#STAYblr

[felixir]

FELIX | SKZ-TALKER GO! Season 5 Ep.02 SEOUL

[justastraymoa]

So some extra 'ME' notes on this. Purely my adds on how I feel.

As you may or may not know i am a STAY writer on here. And while this post is originally atiny and I do not want to take that away from anything. At all. I am not fluent enough in Ateez to be Atiny so I can't speak for them. Though Ateez has AMAZING work and I do occasionally read other group fics when they catch my eye.

As a STAY writer both fanfic and text fics I feel demotivated occasionally about lack of responses both in reblogs and comments even if I try not to.

I am also guilty of simply reblogging without commenting or adding tags. I am currently working to change that so if I've done that to you I apologize.

The original post makes some very good points. Don't pester writers if they don't want asked to update. I don't mind it personally because I view it as a positive response to my fic, even if the same people don't comment compliments later. But not everyone does, so be courteous.

I wouldn't say you have to do it on ALL works. For instance. I have been known to scroll through someone's page and read and reblog like every post. 😵

Just be aware what the world is like now and spread the love or other feelings you get from the fic you just consumed.

Anyways I ramble

Byyyyyeeeee!

to a dying? atinyblr

i don't usually speak about these things, but a lot of blogs (amazing writers) are leaving this platform or taking time off bc of lack of engagement which serves as a big demotivating factor. especially and specifically in this atiny fandom, some things have come to my attention and i just want all readers and writers to take a look at this post and refresh some reading and writing etiquettes, as well as revive the essence of being a part of this fandom.

feedback:

i understand that there are a lot of silent readers on here, but since tumblr is dying and our fandom is not very huge, the least you can do to show the writers some support is like the post. 

which brings me to the point that the like function didn't even exist in the past. this site still runs on reblogs. as readers, to show your favourite writers some semblance of support, you should be reblogging with tags. a simple ‘#ateez x reader’ or ‘#ateez fics’ is enough. it's literally not asking for much– reblogs are the only way writers can get reach.

if you cannot do that bc of your blog's aesthetic or whatever, side blogs exist. if you still cannot do that, a simple anon ask appreciating the writer sometimes saves them.

also, what has happened to the quality of reblogs? readers consume years of writers’ work and efforts in mere hours and don’t even leave any feedback? art in general in all forms is very underappreciated and with all sorts of problems like plagiarism, ai writing and everything, true art and writing is dying and needs to be appreciated now more than ever. we’re literally the last generation witnessing ai take over in all fields of arts. appreciate content creators before it’s too late, don’t be a content glutton!

updates and requests:

asking writers for updates when they specifically mention that they would prefer posting at their pace is wrong for so many reasons– we all have a real life. you, the reader, do too. just like you don't always have time to read, writers don't always have time to write. do you ever see the writers asking their readers 'why have you not read my latest chapter?' 

most of the times, writers mention in their bio/faq post or elsewhere that they do mind being asked about updates. respect your writers, please, and do a little scroll before you send such demanding asks (also, sugarcoating when asking for updates does not make it any better!)

if you are only asking about updates, it demotivates a lot of writers bc these same people will disappear when it is time for feedback. writing is a form of art. we can write, artists can paint, musicians can compose music, but all of it has no meaning unless it is shared with an audience and appreciated. readers are just as important as the writers but there is no way of knowing fics are valued unless feedback is given.

the same goes for requests. you can only send a request when the requests are open, which is usually mentioned in the writer’s bio/faq post. it’s literally not that hard to check if requests are open and it’s basic decency to not send a request when the writers specifically mention that requests are closed. when sending a request, please be courteous. a ‘please’ or ‘thank you’ are examples of being courteous when sending requests.

the fanfics in atinyblr:

i understand that you can read whatever you like, but why is it that in the atiny fandom, fics that do not contain smut hardly ever get attention? as a writer, i enjoy writing and reading smut, and while i am not specifically a smut blog, i have noticed how fics containing smut get far more reach than fics that do not contain smut– not just in my case, but other amazing writers as well. 

there are such amazing fictions in this fandom. all fics are crafted with dedication and care, yet stories without smut often get sidelined. writers are not able to express themselves in their writing freely anymore and they simply conform to a genre they know readers will consume, as they are forced to consider adding smut to their stories so they can get more reach in this fandom. i have heard accounts from a lot of writers who were inclined to add smut to an otherwise smut-free fic just for reach.

this is by no means hate to the smut writers. i am also not placing blame on them. smut drabbles have always been in this fandom, and there are amazing smut writers out there, doing their thing. it is the readers here who are failing the writers. readers are quick to talk about the lack of ‘good fics’ or ‘plot’ yet will not even bother searching for these works. there used to be a good balance and appreciation for all genres alike.

i know that smut is what's hot and trendy these days, and drabbles in general, no matter the genre, are easier to read when you want to take a short break. but there is such a lack of longfics in this fandom, especially as of lately, and as someone who has personally witnessed the ratio of longfics decrease exponentially, i felt the need to point this out. appreciate all writers! appreciate all genres! longfic writers need as much validation and encouragement as drabble writers, and vice versa! don't be too harsh on longfic writers for not pumping out fics at the same speed as shortfic writers.

and on that note, smut drabble writers experience a lack of quality feedback despite the high engagement, so readers, please don't hesitate to point out exactly what you liked about a fic, even if it's a short drabble! be kind to those writers, give them time to write and be kind when sending requests! they may post more often but they, too, have a life.

tags:

this is specifically for the people who will post a very normal picture of a member, no caption, but tag it something like #ateez smut, #ateez hard hours, #ateez x reader. and for the people who tag their asks with irrelevant tags– literally learn to tag your post properly, and stop crowding the wrong tags. you're just proving the point that if you don't tag a post with the smut tag or something similar, it won't get reach. if you've posted with a caption, that makes sense (though it still doesn't warrant some of the tags being used there).

as for writers, also learn to use your tags appropriately. fics that do not contain smut should not be tagged with smut related tags. believe in yourself. i get that there is the problem of reach but do not overcrowd tags with irrelevant material.

disclaimer:

this is by no means about me. if i cared about the notes, or lack thereof, i would have stopped writing a while ago. while it is challenging to be a writer here, especially as of lately, i still enjoy posting whatever i write no matter the genre or the word count. but it's a bit disappointing that my planned out fics get much less attention than a simple smut headcanons post that i wrote in the heat of the moment with my friend in literally a few hours as a joke (which has reached almost 10k notes btw in a span of 2 years). sure, it has exposed my blog to new readers but that's about it.

this post is for all the amazing writers who have left, are thinking of leaving, or are struggling to voice these problems because they are afraid of being marked as 'problematic' or a 'hater' or something worse. i am not afraid to voice my opinion on here, and if you think that i am wrong, feel free to interact with this post and correct me because i am not claiming that i am right about this.

these are just the observations i have made as someone who has been actively writing on this platform for about 4 years now, and since i have a decent number of followers, i hope this post gets more reach. do not be afraid to reblog this if you agree, and even if you do not, reblog this so someone else gets educated. i may have missed some points so feel free to add if you want too.

[straykidsgallery]

SKZ TALKER Ep. 66 - Bang Chan & Lee Know ❣︎

[skzworldz]

Sir, I am not okay

[stayalix]

YES

[banana-boatt]

I really loved your fic “A Kiss Once The Clock Strikes 12”! It’s just a suggestion, but you should enter in the Stayblr Christmas Writing Challenge! Again, loved the fic.

Thanks for the request! I did make one, and it’s a bit rushed, but I hope you like it!

————————————————————————

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔹𝕖𝕤𝕥 ℂ𝕙𝕣𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕞𝕒𝕤 𝕄𝕚𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕝𝕖

Ship: Minho!highschool x Y/n Genre: Romance, high school au, fluff, slight angst, jealousy Warnings: Coarse language, mild sexual references, Christmas Spirit! Wc: 6.5k

This is for the Stayblr writing challenge! I know I’m cutting it close, but I hope you like it!

-> @stayblrofficial

*10 years ago*

“Oppa! Oppa!” Y/n giggled, running up to Minho and giving him a hug. He responded with a chuckle, hugging you back. “You took so long at the park with Jaehoon, I thought you’d gone away forever!” you pout, and Minho laughs again before pulling away slightly. “You know, you could’ve come too.” he said, ruffling your hair. “But I don’t like Jaehooon. He’s a meanie.” you whine, and Minho jokingly rolls his eyes. You begin tugging at Minho’s arm “Come, come! Omma and Appa have already made tteokbokki! We were waiting for you for so long!” Minho’s eyes widened. “Really?” You nod rapidly and he grins. “Race you!” With that, you run off inside, an equally excited Minho running behind you. “UNFAIR! YOU GOT A HEAD START!” He yells behind you as you reach the doorstep. In response, you stick out your tongue and go inside, where your dad is waiting. “Hey! Shoes off, and wash up before you sit at the table.” He says as he sets up the table. “Awwww!” Minho and you groan at the same time before bursting into giggles and running to your respective homes to shower. Not even ten minutes later, you both come back to the table and sit down eagerly as the steaming tteokbokki is getting served onto the plates. You turn to Minho and grin. “Don’t ever be gone for that long again! Look what you almost missed out on!!!” you laugh, and dig in as Minho nods and does the same, smiling widely.

*10 years later*

You are attempting to fix your tie in the mirror for the thousandth time, but it just wasn’t having it today. You groaned as you untangled it AGAIN, just as a loud banging was heard on the door. “Minho-ya! Don’t bang the door down!” You yell, annoyed already. He dramatically gasps as he slips out of his shoes with ease. “No Oppa today? What did I do!!!” He whines, and you shoot him an annoyed glare before going back to your tie, eyes scrunched in frustration. “Ah! Your first day of high school and you can’t tie a tie?” he tutted, but flinched as you raised your hand threateningly. “Relax, I’ll help you.” he said smoothly, and took the tie out of your hands and began untangling the monstrosity that you had created. Not focussing as he did so, you looked up at his eyes, crinkling in the corners as he smiled teasingly, his hair falling perfectly across them. Temporarily mesmerised, your eyes traced his features, eventually landing on his mouth. His lips, turned upwards in a smirk, looked so pink and soft, his tongue poking out slightly, the only sign that he was struggling. You were so entranced by him that you didn’t even notice that he was finished with your tie. “Y/n, y/n, Y/N!” Minho yelled, and you snapped back into reality with his voice, clearing your throat awkwardly. “Thanks.” you say, gesturing to the tie, before walking away immediately, leaving a mildly confused Minho in your wake. “Hey! Wait up!” he says as you walk out of the room, beginning to set the table for breakfast. “Yang Y/n, if you don’t stop right this instant I will not hesitate to OBLITERATE you in a tickle fight.” Minho threatened, his hands on his hips, but you jokingly ignored him, getting out the cutlery way too loudly. “Fine.” He shrugged, grinning obnoxiously, “You asked for it!” He promptly lunged at you and grabbed your sides, his fingers skirting over your skin. Your laughter filled the air as he tickled you hard, your eyes forming tears at how hard you were laughing. “St-stop!” you pant in between giggles, but Minho doesn’t relent, laughing as well. “I did warn you!” he grinned mischievously, and you would have rolled your eyes if you weren’t being ruthlessly attacked. You fell to the floor slightly. “Minhoo!” You whine good-naturedly, still being subjected to the tickle torture. He tutted annoyingly, his eyes twinkling. “Call me Oppa! Show some respect Y/nnie!” he teased. “Fine! Minho Oppa! I’m sorry!” you gasped as he finally stopped, laughing uncontrollably as you got up and scowled at him teasingly. “I hate you.” you say, still giggling softly, barely composing yourself before finally setting the table. “Love you too!” he says, blowing an exaggerated kiss at you as he sat down. Just then, your mom came into the kitchen. “Y/n!” she gasped. “Your hair is a mess!” Your eyes widen as you rush to the closest mirror. 

“MINHO OPPA! I’M GOING TO KILL YOU!” 

Twenty minutes later, unfortunately Minho is still alive and you’re on the bus to school. You pick at your nails, a nervous habit you’ve developed from childhood. “Y/n.” Minho breathed, nudging at your hands. “You can’t honestly be that nervous.” He says it lightly, but there’s an underlying concern in his voice that makes you look up. “I don’t know. Your friends are well-“ you say. You’ve definitely seen his friends at their worst, sweatpants and hoodies with greasy hair and dark circles, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you don’t know their best. The most popular group of people in the whole school, desired and not without good reason. They were talented, smart and athletic, not to mention attractive. And you were one of their best friends. Really, they considered you a sister. Which means more expectations to live up to that you don’t think you can. “It’s a lot of pressure.” you finish, drawing your gaze back to your hands as you continue to fiddle. “Hey.” Minho said gently, grabbing your hand lightly. “I believe in you. School’s fun, trust me. Plus with the Christmas Gala coming up, everybody’s going to be too excited to even notice you.” you roll your eyes, because you both know that’s not true. Literally nothing happens at Jungchae high, so any news is news for a long time. “Minho, it’s weird enough that I’m the only new student this school has seen in half a century, but I’m joining straight in the middle of the year.” you say, looking out the window as the school approaches. Minho had started high school two years before you, and now that you’re 15, you’re starting too. You had originally gone to a public school but your parents had gotten a raise and had decided to send you to the same private school as your best friend. They just failed to mention that it would be smack in the middle of the year. Before you can say anything though, the bus screeches to a halt, and everyone jostles to get off. You take a deep breath and get off the bus, blending in with the crowd as you stick close to Minho. At first, no one notices you in the chatter. But when you enter the school, and the crowd disperses, the whispers begin.

“Wait, does anyone know her?”

“Clearly Minho does. Look how close they are!”

“What class is she in? Because she’s late!”

“Real. Who joins in the middle of the school year?”

“She’s kinda pretty though. Might hit her up sometime.”

“Mate. She’s way out of your league.”

A blush tinges your cheeks as Minho moves slightly closer to you, his protective instincts never faltering, especially at the last comment. Suddenly someone runs up to you two. “Minho hyung! Minho hyung!” Jisung yells from the other side of the hall, grinning widely. “What.” Minho says, but smiles slightly. “I- Y/n.” Jisung stops short once he notices you. “Y/nnie!” Jisung grinned and pulled you into a hug. You take a minute to realise that this is Minho’s best friend, because he looks so different. He really cleans himself up when he goes to school, you think, glancing at his attire, so different to when he goes over to Minho’s house. The whispers intestify. As do the stares. You offer a smile to Jisung just before a loud trilling sound breaks the silence. Students scurry to class, as does Jisung, but Minho stays for a moment. “Will you find your class okay?” he asks, and you nod dismissively. “I’ll be fine.” 

It turns out, you were not fine. It was around five minutes after the bell rang and you were hopelessly wandering around, the only people still in the halls were the few stragglers that were still talking. You wander awkwardly until someone pulls you over. “Hi, are you new here?” she says, and you look up at the girl. She has long black hair and chocolatey brown eyes, a small smile perched on her lips. “Yeah. I’m a little lost.” you laugh and she smiles brighter. “Don’t worry! I’m Kim Eun Ji, but everyone just calls me Ji. What class do you have?” You blink at her, barely registering what she said as she talked at the speed of light, but responded. “I’m Y/n. Ummm…” you glance at your timetable “History. In 311.” Ji gasps dramatically. “Oh my god, same! This is totally a sign!” she grins, then over exaggeratedly holds out her hand. “My lady. Let me be your guide to the ancient wonders of whatever we were learning about in that boring class.” You giggle and let her lead the way. As you reached, she introduced you to her friends. “This is Hyunju, Yunsun, Hajun, Yejun and Jaehoon.” you nod politely at each of them, until you reach Jaehoon. “Wait!” you say, startled slightly. “You’re Minho oppa’s friend! Aren’t you my neighbour too?” you grin, as Ji exchanges glances with the rest of the group. “Minho…Oppa? You know Minho? Like THE Lee Minho?” Ji asks slowly, her eyes wide in disbelief. You nod. “Yeah, I’ve known him since I was like two years old. I swear Jaehoon was his friend!” you say excitedly, and Jaehoon chuckles, his voice deep and rich as he speaks. “Yeah, I was. Kinda like those forced friendships you have when you’re little though.” he says, smiling, and you can’t help but smile back. “Ok Jaehoon, and we love that for you, but you WERE friends with him. I wanna know about you, Y/n, and the first topic we should talk about is how the hell you know Minho, but more importantly, how you can introduce him to me?” Yu Sun says, and grabs your shoulders tightly. For some reason, you immediately don’t like her, and your stomach flips when she basically confesses her crush for Minho. Meanwhile, Jaehoon is still staring at you from across the room, so intensely that you can feel it. “I-I don’t know…” you begin, but can’t finish as everyone’s chatter overlaps you.

Over the next few days, you come to realise that your new found friend group is well known, at least well known enough. When you go around the school, almost every person roaming the corridors waves to Ji. Soon enough, they begin to wave to you as well, as if they had known you or even talked to you more than a casual greeting. As you walk the halls, you assume the whispers about you will stop, and though they have reduced slightly, the main thing that’s changed is what they whisper about. Before, you were just a random new kid who just happened to be friends with Minho. But now that they’d seen your personality, not to mention your face; it was more on if you were single. You didn’t really know what to do with the attention, but one thing for sure, it’s not stopping any time soon. Your train of thought was broken, however, as a tall guy stood in your way, leaning, opening his locker and blocking your path. He had long blonde hair that swept over his eyes and high cheekbones that made him look like a Ken doll. “Hey baby girl.” he says, looking you up and down. “Heard you’re new. I’m-“ before he could continue, he was cut off by a loud slam. You turn around to see Minho, his hand on the locker door as he slammed it shut. “I don’t think she gives a shit about your name, and more turned off by your stench.” Minho said darkly, and you smiled slightly. “So, go on and waddle out of here like the walking Ken doll you are desperately trying to be.” You chuckled slightly as he voiced your exact thoughts while the boy practically ran away. Minho turned to you, eyes softening slightly. “Are you okay?” he said gently, looking down at you. You looked into his eyes and felt your heart flutter a little before blushing and looking away. “Thanks, but I’ll be fine. I don’t need you to protect me, Oppa.” You meant it as a joke, but you watch as his eyes cloud with an emotion you don’t recognise. “I’ll protect you whenever you need me Y/n, whether you like it or not.” He practically growled the sentence, his gaze never leaving yours. You blink slightly, not knowing whether to be afraid or comforted by that sentence. Thankfully, the bell rang just in time, and you ran off, Minho still staring behind you. 

The next few weeks passed in a blur, and suddenly, you were 10 days away from Christmas, which means only a week away from the iconic Christmas Gala that Jungchae High hosted every year. It’s a fundraiser, but it’s also the whole school's excuse for a fully authorised night out. And literally all your friends had a date, except for Jaehoon and…well, you. Not for lack of interest, though, you think bitterly as the next wannabe approaches you. This one has the greasiest hair you’d ever seen, scraped into a ragged man bun like a try hard rock artist. You sighed as he droned on about how he’d been ‘watching you from afar’ and how it was ‘true love at first sight.” Before you could reject him however, someone came up behind you and shoved him. Hard. You turned around and saw Minho, his jaw clenched and mouth in a straight line. “What the fuck. You can’t expect to get a girl like that, greasy asshat. Go find someone else to bug.” he growled, and you rolled your eyes. “Oppa.” you begin, but he doesn’t let you finish, his earlier fury melting into concern almost as soon as he looked at you. “Y/n! Are you okay? Are you hurt? If that son of a bitch touched a hair on your head-.” You cut him off, eyes stern and cold. “Minho.” That shuts him up, his eyebrows raised at the tone and informal language. “I love that you are protecting me, but this-“ you gesture to the area where the boy just was. “This violence and constantly ‘helping’ when I don’t need it, it’s…stifling.” you breathe, because this kind of thing has been happening way too often these days. Every single time you were getting asked out, Minho would basically crush them, both mentally and physically, and it was starting to annoy you. Minho stays, silent but nods just enough to let you know that he’s listening. Suddenly, Ji appears next to you and starts talking about something erratically and before you know it, you’re getting whisked off somewhere. But you don’t know what Minho registered from the conversation until a text message lights up your phone on your way home.

im sorry. wanna go xmas shopping to make up for it? 12:30. 

ik your irresponsible ass hasn’t done it yet.

Shut up.

Fine.

The next day, you and Minho prepare to go to the pop up fair that had appeared in the Christmas spirit. For some reason, you felt a particular need to impress him. And for that same, mysterious reason, half your wardrobe was strewn across the floor, from shoes to scarves, you had dumped your everything to find something appropriate to wear to this not-date. Which is exactly what it was. It can’t be a date because Minho is just a friend. Just a friend, you reminded yourself again as you flung another dress across the room. Finally, you decided on a red dress with intricate silver details and a fluffy collar and sleeve cuffs. To get into the festive mood, you put on a cute Santa hat and finish it off with some red platforms. You look for your favourite perfume, the one Minho bought for you last year on your 14th birthday. Finally, you took out a pair of silver bauble earrings, ones that Jaehoon had given you, claiming he had “bought them by accident” and when you refused them, said he would throw them away if you didn’t wear them. You carefully put them on before checking one last time in the mirror, smoothing out your already styled hair before finally giving up and stepping outside. Minho was waiting for you outside, dressed nicely, or at least nicer than usual. He has on a pair of black corduroy pants and a black collared shirt, along with a thick jacket and beanie. “Jesus Y/n, aren’t you going to freeze to death in that?” Minho asked ridiculously, his eyes scanning over your outfit. You laughed a little but shook your head. It hadn’t even started snowing yet. “You look really pretty though.” Minho added, and you blush, giving a little curtsy jokingly. “So do you.” Both of you begin walking to the Christmas market, chatting amongst yourselves lightly. Once you reach, however, you gasp. “Oppa! Oppa! There’s Christmas carols. I haven’t been to one of those in forever!” you laugh and run up to them. Minho smiles warmly and walks along.

As you sway to the beat of the music, humming along softly, Minho’s eyes are drawn to you.How your eyes sparkle as you look at the choir, shining brightly. How your hair is strewn over your face like a perfect picture, your soft lips pulled into a gentle smile. He examines your features like he was trying to memorise them, his eyes never leaving your face. Not until you squeal, and he’s broken out of his thoughts. “What?” he says, looking up, trying to see what you’re so excited about. Finally, a single snowflake lands on his nose. “Minho Oppa! It's snowing for the first time!” you yell, your eyes lighting up, your cheeks tinged pink from the cold. He smiled and brushed the snowflake off, pinching your cheeks lightly as you scowled teasingly at him before getting distracted by the snowfall once more. As the caroling continued, the snowfall fell harder, and after about half an hour, there were a few inches of it. You knelt down on the floor, touching the snow and laughing. “Oppa! Look!” you squeal. Minho was definitely looking, just not at the snow. His gaze was firmly on you, focussed on your tinkling laugh and how you looked so pretty as you stared at the snow, your eyes shining with excitement. The only thing that snapped him out of it was when he was thrown back by something. His eyes snapped to attention as you wielded a snowball, aiming for him. “Snowball fight!” you say, and Minho smirks, gathering his own snowball.

“You’re so on.”

After a lot of laughing and even more snowballs, Minho was ready to go inside. “Y/n! How are you still not cold!” he whined teasingly, turning around to head back inside. Big mistake, you think, because you throw a snowball at him that has him falling to the floor. You gasp. “Minho Oppa! Oppa are you okay?” you ask, concerned, as he lays in the snow. He raises his arm out. “No, Y/n can you help me-“ you take his arm, then squeal when he pulls you down with him, laughing. “That’s what you get Y/nnie!” he teased and looked up at you. Only then does he realise how close you are to him, your faces inches apart, your body pressed on top of his. You analyse his features, almost automatically, before you clear your throat. “We should probably, um, go inside.” you say, getting up and dusting off the snow on your dress, and when you glance at him as he does the same, you notice a flash of…disappointment on his face?  You shrug it off and go to the nearest inn, a pub close by, where Minho follows you. Even though it’s warm, the adrenaline wore off, and now you shiver as you enter and take a seat at the table. Maybe you should have listened to Minho and brought a jacket after all. Just then, an unexpected warmth engulfs you, and you look up to see Minho handing you his jacket and putting it on your shoulders. “I told you to put on a jacket Y/nnie.” he sighs. You laugh, blushing slightly, as you tuck your hair behind your ear shyly. Suddenly, Minho speaks, his tone sharp and completely different from moments ago. “New earrings.” he says coolly, his eyes tracing them. “Yeah.” you say uncomfortably, waiting for the inevitable next question. “Who gave them to you?” You pick at your nails nervously. “Jaehoon oppa. You know, our neighbour? He used to be your friend.” you say, shying away from Minho’s gaze. “Yeah used to be for a reason! You’re just accepting gifts from random assholes on the street now?” he raised his voice as he spoke, and you ducked your head. “Oppa, you’re creating a scene.” you hiss, but Minho continues. “What makes you think you can have anything from him? That you’re allowed to take this from him?” You bang your hand on the table, finally making him stop. By now, everyone in the pub was looking at you. “Minho. It is none of your business what I take from someone or what they give me, and you definitely don’t have the power to allow me to do it. What I do with Jaehoon and what he does with me is none of your concern. You’re acting like a jealous boyfriend.” you say, stern and cold. Getting up from the table, you walk out of the pub, breathing heavily, with a shocked Minho behind you. As you stand outside the door, you notice the person you least expected to see, just as Minho runs up behind you. “Y/n, wait-“ he says, just as you say.

“Jaehoon?”

Jaehoon walks towards you, his eyes bright. “Y/n! I’ve been looking for you everywhere!” he says, breaking into a light jog as he reaches you. Minho stays silent behind you, maybe in shock. You compose yourself before giving him a smile. “Hey Jaehoon oppa!” you say brightly, partly because of Jaehoon, but mainly because Minho is right behind you and you just have to prove that you’re the bigger person. “Hey, I need to ask you something.” he says, smiling gently, and you nod, gesturing for him to continue. He sends an awkward glance to Minho before leaning into your ear and whispering. “Alone.” You can practically feel Minho’s stare harden as you nod, but suddenly, you feel fingers on your wrist. You turn to see him grabbing your hand tightly, his eyes pleading with you not to go. But you were done with his overpowering ‘protection’, and you walked away with Jaehoon to a nearby corner. You know Minho could still see you, but he couldn’t hear you. Turning to Jaehoon, you shoot him a questioning glance. Jaehoon clears his throat and starts. “Y/n, I know you’re relatively new to the school and you’re probably not going to say yes, but I thought I’d ask anyway.” he says nervously, and it suddenly occurs to you why he’s pulled you into this corner. “I really like you, and I was wondering if you wanted to go to the Christmas Gala with me?” he says, closing his eyes. You look at Minho, filled with some sort of triumph before turning to him and answering.

“Yes.”

The walk home was silent. Jaehoon had offered to accompany you, but you had refused. You were kind of regretting it now, as the silence stretched between you and Minho like the Sahara. The only sound was the heavy trudging of boots as you walked through the snow. Minho opened his mouth multiple times as if to speak, but thought better of it every time. Once you finally reached your house, you didn’t bother to look at Minho before slamming the door behind you. As you stood at the door sill, you realised this was one of the first times he hadn’t come over to your house before going to his own. Dinner was silent, your dad and mum sending curious glances at you as you ate your food, but you remained stoic. You’d never really fought with Minho before, and it felt really…lonely. Especially at school. Even though you had your friend group, and Jaehoon, school felt like eternal hell, and every single time she would notice Minho in the halls, she would look away. Because if you looked any longer, her resolve would crumble because of that perfect face, and under no circumstances can that happen. 

You could feel your friends starting to worry, wondering what was going on, but you brushed them off, pretending it was just exam stress. “Come on Y/n, you’re no fun!” Yusun whined, and you wanted nothing more than to push her off a cliff. She’d been even more adamant about Minho these last few days as the Christmas Gala came closer, and it bugged you to no end. You didn’t quite know why it bugged you, but it did. “Relax, Y/n just broke up with someone.” Ji said jokingly, but both Yu/un and Jaehoon snapped to attention. “What? Who?” Jaehoon said quickly, his eyes straight on yours. You groaned. “I didn’t break up with anyone because we were never in a relationship.” you explain; staring daggers at Ji, who shrugged casually. “That’s not what it looks like.” she said in a sing-song, sitting down on the table. “Who are we talking about!” Yusun whinged, and you inhaled sharply. “Minho Oppa.” you say flatly, and she immediately begins to fangirl. “Minho is so- wait what.” she stopped short as she realised what Ji was implying. “You’re in a relationship with Minho. Wait no, you have a crush on him because you could never get him. He would never like someone like you, no offense” she said tersely, and Jaehoon laughed uncomfortably. Meanwhile, it felt like Yusun had dug a dagger in your heart, the sharp truth of her words breaking through you. He would never like someone like you. But why do you care? Your eyes widen in realisation as Ji whispers in your ear. “Yeah, you’re totally in love.”

Minho was definitely facing a similar situation. As you were walking home, he would try to say sorry, but the words just wouldn’t form. His parents were very vocal about your absence, and that just made him feel worse. He knew it was completely his fault, but he’s never argued with you, let alone apologised. School was even worse, like you were leaving a gaping hole inside of him. He kept relatively to himself, and his friends were teasing him about it non stop. “Hyung, why are you sulking lately! Have some fun!” Felix said, glancing over at his direction when he was looking particularly sullen. “Jesus Felix, be considerate! He’s going through a break up.” Hyunjin teased, snorting while Minho glared at him. Jisung laughed too. “Something like that.” he said, and Minho shot him a look. Jisung is the only person Minho willingly admitted it to, and he was severely regretting it. “It’s not a breakup because we were never together!” Minho groans, resting his head in his hands. “You sure look like you want to be together. What did she call you again? A jealous boyfriend.” Jisung laughed again, and the group broke out into loud yells. “Dayum you’re really head over heels for her!” Chan yelled, and Minho shook his head rapidly. “I’m not!” he said, and Changbin looked at him pointedly. “Then why are you so opposed to her having a boyfriend, or even a date to the gala?” he asked, trapping Minho in a corner as he struggled to respond. “I-um-“ he said, because he didn’t know. He didn’t know why his blood boiled when he saw another boy approaching you, why he wanted to punch every scumbag's face for even looking at you, and why he felt his stomach flip every single time he saw you and Jaehoon together. Maybe it was just a friendly instinct, but it didn’t explain how he felt like he was in another world when he talked to you, how his heart skipped a beat every time you smiled, and how he felt like he could listen to you laugh for ages. “You’re really in love, hyung.” Seungmin said as Minho snapped back into reality, looking at him as if he’d grown a second head. “In love? How can I be in love?” Minho stammered, and inwardly cursed himself as he saw the smirk grow on Seungmin’s face. “Well, let’s do a test, shall we?” he said, a shit eating grin planted on his face. “Item A: Do you think she’s pretty?” he says, and Minho splutters for an answer. “Well, of course she’s pretty-ah, but-I mean-“ he stammered, and Seungmin grinned. “That’s a yes. Item B: Do you get jealous when other guys talk to her.” he waited a beat before answering his own question. “Never mind, I know the answer. Okay, Item C: Do you get butterflies when you talk to her?” Minho remained silent; Seungmin got his answer. “Yeah, you’re totally in love.”

The next day, in the halls, you were in thought for a while, staring into space, until someone tapped your shoulder. Turning around rapidly, you were half hoping it was Minho. But instead, it was Jaehoon, and you barely disguised the disappointment on your face. “Listen Y/n, I don’t know if you’ve been Christmas shopping yet.” he started, and immediately you knew he was lying. He had asked you out when you were Christmas shopping with Minho…ah. That’s what this was about. Ji’s teasing must have taken a toll on him, and you sighed before smiling tightly as he continued. “And I was wondering if you wanted to go to the Christmas fair with me?” he crossed his fingers and squeezed his eyes shut, just like he had when he first asked you out. His nervous expression might have been endearing to some, but to you, it was just another difference between him and Minho. Those differences became more apparent as the day went on. He had asked you to go the same day, and you had no time to get ready. But you found that you didn’t really care what you wore, deciding on a simple green dress and minimal accessories. You registered he meant it was a date, but for some reason, you couldn’t bring yourself to view it more as a casual outing. Once you step out, you expect Jaehoon to be waiting but nope. He was already at the fair, with his friends. They left after you arrived, but you couldn’t shake the feeling that you didn’t want to be here. You forced a smile at Jaehoon and greeted him, but your eyes were drawn to the carols again. Something about Christmas cheer bringing people together made you giddy. It seemed Jaehoon noticed your stare, because he quickly looked away from you and said in an offhand tone. “Christmas carolling is so overrated. It’s really cringe nowadays.” Your eyes snap up and you try your best not to glare at him. “I guess.” you mutter, shoving past him. The rest of the outing went as imagined. Anything you wanted to do or even look at, Jaehoon would immediately switch the topic onto something else. There was a lot of walking and money spent, but you weren’t having fun. Not fun like you had with-Anyway. As you continued walking, you saw some kids have a snowball fight. Your mind flashed back to what should be called the calm before the storm. It was so fun, and when you fell on top of Minho, the way he looked at you-Your train of thought halts as Jaehoon yells. “Kids! Move out of the fucking way!” you gasp, but the kids scurry away. You turn to look at Jaehoon. “What the hell? They’re kids!” you all but yell, and he seems taken aback. “Kids playing an immature game that’s blocking my baby’s path.” he says, a ridiculously bad attempt at flirting. “First of all. I am not ‘your baby’. They’re kids, playing a game, and you probably ruined their day.” You say, and look at him in disgust. “And mine too, asshat. This was a dumb idea. Forget about taking me to the Gala, son of a bitch” You mutter, walking off, a dumbfounded Jaehoon behind you. As you walked, you realised something. Jaehoon was a nice boy, but really, he was just there at the right place at the right time. You had only said yes because…ah, the ever present Lee Minho. Really, you mostly did all of this for him. Because, once you reach your doorstep, there’s a sinking feeling inside your stomach that knows Ji was right.

You’re really in love with Minho.

Needless to say, both of you had trouble sleeping last night. Each contemplating what to say to the other the next day, which came all too soon. You trudged along the halls with Minho alongside you, because it was lunch. The cafeteria wasn’t full yet, but you barely noticed, your mind consumed with what you planned to say. About your feelings, about your date, about anything. You turn to him, but before you can say anything, he starts to speak. “Listen, Y/n, I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t have been that upset over some earrings, and assumed I have a right to dictate what you’re allowed to wear.” he says, looking down at you, his eyes pleading. “I don’t know how to make up for it, and you don’t have to forgive me, but I’m really sorry.” he breathed, and when you didn’t say anything, he added “I miss you.” You look up at him. “I really hate it when we’re like this.” you say weakly, your hand instinctively reaching for his, and he takes it. “I hate it too.” he says, giving it a reassuring squeeze. And now, looking into his eyes, his arm in yours, you feel this sense of self confidence. “Do you want to make up for it?” you ask, and he nods eagerly, his eyes curious. “Give me a Christmas miracle.” you say, and he looks at you quizzically. “How?” You take a deep breath. “By being my date to the Christmas Gala.” He was taken aback, his hand slipping from yours. All the previous self confidence was diminished at Minho’s reaction, Yusun’s words repeating in your head. He’d never want someone like you anyway. And it looked like she was right. Well, you thought she was, until you felt Minho’s lips on yours.

You stood, frozen for a moment as Minho kissed you, gently but with burning passion that stunned you. You could barely register his lips over yours, your heart beating right out of your chest. He pulled away, embarrassed. “Sorry, that was too far, sorry, I-“ this time, you cut him off, kissing him hard, your hands looping around his neck. He kissed you back with equal ferocity, grabbing your waist and pulling you closer. Your hands moved up, playing with his hair, while he grabbed your waist possessively, like he never wanted to let go. Unfortunately, oxygen is necessary for the human body, but as they broke apart for air, they were interrupted by a loud screech. “YOU LIKE MINHO?! BUT I THOUGHT HE WAS MINE!” Yusun squawked, pushing through the crowd in the cafeteria and walking out. Which is when you realise that there were a lot of people who just witnessed you kiss. Like the whole damn school. Minho’s friends jeered him and cheered him on, with a few of your friends wolf whistling jokingly. Your eyes were drawn to Ji, a smirk on her face. Triumph. You laughed a little, but then your smile faded when you realised that if Yusun and Ji were here, then it was only a matter of time before-“Y/n? This is who you left me for?” Jaehoon yelled, suddenly right in front of you. Minho stepped forward, but you waved him off. This was your fight. “Not really, but it was a large part of the reason.” you say, rolling your eyes as he gaped at you. “Come on, I’m so much better!” he whined like a five year old, and the need to berate him like a toddler grew stronger. “That’s for me to decide, dickhead.” you say coolly, your eyes narrowing, and the audience laughed. Embarrassed, Jaehoon used the worst trick in the book. “You switch guys so easily. No wonder, you were always a damn whore.” Everyone gasped, and Minho made a lunge for Jaehoon, but you got to him first. You punched him straight in the face, with gasps and laughs from the audience. He got up, his nose a mess, his upper lip bleeding. He practically ran out, and you turned to Minho, who was looking at you with a mixture of fear and admiration. “Remind me to never get on your bad side.” he said, and you laughed, nodding, as you left the cafeteria.

Fast forward to the Christmas Gala. You quite literally spent hours getting ready, trying to find the perfect dress, flawless make up and stunning accessories. Finally, you were satisfied with how you looked. You walked outside, where Ninho was waiting for you. His breath caught in his throat. You were wearing an A line sparkling red dress with a white feather train, a silver necklace framing your collarbone. Your hair was curled, falling down your back, your makeup light but enchanting. “You look-“ Minho breathed, his eyes taking over your body as he held out his hand. “Beautiful.” You blushed, taking his hand as you got into the car. By the time you arrived, the party was in full swing, everyone was dancing or drinking. You walked in, hand in hand with Minho. Ji pulls you to the dance floor almost immediately, babbling something about best friends before boyfriends. As you danced, you felt a sense of satisfaction. You had the perfect boyfriend, the best friends, and most importantly, just enough love for both of them. As the adrenaline dimmed, a slow song came on. After dancing for a while, you finally feel familiar fingers on your waist, pulling you closer. “May I have this dance?” Minho asked lightly, his eyes shining. “You may.” you giggled, and took his hand, placing one on his shoulder. Both of you swayed silently, simply entranced in each other. It was the comfortable kind of silence where no one felt the need to fill it with unnecessary words. As the music and the party came to an end, you spoke softly, leaning into Minho’s ear. “I love you.” you whisper, kissing him on the cheek softly. Before you know it, his lips are on yours again. A gentle kiss, barely more than a peck, but it makes you blush nonetheless. “I love you too.” he said, barely pulling away. You laughed as he looked at you like an excited puppy. And as you look into his eyes, you come to a conclusion.

“This is the best Christmas miracle I could have asked for!”

♡↣♡↣♡↣♡↣♡↣♡↣♡↣♡↣♡↣♡↣♡↣♡↣♡

If you liked my fic, please comment and reblog! I love hearing what you think!

[agentstovring]

Some Stays: "Lee Minho doesn't speak a word of English; he is lost and scared at all times. If you ask him about tour dates in America, he will start violently shaking and needs to be swaddled like a baby. Never hand him a can of Coke without translating the logo, he will NOT KNOW WHAT IT IS."

Other Stays: "Lee Minho is fluent in English but hides it in case he needs to spy on foreign powers. He has two middle names, and they're "Merriam" and "Webster". He personally invented the English language when he was 6 years old, but chooses not to speak it because the Latin alphabet tastes bad."

[callmehyungoppaokay]

Bangchan's mighty biceps- appreciation post

Those guns got that drip!

[hyuneskkami]

y.j ✦ baggy jeans ! ༄.°

𝓎ang jeongin x f!reader

masterlist . . . ✰

𓆩♡𓆪 𝒶n : no plot just fluff , I got bored and wanted to write something for innie <3 plus, i’ve been obsessed with baggy jeans (the song) and I can’t help but vibe to it everytime it plays.. anyway! hope you like it (:

𓆩♡𓆪 𝓌arnings + tags : very short , non-idol!au , lovey dovey jeongin and reader , vibing to music , hand holding , food mentioned , plain fluff , no real plot , mentioned songs: fein (playboi carti) & baggy jeans (nct u) ;

𓆩♡𓆪 𝓌c : 0.6k

“we’ll be late, y/n-nie! we’re gonna miss the start of the movie,” jeongin reminded me.

“i’m almost done, innie, wait,” I whined. I finished eating the last few bites of my ramyeon, and hit pause on the kdrama I was watching on netflix.

I quickly got up while untying my hair, and picked up my earphones, chapstick, and phone.

“ready!” I grinned at him. he smiled back, his eyes crinkling. oooh, he did the cutesy smile. i’m down so bad-

“hold on,” he whispered. bringing his hands up to my head, he combed his fingers through my hair, smoothening it down. he flipped it back properly and let my bangs rest neatly, framing my face. “cute.”

heat crept up my neck as I looked away and pulled him along with me.

“hey! you said we’d be late! come on, then,” I urged him.

we stepped outside and he locked the door as I put my socks and shoes on.

he did the same, and then we took the elevator down to the ground floor. 

I snapped a quick mirror selfie in the elevator with jeongin, making a note of our unintentionally matching outfits. 

it was around 11:20 at night when we left home, and started walking towards the theatre. a new one opened up in just the building next to ours, which we decided to try out. 

we walked for a few minutes, sharing my earphones, vibing together to playboi carti’s fein. 

as soon as we reached the theatre, jeongin lined up to get some popcorn and cola while I went to the restroom, and then returned.

intertwining our fingers, we got to our seats quickly and munched on the popcorn together, occasionally sipping some cola from the same bottle. 

it was about 2:00 a.m. when the movie ended and we were returning home. the roads were empty, with just a few street lights flickering. 

my earphones had died after being used for just a while because I had forgotten to charge them, and jeongin forgot his at home. 

since there was no one around, I turned on my phone and played my music out loud. 

／✯ 。jeongin’s pov . . .

nct u’s baggy jeans started playing from y/n’s phone suddenly, startling me. 

she started vibing to it, singing along and making up her own dance moves. she turned around, walking backwards now, and put her hood up. she was mouthing the lyrics along with the song.

I laughed and did the same with my jacket’s hood, and jogged closer towards her. 

she began singing the pre-chorus, her favourite part. her face was illuminated by just the flickering street lamp.

“우린 one, two, three, 거리로 surfin’, 거리로 surfin’,

and I jump, jump, jump, 하늘에 닿길, 하늘에 닿길,

bring it down, down, down, 무게를 내려둬,

모든 선택은 매번 stereo,

you ain’t know, know, know what’s in my pocket,

내 주머니 속에 내가 뭘 더 가졌는지,

so watch me drippin’ that,

흘러내려, slay,”

I continued the chorus, harmonising with her. each of our smiles reflecting the brightness in the other’s eyes.

her phone was now in her pocket, her hands out, vibing to the music. 

“in my baggy, baggy, baggy, baggy,

baggy, baggy jeans, hoo,

in my baggy, baggy, baggy, baggy,

baggy, baggy jeans,

in my baggy, baggy, baggy, baggy,

baggy, baggy jeans, yeah,

우린 흘러내리지, you know what I mean,”

she looked like she was a rockstar, performing the song live.

beautiful. ethereal.

we continued listening to her playlist till we reached home, stumbling into our house, exhausted. 

a thin layer of sweat gleamed on her face, giving her a gentle glow, making my heart race. 

how could someone be that perfect at just… existing?

kozumesphone © 2024 | don’t repost my works onto other platforms, or edit and post them even on tumblr, without asking me first • don’t steal my works, steal my heart instead • reblogs and comments are more than appreciated !

[felixir]

FELIX | SKZ-TALKER GO! Season 5 Ep.02 SEOUL 🖐🏻

[skzfairyyydreamz]

POV: Bf!Skz Didn’t tell you they were attending the Met Gala

Genre: Smau, text post, Bf!skz

Warnings: cussing, suggested kms joke, Spoiler: seungmin is a blabber mouth! 😂

a/n: this was not planned ahead at all! i know seungmin spoiled a few days ago but i seen felix’s instagram story and i spontaneously got this idea an hour ago and i tried my best to cook this up at the speed of light so i hope you enjoy this silly little story. reblogs and comments are so appreciated 🫶🏼 taglist and requests are open

© Skzfairyyydreamz - Plagiarism is a crime. Do not repost, alter, translate or copy without my consent.

taglist: @hanniemylovelyquokka @milknhoneyracha @tinyelfperson @jiisungllvr @turtledove824 @simpracha @imastraykidsfan @laylasbunbunny @armystay89 @eclipsemina

buy me a coffee?

[straykidsgallery]

RACHA LOG Ep. 10 - Lee Know 🍮

[crylynnluv]

[desi2go]

Christmas Scavenger Hunt

pairing: Jisung x reader

words: 4,3k

warnings: fluff, christmas

summary: You and Jisung share a magical holiday experience when Jisung plans a scavenger hunt filled with clues tied to your most cherished memories.

author's note: Hey guys! It's been a while since I posted something. Anyways, I'm back! I had so much fun writing this and btw it's for the StayblrHolidayEvent. I hope you enjoy it <3 Merry Christmas to yall!

-> @stayblrofficial

The first snow of December had come earlier than expected this year, layering the little town in a soft, powdery white. Everything felt quieter, more magical – the world had slowed down just enough to let her breathe. As you walked briskly through the streets towards Parchment Palace, the small independent bookstore where you worked. Your breath was foggy in the frosty air, twinkling lights lined the lampposts and wreaths decorated the storefronts with pops of red ribbon. You absolutely loved Christmas. It had always been your favourite time of year with hot chocolate, the smell of pine and cinnamon as well as Christmas movies you had watched a hundred times without getting bored. By now, you could quote every Christmas related movie that was ever produced. This year, though, felt different. There was something – or rather, someone – that made your cheeks warm even in the winter chill.

Jisung.

It had been only four months since you and Jisung started seeing each other. Four months of easy laughter, long conversations and quiet meaningful moments. He wasn’t the most outgoing guy due to his social anxieties, but he had this gentle, thoughtful way about him. Like he always noticed things others didn’t. You liked that about him, you liked a lot about him, actually.

The bell above Parchment Palace jingled as you stepped inside, the familiar smell of paper and vanilla candles greeted you. Sofia, your cheerful coworker and oldest friend, looked up from the counter and grinned widely. “Morning Y/n” she said, brushing her curly hair out of her face. “Someone’s looking extra giddy today” You rolled your eyes, a smile still spreading over your lips. “I’m just excited about Christmas”

She smirked, wiggling with her eyebrows. “You mean you’re excited about Christmas with Jisung” At her suggestion, you fought the blush that crept up your cheeks. “Maybe”

Sofia chuckled, holding up a small envelope that she waved through the air. “Speaking of, this was mysteriously dropped off for you earlier. No return address, no name. Just To Y/n. Care to explain?” You reached out after hanging up your jacket. “It’s from Jisung, isn’t it?” you murmured while Sofia urged you to find it out, observing the letter behind your back. Your heart skipped as your fingers brushed over the neatly folded paper. As you opened it, you immediately recognised Jisung’s handwriting, slightly messy but unmistakably his.

A little clue to start your day: Find where we first sat with coffee for two. There’s something there only for you to see.

Your lips parted in disbelief, rereading the few lines over and over again. “He’s sending me on a scavenger hunt?” Sofia clapped her hands together in excitement. “He is such a keeper. Honestly, he is making all the other boys look bad” You could hardly contain your joy as you shoved the note securely into your bag. “I can’t believe he actually did this” Sofia laughed, pushing you towards the door and holding your jacket in the other. “I will manage alone here. Go, you have got a mystery to solve”

❄❄❄❄❄

You stepped out of the bookstore into the crisp, snow-kissed morning. The streets were still bustling with holiday shoppers, their arms full of bags, red and green scarves tight against the cold. You tugged your own scarf closer around the neck, the note Jisung had left still snug in your bag. You couldn’t stop smiling. A scavenger hunt. He really planned a scavenger hunt. Jisung wasn’t the flashy or over-the-top like the romantic leads in Christmas movies you loved so dearly, but he had his own charm and this? This was exactly the kind of thing that would melt your heart. Thoughtful and so personal. It already felt like the best Christmas you had ever had, and it hadn’t even arrived yet.

The Blissful Brews was just around the corner, nestled between an old record store and a boutique that sold handmade jewellery. In that old record store worked Jisung. There, you had crossed paths for the first time as you bought your favourite albums and accidentally ran into him. You still remembered how his coffee had drenched your blouse and his deep apologies. The Blissful Brews was the kind of coffee shop that locals loved – warm and small enough that you could find someone you knew sitting in the corner with a steaming mug. The windows were fogged over from the warmth inside and the soft music spilled out as you pushed through the door. Rich espresso mingled with the sweetness of cinnamon and sugar – one of your favourite smells in the world, second only to fresh books and old paper. You paused for a moment near the entrance to take it all in. Everything about this place reminded you of Jisung. The first time you really met (well, if you don’t consider the little accident) and you were so nervous. He had invited you to a coffee as an apology. At that time, you didn’t know that he soon will cross the line between friendship and love.

Now, standing in the familiar warmth of the café, you couldn’t help but laugh at the memory. They both had been incredibly nervous, and the first few minutes were awkward as you had ordered. But this issue was overcome pretty quickly, and you were engaged in a deep conversation for hours. “Can I help you?” the young barista asked, leaning on the counter and eyeing her with an amused expression. You turned to observe the man that had dyed his hair in an unusual pinkish colour. You greeted him, telling him that you searched for an envelope. Of course, he knew you. He was the one that took your orders. Raising his eyebrows, he smiled. “A scavenger hunt clue, maybe?” You blinked, surprised. “Jisung told you?” The barista smirked sheepishly. “He may have come in last night and left something for you. That boy is so sweet” He gestured towards the back of the shop. Of course, why didn’t you think about it earlier? It was obvious that Jisung would have hidden at your table – the small two-seater tucked near the huge window where you had sat on your first unofficial date.

Your boots clicked softly against the wooden floor as you made your way to it, the hum of conversation and the faint clatter of cups filling the air. Your heart did a little flip when you saw a piece of paper carefully taped to the back of one of the chairs. He really did plan this whole thing, you thought. The handwriting was unmistakably Jisung’s, looking like he had been scribbling quickly.

Clue Two: Remember the big storm where you got soaked? You laughed at me ‘til you nearly choked. Go where we took cover and found some cheer, You will find your next clue there.

You couldn’t help but laugh at that memory. It had been one of your earlier dates, back in late September. The weather had been cold but clear when you walked around the town. Jisung, as always, had insisted on walking you back home after the successful date – even though it was a good twenty-minute trip, and his own apartment was on the other side of the town. Halfway through, the first droplets of rain started to fall that had been signalized by the dark clouds and the stormy wind. Small and cold, the water absorbed by your thin jacket. “Oh no” you had muttered, looking up at the ominous grey clouds overhead. Jisung, always the optimist, had grinned. “Maybe it will just be a drizzle” he commented.

Well, it wasn’t. Within moments, the rain had come down in buckets, soaking both of you to the bone, clothes clinging to your wet skin. You remembered standing there in the middle of the street, your hair plastered to your face, water running down your jacket in rivulets. And Jisung stared at you helplessly like he was trying to think of something heroic to do. “Umbrella?” he had stammered. “Too late for that” you said, giggling while you brushed your hair out of your face. Jisung had looked at you like you were slightly insane but the smile permanent on his lips. He had tugged you to a small shop, taking shelter there. The quirky little clothing shop near your apartment where he had bought you a fluffy, deep blue hoodie with a funny picture on it to keep you warm. So far, it was one of your favourite hoodies, creating a great memento of your date.

Now standing in that same clothing store, the second clue clutched in your hand, you searched through the cozy, cluttered shop filled with all different kinds and seizes of clothes in multiple colours. The old shopkeeper, looked up with a knowing smile. The smile of the grey-haired lady was kind and warm. “Ah Y/n” she greeted you, folding new clothes and putting them away on of the racks. “Jisung mentioned you would be coming by” You blinked. “He told you about this?”

Her laughter spread the whole shop. “Of course. That lovesick boy spent nearly an hour here yesterday, making sure that everything was perfect” You followed her to the counter as she pulled out a big paper bag. As soon as you opened it, your gaze locked on a red hoodie, decorated with small white snowflakes. You chuckled at the parallel to your past date. On top sat another note.

Here, my love, is clue three: Our bench in the park, Where we shared our first kiss. A memory I hold, sweet and kind, Go back there now and you will find the next clue.

❄❄❄❄❄

As you stepped back out into the cold, the snowflakes drifting lazily from the sky, you couldn’t stop the giddy excitement bubbling inside you. Every little detail Jisung had included so far – the places, the memories, the clues – was so perfectly. Your boots crunched against the freshly fallen snow as you walked quickly towards the park. The streets were busier now, families wandering hand-in-hand, and the shop windows glowing warmly in the gathering dusk. You pulled your scarf tighter around your neck, your breath misting in the cold air. The park wasn’t far from the clothing shop and soon, you found yourself standing at the entrance, the large trees stood brave in the falling snow, their branches dusted with snow.

The benches – especially the one you were looking for – were a small island in the white. You scanned the park, looking for the familiar sight. There it was, your bench. The bench where Jisung finally made you, his girlfriend. It was tucked beneath an old oak tree, the powdery snow gathering slowly on the wooden slats. The tree’s branches stretched overhead, and you could almost hear your memories of your past visits. The easy conversations, the quiet moments where you had leaned your head against his shoulder. And then, the kiss happened and symbolised the beginning of your relationship. He had seemed so nervous, his gaze wandering over your face, from time to time locking on your lips, not sure if he was allowed to lean in and capture them. You didn’t act differently.

Honestly, he had won your heart over at your fist unofficial date. As you told him about your day, your own eyes travelled over his soft, pillowy lips, imagining how it would be to kiss him. Eventually, he took all his courage and pressed his lips firmly on yours. Before you could even react, your mind still trying to understand what happened, he retracted. As he brushed through his hair in panic, stuttering apologies, you shook yourself out of your trance and grabbed the collar of his jacket. Swiftly, you pulled him towards you again, his voice was overflowing while you silenced him skilfully. This time, you lead the kiss and quickly, he recovered from the shock and reciprocated the tender gesture.

You reached the bench, smiling to yourself as you saw the small package, wrapped simply in brown paper and a beautiful red bow. Bending down, you brushed the thin layer of snow from the package and untied the bow as well as the paper. A big mug caught your eye, pulling it out from underneath the carefully wrapped papers to ensure that it won’t break.

You turned it to inspect the motif, heart fluttering in your chest as soon as your gaze fell on the photo printed on it. It wasn’t just any photo, no, it showed you two, his cheeks squished against yours tightly. You took it right here on the bench a few weeks prior on a date. Both of your smiles were bright, eyes sparkling with joy and adoration. Your chest tightened, touched by the thoughtful gesture as you pulled the mug close to your heart. This would be your favourite mug from now on. Inside, folded carefully, was the next clue. You pulled it out with a mixture of excitement and curiosity, unfolding it gently as if it were something fragile. Jisung’s handwriting filled the page.

Clue Four: It’s time for the final stop on our trip, Come warm up your hand and take a sip, Come Home where the heart will be, Find me, my love, and you will see.

Your heart leapt. Home. It was a simple word, but it meant so much to you. Your home had always been your apartment – your cozy little space filled with tons of books where you had lived since you moved into this town. But with Jisung, it had started to feel like more than just an apartment. As the weather was colder and rainy, you had spent much time there together, arguing over which Christmas movie to watch, cooking dinner side by side and wrapping presents for family and friends.

Slowly, over the last few months, it had become a place where you could imagine a future, a future with him. With this scavenger hunt, he wasn’t trying to be someone he wasn’t. He wasn’t flashy and didn’t plan some over-the-top romantic gesture straight out of a movie. What he had done was so much better – he had paid attention to the small, quiet moments you had shared. The memories that felt uniquely yours.

You read the note again, realizing what the clue actually meant. Jisung was waiting for you. “Home” you murmured to yourself, your breath fogging in the cold air. You felt a flutter of anticipation deep in your chest as you made your way back down the snowy path toward the street, eager to reach your apartment, to see what Jisung had planned next. The walk was quick, but it felt like an eternity. Each step seemed to pull your closer to something that had always been just out of reach – a feeling of belonging. With Jisung.

❄❄❄❄❄

When you reached your apartment building, it felt like the final puzzle piece was clicking into place. The familiar steps that led to the entrance, the little lobby with its mismatched furniture and the clattering sounds of neighbours going about their daily routines – all of it was comforting. It was home. Now, there was the promise of something even more special waiting inside. You climbed the stairs to the floor, your boots clicking softly on the old wooden steps. The snow outside created a thin layer of frost now thick enough to blanket everything in white. But inside, the warmth from her apartment was waiting – just like Jisung. When you reached the door, something was different.

The dim hallway light flickered above your head, casting soft shadows on the walls. But what really caught her attention was the way the hallway smelled. It wasn’t the usual scent of fresh air or coffee from the neighbours down the hall. This time, there was something warmer, sweeter in the air. Curious, you approached your door and paused, your hand resting lightly on the doorknob. The faintest glow of light slipped through the crack beneath the door, casting a soft, inviting warmth into the otherwise dark hallway.

You opened the door slowly, a smile tugging at the corners of your lips as you stepped inside, observing your apartment in search of Jisung. There, in the middle of the living room, was the most unexpected sight – a blanket fort. An actual blanket fort. You stood frozen for a moment, unsure whether to laugh or cry at how utterly this was. Soft blankets and throws were draped over every available surface, creating a small cozy cocoon in the centre of your living room. Christmas lights twinkled across the top, casting a soft glow. There were pillows scattered everywhere, some piled high inside the fort, others lining the floor like a cushiony path. It was like a childhood dream, but somehow even better – because this time, you had Jisung.

The small Christmas tree you two had bought together last week (well, he helped you with finding the perfect one since you couldn’t decide which one to get and brought it to your apartment since the tree was too heavy for you to lift). Despite your bickering that he should let you help at least with holding it up too, he wanted to do it alone, claiming that it was his job as your boyfriend. You had decorated the Christmas tree together, in the background played your favourite playlist to which you both sang loudly, hanging the handmade ornaments and paper snowflakes on the twigs.

Your heart swelled with pride as you took it all in, trying to figure out how you could get so lucky to have such a thoughtful boyfriend. And then, you heard him in the kitchen, he seemed to be preparing something but as he realised you were home, he stalked into the living area. Two steaming mugs in his hand, your favourites you recognised, His eyes displayed fondness when he observed you, smiling brightly.

“Hey, my love” he greeted you, placing the mugs onto the small couch table before turning to you again. You stepped closer, your feet light on the carpet as you walked towards him, his smile got playful. Hands on your hips, you tried to suppress the grin threatening to spread across your face. “So, this is the big finale? A blanket fort? You had me running all over town for this?” A mischievous smile appeared on his lips. “Hey now, this is a masterpiece. I spent hour building and rebuilding it until we both can fit inside. It’s the crown jewel of the scavenger hunt” he exclaimed, fully convinced with his grand idea. You raised your eyebrows, judging his so-called masterpiece. You must say that he did a really good job at building it.

“I must admit, it looks nice” you told him your decision, smiling fondly. “Did you plan all of this?” He nodded proudly, pulling you inside and placed a mug into your hands. As you analysed it further, you realised it was a hot chocolate topped with whipped cream, marshmallows and colourful sprinkles. Just how you liked it. The interior of the fort was cozy and intimate, pillows scattered across the floor, and the twinkling lights above gave the space a dreamy glow. You let out a breath you didn’t knew you were holding. “This is … incredible. This whole journey was wonderful.” you whispered. Jisung shifted, his comfortable scent wafting surrounded you, he smelled like home – your home.

“No need to thank me. Even though we are only four months into our relationship, I wanted to do something special. Because in this short time, my life has changed drastically. You became the centre of my life, my love.” he explained, pulling your hand into his, heating your cold fingers as he caressed the skin lightly. His gaze was soft, full of love when he continued.

“And I wanted you to feel how much everything I experienced with you means to me, every single memory we made together. How much you mean to me” You looked at him, your eyes shining while the weight of his words sank in. “I noticed” you stated quietly. “The café where we had our ‘unofficial’ date. The clothing store when we were surprised by the sudden rain. The bench where we shared so many memories, our first kiss included. You didn’t just send me running around town, Ji. You sent me through us”. Your boyfriend leaned back on his elbows, his gaze softening.

“That was the idea” he admitted. “Sometimes we get caught up in the present, in everything happening around us. And I just wanted to take you back – to remind us of all the moments that brought us here”. Your other hand traced the edge of one of the blankets as you took a deep breath, your voice trembling slightly. “It worked. Every step of the way, I felt it – how much thought, how much love you put into this. I’ve never had anything like this before, Jisung. It’s overwhelming, in the best way” The tears you fought to keep in, slowly escaped and rolled over your cheeks as you sobbed because of how much you adored this man next to you and the weight of not only his words but also his actions.

He cooed at you fondly, cupping your face with his hands, brushing the tears away while placing a sweet peck on your forehead. “Don’t cry. You know I can’t stand it when you cry” Soothingly he rocked you, humming to help you calm down. You smiled at him, puffy eyes but you promised that this were happy tears. “This” you said finally “is more than I ever could ask for” You leaned into him, resting your head against Jisung’s shoulder.

“I know that it’s not Christmas Day. But I have another gift for you” he stated, reaching into his hoodie pocket and pulling out a small, wrapped package. “I thought the fort was the grand finale?” You asked, narrowing your eyes suspiciously. He placed it gracefully into your open palm, his expression playful but tinges with something deeper. “You could describe it as an addition. Go on, open it”

You tore into the wrapping carefully, your fingers grazing the brown paper and the simple red ribbon. Inside was a small wooden box, its surface smooth and polished. Your breath caught as you opened it, revealing an assortment of trinkets nestled inside. There was a ticket stub from your first movie date, the corner slightly torn where he had fidgeted with it nervously. A pressed leave from the time you had from the time you spent in the park with a picnic as the weather wasn’t that bad, even for autumn. Several other things from past dates were laying in the box. The memories flooded back in vivid detail. “You kept all of this?” your voice broke again as tears welled up. He chuckled, his gaze steady. “Of course. I wanted to remember it all – the moments that made me realize how much you mean to me”

You swallowed hard, fighting the lump in your throat that made it difficult to speak. “I don’t even know what to say. This … This is the most thoughtful thing anyone’s ever done for me”. He smiled widely, pecking your forehead once again. “Thank you so much, Ji” “I’m glad, because you mean the world to me, Y/n. And I think there’s one more thing we’re missing to make this moment perfect” He brushed a hair strand out of your face, his touch lingering for a memory before his gaze dropped to your lips. “What’s that?” You smiled widely, already knowing what he is up to. After four months, you had figured out what he meant with that but you tagged along.

“This” The fondness in his eyes made your heart stutter and you couldn’t help but lean closer to him, capturing his lips with your own in a passionate kiss. His lips were soft, pillowy even, and you could even taste the chocolate from the hot chocolate that he had sipped on before. The kiss was filled with promises that only love could carry, the rest of the world melting away, leaving only the two of you and the quiet certainty that this was exactly where you were meant to be. When you finally pulled apart, you rested your forehead against Jisung’s, your eyes shining with joy while your boyfriend tightened his arms around you in a protective manner.

Comfortably, you leaned back and cuddled further into his embrace and the blankets that were like a fuzzy cocoon, enveloping you in warmth. You wouldn’t want to be anywhere else for the rest of your life. “We have got so much more to add to this box”.

[skzmostlikely]

[fizzypoltergeist]

"even if I say it out loud no one will listen"

SKZ Player - Hold my hand (HAN)