventually, getting blown. No wind, nothing, the pale trail of grey smoke flies straight upwards and you quickly back away, closing the door behind you in hopes of ending anything that went on in there. 

“Here, here. Look !”, in the meantime, your entire group had gathered around Jisung, amused looks turned into worried ones at his twisted body on the coach. Jisung pulls his short sleeve up and, under Chenle’s flashlight, you think you might hallucinate again. Milky skin glows under the living room’s artificial light when Jaemin turns it on, it contrasts deeply with his epiderme but your brain would rather make anything up than believe your eyes. A light pink, slowly growing a deeper shade of red, five fingerprints around your friend’s arm mark his skin. 

It’s almost two in the morning when your phone rings to the tune of a few texts, screen lightening with a notification from your beloved friend group chat. Body and mind trying its best to rest on your small bed, your eyes travel from your thin, white ceiling to your phone when you bring it up to your face, risking it falling straight on your nose. You quickly swipe a finger on the object and read the last text Jeno sent, something about wanting Jisung to take a shower and rest for the night, quickly followed by your other friends’ words. 

There’s a sigh tumbling from your lips, the slight headache taking place right on your temples makes you want to bury your face right under your pillow but your small dorm is hot, way too hot for that. Window wide open, there isn’t an ounce of wind entering your room. You hate the feeling of sweat growing on your forehead, on your back, fabric sticking to your skin just like it did in front of Jeno’s bathroom. You feel drained, so, so drained. It is something you’re used to, especially after a full week of classes and a night with your friend but tonight, something feels different. There’s something off about your room, it doesn’t feel the same. You aren’t being watched, you know that, but you sure feel like it. Oppressed, stuck in such a small space, you’ve been rolling around your bed for minutes now, unable to sleep. After what happened in Jeno’s own dorm, natural instincts kicked in. All tried to find an excuse for what happened to Jisung, saying maybe your friend got the marks from bumping into the furniture, maybe he got these before even entering the room. Poor thing decided to let himself be convinced by the hypothesis thrown at him but, you couldn’t really understand everything else. The change in temperature, the lack of light, the candle blowing itself out, you can’t find a single excuse except maybe, just maybe, your mind’s playing tricks on you. 

Your thumbs quickly work to type a message for your friend before you drop your device on your bed. Overthinking, that probably is what’s keeping you from falling asleep. It’s crazy, the number of videos around paranormal things you and Donghyuck watched together and yet, you two didn’t think about the rules before starting this stupid dare. Beating yourself up for not taking it seriously, you now remember how you’re supposed to say goodbye whenever starting a seance of Ouija. How you should not disrespect entities, know and do everything by the rules. You almost text Donghyuck about it but, you fear sounding too crazy. 

Instead of Donghyuck, you text Johnny. It’s the urge of knowing more, the curiosity growing in your belly that you did not expect. The tall man’s one of the older students who told you about Yoonoh’s legend during the first party, he studies psychology in your building and you two became quite good friends after a while. He would help little you with administration but also, showed you some spots you still go to, to this day. Good friends, so much so you know he isn’t sleeping at such an hour. And, you don’t feel too guilty when you text him about the legend, almost completely out of the blue. Needless to say, the brunette was a bit taken back by the question. You saw it through his texts, but he quickly told you about all the things he knew and heard around the university legend. The same sentences your friend wrote on a piece of paper, the same Jisung was close to saying fully. A candle, like Jeno unknowingly provided and the young man took to the bathroom. But, there was one thing missing, or rather, two. The one who summons Yoonoh shall write their name on the mirror, clearly and without a mistake. Second, both palms have to be placed on the mirror. Flat, you don’t think you’re allowed to move them while reciting what you’d call a spell, much like on a Ouija board. All the things missing and yet, you still felt a slight shift in Jeno’s dorm, didn’t you ? 

Turning your phone off once you wishing Johnny a good night, you find yourself turning the device on again, seconds after. Scrolling through your Twitter timeline and switching between the same two applications doesn’t help at all. Push it away, that feeling of being watched comes back like a bull. You hate it, so much. It’s just like the aftermath of watching a scary movie, you reassure yourself. Like that one time you watched Annabelle and slept with all your plushies outside your bedroom with the light open, right ? Sitting up on your bed, you almost feel ashamed when you turn your light on, quickly looking around your small dorm. Nothing’s there, nothing’s there. The slight fear adds to the sweat collecting on your skin, you feel too hot and yet, a cold shiver runs down your spine when your back meets your headboard. “It’s just a legend.”, you tell yourself out loud. One time, two times. Bringing your knees to your chest, your hands quickly grab at the thin sheet before you pull it towards your body, as if it’ll shelter you from anything paranormal. It’s just a legend, you tell yourself again when your eyes meet your reflection. What a stupid idea, having such a big mirror right in front of your bed. It takes all of your wardrobe, you remember loving it when you first moved in, taking advantage of the size for pictures. But now, it only added to your fear. You don’t know where to look, eyes traveling from your own body to the sides of your bed, the corners of your room. At least, nothing can hide in here, you think you’d see it immediately. 

Your father would probably laugh at your face if he saw you right now. See, if your mother might believe in anything paranormal, your father never did and never will. He’d always find a scientific reason for anything weird happening in your house, reassuring you as best as he could. If he was here, what would he say, what would he do ? You ask yourself for a minute, keeping your knees close to your body. 

He’d try it, see for himself and prove that the legend was all bullshit. 

Calling him at such an hour wasn’t even an option, could you do it yourself ? You wonder, eyes glued on the mirror. You can not deny the slight curiosity rising in your chest, building up in your body. It’s weird, a morbid interest that has been sitting with you since Jisung ran out of the bathroom, since you saw the candle blow out by itself. Curious and adventurous, you always thought you were and, wouldn’t trying it help you prove the invalidity of the legend ? 

Legs fall back on the bed, you barely can believe yourself when you stand up on your knees, sinking into your mattress. “Do it and go to bed, surely nothing will happen.”, you coach your reflection. You think it’s a mix of fear, pure curiosity and fatigue. Your body craves sleep and, in your half asleep state of mind, you take advantage of your boost of confidence, pushing away the paranoiac side of your brain. If it was real, more people would talk about it. If it was real, where are all the pictures and videos ? Clumsily stepping out of your bed, your feet touch the cold floor as you drag your body towards your makeup bag, blindly dipping a hand in. An old lipstick would do, right ? Right, you don’t even remember the last time you used this Sephora lipstick. The small candle you probably used twice in your life finds another use tonight as you grab it from your shelf, opening the small lid to clean the small bits of burnt thread. 

A few steps is all you need before you stand in front of your mirror, letting your body rest from the little effort you did when you sit down right in front of it. It’s stupid, so so stupid, you think to yourself. Nothing will happen and you’ll tell this very story to your friends the next day, they’ll make fun of you for it for the next week and all will be good. 

Taking the protection of your old lipstick off, you inspect it with a pout. A shame, such a pretty color you never really wore before the expiration date. The deep red stick comes up when you twist the bottom and you have to resist the urge of trying it on your lips, just to see. Rather, just like Johnny said, you write your name on the mirror. The paste easily leaves a red trace under the pressure of your fingers, it’s almost pleasing if you did not know how long you’ll take to clean it off after. Long sticks, you write your name clearly on the mirror before closing your old lipstick, leaving it at your side. Next, your fingers fumble inside your bag, trying to find your lighter. It’s one you rarely use but keep with you just in case and you quickly turn it on. The small flame dances under your mouvements, bringing the cold candle near your lighter. It quickly starts burning in your hands and you place the object right between your body and the mirror. There’s a sigh from your lips, you can’t believe it yourself when you lean forward, both palms flat on the cold surface. Above your name in red lipstick, you dare look at yourself. Actually, if you look at yourself, your attention won’t drift for the back of your bedroom in fear. And so, keeping your eyes on your reflection’s, you take a deep breath. 

“Mirror, mirror, mirror.” you start off pretty easily, the one word rolling off your tongue without a second thought. Now that you’ve started it, you don’t think you can end everything just like that, you learned everything needs to be closed once started. “Take-...Take my reflection as home.”, you stutter, vision getting blurry for the quickest second. Probably the lack of sleep and fatigue, some water coats your eyes and you blink the teardrops away, finding a clear vision again. You sigh out for a second in an attempt to cool your body down, the same feeling slowly plunges on your shoulders. The one you felt while Jisung was doing the same thing but, this time, you were alone. The change in atmosphere is less abrupt but, you still feel it anyways. The air grows hotter, heavier, dense. 

“Show me my deepest, darkest desires.”, you choke out, feeling your palms sweat up, trying your best to resist the urge to whip them. You shift uncomfortably on your spot, pushing away the goosebumps raising on your naked arms again. Wanting to get it over with as quickly as possible, you push all the signs away and continue, though your confidence runs out quickly. “Give to me, take from me.” The small candle flame flickers, it grows taller and, you have to push it away with a knee to prevent it from burning your clothes. Maybe it’s the open window, right ? But here it is again, the feeling of being watched. You hate it, you almost turn around or just, look behind you through the mirror. Instead, a groan escapes your lips, frustrated at yourself, tired, annoyed, scared.

It seems the two sides of your brain disappeared, your thoughts are radio silent, white noise. Fuck it, fuck it. Panic takes over your next actions, it pushes you over the edge. Closing your eyes, your head hangs low and you say the last words. “Yoonoh.”, you start, closing your eyes even more, forcing your eyelids. You feel it, the sudden presence right behind you, you fucking feel it. Your heart picks up right them, you never felt it pump so quickly against your ribcage. Heat burns your cheeks, your ears, your back. Unconsciously, your head hangs lower, shoulders rise up in a protective, natural reaction. 

It truly feels like someone’s right here, with you and yet, you refuse to look. What the fuck are you doing, why the fuck are you doing this ? A hiccup, the outline of a cry tumbles from your lips. Ah, how the fear managed to wash over you like the rising tide eating at the shore. What the fuck, what the fuck, what the fuck. Teeth tight against each other, your jaw grows sore as you feel the heat of the small candle at your side. Letting your eyes flutter open the slightest bit, it’s when you see the flame violently dance, shaking from different sides that you decide it has to be over, now. 

“Yoono- Yoonoh, Yoonoh.”, you blur them out so quickly it’d be funny in another situation, the sounds are barely separated from each other, barely make sense. Your tongue feels heavy, mouth clumsy when you finish the spell of. Your irregular, hard breathing almost keeps you from hearing. Hearing it. 

Ah, how long Jaehyun - or Yoonoh - waited and longed for such a moment. Actual hours that felt like years for one of you to summon him properly. And, he has to say, he’s glad you were the one to do it, call him over with your pretty voice, fearful eyes and deadly curiosity. He felt it, the morbid interest peeking in your small body, he knew you would do it the moment you noticed the candle blowing out, he knew you weren’t dumb. See, when Jisung had attempted to summon him, he had almost brought Jaehyun to his mirror, he almost did it. He was so close, so close to it that Jaehyun managed to have a blurry view of the odd scene. Needless to say, the cursed had a good laugh at it but, the anger and frustration he felt at your chicken of a friend still lingered. When was the last time someone summoned him ? Jaehyun does not remember, he doesn’t have any notion of time, he lost it long, long ago. When was the last time he had fun with a foolish human ? He does not remember either but, something tells him he will make it up with you. Jaehyun isn’t alive but, the closest of “alive” he can feel, it’s in moments like this, properly summoned, ready for his deal. Eating your reflection, taking its place easily, the young looking man takes your bedroom in for a second, it’s all in reversed for him who’s stuck in your mirror. Speaking of, he likes it. Big, tall, he notices your name neatly written in what he guesses is red lipstick. Taking your reflection’s place, both his hands lay flat against your palms, kneeled down, he’s significantly taller than you but still, he notices the contourcion in your features, the fear. He loves it, he loves oh so much. The fear, the regret, he adores it all. He knows it’ll be even better once you open your eyes and understand your faith. Mirroring your position, the man doesn’t move, he loves the proximity, how close your face is to his. Wicked smile on his rosy lips, it tugs up at a side, pearly white canine showing, the tip of his tongue rests on the sharp tooth. Oh, he’ll eat you up and savour it just like he did with your reflection.

“Hi, Y/N.”

The reactions, Jaehyun thrives off the reactions. The fear in people’s eyes, the tears, the cries, the shouts, the realisation flashing, twisting people’s features, he fucking gets off of it. He knows what to expect and yet, when you finally open your eyes, barely take in his face and jump back immediately, he chuckles out, he groans happily, excited even. You barely believe it, a man replaces your reflection, he doesn’t follow your movements when you tumble backwards and feel your spine hit your bed, the scream you were about to let out getting knocked out of your lungs. Instead, it’s a loud whine you let out. What the fuck, the actual fuck. Both your hands cover your mouth, Jaehyun notices how shaky they are and cooes, head tilting to the side. What a pretty toy to play with. A knee down, the other leg bent against his chest, the man in the mirror lets his head rest there, patiently waiting for you to finally speak up. Strangely, he’s a patient man, he had some people run away on him, not speak for hours at the shock, even. You think you’re hallucinating, you almost pinch yourself but you know, you’d be awake if this was a dream. The impact of your bed against your back tells you that this, this is real. As much as your brain hates to believe it, takes minutes to process it and still has its doubts, you react just in case. You react out of pure instinct. The bag you use everyday gets pulled next to you and you quickly push a hand inside, looking for one thing only. A young college student needs to protect itself when walking home from late classes, the butterfly knife you wished you’d never have to use finds your fingertips and, when you feel the cold metal, you pull it out. 

“Ah-a. Don’t make me mad so quickly, doll.”, the man in your mirror sings, nickname rolling out of his tongue. You think you’re going to throw up, the ball in your throat keeps you from speaking but you don’t let his words scare you. In a swift motion, you open the object and let the blade stand straight towards your mirror. You try, you try your best to seem less afraid, but you’re sure you look foolish to him. And it sure does. A sigh tumbles from the man’s lips, a hand running in his dark brown locks. Thoughts clash and collide in your dizzy, clouded brain but still. He looks...normal almost, if it isn’t for the twisted grin on his lips, the lack of light in his dark eyes.  

“Your little knife won’t hurt me.”, he informs you, a small pout on his lips. He stays there, still patiently waiting for you to say something. Though he likes peoples’ reactions, he likes it even better when he hears about their darkest desires, the things that pushed them over the edge, things they graved to the point of summoning him, an entity many deem as fake, a legend. A hand on your floor, you support yourself with it, fearing your body giving out even if you’re already down. Mouth dry, you swallow harshly before finding your tongue again. “What if I break the mirror.” 

It’s a threat but oh, it sounds so sweet to the young man. You’re a courageous one, and fierce at that, Jaehyun can already tell and he loves it. Truly, he can not wait ; to break you down little by little, see that same fierceness in your pupils slowly disappear for obedience. There’s a small laugh tumbling from his lips again, cheek rubbing against his knee. “Ouh, she speaks.” Leaning a bit closer to the mirror, the man hums a little, eyes on the sharp blade. “Break it, it won’t do anything to me. Except make me mad.” 

For some reason, you believe him. Maybe it’s the daring look he gives you, silently wondering if you’ll have the guts to come closer to him. Clearly, you don’t, staying as far as your bed allows you. Your heart’s still beating too fast against your ribcage, breathing unevenly and you try to focus on your rhythm instead of the man right in front of you. “Come on. Deep breathes, kid.”

There’s something that clicks in your brain at this very moment, your throat seems to unravel and words flow out of your lips, avoiding what a side of your brain still thinks is an illusion. “I- We thought this was a legend, we thought it was fake.”, voice small, you fumble around, hands on your sheet before you find your phone. 

“‘it’ and ‘this” has a name.”, the man sternly says, eyes following your mouvements. As said, he saw it all before, the startled look in your eyes when your device went dead in your hand was one he enjoyed a bit too much. “It won’t work.”, he notes in a hum. 

“Y-Yoonoh ?”, you hate how it’s a question tumbling from your lips, half hoping one of your friend’s going to erupt out of your closet with a camera. There’s a disappointed sound from him, thumb running on his pink bottom lip, locks falling in front of his eyes. “Haven’t used that name in years. Please, darling. Call me Jaehyun.” 

Jaehyun, the sound rings in your ears. Eyes wide, you clench your dead phone around your fingers. “You’re real.” 

“As much as you are.”, he’s amused to say the least, lips stretching at a corner. There, he decided to get up, taking advantage of your tall mirror. It’s weird, how he isn’t wearing anything old, dirty, anything you’d think an entity would wear. A black blouse loose on his shoulders, he rolls the fabric to his elbows, what you think are black costume pants on his legs, his shoes you cannot see with the dark fog dancing around him. 

“You look...Normal.”, you dumbly let out, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. With other clothes, he’d easily pass as another boy in your campus. Then, he chuckles, you’re cute. It resonates in your small room, a deep dimple craved on each cheek. He seems pleased, standing right in front of your body. Hands in his pocket, he leans a bit forward. 

“Oh, doll. What were you expecting ? A big, bloody man ? Old and creepy ?” You nod at that, you surely were not expecting such a young looking man, you weren’t expecting him. “You surely didn’t summon anyone else, then. Does that mean I’m your first ? Ah- cute.” 

You don’t really know what comes to you, speaking almost freely to this entity and yet, you’re still afraid. There’s no doubt, the dip in your stomach and the sweat on your palms. “I-...I don’t believe in these kinds of things.”, you tell him without a second thought, without understanding how dumb this might sound. 

“Oh, really ? And do you, now ?”, Jaehyun decides he likes being at eye level better, kneeling, resting on his heels, he props his chin inside his palm again. Deep, dark eyes, it’s what strikes you the most. They curl lightly inside, outer corners stretched with what you think is a dark eyeshadow. He grins again, though his eyes never gain any light.  Your brain surrounders, finally coming around the fact that this, might be real. You stay silent, bringing your knees to your chest again. 

“Oh, she does.”, voice stained, gravy, he whispers out after some seconds of silence. “She believes.”, Jaehyun points out before you do with a breathless chuckle. There’s something twisted about him, you only needed seconds to understand how he fed of your initial fear, how he craved the trembling lips, watery eyes and shaky hands. Now, it seems he wants to play. 

“Now, you know what comes with summoning me, hm ?”, you nod at that, slowly coming to the realisation that you, have two wishes. Two possibilities. You could make your life so, so much better, right ? But a side of your brain still dismisses all of this as fake, you doubt Jaehyun’s powers for a moment. “Two wishes.”, you tell him and he nods, pleased. 

Pearly white teeth glow at his carnal smile, pupils slowly growing until his irises almost disappear. “A deal, unbreakable. You, will be sealed to me. Me, to you. Forever in the nearest mirror until the contract ends, I will follow as your reflection. Two wishes I shall grant you. One you shall grant me. “No” we both cannot use.”, he hums. Dreaded, realization falls onto your shoulders, the next sentence makes it too real. “Now, doll. Tell me. Tell me your deepest, darkest desires.”, he whispers, leaning closer to the barrier the mirror creates. 

The groan he lets out almost startles you, stained and deep, it’s almost a moan. “I’ve been waiting for so long.” Head thrown back, locks of his hair fall backwards as he reveals his pale neck. You gulp down, you never thought about it, only summoned him in an attempt to calm yourself down. “I didn’t...I didn’t think about that.”, you whisper out, slightly frightened at what he might be able to do. Jaehyun’s twisted smile never leaves his face, head tilted to the side. 

“Come on, kid. I’m sure you can find something.”, he starts. His right thumb pressed on his fingers, one by one. Cracking his knuckles, the sound’s bone chilling for your ears. “You know, you can wish for anything in the world.” Anything ? That’s the issue, you can’t think of anything right now. Unable to look at the entity in front of you, your eyes travel to the side, fixated on the small paint stain on your floor. What do you want ? You can barely think in such a situation, not when his eyes are fixated on you, intense, dark, awaiting. It’s the pressure that makes you speak again, your brain lashes onto the first thought that comes across your mind. 

“Popularity.”, you finally blur out, something the main character of a movie would’ve said. What a fool. Popularity, you don’t even need it, you just think it would be new to have people finally looking at you, knowing who you are.

“Popularity ?”, Jaehyun says, eyebrows raised. He seems slightly taken back, amused still. “I’ve had much, much more interesting wishes.”, he says, dark eyes looking down at you. You hate it, the judgement he shows, you know you could’ve wished for anything else. He does not elaborate on that - yet. Rather, he nods. Palms against each other, his last and fourth fingers are laced together, both thumbs, pointer and middle fingers pointed to the ceiling. There’s a dark glow right behind him, the black fog rather around the entity and, before you can change your wish, his eyes plant right in yours. They glow with something different, his voice resonates in your room, it comes out of all the mirrors you own. 

“Then, Y/N. So be it !” 

That night, you don’t sleep at all. Or at least, you don’t think you do, even when trying your hardest. If Jaehyun doesn’t appear in your mirror again, if he seems to disappear after your wish in an attempt to let you rest, you’re hyper aware of the fact that he’s here anyways. Jaehyun’s presence lingers, the effect he has in your dorm is undeniable, you can not push it away. Air dry, atmosphere tense, he’s everywhere and anywhere. “Forever in the nearest mirror until the contract ends.”, that’s exactly what he said. If he’s watching you sleep ? Is he, himself, sleeping ? Does he even need to ? Questions collide, none of them find an answer and rather, create new ones in their wake. 

Fatigue crashes on your body at once when you finally get yourself to blow the candle out and turn the lights of your bedroom off, so does the anxiety. Finally realising what you’ve just done, what you just got yourself into. It barely feels real, minutes go by on the clock and, when you’re not glaring at the numbers casted on your ceiling, you’re fearfully looking at your mirror. For the first time since you moved here, you hate this mirror. From the placement right in front of your bed to the size, you wonder why your campus thought this was a good idea. 

At some point, you do have to rest with your head right under your covers, finding a small bit of comfort with the duvet around your body. Maybe you dove back and forth into Morpheus’ arms but, your body shakes itself awake every time, almost giving you a mini heart attack. Soon enough, the lack of light gets replaced with the pale sunlight of the early morning, allowing you to catch a few minutes of sleep or so. Even if it varies with age, scientists say a human is able to live without sleep for around eleven days. You wonder if your body is able to go with a day of sleep. Thinking about it now, sleep deprivation comes with illusions and, you swear you sa-. 

“Y/N ?”, Jaemin’s voice rings right next to you, forcefully pulling you out of your too loud and invasive of thoughts. Eyes unfocused on your meal, your attention turns towards your friend in a second. From the silence in your group and the slight smile dancing on Jaemin’s lips, you guess he has been calling for you for a few seconds now. “Oh, sorry. Yeah ?”, you mumble out, placing the wooden chopsticks in your half full box, one you barely touched. 

“Dude, not to be rude but you look awful. You good ?”, Jeno, right in front of you, interjects before anyone else can speak. The young man looks genuinely concerned, eyebrows furrowed. You can’t help but notice, his eye bags don’t look too bad for a college student. They’re also, nowhere as bad as yours. 

“Yeah. Didn’t get much sleep last night.”, sighing a little, you let your cheek rest against your fist. You could fall asleep right then and there, on this very bench. The sun isn’t too harsh on your skin, no mirrors and, most importantly, you’re surrounded by your friends. Taking an entire picnic table in the middle of your campus, chinese food was bought but, you couldn’t bring yourself to eat more than a few bites, head heavy. 

There’s a laugh from Donghyuck, who just finished his food in one go. “Is it because of that dumb legend ?” 

“Dumb legend”, something doesn’t feel right when your friend lets the words out so, so carelessly. You can’t deny the shiver that runs down your spine at that moment, though you don’t see any mirrors anywhere close. Another uncomfortable silence takes place in the middle of the table, before Jisung speaks, finally. “I honestly felt weird yesterday night.”, he mumbles out, letting the tip of his chopsticks hit the bottom of his box a few times, like he’s embarrassed to admit it. It doesn’t shock you that he did, that the one who attempted to summon Jaehyun felt his lingering presence, the aftermath of not properly executing a ritual. What take you back, are Chenle and Jaemin’s next words. 

“Same. I almost tried that shit myself.”, Chenle says, half joking. In your half asleep state, your eyes widen for a second. Straightening your back, Jaemin beats you at the fast talker. “Dude, same ? I just wanted to try and see what would happen, you know ?”, he says. Your hand wraps around his arm, catching his attention. A little “You too ?” falls from his lips and you can only nod, looking over at Chenle. 

So they felt it too. The sudden feeling of not being alone, not being the crazy one. “I thought I was making things up.”, you gasp. You have to say, in another situation, Donghyuck’s face would’ve been funny. He looks so, so disappointed when you start listing the weird coincidence you and your two friends experienced the night prior. From the change in temperature and the feeling of being watched, Renjun and Jeno watch and listen, horrified. “But obviously, I didn’t try it.”, Jaemin adds, and you almost feel like disappearing. “Yeah, yeah...Same. Just didn’t sleep well.”, you mimic, and it seems to convince your friends. 

So they felt it too and, you were apparently the only one to follow your feeling, the only one that compulsively tried it out. You hate it, maybe you should’ve texted one of them, called them or even went to one of your friend’s dorms to sleep and you wouldn’t have been in such a situation. What a dumb move, what the slight confidence and curiosity had you summon, you almost let your forehead rest against the old wood. You almost do, if it isn’t for all your friends simultaneously turning their head to the side. 

Silence falls yet again in your group as you all look, slightly confused at the young man standing right next to you. Bright red hair, eyebrow slit, bold fashion style, everyone in this campus knows him as Lee Taeyong. See, if schools have their famous clique, the Heather and whatever is the masculine equivalent, you thought it all stopped once in university. You thought wrong. On your first visit, you quickly understood who exactly were the famous and unaccessible guys. Taeyong, was one of them. From his intimidating looks, ever changing hair color, sharp features and deep voice, he had everyone’s attention. Needless to say, you never saw him from so, so close. 

“Hey...Looking for something ?”, ah Donghyuck. Always the bold, the lifesaver. Sipping on his bubble tea, he looks straight at the oldest who barely gives him any attention. 

“Yes, actually.”, the red haired answers, gaining a few confused looks from your group. Looking at Jaemin for a second, you silently wonder if any of your friends know the Lee Taeyong enough for him to let himself be seen in your company. It seems he doesn’t understand either, quickly raising his shoulders. Catching your straw between your lips, you slowly sip onto the last drop of your juice, curious. 

“Y/N ?”, the dance student asks, looking straight into your eyes. It’s strange, how his eyes only manage to make you shift a little on your seat. You have to say, you did not know he knew your name, even was aware of your existence. Sure, him and Johnny were friends but, you doubt your friend told him about you. Still sucking on the last drops, you nod slowly. “I’m hosting a party this Sunday, are you coming ?” 

You choke on the liquid. Uh ? What’s going on ? You think it’s the lack of sleep that makes you hear things, but he doesn’t seem to mind and continues. “To celebrate the end of exam season. You’re Johnny’s friend, right ? He’ll send you the address.” 

And, just like that, the oldest smiles down at you and leaves. He leaves and lets your friends glare at you for answers, answers you do not have. 

Or maybe, you do. Wishing for popularity, you almost forgot about it. Was that how it began, people you barely know inviting you and not your friends to parties ? “What the fuck just happened ?”, asks Renjun, almost turning around to glare at Taeyong who sits with his friends, giving you a quick look. 

“I have no idea.” 

On any other normal, ordinary day, you would’ve opened your door without a second thought, mechanically almost. Throwing your bag at the foot of your bed before letting your body fall right in the middle of the mattress after a long, long day. But, your life is apparently far, far from ordinary since last night. Practically stuck in front of your dorm’s door, your fist unconsciously clenches the leather strap of your backpack. Knuckles turning white, it’s almost like you’re gripping the last bits of your sanity. Once you enter the four walls of what once was your safe space, you can only guess what is going to wait for you. 

Anyways, you cannot sleep right in front of your door, you can’t work on the dirty floor of your hallway, right ? It takes another rush of courage for you to push the handle down and finally allow yourself to enter your dorm. Even if you were ready for anything to happen, the sound of his voice once you close your door makes you jump back against the wood. “Ah, doll. Finally.”, it’s sultry, deep, it follows the look on his eyes when you carefully step towards your bed, second guessing his next actions. 

How are you supposed to act when you have an entity living in your mirror ? You wish Google could answer this question, you really do. Quickly glaring at the man in front of you, you’re a lot less scared now that the sun freely enters your bedroom, enough for you to notice a few more details that you might have missed the night prior. Victorian clothes, the tip of his fingers a dark grey as they dance on his jawline, Jaehyun still has the same cocky smile on his rosy lips. 

“Had a taste of popularity yet ?”, he asks, though he already knows the answer very well. Non-verbal, you keep an eye on your mirror while letting your bag fall on the floor, awkwardly sitting on the edge of your bed. 

“Uh, yeah.”, you let out, fingernails slightly gazing over the skin of your arm. You had a feeling it was him or rather, the wish you had blurred out hours before. It had to be, right ? Sure, Johnny knows Taeyong but you doubt he invites all his friend’s friends. Even, you and Johnny weren’t close enough and barely hung out, keeping your friendship almost strictly virtually. Not to point out the fact that the young man only invited you and did not even have the courtesy to invite the rest of your group. 

Finally, you decide to take your shoes off, scooting back to the middle of your bed, wood slightly cracking under your mouvements. Here, you believe you can have your eyes on the entity at any moment, just in case. What a strange situation, you don’t even know if you can work properly in such conditions, let alone take a shower and sleep peacefully. 

“Darling, you don’t look too happy with your wish.”, the young man notes, slight amusement dancing in his voice. Apparently, Jaehyun has a habit of squatting to sit down; elbow on his knee, head in his palm, he quickly raises his eyebrows at you. Isn’t it weird ? How he is still here, asking questions like an old - weird - friend shaking up on a friend. Maybe, your view on entities might be flawed, oriented by pop culture but, you sure weren’t expecting anything like this. 

“I’m tired.”, you simply say, clearly not prepared to have a casual conversation with the entity you summoned. Picking at a loose thread on your jeans, a sigh leaves your lips the moment you grab onto your phone and notice how, even now, it won’t turn on, nice. You don’t dare point it out, though. 

“Oh, kid. I can tell.”, your eyes quickly look up at his words, half in misbelief. Clearly, he doesn’t care for the daggers your eyes are throwing at him, tinted fingers twirling the dense fog around him. “You look close to death. And believe me, I saw my fair share of people on the bridge between our world and everything beyond.”

Your death glare quickly turns to a surprised, taken back one, clearly offended. Apparently, the young man finds amusement in this again, a quiet chuckle tumbling from his lips. How could he laugh, probably knowing he’s the reason you barely slept last night. Fighting with the entity stuck in your mirror, yet another thing you never even thought you’d experience. 

“You’re the reason why I look like this ! I-I barely slept tonight.”, your voice audibly quiets down the moment you understand the tone you’re using on a creature you can’t begin to understand, one that has powers beyond your comprehension. Thankfully, he doesn’t seem to mind. Rather, his smile twists again, he likes them feisty. 

“I know.”, he simply says, batting his eyelashes, they’re long, dark. “But you, doll. Do you realise I can not do anything to you ?”, he asks and, you have to look to the side for a moment, Jaehyun continues. “I’m stuck in this mirror, I can not reach you.” 

Jaehyun can be lying. He probably is. After all, you aren’t aware of the totality of his abilities, he’s born from a dark ritual, meant to grant any desire, as twisted as they may be. Then again, why would he be lying ? If he could reach you, you think he could’ve tried something the night before. “You can’t ?”, biting down on your lower lip, you ask a bit quietly, raising your shoulders instinctively. 

“Actually, I can lean out of any mirror and reach anything at arm length but, it takes a lot of energy out of me.”, Jaehyun says, running a hand in his locks and, you have to say, the sheer thought of seeing him reach out of your mirror has your blood leaving your face, surely a sight you don’t want to witness. You don’t even ask for a demonstration, you’d rather keep the little sanity you still have now, without the image of an entity leaning out to your world. Does that mean he can reach out and grab the bag you left on the floor ? You almost lean down and tug it towards you and away from your mirror but, decide against it. At the very least, you now know that you can sleep without him walking out of your mirror. 

“Do you...Do you need to sleep ? You said it took energy.” What comes to you again ? Asking questions so freely, you guess having answers will help you be less scared. Bringing your knees to your shoulders, your body relaxes a bit when you notice the entity looking at you, seemingly taken back by a human asking him questions. Little do you know, Jaehyun doesn’t remember the last time someone wanted to know more about himself, he might as well.

“I do not need to sleep, I feed off people summoning me.”, he simply explained, getting up. You wonder for a second if he isn’t bored in your mirror, it seems like he does not have anything to do in there, you might even pity him for a second. “As long as people summon me, I exist. Once people forget about me, I’ll be gone.”, Jaehyun utters, slowly walking from one end of your mirror to another. 

“Isn’t it...Boring in there ?”, you wonder out loud, head tilted to the side. If you saw an entity being vulnerable, for the shortest of seconds, Jaehyun regains his attitude pretty quickly. There’s a laugh, a loud one you fear someone else will hear as he readjusts his rings on his fingers, one by one, before facing you again. 

“Oh, no. See, usually, people know what they’re going to wish for, their desires are dark, thrilling. Darling, yours are just plain and uninteresting.”, the entity notes, quietly. The gasp you let out at this is almost comical, though the young man doesn’t even let a reaction out. Eyebrows furrow, you almost have the reflex to throw something at your mirror. 

“I wasn’t- I didn’t even think it would work !”, you blur out a bit too loudly, letting your knees fall on your mattress. “I don’t have any dark, twisted desires, it’s not my fault !”, quickly losing yourself in excuses and defenses, you don’t notice Jaehyun’s smile growing wider at your attempts, passing back and forth in your mirror. “Even ! What did the others wish for ?”, you ask, clearly annoyed by the one way argument you just had. 

The question seems to pick the entity’s interest, you finally notice the habit he has of facing you when something interests him and, on the contrary, mindlessly passing until you’re done speaking when he isn’t interested at all. “Ah, what did the others wish for ? Doll, I do not think you’re ready to hear humanity’s most twisted impulses.” 

Curiosity and pride poked, you quickly blur back, crossing your legs. “I summoned you. I think I can hear it.” Eyes narrow, the young man takes a few seconds to judge, “Don’t you have some class work to do ? Friends to see ? I do not know, church to attend ?” You almost laugh at that, almost forget what time he probably comes from to speak in such a way. “No, I don’t.” It’s probably the slight determination in your voice mixed with the urge to tell his stories that does it for Jaehyun. Though he sighs, it’s almost a content one he has while remembering the endless acounters he had. “What do you think people summon me for ?”, he suddenly asks, starting again with his infinite passing. 

“Money, power.”, you start, and he only nods without looking at you. Suddenly, Jaehyun disappears and you almost back against the head of your bed, if it isn’t for his voice coming from the smaller mirror in your dressing table. God, how you feared it was haunted when you first bought it, even if it was straight out of ikea. You guess that now, it is. “Power.” Jaehyun eventually goes to the mirror in your bathroom, seemingly effortlessly, “Money.” You hear his voice resonate, even in this room full of furniture. Finally, he comes back again to your main mirror, the one you summoned him on. “Love.”,  a lion in his cage. 

Only then, do you notice your name still written in red lipstick, one you should probably clean off if you weren’t so scared of coming close to him. 

“Humans are greedy, so greedy to have what isn’t meant to be theirs. They’d go to great length for a twisted illusion, a flawed reality their selfish heart craves.”, he speaks through gritted teeth, it sends a shiver down your spine, makes the atmosphere colder. “I’ve had a prince, once. The second born, far far from the throne.”, Jaehyun starts, a finger tapping on his chin. “Do you know what he wished for, once he had the guts to summon me ?”, the entity suddenly asks, abruptly turning towards you. Taken back, all you can do is shake your head from left to right, hands gripping the fabric of your jeans. He told you, that people summoning him gave him more energy. You wonder if staying in the presence of the one calling him gives him more too, the effects he has on your small dorm are even more noticeable now than last night. 

“For his entire family’s death.”, Jaehyun related. 

He says this simply, so simply. If he notices the slight shift in your breathing, he doesn’t point it out and continues. 

“Such a naïve, naïve boy.”, Jaehyun hums, a slight pout on his lips. “He makes me think of you. He didn’t think it would work. But, unlike you, when he saw me, he knew what he wanted.” There’s a slight pause, where Jaehyun hums, like he’s remembering some details. “‘Tell me your deepest, darkest desires’, I said. ‘Kill them all’, the fool immediately said.” You have to say, you’re a bit captivated by how he reenacts the scene, hands flying in gestures. 

“Did you ?”, you ask almost dumbly, eyes wide. It’s like your brain still hasn’t processed everything the entity in front of you can do. It’s only when the entity gives you an empty look that you let a small, “Oh” tumblr from your lips. Obviously, he did. It’s the morbid curiosity, the one that almost has you asking how he did it but, you push it away. You convince yourself that you don’t want to know nor hear it and thankfully, Jaehyun continues before you can open your mouth. “Poor thing, he wasn’t on the throne for long.”, the man notes. For the first time, something dances in his eyes. Something he’s hiding from you has his lips parting in a quiet chuckle, like he’s remembering an old joke. 

He’s capable of murder. That, you know now. A dip in your stomach, it’s probably the way he talks about it so nonchalantly that frightens you the most. You don’t doubt, the entity probably saw and experienced a lot. Now, can you blame him ? He’s tied to a ritual, probably forced to grant wishes. You wonder, what would happen if he doesn’t act on them. Is he at fault for all the things he did ? You almost question your own morals. 

“What do people ask for the most ?”, you wonder out loud. Jaehyun doesn’t seem to mind the questions and, the lack of homework, phone and intimacy has you stuck with him. Might as well. The entity seems to pounder for a bit, you think you might go crazy only with the way he keeps walking back and forth in your small mirror. 

“Love.”, he finally tells you, never stopping his steps. “But it’s never true love, it’s never as perfect as they pictured it.”

So, he’s capable of forcing feelings on someone ? For the nth time, you wonder exactly what he’s capable of, where his powers stop. And here you were, asking for popularity. Sure, it could help in the long run but, you could’ve asked for so much better. But, you still have a second wish, right ? It’s there, suddenly, that you remember why you and your friends tried to summon him in the first place. Eyes wide, you move a bit closer to the mirror, though keeping some distance. 

“Is it true ? Eric ?”, you ask suddenly. It’s all because your friend talked about him, all because of a dumb rumor he heard.

“Eric ?”, Jaehyun needs a few seconds to place the name again, furrowed eyebrows relaxing after a moment. The name seems to bring some discomfort into his features and, though it disappeared after a moment, you still notice it. Silent for a moment, you press on anyways. “That he summoned you, it’s true, isn’t it ?”

Oh, how you probably shouldn’t have asked. If Jaehyun is able to control his emotions, his features turning cold, unreadable, the effect he has on your dorm can not go unnoticed. Air cold, dense, you don’t take long to understand his experience with Eric probably was not the greatest. But again, isn’t Jaehyun a powerful entity ? Why would his reaction be so radical to such a normal human ? 

“He did.”, the young man finally says, cold, abrupt. 

Is he the reason why Eric went at the top of his class ? It probably is but, what you’re most curious about is why exactly, the old college student turned so...weird. Sure, you don’t doubt the experience of successfully summoning a demon might...change someone but, it seems Jaehyun didn’t have him in his heart either. Did something happen between them ? Did Eric not grant Jaehyun’s final wish ? Were the rumors true ? Your brain’s deciding between asking and dropping the subject and, as you’re about to open your mouth again, the entity beats you at it. 

“Shouldn’t you go take a shower ? Rest early tonight.” and, just like that, he disappears from your mirror. 

People have told you many times. 

“Curiosity killed the cat.” 

You should not be here, at all. You’re supposed to have a major class right at this moment. But, a teacher being sick and a lack of substitute teachers appeared like a sign of the universe to you. See, Jaehyun’s abrupt disappearance left you with more questions, questions that only duplicated the moment you finally took a well deserved shower - after covering your mirror with a towel, just in case.

What happened with Eric ? Probably the last thought before sleep knocked you out in mere minutes. And really, the universe wouldn’t have made it so easy to find him if they didn’t want you to search, right ? A few texts here and there, Johnny yet again managed to help you more than he can imagine. Eric’s address was sent to you fifteen minutes after your class was officially cancelled and, you took the chance. Faking having some questions about both his major and job, Johnny didn’t ask any more questions. 

And here you were. Right in front of Eric’s building.

The richer, nicer era, one you never visited before. After all, you don’t know anyone living there. Pretty, tall and new buildings, small parks, high end stores. One can only dream of living in such a nice era a year after leaving university. 

“Curiosity killed the cat.”, you think again. In front of the old university student’s building, glass doors pushed open to reveal a pristin, clear and minimalist lobby. “But satisfaction brought it back.”, you tell yourself. 

What are you doing here ? You don’t really know. All you can really understand and form in your fogged up brain is that Eric, him, might be the only one able to understand you at this very moment. Maybe he has answers to the questions you have and are too afraid to ask. What could go wrong ? A lot, actually. But you -once again - decide to act on impulse rather than think about it. It’s a slight confidence you have that goes to your head, fogs any other rational thought. 

The lobby’s empty, calm. An abstract beige and white painting hung at your right, you immediately notice the ceiling high mirror on your left. Your reflection, it’s almost weird to see it. It has you doubting, doubting that this, is even your image here. But, you push the thought aside quickly, walking towards the little letter boxes. Kim Eric, Kim Eric. You don’t take too long to find his name tag, right next to his apartment number. Right at the top of the building, you can’t even begin to imagine the price he must’ve payed. 

Nonetheless, you make your way towards the single elevator. There, another mirror. You might think Eric was just a weird kid, that Jaehyun never had anything to do with this. After all, wouldn’t he want to live somewhere without mirrors if the rumors were true ?

Facing the metal doors, you turn away from the mirror, head moving to the calm tune of the metal box. Unconsciously avoiding the glass yourself, you’re standing closer to the opening than usual. 

What you do not see, is your reflection not following your movement, glaring into your skull. 

That weird feeling of being watched again, isn’t it ? It creeps up your spine and you try your best at pushing it aside, forcing your brain to focus on the quiet melody. A small part of your brain fears, if you turn around right now, would Jaehyun be facing you ? He’s everywhere, you’re aware of that and yet, decide to cover this truth. 

Thankfully, the elevator doesn’t stop until the very last floor, letting you escape the small cubicle before you can feel too uncomfortable, before the courage wears off and has you overthinking. And, only then do you really realise what you are doing. Visiting someone you don’t know at all, only heard rumors about only because the two of you happened to summon the same entity.

Should you really be doing this ? It seems Jaehyun doesn’t have Eric in his heart, wouldn’t he be mad ? But, he said he couldn’t do anything to you, you just have to do it, for closure. Do it, for closure-. Before your brain can stop you, you take the few steps towards Eric’s door, 165 written in golden letters on the pale wooden door. Clean carpet, big windows letting you have a breathtaking view on the area, you wonder for a second time how much money he must make to afford this place. Bringing your fist up to the door, you knock a first time. 

Silence. A kind of deception slowly takes over your body but, you guess you should’ve thought about it, maybe he’s working or, just out, like a regular citizen. 

Pure silence falls and you now wonder if you did not misread the signs, if you really should be here. Head hanging low, you’re almost about to mentally beat yourself up before your eyes fall on it. Covered by a thing, white sheet, something’s placed right against the wall. Neatly packed, you for a second think it’s a set of paintings. But, it’s the smallest of seconds, you don’t need more to understand right then. 

“Curiosity killed the cat.”, you think for the nth time, but you act on it, yet again. Eric isn’t here anyways, no one would notice. Slightly leaning down, you take the sheet between your fingers and lift it up. Paintings, thin pieces of wood, it could’ve been anything but hélas, covered under the fabric is what you feared most. Different mirrors, different sizes, obviously from different rooms. There’s a sigh that tumbles from your lips, are you going to end just like this ? Scared of mirrors, avoiding them ? It’s just when you get back up that you think your heart might jump out of your body. 

“Excuse me ? What are you doing here ?”, deep, breathless voice comes from the stairs you didn’t even notice. Jumping away from the door, a hand lands on your beating heart, a soundless gasp at the border of your parted lips. Eric stands clueless.He’s an average sized man, clearly out of shape, slender eyes with a prominent european nose. He does not know you but you, on the other hand, saw pictures of him. If he looked weird a few years ago, it might be worse now. If you look out of place with your regular, broke college student clothes, he does even more. Dirty, washed out and oversized t-shirt, long, brown greasy hair, he grips the iron next to him. He took the stairs, all the way to his apartment to avoid the mirror, it strikes you there. Slight anxiety takes over you, you didn’t expect him to be like this, you didn’t expect to feel so...off. 

“I-uh. Eric ?”, you ask, already knowing the answer. Slightly taken back, you let the way to his door free for him to walk, not knowing how to act towards him. He, still seems distant, rightfully so. Wavy, dry hair brushed out, his runs a hand in it before fishing for his keys. 

“Are you selling something ? I’m not interest-.”, he mumbles. You notice the bags under his eyes, dried lips. He almost looks sick, he acts like an old person in a young body. 

“Oh, no ! My name’s Y/N. We’re from the same university.”, you tell him. He doesn’t look so convinced, slowly walking towards his door. Even when he puts his key in, he still has an eye on you, like he fears being robbed right there. 

“Uh ? And what do you want ?”, the man groans out. He has you taking a step back again. How are you supposed to tell him exactly ? Shit, you didn’t think about that, at all. A “Hey, we summoned the same entity !” surely won’t do it. The lack of words from your side seems to annoy him quite quickly. Taking a step in his apartment, he immediately used the door to shelter himself, only letting his upper body be seen. He doesn’t look happy, at all. And yet, he has such a pretty apartment, right ? It’s only when he turns his light on that you see the state of the inside. All windows closed and blocked, clothes, empty boxes of instant noodles on the floor alongside a bunch of papers, it looks like a madman’s home. Even his home gives you weird vibes and suddenly, a part of you doesn’t want to be here. anymore.

Eric notices your wandering eyes and, it’s here he has enough, closing his door a little more. “Listen, Y/N. I don’t have your time right now, so-.” 

For a second time, you cut him off. “It’s about Jaehyun.”, you blur about without another thought.

His annoyed look turns frightened in seconds. The name seems to bring back a lot, things you don’t doubt he was trying to get away from. Glossy eyes wide, chapped lips parted, he looks like he’s about to have a heart attack, or like he just saw a ghost. Fuck, what did you just do ? He caughts a bit but, he isn’t as good as the entity when it comes to hiding his emotions. “I-I don’t want to talk about it. It’s just a dumb legend anyways.” Oh, he’s trying to deny, deflect. The moment he’s about to close the door, you act quickly and let your shoe block the door. 

“I did it too.”, you tell him, almost breathless. It almost feels good, to say it but, it lasts for mere milliseconds. Clearly, it doesn’t feel as good for the oldest. You think he might cry when the words process at this very moment, a sound tumbles from his lips. However, no words are said. His eyes fall upon the sheet covered glass at his shoes and, before you can understand, he manages to shut his door in your face. He sounded paranoiac, looked like a maniac. Is that what happens when dealing with Jaehyun, will you end up like this ? Surely, he was the reason why the old university student turned this way, that’s what the rumors say. 

“Leave !”, he shouts and, if anyone’s in the second apartment, you’re sure they can hear. 

“But, Eric, I just wan-.”, you try, desperate. 

Curiosity killed the cat.

“Right now !” 

Curiosity killed the cat. 

“You vazey, you’re an absolute idiot.” 

Unlike last night, you don’t think twice before opening the door to your dorm, almost slamming the iron knob right on your thin wall. Just like you thought, Jaehyun barks at you the moment the door’s closed, barely waiting for the lock to click. He knows, he knows you tried to get answers from Eric, there’s no denying it. 

“You were there.”, it’s a statement more than a question, one you throw at the same time you do your bag, sliding on the floor before it abruptly stops when it hits your mirror. If that’s even possible, the entity gets closer to the border between his world and your own, gritted teeth has him speaking lowly. “I told you, forever in the nearest mirror.” A dark promise, one you now understand the meaning of. He’s linked to you, whether you want ot admit it or not, it has your body covered in goosebumps. 

“You shouldn’t have gone there.”, he continues, sighing heavily through his nose. Clearly, he didn’t think you would visit the old college student, let alone try to question him and tell him about your experience. “He’s mad, he’s dangerous.”, the entity continues. And that’s what does it for you. Abruptly turning towards the mirror, it’s like you quickly forget about the power he holds. 

Anger bubbles up in your chest, it pushes words out of your mouth, “You’re the one who drove him mad !” 

If you fear the entity, you do not show it. Heart pounding, palms sweaty, you keep a straight face. You’re ready for anything and everything. He might scream, make your room even colder, use his powers but, you don’t expect his reaction. He laughs, he laughs almost maniacally. So close to the mirror, the entity shoves his hands in his pockets, leaning closer until you think he might come out. 

Jaehyun could’ve said many things at this moment, he could’ve said the truth. But, unbeknownst to you, his feelings take over. He’s a creature of anger, pitiness, even. 

“He knew the deal.”, he spits out. Voice going deeper, you fear it might turn inhuman. 

“And so, you decided to drive him mad ? He looks miserable.”, you bark back. You’re too far gone to stop yourself right now. The pounding of your heart rings in your ears, it clouds your brain and has you repeating the same sentence again and again but, you never voice it. Would he do the same to you ? 

“I could’ve done much, much worse, doll.” It’s a whisper, like a promise of things he might just do to you if you keep acting in such a way. The nickname doesn’t have anything sweet in it, it’s harsh, a slap in the face. Swallowing harshly, you keep your eyes on the entity, faking a lack of expression, a lack of fear. Clearly, he likes it, a small smirk tugging at his lips but nothing shines in his eyes. If you thought he was normal the night before, if you pitied him hours ago, it’s quite hard now that he looks even more twisted than Eric. 

“And what, exactly ?”, you dare to ask, keeping your voice firm. Jaehyun’s smile only turns wider, head leans to the side. A few locks of his hair fall in front of his piercing eyes, he judges your reactions. 

“Come closer.”, he starts, keeping his voice quiet. “And I’ll tell you.”, the entity gets right back at you, daring light in his eyes. You know, you know he can reach out at a certain point but you take a step closer anyways. Your heart starts pumping faster, threatening to burst out of your ribcage, it creates white noise, blurs your eyes, restricts your air ways.

“She’s a daring one.”, Jaehyun notes, twisted smirk. He’s close, so close. You’ve never been this close to him, ever. If he was out, you would’ve been able to feel the air he blows out on the bridge of your nose, if he wasn’t an entity, you’d be able to see the colorful particle in his eyes. His tongue rests on his pointy canine, lightly traveling to his lip.

“I saw it, the pity in your eyes.”, he starts, a sort of anger in his voice but, you do not flinch. Keeping your eyes on his, you blink slowly, trying to calm your cardiac rhythm, breaking slowly through your nose. “Do you think I’m all alone, here ?”, Jaehyun asks. But, he does not even need an answer. By the way your eyebrows furrow for a second, he understands you never thought about it. 

“Ah, stupid fucking kid.”, he growls lowly, you stay silent. “Do you remember the prince I told you about ?” This time, you simply nod, remember when the young looking man told you that he didn’t even stay on the throne for too long. Jaehyun laughs again, the sound lightly resonating in your room, coming out of the different mirrors you own. “He’s trapped with me, here. I’m not alone.”, Jaehyun explains and, the light that flashs in his eyes tells you that he isn’t lying. Yet, you question it. Mouth agape, eyebrows furrow, the attempt you made to calm your heart fails. “That can’t be.”

“You seem to underestimate my powers, doll.”, and finally, like he’s letting you breathe a bit more, he leans back. He giggles there, both his hands behind his head as he lets his torso fall backwards. You’re not even able to form a proper sentence in your mind and, when he senses the lack of words, the entity continues, unbothered by the reality of his actions. People wouldn’t willingly go in the mirror, if that was even possible, right ? 

“I know what you’re thinking. Ah- it’s so easy to read you, darling. Is it possible for a human to join me ?”, he voices your question without you having to. “You can but, only for a few minutes. If you don’t leave quickly enough, you’re trapped here.” It’s the realisation crashing over you that makes you take a step back. Finally, when your brain goes on high alert, when your body tenses and your senses heighten at the risk, you find your words again. “No one would willingly do that.”, you blur out, trying to find a loophole somewhere. Surely, he’s bluffing, trying to scare you, right ? 

“Doll, you seem to forget that I have a wish too.”, his words have you dizzy but, your body isn’t able to back away again, forced to stay close enough, too close. “It’s simple, really. I wish for a dance and, they have to. When the dance’s over, they rarely have time to run back to their little, real world.” The brunette chuckles again, deep, gravy, bone chilling. 

“You don’t believe me ?”, Jaehyun continues, faking being hurt. He leans forward again, captivating you with his deep eyes. “Do you want to see them all ?”, he asks, lips in a wide smile. He could very much do this to you too, would he ? You shake your head from left to right quickly, fear clear in your eyes, he traps people. God only knows how many. You think you might choke on a cry right then, you don’t think you’ve ever been so scared in your life. Trapped, he seems to do it without a second thought, without an ounce of regret. What did you get yourself into ? 

“Good. Good girl.”, he cooes. “Know your place.” 

For a second time, his face’s too close to you. Having you so close probably gives him more energy and, as the seconds pass, you think you might pass out on the floor. You even think he might lean out of the mirror, like he said he could but, before you can open your mouth again, say anything that could help your case, he beats you at it. “Didn’t they tell you to be careful ? Curiosity killed the cat.” and just like that, he disappears again, you fall into your knees.

In the middle of your first year in university, you found out you didn’t really like frat parties. But see, if they can give you a reason to avoid your dorm, you’ll take anything. Anything, really. 

Loud music blasted through the house, a crowd of people you barely know, you don’t even think you ever saw this place without the party, multicolor lights. You also think you already wore this dress for another one of their parties, earlier on your first year but, you didn’t really think twice about your clothes today. You’ve been here for an hour at best and, the only thing you did was drink a bunch of water, checking your phone every now and then. Unfortunately, none of your friends were able to make it and, a good part didn’t want to come as they weren’t even invited. 

Leaving you all alone in a party full of popular people you never ever spoke to before. You didn’t really blame them. But anyways, wasn’t that what you wanted, popularity ? This is part of it, right ? Fuck, how can you hate something you wished for ? How can you hate it so, so much. Maybe you should leave ? You don’t even like the music they’re playing or the drinks they’re mixing together. You even thought about paying for a hotel but, you know Jaehyun wouldn’t have any difficulty finding you again, he’s attached to you. 

Maybe you should take all your mirrors out, just like Eric did but again, you still have a wish. He still has one, you can’t see yourself leaving in fear for the rest of your life. Dodging every mirror, acting like a maniac. It’s when you’re in deep thought, leaning against the kitchen counter that Johnny decides to join you.

“Hey, Y/N ! You made it !”, the tallest has to speak loudly over the music, holding a red cup in his hand. His everlasting smile on his face, he managed to get a tired one out of you. “Yeah…”, you start, taking a sip of your drink, it surely didn’t help your dry throat. You’re not even having fun here, you look like you’re waiting for someone who’s never going to come. “I didn’t even know Taeyong knew me. I was a bit surprised when he invited me.”, you blur out, trying your best to make a conversation. 

“Actually, he told me he saw you a few times and thought you were cute.”, your friend says, a cheeky smile on his lips. The confession has heat burning your cheeks for a moment, lips parted. Taeyong ? The Lee Taeyong ? You think your friend’s pulling a prank on you but you know him enough, Johnny wouldn’t be the type to do that. 

“I-. Wait, really ?”, you ask, dumbfounded. It’s the effect of your wish, you know it but, you clearly weren’t prepared for that. Do people like you now...Because of this ? Without knowing you, without ever talking to you ? 

“Yeah, really ! You should go talk to him.”, you’ve known Johnny to be kind of the Cupid of his friend group and, he takes the role quite well. Pointing at a corner, you can distinguish one of their couches, occupied by Johnny’s friend group. Before you even know it, a gentle hand’s on your shoulder, helping you through the crowd, sweaty bodies dancing mindlessly, such a cliché. 

You can’t even find a way to escape. Finally, you’re right in front of the said group. Boys and girls, all sat on the couch, some on the others, you would want to sit on someone in such heat. Some girls are hanging out with them too, flashing you a nice smile as you awkwardly stand next to Johnny, like a lost puppy. 

“Look who I found !”, Johnny happily shouts, catching everyone’s attention. Then, you decide you hate it, too many eyes on you. A girl you don’t even know the name of sits straight and waves, “Y/N ! It’s nice to see you, it’s been so long !” Do you know her ? Her face’s vaguely familiar but at best, you might have seen her during a first year party. You hate it, entirely. All you can do is nod slowly as you feel your heart pics up, your palms grow sweaty. Taeyong’s in the middle, legs spread on the couch, he has one of his friends moving from his seat to give you some space. “Here, sit !”, he invites with a warm smile. 

What can you do ? You obey, sitting down next to the young man. You need to sit down anyways, feeling the heat crash over your body, it makes your head light, your mouth dry. You sit in fear you’ll pass out. You can almost feel the energy being drained out of you. Maybe popularity isn’t for you. The music seems to fade away, just as your heart pumps in your ears again. It rings, something familiar now. Has the room always been this size ?

“Y/N ? What game do you prefer ?”, from the tone Johnny has, it’s probably the second time he’s asking you this and, before you can even find another solution or, the strength to socialise, you get up. He flashes you a look, Taeyong a curious one you can’t really see as he’s behind you. 

“Can you please hold my drink, I need to go to the bathroom.”, you blur out. 

“Oh, sure !”, always the nice one. Poor Johnny, you almost shove your glass in his hand, slashing some water on his fingers as he covers the opening. “First door on your right when you take these stairs.”, he says. 

If you could, you would’ve ran to the bathroom. Your steps are stopped when you cut right through the dancing crowd, using your elbows to make your way. It’s crazy, how big their living room is and still, you manage to feel strapped, like the walls keep moving away from you, making it impossible to reach the stairs, the escape. You think someone drops a bit of their drink on your dress but you don’t really care at the moment, walking with quick steps when finally, you’re out of the circle. 

Running up the stairs, your hand lands on the wet patch the unknown drink left at your side, nice.You don’t know what it is, it sticks to your fingers, probably sugary. Finally, the music seems to fade naturally when you reach the first floor, pushing the door of the bathroom without a second thought. As said, you’ve been to parties before, you know bathroom can be...unlocked and busy. Thankfully, no one’s there and you’re able to lock yourself in the bathroom, completely sheltering yourself. 

Turning the light on, you quickly find the sink, hands gripping the border before you lean forward a bit, opening the faucet. 

“Popularity isn’t for me.”, you tell yourself, eyes set on your reflection. Forehead sweaty, your makeup isn’t as good as it was when you left your dorm. Even, is it your reflection ? It seems you can’t even find a safe place anymore. You can’t help the tears that gather in your eyes, small transparent pearls threatening to fall at any moment, you can’t even trust your own reflection. Something grips at your throat, makes it hard to breathe and all you can do is let your head fall down, trying to calm yourself by running your hands under the cold water. 

You can’t even go back to your dorm, not wanting to see Jaehyun. It’s a mixture of fear and something else you can’t really identify, something that makes you regret acting in such a way. It’s crazy, how you almost thought things were going well for an actual entity you summoned. You guess you let things go to your head, forgetting the supernatural aspect of it all. You don’t think it has ever been so hard to see a future for yourself, so hard to find a solution to a problem, you feel stuck. 

Between the four walls of a foreign bathroom, you finally let a sob tumble from your lips. You unsuccessfully try and muffle it against your wet palm but, it all makes it too hard to breathe. Harshly turning the faucet off, you desperately try to find a rhythm. 

“Hey, kid.” 

You almost jump out of your skin. Taking a step back from the sink, you don’t even look up. A voice you know too well by now but, this time is doesn’t sound as harsh. Did he really have to appear so suddenly ? He didn’t help your breathing and you make that known when you glare up at the entity. 

“I didn’t mean to startle you.”, Jaehyun says. There’s something soft in his voice, something you surely are not used to. The mirror is much smaller here, you can only see from his upper body and has you focused on his face. Again, he’s good at hiding his emotions, cold face contracting with the tone in his voice. 

“It’s okay.”, you finally breathe out, not wanting to fight or scream right at this moment. You don’t think you have the energy for, at least. 

“Popularity really isn’t for you.”, he laughs and for once, it’s meant for you to laugh too. There’s a tired sigh tumbling from your lips, far from a laugh. 

“What are you doing here ?”, you ask, though the answer is obvious. 

“I told you, forever in the nearest mirror.”, he repeats and unlike yesterday, it doesn’t sound like a threat, more like a silent promise that he’ll watch over you. “Come closer.” 

And you do, a lot less fearful. Separated by the sink, you stand at its edge. 

“Don’t freak out, doll.”, the entity warns and, before you can even ask him why, he leans out. He leans out of the mirror. Though you don’t freak out, like he asked you, it still takes you by surprise. Mouth agape, the way he effortlessly lets his upper body detach from the mirror is hypnotising. He almost looks human, if it isn’t for his glass skin. The light of the bathroom reflects on the highest point of his cheek, you’d have to look a few minutes to understand if his skin’s pale or if he’s slightly translucide. Faded beauty marks and light freckles, you’d almost be able to count them. 

“There, good.”, he coes softly when you blink slowly. Jaehyun looks so normal, like you’d be able to pick a fallen eyelash on his skin. From here, you can detail his glossy hands, the grey tint at the tip of his fingers and before you can search for any trace of veins on his arms, he cups your cheeks. 

Skin cold, his hands a light touch like he isn’t sure if he should be touching you. The change in heat has you flinching for a second before relaxing, welcoming the cold trail his thumbs let under your tired eyes. 

“Breathe with me, I don’t want to see you having a panic attack.”, he explains. And, you do. Soft breath falls at the bridge of your nose, drying the small drops of water the faucet left on your skin. Through his nose, out his mouth, the entity takes the time and waits for you to match his rhythm. 

Jaehyun, Yoonoh, the entity you summoned is helping you calm down in the middle of a party you hate, that’s the thought you have to push away before finally, feeling yourself getting back to normal. Your heart regains somewhat of a normal rhythm, it stops ringing in your ears and most importantly, nothing restraints your throat. Then, you look up at the entity, big brown eyes checking up on your features, only then do you notice the small dots of gold near his pupil. 

You back away. 

Taking a step back, you detach your eyes from his own, he looks more alive out of his mirror and you’re not sure you want him so close. Or maybe, it’s the fact you do want him a bit closer that scares you. After all, he managed to calm you down easily, he’d almost pass as a normal student.

“Thank you.”, you manage to let out after swallowing down. After a small nod, he lets his body get swallowed back into the mirror. It’s crazy, how his appearance changes the slightest bit, enough that he loses the human like je ne sais quoi that made him familiar, friendlier almost. 

“It’s alright, doll. I’ve had my fair share of people to calm down but usually, it’s during our first meeting.”, he jokes a bit, regaining his attitude when he’s sure you’re alright. 

There’s a silence, a moment when you let the music come to your eyes, the setting sinks in your brain again. Johnny and his friends are probably waiting for you, you don’t even know how long you’ve been there. On the other side, Jaehyun takes a look at the bathroom you locked yourself in, sighing a bit at the music loudly blasting, making the walls vibrate every now and then. You now know how quick Jaehyun is to speak and, for the first time, you catch him, speaking at the same time. 

“I should go home.”

“You should go home.” 

“Nice shirt.” 

“Holy fuck, Jaehyun. You need to stop doing that.”, jumping to the side, you almost drop the towel you were using to dry the wet ends of your hair. 

Minutes after Jaehyun left the bathroom, you did the same. The party wasn’t an interesting one to you and so, you faked being sick to Johnny and his friends. Needless to say, many were disappointed for a reason you couldn’t really understand. At least, Johnny insisted on driving you to your dorm and soon enough, you found your safe space again. 

Strangely, Jaehyun didn’t make his presence known when you entered the room, you were almost used to having him waiting with a sarcastic sentence at the tip of his tongue. Nevertheless, you hung a towel on the mirror of your bathroom and took a quick shower, slipping into freshly washed pyjamas so quickly you almost fell down. 

Apparently, the young man decided to appear right when you stepped out of your bathroom, almost knocking your knee against some furniture. Easing yourself on your bed, you let your body at the edge, right in front of your mirror.

“But you always look like a cute deer caught in headlights. That’s the saying, right ?”, he asks, sitting down in front of you. You nod a bit, a slight smile on your face. “Thank you again, for earlier.”, setting the towel aside, you let your legs dangle. You should probably try and sleep but, it seems Jaehyun isn’t thinking about leaving right now. The entity doesn’t answer, simply nodding, almost not wanting to address the gesture. “I thought you left.”, you tell him, being truthful for the first time. 

“I was just mad.”, Jaehyun almost says, he almost voices his own emotions but decides against it. 

“You shouldn’t have gone to his house.”, he says again. But, unlike yesterday, he doesn’t sound as mad, as angry. You sigh anyways, he sounds like a parent scowling you, but you guess he’d be too old for that. But somehow, you know he isn’t really wrong. Eric didn’t even speak to you, nothing good came of it. Rather than voicing your opinion, you let your eyes travel to the side, avoiding the man’s gaze. 

“He’s dangerous.”, he starts, playing with his rings again. If you were in his head, you’d be able to witness the dilemma he’s facing. However, Jaehyun picks rather quickly. “Do you remember what I told you ? What people wish for the most ?”, he asks. It’s funny, Jaehyun always sounds like he’s questioning you, making sure you listen to him. “Love.”, you easily answer, attention picked. 

“That was Eric’s second wish. But as I told you, it’s never true love, its a fake emotions, I can’t- I can not force such a powerful feeling onto someone. It always ends up badly. When Eric’s “dream girl” - like he called her - didn’t love him like he wanted her to, he got mad.” By now, you know Jaehyun’s behaviour quite well. When he didn’t show much emotion while telling you the story of this unknown prince, the entity looks uncomfortable enough when thinking about Eric. Eyebrows raised, there’s a shiver that runs down your spine. The young man didn’t even say it and yet, you already know where it is going. 

“He tried to kill her one night.”, he starts. For an entity who saw, experienced so much, you think it’s how fresh it all is that has him showing so much emotion. Someone capable of murder, that’s who you visited without a second thought. The behavior, it all started to make sense. Your mouth hangs open for a moment before you find your words again. “Is she- Is she alright ?”, you ask first. 

“She was, I do not know her whereabouts as of today.”, he continues, letting one of his rings roll between his fingers. “I couldn’t let him do it. I used my wish to teach him a lesson, showed him things that went straight through his thick skin. He managed to escape in time but he left me with his.”, before you can ask, the entity lifts his right sleeve a bit more. On his arm, the young man has a wound. Almost unrealistic, the cut doesn’t have a trace of blood but it seems forever frozen in this state, never healing. “Said I’d make him pay and that was enough to install fear, forever.” 

The paranoia, the look in his eyes at Jaehyun’s name, everything added up. You almost feel like throwing up, you knew humanity had its vermin but never, never did you think they’d be so...close. You never thought you’d see the entity with morals. You’re glad he explained the reasons behind his actions, behind his behaviour. 

“I didn’t- I didn’t know you would get hurt.”, you tell him, almost whispering. 

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me.”, the entity simply replies. He isn’t wrong, reminding you of centuries he had before meeting you. You don’t even know his full name, or his story. 

“Then tell me about yourself.”, you blur out, not thinking twice. For the first time, Jaehyun is taken back, blank expression on his face. The entity takes a few seconds to process your words and you continue, taking over the conversation for the first time. “Do you ever tell your story ?” He probably never does, you wonder if it’s even a question to ask. Maybe too dark, too painful, you wonder for a second if the question won’t make him mad.

Finally, when the young man regains his attitude, he raises his eyebrows for a second, “People never ask me for it. I told you, humans are greedy creatures. They use me for their two wishes and try to forget about me.” There’s something sad in his words. Now, you understand. He probably feels used, has to do people’s dirty work, grant without a word to say. Somehow, it manages to tighten your heart. Sure, a side of your brain reminds you of the entity he truly is but, another one can not help but feel sad, sad for the life he isn’t even leaving. “Tell me, I want to know.” 

Unbeknownst to you, Jaehyun might feel the smallest spark of happiness. To be cared for. You’re probably asking out of politeness but god, does it feel nice to have someone asking you about your story. “Are you sure ?”, he asks anyways, fainting some arrogance, some detachment while he still can. 

“I was a human once, cursed.”, the entity starts, almost nonchalant. Eyebrows raised, you can’t help the slight gasp that tumbles from your lips. “Cursed ?” Scooting closer to the edge, the fear of being close to him slowly disappears. 

He nods a bit, before fully getting into his story, one he never really talked about to anyone else, now that he thinks about it. “Was born a long time ago, there’s nothing interesting about my life, really.”, like he’s recalling some old, old memories, he looks up for a moment, eyebrows slightly furrowed. You don’t ask when he was born, letting him continue without stopping him. “We’d get married quite young at that time.”, he notes. 

“I was 23 and had a few choices but there was this girl.”, Jaehyun continues and you don’t think you’ve ever seen him like this, slight smile on his face, it’s clear he’s remembering fond memories. “Pretty brunette, her name was Haseul. We were in love.” Love, something you for a moment thought the entity wasn’t capable of. Something flashes in his eyes, regret, probably. “We were supposed to get married but not everyone was happy with it. From the choices I had, there was this young lady, her name was Agnes.”, the young man says her name with venom on his tongue, you can now only imagine what she did.

“Agnes was supposedly madly in love with me and, when she found out me and Haseul were already talking about marriage, she did this.”, it’s like even after centuries, he isn’t quite able to put words on it. A deep sigh, the entity needs some seconds to find his words, leaning back on his hands. “It was rumored that she was a witch, I never really believed it.” Can you blame him ? You didn’t believe in him either, only days ago. Hands on the border of your bed, you lean a bit closer, captivated by the story. “What did she do ?” 

“I don’t really know how but, she used black magic to curse me here. Forever stuck, if she couldn’t have me, no one could.”, he says, almost nonchalant. He probably accepted his faith long ago but for you, who just listened to his story, you have something tightening around your neck. “He was a human too, once. Loved by the wrong person, punished for loving and giving himself to someone else. He ended up stuck for it, a faith you’d never wish upon anyone, not now that you know all the things he saw and experienced. Jaehyun didn’t even deserve it, you think it’s what saddens you the most.”

“Kid, are you alright ?”, Jaehyun asks, his head to the side. Fuck, you didn’t even have a second to hide the water building up at the corner of your eyes. Quickly using your shirt to dab the droplet away, you shake your head. 

“Y-Yeah. It’s just...I didn’t know you were human before.”, you start and, he laughs a bit. He tells you he’s used to it, many misjudged him as a demon. “You didn’t deserve this.”, you mumble, feeling the lump in your throat grow as you force yourself to keep a straight face. It’s probably the lack of sleep and the recent events that have you on your nerves.

“And, can’t you wish to get out ?”, you ask. Somehow, god knows why, your brain tries to find a solution, probably the humanity in you speaking up. “Can’t I wish for you to get out.” This seems to make the young man laugh, few locks falling in front of his eyes, he has to use his hand to push them back. “Ah, doll. You’re cute. Would you ever do that ?”, he asks, laughing. You don’t answer, would you ? Conflicted and yet, something tells you that you would. You would, because you’re a good person, right ? You wouldn’t want someone stuck in such a way, you wouldn’t let someone innocent suffer if you could get them out. Is Jaehyun innocent ? All the things he did, he had to. But again, he did trap people with him, didn’t he ? Two sides fight, relentless in your brain but somehow, the way he’s looking at you with malice, like he already knows you won’t do it has you nodding. 

You nod and, it has the power to make the entity’s eyebrows raise a bit, a slight smile on his rosy lips. “It’s not how it works.”, he finally says. 

“Is there a way to get out ?”, you’re too curious. If there was a way to get him out, would you do it ? You push the thought away, not wanting to question your morals, not right now. Probably sensing the conflict you’re going through, Jaehyun shrugs. “There is, but you don’t need to know.” At this point, the young man knows what he’s doing. He pokes your curiosity, makes you want and need to know more. Obviously, it works. “Tell me !” 

“It’s a ritual. It’s a bit gruesome, I don’t think you want to hear it now, darling. Requires someone’s blood, someone who truly loves me. See, the witch thought no one would ever love me as much as she did.”, Jaehyun explains, detailing your reactions at his words. Something twists at your stomach, blood ? An old ritual, you can’t even begin to think about all the things necessary. Someone who truly loves him, a big requirement when people summon him only to use him, never getting to know the entity. Again, can you really blame them ? 

“See, nothing really interesting.”, Jaehyun concludes, “But you, darling. Tell me about yourself.” 

Monday night. 

Days trying to function with little to no sleep, days with little to no privacy. You think it’s what you miss the most, privacy. Sure, you could put a towel up on your mirror whenever you took a shower but see, you couldn’t take long showers, longs baths. You always feared Jaehyun would appear out of nowhere, manage to get the towel out and then, then what ? And yes, Jaehyun never did that before, only time he truly appeared without you being prepared for it was last night, during the party but, it was for a good cause. Right now, laying in your bed, sheet almost entirely covering your face, it’s another time of privacy you’re longing for. See, you don’t remember the last time you touched yourself. Alright, maybe that’s a hyperbola, you do remember but it seems so, so far away. Few hours of sleep and so many events you can’t even talk about to your friends have you feeling almost jetlagged, having to check your phone for the hour and day. 

Staring at your ceiling, a deep sigh leaves your lips. You can’t sleep, you can not sleep at all and you have a trip to your home town tomorrow, things to do that require all your brain power. Your brain and body won’t fall into Morpheus’ arms and, you know exactly why. You need it, you need an orgasm so, so bad. It had been on your mind for a while now, it had been clouding your mind for hours now, actually. Hanging out with your friend today did help quite a bit, helping your brain think about anything else. But now, alone in the the middle of your bed, you can’t deny. Your body doesn’t lie to you, the way you have to close your thighs, the way your hands dangerously move inch by inch towards the center of the problem. Your mind does not lie to you either, foggy images, too clear and loud thoughts. 

Yes, you could give in, let your body and mind have what it graves. But, another problem’s right in front of you. The mirror Jaehyun would usually occupy. Fuck, he never announces himself, he never tell you when he’s coming. What if he just...Pops up again ? However, you found a loophole. If your phone doesn’t work when Jaehyun is here, in your mirror, whether you see him or not, the object starts working again when he fully leaves. God knows where he goes, who’s mirror he haunts but at the very least, you know when he isn’t there, right ? God, you know it’d put you to sleep. Picking your phone up, it’s clear the device’s working exactly like it should. You could be quick with it, right ? Two in the morning, you don’t see why Jaehyun would come back now, you really don’t. 

And, fuck it. The pale moonlight freely enters your bedroom, helping you distinguish the furniture in your dorm, letting you keep an eye on your mirror just in case. Ditching your heavy blanket to the side, you let the cold air brush over your naked legs. You managed to get out of your pants a bit earlier, struggling with the heat under your sheets. Your right hand softly lands on your closed core, immediately making your leg raise. Planting your foot on your mattress. 

Your index slowly traces your lips, over the already wet fabric. God, it’s been so long and you’re already wet. You barely needed to find a memory to get off to for that. The tip of your finger easily finds your bud of nerves, lightly pressing. The small gesture has you gasping softly, keeping your voice low enough. 

Enough of teasing yourself, you do not think you have time for this, nor the patience. Pushing your panties aside, you ease a finger between your lips. Finally, some friction. It is not long until you add a second finger to the mix, using a rhythm you know would get you off quickly. Biting down on your lower lip, you have to breathe through your nose, out your mouth to keep your whines quiet enough. Strangely enough, you find yourself thinking back to Jaehyun’s breathing, how his cold hands cupped your face so gently. 

In and out, you let a mewl out, unable to muffle it. His cold, ring hugged fingers, wouldn’t they feel so, so nice on your burning skin ? 

Oh, what are you even thinking about ? You should not, you can’t. Find something else to think about, another boy to hold your fantasies. It shouldn’t be so hard, right ? It’s almost pathetic, how your mind manages to go through a list of boys you know or once you and yet, the one that has been shaking your life up keeps numbing your mind. 

Don’t give in to your thoughts, a side of your brain yells at you. 

But there's nothing wrong in this, is it ? A little secret to keep to yourself, just like you’re keeping Jaehyun a secret from everyone.

Fuck, you can’t find your clouded mind at this very moment, you almost give it, let your fingers move faster with a picture pecfect imagine of glossy fingers, shamlesly, a name you never thought you’d moan tumbles from your lips. If only, if only you’d notice the weak flashing of your phone’s screen, the drained battery on the black screen for a few seconds before it went dead. If only you’d notice. 

“Well. What do we have here ?”, you almost jump out of your skin, you almost have a heart attack right here. You knew it, you knew you shouldn’t have done it. In a quick motion, you try and grab onto your sheet but, Jaehyun’s voice stops you. Frim, it’s an order he gives you. “Oh no, don’t try and hide yourself now.” 

Fingers naturally slowing down, you can’t help the pathetic whisper that leaves from your mouth when you lose the so needed friction. Even if the young man tells you not to hide, you have to close your legs again. You think you’d be mortified, completely frozen but, it’s pure frustration that crashes over you. “God, Jaehyun ! Can’t you warm before ?”, you groaned, your left hand on your forehead. Your right hand, on the other side, grips the thin sheet under your body. You’re probably staining but, you clearly don’t care right now. There’s a low chuckle from the entity, he doesn’t even seem fazed at all. Taking a final step closer to the mirror, something flashes in his eyes. “You’re the one who called me.”, he points out. His own fingers gaze over his jawline and you almost slap yourself, you shouldn’t have such thoughts. But they do look so, so inviting. Did you call him ? Oh, you did, without even realising. 

“I heard you.”, he hums, arrogant. He seems so, so amused by the situation. Pearly white teeth bite down on his lower lip for the faintest of second, crossing his arms over his chest. “Ah, I thought you were calling me because you were in danger, doll. But here you are, touching yourself and moaning my name ? What a dirty, naughty little slut.”, the nickname rolls out his tongue too easily, it strikes right, numb your brain even more. 

There’s no point in denying it but, somehow, you try and act like his words aren’t affecting you at this very moment, like he does have your thighs closing, core aching. “Don’t call me that.”, you try, breathless. Only then do you notice the change, the sudden heat in your bedroom. A smirk grows on his rosy lips, “Why ? You clearly like it.” 

“Go away.”, you try, half believing it. 

“You don’t want me to. Why leave when you were moaning my name ?”, he barks right back. Clearly, the back and forth amuses him, it fires him up, he loves when they put up a fight, even already lost. You stay silent for a moment, unable to find words, a sentence that could make sense. “Come on, doll. Show me.”

That voice, you don’t know if you heard it before. Sultry, soft, it feels like velvet. Smooth, inviting, he has you hypnosed and, before you know it, your legs fall open. Heart pumping rapidly in your chest, its excitement that pumps into your vein but, you don’t want to admit it yet. 

Oh, the joy and cockiness that flashes in the brunette’s eyes. You think it’s the growl he lets out that takes your breath away, legs trembling. “Come closer, darling. Let me see you.” And you do. Just like last night, you scoot closer until your legs are dangling from your bed. It’s lust speaking, lust acting on your numbed, dizzy mind when your thighs spread open for him to see. 

“Pretty.”, he notes and, before you think about doubting your actions, ask him what the two of you are doing at this very moment, he continues. “Show me what you were doing.” 

Under his eyes, your right hand finds your drenched core again, hooking the fabric of your underwear to the side, you easily let your two fingers part your core before slipping them in. There’s no point in hiding your moans anymore, soft whispers tumbling from your lips. 

“God, you’re so wet.”, he notes. “Faster, fuck yourself faster.”, Jaehyun orders lowly. Captivated by his voice, you do, fingers moving at a rapid pace. It feels too good, surreal, almost. 

“Jaehyun, what are we-.”, you start, though it turns in a moan. 

“Sht, shut up. ‘m trying to make you feel good, yeah ? Isn’t that what you wanted ?”, it is, you think to yourself. The side of your brain, desperately trying to fight against it finally lets go, gives in into the pleasure. “There you go.”, he hums happily once your head hangs backwards. “Tell me, what are you thinking about ?”

The words get caught in your throat. Eyes heavy, you need a few seconds before being able to speak up again. “Your fingers.”, you admit, any ounce of shame finally leaving your body. It accepts the pleasure Jaehyun is guiding you towards. “Slow down.”, he instructs and, you do so, a small pout on your lips. 

“Look at that. Who thought you’d beg me to let you cum some days ago ? Weren’t you the one who pulled a knife on me ?”, he coes. He isn’t wrong, you whine softly at the slow rhythm you now have to keep up with. 

“Jaehyun, please.”, you whine out. Tired, sensitive, you’re on the bridge, only waiting for him to let you fall. 

“Please, what ?”, what he does next almost has you moaning. Leaning out of the mirror, his skin goes glossy again, just like in the frat house’s bathroom. Shining under the moonlight, his upper body’s so close. The same human like je ne sais quoi, one that has you leaning closer, closer to him. The coldest of his fingers, what you were thinking about seconds ago, you feel them again. In the dead of the night, skin burning, the entity places his hand right around your neck. He isn’t even pressing and yet, he manages to get your breathing uneven. “Please what, doll ?”, he asks again, almost archly. “Please, let me come, please.”, you beg, throwing any shame and dignity out of your opened window. Clearly appeased and glad by your words, the brunette lets his fingers press harder, harder. Cutting your airways, he tilts your head up, enough that you feel obligated to look at him. “Come on, make yourself cum.”

Face close, he’s millimeters away, lips brushing against yours but never does he kiss you. Keeping his right hand around your throat, his left hand guides your fingers, helping you, guiding you. “Pretty little thing.”, he coes the moment he feels you twitching. Pretty brown eyes set on you, he details, drinks in any one of your expressions. Under his gaze, you take minutes to hit it. Your orgasm is an intense one, crashes over your body, Jaehyun has to let you breathe. 

“There you go.”, voice soft, it sounds far, far away. You take minutes to come down, minutes for your mind to clear again. “Sht, it’s alright.”, you can hear the smirk in his voice and, before you can point it out, sleep knocks you out. 

Realization, it’s realization that crashes over you the next morning. Or rather, the next afternoon. It’s around one in the afternoon when you wake up, sunlight freely entering in your room. Birds, voices, cars, the city’s wide awake and shakes you up. Truthfully, you’d rather not wake up today.

Your gaze falls on your phone, battery intact and on, the multiple texts you have from your family makes you understand. You missed your train, great. Even better, you remember last night. Is it regret ? Rather something else you don’t understand. You don’t really regret what happened, rather fear what will happen next. Jaehyun isn’t human, not anymore at least. Stuck in a mirror, he’s bound to leave at some point. He’s an entity, doesn’t that clash with your morals ? 

Your brain goes miles an hour and you aren’t even able to stop it. Maybe, maybe a shower could help ? You need to get ready anyways. Family’s waiting, worried for you and here you are, stomach empty hanging a towel on the mirror of your bathroom.

What the fuck did you do ? That’s the question that keeps turning again and again in your head. But, it didn’t hurt anyone, right ? God, the grey area you’re in has you in a headache in minutes. Do you want him to leave, or not ? It’s a hard question, one you can’t answer, even at the end of your shower. Shouldn’t you want him to leave ? Isn’t he supposed to be a scary legend ? That’s the problem. He isn’t so scary, he isn’t so mean and cold. But again, he’s an entity. 

Tumbling in your bedroom, your hand runs in your hair out of pure frustration, passing back and forth in the hallway that connects your bed and bathroom, where Jaehyun cannot see you. It’s funny, you look like him now. Are you becoming like him ? Or worse, like Eric ? You don’t even have a wish right now. It’s then that you do what you’re best, or worse at doing, You act on impulse. 

Walking right in front of your mirror, you take a deep breath. You think the sweat gathering at your hairline’s going to ruin your makeup, the outfit you chose to wear isn’t appropriate for the weather. Anyways, you try your best a firm voice and call, “Jaehyun.” 

On cue, he appears. Slight smirk on his face, he looks too pleased, probably because of last night’s event. Is it a smirk or, a genuine smile ? That, you can’t really tell. The brunette told you, you were easy to read and before you can understand his emotions, he understands your own. His smile fades into something more serious, catching up. Something’s wrong. 

“Yes ?”, he asks, almost carefully. He never saw you like this, there’s a spark in your eyes he isn’t able to understand. Confusion, regret, fear, frustration ?

“I have my last wish.”, you tell him. Your heart’s heavy, for some reason. You shouldn’t be really, you think you found a solution to your problem, didn’t you ? “I want everything to go back to normal. Take back my popularity.”, you tell him in one go, once you have the courage to. 

For a second, you see amusement flashing in his eyes, like he’s about to make fun of your wish. Actually, he was about to, question you before he catches on. He catches on way too quickly. Amusement quickly turns to...Disappointment, anger. His eyes quickly travel from your eyes to a point in your room you can’t see, back to your eyes. Features twisted, his breathing slightly changes, so does the temperature in the room. 

“I know what you’re trying to do.”, it’s a growl, a dip in his tone that mimics the shift in the temperature, suddenly getting colder. 

The limp in your throat doesn’t help, cold sweat probably ruins your makeup as you try your best to keep your composure. 

“Jaehyun, it’s-”, you try, almost turning desperate. Your words get caught when he takes a step closer, you know he can and might lean out but he doesn’t do it, yet. 

“You’re trying trying to get rid of me.”, it’s laced with anger. Anger, venom and disappointment. It’s the lather that has your heart breaking. You’re human after all, it’s only natural that you feel bad about your decision. 

“I’m not trying to get rid of you ! It’s just that, after last night…”, you can’t even explain yourself, you’re unable to put words into your feelings. 

“I knew it, you’re like everyone else.”, he spits out. His nose crunches up, disgusted. The young man looks down at you, eyebrows furrow, lips twisting. “Using me.”, the words echo in your room, he uses every mirror to let you know. 

“Jaehyun, stop.”, you beg. You beg, tears in your eyes. Obviously, he doesn’t. He has it heavy on his chest, he’ll speak even if you don’t hear him. 

“Using me to get what you want, only to ditch me. Leave me. Forget about me.”, anger clear in his voice, it’s loud, louder than what a normal man could be. The slight fog around his body grows thicker, darker, almost threatening. Goosebumps on your arms, the shirt you’re wearing doesn’t help how cold you’re feeling. 

“I don’t want to forget you !”, you choke between tears, freely letting them fall down your cheeks. “You don’t understand ! You can’t - You can’t stay with me forever.” You hiccup, using your fingers to dry your tears. 

Jaehyun doesn’t answer, Adam’s Apple bobbing up and down as he blinks slowly. Anger has his jaw tight, chest raising up and down at a steady rhythm. 

“I could’ve.”, he argues but it’s clear he half believes it. He couldn’t stay forever by your side, you wouldn’t be able to live your life in such a way. Shooting him a look that says it all, he doesn’t argue, he doesn’t continue. “You said your wish anyways. So be it.” 

Unlike last time, it isn’t as happy, isn’t as fierce. It’s abandonment, he has to anyways. The glow behind him changes, shifts. 

You can’t feel the changes of your wish right away. Jaehyun stays a cold face, almost refusing to look at you. The breath you didn’t know you were holding gets out in a sigh, your shoulders flopping down. 

Silence. Silence for seconds while he looks to the side. 

And suddenly, he turns around again, looking right into your eyes. “I have my wish, too.”, he says, coldly. 

Before you can even argue, help him find something, offer one yourself, he cuts you off. Letting his hand out of the mirror, he doesn’t even completely lean out.

Looking down at his hand, you already know. You know what he’s going to ask for. “Jaehyun…”, you try, voice small. You don't want to cry again, throat completely cut. 

“I want a dance, darling.”, he says, nickname sounding cold. You were expecting this wish, somewhere in the back of your mind, you’d think that maybe, he wouldn’t want to let you go. Nonetheless, it still tightens you heart, makes it pound in your chest. 

If you could drop to your knees at this very moment, you would. But your body’s frozen, stuck in place. The plea you whisper isn’t of any use. You’re obligated to, before you even know it, your body’s pushed. 

Your hand lands in his, cold skin against your own. Touch gentle, he guides you towards him. 

To effortlessly move into another world, it feels like crossing a thin waterfall. You have to close your eyes when Jaehyun gently pulls your body towards the mirror. For a second, you don’t open your eyes, not knowing what to expect. Entire, pitch black room ? Jaehyun’s true appearance ? You don’t know, you can’t even begin to imagine. Your laced hands in the air, Jaehyun’s left hand placed itself in your back, classic position for a slow dance. “Y/N.”, he calls softly, too softly for the wish he just asked for. 

You look up. 

He looks normal, entirely human. No more glossy skin, you can see every small detail, every long lash, every freckle, deep dimples on each side of his lips. Milky skin, rosy lips. He doesn’t look as mad as he did previously, like having you right next to him managed to appease him. Unable to answer, you only look into his eyes. Even brighter, brown and golden sparks, the light he was lacking before is here, fully. He looks alive. When you don’t answer, a song starts playing, one you quickly recognise. Sway. It sounds far away, like a distant dream, it resonates. Only then, do you have the guts to look around. Jaehyun’s wearing the same clothes, around you, everything looks glossy. Glass walls without an edge, you could make the faintest outline of a castle, golden lights and pretty chandelier. Heavy, the pictures look wavy, like casted upon a distorted mirror. You can’t recognise not make anything else up. But, what takes you back, rips a gasp out of your lips, are the people. 

Dozens of people dancing, slowly to the song. They mimic you and Jaehyun’s movements as he guides you, makes you sway, bend under his expert hands. All those people dancing and yet, they all look empty. It’s only when your eyes fall upon a man, dressed in royal uniform that you understand. All these people, he trapped them all with him. 

You gasp and, as you’re about to question him, he speaks up. “Darling, look at me.”, he demands.

When you do, he meets you with a soft smile, comprehensive look in his eyes. “I understand, I understand why you did it.”, he starts. Finally, you’re the one to break him off. It’s clear he’s the one guiding your body, you don’t think you have any control over it at this very moment. He makes you dance in his makeshift castle, the only place he can rule over. 

“I didn’t know what do to.”, you confess. Do you want to leave him ? No. But the grey area it leaves you in keeps hurting your brain, thorns you apart every second. “My intentions were never to use you.”, you tell him, gulping down as you pass a couple twirling, clearly from different centuries. Jaehyun knows, the words he let out of pure anger, he did not think them one bit. After all, you didn’t even know what to wish for. “I know.”, he calmly says. Face close to yours, you don’t mind the proximity. “Enjoy the moment with me. Please, doll.” 

How can you truly enjoy the moment when you’re sure he’s going to trap you at any moment, have you stuck with him forever ? You almost lean into the idea, give in. You know this song well enough, the end is near and all you can do is look up into Jaehyun’s eyes. If he wants you here, you can not fight it. Can you ? 

The entity has his eyes closed, forehead against your own. Softly, he whispers out only for you to hear. “It was a pleasure meeting you. Thank you for making me feel love again.”, he starts. “But I can not be selfish.” Before you can let something out, his lips softly press against the bone of your cheek and, his hands let you free to move, moments before the end of the song. An arm in front of his, he bows down with a slight smile. It isn’t hard to see the sadness he isn’t hiding. “I guess this is a goodbye. Go, run.” 

You have well enough time and, when you understand that, you run, just like he asked. Heart pumping, you run, run towards the small frame where you can see the outline of your bedroom and, before you know it, the same waterfall. The sudden shift has you tumbling down, dropping to your knees. 

“Jaehyun !”, you don’t care about your voice right now, you scream loud enough. Down on the fall, facing your mirror, Jaehyun faces you again, squatting down like he loves to do. The same sad smile on his face. Your hand flat on the surface, you hit your mirror like you’re hitting a window. You see it, he’s facing, slowly. Translucid, it’s a question of seconds before he’s entirely gone. Then, when tears fill your eyes, an invisible hand twist your heart, you understand. 

Again and again, you tap on the glass.

“I’ll get you out, I promise !” 

[sly-merlin]

Chewy peaches |• jung jaehyun

Characters : thief! Reader x stranger! Jaehyun

Words :2.1k (1.8k smut)( rest is drama)

Genre : erotica. Just filth. One night stand. No attachment between characters but a sweet surprise at the end.

Warning: dom! jaehyun, lip biting, slight choking(jaehyun’s throat), jae has a shoulder biting kink?, aftercare(it’s a warning yes), oral(female receiving), restraining her hands behind her back, unprotected sex(stunt not to be performed irl). Him being sweet and dubblabblabblah. he calls her chewy bcs of her bubble ass

Summary: you. Him. A bar and a room.

a/n: @lofied muafii meri jaan. Your soulmate is also a slowmate. Accept this birthday gift muah muah.~happy birthday to you~

As soon as you both entered the room, jaehyun had you caged in his arms against the door, lips fervently finding yours in a fiery yet soft kiss as if you both were some long lost lovers. Except you were not. You had found him or rather he had discovered you while you were busy messily executing your even messy dance moves against bodies of strangers. A look at him and you had decided you wanted him to shake your core up with the same intensity his gaze followed you with. A drink with him had transformed into five and now you couldn't wait to be under him, ready to forget about your life for a little while with the handsome stranger.

Cupping your chin with his three fingers, his tongue traced your luscious lower lip and your hands gripped his shirt a little too tightly.

"I don't like strawberries." He bit your lip, his crude fingertips running over the edge of your jaw.

"Yet here you are. Dying to devour me" looking at his demanding eyes, your tongue forced itself into his mouth and very gratefully, he let it in. His unsteady hands found your ass as your hungry tongues danced with each other without any tune. Throaty gasps resounded in the small room of the bar and reached your somewhat deaf ears.

He sounded like heaven and you wanted to hear more of him.

Slowly tracking your hand up his chest to the throat, your middle finger softly pressed itself there, earning a hiccupped gasp from him.

"Fuck.do it again."

Caging his throat in your hand, this time your thumb did the deed and he hiccupped again but whined when you removed your fingers completely to run them over his cheeks.

"Don't wanna kill you before you ruin me, pretty boy."

He chuckled against your detached lips and took the breathing time to focus on the curves of your ass but your tight dress didn’t give him the access he wanted. looping your arms around his neck, he ran his fingers on your inner thighs and in one swift motion, pulled your dress upto your waist, freeing your lower half of the restraining cloth. Your legs shivered at the sudden lack of coverage and your thighs hugged each other.

“I like your chewy butt.” He chuckled deeply, squeezing and releasing your ass cheeks multiple times, clearly enjoying himself too much.

“and can you sell me your lips?” biting his lip once, you managed to catch a strained whine from him. studying his eyes blazing with desire, you kissed him again minus the teasing.

“You are tasty,” he commented, pulling you closer. Your breasts were now enfolded under your dress, ready to pop out at any chance given. You moaned into his mouth when his fingers, ghosting over the string of your thong, jammed into the material to touch your wetness from behind. Your folds shuddered at the soft pats he fingers gave, your stomach and abdomen tightening to glorify his ministrations. Your lips buzzed at the foreign sensation breaching your insides and you tugged at his nape.

Humming, he croaked out, “jump”

With a push of your heels, your legs ended up encircling his belted waist but as he jerked his thumb towards your hole and as a result, your lips slipped from his due to the sensitiveness, head falling on his shoulder, breathlessly.

“you look so deprived” you felt his chest vibrating.

He moved you towards the bed, fingers still buried in your underwear. Tossing you on the single bed, his fingers left you throbbing and he didn’t waste any second in stripping away the useless material. Soon, your heels were discarded too.

“you are dripping woman.” he voiced his thought. “fingers or lips?” he breathed and you cursed loudly at him for giving you such a hard choice.

“I thought I already told you!” you snapped and he let out a harsh breath before settling himself between your legs, parting them ever so slightly. He lowered his head to blow at your clit and you felt yourself floating as your back arched itself, giving him more of you.

He spread his tongue over your heat to lick it in one go before sucking at your folds with his skilful lips. your breathy, needy gasps harmonising with his lips were sinuous enough to create knots in your stomach. You kept cursing and he heed none, instead inserted his two fingers into your cunt. His mouth and fingers synced together, turning your legs jelly and your lower body puddle under the pressure.

"Don't stop"

His fingers just brushed against your g-spot, not reaching it properly but it did it for you.

“I’m close jae” you whimpered his name that he had introduced himself with. by now, your short dress was feeling like an adhesive, clingy and annoyingly sticky.

He said nothing, just increased his pace and the very next second, you hips buckled and you coated his chin and hands with your cum, earning groans from him.

He panted, gazing at your fucked up body, mentally patting himself for what he had done to you.

"Relax" he mouthed.

With the back of your hand, you cleaned the sweat off your forehead before closing your legs to save yourself from the sudden cold.

“you did good.” He said and right when you thought he was leaving already, he started undressing himself in front of you. as your chest rose and fell with rapid breaths, you gawked at him, teething your lip once again.

His godly built was exposed to you as he unbuttoned his black shirt, unbuckled his belt and liberated his hips. You thought you heard a jingle and your mind automatically went to your bag which was probably lying on the floor near the door but when you saw his freed member being pumped in his hand, the haze returned to ground your eyes on him.

“you good?” he asked, hopping on the bed, hovering over your body again.

“want more.” Voice mirroring the mess you were, you tried to push your back, hand reaching for his cock but he laid you down again.

“I’m short on time, chewy. Maybe some other day.” Bobbing his head to the side, he chuckled before dropping his face to nibble on your ear. You giggled at the tickle.

“then stop playing.”

Hearing your serious tone, he straightened his back, eyes suddenly darkening.

Hurriedly ridding you of your dress and the bra, his hands moulded your breasts, eliciting nervous gasps from you.

“do you have any plans of fucking me or is your dick just for show?” you groaned. He threw his hands up in the air and clicked his tongue when you whined at the lack of attention.

He seemed like a silent lover, you wondered but before you could think any further, his hands on your hands turned your around, hoisting your ass up in the air. with your face squished down, you tried to create a balance with your elbows but he grabbed your hands to tuck them beside you.

“don’t move too much or it might hurt.” folding your wrists into his one palm, his knees drew your one thigh apart, inserting his full length into you without any further remark. Your jaw clenched feeling him plugging you from behind.

You couldn’t see him but the grunt he let out while adjusting himself made you lightheaded just by visualising his contorted face.

“tell me to stop whenever you want but I doubt your poor pussy would want that now.”

You roughly pushed yourself on his dick in answer and with a bursting ego, he started ramming with rubbishly fast pace.

“you like it rough?hmm?” driving his hips, he penetrated your hole in uncalculated rhythm. He kept grunting and rambling before he stopped but only to lean into your trembling body. Placing a quick kiss on your back, he moved further to bite on shoulder, receiving an ear piercing hiss from you.

“what the fuck are you doing dickhead?” breathing out of control, you choked out.

“leaving my mark.”

“don't eat my shoulder then!.” he chuckled at your frustrated tone and futile attempt at fucking yourself on his dick.

Ignoring your incoherent words that followed, he released your one arm to let you ease your pulsating cunt. Rubbing at your clit, you moaned louder than before but the pillow muffled some noises for you. Contrary to his crazy hips, his hand on the softness of your ass was warm and sweet.

“I'm close, princess.”

You heard him mumbling but your head wasn’t ready to form any words so you just whimpered some pleas.

“don’t stop. Right there. I think I’m gonna-

For the second time that night, your orgasm blurred your surroundings. He left your hand and grunted loudly before filling and warming you with his cum. Releasing your waist, he let you fall on the bed softly and your mouth instantly opened with relief. He pulled himself out and busied himself with admiring your glinting self.

“you are more insane in bed” he whispered, blowing kisses on your shoulders. You hummed again as his hands rotated you to face him. brushing your sweaty hair aside, he kept mumbling to you.

“we need to get up chewy. I don’t like this bed too much.” you tried to chuckle but a tired sigh betrayed you. He giggled before your sore arms got his attention and he began massaging them to soothe the ache. Your eyes fluttered shut at the gesture and it felt like eternity after which he got up.

you opened your eyes after a few minutes to find Jaehyun locking his belt in place.

“wait for me dickhead.”

“I ain't going anywhere without you chewy.” You grimaced at the ridiculous name.

Raising yourself up, you hooked your bra and were looking for your dress when a cotton cloth met with your face.

“you are all sweaty.” He laughed for the nth time at you and you couldn't understand why he found your existence so amusing. His considerate hands cleaned your face delicately, dressed you up and with the same hurry, pulled you to your feet, his actions getting weirder with each passing second.

“I’m not stopping you if you wanna go. Stop treating me like a doll,” he winced at you screech.

“no, you are coming with me.” Saying that , he placed his hand in his back pocket and everything that happened after had your jaw dropping on the floor, especially when he opened his mouth,

“y/n aka yves, you are under arrest for stealing the paintings last week.” Unfolding the cuffs, he forced your wrist into it. “Hello,I'm Officer Jung Jaehyun, a new transfer." grasping the adjoining cuff, he addressed your dumbfounded figure again, “you are going with me. To jail and if you don’t wanna flash yourself to all the officers there, I can get you a decent complementary pajama before that” The wink he shot and the way your code name had rolled off his tongue had your blood boiling and you tugged at your wrist harshly, protesting to this act.

“so you people now fuck your criminals before arresting them? and I don’t see a lady police officer here so you better open this before I start screaming.” Exasperated, you sternly said.

“so I guess you don’t want a change of clothes then. lemme call my colleague, she’ll be here in like 5 minutes.” He smiled menancily.

You threw your head back as the realisation dawned over you. There was no choice but to go!

“now a woman can’t even fuck without having to worry about being arrested!” you screamed at his face, stomping your foot on the floor.

“lets go chewy. Your new home is waiting for you.”

He let out a mirthless laugh before dragging you through the back door.

“we just arrested her like three hours ago! How can she run away so easily.” Sending the files to the ground, jaehyun raked his hands through his hair, crying out loud at his juniors.

“we do-don’t know sir. she also left a note in her cell.”

“HOW THE HELL SHE GOT A PAPER NOW?”

“like she got keys!” another officer spoke.

“What does the note say?”

As the officer read the words, Jaehyun felt heat rushing to his cheeks, in embarrassment and shame.

“get my dress dry cleaned before my next visit. Btw you have a nice dick. It’d be a shame if I don’t use it again. signed by dear yves”

And jaehyun knew he had to be more than just ready for your arrival.

[jaeminscoffee]

After wedding shenanigans | J. JH

Pairing- Jung Jaehyun x reader

Genre- Fluff, Smut.

Word count- 2.52k

Warning(s)- typical lyra smut, proper pwp, sensual intercourse, a little roughed, fingering (prep), softdom!Jaehyun..?, slightest bit of breeding kink (yes, jaehyun unloads inside. But this is a fiction, so play it safe), praise kink.

Synopsis- Sure the wedding could be considered the best time of your lives for the both of you, but the after wedding activity was what Jaehyun was more excited about at the end of the day.

Type- requested!

@kpopscape

"Oh finally alone."

The pieces of night had fallen into place, complete as though you'd just finished a two hundred piece puzzle. 

The wedding night went on successfully, vows were taken, rings were exchanged, lips touched and hearts connected. And of course, the bouquet-throwing ceremony towards the end to determine the next wedding. 

Then came the after wedding reception. You changed out of your heavy gown, instead opting for a more subtle and comfortable dress, flowy to the floor, white the same as the wedding gown, just a little more easy breathing. And because you didn't want to stain your wedding dress with champagne stains, it's too precious for that.

Mrs. Jung. 

You found that title very flattering, to have the 'Jung Jaehyun' as your husband is flattering. The night the ends were made, wishes were passed, you thought of it as the best day of your life. 

Not for Jaehyun apparently, who's frantically trying to push the both of you further into the room, kicking close the door behind him not evening bothering to make sure it's locked 

Jung Jaehyun is a man of high sex drive and that comes of as no shocking fact. 

Even during normal days he'd find it hard to keep his hands off of you, well the same goes for you too but he's just topped you in that factor. His college roommates called you two lovesick rabbits. Well, mainly because of the rabbit like sex drive, also because of how lovey dovey you two always have been. 

It wasn't until years after your relationship that stood as strong as ever, when you, actually beat him into proposing the idea of spending the rest of your lives with each other in a rather comical way that you two decided to get a house of your own. 

Yes, you were the first one to propose, which only increased Jaehyun's love for you. Others found it weird how the female had been the first to ask the male out, but Jaehyun rather found it hot. Your boldness had turned into one of his biggest turn ons. 

"Slow down, boy" you laugh into the kiss when you almost stumble back, your heels doing little to nothing to keep you stable, which, other than Jaehyun's hands around your waist, you wouldn't be. He groans once he stands up onto his feet after making sure you're safely laying on the bed. 

"How the fuck do i do that when you look like this" he threw his head back, removing the now suffocating bow tie and discarding it somewhere behind him. 

Jaehyun meant it. Watching you go around the party hall accepting wishes and presents with a beautiful godly smile was all too much for him. His heart felt content. He felt full. Finally having you all for himself as he'd always dreamed of and now, he doesn't have to worry about anyone stealing you from him. 

"Like what?" you ask, propping yourself up on your elbows to look at him slowly remove his tux coat, leaving him in nothing but a white button up shirt that has its sleeves rolled up and a black formal office pants.

You brace yourself to hear a very cheesy, cringe worthy yet heart fluttering answer from his end when he passes you a knowing smile, leaning down and forward to hover over you. Arms by the sides of your propped up elbow, face close enough to have a sniff of the champagne you two had downed. 

"Like an angel" he leaned forward, the smile still prominent on his face. Jaehyun places a kiss on your lips for a short second before pulling away, leaning sideways towards the nape of your neck, right below your earlobes,

"My angel" he blows into your ear, the feeling ticklish which was easily hooded by your now heating up self. Yes, it was cringe and extremely cliché, yet coming from him; You felt like a high school kid who'd just been asked out by her crush. You left like you're in cloud nine. 

The playful mood was immediately set aside when Jaehyun's previous frenzy took over him again. Attaching his lips onto the raw skin of your exposed neck, he placed a few love bites here and there. Mindful to scatter it all over your neck, in case anyone even dared staring at you for more than a few seconds, they'd know you're taken. Taken by him. 

"You're so cheesy" you rasped out the best you could, breath growing short and frantic as he worked his way south, wet lips moving towards your slightly showing cleavage that tempted him throughout the day. He nipped right between your chest at your words, a mischievous yet desperate smile adorning his features, causing your breath to hitch. 

"Just for you" he replied with the same emotions your voice portrayed. 

It could've been your activities or the hotel room must've grown in humidity as you felt the need to rip your gown up and away from your body. So you tapped at the back of his neck which you'd held custody since he started his ministrations. "Get these off me" you plead once his attention was focused on you. 

"It stays on, darling." you whine at his reply causing him to let out a throaty groan at the feeling of something twitch down there. You scoot backwards to create enough space for you to remove your own gown, "You look so fucking sexy in it."

"Can you leave it on for me, love?" He questioned, now standing up to remove the shirt. Not bothering to go button by button, instead, ripping it open instead. Discarding it the same way he did with his coat and tie, his pants following suit.

His voice mixed with the way he's glowing right now, the lights of the room highlighting all of his godly features and the slight plea in his command you oblige, opting to lay back down comfortably on the bed with the gown ridden up just a little to expose your lace inner and look at him with a sultry look, luring him closer to you. 

Wasting no more time, Jaehyun decided it was enough of a wait for both of you as he quickly climbed onto the bed, "Only because i love you" you let out when he came in close, taking up his previous position on top of you.

"I love you too." with that, he engulfed your lips with his, not bothering to slow down as tease has started to become too much for him and his little (not that little) friend down there, and by the way you were constantly rubbing your thighs together, it probably had gotten painful for you to take it slow too. 

You whimper into the kiss when you feel his hand travel all over your body, reaching under the dress to rip the now soaked lace lingerie you'd worn to give him a show (which was a futile attempt as he'd not bothered to look at it for even a second before ripping it off impatiently like an animal in heat) as it joins the pile of his clothes on the floor. 

It was when he cupped your heat with his jewel adorned hand that you began trembling with pleasure. His warm hands in contrast to the cold metal all too pleasurable as you'd finally got some sort of relief at your throbbing core. "J-Jae.."

Jaehyun hushes your whimpers, contemplating whether to actually take time to prepare you after feeling how much you're dripping already. "Such an angel, you're dripping love, doll. Should I even prepare you?" He asked rhetorically. 

"Fingers.. Jae i need you" you moan wanting to feel his beautiful slender digits piston in and out of you. "Hm? You want my fingers?" he asks to which you confirm enthusiastically, "Alright, anything for my wife" 

You were half embarrassed by the fact that the moment he let two fingers slide in smoothly, you'd already felt yourself close to your edge but the other half far too driven by pleasure when he'd started moving his fingers to care enough. 

"Does my doll like that?" Jaehyun inquires, setting a fast, steady pace to move his fingers in and out of you, the rings brushing on your plush walls making your whole being tremble, along with the tips of his finger brushing against your sweet spot turning you into a complete moaning mess. 

"Answer me, love" Settling on his knees to steady himself, Jaehyun brought his other hand up to your chin to make you look at him with a vice grip on your chin. His gaze made you shudder and shrink when he'd felt you clench around his digits. "Y-yes.. I love..-it" he hums with satisfaction. 

Too far into your own zone, your moans mixed with Jaehyun's actions and his sweet nothings, with the squelching sounds echoing throughout the wall, you felt the knot at the bottom of your stomach tighten painfully. All too familiar with you constantly clenching around his fingers, he picks up speed to which your back arches off the bed, "Ja-Jaehyun I'm.. Close. So. -fucking close-!" 

You moan out loud at the addition of his thumb on your clit, which pulled the last string seconds after, coaxing your orgasm out of you, "So well. Look at you, darling. You look ethereal when you come" he stills his wrist, letting you grind your hips onto his fingers to prolong your orgasm, as he watches you moan with your nose scrunched up, your eyebrows knitted and your mouth slightly open ajar. 

You only stop your actions when you felt it was too much for you, and because you heard a moan coming from your husband's end. You look straight at him, only to see him staring back at you with the same intensity while palming himself, which had another wave of pleasure wash over your being as he'd looked so hot at the moment. 

It wasn't once or twice or three times, instead everyday when you'd remind Jaehyun that you thought he was surreal. And that god shows favoritism as he has the looks of that of greek sculptures or maybe even, dare you say, better than the sculptures themselves. 

So when you see his dark eyebrows furrowed, his eyes hooded with lust and desperation, his once perfectly gelled hair now disheveled with a few strands falling stray over his eyes. His lips a shade of deep crimson from the previous frantic make out and his constant lip biting, you let yourself out a silent moan which prompted Jaehyun to hover over you for the nth time that night.

"Jaehyun.." you whimper with an airy voice.

"Fuck me, please" you take his face between both your palms to urge him forward the exact moment he let out a loud groan at your lewd words. You shift below him in a way to allow the head of his shaft to prod at your entrance the moment you capture his lips into a much slower kiss. 

The feeling of your wetness and heat on his painfully inflated member when he slowly eased himself inside up to the brim had him bite down rather harshly on your bottom lips, making drawing the slightest of blood out to which you moan. 

"You're so fucking perfect, doll. You take me in so perfectly.." you both let out a sigh of content at the feeling of being full as you urge Jaehyun to move and not waste more time in taking the next step to lock you in as his for once and for all.

Jaehyun moves his hips backwards  collectively pulling out more than half of his shaft outside, letting just the tip of the head linger at your core, removing his lips from yours, instead opting to find home back at the nape of your neck, which now glowed of pretty red and purple love bites before slamming back inside you with all he'd got, making you let out a loud moan of pain and pleasure. 

"Oh god, Jae that..-feels so good. So.. So.-good" you whine while he moved faster and faster, one hand clenching your dress and holding it up above your breast while the other dropped down to balance himself on his elbows to avoid crushing you, "Yeah..?" he inquired, which came out as a shaky growl from how fast he was moving. 

"Yeah.. So,..-good" you bite back a whine to hear his moans loud and clear, which caused your body to release another round of arousal at his deep groans and growls.

The wetness dripping onto the sheets with each of his thrusts, causing wet noises to resonate throughout the dim lit room, his moans and your moans mixed causing waves of mixed emotions churn inside you. "You feel so good around me too, love. I'm going to come, urgh-" Jaehyun struggles to keep a steady pace at your constant clenching. 

You squirm underneath him, feeling yourself grow hotter and closer to the edge with each of his sloppy thrusts, whining out loudly when he starts twitching inside of you. "I'm going to come inside,  darling, fill you up to the brim, yeah?" he inquires, not really expecting an answer when he feels you clench harder around his already twitching member which causes him to grit his teeth to hold himself back from coming for a little longer. 

"You like the idea, hm?" 

"You like the idea of me fucking my come inside of you? You like the idea of walking around with my child inside you? Hm?" he asks with pauses as you make it harder for him to move with how much of a tight hold you had on his dick. "Jae..-" you whine out loud at his lewd words, the idea intriguing you enough to throw you off the edge, while blushing really hard

"Jesus fucking christ, Y/n.." He let himself unload right after you, still keeping a slow pace to make sure not a drop of his essence would drip out of you, which was hard considering that your arousal mixed with your come and his had become too much for your body to withhold, causing you to writhe in overstimulation under him as he immediately collapses over you, the feeling of your walls clenching weakly around his now soft member causing him to twitch in the same emotion as you. 

Taking a minute or so to calm down your palms flat on his sweaty back, the other playing with his hair while his hand worked on your side to cool down the burning skin, you speak up, "I do like it.." you let out softly.

You hear a slow and silent questioning hum from his end beside your head, as you speak up louder, "I do like the idea of walking around with your child inside of me" you claim shyly as you feel his hands halt at your sides, his head moving side-wards to place a peck on your cheek with a quirky smirk on his lips, the hands now gripping your side with a slightly tight grip, 

"Round two, then?" 

[mhento]

Jaehyun - Distortion

Genre : college!au || angst, fluff, smut

Paring: Jaehyun x female!reader

Word count: 8,6k

Warning: swearing, graphic smut/ sexual themes, mentioning of alcohol

Summary: Your life drastically changed after you met the boyfriend of your friend Carly and his friends.

A/N: I post this after one or two years in my drafts. So hope you like it and remember I did not re-read this, so there may be some grammar mistakes.

Lmao I suck at descriptions. So please don’t mind my nonsense I wrote there. Hope you have fun reading this. 😊💕 @bunniglow

It was a usual day in college. You were seated in the front row of the lecture hall. There wasn't much to say about you. You were just an ordinary girl. Well you heard other people say you were a nerd but that wasn't really you. They said those things because you always sat in the front row, hadn't a lot of friends and sat in the library when you weren't at your apartment or at your workplace.

You were a barista in a cafe near your college. Most of the people who came to get a drink were students. At first you found it good because they weren't much people who had a huge age gap. But after some time it got really annoying. Most of the people who ordered were rude. They had an attitude that made you ponder how they were treated at home to be this disrespectful. Customers that weren't students were nice, sometimes too nice. You hadn't anything against talking with a customer when you had time but you definitely were against their flirting attempts. The only thing they created was uncomfortableness. So you rushed to get them out of your view which was kind of hard sometimes. Overall you didn't like your job much but it was your only source of money and they paid well, so you didn't want to complain.

The things students were thinking about you were false prejudices. You sat in the front row because you didn't want to see other students in front of you. You wanted to have the least contact with them. The front row could secure you this. You weren't afraid of others but you just simply hadn't any motivation to talk to any person about things you considered as indifferent. This was also the reason why you had barely friends. The only friend you had was a girl you met on your first day in your first semester who introduced herself as Charlotte or Charly as she wants to be called like this.You actually didn't want to talk to her at first but she was so persistent that in the end you gave in. After your first talk with her you learned that she was also your roommate. You couldn't have been happier. You had guessed you would get the worst roommate.

She definitely wasn't the best roomate. She was the reason why you spent so little time in the apartment. She had a boyfriend and whenever he came over you were out of view after you learned it the hard way. The first time you thought it would be okay to sit in your room and learn for the upcoming exams but you were proven wrong. You didn't know they both would be this loud. So you had to take your earphones in. Even with the music in full volume, you couldn't veneer their voices. So you gave up and walked out of the door. Since then you avoided being in the apartment when he was present. But he was there most of the time so you just had the library as an escape.

As you sat in the front row and draw on the cover of your block, gasped could be heard. So you lifted your head to see what made people so shocked. A male student stood in the door frame and he looked like a rich kid who gets spoiled from his parents frequently. He had a ripped blue jeans and a grey polo shirt with a denim jacket over on. His shoes were from an expensive sport label. They were black with a dark blue hashtag on the sides. He had a watch on that was way more expensive than anything that belonged to you. His hair which was dark brown was styled back. He looked through the rows and halted when he saw you. He locked eyes with you and a small smile appeared on his handsome face before he started to walk to the back row.

Charly suddenly came from behind you and sat down next to you. You didn't question her why she was sitting behind you but you were definitely confused.

"Oh my gosh Y/N. He looked at you and he even smiled. You're soooo lucky." Your friend said with excitement and a huge smile on her face.

"What? Whom are you referring to?"

"Girl are you serious?" She deadpanned. "Jung Jaehyun just looked at you. Fucking Jung Jaehyun."

"Jung who? Who is this?"

Her smile dropped and she seemed to get a little annoyed.

"Jung Jaehyun. The hot guy that smiled at you like a minute ago." When she saw that you were still a little confused she added. "You know, the guy with the expensive clothes on."

"Ohh you mean the rich kid. Ahh yeah uhm what's with him? He can look at anybody he wants to. Maybe he saw something on my face or so."

She gave you a disapproving look but before she could speak again the professor came and the lecture began.

Not even five minutes into the lecture and you were getting bored. You just wanted to sleep. But this didn't seem like a good idea when you were in front of the prof. You didn't want him to think his lecture was uninteresting so you came to the conclusion to just continue your drawing.

When it finally ended you were the first out of the hall and went straight to the cafeteria. You were starving so much because you couldn't get to eat in the morning. You set an alarm on your phone and went to sleep but you forgot to charge your phone over the night. So the battery of your phone died and with that your alarm wasn't going to give any tone. You were woken up by Charly in the morning. She was already dressed and ate something. She thought you were already gone but heard you mumbling something so she came to wake you. You were truly thankful to her. If she wasn't there, you would have been in trouble.

You were the first to arrive in the cafeteria. The lady behind the counter already knew what you were going to buy. In the time you were walking to the counter, the old lady already had your order finished.

"Y/N nice to see you again. You weren't here for quiet a time." The old lady kinda made a pouting face and that brought both of you to laugh.

"I'm sorry. I was just kinda busy. But I promise I'll be here more often in the future. And thank you for finishing it up before I even arrived." You gave her a thumbs up and as you saw the people gathering in the cafeteria you quickly said your leave and made your way to the exit.

But before you left you saw Jaehyun shortly looking at you. You didn't gave it much of a thought but it stil didn't go unnoticed.

You sat on the rooftop and waited for Charly. For the first time she said she would bring her boyfriend with her. You didn't know what to say and you were kind of nervous.

You bit in your salami sandwich and enjoyed the view. You liked the rooftop a lot. You found yourself always interested in your surrounding. You wanted to take pictures of old houses or just a street full of people in the shopping area. The look down from the roof was facinating everytime you went there. The people going to their different lectures. You could already tell who was in his first semester and who wasn't. The people in their first semesters were kind of confused where they had to go. When you thought back to the time when you were in your first semester it was the same for you. Even after half a year you didn't knew what building you had to enter. A good thing was that Charly was there for you. And it was kind of strange that she always knew where they had to go. But you didn't complain.

Loud voices brought you back to reality. Even if Charly was coming with her boyfriend, they were too many voices...too many male voices. You turned around and saw your friend with 5 guys around her.

When she saw you looking at her she greeted you. The guys stopped talking and the attention was now on you. They were all really good looking and also had expensive things on. You recognized Jaehyun among them.

The first person that talked was a really tall guy. He had black hair and his arm was around Charly's waist. So he had to be her boyfriend or other ways it would have been odd. "Hey, I'm Johnny. I'm Charly's boyfriend. Nice to finally meet you. I've heard a lot about you." He said smiling.

Charly prickled him in the side. She rolled her eyes at him and then turned back to you. "He says it like it was something bad we talked about. But dont worry, we just talked about good things." She winked at you and you couldn't contain a laugh.

"It's fine. I don't even know what you could say about me. I mean, I'm not that interesting." You said with a shrug but still with a smile plastered on your face. If Jaehyun wouldn't stand next to Johnny, you would've missed the frown on his face. It didn't last long and that made unsure. Maybe you just imagined it?

The next to speak was a guy with red hair. He wasn't as tall as Johnny but taller than you. You didn't know why but he gave you the feeling as if he was the leader of the clique. Could you say leader? But like the person that arranged most of the meetings outside the college. "I'm Taeyong. Nice to meet you." He was really polite as he gave you his hand to shake. "I mean I don't know if you already know my name but I'm Y/N. Nice to meet you too." You said with a slighty timid attitude.

You didn't know why you were shy all of a sudden. But this was your first time to speak to so many people. It made you nervous as hell. You just didn't know why this feeling came only now.

A guy with dark hair spoke next. He kind of reminded you of a bunny. A really cute bunny to that. "I'm Doyoung." He came and gave you a hug. It took you off guard and you seemed to look as surprised as you felt because Doyoung apologized as soon as he saw your face. "I'm always like this. Sorry if I made you uncomfortable." "What? No you didn't made me feel uncomfortable. I was just surprised. That's all. No need to apologize for your kindness." You briskly responded. This time you saw Jaehyun lifting an eyebrow at you. You quickly looked away from him and at ten only person you dodmt know the name of yet.

He didn't look like the other guys but still handsome. Your gut feeling was right and he introduced himself as Yuta. He came from Japan.

"Oh really you're from Japan? That's cool. I've always wanted to go there but I didn't had enough time or money to do that." You exclaimed happily.

"Hey if you ever go there just message me on Instagram and I'll give you a tour around." You nodded and smiled at this.

This caused an unhappy look on Jaehyun's face and you weren't sure anymore if you even wanted to be introduced to him. In this short time you saw him. He looked more pissed than happy. Didn't he smile at you hours ago? Why would he be like this then?

Even after a moment of silence and all eyes on Jaehyun, he hadn't said anything. Just looked at you. Which pissed you more off. As everyone could see the tension between you two, Taeyong decided to speak up. "So uhm this is Jaehyun. Well normally he isn't like this and actually the most hyper of us but today he seems off." Jaehyun shot a glare at Taeyong but still remained silent.

After uncomfortable silence you all decided to talk about useless stuff. You actually got really good along with Yuta and Doyoung. Between your conversations with them you felt your eyes always looking at Jaehyun. Even if he didn't say a word to you till now, he did seem to wake your interests. But you just shrugged it off as he didn't show any signs.

You learned a whole lot about them. They are called RSB which means 'Rich Since Birth'. Out of their pronunciation you knew they didn't like that name. A lot of people think they got to this university just because of money and that their grades are bought. They were also known as the prettiest group of friends on campus. Despite the number of people that hated them, they were a lot more that liked them. Liked them way too much. They got a lot of love confessions. Heck how old were the people who confessed? They weren't in high school anymore. They should know better. You never really understood people who confessed their love to someone who they barely knew.

You exchanged numbers with almost everyone there. Jaehyun was the only person you didn't feel to get quite along with and this wasn't how you wished it would be. He didn't even say bye to you and just disappeared from your view.

You said your goodbye to everyone else and went to your lecture. It was the first time you weren't one of the first people to arrive but one of the last. Thus there wasn't a seat available in the front row. You had to go to the middle. At first you felt uncomfortable but it got better with time. You looked around and saw Jaehyun in the front row. You probably scoffed too loud and also glared too obviously at Jaehyun as everyone was now looking at you two. He seemed to notice the unwanted attention on him and turned around to see you glaring at him. He still had this annoying look and this made you seemingly insecure as you took your back and exit the room right before the prof came.

For the rest of the day you just sat on your bed and read a book. You didn't really care about what you read and you also didn't concentrate while you read but you needed something to bring you on other thoughts. Tomorrow would be more miserable than today because you knew most of the people were going to talk about you and Jaehyun and what ifs could be between you two.

When Carly arrived she also asked you holes in your stomach. You said that you never saw him in the front row before and just on the day you couldn't sit in the front he sits there. Like he was provoking you. She responded, you thought too much into it and it probably wasn't on purpose. Moreover it was just a seat so what was the problem? And she was right. What was your problem to even begin with?

After almost a week the rumors about you didn't stop. You thought that people would have been bored after not being fed with more stuff but you were wrong. It was Jaehyun everyone was talking about. So this couldn't last just one week. It had to be longer and it annoyed you a lot. Not to your surprise Jaehyun ignored you. When he didn't ignore you he sent you glares over the room. You knew it was your fault but what could you do? The damage was wrought. The rumors were from Y/N just wanted attention from him to Y/N is pregnant with Jaehyun's child. Sometimes you laughed about their silliness but you were also shocked to what extent people thought of you. How you just were after his money or other stuff. Did people even thought before they talked?

You still held your contact with the other boys. They weren't about what you did but they found it hilarious. When you sat on the rooftop to tell them what happened they all laughed their asses off telling you, you did great. You didn't even wanted to understand what they meant with you doing great.

After like another month the rumors kind of shut down. They weren't completely eradicated but less than weeks ago.

You were on your way to the rooftop when Jaehyun wrote in the group chat you all decided to open a few weeks ago. You didn't even need to look to say what he wrote. The only thing he always wrote was that he didn't come to the rooftop.

You already heard a lot of people talking on the rooftop. You squinted your eyes as soon as you walked out of the door. The sun beamed in your face so you had to take a hand to cover your eyes. To your surprise Jaehyun was sitting there and chatting with the others.

You took out your phone and read the message he wrote in the group chat.

Today I'm coming to the roof - boy who always glares👀 (11:56am)

You felt your phone being taken away from Doyoung. Even with trying, you couldn't hold a grasp on your phone. "Ohhhh guys, do you know how Y/N saved Jaehyun in her contact list?" Everyone shoke their head and Doyoung jumped around like a hyper pony. "Doyoung, I warn you. Shut the fuck up and give me my phone back." You glared at him and the angry voice was audible. But Doyoung just shoke his head. "She saved him as boy who always glares. She even has two eyes emojis behind this."

Everyone laughed expect you and Jaehyun. You looked panicked at him and he seemed happy. He had a huge smile on his face.

You went to Doyoung and ripped your phone out of his hands. You glared at him one last time before you walked to the others and sat down.

Everyone seemed to have calmed down. So Jaehyun took the opportunity to speak first. "You all know Sicheng right? He's holding a party on Friday and he ask me if I could bring some of my friends."

"Uhhh Sicheng is holding a party? I'm definitely in." Said Yuta with a grin. He looked happier than you've seen him before. Did he had a thing for Sicheng?

You leaned in to Carly and hold a hand in front of your mouth before you whispered to her. "Who is Sicheng?"

"He's also in the clique. You just don't see him often."

"Ah Jaehyun I assume your also in for it." After Jaehyun nodded Doyoung added "So why do we all not just meet up at the party. A little fun can't damage, right?" Jaehyun looked at you and for the first time in weeks you didn't saw him glare at you or anything. He actually had a small smile on his lips which had you smiling unconscious. You weren't sure of what to say to the offer but Charly already agreed for you.

It was Friday evening and you were getting ready for the party. Charly put make up on for you.

When you were in high school you actually wanted to do stuff like this. But you gave up after months of trying. Whenever you made yourself pretty in your eyes and went to your parents they said you looked like a clown or something.

"Ok, I'm finished. You look amazing Y/N." Carly praised herself. You stood in front of a mirror. You put on a short black dress. You didn't have a lot of dresses in your wardrobe and this was the best and expensive looking, so you decided fot this one.

On the way to Sicheng's home ,where the party was on going, you kinda felt nervous again. You weren't much of a party type. Your bed was much more comfortable than a drunk people who collided with you. But Charly pleaded you the whole week to come with her. It wouldn't be fun without you. So you gave in.

When Sicheng's house was in sight you already saw a lot of drunk people in his dooryard. It wasn't even past 9pm and here you were struggling to even come to his front door because a dude had to fall in front of you and nearly spelled all of his drink on you. Thanks to Carly this didn't happen. She pulled you back a little and the red cup landed in front of your shoes. Due to smell the cup had to have vodka in it.

Finally inside it wasn't better. More drunk people could be seen. The only difference was that they also danced awfully to the music. They hadn't any rhythm to the beat but what do you expect from intoxicated students.

Suddenly a guy came to your side. He was tall and looked like someone who would spent his time with the " RSB " kids since his clothing looked just as expensive as from Jaehyun. But you couldn't deny that he still looked pretty handsome. The only thing didn't matching was that he was here. He looked too cute to even come to this party. So what was he doing here?

"Hey I'm Sicheng. I assume you're Y/N." Your eyes almost fell out from your staring. He was the person who throw the party. He looked like an introverted person and not someone with so many connections. Your prejudice was again wrong.

You felt Carly pinching your waist. Sicheng looked amused by you and you finally realized you just stared at him and not even said a single word. It would be too awkward to say anything now and to your relief Sicheng spoke again. "Well since Carly already told me about you, you don't have to introduce yourself, I guess. Do you two want to come with me to the basement? The others are already there. We play billiards. I'm not that good so I came up to look if anything is damaged." He smiled at the both of you and Carly dragged you with her to the basement.

Sicheng disappeared briefly in the kitchen and came back with three red cups. You rather didn't plan on drinking anything because you knew you hadn't the best alcohol tolerance. Nonetheless you accepted the cup amd followed both downstairs. The landing was small and it wasn't really illuminated.

The room was large. The walls were black which let the room seem smaller than he actually was. Paintings were on two walls. One was yellow with white and black mixed in it and the other showed a boy with his back looking. He sat on a stone and around him was water. It seemed like the stone was his only lifeboat. Further away in the background you could see a forest. It definitely didn't look appealing. The forest was dark green mixed with black.

Although it was the basement it had a big window. You could see the garden through the window. The garden was also large. The trees were organized after their length. There was a path between the trees that led to a shed. Other than this there was also a big pool were a lot of people were crowded around.

Back in the room was a billiard table and Yuta played against Taeyong. Taeyong was in lead. There was also a couch were Doyoung, Johnny, Carly and Sicheng sat. You didn't notice the two left your side. A table was in front of the couch and chaird were placed around the table. Even though most of the people were here, Jaehyun was missing. This made you a little disappointed. You were looking kinda forward to see him.

Your best option was to go to the others on the couch. Once you settled down Johnny suggested to play truth or dare. You weren't really in the mood for it but what exactly could go wrong. Yuta and Taeyong also gathered around the table and Doyoung placed an empty bottle in the middle of the table. The chair to your left wasn't occupied. You took the opportunity and ask where Jaehyun was. "We actually don't know. He was here a while ago and suddenly he was gone. He probably is upstairs kissing with some chick." This earned Johnny a lot of glares from the other boys and Carly kicked him. Johnny just looked questionable at the others. Sicheng whispered something into Johnny's ear and he looked apologetic at you. Now it was your turn to look confused. Taeyong opened his mouth to say something when the door opened and revealed Jaehyun. He sat down on the only chair that was left and drunk his alcohol mix. Nobody asked him where he was and instead Taeyong spun the bottle.

It stopped at Yuta and he chose dare. Doyoung dared him to call Mark and confess to him his love for Sicheng. Taeyong who sat on your right told you who Mark was. He was also part of the clique but a semester under them. They knew him since middle school. The phone ringing stopped Taeyong from speaking more. After the fifth ring Mark accepted the call. The whole thing was really funny because Mark had to be sleeping already as his answers made no sense. He wished the new couple congratulations although Yuta only talked about his love for Sicheng and not returned love.

Yuta spun the bottle and this time it stopped at Jaehyun. He chose truth. "Do you have someone who you like?" Doyoung briskly asked. Jaehyun stiffened for a moment before his eyes met yours and he seemed to get more nervous. He eventually looked back at Doyoung. "Yeah I do have someone." A lot of oohhhs could be heard and Johnny asked who it was but Jaehyun didn't spell any tea.

You felt Jaehyun's glimpse on you again but you decided to ignore it. You began to get nervous. Jaehyun spun the bottle and oh how predictably. It stopped at you. If you chose truth, you would have become a question like Jaehyun. You decided for dare which was the worse decision.

As the rounds before Doyoung talked. "I dare you to kiss the person to your left." You couldn't believe this. Why did it had to be Jaehyun? You didn't dare to look at him. Instead you looked around and nobody was really shocked about the statement expect you and Jaehyun. You slowly turned your head to your left and locked eyes with him. He seemed as nervous as you. You hesitated but you moved forward to him. You halted in front of his face. Your noses were touching, never breaking eye contact. Your heart beat a lot faster than you wanted and you were sure he could hear it from his position. As you appeared to not move forward anymore, he took the chance and placed his lips in yours. You closed your eyes. He moved slowly and you took up with his pace. He leaned back and you opened your eyes to see shocked faces of the others. You looked back at him and saw him trying to conceal a smile which brought a small smile to creep up on your face.

"Wow. I never thought you would really do this." Doyoung said as shaken as he looked. You took the first sip of your drink and it soured your throat.

You all didn't speak about this and just moved on to continue your game. After some time you excused yourself to get you a new drink. You weren't drunk but definitely a little tipsy.

You made your way out of the door and proceeded your way up the stairs. As you almost arrived upstairs a hand touched your shoulder. You turned around and saw Jaehyun behold you. His eyes were dark and it made him even more handsome. His eyes flickered between your eyes and your lips as he came closer and briefly kissed you on the lips, just to examine your expression. When you didn't move away or anything, he kissed you again. This time deeper than in the game. His lips were soft as they moved against your own. He pushed you against the wall and your hands moved upwards his torso and around his neck. The feeling of his hands on your side sending chills through your body. One of his hands moved to your back and then squeezed lightly your butt. A moan escaped your lips before you could stop it. Jaehyun grunted at this.

"Do you know how long I've waited for this? I couldn't hold it in anymore. Why do you have to wear this short dress? It looks so fucking good on you." He said pressing you more against the wall. He kissed your jaw down to your neck and sucked till purple bruises began to form. He moved to your ear and nibbled at it. This let another moan escape as you moved your head back which gave him more access to your neck. Your leg moved around his and you felt a bulge touch the space between your legs. You felt yourself getting more wet.

"Hey what do you think about getting in one of the rooms upstairs?" He said in between kisses. You stopped and looked at him. "Isn't this Sicheng's house? Can we really do it?" You asked a little nervous because the bulge was driving you crazy and you actually couldn't really wait anymore. "It's no problem. We actually kind of a share the house."

So you two went upstairs in a room that also had his walls painted in a dark color. You couldn't really make your surrounding out since you were to busy undressing and then exploring Jaehyun's body.

He led you to the bed and laid you down, so he could hover over you. He undressed you whilst you slid your fingers along his abs. When he was done he kissed you from your lips down to your stomach. Every now and then he left hickeys on your skin. You whimpered everytime he touched your inner thighs with his fingers. He stroke your inner thighs slowly upwards till he was on your core. His mouth came in contact with your ear as he whispered. "You're so wet for me babe. I love how you react to every touch I make." His voice was deep as he pinched your left breast. You whimpered again and goosebumps were making its way down your arms. You arched your back when he suddenly inserted a finger. He nibbled on your right breast and massaged the other with his hand that wasn't occupied with your lower body. After little time he inserted the next finger. You couldn't handle all of this anymore and you felt a bunch forming in your stomach. "Jaehyun...I-" you couldn't finish your sentence. Jaehyun quickened his pace with his fingers and his tongue. It didn't need much and you road of your orgasm. He maintained eye contact while he went down and licked all your juice up.

When you came down from your high, Jaehyun opened a drawer next to the bed and fetched a condom. "You okay babe? You can take more?" He asked while he looked back at you. His dark eyes showed sincerity. Instead of just answering you kissed him passionately and one hand wandered down his stomach to his cock. You wrapped your hands around it and pumped a few times. He groaned and let his head roll back. His eyes closed as he whispered sweet nothings in the air. He stopped your hand movements and slipped the condom over his cock. He positioned himself in front of your entrance and slid without a warning inside. You cried out and felt a single tear roll down your cheek. He swiped it away and kissed your cheeks. He waited till you were ready to take more of him. He began with a slow pace and from time to time he quickened it. You kissed his jaw down to his neck. You started to suck at his neck and he moaned at the feeling of your lips on his skin. "Jaehyun baby...I think I'm-" "No wait just a little bit more okay?" You nodded along. His movements became loppier and you knew he was also close. He kissed you sloppily and you moaned against his lips when you road off your next climax. Jaehyun still pumped a few times into you before he also reached his high.

He collapsed on you and you two breathed heavily. You could feel his breath on your neck. He slipped off his condom and you laid your head on his chest. He swung his arm around your middle and you two fall asleep.

You woke up from the feeling of a body that pulled you closer. The person hid his face in the crock of your neck. You heard a knock on the door. "Jaehyun I know you're in there. Wake up. The others already made breakfast." Sicheng's voice appeared behind the door. "And don't try to hide the fact that Y/N is also in there. We know what you two did last night. So hurry up and come down." Doyoung added. You were red as a tomato thanks to Doyoung's remark.

When you two arrived at the table in the kitchen, 12 eyes looked at you. You just sheepishly smiled and sat down without saying any word that could lead to a conversation you weren't willing to have. Jaehyun sst down next to you and this made you even more nervous.

"So you two lovebirds. Aren't gonna say anything important to us that might as well should be shared by now?" Johnny interrogated with a goofish smile.

"Well..uhmm..Y/N and I are together, I guess?" Jaehyun stated or more like questioned. You knew he wasn't sure if you saw it the same way he saw it. You two could just had a one night stand and there wasn't feelings on your side. But you quickly vanished his thoughts when you took his hand in yours and said proudly but also embarrassed. "Yeah. Today is our first day as a couple."

The others laughed at your awkwardness and you released a breath you didn't even know you were holding. "Finally. Ohh I thought you two wouldn't check it. I mean how dumb are you two that- oww. That hurt." Johnny pouted at his girlfriend whereas Carly glared at him. "Wait do you mean finally?" you asked confused. "Did you really never saw Jaehyun staring at you. He did it like everytime you were near us. I thought his eyeballs would fall out." Taeyong laughed as Jaehyun's ears reddened and he looked down in embarrassment.

The first day you two went to school and hold hands on the way to your class, other students gasped and it was quickly gossiped all over the campus that Jung Jaehyun was dating Y/N Y/L/N. Even now you couldn't believe how fast information were spread around the campus. It all felt surreal. Jaehyun the hot topic ever since you knew about him and you the nerd who anyone never really cared about. Now you were the center from all. Some students said negative things like you were after his money or you just wanted popularity others said you two looked really cute or simply envied you. You weren't familiar with all this attention and it definitely wasn't something you ever wanted but you had to deal with it, so it had to work somehow.

Your first date was the cutest shit ever. He took you to a romance movie and hold hands the entire time the film played. Once the movie was over you two went to the Hangang Park. You sat on a bench and talked for hours. He was such a nice gentlemen the whole day you couldn’t belive it. Sadness was visible on both of your faces when you had to say goodbye. He gave you kiss and left.

After a month Jaehyun convinced you to come with him to a party one of his friends was hosting. If you remembered right his name was Ten. He was holding a party in the top floor of his parents' hotel. You didn't knew how you should dress yourself as you didn't have such expensive clothes that all of the people on the party would have. You couldn't tell Jaehyun about your problem because you knew he would buy you a dress and that was te least you wanted him to do. You didn't knew how to pay him back.

A knock on your apartment door made you jump off the couch and walking towards it. You opened the door a gap and looked at the guest. It was a old man in a black suit. He had a white shirt under the suit and a black bowtie on. He also had thick glasses on. You looked at him expecting. What was an old man doing in front of your door? And why did he look like a chauffeur? "Hello my is Bervald. I'm here to give you this present from Mr. Jung. He is waiting in the car outside. Please dress quickly." He bowed and left the gift on the doorway. You quickly took the box and opened it. It was a salmon ruched side jumper dress and next to the dress were matching ankle boots. You quickly changed and put some makeup on. Just so much that it wouldn't look too bad. You stumbled out of your door and saw Jaehyun waiving through the window. He was sitting in a limousine and you honestly were overwhelmed by the view of your boyfriend sitting in it. Bervald opened the door for you and you gladly thanked him before entering the car.

"Hey babe." He greeted with a brief kiss on the lips. "Hey. Did you buy this dress for me? I don't know when I'll be able to pay you back." You said with an uncomfortable look. "I knew you would say this. It's okay. I bought this because I love you and I refuse to get money from you for this." He took your hand and placed his soft lips on top it. Then he smiled at you and you saw those dimples you loved so much on him. You couldn't be angry or anything with him when he was like this. So you smiled at him and nodded along.

When you arrived at the hotel you felt kinda nervous. You only knew Jaehyun at the party as he said that the others couldn't come. He took your hand in his and led you to the elevator. The elevator drove all the up to the top floor and when the doors opened you already saw what felt lika a thousand people partying. Most of them were already drunk. Jaehyun guided you through the mass of people and you were going stairs upwards to a room.

A security guard stood in front of the door. He had broad shoulders and looked serious. Jaehyun said his name and the name looked through what you assumed was a name list. After he found the name he stepped aside and you and Jaehyun could go in. The room was quieter. It played a different music than in the entrance.

A man approached you who was shorter than Jaehyun. He looked like a instance of a rich kid. Neatly, and well the look on his face that proverbial said I'm rich. But nonethelessly he looked like a really nice guy. He hugged Jaehyun. "Jaehyun, Hey. Is this your girlfriend everybody's talking about?" He then looked at you with a wide grin. "Nice to meet you. I'm Ten. With whom do I have the honor?" He stretched his hand for you to take out. You took his hand and shoke it. "I'm Y/N. Nice to meet you too."

He led you to a table with 3 other guys and 1 woman. You three sat down and Ten introduced them all to you. A man that looked as short as Ten was Taeil and he somehow sent the same vibes as Yuta. Right beside Taeil sat Mark. He was the same guy Yuta called on the party month ago. And Jungwoo was beside Mark. Mark seemed like a little boy and Jungwoo was really cute. The only other woman in the round was named Si Jin. She looked pissed off for no reason. Her attitude was rude toward you but to the others she was the nicest person altogether.

Jaehyun bend his head to you and said he would leave for a short time as Ten wants to show him something he just purchased. He kissed you on the cheek and then disappeared in another room. You were left with Si Jin.

"So you love Jaehyun?" She eyed you up and down. You couldn't feel more uncomfortable under her sight. "Yes, I do." You said more to yourself than to her. You never said those words to Jaehyun but he said it permanently to you. You disappointed yourself. Why was it like this?

“You seem more like the type of girl that is just after his money. Stay away from him.“ She said with arrogance. “I’m not after his money. And you’re not someone I obey. So don’t interfere in the relationship with Jaehyun because I don’t think you’re winning anything out of it.“ You snapped at her. She just laughed and spilled the drink she had in her hand over her dress. The others were coming back and Si Jin looked angry and sad at the same time. Ten was the first to arrive. “Si Jin what happened to you?“ “Y/N spilled the drink over me and insulted me because she thinks I’ve a thing for Jaehyun.“

Your mouth opened but nothing came out. You were shocked that she played such dirty tricks. You glanced at Jaehyun and he looked angry at you. Was he really believing her? “Y/N see what you did. Her dress is entirely transparent. How could you humiliate her like this?“ Ten yelled at you. “I wasn’t even the one who did this to begin with. Why would I do something like this. I now my limits.“ You said while feeling yourself getting angry. Your eyebrows furrowed and the displeasure of his words were truly visible on your face. “So are you blaming her? Why would she do this to herself hmm? She’s a good friend of mine and she wouldn’t do anything like this.“ Jaehyun rose his voice at you. It was the first time that he was so angry at you. Even the looks of his ignorance were better than this situation. Everyone in the room was now looking at the scenario that took place in front of them. Your heart shattered at the sight of your boyfriend. How could he have so little trust in you? You wanted to fight back at him but what would happen? He didn’t believe you indifferent of what you said. Tears showered your face but he didn’t care. “I would never do such a thing to a person and I thought you know me. But I guess I was wrong. You never trusted me in the first place. So bye Jaehyun. Have a good life.“ You mockingly said the last words before exiting the room and the hotel.

You walked all the way home. You couldn’t care less about the people that looked wary at you. You couldn’t stop thinking about the look you saw on Si Jin’s face before you left. She smiled mischievously at you. How come he didn’t notice this?

Back in your apartment Carly already waited at you. She expected you to come home smiling like an idiot or calling you and tell her you weren’t coming home. But she definitely never expected to see you crying like baby. She ran to you and gave you a heartwarming hug. “Hey, hey everything’s fine. Calm down.“ She ran his hand over your back in an attempt to soothe you. It just achieved the opposite and you were crying more and more. You missed Jaehyun and her hand on your back let you feel more miserable than you already were.

After you calmed down you told Carly the whole story. She couldn’t believe what she just heard. “You mean this bitch tricked everyone on the party? And Jaehyun didn’t took your side but instead hers? Is he this much of a dumbass?“ She was upset at Jaehyun. She suggested to wach a movie and she also brought ice cream. The two of you chatted the rest of the night away. You couldn’t stop thinking about Jaehyun but you didn’t want Carly to feel pity because she couldn’t help you.

The next day you weren’t in the condition to go to any lecture. You were heartbroken that’s for sure but you also had one of the worst headaches in your life. Thanks to your headache you throw frequently up. Besides you had to convince Carly to go to the lecture because she thought it would be better if she helped you. But you actually didn’t want to see anybody, so she gave in.

You slept most of the day away and when you woke up in the evening your headache thankfully mitigated. Carly left you a note on the kitchen counter. She went out with Johnny but she made you a soup. You just had to warm it up in the microwave. You looked at your phone for any notifications but the only persons that messaged you were Carly and Taeyong. Jaehyun didn’t wrote you nor called you. You ate the soup and answered Carly and Taeyong. After that you crawled under your blanket again and doze off to dreamland.

A slight touch on your shoulder woke you again. A part of you hoped it would be Jaehyun but it were Johnny and Carly. You looked disappointed at them and they took care of you for the rest of the day. They wanted to drag you out but you denied. So you just sat in the living room and they called the others over. Expect Jaehyun everyone was there. You played cards and you weren’t so good at it. You lost like every round but it felt not as frustated as you felt about Jaehyun. Your sadness kinds turned into frustration.

The next week you went to school like how you used to before you knew Jaehyun. Of course they had to be rumors about you. A girl came to you and said. “He finally realized what a hoe you are.“ Then she left. What the hell was wrong with those people? It wasn’t their relationship, so why did everyone want to be a part of it? When you met Jaehyun in class you ignored him. It wasn’t that hard because he did the same with you. But sometimes you would feel him glance at you. You didn’t thought much into it and just continued to listen to the prof.

Even if you were mentally exhausted, you still had to go to work. Every hour you spent there felt like torture. The customers were more rude than before since they knew about the break up. You snapped at a student one day because he said you were too bad in bed to be togehter with. Also you explained yourself to your boss she was beyond pissed. You couldn’t allow you another mistake like this. You smiled at everyone despite their nasty remarks. Your nights were spent crying in your bed. You didn’t care if Carly heard you. You just didn’t wanted this life anymore. Everybody turned their backs to her expect from her few friends she had. Although she was thankful for the friends she gained, she couldn’t help but feel sad. They were still Jaehyun’s friend and you still missed him to death.

Taeyong took you to a new opened cafe one day. He said he felt miserable for yu so he wanted to make you at least a litlle happy. You didn’t commented on this as both of you knew nothing would change your feelings right now. The cafe was rather full but it was nice decorated. There stood fresh flowers on every table and the walls were in a bright orange. It looked new but fancy. The atmosphere felt like the total opposite of the cafe your were working at. but before you could deepen your thoughts Taeyong spoke. “I ordered an Iced Americano for you. I hope you still like it.“ “Ah...yes I still like it.“ You said hesitant. You never talked with him about your favorite drink so why did he knew it? You sat with him for quiet a while before the order was finally ready.

When Taeyong wasn’t coming back with the orders you looked the cafe up for him. He was nowhere to be found. “Y/N, it’s nice to meet you again. I really missed you.“ You heard a very familiar voice saying. There he stood with the two orders in his hand. The person you missed the most out of all. Jaehyun. He had a black jeans and a loosely light blue t-shirt on. For once in the time you saw him he didn’t look like a someone who is rich. he looked like a decent human being. You couldn’t see his face because he managed to also hold a big bouquet of flowers. He hesitantly put the drinks on the table and sat the opposite from you down. The flowers were neatly placed in the middle of the table. “You know..“ he bagan “I was really dumb. I mean I knew you would never do this but I wasn’t thinking in that moment. I don’t know why I said those things to you and ...I’m really sorry. I know this isn’t enough but I couldn’t think of anything else. I just wanted to be honest to you.“ He took your hands in his “Y/N I miss you like crazy. There isn’t a night I don’t think about you and feel like crap. I know this is chliché but what I did was wrong and again I’m truly sorry.“ You could see the sincerity in his eyes but you still weren’t convinced. “If you were so sorry why didn’t you come a week ago?“ Jaehyun couldn’t look you in the eyes as he said his next words. “I was embarrassed. I thought you would hate me to death and...and I didn’t know how to approach you. You never looked at me and you were always the first out of the lecture hall. I was being cowardly and I’m sorry for this.“ A smile creeped its way to your face and you started to laugh. He looked confused at you before you answered his question that was visibly on his face written. “You’re just too cute Jaehyun. I know you’re sorry and I already forgave you but it was too funny to see your ears getting redder.“ You said inbetween laughs. He smiled at your silliness and you died internally when you saw his dimples you missed so much.

“I love you Y/N.“ He spoke up after a short pause. “I love you too, you idiot.“

[rouiyan]

𝘌𝘚𝘗𝘌𝘊𝘐𝘈𝘓𝘓𝘠 𝘠𝘖𝘜𝘙𝘚 [ 𝘫.𝘫𝘩 ]

⧏ extra follow-up scene for someone to bring home ⧐

synopsis — jaehyun is your brother’s best friend, smart, good-looking, and above all, yours.

✧ medstudent!jung jaehyun x (fem.) reader (featuring older brother!johnny) ✧ established relationship au, college au, brother’s best friend au

✧ genres : fluff, angst ✧ word count : 1.6k ✧ disclaimers : discussion of fears, food.

you tilt your head to the skies outside. they're darkening, fast, and you wonder if your ride will be here in time to resuscitate some of the liveliness that has left your soul. surely enough, exam season proved to be the death of you and winter break was the single strand of hope you were holding out for. sighing, you tug the curtain back closed and look to your phone for the nth time that day, your lockscreen comes up blank.

fingers drumming against the handle of your suitcase, you busy yourself with roving your eyes over the lengths of your apartment once more in search of anything you might've missed. another short sigh is uttered and cut off when the rap of knuckles sounds at the door. you're rushing all of a sudden, how did you miss his car pulling into the parking lot when you've just barely parted your eyes from the window?

checking the peephole, something that should be second nature to any female living alone, is long forgotten as you swing the door open just as a second rap is about to ensue. the man on the other side is who you've been needing to see for the whole duration of the afternoon and the weeks leading up to it.

"hey, sorry, i got caught up with a bunch-"

an 'umph' replaces the rest of his words as you fling your arms around him. jaehyun reciprocates well, wrapping his own arms around your frame and bringing your bodies close, a tight-lipped kiss placed on the left of your forehead whilst mumbling into it, "missed me much?" a chortle of sorts escapes your own mouth, muffled by the thick fabric of his jacket, "been thinking about you all day." 

he gives your shoulder a pat, reminiscent of a 'bro pat,' and pulls from you, "we gotta get going, babe." you leave your fingers entwined with his as half of your body reenters your long-forgotten apartment to retrieve your suitcase, of which he takes charge of not a second after. your eyes are on the sky, once again, when the two of you exit the complex, and jaehyun can only question your glances. "something wrong?"

you don't mean to lie to him, but most certainly the words that tumble from your mouth pay no mind towards your sentiments, "nothing, i'm good."

but jaehyun knows you better, likes you more, than either of you are willing to admit. he lets the first half hour of the drive sit in silence. he understands that whatever's sitting on your mind will come to him when you need it to, he knows that you'll share. jaehyun looks over at the cross of your legs and the elbow propped under the window and head propped on your hand. in the faint light that lingers of the sun, he can make out the creases of your brow, the quivering demeanor that sits under the composure you let show. your boyfriend reaches a hand over to your left, lifting it from your lap, finger by finger, and into his palm with tenderness. 

you remove your stare out the window and onto him, his dark hairs falling into place across his forehead, head bobbing to the thrum of whatever song was playing in the background of your thoughts. he squeezes tight at the hand, and really, that's all you need to timidly, reassuringly, voice your worries.

"i'm not scared of the dark."

jaehyun waits for you to go on and, when you don't, shifts some of the weight of the conversation onto his shoulders, "i figured as much."

you find your voice a little while after, "and i'm not scared of driving either," musing along to your thoughts and allowing them to be aired aloud as they come, "it's just...things happen in the dark, and well, things happen all the time, but in the dark- you really don't know much when driving."

he's more just trying to nudge you along at this point than actually curious. "are you scared of hitting someone or being hit?" it's that feeling that comes when you care for someone, and when that someone is in the midst of opening up to you and the only thing you can do is receive them well, to reciprocate, to engage and make them feel heard. jaehyun loves the feeling of being the one with whom you open up to.

"both, i mean, what isn't there to be scared about when you're going 60, 70 miles per hours with little to no idea of what's in front of you?" a small, oblique smile etches on his expression, though facing forward, at the way your fingers halt their little trembles and the way your body is now aligned inwards, in his direction rather than out, towards the window. ever so diligent in choosing his words, he's also a great deal prudent in pronouncing his tone placidly when he supports, "perfectly rational."

kicking off a sandal, you hike a leg up onto the passenger seat, tucking it under your thigh and resting your and his entwined hands atop, "you think so? jieun always tells me it's dumb." 

"that's just because it doesn't apply to her, not because she doesn't think it can't apply to you." you wonder how your boyfriend articulates himself so well, even as his eyes are set forth and his other hand swerving the car into the lane beside. you nibble, unconsciously, on a fingernail, also looking out into the vast night before you. "then why did you say it's rational? you're fine with driving in the dark." you can't see a thing but you can hear jaehyun's low chuckle reverberate above the consistent hum of the engine and the whipping of wind, "because unlike your best friend, i have enough heart to pay regards to your fears."

at the lilt of his voice, you revert your sights from the black ahead and onto him. jaehyun doesn't look back; he's driving after all, but the little smile that plays on his lips tells you enough. "hm, i'll have to bring that up to her." there's this back and forth that passes between the two of you, something under the current of your conversation and something that you'll only pick up on when remembering back to this episodic memory. it's sure to be episodic. 

jaehyun doesn't respond, not for awhile, and you know him well enough to understand that silence is also a love language of his as well. it's a month that you've known him. you wouldn't say it felt like years, there were still years worth of things to discover about each other. rather, it feels like the only thing you understand, mutually and in the undercurrent, is that whatever it is that's playing between the two of you isn't just something in the moment, it's the knowledge that it'll be of the long run ahead.

it's like the feeling of when you first meet someone and you already know that they'll be your best friend. like the first chord of a song that you just know you'll never get sick of. the first whiff of a cologne that you know you'll never mind inhaling for the rest of your livelihood. the first month of a love you know will never fade, no matter the years, the miles apart, the fights, the fears.

you wonder if this is what it feels like for everyone else in the world whose first love is also their last. at least, this is what it feels like for you.

your eyes are on the moon when jaehyun breaches the silence, "you know, i'm sorry about today." head snapping to him at the sound of him speaking, you're pleased to see the moon so lovingly glints in the strands of his hair, his irises, the rings on his left hand, and his hand on the wheel. "what do you mean?"

the seeming afterthought of his seems to have been thought out quite well, for he answers almost instantaneously, as if it were at the tip of his tongue, waiting, "for picking you up late, of course." and though you are unrehearsed, you discern and voice your answer in a similar pace, "no, i'm glad you did."

"why is that?"

"because if you didn't then...we wouldn't have had the talk." 

this time, the smile that lights his features is in the crossroads of knowing and loving, understanding and reminiscence for a scene that passed less than an hour ago. jaehyun's hand is now clammy in yours, or yours in his, and he squeezes your palms together then, mortifyingly gross but somehow tolerable in the hands of only each other. a silly smile etched on your face, you glance down to note that the rings that clutter his left hand are absent on his right and that your left hand is bare of any such accessory whatsoever.

he catches the gaze and his smile morphs into one of adoration, affection, unadulterated fondness as he muses, the sound of his voice almost getting caught in the bleakness of silence, "a few years, love, i'll put something on that finger of yours, a few years."

and in a few years, indeed, johnny stands while jaehyun sits beside him. a fork is clinked to the rim of his champagne glass and the gazes of a hundred or so guests turn with intrigue in his direction. he really could go on about how his sister, the bride, had come to this point in her life where a ring would be slid on that finger of hers by none other than his best friend. he could go on about the pumpkin pie, the blanket, the text, the hand soap, the yogurt, the game night. but he doesn't.

instead, johnny, best man to the groom, jung jaehyun, simply announces into the echoes of the reception hall, "i called it."

copyright © 2020 rouiyan all rights reserved.

✧ end note — about an hour later than promised but it's all good (i'm supposed to be on a break anyways, remind me to never say that again because it will probably never hold true). anyways, i hope this tied it all together a little neater than i had left it; i'm quite pleased with how it turned out hehe. okay, have a splendid day, i'll see you around!

[prettywordsyouleft]

The Cowboy - Part 2

Summary: Leaving the city for a rural area called Blayne seemed simple enough. Your task was to convince the people to agree with selling their land for a resort redevelopment. But once there, you soon realise that your city ways are entirely different to theirs. Winning their trust was going to take some effort, and when you start to fall for a local cowboy, you wonder if you really needed Blayne more than the city life after all.

Pairing: Jung Jaehyun x female reader

Genre: cowboy au / drama / romance / if you squint there’s some enemies to lovers up in here.

Warnings: Jung Jaehyun is a cowboy, need I say more? (a bit of angst and drama, and it sometimes might feel like you’re reading a Nicolas Sparks book, so I’m told lol)

Word count: 1708

This series will be updated every Thursday and Friday starting 7th January.

Preview | 1 | 2 | 3

You barely recovered before he walked off, rounding the outside of the building. Scrambling after him, you soon fell into step with the son of the household.

The incredibly attractive Jung son.

“So you’ll be able to put on the power?”

“Sure, I’ll just wind up the generator and in about three hours-”

“Generator?! Hours?!”

He laughed then, the sound making you halt in your tracks in a daze. Glancing back at you, he smirked. “You’re sure easy to fool, Miss City.”

“Well, I was expecting a teen with the way your mother spoke of you, Mr Cowboy.”

“We’re a loving bunch around here,” he answered, walking over to a box on the side of the house and patting it. “All I have to do is flick a switch, and you’ll have power.”

“Thank god.”

“Not willing to rough it even for a night?”

“Rough it?”

He smirked again. “You sure don’t know what you’ve gotten yourself into.”

“So people keep telling me. I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

“I’m sure you will,” he replied, staring back at you for a moment. You raised an eyebrow, and he chuckled, pulling open the box and turning on the main switch. You saw the lights in the house you had flicked on come to life, and you clapped your hands together with glee.

“Yes!”

“Are you scared of the dark?”

“Are you always this full of yourself?” you shot back, and he grinned.

“Somewhat.”

“Anything else I need to know about so I can survive the night?”

After shutting the fuse box, he returned to your side, stuffing his hands deep into his jean pockets and leaned towards you. “You sound like high maintenance.”

“Perhaps I am.”

“You’re in for a rude awakening here then.”

“I’m adaptable,” you announced and he laughed. “What, I am!”

“This isn’t something you just get used to, Miss City. You’ll be gone before long.”

“And what will you do if I prove otherwise?” you challenged, and his eyes lit up, glinting with enjoyment.

You had to admit this banter was doing things for you too.

“There’s no point making plans for things that won’t come into fruition.”

“You’re infuriating.”

“I know, but it seems that you’re enjoying it.”

“Fine,” you stated simply, throwing your hands up. “Thank you for turning on the power, Mr Cowboy.”

“Enjoy your night, Miss City.”

You both rounded back to the front of the house, where you went to the veranda, and he approached the truck. You eyed it warily. “Is that thing legal?”

“Don’t try and use too many appliances at once. Houses like these can get overloaded, and it’ll trip the fuse and turn the power off. I’ve got cattle to run tomorrow, so you’ll be without power for some time if you do that.”

You blinked, trying to decipher if he was being serious or not. He shrugged and opened the door to the truck. “R-Really?”

“Take it on as some friendly advice.”

“Ah, is that what it is.” You nodded with a laugh as he climbed into the cab of the vehicle. Dashing down to the driver’s side, you leaned on the open window, and he watched you curiously. “Can you give me some more friendly advice?”

“Don’t open the front door. There might be coyotes howling out in the distance that you’ll have to get used to and by the hay barn, there is an old owl that likes to hoot around three in the morning. You’re welcome.”

“Wait! I was meaning more like if there’s regular mobile data service out here. I’ve got some files to-”

“You’re in the wrong place if you want to be on the internet, Miss City. I’ll give you two days out here before you head on back to your four-gee or whatever the thing is called.”

“You’re getting on my nerves.”

He grinned. “And you’re on my door stopping me from getting home to dessert, ma’am.”

Lifting your arms off, he tipped his cowboy hat at you again and started up the truck. You shook your head as he reversed down the drive before turning the vehicle around.

“Wait! I didn’t even get your real name!” you called out into the night, pouting some.

It didn’t matter. Even if he was the most handsome guy you had seen in months, he was also not your type with how easily he assumed so little of you.

Fishing out your phone, you held it up in search for a stronger signal. Groaning when there was only one bar, you stomped into the house and shut the door behind you.

When your alarm went off the following morning, you were already wide awake, staring up at the ceiling in sheer frustration. The advice you had received last night had been helpful, but what you needed was earplugs instead. You never knew the wilderness to be so loud.

“How am I going to get enough sleep here until I can order some earplugs?” you questioned to no one in particular, sitting up in the bed. You had to admit, whilst the sounds of the outdoors had kept you up, the bed had been surprisingly comfy.

There had to be some perks for being this far detached from proper civilisation.

“Might as well get up,” you decided, flinging back the blankets and padding across the hall into the quaint bathroom. You hadn’t paid a lot of attention last night to the house, too exhausted from travelling for two days. As you did your morning skincare routine, you used the mirror to look around your space. It had a cozy cottage-core vibe that you had recently seen come up as a trend on Pinterest.

“Natty loves things like this,” you told the home, smiling softly before heading downstairs to the kitchen.

The house was decorated warmly. Although many modern conveniences were missing, you couldn’t help but feel like you were in a home that was cherished.

Someone must have loved this place like that at one point in time, you thought, jumping when the phone went off again.

“Hello?”

“Miss L/N, is that you?”

“Ah, yes it is, who am I speaking to?”

“Oh! June told me that someone was staying at the old Jung house so I figured I’d give you a bell and offer you some breakfast down at the diner. You won’t miss it. We’re the first building on Main  Street.”

“That’s so kind of you to offer, but I have all the ingredients for a power green smoothie here-”

“Smoothie? Darling, a drink isn’t going to give you enough energy to get through your day.”

“Pardon?”

“Aren’t you starting your surveying job of Blayne today? There’s a lot to get through.”

Not really, you thought wickedly and bit your lip in case you said anything out loud. “Ah, right. Well, I’ll come down then.”

“Do come!” And then the line went dead.

“Who was I even speaking to?” you wondered when you placed down the phone, blinking slowly.

You got ready and headed down the bumpy drive and then another fifteen minutes until you reached what the inhabitants of this strange place called Main Street. You had to admit, it was the only area of Blayne were you saw more than two people at once, and it relaxed you to be back around people.

You hadn’t realised just how overcrowded the city was when you found yourself now missing the constant sight of people.

Once you parked your car, you got out and locked it, checking to make sure the door wouldn’t open. You heard a snigger from the sidewalk. “You’re new here.”

“Ah, yes.”

“You don’t need to lock your car here. No one is going to steal it,” the young girl said, eying you curiously. You nodded politely and walked inside the diner, instantly hit with the smell of fried food.

You were hungrier than you expected.

“Miss L/N!” a voice called, and everyone in the establishment turned to look at you.

Smiling politely and rushing over to the front counter, you sat down on a stool. The woman who greeted you smiled graciously. “I’m May.”

“May… June-”

May laughed. “Our parents weren’t all that creative with our names. I’m June’s older sister.”

“Oh! It’s nice to meet you. Please, feel free to call me Y/N.”

“Earl, can you serve up our guest the breakfast special?” May called out without taking her eyes off of you.

You smiled gently before darting your gaze to the menu distractedly. “You have a nice place here. Do you sell soy chai lattes?”

“Soy what?”

“Ah, nothing. Coffee. Coffee will do.”

“Black or white, darling? Any sugar?”

After sorting yourself with caffeine, you then glanced around again. There were about six others in total, and most of them were looking in your direction. Nodding politely at them, you turned back to May.

“I guess you don’t get many visitors.”

“They don’t stay long, no,” she replied, placing a large plate loaded with a fried assortment and pancakes. You eyed the meal. It would be triple the macros for your daily intake. Still, you were hungry.

You picked up your knife and fork. “They don’t?”

“I think the last person stayed a week. That was pretty long.”

“Only a week?” you cut into a hashbrown. “Why did they leave so soon?”

“Unless you’re a farmer or born into farming, you wouldn’t really enjoy being out here. We have only twelve stores. Nothing arrives here quickly, and you have to be pretty self-sufficient to survive. There’s not a lot calling people here.”

“There could be. I mean, you have a lot of land-”

“For farming,” May cut in, and you swallowed down a bit of hashbrown before nodding.

“Yes, but it’s beautiful and picturesque. People who want to escape the daily grind would flock to a place like this if there was an establishment to stay in.”

“Our inn hasn’t had a guest since nineteen-eighty-three. You want to know why?”

“It has a ghost story?” you asked innocently, and May merely smiled haughtily.

“The only people staying in Blayne were born and raised here, Y/N. You’ll soon realise the utopia you and your company are hoping to build out here is a pipe dream.”

_________________

Part 3

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[retrievablememories]

the weekend | jaehyun (m)

title: the weekend pairing: jaehyun x black makeup artist!reader genre: fluff, smut request: “I love the Jaehyun x Stylist scenario can there be a part 2 where it’s like steamy and they are dating in secret with that Noona ana younger guy vibe???👀👀💞💞💞💓” and “Hiya this is the anon asking for a part 2 of Jaehyun and the makeup artist a first date with a little smut thrown in if you are feeling it. Whatever you come up with I'll read and more than likely love it💖💖💖😘😘😘” word count: 4k warnings: car sex, public sex, doggystyle, dirty talk, oral sex (female receiving), fingering, unprotected sex—don’t try at home 🔞 a/n: this is the sequel to style. i think it’s been more than a month since this request was sent in, y’all can throw sticks and stones at me now 💀 this fic is “set” after the release of final round, but let’s pretend it’s actually like november rather than july/august

Even though you and Jaehyun have been together for a few months now, today marks your first date.

All of your “dates” so far have consisted of video chats, phone calls, and text messages—and the occasional sexting session, of course. There’s no denying that you love talking to Jaehyun and hearing his voice over the phone, but you haven’t been able to do much else other than that, which could wear anybody thin.

Whenever you work with him on set, you have to play the part of makeup artist Noona who does nothing more than joke playfully with her client and treat him like a silly younger brother. It’s cute and fun for a while—you are grateful for the time to be around him, no matter how it comes—but you can’t pretend like you don’t want more. Maybe not the full experience of “going public,” but at least being able to be boyfriend and girlfriend around the other staff without it being a huge deal.

Jaehyun, in all his sneakiness, has managed to wrangle you into a supply closet or abandoned practice room a time or two, but there has never been time for anything other than a few stolen kisses. Between your endless assignments for NCT and other SM groups and his comeback activities, you’ve been operating on borrowed time.

But with promotions for The Final Round being long over and your schedule having finally slowed down, now is the time.

At this point, there’s so much tension built up between you that you’re almost afraid either one of you will spontaneously combust if you stay in the same space for long enough. The other boys have noticed and tease Jaehyun about it; even Jungwoo has snitched to you that Jaehyun has moaned your name in his sleep more than a few times.

Even though you’re going out today as an actual couple, you both still have to wear disguises. Lowkey, you’ve never really seen the point of these things; fans can always spot their favorite idols from miles away, but it’s probably better to be safe than sorry. You don’t really know what to expect, but you’re anticipating the date either way, excited to finally get together outside of work.

Jaehyun comes to pick you up that afternoon, and you look out the window to confirm his appearance when he texts you he’s outside. When you go to meet him, your nerves are alight.

You chuck your hat into your lap and pull your mask down when you get inside the car. “Ugh, I don’t like wearing that shit on my head. How are yo—” You’re interrupted when Jaehyun leans over the center console and kisses you full on the lips. For a second you laugh against his mouth at his eagerness, but you let yourself succumb to the kiss.

When he pulls away, it’s clearly reluctant, but he looks at you with his face pink and an overly eager grin on his face. “Sorry, we probably shouldn’t do that out there…” He glances around the apartment complex, but no one is there but you two, and his face betrays the lack of regret he actually feels.

“I don’t mind,” you say, trying to play it cool, though you’re feeling quite the opposite. You’re way too taken in with his dimples and his cute and playful demeanor, and it’s moments like these that make you realize that, despite being his makeup artist, you much prefer his bare face to any of the work you’ve done.

Jaehyun pulls out of the parking lot and you settle into the seat. “Aren’t you glad we finally get to hang out like a normal couple?” His excitement is almost palpable as he taps his fingers on the steering wheel to an erratic rhythm.

“Of course! As normal as it can be when you’re dating an idol, I guess,” you say with a hint of amusement, gesturing to your disguises. Jaehyun sighs a little at that.

“You might not believe me, but I still feel really lucky that you chose me, you know,” he says. “I mean...you could just date someone who you don’t have to go through all this extra shit for, someone you could see regularly, and I’m sure it’d be easier, but…”

“Don’t say that. I don’t care about that, Jaehyun; if I wanted that, I’d have it. This is different for me, but I don’t regret any of this.” You grab his free hand that’s resting on the console and slip your fingers between his. “You don’t have to be self-conscious about it or anything.”

Jaehyun squeezes your fingers between his and gives you a smile in return.

You and Jaehyun go to a restaurant he’s talked about before, claiming it serves some of the best pork belly in the area. It’s a little fancier than you expected it to be, and you would’ve dressed up more if you knew, but Jaehyun insists that what you’re both wearing is fine. It’s not like anyone one else will be judging you, anyway; the restaurant has a private dining room, which he reserved so you’d have some privacy while you eat.

“You really went all out, huh?” you say, giving him a sly look after you both sit down.

“Why not? You only get one first date. Got to make a good impression,” he says, putting his chin in his hand.

“We’re already together, I don’t think there’s much chance of me rejecting you at this point.” You laugh. “But you know I appreciate the effort.”

Jaehyun grips your hand, running his thumb over your knuckles and smiling softly. “Anything for you.”

You and Jaehyun talk as you wait for your food to come, filling each other in on all the things you didn’t get to say over the phone or simply forgot about until now. Even though you talk or text over the phone at every opportunity, you’re a little surprised to find there’s still so much to discuss in person.

“It’d be nice to have a vacation...like, a real getaway. Two weeks. A month. Not just a few days off from recording or filming or whatever the hell they decide to have us do that week,” Jaehyun says wistfully once you eventually land on the subject of your jobs.

“Where would you go if you had that time off?” you ask, clasping your hands together as you anticipate his answer.

He shrugs. “Anywhere is fine, I don’t have a real preference...as long as you’ll come with me, of course.”

“Maybe the stars will align and our schedules will allow it someday,” you say, though you aren’t optimistic that it’ll happen any time soon. You already know a new round of SM comebacks is coming soon, which means you’ll be busier than ever. You don’t work with every group or idol, but just 1 or 2 comebacks means dozens of promotional appearances, which you’ll need to be on hand for.

“If that happens, we could go to the beach...” Jaehyun spins his fork around in his hand as he thinks.

“The beach is very ambitious.” You giggle, though it’s half-hearted. “There are way too many people there. People who could recognize you.”

Jaehyun has that face again, which tells you he wants to say but I don’t really care who finds out, but you assume he’s not actually that reckless. Maybe. “It wouldn’t be impossible,” he says slowly, “if it was nighttime. Or a beach people don’t go to often. Or a private beach.”

“Maybe,” you say thoughtfully, tracing your finger across the tablecloth. You’re both talking about it like it’s some far-off thing, but you can already see the wheels turning in his mind, and somehow you feel this beach trip might come sooner than you think.

Much sooner, actually.

After you leave the restaurant, Jaehyun makes good on his idea and actually takes you to the beach; the closest one is a little over an hour away from Seoul. It’s a last-minute thing, and you’re both exhilarated and anxious at the same time. You pester him with questions about the other people who’ll inevitably be at the beach, although that doesn’t do much to dampen your enthusiasm; taking this trip just means more time with him. And God knows you both need these hours together however you can get them.

“It’s almost winter,” he insists. “Hardly anyone will even be out there to see us. And if there are some people, we can just keep our disguises on.”

“Yes, almost winter, which means it’ll be freezing cold, too.” You shake your head at his smirk, and you know he’s thinking he’s just had the most genius idea ever. You wrap your arms around yourself at the thought of the temperature outside.

“If you get cold, just stay next to me. I’ll keep you warm,” Jaehyun says this like he’s just made some heroic declaration, and you look at him for a few seconds before you both burst into laughter.

“Here you go with the kdrama lines again.” You roll your eyes, leaning against the window as you watch other cars speed past on the highway. “I’ll be waiting for your acting debut, Mr. Jung.”

“Promise you won’t get jealous if I do?”

“Please! There’s no reason to be jealous,” you reply coolly. “I’m the one who gets to have you all to myself, after all.”

When you get to the beach, it’s about as empty as Jaehyun predicted it would be, to your surprise. There are a few stragglers here and there, but they’re too far off from where you are to worry about. You’re decidedly less nervous once you see this, and you let him tug your hand and pull you onto the sand like a thrilled kid.

“This is pretty,” you admit as you watch the waves crash against the shore. There’s nothing but sand and water for miles—enough to lose yourself in. You hold your hat closer to your head as a sudden strong breeze threatens to carry it off.

You and Jaehyun walk along the sand, and you make him walk on the inside closest to the water because you don’t want the cold tide splashing you as it rushes in. He doesn’t care nearly as much as you do about it, which makes you shake your head in amusement. He even takes his shoes off at one point.

“You’ll catch a cold out here,” you say, raising an eyebrow at his bare feet in the water.

“I’ll be fine,” he insists. “Even if I get sick, I’ll get to have you as my sexy nurse, so I’m not complaining.”

“You’ve got a lot of balls! Who said I’d be your nurse? You’d probably make me wear one of those goofy ass nurse costumes straight out of a porno.” You snort at the idea of that, though secretly, you don’t hate it.

“Don’t tempt me.”

You turn your head away from him, holding back your giggles but mostly so you can resist the urge to jump him then and there. “You’re so immature sometimes.”

“You still love it, though.” Before you can respond to that, Jaehyun leans closer to you and plants another wet kiss on your lips. You stumble in the sand a bit, but he slips his arm around your waist to steady you and press your body closer to his.

You quickly lose yourself in the kiss, focusing on nothing but Jaehyun’s lips on yours and the thunderous sound of the waves crashing against the shore. Jaehyun lowers his inhibitions as he deepens the embrace, his hands sliding to your ass.

“Your ass is so soft,” he groans, gripping the soft flesh and pushing his hips into you. You can already feel that he’s hard and straining against his pants.

“Horny bastard,” you giggle against his lips, though you could probably say the same for yourself, unable to part from his mouth for even a whole second. Your tongues slide together, and one of Jaehyun’s hands shifts from your ass to travel underneath your sweater. You don’t want to, but you manage to pry yourself away from him. “Maybe we should go back to the car. I know it’s hardly anyone out here, but I ain’t tryna get arrested…”

Jaehyun sighs, planting a few more kisses on your neck and collarbone. “Do we have to?” You try not to throw your reasoning to the wind as you stroke his hair and bring his face back up to be level with yours.

“Do you plan on fucking here? Because you’ll be washing sand out of your ass for days.”

“Well, when you put it like that...guess you’re right. Let’s go, then.” He finally steps away from you, only to hook his arms under your legs and sweep you off your feet, carrying you back to the car.

“You never quit!” You cling to his arms as if you’re afraid he’ll drop you as he walks you back to the car, with you kicking your feet and laughing the whole time. When he finally sets you down, your shoes touching the gravel of the parking lot, he unlocks the back door and you both slip into the backseat of the car.

Jaehyun shuts the door behind you both, finally closing you off from the cold. He leans over the console to put the key in the ignition and turn the heat on, and you take the opportunity to smack his butt while he’s up. He sits back with a fake shocked expression on his face, and then he tries to grab your arm and twist your body around so he can do the same to you.

You cry out and try to shield your butt from him, but he lands a smack hard enough to sting, and you punch him in the arm. “Ow! I didn’t do it that hard to you!” You two end up playfighting in the back of his car, both your hats flying off in the tumble as you push your hands against his chest in an attempt to stop him from tickling you to death.

You end up lying on your back with Jaehyun hovering over you, his warm breaths hitting your face as he laughs. He pulls his mask off fully so you can see his face, and you do the same.

Jaehyun tilts your chin up and kisses you, his other hand on the hem of your sweater as if he can’t decide if he wants to pull it up or go underneath it. He eventually settles on the former when he tugs it upwards to rest above your breasts, his lips never parting from yours the entire time. With this new access, he gropes your tits, kneading the flesh softly and pressing his thumbs into your nipples through the fabric of your bra.

You push your chest closer into his hands, relishing his gentle but firm touches on your body, and he presses forward more to slide his tongue past your lips, exploring the warm confines of your mouth. In turn, your hands go underneath his sweater and shirt, diving under the fabric and caressing his firm abs.

“Your hands are cold,” he smiles against your lips, sucking the lower one into his mouth after speaking.

“Because you brought me to a beach in the middle of November,” you reply, pressing your fingers deeper into his skin and absorbing his body heat. Your hands drift higher and ghost across his nipples, making them harden in response to your touch.

Jaehyun’s lips move to your neck again, biting at your pulse point and leaving soothing kisses in their wake, although he doesn’t spend much more time there before burying his face into your cleavage.

“No more low-cut tops for me,” you say breathlessly as he practically devours you and leaves marks behind on your skin. You wish to do the same to him, but that would only raise questions from the other stylists and the managers, who you’re not interested in doing battle with. Jaehyun answers that by pulling your bra cups down and sucking your nipple past his lips, swirling his tongue around the tip in a way that makes your legs tremble.

You move down towards the waistband of his pants and unzip them, pushing your hand into his underwear and gripping his dick. It twitches in your grasp, and his breath comes out hitched as you squeeze and stroke him as best you can while his jeans are still on.

“Fuck,” he says as he sits back, separating you from him and undoing your jeans. He pulls your pants off, and you help him shimmy them down in the small space of the car. Your underwear comes off soon after, discarded under one of the seats. You’re already wet enough to be glistening, and Jaehyun decides to take a taste of it, maneuvering you both so he can bury his mouth between your thighs.

You whimper quietly as he licks into you and pulls your clit into his mouth, curving his fingers inside you just like he said he would in all those nasty messages you sent to each other. Your mind and body are electrified with how good it feels, your hips pushing up to be closer to his mouth as he indulges in you, making a mess of his face.

Before you can come, though, Jaehyun pulls away from you, which makes you curse. You reach for him, though he’s quicker than you and shies away from your grasp. “Get back here before I kick your ass.”

Jaehyun pushes his pants and underwear further down, revealing his hard dick to you. “I’ve got somethin’ better for you. Get on your hands and knees for me.”

More shuffling ensues as you balance yourself on your hands and knees on the backseat of the car, Jaehyun settling in behind you. “This ain’t very comfortable.” It’s not the worst thing in the world, but there are definitely better places to fuck than inside a cramped vehicle.

“Sorry, babe. I promise the next time we have sex will be on a feather-lined King-sized bed, but until then…” The tip of Jaehyun’s dick slides across your ass and then through your pussy lips, nudging at your entrance. He teases you by pushing it in and then taking it back out, and you quickly grow tired of his games, wanting him to fuck you for real.

“Haven’t we both waited long enough?” You wiggle your ass against him and try to back up so he’ll slip inside, but he holds your hips in place and continues rutting against you like it’s the only thing he wants to do.

Finally, he acquiesces and slides inside of you, and you both gasp into the heated air of the car at this raw contact. Your fingernails make little imprints in the fabric of the seat as you hang onto the material, letting a shuddering breath pass through your lips. Jaehyun is hard and thick inside you and stretches you out nicely around him, filling that space inside of you that needed to be satisfied.

Your head hangs low as he begins thrusting into you, a little slowly at first and then more steadily as he gains a good rhythm. You keep your moans to a minimum, afraid to alert anyone outside to your presence in the car—even though they would most definitely see you before they hear you. Jaehyun isn’t having that, though, as one of his hands sneaks around to your front to stroke your clit; the added sensation makes you push back against him harder, wanting him as close as possible.

“Why are you hiding those pretty sounds, Noona?” he asks teasingly. “You told me all those times over the phone how you wanted to moan for me...why aren’t you doing it now?” He rocks his hips into you a little differently, rubbing against your spot, and you can’t help the groan of pleasure that slips out after that motion. You press your sweaty forehead against the seat, trying to gather breath. You never thought of yourself as being someone who gets off on honorifics, but in this context, it’s doing something to you.

“We’re in the middle of a parking lot, if you didn’t notice,” you say through gritted teeth, trying to keep your voice low and steady as he keeps sliding against that spot, the soft slap of your bodies being the loudest sound in the car.

“A nearly empty parking lot at night,” Jaehyun retorts, pressing his fingers more firmly against your clit. His hand slides lower to where you’re connected, and he uses your wetness to help him circle his fingers more smoothly. You can only roll your eyes; he has a response for every argument you try to bring up. You can’t be bothered with that, though, as your mind gets increasingly hazy from how he continues fucking into you without a single worry.

Your attempts to stay quiet become more difficult as Jaehyun’s pace increases, like he’s purposely trying to overwhelm you with stimulation. The one hand that was still holding your hip comes to your front like the other, though he reaches up higher so he can grasp one of your breasts, pinching at your nipple.

“Fuck, baby,” Jaehyun grunts, pushing into you hard enough to make you yelp. “We waited too long for this. Should’ve just fucked you in the practice room.” A moan slips out at that, even though you try to hide it, and of course Jaehyun doesn’t miss it. “Do you like the thought of that? Want the whole group to see you taking my dick? Little exhibitionist.”

You can’t deny how your pussy throbs at the idea, even if you won’t say it to him. Not that you would need to; he can probably feel it. “That’s y-you! Th-this was your idea, pervert.”  

“Stop acting like you don’t love this dick.” It’s getting to the point where you can feel yourself climbing that summit towards your climax, yet you still need that extra push to get you to the top. If there’s anyone else in the parking lot right now, it’s already too obvious what you’re doing inside the car, so allow yourself to forget about trying to be inconspicuous and freely push back on Jaehyun’s dick, whining at how deep it reaches inside you.

More sweat gathers on your skin, and you’re sure the windows must be steamed up by now.

“Hope you’re gonna soak me,” Jaehyun says, pressing himself closer to your body so he’s draped across your back. The hand he was using to fondle your tits darts to your lower body, and he wraps his arm around your hips so he can hold you in place as he hammers into you. This move pushes you off the edge you’d been clinging to, and you scratch the seat’s material and moan loudly as your walls clench around him and draw him further into your willing body, trying to milk him for his own release.

“God, Jaehyun, please fuck me, please, yes.” You chant this incomprehensibly, uncaring that he’s already fucking you—you’re still going to ask him for more. You haven’t felt this blissed-out in a while. Jaehyun keeps pushing into you after the first orgasm and pulls another gush of pleasure out of you as he searches for his own end.

It finally comes with him hurriedly pulling out of you to spill his cum on your ass, stroking his length to get every last drop out. He groans deeply as he expresses his pleasure, and his sounds make you clench around nothing, wishing he’d come inside you instead.

Jaehyun wipes his cum off you as you slump against the seat and regain your breath, feeling more content than you have in months after finally unwinding that ball of tension within you. Jaehyun seems to feel the same way he keeps covering you with kisses even as you try to pull your clothes back on, satisfaction coloring his features.

“Look, if you want round 2, you’re gonna have to take me to an actual bed.” You playfully wave away his advances, but not before giving him one last long kiss.

“Say no more.” You both climb back to the front of the car and Jaehyun easily pulls out of the parking lot in search of a nearby hotel, readying yourselves for a long night.ahead.

[sehunniepotwrites]

a day of firsts | j.jh

🎄SYNOPSIS— You didn’t think your first day back at NC Toys would lead to a  boy asking you out on a date, but hey, you weren’t complaining, even if he was dressed in a Nutcracker suit. 🎄GENRE— christmas!au, fluff, humor 🎄PAIRING—jung jaehyun x female!reader 🎄WARNING—cursing, sexual innuendos  🎄WORD COUNT— 2633

It was the first of December and you were heading to your favorite seasonal job: a worker at the famous NC Toys. 

As a lover of Christmas, your younger self always dreamed of working at that famous toy store. You had made so many cherished memories there with your family— moments running through the aisles, waiting in line to talk to Santa, drinking hot chocolate to keep yourself warm, and playing with the people dressed in nutcracker costumes. You loved it all and now, you were about to start your second season at the shop. A rush of excitement hit you as you gave yourself a last-minute check in the mirror. 

You smoothed down the material of your work uniform: an ugly Christmas sweater with a red flared skirt that ended an inch above the knee. Placing a beanie over your head and slipping on your winter coat, you grabbed your bag and keys with a skip in your step.

Locking the door to your apartment, you hurried your way down the staircase and into the winter cold. Something cold nipped at your exposed nose and you looked up to see small specks of snow fall from the sky. A wide grin took over your lips— the first day back on the job and it was the first snowfall of the season. 

You extended a hand towards the sky, hoping to catch a snowflake on your fingertips. Unaware of your surroundings, you weren’t able to catch a tall figure charging his way down the sidewalk. His strong build bumped into yours, sending you down into a pile of snow. The cold seeped through your stockings, wetting the material and you groaned— what would your manager say when you clocked in with a damp uniform? 

“Ow, my shoulder,” a deep voice whispered.

You looked up to see a bundled up man with a bright red coat hanging on his forearm stopping in front of you for a second. He had a black beanie covering his flattened caramel hair but the tips of his red ears peeked out of the hat. You only caught a glimpse of his face but he sure looked handsome in his laid-back fit. He made no moves to help you up— he only stared blankly at your fallen form. 

His dusty eyelashes flickered against his rosy cheeks as he blinked at your figure. “Why are you just looking at me like that?” You whined, slipping on the snow as you attempted to get up. 

His brown eyes widened and the boy quickly bowed his head as he continued his way down the walkway. 

“I’m sorry!” his melodic voice called out. If it weren’t for the unfortunate situation, his voice sounded as sweet as the treats left for Santa. 

“Hey!” you glared at him from your place on the freezing ground. “The least you could do is help me up, you asshole!”

“Sorry,” the handsome boy yelled over his shoulder. He gave you a bright grin, a silver of a dimple coming out to play. “I’m running late for my first day at my new job!”

You watched his figure disappear as you pushed yourself off the sidewalk. “Ugh, how rude,” you muttered as you brushed the snow off your clothing. After checking the floor for any dropped items, you continued on your way to work. You took a second to check your watch for the time and you gasped to see that your shift started in less than fifteen minutes.

Cursing, you quickened your pace, trying to ignore the cold air hitting your skin. You ran into many people along the way as it was the first weekend of the Christmas season; many families were out and about carrying shopping bags filled with intended presents. You murmured more than a couple of half-hearted apologies before you finally made it in front of NC Toys.

Your hands rested against your lap as you huffed for air. Your face was flushed with heat as you tried to calm down your pounding heart— a clear reminder to get back in shape in case this happened again. 

Glancing up, your eyes landed on the teddy bear shaped door handles and the rush of childlike excitement returned. You pushed the doors open only to be hit with the warmth of the store’s heater and Christmas music blasted through the speakers. The bright holiday displays were already set up and parents gathered their children in front of them for pictures. The sounds of delightful laughter filled the room as you continued your way to the back of the store. The familiar scents of gingerbread cookies and peppermint reached your nose and you breathed it in while passing the store’s famed cafe, making a note to drop by during your break. 

You took a glance at a decorated stage in the middle of the store. It was surrounded by nutcrackers and fake pine trees but the stage itself was empty— that was weird. You didn’t remember this set up last year. Shrugging that thought off, you continued going on your way to the back, walking by all the thrilled children waiting to meet Santa. 

Successfully making it into the employee break room, you stripped yourself of your outerwear and  set your belongings down in a locker. Just as you were going to clock in, someone pounced on you from behind with a high-pitched giggle. You knew that voice anywhere.

“Joy!” you squealed, tugging your friend into your arms. Your tall and beautiful friend laughed into the embrace, happy to be reunited with her work wife.

“Second season in a row, baby!” she yelled as she clocked in on the desktop. The system deployed her first assignment and she stepped aside for you to do the same.

“The dynamic holiday duo is back,” you chuckled while clocking in right on time. You grabbed your first assignment and groaned.

“Aww, why the groan?” Joy asked, peeking over to see what you were deployed to do.

“Clean and monitor the stage area, how boring,” you muttered. “Guess they have too many people on the floor right now.” 

Your friend hugged your side, “Aww, I’m at registers but at least you get to see the new nutcracker!”

“Who?” You raised an eyebrow at her. 

“There’s a new nutcracker this year— oh my god, even with all that blush on, he’s so hot,” she said, fanning her face. “Perfectly sculpted face and from what I saw, pretty nice arms, too.”

“First day back and you’re already on the hunt for eye candy?”

Joy gave you a pointed look, “Listen, if you saw him, you would totally fall for him, too.” You rolled her eyes at that comment. You were there to work and Joy was obviously there for other pressing reasons. 

“Mhm, what I’d do just to lick his candy cane,” she muttered under her breath. 

Shrieking, you slapped her arm. “Joy!”

“With a peppermint cond—”

You let out a louder squeal, hands moving to clamp her mouth. 

“I’m just saying,” she said into your hand, licking your palm when you kept it on her mouth for far too long. Wiping your now wet hand onto your skirt, you glared at your friend and she innocently smiled back. 

Someone from behind cleared their throat. You and your friend turned on your heels to find your manager on duty, Kyungsoo, giving you an unamused look. “Day one of the job and I already find you two gossiping like little school girls instead of working?”

Joy sent him a sheepish smile, “Sorry, boss.” You repeated her apology in the same tone, hands playing with the edge of your red velvety skirt. 

He sighed and pointed his finger to the door. “Go,” he commands with an authoritative voice and you scramble out the room with Joy right at your tail. You stopped at the stage area, surprised to see more nutcrackers on display than what you saw just five minutes prior. 

Huh. Weird.

Joy let out a flirtatious giggle the moment she skipped past, shooting a wink at you. Or behind you? You honestly weren’t too sure. Someone coughed behind you but you only saw the stationary nutcrackers. 

Did someone pass by? 

Shrugging at the odd interaction, you sighed upon seeing the area you were assigned to clean. Loose Christmas ornaments surrounded the fake trees, the ropes lining the stage were in the wrong place, and the uniforms of the nutcracker displays weren’t as prim and proper as they usually were. One by one, you hung the ornaments back onto the trees and aligned the ropes, taking you around ten minutes. You whistled along to Christmas songs playing in the background mimicked the announcements that rang through the speakers, having them memorized since the last season. It was an odd habit but it helped fill the void of working by yourself. 

Glancing at your watch, you had ten minutes until the first nutcracker show of the day— you pondered if the new guy Joy was talking about would be part of the spectacular. Stopping yourself, you wondered why you even cared— you were there to earn money not to get attached to a pretty boy that just stood there to take pictures.

Walking to the first of the nutcrackers, you started to fiddle with its skewed uniform. Taking note of its condition, you noticed that there were rips in the costume and faded paint on its face. You clicked your tongue— you had to bring that up to Kyungsoo later. It looked sloppy compared to the shinier ones on display. 

“Five minutes until our Nutcracker Spectacular! Please come to our center stage!” Joy’s cheerful voice boomed through the store’s sound system. You heard the chatter of the crowd approaching your area, sending you into a panic. You needed to finish up with the last nutcracker before the audience arrived.

Making your way to the one standing closest to the stage, you realized this nutcracker looked different than the others lining the area. It’s face was so realistic— it almost looked like a real person. The nutcracker has the brownest of eyes and full eyelashes that highlighted his glossy orbs. There was this rosy blush painted on its cheeks along with a constellation of freckles that brought out the nutcracker’s porcelain complexion. Soft tresses of caramel hair peaked out of its long black hat and you felt tempted to comb the stray strands back but you were running extremely low on time. 

“Geez, this one is such an upgrade compared to the other ones. It looks so real. We need more nutcrackers that look like this,” you said to yourself.

If you were paying more attention, you would have seen the figure you were working on holding back a chuckle.

Your hands immediately reached out to dust some snow off the nutcracker’s chest. Why the display had traces of snow on their uniform, you didn’t know— they never made their way outside the store. Straightening the medals on its breast, you realized this display was sturdier than the others. Must be new material. 

Your nimble fingers danced to the nutcracker’s high collar to fix a piece of stubborn material that was folded down. The warmth of your hand brushed against its neck and you thought you were seeing things when the nutcracker slightly shifted. You blinked before carrying on.

The crowds were approaching fast and you were almost finished. You tugged on the red coat’s sleeves, making sure there were no wrinkles on the material before stepping back to admire your handy work.

“Wow, this one’s really handsome,” you said aloud, before moving forward to fix one last crooked medal. 

Just as your hand touched the decoration, it— rather, he spoke. “Ma’am, I know I’m handsome but could you please stop touching me?” 

“Jesus fucking Christ!” you shrieked so loud, the incoming crowd all turned in your direction. You clamped your shaking hand over your mouth and backed away. 

The boy in the nutcracker sent you a quirk of a smile, the tips of his pink lips turned up to reveal a dip in his painted cheek. “Yes, that is the name of the Christmas birthday boy,” he amusedly whispered. 

“Why didn’t you say anything?” you hissed back, heat rising to your cheeks. 

“And stop a cutie from calling me handsome? Nah,” he teased, his tone playful and flirty. Aware of the crowd and the Christmas Carol loop stopping, you quickly turned your head and began to walk away. You were stopped, however, by a warm hand to your wrist. It was a minimal movement, not to attract the attention of the big crowd— he didn’t want to ruin the magic of the upcoming show.

“Wait,” he muttered, doing his best to keep his lip closed. “I just wanted to say sorry for bumping into you earlier, I didn’t want to be late for this— I’ve wanted this job for a while.” 

Your eyes searched his sincere ones as his ears flushed with a burning red. “You were the rude guy from before,” you stated in a hushed whisper, your mind flashing back to the handsome stranger. 

“Can I make it up to you?” He tugged on the sleeve of your ugly sweater.

“How would you do that?” your voice flirted back. Wait, where did that confidence come from?

“We clocked in around the same time, yeah?” You nodded in reply.

“How about we take our break together at the cafe? Grab some some cookies and hot cocoa— I’ll pay,” he shyly offered, his confidence disappearing for a short moment. If he wasn’t on stage with an audience, he would be rubbing the back of his neck to deal with his sudden burst of nerves.

“Sounds like a date,” you giggled. The boy released the material of your sleeve, his fingers lighting brushing against yours. You squeezed your hand at the fluttering feels that sent shivers down your spine. 

“One minute before our Nutcracker Spectacular!” Joy’s voice ran through the speakers again.

“Well, I’ll be watching, Nutcracker,” you winked. 

“Jaehyun,” he blurted back.

“Hmm?”

“That’s my name,” he smiled, “Jaehyun.”

“Well then, break a leg, Jaehyun.” Another wink and a smile and you quickly make your way out of the crowd to stand behind the bustle of people. 

The show goes off without a hitch— the children were amazed at the handsome nutcracker coming to life when a girl playing Clara came on stage. They sang familiar Christmas songs, danced with gorgeous smiles on their faces, and laughed happily at the audience interactions. You had fun simply watching them from the back. The best part, though, was when Jaehyun would look over at you and charm you with the brightest grin as he sang. 

Jaehyun braved himself to sing a line with his gleaming eyes directed straight at you. “All I want for Christmas is you,” his baritone voice projected through the microphone. You bit back a smile as he sent you a shameless wink. A few teenage girls in front of you swooned, thinking it was for them, and you shook your head with a ghost of a smile.

Maybe keeping the stage area clean wasn’t that bad of an assignment as you thought it would be. After all, you had some great eye candy in the form of a handsome nutcracker that kept glancing your way.

Checking your watch, you had another two hours until your first break and you couldn’t wait for it to come. And by the looks of it, Jaehyun couldn’t wait either. 

What a way to ring in the holiday season— first shift back at your favorite job, first snowfall of the year, and a first date with a cute nutcracker who won your heart with a corny Christmas song.

🎄AUTHOR’S NOTE— happy december 1st, y’all! i wrote this a month ago and i’m so happy i can finally post it! more fics coming your way this month! stay tuned! uwu